Interview; Dominique Swain Talks The Girl from the Naked Eye

Interview; Dominique Swain Talks The Girl from the Naked Eye, Written by: Karen Benardllo Some people will do whatever it takes to avenge the wrongs that have been committed against their loved ones, even if it means putting their own life in danger. This is certainly the case with the main character, Jake, in the upcoming action romance thriller ‘The Girl from the Naked Eye,’ which is scheduled to hit select theaters on Friday. While Jake’s determination to seek revenge for the death of his true love, he further enters an underground world of prostitution that threatens his own well-being. ‘The Girl from the Naked Eye,’ which was directed by David Ren, follows Jake (Jason Yee), an ex-gambler who is trying to pay off a debt by working as a driver for The Naked Eye. The private gentleman’s club fronts for a prostitution ring, and Jake is stuck in his existence there. However, his life changes when he meets Sandy (Samantha Streets), an innocent misguided runaway, and the two form an unlikely bond and give each other the will to strive for a better life. However, when Sandy is murdered, Jake vows to stop at nothing to find her killer. He risks everything in order to uncover the truth. Jake must survive as he uncovers lies, clues and his own feelings about Sandy. Actress Dominique Swain, who played Alissa in ‘The Girl from the Naked Eye,’ generously took the time to speak with us over the phone about the film. She discussed, among other things, what attracted her to the role, what kind of restrictions the limited budget had on filming and her working relationships with Yee and Ren. ShockYa (SY): You play Alissa in ‘The Girl from the Naked Eye.’ What was it about the character and the script that convinced you to take on the role? Dominique Swain (DS): Well, I’m sort of a wholesome addition in a film that’s rated R for violence, nudity and language, and is very graphic (laughs). So I’m the little breath of fresh air, which is difficult when you’re playing a prostitute who’s falling on hard times. (laughs) But script was actually very, very different than how the film turned out. Some of the story-lines didn’t really make it into the final edit. SY: Were there any story-lines that didn’t make it that would have benefited the film, or do you feel the final cut portrayed the story accurately? DS: I thought the final cut was very strong. I think they found out in editing what the film was really about. Ultimately, it’s a love story. I was supposed to have a death scene in it, but I didn’t. (laughs) So that was kind of interesting. But mainly I play a girl who helps the main character, Jake, figure out the mystery with my basic knowledge of detective work. SY: Like you said, the film is a romance story, but the movie also features several fight scenes and action. So do you feel that the movie balances the romance and the action together? DS: I think it’s a perfect balance of romance and action. It’s a vigilante, revenge story. The character of Jake is an anti-hero who’s avenging the death of his true love. It plays through the dark underworld, and the fight sequences are very impressive. They go on for a long time without any editing. For one of the scenes, and I won’t ruin it for anyone who hasn’t seen the film, the scene where he fights three cops in the hallway, it goes on for minutes. (laughs) They’re beating each other with night sticks. It’s like, I don’t want to fight that guy. SY: The film had a limited budget of a little over $1 million. Did that place any kind of limitations on what you could shoot, particularly in the fight sequences? DS: You know, it came out looking beautiful. I wasn’t involved in the action sequences, I only got to watch. But it seemed sometimes, there wasn’t enough time to turn the camera around, or to get some of the shots that they thought they needed. But it played very stylistically, instead. But there was a lot of focus on the lead character, instead of who he was talking to. But I think, just upon watching the film, they did an excellent job. The look of the movie is very comic book and graphic novel, very surreal. It’s really fabulously done. SY: Like you said, the film has a graphic novel feel, which has been popular in recent years. Why do you think people like that genre? DS: I think people are drawn to adventuring in that world. When you go into this surreal filming style, and with the fighting, you’re asking people to enter that world. You’re demanding a very exciting ride, because graphic novels are graphic. (laughs) There’s nudity and violence in a very elementary kind of storytelling. This is ultimately a love story, and it’s a very appealing world, where good and evil are obvious. SY: Were there any films based on graphic novels or comics that you enjoyed that inspired you to take on the role in ‘The Girl from the Naked Eye?’ DS: I thought that ‘Sin City’ was great. There’s a comic book that I’m actually looking at right now, it’s called ‘Unholy.’ I’m hoping that they make that into a film. I’m keeping my fingers crossed. To continue reading this interview, please click here.