Kelli, why not start us off with a visual and
describe the room where you are answering these
questions?
Okay
a visual: I am sitting in a 4 by 6 interrogation
room of some kind. Florescent light creaks
ominously and sways gently over my head. Small
barred window on the door. The walls are an '80's
neon fuschia and the metal table and chair is
lavender. From a long distance away I think I can
hear The Go-Gos. I seem to be held prisoner in
the '80s. Things could be worse, I decide.
Do you have a
predominant memory of filming one of my favorite
80s flicks 'Night of the Comet'?
I
wouldn't say I had a predominant memory of
Comet--I remember EVERYTHING about it!
We had to
use bee smoke to create fog in the film, and then
drove home in the wee hours with fog so thick you
couldn't tell where you were going. There was a
minor meltdown when we watched the dailies of
panning through Los Angeles, supposedly empty,
and the producer spotted a bunch of weekend
window washers hanging from the tall buildings
Downtown. Today we could've just digitalized them
out, but back then it was a problem-o.
Couldn't
use any of those shots. Half way through filming
Comet, I got a call from my agents in NYC that
Woody Allen was ready to shoot his film and
wanted me on the set. He would marathon shoot me
and have me back in LA to finish Comet. The
project turned out to be "Purple Rose of
Cairo" and I was to play the Jean
Harlow-type movie star in the film that Mia
Farrow is watching when her leading man jumps off
the screen. The Comet producers said no, that I
might not be back in time. I cried and begged and
nothing worked. He told me that in the end, I
wouldn't be remembered for that role, I would be
remembered for Sammy in Comet instead. I guess he
was right.
So as that wonderful valley girl shopper Samantha
Belmont in 'Night of the Comet' as
well as 'Chopping Mall' if you
could shop for free what would be on the top of
your list.
If I
could shop for free...I hear that you can try
doing that but if you get caught it's a real
scene---- well, currently I'm looking for a
high-cut tomato red one-piece bathing suit with a
low back, for swimming. Can't find one. And
really cute cowboy boots, the kind with the
stacked heel that's about 3 inches tall and
tapers in the back.
Speaking of 'Chopping
Mall' - you have also worked with Jim
Wynorski in a number of other features like 'Transylvania
Twist', 'Big Bad Mama 2',
and 'Not of this Earth'. What's
that all about?
I first started working for Jimmy W. in
Chopping Mall and then he began blackmailing me
thereafter.
(Also see
under Rent money, Rent money, Rent money.)
So any tales to
tell from the 'Not of This Earth'
shoot with you, Traci Lords, Ava Cadell, Becky
LeBeau, and Monique Gabrielle?
As far as
I know all the ladies behaved on that shoot
(NOTE) but I was only onset for a day. Wynorski
called me one day and said he had an idea for a
funny sight gag and would I come down and wear an
identical nurses outfit in a scene with Traci. I
did.
Any news of
curses on the set of Dean Koontz' anti-Christ
saga 'Servants of Twighlight'?
Nope,
Andy Lane produced that film (he co-produced
Comet) and again, I wasn't actually onset for
very long. Bruce Greenwood may have felt cursed
at the time, but the guy has a great career, I
think it turned out to be a blessing!
So tell me about
your work in 'Fast Times at Ridgemont
High'. Did you have any indication
during shooting that the movie was going to be so
big?
In Fast
Times, I had auditioned all day on a Saturday
with Brian Backer and Phoebe Cates. Phoebe said
at the time it was an actor's pergatory. I guess
they always had in mind to cast Jennfer Jason
Leigh in the lead, but I didn't know that. Later
on I was offered the role of Cindy the Spirit
Bunny if I was willing to fly myself out to LA. I
was. The minute I got on the set, I knew I was
part of something really special.
So as a
veteran of the film, what are the essential
ingredients in throwing a 'Scream Queen
Hot Tub Party'?
Essential
ingredients of throwing a 'Scream Queen Hot Tub
Party'? Looking back, or at the time? Cuz looking
back I bet all of us Scream Queens feel like the
essential ingredients SHOULD'VE been a great
lawyer and an ironclad contract stating that we
would get part of the profits, etc. Those verbal
agreements aren't worth the paper they are
written on.
Tell me about
'Slayground' that you made with Peter
Coyote.
I love
doing Slayground. It was my first film role. My
first time playing crazy. My second time shooting
someone dead. Again, I was there about one or two
days. My stand-in was crying in the bathroom
because she wanted to play the part. The director
Terry Bedford and a couple of us drove all over
Manhattan so he could see it. He was from
England. I did see Peter Coyote eating lunch when
we got back off the road shooting (no pun
intended) but since I was done for the day, we
were introduced and I went home. End of story.
Sigh.
Okay, how about
some one word descriptions of some of your
costars.
One Word
Descriptions--these are alot harder than they
sound!!!!
Jan-Michael
Vincent-----Professional!
Mary
Woronov-----Giver and Paul Bartel---Gentle
Catherine
Mary Stewart--Friend
Monique
Gabrielle--Determined
Anything
else you want to say to all your racks and razors
fans out there?
Yup, I
would like all the fans to know that I tried very
hard to acquire the rights to 'Night of the
Comet', now owned by MGM. I had a great attorney
and was ready to proceed. Had a wonderful letter
from Thom Eberhardt giving me his blessing. MGM's
Senior Legal Counsel informed me that MGM no
longer wished to sell the rights because they
wanted to develop it themselves. I certainly hope
that they listen to the fans and stay true to the
story. I think most people want to find out what
happened to Reggie and Sammie, not see a whole
bunch of effects. I was going to release a proper
DVD, had some writers working on a couple of
variations of what happened next, and had wanted
to 'keep it in the family' with Thom Exec.
Producing and bringing back the old cast and
introducing new characters, etc. Explaining the
Comet more and would it come back? Would anyone
else from outer space turn up? etc.
Other
than that I plan to get producing and funding
together for a film called 'Nightmare Carnival'
as soon as possible.
Wynorski
continues to bring up possible films for us to do
together, mostly to get me to take his calls, I
think. ; ) They never happen.."he craps out;
doesn't deliver." That's a quote he often
uses, BTW.
Okay, we're
pulling the car into the Kelli Maroney Drive-In.
What three horror flicks are they going to be
showing on the triple bill and what goodies are
they going to be serving up at the concession
stand?
I would
love to have a drive in----my own flicks of
course, and all my friends old flicks too.
There are
3 films I want to see that I haven't seen yet, so
there will be a pot luck bill.
Bloody
Marys, flesh colored pulled taffy, charred
mystery meat from the grill served by a ghoul,
popcorn with a hand at the bottom (probably your
date's) assorted milkshakes that are really love
potions and witchcraft cookies. Hard candy or
Gummy fangs.
What scares you
in real life?
What
scares me in real life? The lack of caring for
other people in this world. Callusness,
jadedness, apathy, selfishness.
What makes you go
psycho in real life?
What
makes me go psycho? Cruelty to animals, and
stupidity. |