five with frights:- brinke stevens
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Mr. Frights had the honor to talk with Scream Queen BRINKE STEVENS, who has appeared in over 100 movies some of which include "Nightmare Sisters", "Haunting Fear", and more recently "The Ritual".
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MR. FRIGHTS: Can you tell us anything about your upcoming projects/movies?-
BRINKE STEVENS: Two horror movies that I shot last year should be released soon -- "The Ritual" from Fleet Street Films (I play a serial killer's deranged mother) and Joe Castro's "Summer of Massacre". I just heard that "The Boneyard Collection" (Irina Bell Films) has been accepted at the Cannes Film Festival, whoo-hoo! (In that one, I murder a sleazy producer.) I hope to shoot a new zombie thriller called
"Deadlands 3" this autumn, and also reprise the Vampira role in the upcoming "Plan 9" remake from Darkstone Entertainment.
I just wrote a tribute to the late Forrest J Ackerman for "Famous Monsters" magazine (FM #251), the premier issue from its newest publisher, Phillip Kim. I'm now writing an AZ travel article for "Tucson Lifestyle", and I'll soon head to New Mexico to pen a travel story for another publication.
Right now, I'm trying to find a good literary agent to pitch my unsold screenplays, one of which is a big-budget "Sinbad" adventure tale (co-written with Ted Newsom, the genius behind "The Naked Monster" movie). I'm also actively working on a new spec script, tentatively titled "Fellini in Hollywood", about my amazing encounter with famed Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini in the 1980s. -
MR. FRIGHTS: Is there anyone in the industry (horror) you'd like to work with?
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BRINKE STEVENS: I'm such a big fan of
Christopher Walken -- I'd love to work with him someday! I also adore
Bruce Campbell... we've met many times over the years, yet we've never worked on a film together. I imagine that would be a lot of fun; he's so crazy.
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MR. FRIGHTS: What, so far, is your most cherished accomplishment with regard to your career?
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BRINKE STEVENS: If you want me to name a movie, I'd say that I like "Haunting Fear"
the best -- and consider it my most challenging accomplishment.
On a more personal level, I've cherished my personal encounters with my "fans" over the decades. I feel like I've done a bit of good for a lot of folks -- I've encouraged young people to go to film school, or to actually write their dream script, or to get their own movie made. I've been such an enthusiastic cheerleader, and I've tried to be a decent role-model, for horror fans everywhere. I get so many lovely notes from people I've met, who say that I've inspired them in some way. To me, this is far more important than any fame I may achieve for my acting work. -
MR. FRIGHTS: You've done acting, you've produced and written, have you ever or would you consider directing?
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BRINKE STEVENS: I think I'd make a very good director -- and I'd probably enjoy doing it, especially if it was one of my own scripts. Actually, I'm a bit surprised that it hasn't happened for me yet. In the past, I've been attached as a director to numerous projects, but they'll all fallen through in the long run. I do hope that I'll get a chance to pursue it someday.
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MR. FRIGHTS: Do you have a favorite horror movie? And, can you tell us a little as to why it's your favorite?
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BRINKE STEVENS: I always used to cite the "Evil Dead" movies as my favorites... and they still are. However, I re-watched "The Dead Zone" and had forgotten what a truly magnificent film it is.
David Cronenberg,
Stephen King, and
Christopher Walken... need I say more?
Hit the Grab Bag Questions below to go on with the interview...
GRAB BAG QUESTIONS
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MR. FRIGHTS: Was there ever a movie you worked on where you thought it was too intense/scary?
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BRINKE STEVENS: Well, there was that one movie shot in rural Illinois that literally almost killed me. We had to work a few 24-hours days in a row with barely any food or rest. I was a total wreck by the end of it. Other than that sort of real-life abuse, I don't scare easily.
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MR. FRIGHTS: What's the most disgusting thing you've ever eaten?
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BRINKE STEVENS: There's a few things I've tried and won't eat again anytime soon, like kangaroo and rattlesnake.
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MR. FRIGHTS: Pro gore (blood, guts, brain chunks, skull bits - not that former VP guy)? Or Anti-gore (keep the audience in suspense, don't show em
much)? And why?
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BRINKE STEVENS: I always enjoy good gore effects to some extent; it's such a marvel to me what those SFX guys can dream up next. But I'm more in favor of good ol' suspense stories. Shirley Jackson's "The Haunting" is a fine example of "less-is-more".