YOU NEVER FORGET YOUR FIRST: REVISITING MY FIRST RACKS AND RAZORS INTERVIEW... AND CHATTING A SECOND TIME WITH DEBBIE DUTCH. by Owen Keehnen

Debbie Dutch was my very first interviewee for Racks and Razors. She was/is a gem and a busy gem at that. So I thought it was time to revisit one of my all time favorite Scream Queens to find out what's new. As I supposed Debbie did have a slew of new films as well as the same wonderful attitude. In am including the introduction to chatting with Debbie that was used the first time. In the question portion we begin anew. Enjoy.

You've got to love anyone who will wear a tiny mirror studded bikini to a convention. Fluorescent lighting doesn't flatter many... but it flattered her. She was luminous... and that refers to more than the swimsuit! Ms. Dutch was extremely gracious and charming when I met her at the Son of RezNHead convention several years ago. She and fellow screamers Michelle Bauer, Brinke Stevens, Mandy Leigh, and Gloria Ann Gilbert were all there "queening" it up at amongst the model makers and comic books hawkers and ogling fans. When the busty red haired beauty signed a photo for me and smiled I was as tongue as a high school nerd talking to a cheerleader... granted she was a cheerleader in high school and I was a nerd so that part makes sense -but I'm gay for gods sakes!! So go figure.
The trim 5' 2" Debbie Dutch has a real poise and presence about her. Perhaps it's the instilled grace of her aristocratic heritage and growing up moneyed on a New Jersey estate amidst debutant balls, a Silver Cloud Rolls Royce, servants and such. Maybe it's owing to her other career -- her expertise and solid reputation as a yoga instructor? Whatever the source it instills her with a presence, a serenity which is rare in convention centers when hawking oneself and one's assorted goods are the norm.
Musing on her history I can imagine the debutant chucking the family name and striking out to make it big in Tinsel Town. Debbie goes to Hollywood! With some stage experience, some contacts, some headshots, and a firm vision of stardom she moved to the land of dreams and took up residence in a place directly under the Hollywood sign. And an actress/scream queen is born and what an amazing and fun career it has been. She's made a wonderful niche for herself. She's called herself by 4 different names in movies --- Deborah Chaplin, Debra Dare, Debbie "Dare" Dutch, and of course (her birth name) Debbie Dutch. That reminds me of another Dutch treat, something I love about Ms. Debbie is the roles she has played --- Cybernaut Cindy, Dr. Penelope Tweed, Tough Beach Girl, Fawna, Prisoner, Shannon, Mary Anne, Bar Hooker, Cave Girl, Safari Girl, Serving Girl, Brigette Dubois, etc. And the characters are nothing compared to the movies. She's been in over 30 films and sure, there have been supporting roles in several 'A' pictures and credits such as 'Protocol' with Goldie Hawn and 'The Amazing Howard Hughes' , and Miss Dawson in 'The Man Who Wasn't There' , 'DC Cab' , 'Torchlight' , 'Action Jackson' and even a stint on 'Miami Vice' --- though the 1987 episode was called 'Viking Bikers From Hell'. However, closer to my heart are her roles that earned her the title of B Goddess and scream queen - 'Caged Women II' , '976-EVIL 2: The Astral Factor' , 'Sorority Girls and the Creature From Hell' , 'Attack of the 60 Foot Centerfold' , 'Death Dancers' , 'Bikini Drive In' , 'Dinosaur Island\\' , 'Madame Winston's Secret' , 'Dead Air' , 'The Fist of Fong' , 'Vampiress Lady of the Night' , 'Bruce Lee Fights Back from The Grave' (which made her a celebrity in Korea!) 'Vice Academy' series (movies #4 and 6), 'Baberellas' , and 'The Vampire Hunters Club' name but a new. She has strong stage experience as well ---- even appearing on Broadway in'The Rose Tattoo' (!!). However, in true Debbie form she has conversely appeared 3x in 'Celebrity Sleuth' as well as in 'Celebrity Skin' and 'Playboy' .
However no amount of fawning or explanation can compare to Ms. Dutch herself. Recently I was fortunate enough to chat with her about life, her career and future projects, the life of a scream queen and a whole lot more.

