The sequel, The Human Centipede II (Full Sequence), claimed to make the first film look like My Little Pony. Upping the centipede to 12 people, this film was banned in the United Kingdom and only received a classification after making thirty cuts to the movie. Similarly, it was banned in New Zealand, and in Australia for a short time. British actor Laurence Harvey plays the antagonist of this sequel, the infamous Martin Lomax – a mentally challenged security guard who finds sexual gratification in watching the first film and becomes obsessed with creating his own human centipede. Harvey rejoined the franchise in the third installment too, alongside Dieter Laser, who played the villain of the first movie. Beat speaks with Harvey about censorship, his career on a children’s television show and being recognized as Martin Lomax down the street.
Laurence Harvey only saw the first film on the day of the casting. Prior to that, he had only heard press reviews off the film’s festival circuit, which had intrigued him. “People were saying it was Cronenbergian body horror, and I really like that genre,” Harvey explains, “I got the invite to come along for a casting as the film was being screened, and I thought, ‘Even if I don’t get it, I get to see a free film.’”
Harvey’s interest in film was sparked over twenty ago when he was enrolled into a Fine Arts degree, with his major in painting. He had been doing a lot of self-portraiture that were already narrative driven and reflective. Upon completing an elective subject in performance art, he had made audiences cry, and the tutor consequently convinced him to make the switch from painting. Artists he worked with outside of college would later ask him to join the cast of What’s Up Doc? – a popular British children’s TV program. “Some of characters were kind of scary, funny and interesting,” he says, “One was Gaston the Frog who had two bloody stumps which he kept covered with a blanket and was wheelchair bound.”
Harvey never had much hesitation in taking the role of Martin. The hardest part was trying to convey Martin’s emotional journey, while still keeping a distance between his emotional reactions and what was actually happening. “I was looking at a friend’s two twin boys and their interaction,” Harvey explains. “The size of their reaction would be in keeping with the stimulus of the event that occurred. Often when Martin reacts, he is reacting as if that’s how he is expected to behave rather than it being an actual true reaction. I just think he’s emotionally stunted due to his background.”
When asked how it felt to portray a character that exerts so much power over people, Harvey explains that Martin’s power comes from the idea from making the centipede. “That kind of stems from his search for a father figure,” he elaborates. “He kind of latches on to Dr. Heiter, which is rather unfortunate.” While the role wasn’t cathartic in any way, Harvey admits Martin’s vengeance scene with his mother was satisfying and certainly his favourite.
Harvey became familiar with being recognized in public for his roles on What’s Up Doc? in the mid-’90s by children and ravers, but he admits most days he is now recognized as Martin Lomax. The most colourful thing someone has said to him is “fuck off you bug-eyed cunt.
“It’s Wigan – that would be said if I was in The Human Centipede or not,” he laughs, “I live in a classy place.”
The second and third films of the franchise have faced major backlash from various groups appalled with the shocking nature and sexually violent themes. The UK release of the second film is Harvey’s preferred version as it only cut specific shots, and not whole scenes, unlike the American cinema release. On the nature of censorship, Harvey understands the BBC’s stance against the franchise. “They have a thing about sexual violence and that’s their standpoint, other things I just find kind of baffling,” he says.
For instance, in Australia, Christian organization Family Voice made a major effort to have the film permanently banned, which was unsuccessful. Harvey feels that the hypodermic needle theory is flawed and that people don’t just watch a film, and then copy it. “I think people have a predisposition to watch it. I think people have a predisposition to violence or criminality, and they look for media that reinforces that viewpoint,” he explains.
Harvey will return to Australia for the Monster Fest Presents inaugural theatrical screening program. He looks forward to meeting fans and friends in Australia. Since the franchise, Harvey has been working on several films. He has most recently been working on Frankenstein Created Bikers. “It has bikers, a sasquatch and mad scientists.” he laughs, “It’s amazing.”
BY TAMARA VOGL
