Actor Les Simpson scared all of us to death as one of the Crawlers in Neil Marshall's "The Descent" and also portrayed Private Terry Milburn in Marshall's "Dog Soldiers". Now, out of ALL of that makeup he had to wear as a Crawler (and Les is QUITE the looker!), he is soon to be seen in Neil Marshall's much-anticipated follow-up to "The Descent", "Doomsday. as well as the first Hammer film to be broadcast over the Internet, "Beyond the Rave". Bloody-Disgusting recently had a chance to speak with the charming and very funny Simpson about primary school acting trauma, what all went (literally) into playing a Crawler and just HOW huge a horror fan Simpson is!

BD: Hello, Les and thanks for taking time to chat with us about your latest film, "Beyond the Rave". First though, how about a little of the Leslie Simpson Story for folks out there who may only know you as a Crawler or a "Dog Soldier"? Where are you from, where did you attend school, how did you end up as an actor, that sort of fascinating information.

LS: I’m from, and still live in, the North East of England in a town called Middlesbrough. Middlesbrough was recently voted the worst place to live in the country, but I love it. Ridley Scott, who comes from nearby, used the skyline to inspire Blade Runner; so that should give you a visual guide. But Middlesbrough is cradled by a horseshoe of hills, beyond which are the Yorkshire Dales and their glorious scenery. It’s a place of extremes, and suits me very well. I expect to have to leave at some point, but it’s wiser to be pulled than to push.

At primary school I was very quiet; so quiet that the teachers assumed I had learning difficulties. Retarded was the word they used at the time. Babysitters used to call me ‘Little Buddha’, because I’d just sit and stare into space for hours on end. I was in the remedial class for everything. I was very small, so at five years old I was picked to play Abraham’s son Isaac in a school play - The one where God asks Abraham to show his devotion by sacrificing his son. I was given no words, just in case, and the teacher took a gamble on my being able to lie down on command and play dead. So there I was, lying across a polystyrene rock, a papier-mache knife bearing down on me, Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana playing loudly in the background; and I burst out crying. I completely believed that it was all real. My life up until then was simply about waiting patiently for that moment. Right then I woke up, and knew what I born for. Incidentally I was out of the remedial group within a fortnight because I started communicating. Unfortunately I’ve never shut up since.

BD: Backing up just a little, how did you get involved with Neil Marshall? You've been among his ensemble actors since Day One and you will be returning in his upcoming film, "Doomsday". Tell us about working with Neil.

LS: My relationship with Neil is quite surreal. Our friendship began when we met in a pub in Carlisle. I was there to meet him to try out for the part of Nick in his short film, ‘Combat’. We sat in the pub, drank beer and talked films, at first nervously, then at bullet speed, for hour after hour until we lost track of the time. I worked out that for Neil film-making wasn’t a job, it wasn’t even a choice one could make, it was a compulsion. And he was adamant that the people that were going to go with him on the journey had to have the same passion, drive and craft (in my case, however raw). I have no problem bonding with people who know and love film. And boy, does Neil know and love film. At the end of the conversation, Neil excused himself, got up to leave, and casually told me I’d got the part.

Over the course of time our friendship grew. I’m happy to call Neil a close personal friend, and regardless of our professional relationship, will always expect that to be the case. He’s a good man with a good heart and brain, who just happens to be a Master filmmaker into the bargain. The surreal bit comes courtesy of the fact that what we talked about all those years ago when we sat in that pub, what we longed to be part of, and I’m certainly not talking about the desire for fame and fortune, but simply the desire to be part of the film industry, is happening for real around us, and how! Well, for Neil principally and deservedly, and for me, even now and then. It’s hard to explain what the working relationship is. Neil engenders an atmosphere of mutual trust that can be earned very quickly if you’re ready to work. Neil trusts the actors to do their homework and bring him something to play with, while Neil himself is the calm, confident eye at the centre of the creative storm. It’s hard not to trust Neil. Even with new blood arriving on each successive film, it has only taken a day or two for them to get up to speed. A Neil Marshall set is one happy, hard working family. And with his regular team of Simon Bowles (production designer), Sam McCurdy (DOP), Jack Ravenscroft (1st AD), and Paul Hyett (SFX design & make-up) the shoot works like a well-oiled machine.

BD: As an uber-horror fan myself, I must thank you and your fellow Crawlers for scaring the shit out of me in "The Descent" (please pass my regards on to Craig Conway). The behind-the-scenes for that film looked like you all were having WAAYY too much fun. How was it - being a Crawler? I'm sure you don't get pointed out on the streets by terrified children.

