Another cult classic in the making
“The Ten” could prove to be a college favorite
By Marty Sliva
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Ken Marino has been one of the staples of American comedy for over a decade. His work on the short-lived television series “The State,” along with his role in the cult classic “Wet Hot American Summer” has made him a fixture among those who prefer their comedy with a bit of an edge.
Together with writing partner David Wain, (the writer and director of “Wet Hot American Summer”) the two comedians penned “The Ten,” a film which some are calling the funniest movie of the year. “The Ten” is comprised of ten short stories, each one revolving around one of the Ten Commandments.
POST: You’ve written two movies in the past few years, “Diggers” and “The Ten”…
KEN MARINO: Yeah, I’ve been very lucky. Plus I’ve had a baby, so I’ve had three babies come out this year.
POST: Has your focus shifted from acting towards writing?
*KM*: I’ve been writing since “The State” and I took a break to pursue the acting end of things. However, once I started seeing all “The State” members write stuff, our friendly competitive nature kicked in, and I had to start writing.
The first thing I wrote was “Diggers.” Then Dave and I wanted to write something together so we got together and banged out “The Ten”. Then Dave and I wrote several more things, like some polishing on this movie with Paul Rudd and Sean William Scott. I’ve also got a horror comedy and a straight up horror movie.
POST: How far along are those two?
*KM*: Well, we’ve got the horror movie done, we’re just trying to get some funding for it. It’s kind of an old school “Last House on the Left” monster movie.
POST: What sparked the idea for writing something like “The Ten”?
*KM*: I always wanted to write a movie that I’d want to see in college. If this movie came out when I was in college, I would be psyched to see it. It was a dream of mine to write an absurd, broad vignette or omnibus type piece. We were just trying to be funny, not trying to make any statement, or mock religion.
POST: Have you gotten any backlash regarding the content of the movie?
*KM*: Not so much. Online, there are some people who haven’t even seen it, but are already protesting it. Once you see it, you realize that it’s so silly, that it’s not making fun of anything religious. If anything, it’s a morality tale about people who break the commandments in very absurd…how many times have I said absurd?
POST: (Laughs) Well, I have a feeling that I know what we’re in for with the movie.
*KM*: (Laughs) Yeah. Well, it’s ridiculous in a good way. I think that it’s a movie built for people in college who want to see something different.
POST: It seems like it shares a lot in common with your previous cult favorite, “Wet Hot American Summer.”
*KM*: Well, I’d like to think so, but it’s much darker than “Wet Hot;” but where “Wet Hot” had the thought of innocence, “The Ten” is just balls-out dark.



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