CC: Moving from operas to the movie OPERA in a sense, you were discovered into acting by Dario Argento. How were you introduced to Argento?
 

CORALINA: I was introduced to him really by myself sitting in my apartment while my mother was sleeping one night. I was watching a movie that hypnotized the depths of me.  This movie was DEEP RED. From that moment on something happened to me. I felt I had always lived DEEP RED. As I watched that movie, I could feel my personality in the notes of the score . I could almost feel who I would become some day. From that night on, I became so enamored with the film's director and Goblin's music. For some crazy reason, I always believed my love for this brave director caused, or shall I say "called" for a bizarre encounter just a few years later in a nightclub. There was no kind of audition. He later saw me starring in a short feature for RAI TV and called me the next day complimenting me on my work. Soon after I was cast in Demons 2.

CC: Your role in OPERA was the first film you worked with him as your director?

CORALINA: Yes but he did produce DEMONS 2 so he was on the set quite often . I think it went well enough for him to cast me as Giulia.

CC: It seems that from film to film with Dario, you seem to have a more gruesome death scene...

CORALINA: As time goes by?

CC: As time goes by, yes.

CORALINA: You know what it is?  The love just keeps growing my friend. (Laughs) It's all about the love, I'm telling you.

CC: I'd like to fast forward in time to talk about a film that just had a Myspace page open up in THE DIRT. What is THE DIRT about and what was it that intrigued you to do the film?

CORALINA: It's basically a woman that has so many demons and I felt that maybe I could take my demons and have a meeting of demons between mine and hers and see what would happen. I hope it works out. I still have to see it. I'm really excited. I'm going to see it at a screening on the 27th of February in Rome. I'm glad that Claudio (Simonetti) and Simona offered me this role. This woman takes a very strong and interesting emotional journey. She is filled with secrets and lives a curious relationship with a plant growing in her living room. Her husband actually does exist (laughs) and desperately tries to understand this woman.

CC: I am looking forward to seeing it come to the United States because it really looks interesting.

CORALINA: There's some great people working on this; Sergio Stivaletti did the special effects and the director of photography is  Roberta Allegrini, who has worked with the Taviani Brothers...so it was great. Also it was a very comfortable feeling working with people that I have known for such a long time. We are bond together by so many factors.

CC: Another movie soon to be released here is the long awaited MOTHER OF TEARS where once again your death has been heavily featured in the advertising.

CORALINA: I told you it's all about love (laughs).

CC: Now MOTHER OF TEARS has been in development for quite some time. How early in the development were you involved, was this role written for you?

CORALINA: Yes. I knew that I'd be cast, I knew that he would want me in this movie. He wouldn't tell me exactly the role but I knew about a year prior to filming. I didn't tell anybody just because I tend to be a little superstitious and mainly because it wasn't a sure thing. It's never a sure thing to me until I'm sitting in the movie theater looking at the screen and then I say to myself "Now I did the movie." He had spoken to me about it. I was very excited because it is such a crucial movie, not only in his career but for Italian cinema. Like the movie or not, it doesn't matter, it's a big event and it's still a big event for him and his career.

CC: With the following of the first two in the series, and because of Dario's influence, I don't think I'm looking forward to any other movie more than I am MOTHER OF TEARS.

CORALINA: He's a big influence on you?

CC: Yes he is.

CORALINA: What is it about him that influences you?

CC: He has such a unique style and a willingness to take risks. He has a gorgeous way of shooting the violence within that I feel that I'm not seeing something ugly even though in retrospect it really is. I could go on and on. To me, it's important cinema, and he goes beyond what the norm is.

CORALINA: That's good to hear.

CC: Have you always loved the horror genre?

CORALINA: Like you, I am an Argento fan, that was really how it started for me. I always loved movies like THE BAD SEED and CARRIE. I'm not as knowledgeable as horror fans are. I'd rather make the love than watch. I'd rather make the horror movie. I enjoy doing them.  But it truly depends. Not all. I only enjoy them when made with style and elegance. When made in such manner...than, there's something exciting about it . I have been blessed to have worked especially with Dario Argento. Before meeting him, I  felt he would be one to understand me or see something about me. That he would be a good friend. You know when you're a fan of somebody and you feel that person would totally get you? 

In a way I open  THE MOTHER OF TEARS. What a huge responsibility for me! Scott, You basically already now know my ending, but yes I come in and out with a bang. Having offered me to open a movie that he had put so much of his heart  in and so many years finding the right moment to film it...was such an honor. The sad part was that a lot of it got cut because Dario did not like the demons that kill me. I  actually got flown back out to Italy to reshoot close ups real tight on my face as to not incorporate the Demons. I  must say I was upset because I thought the death scene was incredibly scary even with the Demons. Sure, it is  still powerful but it had that little extra... touch (laughs). I think it still works because every e-mail I get in regards is  "Oh my god, that death!" I guess we cut out the monsters.. but the monstrosity is still there. It's all there... in its beauty.

