Wow. Harmless is the name of the film.
This is the story is about a husband and father and his battle with pornography. Actual home movies and interviews tell the story of the terror the family faces when a box of pornography is opened and something is unleashed.
For more information on how to get involved with this project to go here, somewhere...
Thank Thea for the heads up. x
Here we are yet again and the forefront of something wonderful… Namely another celebrity interview! This time with the talented, alluring and legendary Action Queen of the 80’s Sybil Danning!
Before we dive into the awesomeness though, I will recap, for those who still may not be in the know after my exhaustive build up to this event, (of which there WAS going to be yet another post yesterday, but couldn’t for the life of me get it to work, anywho):
Sybil Danning is a gorgeous, leggy, buxom, glamazonian, by way of Austria, warrior queen, who also happens to be one of the most brightly shining stars of films of the “B” variety. From Roger Corman’s infamous Star Wars knock off (with special effects work by a pre-fame James Cameron) Battle Beyond the Stars, to the Women in Prison Classics Chained Heat and Reform School Girls, to classier efforts like the Richard Burton starring Bluebeard and trashier epics like Lou Ferrigno’s live action Hercules, Sybil Danning has been bringing her voluminous talents and mega watt screen presence to a wide array of Cinematic Cheese Fests for over 40 years and she’s still going strong. (For yet more info than this check out my Sybil Danning Double Feature articles, here, here and here.)
So, with out further ado, lets get to know her better!
No frills.
Some fluff.
Little functionality.
11 Questions, and 11 Questions Only.
This interview took place via email between myself and Ms. Danning’s representative over the course of last month.
As per the format of ’11 Questions’ I submitted my questions cold and let the interviewee do the answering. Any “conversational awkwardness” is because of this and is unintentional.
(The interview has not been edited in any way (for grammar, spelling or otherwise) to make either of us look better.)
Enjoy!
DS- I know you started off your professional life in the field of dentistry, what drew you away from that and into acting?
SD- I loved working in the field of Dentistry for my Uncle in Austria and then later in
Dental Surgery for one of the most famous Doctor/Professor/Dental Surgeons in the
European Industry in the top Hospital in Salzburg, Austria. My work in the hospital was 6 day weeks with very low income and long hours. When given the opportunity to work for the Professor in his private practice, working less hours with more pay, I took it. That translated into less but later hours into the evening, never ending before 10-11PM—and sometimes 12 Midnight. I could never go to a dinner, movie, concert or plan anything evenings, so I finally decide to exit a profession I very much liked but not willing to sacrifice a private life for it. I studied, facial treatments, decorative make-up, manicure/pedicure, body massage and received a Diploma in Cosmetology. That led to me working as comestician, running the Cosmetic School which was also a modeling school which I led. Soon I was booking myself as model. One day a photographer called me and told me a movie director was in his office, saw my pictures and I ended up playing my first movie role. It was by mistake, not my planning or even my wish.
DS- An early “big break” for you as an actress was being cast in the extremely off kilter Richard Burton starring Dark-Comedy/Nazisploitation film Bluebeard, in 1972. I’m a huge fan of Richard Burton, his commanding voice and presence have always thrilled me to no end, even in his lesser works. Was it intimidating for a young actress, somewhat new to the industry to be in the presence of such an icon, or were you as confident and strong willed then as you are now?
SD– Richard Burton was also one of my favorite actors. His looks, voice, magnetism was absolutely as strong and mesmerizing in person as it was on screen. I had done quite a few films, before, modeled in various countries and traveled from Asia to Africa with never having a problem with cultures or people. Meeting Richard was not intimidating to me and looked forward to it because I had read one of his books and knew much about him. When I met him, did however, feel flush. He invited me to his trailer at the end of the day where we spent hours talking and drinking vodka. We’ve lost a great actor and an even greater man.
DS- Your first major role as an actress was in Menahem Golan’s Academy Award nominated 1977 release Operation Thunderbolt. In it you performed along side the legendary Klaus Kinski, as a sadistic terrorist. What was it like working with the notoriously fiery Kinski and do you think this role set the standard for your later career as the action queen of the 80s?
