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Hrvoje Bubić: Interview with Paul Johnstone
Hrvoje Bubić
Paul Johnstone je australski glumac, najpoznatiji po ulozi Cundolinija,iz filma Mad Max. Za Solin Live će nam reći više o tom kultnom filmu, drugim filmovima u kojima je glumio, kao i glazbenoj karijeri.
To begin with, could you tell us something about yourself? As far I can see, you’ve been in the original Australian production of Jesus Christ Superstar, at just 18 years of age.
Yes, Superstar was my first professional job. It opened doors for me – professionally and personally – that are still swinging. I spent most of the 1970’s performing in musical theatre. After Superstar I was in the original Australian Rocky Horror Show as a general understudy – then in 1978 – not long after I filmed MAD MAX – I played the dual role of Eddie and Dr Scottin the first New Zealand Rocky Horror Show, with English rock star Gary Glitter playing the role of Dr Frank N. Furter. It was special for me to tour my home country in a big highly successful musical.
I spent the 1970’s in musical theatre, and I began playing in rock n roll bands as drummer/vocalist. During this time I also began getting work as a session vocalist – singing backing vocals on band albums and advertising jingles. This led me into voice-over work. After a while I realised that every time I left Sydney with a band or for an acting job, I would come back to very few voice-over sessions, so I made the decision that I would only accept musical or acting jobs if they were in Sydney. After that decision, voice-overs and singing sessions gradually ‘took over’ my life and became my primary source of income for the next 40 years.
You starred in Mad Max movie, by George Miller, as one of the villians, the Cundolini. Tell us more about your role as Cundolini ?
At the first audition for George Miller, I read for the role of Max. I thought it was special that I was auditioning for the lead role – then I learned that every other actor also read the audition for the Max role! George than decided which actor would best suit the other roles. I was happy to get the role of Cundalini. In the original script there was more ‘black comedy’ between Cundalini and Mudguts – which I thought was fun, and an interesting juxtaposition to their psychopathic violence. We see the main example of this in the ‘push me- shove you’ scene in the street, and the comical routine between Mudguts and me as I stand aside to allow Mudguts to enter the shop door before me.
I had never appeared in a film before. I came from the theatre where my performance had to be quite ‘big’ – so it would reach from the stage all the way back to the rear seats. In MAD MAX I assumed that I should keep my performance ‘small’, restrained, because I would be appearing as a very large figure on a big screen that – but when I saw MAD MAX I realised that I could have played it a lot ‘bigger’, because the film looked like a giant manga comic and the characters could be ‘stylised’.
Mad Max, as a cult following movie, is a part of popular culture, and as well, there is a fan gatherings, socializing with movie cast, the Mad Max Museum…. What is your opinion on Mad Max movie, as well it’s legacy?
At MAD MAX conventions we are regularly asked the question – “when you were working on the film did you think it would be as successful as it was?” My answer to that question is – when we were filming MAD MAX in 1977 if somebody had told me that in 35 years’ time I would be appearing at MAD MAX fan conventions in Australia and Japan and being treated like a rock star, I would have said to them “I’ll have what you’re smoking…”. I knew that we were doing something different and interesting but I could not have known that that this film would be the birth of a genre. I am regularly amazed at the depth of passion held by the fans – particularly the passion for the first two films, and the divergence of opinion for the 3rd and the 4th films
Besides the Mad Max, can you tell us about other movies you were part of?
My main performing work was on the theatre stage – particularly rock musicals – throughout the 1970’s and early 1980’s. I appeared in the original Australian casts of Jesus Christ Superstar, Rocky Horror Show and several other rock musicals. My only other film appearance was in ‘Running On Empty’, but there is a MAD MAX connection there. I based my character – the sleazy garage petrol pump attendant – on an amalgam of two characters from MAD MAX – Nico Lathouris’s ‘Grease Rat’, and David Cameron’s ‘Barry the Mechanic’.
Besides the acting, you’re involved in music as well. You were drummer and vocalist for various bands like Straw Dogs, Dexters, The Models. There’s even a band named after your character you played (Cundolini’s Revenge). Please, tell us more about that.