LS: Isn’t The Descent a great film? I mean, come on!! It’s a modern horror masterpiece. Neil put down a marker with The Descent that all new horror films will be judged by. In addition, it was so technically fantastic that it’s impossible to fathom how he managed it on such a small budget. I can’t tell you what an honour it was to have been part of that film. …I guess you can tell that I like The Descent.

Actually being a Crawler though is another matter entirely. We shot the film in January 2005 during a slow period for Pinewood Studios. It was absolutely freezing cold, and the budget didn’t stretch to heating bills. The Crawlers had to be at the studio each morning between 3 & 4 am. First up we’d have to stuff our bits – yes, those bits – into the foot end of a pair of stockings, which was then glued down. Next, we’d have the prosthetic face & ears attached and glued down. Then we’d strip off the rest of our clothes and stand in a bare room with the windows thrown wide open for air flow, and wait to be spray painted white. I’m sure the paint can was refrigerated beforehand just in case it wasn’t cold enough. For the next few hours we’d get our make-up spruced, veins drawn in, etc. Finally, after arriving on set wrapped in hypothermia blankets, we’d get marinated in KY jelly and doused in water and fake mud. Lovely. For anyone who needs initiating into the joys of KY jelly, I can tell you to beware – that stuff actually insulates against the heat. On top of all that we had to be completely hairless from head to toe. Everything had to come off. EVERYTHING!!!!

At the end of the day though, what self-respecting actor wouldn’t love to be immortalised as an iconic screen demon? Time was in the film industry when it was seen as the highest accolade. Lon Chaney, Karloff, Lugosi etc. De Niro played Frankenstein remember? John Hurt buried himself in a mountain of prosthetics for the Elephant Man (okay, that’s not horror, but you see my point). Screen demons are part of the fabric of our profession. Shakespeare created Caliban & Oberon among other demons, and something tells me he didn’t cast dancers in the roles as our knowledgeable producers are wont to do these days. You want to know why a lot of modern horrors are a letdown? There’s your answer right there. Demand excellence people!!!!!!!

BD: Is there any little nugget of info you can divulge right now about "Doomsday"? I think most fans know this is NOT a zombie film a la "28 Days Later" but what CAN you tell us about the film as well as your character?

LS: The Reaper virus doesn’t turn anyone into a raving loony, a violent super-thug, or make anyone even remotely uptight. The reaper virus doesn’t re-animate you as a zombie, doesn’t leave you craving human blood, or digest you alive in a larval cocoon. The reaper virus doesn’t cause pink eye, or leave you with an upset stomach. The Reaper virus kills. Full stop. Horribly and painfully, granted. But you’ll be very definitely dead. With no way back. Doomsday is not a zombie film because the survivors of the reaper virus are exactly that, survivors. There seems to be some confusion among fans as to what type of zombie film Doomsday actually is, if it’s not like 28 Days/Weeks Later. Hopefully this should clear up the misunderstanding; it’s not any type of zombie film at all. In fact Doomsday, while quite possibly being Neil’s most horrific film to date, is perhaps not even a horror film. I think that when this is completely understood, the audiences are in for the ride of their lives. My character, Carpenter, is part of a team that goes over the border to investigate claims that the virus has returned, when… pfftshffftt- bzzzzzzzzzzzcccrrrreeeefftttsseeeeezzzzzzzzz… I’m afraid radio silence must be resumed until further notice..

BD: Tell us how you got involved in "Beyond the Rave", something about your character, Belial (sounds a bit sinister) and how it feels to be part of the renaissance of Hammer Films?

LS: I have the actor Rick Warden to thank for getting me involved. Rick is a highly respected young British character actor who I met on Neil Marshall’s Doomsday shoot. Rick is steadily rising up the acting food chain in the UK and was heralded as a coup by Hammer when he agreed to play the part of the Vampire Strigoi in Beyond the Rave. Strigoi is one half of a double act in the film, the other being the Vampire Belial. Rick was asked who he felt he would feel comfortable playing alongside, and to my bemusement & gratitude, he suggested me. Coming from an actor of Rick’s calibre, I can think of no greater honour. However, the producers, along with everyone else on Planet Earth had no idea who I was (except Neil, who has shown ceaseless faith in me). Despite offering me the job on Rick’s say-so, they still wanted to see me. When I turned up at the meeting, where I expected the mere formality of discussing the role, I found myself in a group of at least ten other actors, all of whom had been offered the role also. It was like Sparticus; “I’m Belial! No, I’m Belial! God damn it, I’m Belial!!!” Anyway, the upshot is they picked me, which was lovely. Rick, on the other hand, landed a leading character in a major TV drama, and so had to drop out.

