Actress Interview:

INTERVIEW WITH THE LADIES OF THE EVIL DEAD

Brian: Was there any initial reluctance to appearing in a film called 'The Evil Dead'?

ELLEN: ACTUALLY, AT THE BEGINNING THE FILM WAS CALLED "BOOK OF THE DEAD", WHICH WASN\rquote T MUCH BETTER. THEY ENDED UP CHANGING IT BECAUSE IT SOUNDED TOO "ACADEMIC"! ANYWAY, NO, ON MY PART THERE WAS NO RELUCTANCE. OF COURSE I THINK EVEN IF IT HAD BEEN CALLED "SNOT FROM YOUR NOSE", I STILL WOULD'VE DONE IT. I WAS THAT EXCITED ABOUT DOING A FEATURE FILM.

Brian: Did the extreme circumstances of the film shoot bring about immediate bonding between the three of you?

Theresa: Does the word Frat boys sound familiar? It really did feel like a warped version of Sigma Di Do Duma and since we not only worked together all day and all night but we lived in the same house with all the guys. The gals needed each other for certain things like, making sure we had toilet paper, no sneezing in the chili, bi monthly underwear washing, that sort of thing. Is that bonding?

Brian: The relationship between the three of you, onscreen, is so natural with gestures of affection, joking around.... The performances are truly solid and believable. I was wondering how hard you worked to achieve this state and to fill your roles out. While I love the film, besides the role of Cheryl, there doesn't seem to be a lot in the script, character development-wise, for the other two women. Was it difficult to flesh them out?

Theresa: Sam was really focused in the timing of the scare. As you aptly state there wasn't a lot of character development. He used that film time instead for the time releasing maggot machine at the end of the movie. However, in between spewing, vomiting and limb chewing, we really tried to capture the real essence and distinct character of each of the girls.

Brian: On re-examining the film, I was amazed, once again, at what a truly great piece of filmmaking it is. The points of view, camera angles and mood created are truly inspiring. Were you aware of this at the time or has that realization come as you have progressed in your careers and gone onto other projects and worked with directors besides Sam Raimi?

ELLEN: DEFINITELY THE LATTER. I HAD NO IDEA WHEN WE WERE MAKING IT THAT IT WOULD EVER BE CONSIDERED "INSPIRED". I HAD NO EXPERIENCE WITH FILM-MAKING, SO I NATURALLY QUESTIONED THINGS LIKE SAM HANGING FROM THE RAFTERS WITH A CAMERA IN HIS HANDS. IT'S ONLY BEEN IN RECENT YEARS THAT I'VE TRULY APPRECIATED HIS ARTISTRY.

Brian: I was appreciatively astonished by the amount of fog used in the film. Amazing atmosphere filler! Do you recall how many machines were used on the set?

BETSY -- FOG FOR FILM AND TV IS ( OR WAS, 22 YEARS AGO )PRIMARILY PRODUCED BY SMALL HAND-HELD ELECTRICAL MACHINES, THAT LOOK MUCH LIKE DUSTBUSTERS, OR IN SMALL FLAT CANS THAT ARE IGNITED IN ORDER TO PRODUCE FOG, ESPECIALLY FOR SMALL LOCATIONS ( INTERIORS, CLOSE-UPS ),PLACED ON FLOORS, OR ON THE GROUND. I DON'T RECALL HOW MANY WE USED.... BUT IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH TO PRODUCE THE AMOUNT OF FOG YOU SAW ON CAMERA.... AND LET ME TELL YOU, IT WAS HORRIBLY SMELLING, IRRITATING TO THE EYES, AND I CAN'T IMAGINE TO THIS DAY WHAT IT DID TO OUR LUNGS!

Brian: Was there a lot of rehearsal and blocking involved for the combat scenes inside the cabin? It seems that every time you turn around that someone is getting clobbered, thrown into a cellar or the bookcase.

ELLEN: NOT A WHOLE LOT OF REHEARSAL, BUT DEFINITELY SPECIFIC BLOCKING. SAM KNEW EXACTLY HOW HE WANTED THINGS TO LOOK AND WOULDN'T SETTLE FOR LESS. ALSO, SINCE HALF THE TIME WE WERE DOING THOSE SCENES LITERALLY BLIND (FROM WEARING SCALERA CONTACT LENSES), WE HAD TO BLOCK EVERY MOVE SO WE WOULDN'T KILL OURSELVES OR SOMEBODY ELSE!