SD– I’m very proud of that movie. First, because we were nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Film, aka MIVTSA JONATAN, the Israeli title. Second, because Menachem Golan came to Munich, Germany where I was living, told me we are going to do this movie although 2 others were already in the making and I am going to play the role of the German Terrorist, former member of the Baader Meinhoff Group, Gabrielle Tiedemann. Menachem told me we need the money and who can we cast as my partner in crime, Wilfried Boese? I called Paris, France, convinced Klaus Kinski to play the role as well as a German investor/distributor to fund the entire movie. Unfortunately, I was not given a credit or producing fee which is standard in the business. Because I was not aware at that time, this would be owed me, so I did not ask and I did not get it. I fought the distributor too who did not want Klaus but I put my hand in the fire for him and let him know. He behaved very well and as I knew he would, was magnificent in the movie. The LA TIMES gave us both excellent reviews along with the movie. Mission Accomplished.
DS- The first movie I saw you in was 1980’s Battle Beyond the Stars, Roger Corman’s infamous “Seven Samurai in Space.” Despite the staggering cast of epic scenery chewers (Robert Vaughn, John Saxon, George Peppard) you sort of steal the movie in your small, but very memorable role as the “extraterrestrial Valkyrie” Saint-Exim. Was this your intention, or were you just having a blast with such an outrageous role (and costume)?
SD– When I do a movie I never intend or try to outdo anyone or overdo my character. I see everyone as a team and the actors/crews/directors become your family for the short while you work, eat and have fun together. On some movies, it’s very hard and sad to leave the people you enjoyed being with. So, no intention to steal, I admit to your second question. Yes, I was just having great fun flying a spaceship ending as hero jamming John Saxon’s stellar converter and wearing two great costumes. My fans know and love that I always have great costumes. My famous, outrageous Valkyrie outfit was fun but the breast piece cumbersome to keep in place. The battle or “dart” (named after my spaceship) costume took 10 fittings to properly sew the dart shaped holes and secure them with
buttons. Despite all that work, NBC when airing on TV, still rotoscoped over my entire chest in the spaceship of my hara kiri scene! And so everyone had fun, on and off that movie, except NBC, who said my costume in that scene was too dangerous for airing! What can I tell you, I guess sometimes I’m just a dangerous kind o gal.
DS- My favorite of the films you’ve starred in is 1983’s Women-In-Prison classic, Chained Heat. I’ve long heard it was a difficult movie and shoot for some of the other actresses, especially Linda Blair, to endure, but you seem to carry your role (and most of your roles) with a winking sense of humor that I love. Have you ever worked on a film, or been placed in a role that was out of your comfort zone?
SD– Excellent question, actually I think, never asked before! And I really have to give it a moment’s thought! I’m thinking! OK, I went away from this question and now back with the same result– I cannot remember a movie role I did out of my comfort zone. Reason being, I would never take on a role I can’t do justice to. I either like it or don’t do it. Certainly I’ve been in movies where situations could have been better, but who hasn’t. A small example of uncomfortable scenes/situations; My first movie COME MY DEAR LITTLE BIRD, the German fable of “Loreley”, sitting 2 days long on the icy cold November, barren real Rhine river cliff 130 meters high clothed only in long blonde tresses ala “Lady Godiva” freezing to return to Austria with dangerously high fever – my arm scorched by fire burning down my ranch in ALBINO while being raped in a scene we could only shoot once. I still have the scar.
DS- Also in 1983 you were in the running to land the title role of Octopussy, in Roger Moore’s sixth outing as James Bond. The part of course ended up going to another Model/Actress, Maud Adams. With your strength and tongue in cheek sensibility I think you could have done the part ten times more memorably than Ms. Adams and probably fit in with Moore’s more humorous Bond style a lot more comfortably. Why didn’t you get the part, just one of those things, or did something else happen behind the scenes?
SD– Thank you, another great question. I know Maud personally and love her. I think role in a James Bond movie. It’s all straight forward, no secrets. I met with Cubby Broccoli for the role. It was a very pleasant meeting, I really liked him and I felt the feeling was mutual. When I got home my agent called to tell me I did not get the role. Though Cubby liked me, he felt my personality was too strong and they needed to go a different way. Some time thereafter, I met Roger Moore in the celebrity hot-spot, Polo Lounge in the Beverly Hills Hotel, had laughs a drink and got along very well. I was thinking, how great our “on screen” chemistry could have been. That’s Hollywood!
DS- 1985’s The Howling II: Your Sister Is a Werewolf, is most remembered for three things these days, Your stunning performance as “Stirba- She Bitch”, a slumming Christopher Lee and being incredibly bad. Was it surreal working along side someone like Christopher Lee AND participating in the infamous “Werewolf Transformation-Menage a Troi”?
