The Busy German: A Severed Cinema Interview with Thomas Goersch

Having been contacted by director, Juval Marlon a few months back, he suggested I interview workaholic, Thomas Goersch. We chatted and I compiled an interview with the chap. Meanwhile, Severed Cinema went offline being repaired, rebuilt, and reconstructed. I didn’t get a chance to read through the original interview Thomas sat down for back in 2016 with Richard Taylor (http://severed-cinema.com/knife-skills-an-interview-with-thomas-goersch/). Finally having a browse some time later, my plan was to edit and omit anything that may be too similar, however this would interrupt the flow, thus I figured it best to leave well alone.

Thomas is an absolutely fascinating and very talented bloke anyhow, so he deserves all of this attention. Mind you, he has told me since this will be the last time he ever talks about, Marian Dora. Good job he mentioned the subject, and not me, eh? Hehehehe.

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To say you have a rather varied and diverse existence is somewhat of an understatement. In this interview I’ll cover as many aspects of who you are and what goes on around you, past and present. Thanks for taking the time to speak to Severed Cinema once again, by the way.

Not long back I reviewed Juval Marlon’s, Sturmgewehr, in which you appear briefly. How did that part come about?

This happened really quick. Juval asked me via Facebook if I can sign a few covers for his selection. I saw that he is a filmmaker and asked about his work. He was already working on “Sturmgewehr” and created the part of Brand. This gave the story a second level which was great. From first contact to shooting was only a few weeks.

How did you find the character and the finished film?

For me Brand is a normal business-man.  Doing his job in Snuff movies. That’s just a product he is selling.  Brand is an asshole. Having fun in his job, no moral belongings. Sure the movie is sick, life isn’t always beautiful.  I enjoyed playing “Brand.”

I love your view. Life definitely isn’t always beautiful, and films such as this show the world the screaming brutal truth! Having acted in over one hundred films, plus directed, written, and even done the FX works in a few, which genre would you say you’ve spent the most time in?

I guess thats 50 %  horror and 50 % comedy. I know that’s a strange mixture. In the end I spent more time in horror, because I do have so many friends in horror festivals, groups and I am looking more horror movies on my own. In my private live I am more a funny guy than a dark guy.

Tell us a bit about Schwulst.

I am gay. The next strange thing on me . Though guys are not gay. Mistake : I am a tough horror guy and gay. Schwulst is a gay magazine in Germany. I was writing for the magazine for 7 years and there was a gay TV-Channel called “SchwulstTV”. I was the host for this channel.

I am very involved in fighting against any kind of discrimination. There is always my voice for minorities.

I am no longer a part of Schwulst , because I had to concentrate on my work as an actor and director. But I will fight forever against discrimination, which is right now in my work as a director and script writer.

Regarding your special effects work, are you self taught?

Oh, I won’t call myself an FX worker. This came out because I worked in over 200 movies and I am always interested in every thing around me. OK, Independent movies don’t have that much money so I tried on my own and it worked out. I can also set the lights and create the make-up to make the folks look better.

Aside from acting, a big role in your work has to be casting. I understand you run a casting agency.

I am not planning things, but I know many people in the film business and after so many friends asked me if I knew an actor or actress for parts in their movies, I helped them. Some kind of agency came out. I also do the management for cult-diva, Manoush. I don’t promote the agency, but I help when I am asked.

Having co-directed (and starred in) Living in a Box, directed Cry; Queen of the Night, and so on, would you honestly say you’re an easy director to get on with? I assume as a kind of casting guy you’ll see things from many sides, and that includes the crew.

I guess I am an easy director for the actors, because I do understand them in every way. As an actor I know what they expect from me. But, my scripts I am writing are not easy. I do not tell stories about average families. My movies are often about minorities. They have to show real emotions and sometimes they have to be naked on the set or kissing the same gender.

I just finished shooting on my upcoming feature movie “Mister Berger is Searching for a Son“. A story in a French style, open minded with a few gay characters . But the most actors are not gay – sometimes not easy for the actors. I am also writing for other directors. Eighteen scripts filmed so far.

