by actress and journalist Debbie Rochon
Hard-core films have never been mistaken for genre flicks. It's pretty obvious what differentiates an adult film from any other: actual penetration during love making scenes. In B-movies; which include horror, fantasy, Sci-Fi, T&A comedies and erotic thrillers, the scripts are heavily padded with thorax shots in order for the picture to get funding and sign a distributor. Shower scenes, changing scenes, dance scenes, rape scenes, love scenes, murder scenes, getting-ready-for-bed scenes, swimming scenes, massage scenes - you name it - all us b-movie actresses have done it. Are B-movies just watered down versions of adult films? Are adult films more 'upright' by just cutting to the chase? The mainstay of the B-movie audience; teenage boys who love B-movies because they titillate their erogenous zones which are already raging way out of control. I'm sure even watching MTV sends some young men running for the bathroom holding their assets. So then, is the B-movie really pre-adult adult film?
I know there are some readers out there who would love to sit me down at this point and say "Alien wasn't a sex movie, Texas Chainsaw Massacre wasn't a sex movie (etc. etc.)" Okay, they weren't all out T&A fare, but you can't tell me you didn't notice Ripley's undershirt and briefs scene in Alien? And the scene in Chainsaw where the poor girl gets her finger sucked off by dear old grandpa? You may have to search a tad harder, but it's there. Of course sex is an important part of all movies, but like adult films, B-movies have been branded 'exploitive' by the general public. I'm not really sure why, seeing the women are the ones accepting and pursuing the roles, but somehow they're being exploited by the film makers. So, because we come from such a puritanical society, most run-of-the-mill actresses withdraw in panic once they hear the role requires nudity. With just this one bite of information the producer has terminated the interest of about 80% (or more) of the legit actresses from appearing in his film. So what does our dedicated director do? He must now fill the parts dependent on skin with women who are not repulsed by the thought of being topless, but rather just consider it all in a days work. Who's going to show up on set ready to bare every inch of their person? Erotic dancers, Penthouse Pets, Playboy Bunnies, adult film stars and a few daring actresses.
That's the most direct route in describing how moaning adult stars end up screaming in B-movies. Although genre flicks require actual acting skills, they also insist upon the women popping their tops and dropping their drawers, which is nothing new or shocking to this particular group of ladies. In fact the requirements for acting in a T&A glutted horror movie are very tame compared to some of their previous escapades. The biggest difference is money. But for any sex-industry-based woman interested in changing her zip code from X to R, it's worth the pay cut. I'm sure there comes a point in their careers they say to themselves "I want more to work with!" and I am talking about character development here not genitalia measurements.
Could there be a perfect match perhaps? Directors needing beautiful naked women and beautiful naked women needing direction? I know a number of women who have made the switch from really doing it, to faking it for film. Their biggest complaint about hard-core films has been the tired dialogue, and having to act out the same situations over and over again. I know it's a pretty obvious observation, but XXX videos just aren't known for their storylines and, believe it or not, the actresses who work in that field do care! Come on guys, wouldn't you get tired of having to act out the same 4-5 scenarios for 200 plus films? Needless to say, once approached with a harmless B-movie exploitation script, these dames are gonna sign on the dotted line. Imagine making a movie that will actually show on late night cable, one that you can tell your grandkids about!
Quite a few of the most popular Scream Queens of the 80's and 90's have traded in their porno celebrity status for a B-babe handle. Probably the most famous is Traci Lords. She has actually gone from hard-core (Lust in the Fast Lane, Two Timing Traci) to B-movies (Not of this Earth, Hollywood Boulevard II) to mainstream network television (Melrose Place, Profiler). Traci is an interesting actress to write about for many reasons. First, because she has been the most successful to date of all the ex-porn stars. Second, because after she was 'busted' for making 75 plus adult films under age, she denounced the industry and squealed on all her co-workers in a court of law. Third, because not only did she leave the X business behind, but she also left the B business in the dust too! To make one career jump is difficult enough, but to be able to do it twice in one lifetime is truly amazing to me. She could be a living exception to all the Hollywood rules.
Marilyn Chambers. The queen mother of all porn stars. Marilyn wasn't nearly as prolific as Ms. Lords was, but she also became a household name in her time. Although she isn't exactly a B-movie personality, she has made a number of erotic late night sex comedies and she did star in David Cronenberg's Rabid, so I thought she should be mentioned. It's also interesting that Marilyn had a bit part in The Owl and The Pussycat just two short years before she would make the wildly successful XXX feature Behind the Green Door. She has parlayed her erotic career into a franchise, her current cash cow is narrating her own soft-core movies (Marilyn Chambers' Bedtime Fantasies, Marilyn Chambers' Bikini Bistro) letting others do 'the fun stuff' while she slinks around commenting on the activity.
Another actress who almost made the jump twice is Ginger Lynn Allen. She starred in such copulation classics as Too Naughty to Say No and Spermbusters. Ginger never felt the need to expose the sex industry as an evil entity that just used her when she was young and naive like Traci had. She looks back at that time with real class; a very healthy attitude and fond feelings. Ginger parlayed her transition with the help of various ex-porn directors like Chuck Vincent (Cleo/Leo) who also wanted to break into the mainstream. Because of Ginger's deft comedy skills she was noticed instantly and landed a role in Vice Academy and would go on to star in part 2 and part 3 thus securing her transition to B-movies. Ginger was busy shooting numerous genre films like Buried Alive, The Sorority House Murders, and Whore but all the while sneaking in some very powerful performances in big budget prime time movies like Young Guns II and Bound and Gagged: A Love Story. After recently speaking to her, she claimed she enjoys making B-movies a lot, but is much more taken with working on films that have great visionary directors. I wish her much success!
Julia Parton (a.k.a Nina Alexander), self-proclaimed cousin to Dolly Parton and ex-editor and publisher of High Society Magazine, made the X-tra sexy skin flicks Trick Tracy and Young Cheeks. She used her family name to help get the casting edge over others, and without a hitch Julia strolled into the wonderful world of B-movie exploitation flicks. Vice Academy Part 3 and Part 4 built her a strong following with the USA "Up All Night" viewers, and though she has made a home for herself in made-for-cable 'sex comedies', you won't find one of her titles in the horror section of your fav video store.
Pia Snow. What a great XXX name! Pia made a few adult pictures like Bad Girls and Cafe Flesh before becoming the most famous Scream Queen in the last decade: Michelle Bauer. Michelle has made countless tongue-in-cheek genre flicks like Witch Academy, Dinosaur Island, and Attack of the 60 Foot Centerfold. She has become the most successful adult-star turned B-Queen of all the girls who have tried to make the transformation. Her appeal is simple; she never treated nudity like it was wrong, rather "that it's part of the job description and I might as well enjoy it!" And her enjoyment has always shown. This makes her one of the most appealing women in this business.
Another cast member from Attack of the 60 Foot Centerfold has dabbled in the fetish/XXX arena. She was also featured in Droid Gunner and is currently a member of the parody pop group "The Slice Girls". That would be none other than the vivacious Tammy Parks. Yes, even sweet Tammy has done the nice n' naughty in Strap on Sally Part 8 and Fantasy Chamber.
So you see, the connection between adult and horror runs deep in more ways than one. It seems to be a positive arrangement for the actresses involved who desire to make a U-turn in their careers. My opinion has always been: regardless of what you've done or haven't done, talent and dedication to the craft of acting will always be the most important thing.
Originally published in GC Magazine - Edited by Jon Keeyes.