Hot & Horrifying: The First Ladies Of Horror (2)
Hammer Films gave the world the sexiest and most seductive scream queen of all time: Ingrid Pitt. The Polish-born actress earned femme fatale fame as Carmilla in The Vampire Lovers (1970), followed by Countess Dracula (1971), The House That Dripped Blood (1972) and The Wicker Man (1973). A bright, energetic and accessible person, Pitt happily signs through the mail and at public appearances. Caroline Munro, another former Hammer starlet, carved out a niche for herself in such films as The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971), Dr. Phibes Rises Again (1972), Dracula A.D. 1972, Captain Kronos- Vampire Hunter (1973) and The Devil Within Her (1975). Munro is difficult to reach, however her SIGs are common and priced at about $10. The '70s produced several commercially-successful major studio horror films, some of which became cult legends. Unfortunately, the actresses who starred in them have had a tough time being remembered for anything else. A case in point is Linda Blair, best known as the possessed child in The Exorcist (1973). Sissy Spacek - a memorable terror in Carrie (1976) - has been able to avoid "scream queen" status by virtue of her Oscar winning portrayal of Loretta Lynn in Coal Miner's Daughter (1981). Joan Collins also might have been remembered primarily for her roles in B horror films like Tales from the Crypt (1972), Tales That Witness Madness (1973) and Empire of the Ants (1976), if Aaron Spelling hadn't "rescued" her with a juicy non-genre role on the TV series Dynasty. Of the '70s scream queens who went on to stardom in more mainstream roles, Jamie Lee Curtis is still the "Queen of the Slasher Films." The daughter of actors Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, Jamie Lee made her horror debut in John Carpenter's Halloween (1978). Following in her mother's Psycho footsteps, Jamie Lee's character perfected her screams while battling her deranged brother, bogeyman Michael Myers. She reprised her role in Halloween II (1981). Other scary JLC titles include the Fog (1979), Terror Train (1980) and Prom Night (1980). As a current megastar, Jamie Lee's autograph isn't cheap. While it has changed considerably from her early scream queen days - her once-legible full signature is now just three large initials with squiggly in between - expect to pay about $100 for a SP. The 80s and 90s: The Splatter Queens In the 1980s scream queens entered a bloody new age of make-up effects that took eye-gouging, limb-tearing and violent death by knife-wielding psychopaths to new levels. In a recent Scream Queen fan club newsletter, Theresa wrote of her most recent film, "There's blood, blood, everywhere! ... Did I mention there's blood?" Three women have emerged as key screamers in the modern age of horror: Linnea Quigley, Brinke Steven and Michelle Bauer. All are outstanding signers, both by mail and at horror conventions. Quigley rose to prominence in such films as Silent Night Deadly Night (1984), Return of the Living Dead (1985), Creepazoids (1987), Night of the Demons (1988) Pumpkinhead II (1993). She even produced her own exercise video, Linnea Quigley's Horror Workout (1989). Bauer, who also does lip prints for fans, is a desirable addition to any collection. Her film credits include The Tomb (1986), Beverly Hills Vamp (1988), Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers (1988) and Vampire Vixens from Venus (1995). Stevens is a one-woman juggernaut of self-promotion, marketing herself not only as a scream queen, but also as a model, writer, producer and designer of graphic comics. Her credits include Slumber Party Massacre (1982), Haunting Fear (1990), Munchies (1992), Hybrid (1996) and the upcoming Victoria's Shadow (1998). Like Quigley and Bauer, she is always ready to play mainstream roles, but never looks down on the foundation of her career - horror. All three have helped popularize (and humanize) the gruesome goings on. "Prior to us," Stevens writes, "Nobody sat behind a convention table and chatted with diehard fans ... The history of horror B- movies is linked hand-in-hand with its cult stars' accessibility to the general public." Other contemporary signatures worth collecting are those of Bobbie Bresee (Mausoleum), Adrienne Barbeau (The Fog, Creepshow), Barbara Crampton (Re-Animator and the recent Castle Freak), Alice Krige (Ghost Story), Heather Langenkamp of the Nightmare on Elm Street films, Traci Lords (Not of this Earth remake, the Tommyknockers and TV's Profiler) and Marilyn Burns (Texas Chainsaw Massacre). Another must-have autograph is that of Sigourney Weaver. It is impossible to conceive of an Alien sequel without her presence. From fighting "Queen Aliens" to becoming the mother of one, Weaver is the embodiment of a true scream queen. Director Wes Craven's Scream and Scream 2 have spawned a new breed of scream queens in Neve Campbell and Courtney Cox - sassy, quick, world-weary and hip Generation X-ers who've watched just a bit too much television and too many horror videos. Again, many horror fans can't imagine a Scream 3 without them. As current fan favorites, Campbell and Cox are tough autographs to obtain. Your best bet is to catch them at a premiere or contact a reputable in- person dealer. As long as there are horror films, scream queens will continue to express our communal anxieties by screeching their hearts out at the sight of a monster from "out there," or by preying on our worst fears. Whether they play the victims or victimizers, the scream queens enchant and captivate us. The New Blood The new millineum brought us a whole new breed of scream queens, including such notables as Nicole Kruex, Rachel Grubb, April Burril, Monique Dupree, Scarlet Salem, Brenna Lee Roth, Shannon Lark, Debbie Rochon, Tiffany Shepis, Michelle Tomlinson,Susan Adriensen, Brooke Lewis, and so many others it would take up a whole chapter just to post a list of names. These ladies have become the ''new blood'' of the independent horror film industry, making their mark not only in film but in our hearts as well. I was thrilled to have been a part of this book and any other book that they have so graciously agreed to take part in, and I wish them all nothing but the best in the future. Special thanks to them all for their written responses to my questions about the life and times of a scream queen. Their candid answers exceeded all my expectations, and are much appreciated. Each of them is a class act! Notable Films: Bachelor Party In the Bungalow of the Damned Chainsaw Sally The Cellar Door Killer Biker Chicks Scream Farm RetarDead 13 Hours In A Warehouse The Blood Shed Terror Overload Trinity Scream Farm Under the Raven's Wing Legend of the Red Reaper Unholy Reunion Zen: Hunter Hot & Horrifying: The 1st Ladies Of Horror This book was concieved in observation of Rachel Grubb and Brooke Lemke of Silent- But -Deadly Productions, and all of the other FIRST LADIES OF HORROR. To Nicole
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