A long time ago, in an internet far far away, Deadlantern used to be known as The Keyhole. That site was generally more “anything goes” rather than horror-centric, but we (meaning myself) used to do interviews with all sorts of horror celebrities and have odd features like the one which was a photo essay documenting myself as I dug for the treasure inside those gravel pyramids you can get at museums. Our interviews followed a basic template: half the questions would be “serious” and half would be random nonsensical stuff that most interviews never asked.

Alas, all of those interviews and features disappeared when Jeff built Deadlantern. However, as I was cleaning out my harddrive, I found one. Our interview with Debbie Rochon. This is probably a good 3-5 years old, so a lot of the info ain’t informative, but I present it here in its entirety.

There was a pretty emphatic “No” from the listeners when we inquired a while back about doing interviews on the Splattercast. I get that. But perhaps we might be able to revive these e-mail interviews that we used to do. Might be a good way for us to keep connected to the horror elites without having to change the Splattercast in a way that would upset many of the listeners. You’d kinda get the best of both worlds, I suppose. So anyway, here’s the interview with Debbie Rochon. It’s a blast from the past and a probably a new window into the world that we were inhabiting before DeadLantern came about. Leave a comment if you like it, hate it, good idea, bad idea, or  just tell us how good your mom’s muffins are.

DL:  First, could you tell our readers a little bit about yourself? What do you like about movies, why did you get into the movie biz, and how do you feel the business has affected you?

Well, I love movies. There’s nothing that I enjoy more than watching a good film. I was introduced to the film business at a very young age when I worked for 3 months as a featured extra on LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: THE FABULOUS STAINS! It’s been my first love ever since. It’s affected me in a good way for the most part. I have learned a lot about myself because of the trials and tribulations that naturally occur. I have been able to express myself a lot and learn discipline and craft which is very satisfying. I have also learned about people, good things and bad.

Could you talk a little about your upcoming projects such as The Demons 5 and the various other films you have coming out (plug it all!)?

I have a few films coming out pretty soon. APOCOLYPSE AND THE BEAUTY QUEEN which Gunnar Hansen is also in should be out this year. It’s an amazing looking flick. RAPTURIOUS directed by ex-Jerky Boy Kamal Ahmed is in its final stages of editing. This film will also be really amazing. It’s kind of like 8 MILE meets ROSEMARY’S BABY. Some of the cool cast includes Joe Bob Briggs AKA John Bloom, William Smith and Robert Opal just to mention a few. I have done cameo appearances in the films ZEPPO and DARK SIDE OF THE LIGHT. I just finished a short called MEAT MARKET and will reprise my role as crazy gym teacher Ms. Johnson in BIKINI BLOOD BATH 2. I have a special BEST OF DEBBIE ROCHON IN TROMAVILLE disk coming out through Troma. Of course it won’t be titled that. It will feature all the highlights of the work I have done with Troma over the past almost 15 years as well as some new material, including one episode of TRAILER PARK a series I star in for Fangoria Entertainment. DEMONS 5 is still in pre-production phase so I don’t have shooting dates as of yet.

Explain the weirdest, funniest, and worst experiences you have had on a film set.

The funniest was shooting the cell phone scene in DR. HORROR’S EROTIC HOUSE OF IDIOTS you MUST see it to know why. The weirdest experience was shooting a scene with Lloyd Kaufman who had already shot his side of the conversation which he totally improvised. I had to watch him on a video tape and just respond with my own improvised lines! That was weird! That is in the movie DEATH PLOTS. The worst was in a movie I do not name but the experience is referred to later in this interview (suspenseful huh?).

You are well known by many horror fans as a “scream queen”, how do you feel about being labeled as a scream queen? Is it a blessing, curse, or an annoyance?

I honestly am so over that. I think people need to use handles and identifiers so that’s cool. But anything that’s limiting I don’t care for. I thought it was fine for most of my career and I still do I guess. But it’s boring at this point. I do comedy, drama, horror and I produce and write and do a million things. I don’t know what the current definition of a Scream Queen is but I don’t think I qualify really. I’m now a renaissance woman!

You have built up a well deserved fan base amongst horror fans for your various roles, what do you feel sets you apart from other actresses that makes so many horror fans interested in your projects?

I am not the best looking person working in this business but I am one of the few that really take the movies seriously. Most women just do the low budget horror movies just to get some attention. I really love the genre and work very hard on every role I get. Even if I fail and suck in a movie it was never from a lack of trying. I think a lot of women think this is an easier road than having to study and work hard to be a good actress. Certainly looks can and will get you a long ways. But to be really remembered I think you have to deliver in the acting department as well. I always do my best to do that.

When I hear or see “Debbie Rochon”, it is almost always in the same sentence as “Troma”. Could you explain how you got involved with Troma and how being a part of that group of artists has impacted your career?