Being involved in the resurrection of Hammer is… well… for once I’m speechless. For the true fan of horror, Hammer is a rite of passage. Hammer is seen as the apotheosis of British horror all over the world, as Shakespeare is our standard bearer for playwrighting. If you don’t know Hammer, you’re a part-timer. Obviously it’s very humbling to be involved. I feel like I’m striking off my childhood wishes, one by one.

And Belial? Well, hmmn… here’s the thing… It’s hard to explain. Belial is… erm, unpredictable? Unhinged maybe? As one observer remarked, i.e. me, he’s simply misunderstood, in the same way that Alex from Clockwork Orange might be misunderstood. Personally I think he’s just your average Joe; a thoroughly nice, if somewhat misguided little scamp. Only with fangs.

BD: Not only are you reunited with your "victim" from "The Descent", Nora-Jane Noone, but you are also working with such British horror luminaries as Ingrid Pitt, Sadie "Bram Stoker's 'Dracula'" Frost and Sebastian "28 Weeks Later" Knapp. What was that experience like?

LS: I’ve had the good fortune of working with Nora-Jane (NJ) three times so far and it’s always a pleasure. NJ is a gorgeous, fragile, sensitive human being who always brings everything she’s got to the party, and in my opinion, she’s only warming up. NJ is a star waiting to find her orbit. And when she does… whoosh! Seb Knapp, who plays the leading vampire Melech, is a great bloke. Very relaxed and composed as an actor, Seb was unfazed by anything, very laid back. Beyond the Rave was five weeks of night shoots, which plays havoc with your body clock and can be very tiring, but it brought the cast and crew together, and there was great camaraderie and a positive energy among the group. Something clearly happens in the night air…

One of my great regrets about the shoot was that the night that Ingrid Pitt was scheduled to work was a rare night off for me. I was torn between meeting an icon of horror and getting some much needed rest. The call of the pillow won out. I’ll meet Ingrid no doubt at the cast & crew screening and report back.

Sadie Frost appears during the eponymous ‘rave’, spending much of the time suspended from the ceiling – don’t ask, I’m not telling ! It isn’t easy getting to know someone when they’re floating fifty feet above your head, but Sadie was the consummate professional. She applied herself on a very difficult scene without a word of complaint and a constant desire to explore new ideas. What I can say is that her scene will be a memorable one for horror fans.

BD: "Beyond the Rave" will be an unusual production as it is going to be an on-line serial. Can you give us any idea how long the serial will last and, in your own words, how would you describe the film to those who might not know much about it?

LS: I don’t think anyone involved creatively on Beyond the Rave was enamoured to the idea that it would be shown on-line. We all felt that it was a waste of a great opportunity, and wouldn’t be a popular choice with Hammer fans. Even the assurance that it was also going to be released on DVD couldn’t appease the cast. But over time, having done some research, I now believe that it’s a bold, groundbreaking and thoroughly Hammer thing to do. I recently discovered that there are actors out there, occasional supporting actors on network TV, who are very big stars on the internet. The internet is the next major battleground for audience ratings. When Hammer started in the thirties, it was set up to exploit a quota loophole that stated that British cinemas must schedule a certain percentage of British made films. So Hammer made its first pot of money by churning out cheap movies that were guaranteed a cinema release. And they were also there at the birth of British network TV in the fifties – at a time when you were guaranteed a 100% share of the audience because there was only one channel. Which brings us bang up to date to the next seismic shift in our viewing habits, and who’s there? That’s right. I think for an opening salvo, they’ve got it spot on. And if the internet doesn’t catch on - improbable now, the runes have been cast - then there’s still the DVD. For the record, I believe that the piece will be sliced into twenty ‘episodes’ and streamed one episode at a time. But nobody tells me anything. I can’t be trusted obviously.

The publicity blurb says that the film tells of the last night of freedom for a young, handsome soldier (Grrr!! Curse your Calvin Klein model good looks Jamie Dornan) before he heads off to fight in Iraq, and his travails with his demure, sexy Irish girlfriend (NJ). The blurb will go to say that the night is about to go belly-up as our two heroes and a close circle of friends happen upon a plan for a secret (& illegal) rave, which has been organised by the mysterious Melech. Well, that may well be what the official blurb will tell you, but they’re lying. BTR is actually the heartbreaking tale of an innocent, down at heel little hobo called Belial and the many scrapes he gets himself into. How a chance meeting at a local lady-fun discotheque leads to our loveable hero’s loss of dignity, of his hope, and even of his life. If anybody tells you different, tell ‘em Belial put you right …right?

