Posted by eliza gale on January 18, 2012 - 11:09pm
James Mapes is an actor who plays The Preacher in the film "The Wicker Tree." He also has a hypnosis show. Here is a link to his website:
www.jamesmapes.com
1. What is "The Wicker Tree" about?
This film is a horror/black comedy with 20 songs in it. There is no category to put this in, nor was there a category for his 1973 film, The Wicker Man which also had songs. I wouldn’t bring a child to this and I must say that it makes fun of both religion and Christianity. AND, I play a preacher so I will offend no one.
2. How did you get your part in the film?
British director, Robin Hardy, the director of the original 1973 horror cult classic, The Wicker Man, saw me perform my one-man stage hypnosis show Journey Into the Imagination to an audience of two-thousand people 21 years ago. After discovering that I had appeared in numerous soap operas and films as a professional actor, he wanted to create a role for me. The rest is history.
3. How long have you been doing hypnosis?
I’ve been doing clinical hypnosis in 1973 (My specialty is age regression for helping witnesses and victims to crimes recall memories and working with child abuse victims). I have also been performing my stage show (Broadway and Lincoln Center) since 1974.
4. How can you tell if someone is really hypnotized or if they are just faking it?
There many ways to tell if a person is faking and after three decades it is second nature. The simplest way to explain it without giving away any secrets is that when a person is hypnotized, he or she will be absolutely in sync with me. For example, if I asked you to put your arm out straight and then asked you to suddenly drop it to your side, you would have to make that decision and so there would be a slight lag time between your decision and when you let your arm fall. If you were hypnotized and I asked you to do the same, I would (the suggestion I gave) would be your decision. There would be no lag time. I watch people very carefully and have developed a second sense as to whether that people (or persons) are in “rapport” with me or not.
5. What is your craziest Hollywood story?
My craziest Hollywood story may not be what you expect. My wife’s father headed Columbia Studios under Harry Cohen, produced and/or directed over 50 films and passed away while making From Here to Eternity. My wife’s brother is in the same business as is our son. Susan is an international journalist and movie critic. That being said, 25 years ago, my wife asked me if I would like to spend Thanksgiving with her parents in Hollywood. I reluctantly said “yes” as I had and still do have a tradition of having Thanksgiving in St. Thomas. As a side note, I come from Illinois where we always wore jeans for Thanksgiving dinner so, when my wife asked me to bring my best suit I naturally asked 'why?' Her response was, please just do it and don’t’ ask questions. I thought that was weird but I followed her request.
30 Thousand feet in the air she asked me, “Would you like to know who is going to be at Thanksgiving?” I responded, “I thought this was with your parents.” She said, “Of course but your dinner partner is going to be Jimmy Stewart, mine will be President Regan, my father will be with Kirk Douglas and on it went with Gregory Peck, various Ambassadors and other celebrities. The bottom line is that she knew I would not have agreed to go if I knew the cast of Thanksgiving in advance. I was blown away and had a blast. Jimmy Stewart and I also had three martinis together.
6. How did you get cast in the "Star Trek" films?
I was fortunate to have a personal interview with Rick Berman, the producer of the Star Trek movies at that time. He was so very gracious by giving me an interview or – conversation for 30 minutes. During that time he never mentioned anything about me being in his movies. I was disappointed, got up, shook his hand and, as I was getting up to leave he asked, “James, would you like the act in my next Star trek movie?” I just about passed out. “Yes”, I said enthusiastically. We become friend, I was in his next movie and he wrote a part for me in the third which, unfortunately, I had to turn down because of a previous contract with for a business speaking engagement. I was not happy about that.
7. What do you like best about show business?
Everything. For movies, I enjoy the process of being absolutely authentic. I’ve had great advice over the years from many professionals including Anthony Hopkins and Clint Eastwood.
8. What don't you like about it?
Competition and rejection.
9. What film role could you have nailed?
The last audition I did for Tom Cruise’s’ “ONE SHOT” blew the director away. So, I was told the role would either to me or a woman. It went to a female. I didn’t get the role and that is abosolutely all right with me. You have to make friends with rejection and failure or you really can’t succeed and enjoy the process in any career. In other words, you can’t take it personally.
