One of the best things about writing about Nicolas Cage on the internet is meeting people from all over the world that share the same passion for the Oscar winner as I do. I’ve met people that on the surface may have nothing in common with me but then we quickly click and connect over this shared love. It didn’t take long to start meeting these new people either. The second my first Cage column was published I had new friends. It’s like Cage fans have this internal alarm and any time something positive about Cage goes live they’re drawn to it.
Some of the Cage fans I’ve encountered are just that, fans. They enjoy watching his films and discussing them with others. They’ll seek out Cage content and soak it up. The other section of Cage loyalists have created outlets to express their love. Whether it’s a column like this one, a podcast, or anything else you can think of, people are out there spreading the good gospel.
To find what is maybe the most unique expression of Cage fandom, you have to take a trip over to Spain. That’s where Torïo Garcia has taken his Cage love to the next level and created NicCagepedia, a fanzine dedicated to the eccentric Coppola written by the foremost leaders in all things Cage (plug: I have an article in issue #3 and another one coming up in issue #4).
Torïo was born in a city on the Spanish coast and grew up on comics, movies, and punk rock. He got a degree in audiovisual communication before moving to Madrid to work in a completely unrelated field, something we can all relate to. Currently Torïo lives with his girlfriend, two cats, and a bunch of Nicolas Cage stuff, which is to say he and I live very similar lives despite the 5,000 miles separating us. That’s the power of Cage.
Earlier this week I spoke with Torïo to discuss the zine and all things Cage.
To get this party started, can you tell me when you first became a Cage fanatic? Is there a particular moment or movie that stands out where it just sort of clicked for you? Or is it something that happened gradually over a period of time?
I’ve always liked action movies and especially the John Woo ones, so Face/Off and Windtalkers were already in my sights. There were also many other Nicolas Cage movies that I’ve always liked, like Con Air, Adaptation, and National Treasure. But it took me a little while to realize the Cage factor. It was during one of my last years of university, when I and a roommate decided to watch the entirety of Nic’s filmography. And then the madness began.
How do you get from Cage fan to starting a Cage zine? What was the process of putting the first zine together? How long did it take it from idea to inception?
That year of university which I previously spoke of, I created the Facebook page of the NicCagepedia to share all the news I found related to Cage. This was growing and I jumped to Twitter and opened a blog. Years later, I visited ¡Hostia un libro!, a festival dedicated to fanzines and self-publishing. I was so fascinated by the event that I proposed that the next year I wanted to be there. And the way to be there was to publish a fanzine.
How do you get the zine out to the public? Is it passed around, word of mouth? Are there stores that carry it?
Basically, I distribute it at these kind of fanzine festivals and I usually announce it in the different social networks of the NicCagepedia. I guess the zine is quite striking and that generates a certain online word of mouth.
You’re currently putting together the fourth issue now. What has the reaction been like for the first three?
As I said before, I sell the fanzine at events, so it’s always different. Usually, it attracts attention. For example, last time was at the Tenderete Festival in Valencia and it was a total success.
You and the zine are both based in Spain. How do the people of Spain feel about Cage?
I think there are mixed opinions. There are people who do not appreciate him and people who admire him as a joke. But gradually ─ I guess partly because I manage the NicCagepedia ─ I find more true fans, people who really appreciate his work. For example, I met Josep Martín, an artist known as Theprometeus who is a huge Cage fan and now he makes all the zine’s covers.
Any chance of a John Travolta spinoff issue?
Well, in this last issue there’s a lot of Face/Off stuff, so there’s something… but you never know.
And finally, lets close it out with your five favorite Cage movies.
It’s hard to choose, but I’ll try: Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (I think his best), Con Air, Face/Off, Wild at Heart, and Adaptation… Maybe it’s a rather conservative list, now that I think of it.
To keep up on all things NicCagepedia be sure to follow @NicCagepedia on Twitter and ‘like’ Facebook.com/NicCagepedia.
Mandy gets picked up
Yesterday it was announced that RLJE has acquired the US rights to Cage’s Sundance hit, Mandy. No word yet on when the film will see a release, but in the meantime you can read a review from our very own Rob Hunter.
Related Topics: Nicolas Cage, The Tao of Cage