BD: As a fellow horror fan, how would you rate "Beyond the Rave" in terms of blood, gore, guts, horror, nudity, all of the good stuff horror fans enjoy? And, if this were going to be shown on the big screen, would it get an "R" rating (15 or 18 in the UK) or a pitiful PG-13?

LS: There’s no such thing as enough gore & blood in my book. Tristan Versluis the prosthetics guy, Melanie Light the art director and yours truly were always pushing for more blood & more gore. We saw it as our solemn duty. But the simple fact is, because it’s being streamed on the internet where there are limited means to monitor the average age of viewers, the responsible approach is to self-censor the material. I am reliably told however that the gloves are off for the DVD release and the blood will flow. Hurray!!! And there’ll be a special DVD extra which should more than appease traditional Hammer fans, with a plethora of semi-clad buxom vamps – and poor old me in the middle. Saying that, blood and gore is not necessarily where the fun comes from in a vampire flick, although you’d think so these days.

BD: Have you always been a horror fan? Do you remember the first movie and book that scared you to death?

LS: Yes I have. It’s probably important to point out that I love films, period. I don’t have a preference for a particular genre anymore. I simply have certain requirements that draw me to a film or not. I’m drawn to films that bring the other into existence. Be it the infernal or the celestial, the psychological or the amazing, the disturbing or the awe-inspiring. Great horror ticks all the boxes. I had my fill of slasher movies in the early eighties – my favourites being Argento’s Tenebrae and The Burning (although admittedly The Burning does involve some degree of the supernatural) – but now, with the odd exception, they’re more like crime dramas with the emphasis on the killer and the blood cranked up to 11. But I absolutely adore proper horror and always have done. When I was six I had hairy arms and my friends used to call me Werewolf. I used to boast that I was going to be in a werewolf film one day. Little did I know...

For as long as I can remember I’ve been in a state of perpetual fear. Friday night was stay up late night, and the unmitigated terror of a Hammer or Amicus feature, or a Universal classic. Boris Karloff, Fredrich March, Bela Lugosi, Price, Lee, Cushing & Bates. They were my regular weekend nightmare buddies. I remember my childhood as a blur of terror, blood, sexy women and satanic rites. Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb, The Blood-Beast Terror, Dracula, The Legend of Hell House, Frankenstein, The Fly… Heck, I’d even watch Abbott & Costello if they were taking on the wolf-man. Then came the Armchair Thriller TV series, - I could barely get through the title sequence, but.. I… just.. couldn’t… take… my eyes… off… the screen… then the Hammer House of Horrors & Tales of the Unexpected. Ah, good times. Into my teens, we had the age of the video nasty on tap, the pre-ban years. This is where I completely pigged out on slasher movies - it was the law in those days. Of course there was also The Evil Dead, Basket Case, Superstition, Deadly Spawn and a million and one cheap, nasty, and thoroughly glorious flicks being pumped out like arterial spray by Palace Pictures at the time. Under my bed was a stack of dark comics; Eerie Tales, Suspense Stories, etc, along with the complete works of James Herbert, up to, and including The Rats: Domain, and a couple of novels I picked up at a garage sale by an American called Richard Bachman, – who at the time I had no idea was Stephen King. I have been told recently that the original, individual copies of the Bachman books could be worth something.

BD: What are some of your favourite horror films? And some of your favourite horror writers?