CC: In addition to acting, you have a successful art and music career. When you're not acting in a role, do you feel like you have to do something creative all the time?

CORALINA: No. (Laughs)

CC: OK.

CORALINA: You and I Scott, we are artists, so in a crazy way we're like hunters so we have to hunt, which means we have to live life. We must "hunt life." To do this living we must go out in the world... meaning we go and  "hunt" and come back with the game. We have to come back with the food and put it on our plates because if not what are we going to eat? If not... What are we going to write about, sing about , paint about. We need the stories. We need the food...good or bad. We need the stories good or bad. If we do not hunt life...Nothing. We have nothing and we run, we spin dry upon ourselves. How sad. How flat. How boring. How mediocre.  I'm trying not to smoke. It's been three months so as you can see, I'm doing a lot of thinking. There's a lot of free time on my hands I guess (laughs) 

CC: How do you like New York?

CORALINA: I love New York. I was born in Manhattan and I feel I've really come back home. I was away for so many years.. I had a great time in Italy but my first five years were here. I can smell my childhood here and it's such a great feeling. It's wrapped around me. I call New York my Beautiful Monster. You're a New Yorker too?

CC: I'm from the quiet town of Amityville.

CORALINA: Oh really?! Cool, very cool! I remember seeing that movie in Italy and the people were going nuts. I would be so scared to visit that house and knock on the door. When I go to haunted houses usually  I am  screaming the loudest.

CC: We'll make a Crypt exclusive, "Coralina comes to Amityville."

CORALINA: Yes! I do believe in ghosts. Just the thought is giving me chills. I'm so happy to be back in New York with my NY boys and my fans. The fans in the U.S. are so respectful. I feel so part of this country. People are often surprised that I speak English due to the film's I have done. I'm American, I just got my Italian passport two years ago and that is just because I had to.

CC: I'd love to go to Italy some day.

CORALINA: You'll love it.

CC: One film you worked on recently was GHOST SON. How was the experience on that film?

CORALINA: I was in South Africa for two weeks hanging out with two of the most interesting and memorable  men and artists: Pete Postlethwaite and John Hannah, it doesn't get any better than that Scott, it just doesn't get any better. I mean here I was filming a movie with these people, surrounded by elephants, giraffes, lions. Before returning to the U.S I even came to love AND touch the slimy frogs I would dread and panic to find hanging out in my bedroom upon my first days there.  I was told I was their guest and that gave me a different perspective.

Also... I do believe when I was in Africa that I saw God. I was sitting in a car one day with John Hannah and our Ranger who would show us around. One day, on a Safari, this elephant came towards us. The ranger told us he was considered  the king elephant, the one that topped them all. He was so big . Of course I'm ready to open the window and look out. The ranger urges me to get my head back in. "Don't move" as he had his hand on the key. He tells us to stay really still because at the slightest bit of noise the elephant could go nuts. I thought the elephant was going to step on top of us all. He was coming right towards us. I swear at that moment I know I saw God. God coming right at me. I can't explain it. The elephant slowly turned to walk by the side of the car...my side! and as he reached my window, he turned his eye right upon us. This  huge ,old, beautifully  sad and sickly eye passed us by. As if his eye scanned and brushed us.  John and I looked at each other with disbelief. All this magic...hidden in the trees, in the high grass, the mud, the ocean. These animals: Africa's monuments. Just as grandiose and historic as the Colosseum in Rome could have been to me. If not more...

CC: I have to talk about the music.

CORALINA: Ah, my love.

CC: If you had to choose acting or music, what would it be?

CORALINA: Music.

CC: Why would that be?

CORALINA: Because I feel that it's the only thing that truly understands me. It comes to me, it never fails me. I have failed it but it has never failed me. As with every great love affair, you have moments where you can be hurtful and I feel I have betrayed it. I do not honor it and tend to it as I properly should. I take it for granted at times. Music instead has never, ever turned it's back on me. Maybe  I love it too intensely,that I get overwhelmed by how much it makes me feel and I just simply do not want to feel. I do not want to feel it's love nor give it mine. Once I spent almost 2  years never listening to any music whatsoever. And yet...it is the love of my life.

CC: Describe the process of creating music as opposed to painting and acting?

CORALINA: Three different avenues and yet all co-dependent with each other. When I paint, I need to listen to music. When I'm creating music, I see visions and textures. When I act I try to bring a vision and even a sound to life. They all need each other. Performing in general is where I feel like my spirit has found it's proper home. I am truly happy. When I'm writing or performing a song, I go in a trance of pure joy  and forget what it was like to have ever longed for anything before that exact moment. Anything I've ever longed for is gone. Anything in the future doesn't exist . The future does not exist for I do not long for that either.

CC: Being you've been in quite a few projects lately, where do you see the horror genre going within the next five years and filmmaking in particular?

CORALINA: I really don't know. (Laughs)

CC: That's it?

CORALINA: I don't know the answer my friend.

CC: I leave the last word to you.

CORALINA: From one artist to another, you're doing such a good job with the Crypt and keep up the good work.