Yes, drumming was always my passion. I began playing drums while performing in Jesus Christ Superstar and Rocky Horror Show. The drummers in these two shows encouraged me to use their drums so I would go to the theatre early and practice on the drums that were permanently set up for the band. These guys were a huge influence on me – encouraging me, giving me confidence and belief in my talent. I bought my first drum kit in around 1975-76 while I was in the Rocky Horror Show, and by 1977 I was touring with a well-known Australian singer named Jeff St John, then another singer named Ross Ryan – both of whom had recently released hit songs.
I had also begun getting work as a ‘session singer’ – providing vocals for advertising jingles. This led to ‘voice overs’ – spoken word performances for advertising. This recording studio work began to ‘take over’ from acting, because I found that when I took an acting job – which would demand most of my time and sometimes took me away from Sydney – my studio work would decrease. So I made a conscious decision to only accept offers of acting or musical work if they were in Sydney. When I adhered to that decision, my studio work grew until it ‘took over’ from stage and film work.
I still played in bands – but only in Sydney. My early bands were Phil Devoid and The Dexters – this was the same band with different names. We played covers of English and American Rhythm and blues/pop/soul – with a punk attitude, and were performing from around 1978 through to 1982 when our rhythm guitarist Bjarne left to join a Sydney band called Divinyls – a very successful band in Australian and the USA. My next band – an entirely different line-up of musicians – was Straw Dogs. This band reformed in around 2008 – with a different keyboards player- and we’ve been playing together since then.
I also toured with a very successful Australian band called Models. I played percussion with them for one huge tour, called Australian Made, that featured nine of the biggest bands in Australia – including the internationally successful INXS. We played one huge outdoor concert in each of the six Australian state capital cities.
Yes I was very pleased to learn about the Sydney band Cundalini’s Revenge. My nephew Joel Cook is drummer in a band named Operation Ibis. When Operation Ibis did a gig with Cundalini’s Revenge, Joel said to them “Oh, Cundalini is my uncle.” At first they said he was lying – although I don’t think they were as polite as that! – then he showed them photographs of us together. I have not seen them live on stage but their made contact with Cundalini’s Revenge and sent them some of my T-shirt merchandise.
And finally, what would you love to say to our readers?
I am amazed and grateful for the passion shown by the MAD MAXers, Wastelanders, Cult of Chromers, cosplayers – and ALL the other people who’ve shown an interest in MAD MAX’s influence. I feel truly honoured when I attend conventions and meet such friendly fun passionate people.
I really hope that soon we can all travel again, because I ‘ve been in touch with so many MAD MAX fans in Europe and the USA via Facebook and would LOVE to come and meet them.
Until that happens, please come and say hello to me on Facebook – Paul Cundalini Johnstone.
For merchandise check out my website – cundalinimadmax.com
I’m also on Instagram – Cundalinimadmax – but to be honest I don’t update Instagram very much.
“Push me, shove you – oh yeah? Says who?”
Best wishes from Cundalini
HRVATSKI PRIJEVOD
Za početak, možete li nam reći nešto o sebi? Koliko vidim, bili ste u orginalnoj australskoj produkciji Jesus Christ sa samo 18.
Da, Superstar je bio moj prvi profesionalni posao. Otvorio mi je vrata – profesionalno i osobno – koja se i dalje zamahuju. Većinu sedamdesetih proveo sam nastupajući u glazbenom kazalištu. Nakon Superstara bio sam u originalnom australskom Rocky Horror Showu kao generalni zamjenik – potom 1978. – nedugo nakon što sam snimio MAD MAX – igrao sam dvostruku ulogu Eddieja i dr. Scottina u prvom novozelandskom Rocky Horror Showu, s engleskom rock zvijezdom Gary Glitter u ulozi dr. Franka N. Furtera. Bilo mi je posebno putovati po svojoj zemlji u velikom izuzetno uspješnom mjuziklu.Sedamdesetih sam proveo u glazbenom kazalištu i počeo sam svirati u rock n roll bendovima kao bubnjar / vokal. U to vrijeme počeo sam raditi i kao session vokal – pjevajući prateće vokale na albumima bendova i oglašavajući džinglove. To me odvelo u glasovni posao. Nakon nekog vremena shvatio sam da bih se svaki put kad bih napustio Sydney s bendom ili zbog glumačkog posla vratio na vrlo malo glasovnih sesija, pa sam donio odluku da ću glazbene ili glumačke poslove prihvatiti samo ako su u Sydney. Nakon te odluke, glasovni snimci i pjevanje postupno su mi ‘zavladali’ životom i postali moj glavni izvor prihoda u sljedećih 40 godina.
