Exclusive Interview: Domenic Migliore (Frame Story)
Q: What can horror fans expect from your book, Frame Story?
A: Frame Story is a collection of seventeen dark tales. From psychotic talking dogs, corrupt cops, and murderous children to cursed tattoos, bizarre prank calls, and Lovecraftian creatures partying at anime conventions… readers can expect everything from the violent and disturbing to the surreal and darkly comic.
Q: What is your earliest childhood memory of horror?
A: I have two very specific memories… In the first, I was about five or six. I accidently stumbled upon an episode of Tales from the Crypt late one night while my parents were watching HBO. All I remember is gallons of blood and, of course, the Crypt Keeper… who instantly became my childhood hero. In the second memory, I was at a friend’s house. He showed me Michael Jackson’s Thriller. I ran home screaming. Werewolf Michael Jackson scared me more than the Crypt Keeper. Now, I know that all children should be afraid of Michael Jackson.
Q: What prompted you to start wanting to write horror fiction?
A: Like I said, the Crypt Keeper was my childhood hero. I used to dress up as him, not just on Halloween, but year-round. I would tell scary stories to my younger sister and brother. I loved seeing their reactions. Not just scaring them, but also making them laugh. When I grew older, my siblings and I started making our own home movies. Coming up with weird stories was just fun. It’s something that has stayed with me my entire life.
Q: What other author’s works do you like to read?
A: Some of my favorite authors include… Stephen King (of course), William S. Burroughs (because he didn’t give a fuck), Samuel Beckett (because he reinvented the wheel), Michael Connelly (in my opinion, the greatest living crime writer), and Edgar Allan Poe (master of the short story).
Q: What inspires your own creativity?
A: I am autistic. I’ve spent most of my life living inside of my own head. Telling stories is how I express myself to the world. Creating (whether it’s writing or filmmaking) relaxes me. It distracts me from the horrors of the real world. When I write, I feel at peace.
Q: What is most rewarding for you, writing, directing, or something else?
A: For me, the most rewarding thing about creating is being able to share my ideas with others. Whether it’s with readers, or with cast and crew on a movie set, seeing people’s reactions to something weird, dark, or even funny gets me through the day.
Q: What can you tell us about your upcoming film, Museum of the Dead?
A: Museum of the Dead is an adaptation (and expansion) of a story I wrote for Frame Story. It’s about a pair of mortician sisters who resort to sinister methods in order save their father’s funeral home. Like the story, the movie is both a dark comic fable and a twist on the classic vampire tale.
Q: We have a common friend in Bill Oberst Jr. He speaks highly of your work. How was it working with Bill?
A: Well, I haven’t officially worked with Bill yet. He is set to play an elderly vampire hunter, suffering from dementia, in my next film Museum of the Dead. Over the years, Bill and I have talked extensively about movies, literature, and art in general. He gave glowing reviews to my short fiction, especially Museum of the dead. Which is why I cast him in the film.
Q: Tell us your list of must-see horror films?
A: My favorite horror films, in no particular order, include… David Cronenberg’s Videodrome, John Boorman’s Deliverance, Nicolas Roeg’s Don’t Look Now, Agustí Villaronga’s In a Glass Cage, and Alfred Hitchcock’s Shadow of a Doubt.
Q: What is the end game for Domenic Migliore?
A: I don’t think I have an “end game.” That sounds sort of sinister. My ultimate plan, or goal for the future, is just to continue creating stories for as long as I can.