US
Matthew Harrison
How did Marty get involved?" Writer/filmmaker Matthew Harrison is reflecting on the unlikely chain of events which led to Martin Scorsese producing Kicked in the Head.
"Well, Marty grew up around four blocks away from where I live in New York City." Probe a little further and Harrison admits that Scorsese's involvement wasn't merely a neighbourly gesture.
About two years ago, a copy of Harrison's hard-nosed New York street movie, Rhythm Thief, shot for the princely sum of $30,000 in only 11 days, found its way into Scorsese's hands. "And he really liked it!" Harrison exclaims, as if still amazed by the fact. At the time, Harrison was hanging out in Hollywood. "But Marty told me, 'That place is no good! Get out of there!'" The young director followed the advice, promptly returned to New York, and together with his friend and collaborator Kevin Corrigan (the geeky video store attendant in Walking and Talking) wrote the first draft of the screenplay for Kicked in the Head. Scorsese liked it, October financed it, and in no time at all, Harrison was shooting a $4 million feature on the streets of New York.
The film's main character, Redmond (Corrigan), is an instantly recognisable Harrison type - a twenty-something drifter. During one traumatic day (shades of Scorsese's After Hours) this hapless hero encounters sex, crime and mindless violence - and all because he agrees to run an errand for his two-bit mobster uncle (James Woods). "The uncle is a real small-timer, but in his own odd way, he does love Redmond," says Harrison.
Harrison admits it was unnerving to deal with major stars after working "with largely unknown New York City people" in his previous films. Fortunately, Woods and Linda Fiorentino weren't difficult to work with. "I think they enjoyed getting their hands dirty. On the first evening, Linda told me, 'That's the hardest day's work I've done in a very long time.'"
Geoffrey Macnab
Prod co: October Films
Exec prod: Martin Scorsese
Prod: Barbara De Fina
Dir: Matthew Harrison
Scr: Matthew Harrison, Kevin Corrigan
Ph: Howard Krupa
Art dir: Kevin Thompson
Cast: Kevin Corrigan, James Woods, Linda Fiorentino
Running time: 87 mins
Int sales: CiBy Sales