Words: Nick Haramis

Back to Part 1

NH: As soon as the movie premiered, did you think, ‘This movie is about my life and it’s just so public now. I need to take all this back’?
JC: There have been many instances when I do wish I could rewind and never have put it out there, because it’s really an emotional roller-coaster ride. Although, it strikes up a dialogue between people about things that they never would have talked about. You know, the notion of mental illness has just been completely whitewashed. A lot of directors tend to do it in that Hollywood way by spelling it out for the audience, which is simply not real. That’s exploitation to me.

NH: Will there be a ReinTarnation?
JC: I’m not actually documenting much right now. After Tarnation, I thought it would be overkill. But I had another idea on the plane to the Cannes Film Festival, because I knew they would be hounding me for, “What’s next? What’s next?” So I made something up, but as I started thinking about it I realized it was something I could actually do. I can talk about it now because I’m never going to do it. I was going to take nine Sissy Spacek films and remix all of them to evoke a completely different story. Because, you know, she’s always Sissy Spacek no matter what movie she’s in.

(Dog barking)

NH: You have a dog?
JC: Yeah, it’s one of our five animals. (Indistinct murmur) Sorry, I’m just living here with my grandfather right now.

NH: Oh, wow. When did he move in? [Rosemary passed away after a major stroke in 1995].
JC: He moved in about six months ago. Actually, in the original ending for Tarnation my grandfather pulls out a gun and shoots me in the head.

NH: How did you ever think that was a good idea?
JC: (laughs) I thought it was a good idea for about two weeks, but it worked on some esoteric level.

NH: Ok, one more question. What are you reading right now?
JC: I’m actually reading a book called Paws and Reflect: Exploring the Bond between Gay Men and their Dogs.

(Laughter)

NH: That seems very fitting.