So far with everything you dabble in, I imagine your work takes up your whole life leaving nothing for hobbies?

No time for hobbies. I have been married for 16 years and do take care of my old mother. I have to be very good in time management, You have take care for your love and family.

What is the genesis and story of the totally infamous, The Profane Exhibit?

The Profane Exhibit is an international anthology produced in Canada with directors like Ruggero Deodato, Michael Todd Schneider, Uwe Boll, Ryan Nicholson, Marian Dora and others.

I played in the Marian Dora-episode about genocide in Nazi Germany in 1944. I am playing one of the main parts. A father whose son was killed by a Nazi doctor.

The project started in 2013 and it took a while to complete the movie. The movie will be released from Unearthed Films in early 2020.

I think a very random fact for those Severed readers who only casually know of you, or didn’t read the older interview, will be the fact you are a food expert and you have a show?

(Laughs), the third life of Thomas Goersch. I do have a cooking show on German TV, “Goerschs Genießer Buffet” aka “Goersch’s Gourmet Buffet”. The show has run so far six years with about 600 shows. I am cooking in the shows and I do drink a lot of wine!

With such diversity on your CV of acting parts, do you have a favourable kind of character to play? Or do you enjoy all the roles offered?

I enjoy every part. I always wanted to play in a horror movie : Good against Evil / Church against The Devil . I like this mystic dimenson. An exorcist would be the perfect part.

Has there been any roles or any incidents in a film which has soured you?

I do hate a bad organistion. If people are wasting my time I am not amused.

You and Manoush have crossed paths in films once or twice (including the upcoming Artifact). She’s been in some really striking and random movies. What is she like to work with?

We met about 5 years ago and felt in love in the first minute. We love to play together. She will be also in my movie “Mister Berger is Searching for a Son“. We will also be together in the adventure movie, “Artifact” to be filmed in Jerusalem, Israel.

Manoush is very professional. It’s a pleasure to work with her. She’s a real icon and breathtaking. I am her official manager. People love her for her work and personality.

I know from a personal point of view, becoming a character can sometimes bring a lot of emotional baggage with you on the journey. Has any role weighed you down emotionally? Has a character ever come close to cracking you?

No. When I play I am completely in the character and I play often strange characters. But when there´s the cut, I am back in my own character. It´s important not to get crazy on my own. I know other actors want to live while shooting in the world of their character, but I am able to switch in a second.

I have read prior in another interview how you are a work-a-holic. Has this ever had a bad effect on your life around work?

I am work-a-holic because I love my work. But as I said, love and family are important and you do have to care for them. I do have something like an on/off-partnership. I dont think the offs are coming from my work. I have learned to care for love. 

What’s coming next? I understand a couple of films you are in are due for release in the USA?

There was the release of “Sturmgewehr (Assault Rifle)”, “Phonomanie” is coming up next also on Toxic Filth Video in November (Severed update: The film is out now to buy).  “The Profane Exhibit” is on the way for release. And there is already “Opening the Mind” by Michael Todd Schneider since Halloween to order from maggotfilm.com.

We’re going to be bombarded by a lot of Thomas then (laughs). Here’s an interesting question, regardless of the quality of the writing and the people behind a film, what is a far more effective tool in a horror film? Building of an atmosphere, or shock moments? Or both?

A good actor in a good character. Nothing else is more horrible than a normal looking guy who is really bad and could live in your neighbourhood. No monster, no Alien, just shocking story which could happen also to you.

Gratuitous gore? Or the suggestion off-screen?

Shooting Gore is great fun.

Victim or killer?

I don’t want to be the victim, only the bad ass.

Where do you find your greatest inspiration in life?

I don’t create stories. I dream them. I wake up in the morning with a complete story in my head. I only have to write them down. This happens when I had a real bad day or a perfect day. Emotions have to overwhelm me.

Thanks so much for taking the time out to do this. I know Severed Cinema have grabbed you before, but it’s so great to have a catch up. One last thing, is there anything you feel you still could achieve?

I have done so many things : I worked for a bank, studied law. I am sure that I will be in politics soon, beside filming.