Glumili ste u filmu Mad Max, Georgea Millera, kao jedan od negativaca, Cundolini. Recite nam više o vašoj ulozi Cundolinija?
Na prvoj audiciji za Georgea Millera čitao sam za ulogu Maxa. Mislio sam da je posebno to što sam bio na audiciji za glavnu ulogu – tada sam saznao da je svaki drugi glumac također pročitao audiciju za Maxovu ulogu! George je odlučio koji će glumac najbolje odgovarati ostalim ulogama. Bio sam sretan što sam dobio ulogu Cundalinija. U izvornom je scenariju bilo više ‘crne komedije’ između Cundalinija i Mudgutsa – što sam smatrao zabavnim i zanimljivim suprotstavljanjem njihovom psihopatskom nasilju. Glavni primjer za to vidimo u sceni “guraj me – guraj te” na ulici i u komičnoj rutini između Mudgutsa i mene dok stojim po strani da dopustim Mudgutsu da uđe u vrata trgovine prije mene.Nikad se prije nisam pojavio u filmu. Došao sam iz kazališta gdje je moja izvedba morala biti prilično ‘velika’ – pa bi sezala od pozornice pa sve do stražnjih sjedala. U MAD MAX-u pretpostavio sam da bih trebao svoj nastup držati ‘malim’, suzdržanim, jer bih se na velikom ekranu pojavio kao vrlo velika figura koja – ali kad sam ugledao MAD MAX, shvatio sam da sam ga mogao puno igrati ‘ veći ‘, jer je film izgledao poput divovskog stripa o mangi i likovi bi mogli biti’ stilizirani ‘.
Mad Max, kao kultni film, dio je popularne kulture, a tu su i okupljanja obožavatelja, druženje s filmskom ekipom, Muzej Mad Maxa …. Koje je Vaše mišljenje o filmu Mad Max, kao i to je naslijeđe?
Na konvencijama MAD MAX-a redovito nam se postavlja pitanje – “kada ste radili na filmu, jeste li mislili da će biti jednako uspješan kao i prije?” Moj odgovor na to pitanje je – kad smo 1977. snimali MAD MAX, da mi je netko rekao da ću se za 35 godina pojaviti na fanovskim konvencijama MAD MAX-a u Australiji i Japanu i tretirati me kao rock zvijezdu, imao bih rekao im: “Uzet ću ono što pušite …”. Znao sam da radimo nešto drugačije i zanimljivo, ali nisam mogao znati da će ovaj film biti rođenje žanra. Redovito sam zadivljen dubinom strasti koju imaju obožavatelji – posebno strašću za prva dva filma i razlikama u mišljenjima za 3. i 4. film
Osim Mad Max, možete li nam reći o drugim filmovima u kojima ste sudjelovali?
Moje glavno izvođačko djelo bilo je na kazališnoj sceni – posebno u rock mjuziklima – tijekom 1970-ih i početkom 1980-ih. Pojavio sam se u originalnim australskim ulogama Jesus Christ Superstara, Rocky Horror Showa i nekoliko drugih mjuzikla. Jedino moje drugo pojavljivanje u filmu bilo je u filmu ‘Running On Empty’, ali tamo postoji MAD MAX veza. Svoj lik – ljigavi pomoćnik benzinske pumpe u garaži – temeljio sam na amalgamu dva lika iz MAD MAX-a – ‘Grease Rat’ Nico Lathourisa i ‘Barry the Mechanic’ Davida Camerona
Osim glume, bavite se i glazbom. Bili ste bubnjar i vokalist raznih bendova poput Straw Dogs, Dexters, The Models. Postoji čak i bend nazvan po vašem liku kojeg ste svirali (Cundolini’s Revenge/Cundolinijeva osveta). Molim vas, recite nam više o tome.
