Allyson Smith plays Suzanne, the 60's hippie wannabe and the female half of the KyleandSuzanne team in Mother's Day. I sent Allyson a series of interview questions dealing with herself, her character in the film, and the production. Here is what she had to say....
So, Allyson, what was your first scary movie?
The first movie I remember being scared by was Steven Spielberg’s Jaws. It terrified me as a child, and probably ruined a few beach trips. But the first actual horror movie I saw was The Exorcist.
Did it really scare you?
I was terrified by it. My father loves scary movies, and had no qualms about watching them, even when my sisters and I protested. The Exorcist is his all time favorite scary movie, so he constantly watches it, but even today I can’t sit through it all. It just left me so scared the first time that I haven’t been able to swallow the fear and watch it all the way through.
Were you one of those kids who once you had the experience of seeing a horror film you could hardly wait to see another?
If you cant tell by my previous answers, not really, no. (Lol!) When someone gets me to actually sit down and watch a horror film, I usually have them warn me about scary parts. Good horror movies (when I can sit through them) usually leave me thinking “Well, that was fun, let’s not do it again anytime soon!”
Are you a fan of Friday the 13th?
Before Cory asked me to take part in the movie, I didn’t even know that Friday the 13th was the title of a series! I knew about Jason and (of course) his infamous mask, but nothing past that until we sat down and watched some of the movies.
Which Friday the 13th film was your favorite?
I can’t really say, I haven’t seen one all the way through. What I have seen was mostly more funny then scary, so that in itself has encouraged me to watch the movies.
Before getting the part of Suzanne in Mother's Day had you read any of the Eric Morse Friday the 13th novels?
No… I wish I had read Mother’s Day though. It would have helped me grasp the character all the more. Like I said, I wasn’t even aware that there was a series of movies known as Friday the 13th, yet alone that there were books!
Though Mother's Day is a Friday the 13th film, the character of Jason Voorhees does not appear in the film. How does this change this story and make it different from the others?
I feel like it almost removes Jason from the bad guy role of his own series. Like the first few movies, his mother is the culprit in Mother’s Day, giving orders, driving the hunter to kill. It makes his mom look more like the crazed old woman, the brains behind the operation while Jason is the brawn. Perhaps this shows us that Jason is crazy for a reason.
Was the lack of Jason a detriment, or an advantage, or did it make any difference?
I think that the lack of Jason was at least a small advantage: it showed the power of Jason all the more. The fact that this one boy’s anger and hatred is so strong that it was absorbed into his mask in a way that effects anyone else who wears it… that’s so intense, and adds to his legend. The hunter turned into another victim of Jason Voorhees without even knowing it.
What was it about the script for Mother's Day that made you want to take part in this production?
Perhaps it was silly (and a tad dumb) on my part, but I agreed to take part before even reading the script or knowing who my character was. I’ve always enjoyed acting, so when Cory asked me, I was all for it. After seeing the script, however, I knew that the production would be a lot of fun, and that the team of Cory (Director), Matt (Director of Photography), and Dave (Assistant Director) would get it done right.
In regard to your character, Suzanne, what was it about the character that drew you to take up the part?
I really didn’t choose the part of Suzanne for myself; Cory was actually the one who chose me for the part. Both Cory and Dave agreed that I’d play the part well. After reading the script, I realized that I would have chosen Suzanne anyways. She seemed like such a fun person to play, a small part, but big in her own way. I found that I liked the idea of being one of the first to die.
Is there some aspect of Suzanne that you see in yourself?
I think I’m very similar to Suzanne, actually, which could be why Cory chose me for the part. She’s laid-back, relaxed, and caring. She seems to be the most levelheaded of the characters, the one who can be happy and bouncy, but also carries a ‘step back and see the big picture’ air about her. Or maybe that’s just my contribution to the character of Suzanne.
Was there a certain scene or incident during the production that stands out in your mind?
The second big weekend we were filming, it started raining. At first it was only a slight sprinkle, so many of us just took cover under the trees. I covered my head with a towel to prevent my straightened hair from curling (that would make for some really bad continuity), and soon found myself sharing it with Mali (Carly) and Nicole (Monique). We were sitting under a tree, huddled under this towel, when Ben (Boone) suddenly yelled “It’s gonna come down in buckets!!!” Sure enough, it started pouring, and everyone scattered for the closest tent. All four girls (including Stephanie, make-up) on set ended up diving into the same tent, where we waited out the rain. It was funny, but at the same time, we couldn’t help but feel bad for Cory, Matt, and Dave as they ran around gathering/covering equipment. Filming for the rest of the day had to be canceled.
During every production there is usually one person that is the stand out person. Was there anyone on the crew of Mother's Day that you felt was this person?
Oh gosh, everyone put in so much effort that it’s hard to say. Mali (Carly) is definitely one at the top of the list: she acted non-stop, staying up until the break of dawn some days. She was such an amazing actress, and always ready for what was called. Nicole has to be mentioned as well, simply because she saved all of our butts by picking up the role of Monique last minute, and did an incredible job with it. And of course, Stephanie, who did an amazing job with make up, sticking it out even when no make up was required.
Do you think that if Mother's Day is a success and the fans show support that there will be more adaptations of Friday the 13th novels in the future?
I can’t tell for sure. Fans will always be willing to create their own stories or adapt what others have written, especially if they have as much passion as Cory had about this project. As for Hollywood, I think that they’ll make more Friday the 13th movies as long as there’s money in it (a sad Hollywood fact), and new scripts are always being looked for. It would be awesome to see other adaptations to the novels.
Finally, what would you like to see in the future of Friday the 13th?
As I was never a huge fan in the first place, I’m not sure what has already been done, or what can be done. It was a bit extreme to see movies like Freddie vs. Jason, or Jason X (aka: Jason in Space), and it almost made me wonder if they were running out of ideas for the characters. Perhaps putting a twist on the original story line some how, or getting into Jason’s head and knowing what’s in his (seemingly dull) mind. I’m really not sure.