The Lampoons interview

The Lampoons are back at the Edinburgh Fringe to "re-imagine" a Hollywood classic. This time they're taking on 1959 American horror film House on Haunted Hill. Adam Elliot explains more...

What's that on top of the hill? Are you running up the hill?

That up there? Well that's where we're going to take you all on the weirdest little night of your life. But I reckon we will probably walk as the plot is fairly shallow like every other classic horror movie from the 1950s and we will need to make some stops before we've reach the door. Oh, and take these water pistols and ping pong balls, cause things are about to get freaky. Bjork freaky!

What would Vincent Price make of the four professional idiots recreating his film?

We had this conversation earlier in the year. We've spent a lot of time studying his quirks and mannerisms and we honestly couldn't say if he would laugh at the lampooning of his cherished movie or shoot us for destroying part of his legacy. However, we randomly got contacted by a man called Scott Campbell in February from Cyclone Productions in Los Angeles... "Eeek, what copyright laws had we broken now", we thought...

He was asking us for some details on the footage we had used in our teaser trailer, and it turned out that not only had he knew the late Vincent Price but he was a director on one of his films America Screams, made in 1978. We got some amazing stories about Vincent, and Scott even ended up supporting the crowdfund that got this show to Edinburgh Festival.

Why this faithful recreation? How many times have you watched the film?

Before we start any production, we all meet up and bring a bunch of B-Movie Horror Films, from Trashy to Hollywood to confusing 80s re-makes. We watch them all with pizza and beers (obvs), and as we plough through, we tend to pause and comment on how that ridiculous bit of cinema could be staged or made into a bizarre bit of Clowning theatre.

Thing is, most of these classic films are firstly already theatrical, because the monsters, scares and gore is total made by hand and secondly, ready formed comedy in some cases, because we see through the terrible dialogue, poor special effect and very dated social and gender roles.

Wasp-Women was one of our favourite's, purely because you didn't get to see this illusive Wasp-women until she died instantly in the last 30 seconds.

We also we're very close to going with A Brain That Wouldn't Die (directed by Joseph Green and written by Green and Rex Carlton) as we loved the title and the sheer story of a man who loved his wife so much he kept the head and brought it back to life! Also yeah, we've probably watched the film about 12 times each I'd say. You spot new bits each time, like how Ruth is the mostly useless character ever. She dies in our introduction. Sadly.

"Don't stay up thinking of ways to get rid of me, it makes wrinkles," said Frederick Loren, Vincent Price's character in the film. What's your reply?

If wrinkles could kill, I fear Annabelle would be the deadliest femme ever portrayed on screen and now stage, and indeed it may not just be Vincent Price she's gunning for. All our guests have been invited for a single sinister reason, they think it's for a $10,000 prize, but who knows what a night in a haunted house may reveal. The dark is a place for hiding. And glowsticks! This ain't your normal murder mystery we promise.

Here's another quote: "How do you top this party invitation; I am Frederick Loren, and I have rented the house on haunted hill tonight so that my wife can give a party. She's so amusing. There'll be food and drink and ghosts, and perhaps even a few murders." So how do you top this?

Can't top that invitation, so we use this exact clip in the show. But I am surprised how quickly that escalated: Food, check. Drink, check. Ghosts... love have we got any Ghosts in?! No? Right I'll have to pop to Asda before everyone gets here. Nightmare.

With a Portuguese dancing ghost cat, a couple of balaclava'd ballet dancers, a smattering of song and a healthy portion of life threatening pickles! We promise only the most haunted of house parties, and you won't have clue what will happen next. The scariest thing that you could do is miss it! The second scariest thing you could do is not miss it.

A balaclava ballet; is that because of the Vincent Price fan club?

We brought in the acclaimed ballerinas from their world tour of Hull. On a serious note, we have become fast fans of Mr Price's catalogue of work, the man was clearly a genius and anything he turned his attention to entered into some cult status; Basil the Great Mouse Detective to The Witchfinder General, Michael Jackson's Thriller to Edward Scissorhands. We have a great love and respect for the man and a balaclava'd troupe of dancers seemed to show our appreciation in our own, thoroughly unique, manner.

We've been told by some fans and indeed collaborators that Vincent may well have been impressed by our loving homage. Come catch us, 11pm at the Pleasance dome and see what you've been missing all your Fringe life.