Da, bubnjanje je uvijek bila moja strast. Bubnjeve sam počeo svirati dok sam nastupao u Jesus Christ Superstar i Rocky Horror Showu. Bubnjari u ove dvije emisije potaknuli su me da koristim njihove bubnjeve kako bih rano otišao u kazalište i vježbao na bubnjevima koji su trajno postavljeni za bend. Ti su momci imali ogroman utjecaj na mene – ohrabrivali su me, davali mi samopouzdanje i vjeru u moj talent. Prvi bubanj kupio sam otprilike 1975. – 76., dok sam bio u emisiji Rocky Horror Show, a do 1977. bio sam na turneji s poznatim australskim pjevačem Jeffom St Johnom, tada još jednim pjevačem imenom Ross Ryan – obojica nedavno objavljene hit pjesme.
Također sam počeo raditi kao ‘session pjevač’ – pružajući vokale za oglašavanje džinglova. To je dovelo do ‘voice oversa’ – izvedbe izgovorenih riječi za oglašavanje. Ovo je djelo snimanja u studiju počelo ‘preuzimati’ od glume, jer sam otkrio da će se kad se prihvatim glumačkog posla – koji će zahtijevati većinu mog vremena i ponekad me odvesti od Sydneya – moj studijski rad smanjiti. Stoga sam svjesno odlučio prihvatiti ponude glume ili glazbenog djela samo ako su u Sydneyu. Kad sam se držao te odluke, moj studijski rad rastao je sve dok nije ‘preuzeo’ scenski i filmski rad.
Još sam svirao u bendovima – ali samo u Sydneyu. Moji rani bendovi bili su Phil Devoid i The Dexters – ovo je bio isti bend s različitim imenima. Svirali smo obrade engleskog i američkog ritma i bluza / popa / soula – s punkerskim stavom, a nastupali smo otprilike od 1978. do 1982. kada je naš ritam gitarist Bjarne otišao pridružiti se sidnejskom bendu pod nazivom Divinyls – vrlo uspješnom bendu u Australiji i sad. Moj sljedeći bend – potpuno drugačija grupa glazbenika – bili su Straw Dogs. Ovaj se bend reformirao oko 2008. godine – s drugim uređajem za klavijature – i od tada sviramo zajedno.
Također sam gostovao s vrlo uspješnim australskim bendom nazvanim Models. Svirao sam s njima udaraljke na jednoj ogromnoj turneji, nazvanoj Australian Made, na kojoj je nastupilo devet najvećih bendova u Australiji – uključujući međunarodno uspješan INXS. Svirali smo po jedan ogroman koncert na otvorenom u svakom od šest glavnih gradova australske države.
Da, bilo mi je jako drago kada sam saznao o sidnejskom bendu Cundalini’s Revenge. Moj nećak Joel Cook bubnjar je u bendu nazvanom Operation Ibis. Kad je Operation Ibis odsvirala koncert s Cundalini’s Revenge, Joel im je rekao “Oh, Cundalini je moj stric.” U početku su govorili da laže – iako mislim da nisu bili toliko pristojni! – onda im je pokazao naše zajedničke fotografije. Nisam ih vidio uživo na sceni, ali uspostavili su kontakt s Cundalini’s Revenge i poslali su im neke od mojih proizvoda s majicama.
I na kraju, što biste voljeli poručiti našim čitateljima?
Zadivljen sam i zahvalan sam na strasti koju su pokazali MAD MAXeri, Wastelanders, Cult of Chromers, cosplayeri – i SVI ostali ljudi koji su pokazali interes za utjecaj MAD MAX-a. Osjećam se istinski počašćenom kad prisustvujem kongresima i sretnem tako prijateljski zabavne strastvene ljude.
Zaista se nadam da ćemo uskoro svi opet moći putovati, jer sam putem Facebooka kontaktirao toliko obožavatelja MAD MAX-a u Europi i SAD-u i volio bih doći i upoznati ih.
Dok se to ne dogodi, molim vas, dođite i pozdravite me na Facebooku – Paul Cundalini Johnstone.
Za robu pogledajte moju web stranicu – cundalinimadmax.com.
Također sam na Instagramu – Cundalinimadmax – ali da budem iskren, ne ažuriram baš puno Instagram.
„Guraj me, guraj te – o da? Kaže tko?”
Najljepši pozdravi od Cundalinija