SD– I’ve done 5 movies with Christopher Lee and I still love him very much which says everything. I did ALBINO, just mentioned above, THREE AND FOUR MUSKETEERS, THE SALAMANDER and lastly, THE HOWLING II. I learned from Christopher, no matter what the character or scene or role you, and only you decide to do, do it well, be true to your character. He does that and I believe I’ve also been true to my characters, in turn, tru to my fans. If I don’t take my characters serious, how can I expect my fans to take them serious? It’s as simple as that, even when you’re, as you mentioned, nude, covered in very fine hair from top to bottom as the only time I become the full fledged werewolf “Queen Stirba” in THE HOWLING II. We all three had fun with that scene and when it was over, I had more black hair than blonde on me. Philippe Mora, the director gave the movie and especially that scene a beautiful atmosphere and so we were quite into it. It also helped the mood shooting in a real castle behind the then, Iron Curtain in Czechoslovakia, now Czech Republic in Eastern Europe.
DS- You Wrote and Produced 1989’s L.A. Bounty. In it you play a sort of Steven Seagalesque character named Ruger, an ex-cop, turned bounty hunter on the trail of a crazed killer. Unlike Seagal who wrote, produced and directed himself in a number of egocentric vanity projects, your role in the film is very subdued, practically wordless. Was this intentional, or did you just want to play the strong silent type, a sort of “woman with no name”?
SD– I just like that character very much and saw her as a “Dirty Harry type” which I
loved. My fans can go to my website www.sybildanning.com to my Newsroom, scroll down to my pic and the link to the music video called “Bullet From a Gun.” My partner Les Thomas who was named “analyst and producer” in the global Video Game Industry by Cloud Computing Journal, and I have a RUGER™ first person shooter Video Game in development. We are also in negotiations with an artist for a RUGER™ comic book, parallel to the game. A completed script is with a powerhouse company under consideration to come in on a RUGER™ movie as well. Fans can go to our new www.sybildanningsruger.com site.
DS- In the late 80’s, around the time of Sybil Danning’s Adventure Video Series (of which I still own the Ninja Warriors release) you suffered some major health issues while rehearsing a stunt, and were put out of commission for a long, painful, amount of time. What was that time like for you?
SD– As we must always do in life, I made lemon juice out of lemons given me. I was in a wheel chair, watched the entire gulf war from my hospital bed, had four epidural blocks and ultimately back surgery. While on my back I decided to be creative, wrote a screenplay and did a lot of reading. In the end it gives you even more appreciation for life which can change in a heartbeat. Like a good man, you can only keep a good woman down for a certain amount of time, then we’re back, never looking back.
DS- There have been very few female action stars of any sort of lasting caliber, but you’re still going strong (and looking timelessly gorgeous as always) to this day. I’d say, at the moment, the only other lady action hero to come close to Sybil Danning is Milla Jovovich. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen any of her work, but if you have I’d love to know how you think she stacks up? (I’d also love to see you both team up on a project, maybe a mother-daughter sort of thing. Hell, I’d love to write it!)
SD– Thank you for the compliment, I too love her, in particular THE FIFTH ELEMENT, with one of my favorite directors Luc Besson. I’m always happy to see women in action and strong roles. I could see us teaming in a sister-older-sister action movie. Yes, please write it, we need good female actions scripts!
DS- After such a long, intriguing and exciting career and life, what could the future possibly hold for Sybil Danning that she hasn’t already conquered?
SD– Oh NO! Damien, you make it sound like I’ve done it all and can quietly go away! I never feel I’ve achieved even closely what I should have or would like to have achieved. You’re very good, but now you’re slipping! Didn’t you see the UK’s #1 horror/sci-fi/fantasy film magazine THE DARK SIDE with me featured on the cover and 4pgs inside with headline “The Bitch is Back,” or recent FANGORIA cover and 4pg feature of me? I feel I have much more to give and the best is yet to come. I am busier than ever, co-writing, producing and preparing to direct my first feature. I’ve directed before but never a feature.
I just produced and starred in my 1st Music Video, single THE OTHER SIDE, for Chad
Cherry and THE LAST VEGAS , a rock/heavy metal band just back on tour in Europe and currently touring with Guns & Roses in the US.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPX-4mf-vO4
I’ll be directing their next Video and look forward to it. I’m directing and co-producing with Herb Linsey a women in prison movie in preproduction, I will play a role in. The best since CHAINED HEAT! Funny because I was mentioned by guest Dennis Miller on OReilly March 21 for, Chained Heat and Reform School Girls. I thanked Dennis for his mention and am invited to his show – soon!
