September 19, 2006 -- Caroline Munro is one of the most recognizable faces from horror in the
1970s and '80s, and she's still appearing in films to this day, including the popular
2003 fear film "Flesh for the Beast." Although she began making films in the
1960s, 1971 saw Caroline appear alongside legendary actor Vincent Price
in American International Pictures 1971 film,
"The Abominable Dr. Phibes." She followed it up with
"Dracula AD 1972" and "Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter" for
Hammer Films. Bond fans adore her as the seductive Naomi in
"The Spy Who Loved Me" and for her bit role in the 1967 spoof
"Casino Royale." Gore film fans will never forget her role in
William Lustig's "Maniac." ESplatter caught up with her in anticipation of her
Sept. 23 appearance "Caroline Munro Celebrates 40 Years in Show Business"
at Darwen Library Theatre in Darwen, Lancashire, U.K.
(For more information visit
http://www.carolinemunro.org/.
Q: As one of the most recognizable "Bond girls," and an
uncredited performer in the original "Casino Royale,"
I was wondering if you had any feedback about Daniel
Craig in the role of James Bond?
CM: I think he is great. He looks like he will have
the 'roughedness' of Connery!
Q: Your first horror role was an uncredited one as the
wife of Dr. Phibes in
"The Abominable Dr. Phibes"?
What was it like working with Vincent Price? Were you
a horror fan at the time?
CM: It was wonderful working with such a legend even
though I DIDN'T HAVE MUCH TO SAY.
Q: Was it your intention to become a "scream queen"
with
many horror films to your credit or did it just
happen?
CM: I wouldn't classify myself as a scream queen,
although I do have a brilliant set of lungs if the
role requires it.
Q: Is there a particular horror film of yours that
stands
out as the favorite (in the horror genre)?
CM:
"Dracula AD 1972". It was wonderful to have my neck
bitten by Christopher Lee.
Q: One of your most shocking movies was
"Maniac," a very
controversial movie at the time and still pretty
extreme by today's standards with a huge following.
Were you alarmed when you saw it?
CM: Yes; when I saw it it was more graphic than
portrayed in the script. But a very well directed film
with outstanding performance by Joe Spinnell.
Q: You've worked with some of the biggest legends of
horror, along with being a legend yourself. Is there a
common trait that these legendary actors --
CM: True professionalism and a sense of humour.
Q: Do you count yourself as a horror fan?
CM: I like some films but am a bit squeamish if I am
honest, I am a romamtic at heart.
Q: What was it like working with Jesus Franco in
'Faceless' and Luigi Cozzi in 'Il Gatto Nero'?
CM: Great director but I had to make sure that the
camera angles were not too racy. Luigi was delightful
to work with, "Starcrash" and "The Black Cat" were
both fun movies to make.
| Caroline Munro Horror Filmography:
- Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)
- Dr. Phibes Rises Again (1972)
- Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972)
- Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1971)
- Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter (1974)
- I Don't Want to Be Born (1975)
- Maniac (1980)
- Last Horror Film (1982)
- Slaughter High (1986)
- Howl of the Devil (1987)
- Faceless (1988)
- The Black Cat (1989)
- To Die For (1994)
- Flesh for the Beast (2003)
- The Absence of Light (2004)
|
|
Q: And William Lustig on
Maniac"? Given the intensity
of
that movie, was he a particularly intense director?
CM: He was actually very relaxed, but he knew exactly
what he was doing.
Q: You starred in two films with Joe Spinnell. What
kind
of a guy was he? He played similar characters in
"Maniac" and
"Last Horror Film." How did you end up
working with him so soon again after "Maniac"?
CM: Absolutley unique, and it was three films, he was
also in "Starcrash."
Q: Have your kids seen your movies? Are they allowed
to
see your movies?
CM: Yes, some but not the more graphic ones.
Q: You've been appearing in horror films again in the
last several years. What can you tell us about
"Absence of Light", a film that was
made a couple of years ago and features you, David
Hess, Tony Todd, Tom Savini and Mike Berryman. Any
idea why this film hasn't
been released in the U.S. yet?
CM: I think it is out on DVD. What I have seen of it
is very good, it was fun to make.
Q: As a veteran of this industry are there any films
out
there right now that have you particularly interested?
Do you think films are as good today as they were in
the days of Hammer?
CM: Hammer will always have a special magic, I think
the special effects of today are good but somehow the
raw innocence of the early horror films were
more scary, leaving a lot more to the imagination.