LS: I’m always reluctant to create a list of my favourite films, music or books because appreciation ought not to be a competition. And anyway, I’ll remember something tomorrow that I should have had on here. But in the interests of science, I’ll have a go. I suppose there are always some films that rise to the top. Few horror films can make my blood turn to ice quite like those that feature the Dark Lord himself. I don’t why exactly, it must mean my psyche knows something that I don’t. Because of this I have to nominate 2 films that rendered me speechless for about 45 minutes after leaving the cinema. ‘Angel Heart’ knocked me sideways. I had a genuine feeling of dread that resonates with me to this day. It also contains two performances that have profoundly influenced my approach to acting. I have held a fascination for New Orleans and its voudou underbelly ever since. My next choice may seem a little odd (not that the first is entirely orthodox), Dennis Potter’s Brimstone & Treacle. Not the most technically proficient piece of work admittedly, and by no means does the acting rise to the standard of Lord Jeffrey Coombs or Sir Bruce Campbell, but there was something about the film (& TV version), that really unnerved me. In fact when I was younger I convinced myself that I was ‘Martin’. You can add to the list Rosemary’s Baby & The Wicker Man, 2 prime slabs of Satanic lore. And then we’ll come to the special jury prizes for sentimental value. George Sluizer’s original The Vanishing made me realise that I’m terrified of the idea of being buried alive, and do you know, I hadn’t given it a moment’s thought before that – so thanks for that George, appreciate it. And I must include my first visit to the big screen as a minor sneaking into an 18 (R) certificate film… the mighty John Carpenter’s ‘The Thing’. I saw it as a double feature alongside Tobe Hooper’s Funhouse in 1982. I was so excited about getting into an R rated movie I swear I didn’t have a clue which flick I’d paid for. A few hours later and ‘boom’, my world had changed forever. And I’ll always have a soft spot for Nightmare on Elm Street. I first saw it in a tiny Cannon cinema (as they were called then); when I went back they’d moved it to the bigger screen; when I went again they’d actually moved it to a bigger provincial cinema. By my 5th visit it had moved to a major off-Leicester Square cinema called the Prince Charles, before finally showing on the hallowed gauze of the Odeon West End on Leicester Square itself. I felt like a proud dad watching his child learning to crawl, then walk, then run, then slaughter everything in sight. This brings us neatly to a crossover. In horror, my favourite actor was always Jeffrey Coombs and along with Stuart Gordon (& Brian Yuzna – who can forget Society?) they brought the work of my favourite horror writer to vivid life. HP Lovecraft brought me many nights of blood-curdling pleasure. The UK has more than its fair share of great horror writers, but from the 19th century onwards New England has shown a peculiar energy, breeding one malevolent genie after another.

BD: As a horror fan, what is your take on the state of horror films today, with all of the remakes and PG-13 dreck?

LS: Dreck is clearly an American term, but it translates very well. If I answered the question truthfully I would be drawn to make a political rather than creative statement, and then all I’ll be doing is contributing to something that appalls me. The question for your readers is, do you see yourself as a fan/audience member, which implies an investment of your emotions into the joy of horror films, or as a customer, where you are simply buying a product and can pick and choose what to buy? For example, “horror’s rubbish now, think I’ll start collecting Rom-coms”. It’s not going to happen is it? A fan can’t help loving something, and will return to the object of his or her desire despite mistreatment, in the vain hope that next time it’ll be all made better. This is gross exploitation of our emotions on the part of producers who simply want to make more money by widening their ‘target customer base’ and forcing me, as a mistreated but loyal fan, to watch their diluted ‘dreck’ We should to be saying to the producers, “here mate, have this back, it ain’t what I paid for, and the damn thing broke when I opened it.” “Oh, and I’ll take a full refund thanks. It says on the packet I’ll wet meself with fear .”

BD: What's up next for Les Simpson? I think people would be quite surprised to see you out of all of the makeup you always seem to be covered in - you should be a leading man!

LS: What a lovely thing to say! Who knows what the future holds? I’ve just changed agents, and I’m building up a solid profile of contacts as I go along. All I can do is put one foot in front of the other and see where we go. In my experience it’s all about giving the people with a good ‘eye’ the power to see. Let the directors decide who and what will make their films better. Period. If someone has the kahunas (is that the right American term?) to offer me a lead, I’ll be ready, absolutely no question. I’ve been a leading man on stage for some years now (to the point of boredom) and have learned enough to know exactly what’s expected. But I can’t make the world do what I want, so I’ll keep plugging away, safe in the knowledge that everything that I have received so far - and will receive in future - is exactly as it should be. People can see intuitively what an individual’s potential is, and intuition, as we all know, is never wrong.

BD: Is there anything I haven't asked you that you think the world must know?

LS: I have been working with the cult dark noise merchants the Axis of Perdition. It’s extreme & experimental horror soundtrack music. The resulting (double) album, ‘Urfe’, is due out in March of this year on Code 666 Records.

BD: One last question: what is one thing no one knows about Les Simpson that you think they should know?

LS: I usually tell people that I used to live on the streets as a homeless vagrant (true), or that I am in fact an imposter; when the real Leslie Simpson died in 1995 in mysterious circumstances, I just took over the body (also true). But here’s one; when I was born, my father was the one who delivered me, unaided, at home. My entire body, including the face, was covered in thick black hair, leaving both my parents absolutely terrified that they’d given birth to the jackal.