I’m in development on BLOOD RELATIONS, a Vampire movie I’m co-directing, coproducing with Neil Johnson and starring in. On a very serious side, I’m in discussion with Bill Chartoff, producer of ROCKY, RAGING BULL, THE RIGHT STUFF and THE MECHANIC with Jason Statham to coproduce SOLIDARITY with me. It’s a political-love story feature film written by the late Daniel Taradash, Academy Award winner best screenplay (FROM HERE TO ETERNITY,) based on LECH WALESA – Leader of Solidarity instigator of Democracy in Europe, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize and proud father of 7. I will play a role as well.
I’m writing my “Picture Book” to be published when done and parallel my “Memoire” to be published when the ending is right. I’m very proud to say, my editor in chief and dear friend, renowned Author Marshall Terrill, of books such as “Elvis Presley: Still Taking Care of Business” which he’s currently producing the movie titled FAME AND FORTUNE. He also wrote “Steve McQueen: The Life and Legend of a Hollywood Icon” also being adopted for the big screen with Jeremy Renner.
As of recent I rep gorgeous “Dzmitry Samal’s pixelated hand made designer glasses from Paris, France” go to www.samaldesign.com Please follow me; www.twitter.com/sybildanning , www.myfacebook.com/sybildanning,
www.sybildanning.net
Thank you Damien. I feel better than ever, more in control of what I want to do than ever, and until my fans tell me to go away, – The Bitch is Back!
What did I tell you guys? Wonderful, yes?
She’s a force of nature, and she’s here to be reckoned with! And, as the near end of the interview implied I may be working with Ms. Danning on something, possibly, maybe, sorta kinda in the not too distant future, of the film variety (maybe more than one if everybody is lucky, hehe.) Can’t say for sure on anything, but if our world’s do collide it’s gonna be one hell of a cinematic explosion!
To be of note the gorgeous headliner photo of Sybil in front of the portrait of Richard Burton (by the way, whoever has that painting needs to get it to me stat, I NEED it) is something Ms. Danning shared with me personally, from her own collection, just based on our mutual affection for Mr. Burton. It was taken during the making of Bluebeard by Elizabeth Taylor’s (at the time Ms. Richard Burton) personal photographer Gianni Bozzacchi.
And, I’ll leave you all with this lovely image to linger on… It is Ms. Danning in her natural habitat, looking gorgeous and holding a gun… also, it’s personally autographed to me as only Ms. Danning can do.
Be jealous and stay tuned for more articles, reviews and interviews! Adrienne Barbeau is up next month and her interview is a hot one as well!
Love,
Damien
Deep in the heart of one of Jakarta’s most deprived slums stands an impenetrable high-rise apartment block. To most it is 30 floors of Hell to be avoided at all cost but for many of the city’s most dangerous killers and gangsters, including the area’s most notorious crime lord, it is a fortress-like safe house protecting them from the law. Even for the bravest and most experienced police officers it is considered a no-go area.
In a desperate bid to flush these violent criminals and their leader from their haven once and for all, an elite SWAT team is tasked with infiltrating the building and raiding the apartments floor by floor, taking out anyone who stands in their way. Cloaked under the cover of pre-dawn darkness, the SWAT members make their move and enter the block not realizing that this is the easier part of the mission. Once inside, it soon becomes terrifyingly apparent that the real problem at hand is surviving long enough to be able to get out again.
Looks insane. In Cinemas May 18
Yet another installment of Sybil Danning Palooza 2012, leading up to my (fantabulous) interview with the First Lady of Action herself Monday, May 7th!
This time I’m going to be diving in to what are probably her two most well known films, for better or worse (and so much has been written about them in these sorts of circles I’m not sure what new I can add to the mix, but who cares about that ultimately I suppose?)
Up first we have The Howling II: Your Sister is a Werewolf from 1985, also known as The Howling II: Boy Does This Suck Ass.
