Matthew Bright was an original member of the Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, a theatrical band founded by the Elfman brothers (Danny Elfman and Richard Elfman) in late 1972. The band morphed into rock band Oingo Boingo in 1980, at which point most of the originals left.

Now in 2012 Matthew has been living for the past several year in Chiapas Mexico... He still has his agents and managers who are in Los Angeles and returns to the USA when work calls....He stays in close contact with his writing partner Oliver Stone... And of course his son Max Bright. Recently Matthew was staying in the Midwest taking care of an ailing family member... I have recently become friendly with his son Max. He is also temporarily living in the Midwest but can't wait to get back to California... Max takes after his father in so many ways with his liberal attitude and his wild imagination.... One of Max's all time favorite bands is Operation Ivy so know he is a cool guy.. Father like son... They both ROCK!

Writer

Forbidden Zone (1980)
Wildfire (1988)
Guncrazy (1992)
Dark Angel: The Ascent (1994)
Shrunken Heads (1994)
Freeway (1996)
Modern Vampires (1998)
Freeway II: Confessions of a Trickbaby (1999)
Ted Bundy (2001)

Director

Freeway (1996)
Freeway II: Confessions of a Trickbaby (1999)
Ted Bundy (2001)
Tiptoes (2003)

I was lucky enough to get to ask Filmmaker Matthew Bright a few questions about his brilliant movie "Freeway". Actress Reese Witherspoon shined in her performance as Vanessa Lutz... The film was definitely a launching pad for her stellar career. "Freeway" was filled with such talented actors as Amanda Plummer, Kiefer Sutherland, Michael T Weiss, Bokeem Woodbine, Dan Hedaya, Brooke Shields and Conchata Ferrell.. Matthew also utilized the talents of relatively unknown actress at the time... The late Brittany Murphy. Proving his instinctive eye for talent. I hope you enjoy my short interview with Matthew..


Rare footage Of Matthew bright in Forbidden Zone

The cast in "Freeway" was amazing... How involved were you in the casting of the Movie?

Well, I was the director. So I was fully involved with casting the film with our casting agent, Mary Vernieu. She was invaluable, because this was my first film and she had been working with Oliver Stone for several years. She brought me everyone she thought was terrific that really hadn't broken out yet - Reese Witherspoon, Brittany Murphy, etc.. She was creative and wonderful to work with.

What other Movies had Reese Witherspoon done prior to the role of Vanessa Lutz?

The only thing I was familiar with that Reese had done was a couple of movies where she played a child. And she had just become an adult, so this was all new for me. I didn't know what she could do until the first day of shooting and then I felt like I did when I saw Jimi Hendrix at the Whisky A Go-Go. It was just a revelation. I was awestruck.

Amanda Plummer as Ramona Lutz was priceless.... Did she have any reservations playing a Crack Head Prostitute that gets shackled by the Cops?

No, Amanda thought the role was hysterically funny and she was totally up for it. I hadn't seen her in anything up until then, but the second I met her I knew she would be perfect. Apparently, we knew each other when we were children, through our fathers who played tennis together.

Did you have any idea that Brittany Murphy was going to emerge the way she did from doing Freeway?

Nah, I never think about that stuff. I mean, it might occur to me nowadays, but it wouldn't mean anything really. That's just business stuff. I knew she'd be amazing in anything she did, so I just assumed she'd go on to do wonderful things. And if she didn't, it would be a testament to human stupidity. Remember, the only time Van Gogh sold a painting was when his shrink took pity on him. So people can be very stupid indeed. But they were smart and saw what she's capable of. Especially in our film.

Who is the actress that played the Bully Cholita in Freeway? I have heard that she and Reese are really good pals from that Movie and she is in both Legally Blonde Movies also. Tell all about her?

I can't remember if I was turned on to Alanna Ubach by Reese or our Casting Agent Mary Vernieu. I know Reese did a really good imitation of Allana in "The Brady Bunch," (Alanna was in the Brady Bunch Movie with Gary Cole and Shelly Long) and I was looking forward to meeting her. She was great.

Some of the dialogue in Freeway like "Look Who Got Hit By The Ugly Stick", "Bob You Ugly Motherfucker!" "I'm Sorry About That Day I Broke Your Nose, I was In A Bad Mood" "You Were Gonna Pay Me $5 To Suck Your Dick" was the best ever.. Did you write all that or was it ad lib?

Well, yes. It was my script. And everyone was very, very spot on about keeping to it. Reese and Kiefer said doing Freeway was like appearing in a live play six days a week for a month. They were all horribly exhausted. As exhausted as I was, and I was so exhausted I couldn't operate a car.

You are aware that "Freeway" was the movie that Reese really won her Oscar for?

Huh? What Oscar?

Punk Globe would like to thank Matthew Bright for taking time to do this interview and be on the look out for new projects...