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The first time the world saw World Wrestling Federation superstar Kane, he was an imposing behemoth decked in red accompanied by Paul Bearer, apparently the half-brother of The Undertaker who died in a fire returned from the very depths of hell, and boy, was he mad!
Over ten years later, and he's mellowed a bit as his fanbase has grown, but in his first feature film See No Evil, the initial collaboration between WWE Films and the horror masters at Lionsgate, Kane is once again on a murderous rampage, this time as a hulking creature inside a supposedly abandoned hotel, killing a group of hapless teenagers one-by-one.
Back in March, Kane attended the New York Comic-Con, and while thousands of people desperately tried to get into the exhibition hall, ComingSoon.net had a chance to talk to the wrestler, pleasantly surprised that he actually could talk!
ComingSoon.net: This being the first movie from WWE Films, through Lionsgate, how did this come about with you being their first featured star?
Kane: Actually, Vince McMahon, my boss, the CEO of WWE, approached me not quite two years ago and said he had a project. I had heard rumors of it, but not from Vince, and then he called me into his office one day, and talked to me about. He said he was very excited about a project they had for me. That sort of got the ball rolling.
CS: Did they already have a script written at that point?
Kane: Yeah, yeah. It wasn't finished, but they had a pretty good idea.
CS: Was this always a project specifically designed for you?
Kane: Yes, I believe so.
CS: Can you give us a brief summary of what the movie is about? Obviously, you're a killer.
Kane: There's a group of teenagers on a community service project, and they're taken to do clean-up at this old hotel, and basically, all hell breaks loose from there.
CS: Would you consider this more of an old school '70s type slasher movie?
Kane: No, I would consider it old school in that it has a strong antagonist, such as a "Friday the 13th" or "Halloween." It has a strong bad guy, and it's character-driven and story-driven. Of course, the things they can do nowadays with the stunts and the make-up and effects are awesome, and that's all an integral part of the movie, but it's the story and the character, which really come through, and make the movie resonate with you. It's not all about moving from Stunt or Effect A to Stunt or Effect B. There's a story as to why things are happening and to why my character is the way that he is. Much the same as in the "Friday the 13ths" or the "Halloweens" or the "Nightmare on Elm Streets." That's actually what ended up sucking you in, is the fact that you wonder, "Why is this guy doing this and why is he here?"
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CS: Obviously, there's a bit of showmanship involved with wrestling, as far as outside the ring stuff. But how hard was it making a movie, having to be on camera almost the whole time?
Kane: I think the transition was pretty easy for me. Our show is live every week, so basically, we're put into a boiler, stress-wise. We have to get things done and done in a certain timeframe, and they have to be right the first time when they're done. Because of that, I think, I was very prepared to do the movie. We don't have the luxury, when we're doing the television show, of extra takes. You either do it or don't. I just felt comfortable almost from Day 1 on the movie set. Also, of course, everyone with me down there was very supportive and helpful. It really was a great experience, very enjoyable.
CS: Is it more stressful getting something right on the first take or on the fifth take?
Kane: That's a good question. The second part of that is because we get things done hopefully right the first time in our business, if you have to do another take, a lot of time that means that it didn't go as well as you wanted or you screwed up. You can imagine my feeling after about fifteen or 20 of them, but I understand that's the nature of the beast. That's how it's done. I have a new respect for actors that do that, because you have to show the emotion or slightly tweak it on all these different takes. Are you looking for a different thing? That can be hard to do, and it can become monotonous, but you can't let yourself become mentally dull, because if you do, you're just wasting everyone's time and money.
CS: Was it easier for you to do your own stunts than have someone else do them?
Kane: Yeah, yeah, 'cause I have a pretty good background in that. Otherwise, you'd have to figure out a way to get someone [my] size.
CS: Are you looking to continue doing movies after this experience?
Kane: If I a have a chance to do another movie, that would be great. Of course, wrestling is what I've done and what I've enjoyed doing. I never got into wrestling planning on doing movies. It was just this particular project was something that came up. Like I said, I enjoyed doing it very much, so it just depends. The future's the future. Whatever it holds, I can't predict that.
CS: So there's nothing planned at this point?
Kane: Not at this point. I'm sure we'll see how this movie does and then go from there.
CS: Is the movie set-up for a sequel if they wanted to do one with you?
Kane: I'm sure we could. The writers can do anything.
CS: Obviously, this is a genre film, which goes well with your background on WWE, but do you have any interest in doing something in a different genre, like a comedy?
