Something to Scream About

It was very interesting to see how the Scream Queens got their start in the business. Some by accident, and others because it is easier to get in the film business through horror.

One of the most interesting discussions was on nudity and how they dealt with the call for it in the film. Some would not do it, and others saw it as normal. Debbie Rochon gives a great talk on the subject by explaining how natural it is in Europe. I especially liked the point that we need to quit focusing on 19-year-old bodies, as European actresses do nudity at any age.

The subject of money and exploitation comes up frequently. It is apparent that they are not paid well for these roles. As Rochon said, she can do 25 movies in a year and still not pay all her bills.

It is fascinating to share some time with these beauties and listen to what made them what they are today.

I was pleasantly surprised by this feature which was sent to me by a friend who knows I attend a lot of horror cons. Most of the girls I have met at one or other of these outings. It is amazing how how all of them came off so close to what was my impression of them from meeting them. The best I feel were Judith O Dea & Debbie Rochon. You can feel the sincerity in Judith & the endless energy in Debbie. You get a feel for the genuine niceness of Brinke Stevens who always has time for fans. Ariauna Albright comes across as the knowledgeable actress she is & a real person besides. The honest answers by Felisha Rose show her to be a strong woman & Denise Duff is just a pleasure to listen to. Lilith Stabs lived up to her reputation of not really appearing to appreciate anybody asking her anything & seemed to have her mind in some other galaxy. But apart from her all the others came across as really nice down to earth women who are very approachable & first rate performers. A video worth seeing.

Something to Scream About (2003)

*** (out of 4)

Brinke Stevens hosts this documentary that takes a look at various Scream Queens as we hear their stories on how they got into the business, their thoughts on what is required of them, their fans and of course their thoughts on the films themselves. Those interviewed include Stevens, Julie Strain, Judith O'Dea, Lilith Stabs, Debra DeLiso and Felissa Rose.

If you're a fan of these Scream Queens then you'll certainly want to check this documentary out. Running just over a hour, the documentary does a pretty good job at covering a wide range of topics including the stuff I mentioned but also that subject of nudity, which is one major thing that runs through a lot of horror movies.

The film features some fun interviews including the stuff with Rose and O'Dea who are of course best known for their roles in SLEEPAWAY CAMP and NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. Both of them tell some great stories about seeing those films for the first time as well as what they did after those movies.

The film certainly would have been better had it been a bit more detailed. At just 65-minutes the film is obviously rather short and to the point but a bit more details would have been nice. Even with that said, the film is still very much worth watching if you're a fan of the actresses.

Do we really need to hear the thoughts and feelings on life from a group of females who's claim to fame is merely the fact that they're aesthetically pleasing to the eye and/or know how to scream rather well? In theory no, it shouldn't be that high on the agenda for someone to watch. However in practice, it is an informative watch that any horror fan will want to watch, if not one to actively go out of your way to seek out. True, some of it MAY be, nay IS a tad pretentious (a constant falling of most, if not all feature length documentaries of any stripe).I'd like to say that it was kept to a bare minimum, but that's not the case. However, that being said, as a horror fan, I still found it interesting. Could the subject matter been handled better? That's debatable, but I'm on the side that it all come out well enough.

My Grade: C+

Where I saw it: Showtime

I got this video because my favorite b actress Lilith Stabs is in it but was very disappointed with the coverage given to her by the producer. We are treated at length to Julie Strain pretending she is disgusted at requests for nudity when that is the only reason she has made a name in the scene. Just about every b actress today will drop their clothing to get cast. Lilith Stabs has made it plain in interviews all over the place that she does not do nudity. Perhaps this is a big part of the reason she winds up in crappy productions like Bad Movie Police or Severe Injuries where her roles are small & do not give her a chance to show her natural ability. Her first few movies were tailored to her highly erotic fetish persona & she was fabulous in them. Her looks & body are far superior to any of the whining primadonnas in this production.