Ryan Mecum Interview – Movies and the Masses

Thursday, August 26, 2010 at 3:20 pm

Ryan Mecum is the author of such unique books as Zombie Haiku, Vampire Haiku, Werewolf Haiku, and Dawn of Zombie Haiku. He’s also our guest on Movies and the Masses, the weekly post where I discuss cinema with individuals from all walks of life. And in case you’re wondering, haiku is a style of poetry (popular in Japan) that often contains only three lines and uses a 5-7-5 syllable structure. Here’s an example taken right from the front cover of Zombie Haiku:

Biting into heads
is much harder than it looks.
The Skull is feisty.

Great stuff, right? Well, you wouldn’t be the only one to express such sentiment. Here are a few other supporters of Ryan Mecum’s work:

It should also be noted that his books have drawn praise from Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead), Mark L. Millar, and, of course, Ryan’s own brother, Kevin.

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You can learn more about Ryan Mecum by visiting his official site, the site dedicated to Zombie Haiku, or his Twitter page. Here’s a bit of biographical information in his own words:

My name is Ryan. I like to write books that are about fiction or about poems. I have a degree in English from the University of Cincinnati. I like Cincinnati and I live there. I like scary monsters. I also like other stuff like lightning bugs and carneys. I also like comics. I also like God. I work for a ministry called Younglife. I like to talk to teenagers about scary monsters, lightning bugs, carneys, comics, and God. I like haiku and movies. I like to sneak R.E.M. quotes into my books. I once told Michael Stipe that I love him as much as my wife. It was an awkward conversation. I have kids. That’s about it.

OGM: What’s the first movie you remember seeing?
Ryan Mecum: In a theater, my parents took me to see Empire Strikes Back, but it was sold out so we saw The Blues Brothers. I fell asleep. Still to this day, I look bitterly down at The Blues Brothers.

OGM: If you only had a few hours to live and could do nothing but watch five movies, which films would you select?
RM: Really long ones? Disturbing question. These aren’t my top five favorites, but the five movies I might choose to watch before I died are as follows: Moulin Rouge, Wings of Desire, The Passion of the Christ, The Constant Gardener, In Bruges.

OGM: What’s your favorite movie?
RM: Depends on the day. Lately, I’ve been rotating into that slot the following: Raiders, Jaws, Tremors, Back to the Future, and The Road Warrior. All are iconic childhood memories for me. Maybe not Tremors.

OGM: What’s your least favorite movie?
RM: My least favorite TYPE of movie is one that has a strong cast and creative team, yet the film only turns out okay. Public Enemies comes to mind. Superman Returns. But to answer your question: Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist.

OGM: Do you subscribe to an online rental service like Netflix or Blockbuster Online? Why or why not?
RM: I’m a Netflix guy, but I miss the old days of driving to pick up a movie, wandering the aisles for something random. I now feel like I have to plan to be bored and want to rent a movie later in the week, and I’m not the best planner.

OGM: In 50 years, which modern movies do you think will be viewed as classics?
RM: The Dark Knight. Scott Pilgrim. Lord Of The Rings. Anchorman. The past 11 Pixar films. Not Avatar.

OGM: If you see a movie based on a book, are you then more or less likely to read the book?
RM: Less.

OGM: Who’s your favorite celebrity?
RM: Steve Buscemi.

OGM: Is there any actor or actress whose movies you actively avoid?
RM: Paris Hilton.

OGM: How do you feel about all the remakes of older and classic films?
RM: If the movie wasn’t that good, but could have been, then go for it. That’s why I’m excited for True Grit and not excited for Let Me In.

OGM: Which actor or actress do you find most attractive?
RM: Actor–Johnny Depp. Actress–Johnny Depp (in Ed Wood or Before Night Falls)

OGM: Do you read movie reviews? If so, what critics do you read most often, and why do you like them?
RM: I read movie reviews and cross reference the critics I like before I ever pay to see a film in a theater. My current top three are Ebert, A.O. Scott, and Harry Knowles.

OGM: What type of people annoy you when going to a movie theater?
RM: Those who talk and those who punch.

OGM: Do you consider movies to be works of art?
RM: To get a team of hundreds to work together and create one vision is art to me. Put me in a room with the statue of David and a t.v. showing Amelie, I’ll be watching Amelie.

OGM: What type of candy or drink do you consider essential to your movie watching experience?
RM: Anything you can sneak in your pockets from a gas station.

Thanks to Ryan Mecum for sharing his opinons on film, and be sure to show your love by visiting his official Ryan Mecum website, his Zombie Haiku website, and the Ryan Mecum Twitter page. Anyone who lists Steve Buscemi as their favorite celebrity deserves at least that much.

Until next week, here are a few more Movies and the Masses entries to quench your thirst:

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 26th, 2010 at 3:20 pm and is filed under Movies and the Masses. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

2 Responses to “Ryan Mecum Interview – Movies and the Masses”

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August 27, 2010

Tashabouvier

Awesome interview. I love these answers.

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