10. What is the main difference between acting for the stage and film acting?
I’ve done years of acting in Repertory Theater, bus and truck tours as well as television and film acting. I can sum it up with Clint Eastwood’s response when I asked him advice on film acting. He said, “Remember on stage your eyebrow is very, very small. Up on the screen your eyebrow is five or six inches long and you can see every moment. So, be still, be truthful and make every expression mean something.” The bottom line is that stage acting and film acting is totally different styles which require different skill sets.
www.jamesmapes.com
1. What is "The Wicker Tree" about?
This film is a horror/black comedy with 20 songs in it. There is no category to put this in, nor was there a category for his 1973 film, The Wicker Man which also had songs. I wouldn’t bring a child to this and I must say that it makes fun of both religion and Christianity. AND, I play a preacher so I will offend no one.
2. How did you get your part in the film?
British director, Robin Hardy, the director of the original 1973 horror cult classic, The Wicker Man, saw me perform my one-man stage hypnosis show Journey Into the Imagination to an audience of two-thousand people 21 years ago. After discovering that I had appeared in numerous soap operas and films as a professional actor, he wanted to create a role for me. The rest is history.
3. How long have you been doing hypnosis?
I’ve been doing clinical hypnosis in 1973 (My specialty is age regression for helping witnesses and victims to crimes recall memories and working with child abuse victims). I have also been performing my stage show (Broadway and Lincoln Center) since 1974.
4. How can you tell if someone is really hypnotized or if they are just faking it?
There many ways to tell if a person is faking and after three decades it is second nature. The simplest way to explain it without giving away any secrets is that when a person is hypnotized, he or she will be absolutely in sync with me. For example, if I asked you to put your arm out straight and then asked you to suddenly drop it to your side, you would have to make that decision and so there would be a slight lag time between your decision and when you let your arm fall. If you were hypnotized and I asked you to do the same, I would (the suggestion I gave) would be your decision. There would be no lag time. I watch people very carefully and have developed a second sense as to whether that people (or persons) are in “rapport” with me or not.
5. What is your craziest Hollywood story?
My craziest Hollywood story may not be what you expect. My wife’s father headed Columbia Studios under Harry Cohen, produced and/or directed over 50 films and passed away while making From Here to Eternity. My wife’s brother is in the same business as is our son. Susan is an international journalist and movie critic. That being said, 25 years ago, my wife asked me if I would like to spend Thanksgiving with her parents in Hollywood. I reluctantly said “yes” as I had and still do have a tradition of having Thanksgiving in St. Thomas. As a side note, I come from Illinois where we always wore jeans for Thanksgiving dinner so, when my wife asked me to bring my best suit I naturally asked 'why?' Her response was, please just do it and don’t’ ask questions. I thought that was weird but I followed her request.
30 Thousand feet in the air she asked me, “Would you like to know who is going to be at Thanksgiving?” I responded, “I thought this was with your parents.” She said, “Of course but your dinner partner is going to be Jimmy Stewart, mine will be President Regan, my father will be with Kirk Douglas and on it went with Gregory Peck, various Ambassadors and other celebrities. The bottom line is that she knew I would not have agreed to go if I knew the cast of Thanksgiving in advance. I was blown away and had a blast. Jimmy Stewart and I also had three martinis together.
6. How did you get cast in the "Star Trek" films?
I was fortunate to have a personal interview with Rick Berman, the producer of the Star Trek movies at that time. He was so very gracious by giving me an interview or – conversation for 30 minutes. During that time he never mentioned anything about me being in his movies. I was disappointed, got up, shook his hand and, as I was getting up to leave he asked, “James, would you like the act in my next Star trek movie?” I just about passed out. “Yes”, I said enthusiastically. We become friend, I was in his next movie and he wrote a part for me in the third which, unfortunately, I had to turn down because of a previous contract with for a business speaking engagement. I was not happy about that.
7. What do you like best about show business?
Everything. For movies, I enjoy the process of being absolutely authentic. I’ve had great advice over the years from many professionals including Anthony Hopkins and Clint Eastwood.
8. What don't you like about it?
Competition and rejection.
9. What film role could you have nailed?
The last audition I did for Tom Cruise’s’ “ONE SHOT” blew the director away. So, I was told the role would either to me or a woman. It went to a female. I didn’t get the role and that is abosolutely all right with me. You have to make friends with rejection and failure or you really can’t succeed and enjoy the process in any career. In other words, you can’t take it personally.
10. What is the main difference between acting for the stage and film acting?
I’ve done years of acting in Repertory Theater, bus and truck tours as well as television and film acting. I can sum it up with Clint Eastwood’s response when I asked him advice on film acting. He said, “Remember on stage your eyebrow is very, very small. Up on the screen your eyebrow is five or six inches long and you can see every moment. So, be still, be truthful and make every expression mean something.” The bottom line is that stage acting and film acting is totally different styles which require different skill sets.
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