Kane: (laughs) I think I'd stick to this. I'm not funny. (laughter)
CS: How are you planning on separating Kane the wrestler from Kane the actor, as you start doing more movies? Would you eventually start using your own name like Dwayne Johnson did?
Kane: I haven't thought about that.
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CS: Would you like to have a career like The Rock in terms of becoming a name action star?
Kane: Not really. Like I said, I just take things as they come, and whatever opportunities are out there are out there, but I'm more concerned with promoting this movie and make this movie do well. The point is moot after that. Hopefully, this will do real well and we'll carry on with these questions.
CS: What kind of movies do you like to watch?
Kane: I like pretty much everything, but I do like suspense movies and horror movies. When they're done right, they're good.
CS: Do you have any favorite horror movies?
Kane: The first "Nightmare on Elm Street" and the first "Halloween," I thought were really really good. "Se7en," whether you consider it a horror or suspense movie, I thought it was very good. The "Saw" movies, of course, are really good. I have "Saw II" on my iPod, but I haven't watched it yet, but the first "Saw" movie I thought was phenomenal.
CS: What was the last movie that truly scared you or that has scared you the most in your life?
Kane: "Silence of the Lambs," because once again, even though it wasn't a horror movie, it got into your head, and it was real. I remember I watched that in college, and I was walking back with my friend, who lived in a trailer park. You're looking at the underpinnings of these trailers, knowing that some psycho dude can be under any of them. By the same token, I think that's why I like "See No Evil" so much, because it's real. Gregory Dark, the director, that was his objective, was to make the movie feel real, and I think it succeeds, and that's what makes it scary.
CS: Do you have a favorite actor or actress?
Kane: Not really. It just depends upon the performance. I like actors like Mel Gibson and Harrison Ford. Actually, I was just talking to Robert Englund before, and I love Freddy Krueger. I thought he was great in all his movies, and I think Jodie Foster, 'cause of "Silence of the Lambs."
CS: Did you always aspire to be a wrestler?
Kane: Yeah, when I was a kid, I was a wrestling fan. Our local stations didn't broadcast it, but when I got back into college, that's when Hulk Hogan was at the height of his career, so I became a wrestling fan again. I wasn't very active in college, but I wanted to play athletics, and I looked at wrestling as a viable option to do that.
CS: Were there any other wrestlers you looked up to?
Kane: You had Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Ricky Steamboat, Rick Flair and the Four Horsemen, all those guys. Actually, when I was first getting into wrestling, the Undertaker was my favorite. Remember when he was building caskets for people? That was classic! He was just awesome.
CS: Did that play a role as them casting you as his half-brother?
Kane: No, that didn't, but I think that it did play a role in the success that I've had as Kane, especially the way I was introduced as the Undertaker's brother, 'cause I could relate to that. It was pretty natural for me.
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CS: Since you've been with the WWF and now WWE for over ten years, how has it changed in the time you've been with them, particularly since the buyout of the WCW?
Kane: In some ways, we've gone through an evolution. Actually, the biggest thing that I see from when I first started with the company is that we've become more television-driven; our television product has become stronger. When I first started with the company, the format of our show was a lot different than it is now, and a lot of that was because of competition from the former WCW, and we were able to overcome that by making our television product stronger, and go on to some of the best years the business has ever seen and continue.
CS: Are you happy with the direction that your character has gone, especially since you spent many of your earlier years wearing a mask and not even talking?
Kane: Yeah, I've always been happy with what's gone on in my career. It's been tremendous, more than I can ever hope for.
CS: Do you miss the mask?
Kane: I get asked that question all the time. Actually, I prefer without the mask, because as a performer, I'm unlimited in what I can do, but with my face hidden, I had to rely a lot more on body language. By the same token, the mask had a certain aura about it, and there's mystery. I like it without the mask, but a lot of people liked the mask.
CS: Do you spend any of your free time playing games online?
Kane: Absolutely. Not so much online anymore because I live in an area where I only get satellite, but I used to play "Halo 2" and "Ghost Recon" online quite a bit. I had a good time, especially with "Halo 2."
CS: What games are you playing now?
Kane: Right now, I'm playing THQ's "Raw Vs. Smackdown 2006," our game, on the PSP. I haven't actually been playing too much console stuff, just because I've been on the road quite a bit.
CS: Is it easier to play the wrestling games since you know how to do the moves for real?
Kane: (laughs) Not really.
CS: Do you always play as yourself?
Kane: Yeah. (laughter)
See No Evil opens on Friday, May 19 everywhere. Look for an interview with director Gregory Dark sometime next week.