While the original film from 1981 (written by John Sayles and Directed by Joe Dante, of Piranha and Gremlins fame, with GOREgeous FX by maestro Rob Bottin) is a classic of the horror genre (well, comedy/horror genre) the second most decidedly is not a classic of anything, except for maybe lupine menage a trois enthusiasts…
Plot wise it loosely follows the events of the first in that (SPOILERS) after the transformation of (lead character/heroine of that film) news reporter Karen White into a werewolf and her subsequent denouement (on live television) at the end of the original, her brother, his girlfriend and some random occult expert (played by a slumming, totally, visibly embarrassed Christopher Lee) go off to “the dark country” to find the queen of the werewolves (Sybil Danning, known in the film as Stirba- Werewolf Bitch) and kill them all for good… or something like that.
The story, the dialog, the photography, the effects, the music and 90% of the performances are nauseatingly, mind numbingly bad. Like I really cant describe to you how bad… Actually, I can Madonna’s acting level bad.
Basically, the movie is an abortion, lovingly captured on muddy film stock and shoved in your face. It is terrible with a capital T.
Yet, I’ve watched it at least 12 times in my life and probably will do so a couple more times before I die.
Why?
Is it so horrific that it becomes watchable, as so many of the other films I review are?
No, not really.
It is truly just downright awful. But it has Christopher Lee debasing himself on film AND Sybil Danning in a two girl, one guy, transforming into werewolves as they fuck, threeway. Huh? Yeah. That’s right.
It’s not so much a movie as it is a rite of passage. It’s one of those things that must be experienced. And once you experience it, you love it. You shouldn’t, but you do.
Also, the end title credits humorously feature the same shot of Sybil removing her top over and over again and that’s always a plus. AND really, I give Christopher Lee a hard time but he was MUCH more uncomfortable in Curse III: Blood Sacrfice (as anyone would be.) Everyone’s gotta get paid sometimes, right? Sybil, as always is wonderful and underused as Stirba, playing the part, what little there is, with much relish. And there are a couple of overused shots of a pretty local clock that looks like a dead child playing a drum that help make the thing semi-possibly-maybe worth watching… kind of.
But, not really.
Anyways, up next is an actual good one, that I love all the way around, Reform School Girls, from 1986.
The film is supposedly a “parody” of the Women in Prison film, but really it’s more of a Women in Prison film with a heightened sense of humor, as most of the “serious” stuff that happens comes across as pretty brutal and intense.
It follows all the rules of the genre, innocent or mostly innocent young girls get thrown into nightmarish, over the top prison (in this case the world’s most prison like Reform School), they are stripped, bullied, humiliated, there is some lesbianism and then they must battle the people who run the place to get out or die tryin’.
However, unlike most other films in this subgenre, who frequently induce unintended giggles you’re supposed to laugh at how over the top everything is this go round, for the most part. That and the truly classic, Shakespearean in magnitude dialog; featuring such chestnuts as “Keep your fingers above the sheets girls, we only wash em once a week.” “Girl #1: Edna and Charlie have an understanding. Girl #2: Yeah, Charlie’s under and Edna’s standing.” and “Wanna play carnival?… Come sit on my face and I’ll guess your weight.”
The direction by veteran genre “auteur” Tom DeSimone and look of the film is crisp and almost cartoonish, in an appealing way. It has a kick ass mid-80’s punk rock soundtrack (featuring a few tracks by the legendary Wendie O’ Williams, who also stars in the film as the world’s most geriatric 16 year old.) And the acting is all around great for this sort of thing, especially the scene stealing performances of Pat Ast (as the bitchy, bull dyke, foul mouthed Chief of Staff Edna) and of course Sybil Danning (as the leather clad, icy, evil, overbearing, bible quoting Warden Sutter.)
As almost always is the case, there isn’t enough Sybil for my tastes, but this is how B-Movies were back in the day… Could only afford but so much awesome at a time.
The Howling II 2 out of 10 randomly exploding midget eyeballs
Reform School Girls 7 out of 10 burning bunny dolls
We’re edging ever nearer the climax that is my interview with Sybil Danning next Monday. So, before then, here’s more Sybil Danning!
So, none of Sybil Danning’s films really are what you would consider “respectable.”
As I mentioned previously, it’s not her fault though. She’s always wonderful; and, even when doffing her top (as she does in these two films as well) she brings an air of class to every film she graces, from Battle Beyond the Stars to Jungle Warriors and everything above, beyond and in between, Sybil Danning = Awesomeness.
That being said we’re going to discuss the two of her films most resembling classy affairs.