I have known and worked with Lloyd since 1992. I did a lot of TV specials with Troma and worked with them on a number of feature films. I first met Lloyd Kaufman when I was interviewing him for a magazine. He suggested I pose for some of the poster art they were doing and I have been working with him ever since. He’s a great friend and a fantastic filmmaker. I have learned a LOT working with him over the years. I have been extremely fortunate to have a lot of the Troma fans become my fans too and I appreciate that! Lloyd and I now are at the point where we get each other film work. I always get a chuckle out of that.

What would you consider the high point of your career? How about the low point?

The high point hasn’t happened yet but probably will within the next couple of years. The low point was having my four fingers on my right hand almost completely cut off while shooting a film a couple years back. The people making the movie were extremely negligent and handed me a LIVE machete which should have been a prop or filed down which is what you expect working on a movie. NOT THE REAL THING! What kind of dummies would do that? I cut all the tendons and nerves in all four of my fingers and will be permanently disabled for the rest of my life because of that. It took thousands of dollars and two operations to just get my hand to the point where I could use it at all. I was really depressed for a couple of years after that and didn’t want to look at a film set.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Do you still want to focus mainly on acting or would you like to put a greater emphasis on writing or perhaps directing?

My first love is acting so I will always want to do that. I see myself in 10 years with more money than I have now; the accident really wiped me out financially. I see myself working on TV and in features. I love writing, so maybe more scripts are in my future. I would love to direct but not till the time is right. It’s not something that’s pulling at me right now so I reserve comment on that!

What is the best advice you have to upcoming filmmakers without saying the generic line of “just go out and do it!”? Be creative.

As much as the self help books DO say just go out and do it I would never personally say that. I would say EVERYONE needs to study. If not at a school for film then UNDER a director that you RESPECT. It’s not something you can just do without experience and a ton of thought. I tell actors and directors the same thing. STUDY! Do shorts before you do features! Go slow and learn! Learning should be part of the process and the process should be enjoyable! It should not just be about having your name under the director credit. There’s an actual craft to the whole thing.

and now for the lighter side…

Name your top 5 favorite 50′s science fiction movies in ascending order:

WAR OF THE WORLDS
PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE
TARANTULA
THE BLOB
THEM

If you could switch places with any famous Scream Queen, which film/role would you choose and why?

I would love to have had Marilyn Burns’ role in TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE because it really looked like she went through a huge experience making that movie and it turned out to be a cult classic. It took a lot of really hard work and she completely delivered. I love those types of roles. Where you really have to put yourself in the situation and live there for a long time, during the whole shoot. It must have been exhausting but in a good way. Actors LOVE those types of roles!

If you found a treasure map that led to the secret hiding place of the Ark of the Covenant, what would be the first thing you did with the Ark?

I would get Tom Savini to sign it and put it on eBay.

What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? You cannot say Vanilla or Chocolate.

Why can’t I say that? I wouldn’t have chose either anyway but now I feel very edited dammit! LOL. I love Pralines and Cream.

Snake Plisken and Jack Burton get in a battle royale. Describe how the fight goes down and which Kurt Russell character would prevail.

Snake would win. There would be no fight. He would just say “I’m Snake Plisken” and Jack would piss his pants and run away. No one wins against Snake. Only Mad Max would. What a silly question!

Finish this sentence: “I creeped down the claustrophobic hallway, taking in deep breaths of stale air and suddenly, right behind me I saw a….”

Broken de-humidifier.

Name one film you have made that you wish people would forget about and why.

Only one? The films I don’t care for are so obscure I bet no one has seen them anyway! Probably SANDY HOOK LINGERIE PARTY MASSACRE not because of any person involved. I liked the director and girls I worked with. But I don’t think there’s a movie there. LOL.

You have barricaded yourself in a high rise skyscraper to keep away from the zombie hordes trying to get to you. There is no electricity, no phone, no chance for escape. What do you do with the rest of your life?

Laugh at the irony. Laugh at the fact that I never paid my last AMEX bill on time.

What is the weirdest quirk you have that nobody would ever expect?

I get really mad when friends turn on me. Call me weird but I really hate it when people try and play you or use you then stab you in the back (or thigh or arm). It’s alarming how often that happens in this business! You have to keep very ZEN about it though and just remember it’s all for the good of the big picture. That usually bides you time till you can see them hang themselves at a future point.

Name your top 5 favorite video games of all time:

I do not play them BUT at work (Fangoria Entertainment) there is a GREAT South Park pinball machine I play and have mucho fun!

So the Chuck Norrisisms are sweeping the web (example: Chuck Norris does not sleep. He waits). Make one Debbie Rochonism.

Debbie Rochon doesn’t get mad. She doesn’t have to get anything she already is.

Filed under: Dead Lantern News, Friends, Interviews, News, Shit I Missed