Brian: I'm sure this is an oft-asked question, but can you elaborate a bit on how the scene in the woods with Cheryl and the limb grabbing trees was accomplish

ELLEN: I GUESS I SHOULD BE THE ONE TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION. WE WOULD START THE SHOT WITH THE VINES ALREADY WRAPPED AROUND ME, THEN THEY\rquote ED SHOOT THEM BEING SLOWLY PULLED OFF. WHEN THE FILM WAS PLAYED IN REVERSE, IT LOOKED LIKE THE VINES HAD A LIFE OF THEIR OWN. THE TOUGH THING WAS TRYING TO MAKE REVERSE FACIAL EXPRESSIONS. I DON'T THINK I DID THAT TOO WELL.

Brian: Were you aware of the popularity of the 'Evil Dead' series all along or is it something that has more recently - the 20th anniversary of the original, perhaps - made its mark in your life?

Theresa: After we finished shooting we really didn't hear much about the movie for a couple years. I think that's how long it took to get distributed. It had a lot of trouble getting rated due to a certain tree scene. Shortly after filming it I shot a PBS short film that was written by Elmore Leonard titled Appearances in which I had the lead. I got involved in comedy and live theatre around the Detroit area. I went to the premiere of Evil Dead and thought it was crazy and really didn't have a lot of hope for it catapulting my career. Since I'm not really a big horror movie fan I really didn't have my finger on the pulse of what was going on in that world. It wasn't till twenty years later that we were invited to a Q&A at the American Cinematheque here in Hollywood that I learned of the incredible love people have for this movie. The showing had fans waiting around the block!

Brian: Two of you are accomplished singers and the other, a dancer, how you considered an "Evil Dead Ladies" cabaret show and/or c.d.?

BETSY -- FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK. WE HAVE TALKED OVER, DISCUSSED, AGONIZED, AND LAUGHED OVER THAT VERY CONCEPT IN GREAT DEPTH FOR THE LAST 4 YEARS!! WE'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN WE GO ON THE ROAD WITH OUR TALENTED 3-SOME!

BETSY -- FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK. WE HAVE TALKED OVER, DISCUSSED, AGONIZED, AND LAUGHED OVER THAT VERY CONCEPT IN GREAT DEPTH FOR THE LAST 4 YEARS!! WE'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN WE GO ON THE ROAD WITH OUR TALENTED 3-SOME!

BETSY -- JOHN MALKOVICH IS AN EXTREMELY TALENTED MAN, AND WAS ASKED TO DO THE TV MOVIE WHEN OUR DIRECTOR SAW HIM PERFORM AT STEPPENWOLF IN CHICAGO. HE HAD NEVER DONE TV/ FILM BEFORE 'WORD OF HONOR'. WE WORKED TOGETHER FOR NEARLY A WEEK. HE WAS A VERY RESERVED AND QUIET PERSON, AND KEPT TO HIMSELF ON THE SET. AND YES, I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU COMPLETELY... HE HAS A VERY INTENSE PRESENCE!!

Brian: Ellen and Theresa (Sarah), you, both, have horror films coming out. Would you care to elaborate on them for us?

ELLEN: I WAS IN A FILM CALLED "SATAN'S PLAYGROUND", DIRECTED BY THE TALENTED DANTE TOMASELLI, WHICH HAS JUST RECENTLY BEEN PICKED UP BY ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT (THE SAME COMPANY THAT DISTRIBUTES EVIL DEAD)AND SHOULD BE RELEASED ON DVD SOME TIME IN 2006. IT'S A VERY EERY, SURREAL FILM ABOUT A FAMILY ON VACATION IN THE NEW JERSEY PINE BARRENS AND THEIR ENCOUNTER WITH THE MYTH OF THE "JERSEY DEVIL". IT HAS ACOUPLE OF OTHER's HORROR FILM ICONS IN IT, LIKE FELISSA ROSE OF "SLEEPAWAY CAMP" AND EDWIN NEAL FROM "TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE". IT WAS A BLAST TO FILM!

Theresa: I shot a feature called 4 Days in December directed by a hard working new comer Kennin Fenster. It's a Werewolf movie set in the abandoned gold mines of Colorado Springs. I thought shooting in Tennessee was cold; we had scenes in a blizzard running around with AK40s in four feet of snow climbing through the Rockies. I think it will look spectacular. It's just beginning to circulate the festivals. Keep your fingers crossed.