First off there is Bluebeard from 1972, a remake of the film of the same name from 1944, starring my beloved Richard Burton in the titular role, Joey Heatherton, Raquel Welch and of course… Sybil Danning. The film is a black comedy/thriller, of sorts, set in an (I guess) alternate time period, during World War II. It follows the humorous exploits of ‘Bluebeard’ aka Baron Kurt Von Sepper, as he marries (SPOLIERS), then kills a parade of 70’s beauties, in increasingly over the top methods (and numbers) because he is impotent and cannot sexually satisfy them.
Bluebeard, as with most of Richard Burton’s output from the 1970’s, was hated upon its release and I can see why (although, I love the film.)
Granted, I love everything Richard Burton has ever done from the classics like Night of the Iguana, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf and The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, to the not so classics Exorcist II The Heretic, The Medusa Touch and Hammersmith is Out, he can do no wrong in my book. In fact, as I also mentioned previously (I think), he could read the phone book for 3 hours in the same cardboard delirium he performed in during Exorcist II and I’d award him best actor…
But, anywho… On the whole, the film is a bit of a mess, not horrendously so, but enough to make it a challenge, I’m sure, for non-fans of weirder fare to get into. The tone is the most major problem it has going for it, a lot of the time you can’t tell when things are supposed to be funny or serious and more often than not, even when it SEEMS like it should be funny, it’s leaning toward serious. The other biggest issue is the pacing. The movie proceeds in a very slow, stately fashion, when in reality it needs to be clipping by at rapid fire speed to keep the laughs and horrors flying at you from all directions, like a Vincent Price film from around the same time period. (Burton once said he based his performance in Bluebeard slightly in the vein of Price in fact.)
The cinematography and set design are wonderful though. Burton is game and in top scenery chewing form, aside from the occasional dip into the de rigeur for the period woodenness here and there. The ladies who play his various consorts are also pretty much pitch perfect for the needs of the film (even Joey Heatherton, who gets a lot of hate for her talents is quite good, although Elizabeth Taylor in the same role would’ve made things a whole lot more interesting.) And the direction by veteran Edward Dmytryk is solid, just could have used a more judicious watch in the post production process.
Sybil has a TINY, tiny, cameo part in this one, but it’s memorable and she steals the scene as a Lesbian Prostitute hired by one of Burton’s many wives to teach her how to make love to a man. Sybil is equal parts commanding, funny and sexy as ever in what is essentially a throw away role. (Yes. There is nudity, as stated. And yes, she and the wife do get impaled by a chandelier in mid coitus. You’re welcome.)
Up next is Julie Darling aka Daughter of Death from 1983. This one is a bit more obscure and hard to track down, but I highly recommend doing so. It’s written and directed by future Chained Heat “auteur” Paul Nicholas and, in addition to Sybil, stars another of my favorite actors Anthony Franciosa and in a should have been star making turn, Isabelle Mejias as ‘Julie.’
The film introduces us to Julie and quickly lets us know that she is EVIL with a capital Elektra Complex. You see, Julie likes her dad, and by likes her dad I mean… wants him inside her…
We see Julie watch as her own mother, whom she hates, get brutalized and killed by an intruder (even though Julie, who is an expert with guns, could have shot the attacker any time) so she can have daddy to herself. And, she does, for a little while at least… until dad (Franciosa) brings home a new stepmom (Danning) and brother. Needless to say this doesn’t set well with Julie and she tries her damndest and I mean DAMNDEST to make herself the only person in dear old dad’s life for good!
I won’t spoil this one, because it’s a really unique thriller. It has a lot of tense moments and one MAJORLY gross moment, that even The Orphan didn’t have the balls to go all the way with. And the ending is a real nail biter that will leave you scooting toward the edge of the seat right until the last few moments.
The direction and script ARE a little muddled at times, but overall it’s a superb lower budgeted effort. Franciosa gives an atypically off kilter performance, as if he wasn’t sure what to do with the part (and as much as I love him I NEVER want to see his sex face again. *shudder*) Isabelle Mejias is FANTASTIC as Julie. She nails it, kills it and makes it totally her own, from the fake innocence, to the freak outs, to the psychopathic rage, Julie Darling wouldn’t work without her. And, as usual, Sybil is solid in her part, which, much to my surprise is the most substantial role I’ve ever seen her in. Once she shows up she’s in scene after scene, and pretty much carries the film as Julie’s unwitting enemy throughout the bulk of the film. It’s really a powerhouse part for Sybil, that should have gotten her a lot more attention as well.
Bluebeard 6 out of 10 “Playing with his Organ” jokes
Julie Darling 8 out of 10 Refrigerator based hiding places for kids