Paul Blom is an eclectic creative, whose independent artistic path has led him onto a full spectrum of creative experiences and pursuits since the '80s. His passion for film and music has been at the forefront of his life's journey having collaborated on a series of diverse projects in several key roles over the years. Paul has made a name for himself in the South African film and music industry together with his wife and collaborator, Sonja Ruppersberg.

Paul's a musician and the driving force behind bands and musical projects from Terminatryx, V.O.D., F8, K.O.B.U.S. and The Makabra Ensemble to compiling the Kopskoot! album. He's an entertainment journalist, writing about movies, music and gaming, published in magazines such as Fangoria, SL, Stage, Top Forty, and syndicated newspapers including The Star, The Argus, Die Burger and Son. Paul's a film-maker, having produced, directed and edited several short films like Marked. He's also a festival organiser, having created the annual South African HorrorFest and the X Fest through Flamedrop, his production company, founded in 2000.

With several film festivals, musical and film projects continually on the go... Paul Blom has his work cut out for him, yet he does make time to keep up-to-date with his movies from new releases to obscure films.

"Things get a bit blurry when thinking back to the early '70s..."

I can't watch movies without...

- ...my lovely wife.

Which famous people share your birthday?

- Two hot actresses, Scarlett Johansson and Jamie Lee Curtis (thought she was quite tasty when I was in school during the period of her movies like Perfect). Groundbreaking female tennis player, Billie Jean King. French statesman, Chales De Gaulle. Comedian, Rodney Dangerfield. Musician/actor Little Steven Van Zant. Tarzan (from Edgar Rice Burroughs' book).

What is the first film you remember watching?

- Things get a bit blurry when thinking back to the early '70s... probably some Disney flick, like The Jungle Book or The Gnome Mobile, also Zorro, Johnny Weissmuller Tarzan movies, and Laurel & Hardy; but I do have a vague memory of a drive-in trip with my folks and two older brothers, and the images in my head seem very much like 2001: A Space Odyssey...

What's the worst movie you've ever seen?

- There are so many! Dom Deluise's My African Adventure stands out for some reason, but so does Dr Chopper.

Which movies have made you tearful?

- Henry Portrait Of A Serial Killer - just kidding, as a child, Ring Of Bright Water and more recently, probably Hachiko or The Cove.

Who is the most famous movie star you've ever met?

- Not sure who's more famous between these: Danny Trejo, Rhona Mitra, Sean Pertwee or Luke Goss... they were all extremely nice people.

What's your favourite movie line?

- So many to choose from, but I reckon I'll go with one which I like to quote in day-to-day situations if things don't go as planned: "Well I tried goddamnit... at least I did that." - Jack Nicholson in One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest

Who would you choose to play you in your biopic?

- Johnny Depp? Too handsome. Danny Trejo? Not handsome enough! And he has more tattoos than me. Maybe Robert Downey, Jr. (Chaplin) for the older me, and Aaron Johnson (Kick-Ass) for the younger me, and for my baby years, Digital Domain (as they did in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button).

If you could produce a movie, what would it be about?

- We are working on producing a feature film, but can't divulge any details as yet... it'll have a Horror/Fantasy slant. Meanwhile you can check out the HorrorFest promo clip we made, plus the teaser of the expansion we shot for it, to be turned into the short film Marked, as well as a music video for our Terminatryx song Virus. Both the short film and music video will debut at the SA HorrorFest

Finally, your top ten movies of all-time...

- I've tried goddamnit, but it's impossible(!), as I'll need at least a top 10 or 20 for each genre and sub-genre that exists; we run the SA HorrorFest and X Fest film festivals, but love every kind of movie, so here goes the extremely thinly spread list in no particular order (with some cheating in the first 6 choices):

All David Lynch's creations ...surreal, truly alternative, both an audio & visual experience: pure genius (esp. Blue Velvet & Wild At Heart).

All Stanley Kubrick's films ...a total cinematic master in any genre he tackled (esp. 2001: A Space Odyssey & The Shining).

All Martin Scorsese's motion pictures ...gritty, realistic brilliance (esp. Taxi Driver & Goodfellas).

All Oliver Stone's movies ...always engaging and superbly constructed (esp. JFK & Natural Born Killers).

All Quentin Tarantino's flicks ...what making movies is all about, absolute energetic fun (esp. Pulp Fiction & Inglourious Basterds).

All the Coen Bros. collaborations ...usually about a stash of money, but always so unique, quirky, funny and open for return viewing (esp. Barton Fink & The Big Lebowski).
Nosferatu ...a legendary classic from the dawn of filmmaking (and one of our first Makabra Ensemble movie soundtrack re-inventions).

Kung Fu Hustle ...action-packed and hilarious with great use of CGI, and a whole lot of heart.

Koyaanisqatsi ...the perfect melding of images (of the world we live in) and music (by Philip Glass) to create a mind-blowing experience.

Tetsuo The Iron Man ...an all-out low-budget barrage of originality without sacrificing effect.

Top Ten Movies with... is a people series on SPL!NG, featuring a host of celebrities ranging from up-and-coming to established personalities from all industries including, but not limited to: Internet, Radio, TV, Film, Music, Art and Entrepreneurs. It's a chance to discover who they are, find out where they're at and to get a fun inside look at their taste in movies.

CREDIT ROLL: Photography (Live shot - Zoltan Tibor Taylor, Easy chair shot - Francois Oberholster)