Scottish actor Dougray Scott is the charismatic hero in this year’s zombie must-see adventure The ReZort, which premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in June. Dougray was in town to talk about the movie and his part.

Film-News:
Dougray, what attracted you to the script and also to your part?

Dougray Scott:
When I read it I was reminded of the refugee crisis in Syria and because so many ended up on beaches dead, you know. Our relationship with that crisis, which was created by the West anyway, is kind of reflected a bit in the movie in the sense that the human race has come to the stage were we treat other human beings as cannon fodder. So the Rezort is kind of a reflection on that and that’s exactly what the characters have been doing. And so the way the refugees are treated in the movie and the revelation where the zombies come from, especially in the populated safari park, I thought it was interesting, you know.
As for my character (‘Archer’) I was attracted to him because he is incredibly enigmatic yet he doesn’t say very much. He’s an interesting guy because you can’t quite reach him. I mean I knew where he came from and why he was doing what he was doing… I think he has about ten lines or so in the entire film.

Film-News:
You’ve featured in various horror- and fantasy movies before – why do you think the zombie genre in particular hold such an on-going fascination for audiences? Vampires lend themselves to very interesting interpretations too…

Dougray Scott:
I actually think there were some rational vampire films, in fact I did a vampire film called ‘Perfect Creature’ ten years ago in New Zealand, which is a very good movie in my opinion. It was quite at the beginning of the trend and after that many other more unusual vampire films came out. It was very stylised and part Victorian and Steampunk, and the concept was very clever. As for the zombie films, I think that the ‘Walking Dead’ started the trend though of course there were the George A. Romero films way back. But I think this new trend of zombie films becomes a fascination as it is about society and a certain minority within that society and how we treat people. You can use the zombie genre as an analogy for anything, you know… people who have small pox, people who have AIDS, and how society analyses and demonises those people. Of course the visual look of the zombies is always exaggerated but how do you treat them? Do you treat them with love or do you treat them with hatred? Hatred is always going to lead to more hatred, just like terror creates more terror and guns lead to more guns.

Film-News:
You’re originally from Fife – do you think something like a zombie film could ever be made here in Scotland?

Dougray Scott:
I think there’s certainly Edinburgh because it has a very gothic history. Actually I’ve done a film here about five years ago called ‘New Town Killers’ though it wasn’t a horror film, it was a dark thriller. I tend to agree with you, I mean I’d love filming a horror movie in Scotland but I really don’t know, maybe we’d need more of a tax break in Scotland.

Film-News:
Dougray, a fair bit of your acting resume includes the supernatural genre. Is this a genre you’re particularly fond of or has it just panned out like that?

Dougray Scott:
I really don’t have a plan with regards to my movie career unless it’s stuff that I’m working on myself, which I have done. It’s really a question of what gives me the character and when I’m sent a script whether I can relate to it or not. It’s also about the subject matter and of course, the character I’m asked to play, well, I try not to repeat myself and that’s been working so far for me. There is no plan, you know, I just live for the moment. You either succeed in what you do or you don’t.

Film-News:
Dougray, it’s been a pleasure interviewing you, and best wishes for the future.

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