Check out www.deadmetropolismovie.com 

  Debbie, I am so excited to be talking to you again. First off, can you give us a visual and set the scene for the Racks and Razors readers by describing the room where you are answering these questions?

Alright Owen, let's get this "Racks & Razors" party started! I'm so happy to have another "Conversation with Owen" and I noticed that you are also my NEW friend on MySpace! So you want me to describe my secret boudoir where I create my Art? I love to be alone, as Garbo would say, in my bedroom & dream & manifest my dreams. I have my computer, BIG T.V. screen, & BEAUTIFUL paintings hung on lavendar walls. The ceiling is sky blue. My bed is antique brass given to me by my beloved Grammy & is draped with a white mesh canopy adorned in Roses. Over my bed is a beautiful Guardian Angel painting, an Angel emerging from the mystic Cosmos in a flowing gown of light with 7 rainbows protecting me. The other paintings include a huge, infinite blue sky, scattered with white fluffy clouds on the wall facing my bed, on the side wall is an original Marilyn Monroe print as "Cherie" in Bus Stop, one of my favorite roles, and the other side an original Vargas painting of "The Woman bearing her breast smelling a Rose". My favorite painting though, is by the famous artist Yorga, called CREATION, that is on the front wall. I also am surrounded by lots of scented candles, a red-orange lava lamp, and about 100 stuffed animals that I love as if they're REAL!

 

I first met you at the Son of RezNHead convention several years ago. The convention experience seems like it would be very wild. Does it provide a lot of networking between folks in the horror business? Have you gotten a lot of jobs by appearing? Who are some of your fellow horror colleagues that you always love running into there? Sorry, that's kind of a whole clump of questions.

Oh Owen, I remember when I met you and Reznhedz! It seems like yesterday,or another lifetime. I miss you! I LOVE CONS! I have SO MUCH FUN meeting my fans & seeing old friends & meeting NEW ones! It's so WONDERFUL! I appear at Horror, Sci-Fi Fantasy, Comicons, Memorabilia & Erotica shows! It's a BLAST to be so Multi-Con! I've gotten some Fabulous jobs bcause I connect with everyone in the Industry, from actors to writers, directors & producers! There's ALWAYS FUN events going on! I LOVE the parties, and since the cons are always in or near a cool hotel, the parties are WILD & Rock on till dawn!

Tell me about 'Absolute Horror' with Adam Larson, Lisa Dowling, Victoria De Mare, and Beth Storarczyk. Give me a teaser that is going to make the movie irresistable to all the racks and razors readers.

ABSOLUTE HORROR was a really FUN flick! It debuted at the AFM last season, and went off well. We filmed at a location way up in the L.A. mountains at an authentic "haunted mansion" with a AMAZING sacrificial altar overlooking the valley. It was a treacherous drive to get there. We drove up a narrow dirt road winding up the mountain with high cliffs at our wheels. We had to cross a bridge that literally was falling part. It definitely got us in the "ABSOLUTE HORROR" mood. But then I'm a "method actress"! The Black night sky was overhead & the stars & moon were made to order. We filmed through the night, & had lots of FUN! There were several up & coming MTV reality stars & the scene was very dramatic & scary! Steve directs very creatively & knows what sells, lots of beautiful and sexy women! I play the High Priestess "Exaltina", the Devil's lover. We sacrificed the young reality stars! I danced, wore an awesome sexy costume that I created for my character & intensely penetrated the screen with my eyes, the windows to my immortal soul. I was one with my "High Priestess Anima"

I've also read you have another project in the works, Brian Albanese's 'Dead Metropolis!' which sounds very interesting. Would you please tell me a bit about that?

I'm VERY EXCITED about Brian Albanese's & Kevin Slovick's "DEAD METROPOLIS"! It's such a cool story with an AMAZING all star cast! I can't tell too much about the film, I can't give it away, but Brian has a website. I want it to be a surprise when it opens on the Big Screen, but I will say that it's like a modern day "RETURN OF THE ZOMBIES"! There are AMAZING special effects, including the destruction of the Brooklyn Bridge. That's interesting karma since my family built the bridge. It will be like a BIG BUDGET studio picture! I met Brian & Kevin at the AFM when I was PRing Absolute Horror. I met with Brian in N.Y.C. & he attached me to the project. I'm so excited & honored to be a part of "DEAD METROPOLIS".

Do you have any other upcoming projects you would like to let our readers know about?

My most exciting up-coming project is my own feature film "ATHENA WARRIOR GODDESS"! It's my dream project, and the apex of my career as an actress. It is the manifestation of making my dreams come true and how I can encourage others and the world to "Never give up on your Dreams" and always look to the "Dawn of Hope" for humanity! It is written & directed by Frank Domon of Necrollusion films & produced by Morgana Morgan of Cariad Pictures. We're working with a cool production company in Bulgaria & already have AMAZING locations, including authentic medieval Castles, villages & BEAUTIFUL landscapes at our access. The cast & crew are fabulous & very talented. The story has a classic, legendary theme, "GOOD BATTLES EVIL AND IS VICTORIOUS"! I play ATHENA, the starring role.

That sounds great Debbie. Congrats. You've done so many wonderful movies from 'Protocol' with Goldie Hawn to 'Action Jackson' with Carl Weathers and Sharon Stone to much more typically scream queeny fare as well. I love you in Jim Wynorski's wonderful flick 'The Haunting of Morella' with David McCallum, Nicole Eggert and of course the late Lana Clarkson. Do you have some overriding memory of Lana you would like to put in a time capsule or like to let people know about?

Owen, I've been asked that question alot since her untimely death, and Phil Specter is on trial for her murder. She was a sweet woman, very beautiful & ambitious. She was statuesque & always professional. We worked in Roger Corman flix in the same time frame. It was the "Scream Queen" peak era. I'm so saddened that Lana was taken away from life too soon to enjoy the rewards of her hard earned career and that she's become so famous post-mortem.

Another of your movies '976-Evil II' uses the telephone as an instrument of menace. What household appliance or instrument currently in use do you think is most clearly some instrument from "the dark side"?

I loved 976-Evil 2! I remember being up for Brigitte's role, and Jim gave me the cute role of the Peg Bundy Commercial Wife. Jim is so wonderful! I love him! I've worked with Jim Wynorski in many popular movies. He's incredible, and knows him to make a hit! Without a doubt I think the computer is the "Instrument from the dark side".

I also love you in 'Sorority Girls and the Creature from Hell'. Do you recall what the director had you do for your original audition to be cast in that film?

"Sorority Girls & the Creature from Hell" is the horror film that launched my career as a Scream Queen. It was shown on USA's Up All Night with Rhonda Shear and became a cult classic. The Scream Queen Company that published Scream Queen Illustrated contacted me & I went on the cover of issue #5, and on the trading cards. They made coffee mugs with my lip prints & more. It was a BLAST! It all happened very simply. I was studying at The Playhouse West & the Director, John McBrearty was in my acting class. He saw my work & wanted me for the lead part, MaryAnne. He wrote the part for me. The film has a wonderful ensemble of young actors and the plot is great, campy yet intriquing! The combination works! It was so much FUN filming it! We all would drive together in a big van up to the top of Mt. Baldy & filmed over several long weekends in a real log cabin surrounded by wild racoons & even mountain lions! We filmed mostly all night till the sun came up so it was real spooky which added to the suspense! It was a tough shoot. I call it "guerilla film making", but we were young and full of enthusiasm. I knew it was going to be a hit! We knew we had to finish shooting the fist week in Oct. because the snow was coming & I was running around in a sexy little white tee & short shorts! I would bundle up in a heavy leather jacket in between shots towards the end. I didn't mind. We were high on our dreams! We were making a SAG movie!

Speaking of wonderful there's also Fred Olen Ray's 'The Attack of the 60 Foot Centerfold' with you and Jay North, Michelle Bauer, Tammy Parks, etc. You've done so many movies that feature a bevy of scream queens. Is there a lot of competition out there amongst you all? Is it overall friendly with just a couple bad eggs? I'm curious about how you all socialize and/or get along.

I get along with ALL the Scream Queens.I love Brinke, Linnea, Michelle, Debbie D and have a mutual respect for Tammy & Jay. We've become GFF! We are all so alike & love being Scream Queens. It is a chosen honor that we all treasure! We have a karmic bond that I feel is a sacred, mystic sisterhood in this lifetime from past lifetimes into our next incarnation. I know we've been in Egypt, Medieval times & most likely Salem together & bring this karma to Hollywood today! I'm sure we'll be Scream Queens for all Eternity.

As a scream queen who's been in on things since pretty much the onset, what advice do you have for the newer girls about making it in the horror film business?

My advice to the "newbies" is to always work on your craft as an artist & an actress. Never be swayed by the 8 winds. Sometimes you're HOT & sometimes not. I can remember having a co-starring role in an Al Pacino movie, being picked up in a limo, flying 2 N.Y.C First class & then looking for my next gig. As Nina so eloquently says in "The Seagull" by Anton Chekov, by the way one of my fave roles that I've played, "In our work, in acting, what matters is not fame, not glory, not what I dreamed of, but knowing how to be patient. To bear one's cross and have faith." I know that you have to believe in yourself & believe that you can have your dreams come true so that we can fullfill our mission as an artist & share our art with the world & encourage others to make their dreams come true! This is enlightening our life experience through our art spreading world peace & happiness throughout the world & humanity

Okay, we're pulling the car into The Debbie Dutch Drive-In. What three horror flicks are on the triple bill for tonight and what goodies are they going to be serving up at the concession stand?

I love this question Owen! This SO MUCH FUN! I loved going to the Drive-In & making out with my steady BF in High School! I also was in "Bikini Drive-In" directed by Fred Olen Ray! We have to have fresh popped popcorn & diet Dr.Pepper, & I might sneak in some Champagne & Godiva Chocolates. Let's start the bill with "Sorority Girls...", follow up with Jim Wynorski's smash "Hard To Die" & finish up with the erotic Thriller "Death Dancers". I have Star Billing in all three! This is a super cool dream come true!

Since it's October I need to ask - what are you dressing up for this Halloween and what has been the best costume you've ever had?

I have my standard costume of a Sexy, Vampire, Rock n Roll Fantasy Goddess. Complete with my "Alpha-One custom Fangs" by Dracula House, velvet cape, fish net stockings, spike heels & various lingerie/bustieres, (mostly red, gold & black) wild full hair with rhinestone tiara & earrings, necklace, rings & bracelets, Dramatic make-up with shimmering gold eye liner & blood red lips, all is subject to variations on the theme depending on the event.

So Debbie from our earlier chat I know that you are quite studied in astrology. What do you think likes ahead for you as a Taurus in 2009?

Saturn is direct in Virgo which is conjunct my natal Virgo Saturn. Saturn is called,the "Celestrial Task Master" - so it is the karma planet. The truth will be revealed & I will be rewarded for my life long efforts in my career. It's all about the Law of causality, the mystic law of cause & effect. I practice Buddhism & chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, which means devotion to the mystic law of cause & effect through sound or vibration. I'm confident that all my dreams will come true & I want to spread world peace & happiness to all!

Thanks Debbie, it's so nice chatting with you. Did you know you were my first interview for this site?

I LOVE YOU OWEN! Thanks SO MUCH for asking me to do your fabulous interview! I'm honored & humbled! Love ya forever.