Interview: Sybil Danning (Halloween, Battle Beyond The Stars, Howling 2)

Hello again my faithful ones. I know it’s been awhile since I’ve blessed the masses with my words of wisdom but I’ve had some personal business to take care of. You know…some people ought to leave well enough alone. Especially if involves me, but in their insolence they continue to push my buttons even after I give em’ a pass. So they can only blame themselves for my wrath. I’ve said it before & I’ll say it again…Don’t f*ck with The Black Saint”. I will tear your life apart to the point where it is beyond being put back together again. I guarantee that. Sucks to be them…..

But enough of my (Extremely serious) threats. I promised you all more interviews from last weekend’s Creation sponsored “Weekend Of Horror” & I’ve got plenty more for you. Next up, the lusciously lovely Miss Sybil Danning!

TBS: Hello everyone. I’m standing here with the star of countless films from the 70’s through today, films like Rob Zombies “Halloween”, “Battle Beyond The Stars’ & the infamous “Howling 2: Your Sister Is A Werewolf”… the beautiful Miss. Sybil Danning. How are you today Miss Danning?

SD: I’m fine dear, thank you for asking!

TBS: I want to start right off with the “Howling 2”. I remember when the film was initially released and how it was savaged by fans & critics alike. Now there is a ever growing fan base for the film. People are discovering that although it has it’s shortcomings, it’s a lot of fun to watch. How do you feel about that?

SD: Well first of all I’m very, very happy with the movie because it’s one of my fan’s favorite movies. It’s going to be screened here tomorrow at 5PM & I’m going to be introducing it. It’s still making lots of money on DVD. It’s had a second life on DVD, as a matter of fact it was the best selling DVD upon it’s release in the U.K. & various countries around the world. It’s a hard act to follow after the original “Howling” because we didn’t have Rob Bottin doing our special effects as all my fans know. I love Joe Dante & I think his movie is wonderful, he started a wonderful franchise & in all honesty, how do you follow that up? It’s a tough act to follow. When “Howling 2 ” came out a lot of people trashed it because it wasn’t as serious as “The Howling”. And it didn’t have the special effects either. Here’s a picture of me (holds up Picture) getting hair glued on to me. I had to endure eight hours of them gluing hair onto my body because when we were filming in Czechoslovakia it was still a communist state behind the “Iron Curtain”. We had everything flown in from America & they sent us the wrong costumes! Our director Phillipe Mora who also directed “Howling 3: The Marsupials” called the states & said “We’re not filming Planet Of The Apes! These are Ape outfits”!

And his response from the producers were do what you can with them & Phillipe had to make do with what he had. We were stuck in this communist country and we had to make do with what we had. Christopher Lee was in the film as well & like Christopher I take every role I accept very seriously. And once I commit to a movie..I don’t make fun of it. So here we were, two serious actors in Czechoslovakia making do with what we had 7 we both poured our hearts 7 souls into it. And I think that’s what are fans love about the film today. It’s still making a lot of money so if the critics didn’t like it as much as the first installment I understand & I know why. But I think it’s a lot of fun. It had great music in it and I think Christopher was wonderful in his role and I still believe it’s one of the best Werewolf movies ever. I still get news from around the world saying that i should’ve played certain parts in other film because I was so great in the film as The Queen Of The Werewolves. It’s listed under the best movies today, I mean maybe not technically but as far as making money it was no slouch and that movie made a LOT of money worldwide. So I’m very proud of that movie.

TBS: Can I ask, have you made any money from the movie over the years since it’s initial release?

SD: As an actor I get a royalty, that’s all. So every time I get a check in the mail I know that it’s playing somewhere in the world & i get a residual check for it. We all do.

TBS: You said you made five films with Christopher Lee over the years. I honestly can only think of this one. What were the other films you appeared with him in?

SD: Ok, one was a movie we shot in Africa. It had several titles: “Night Of The Askari” & “Albino” being two of them. Then we acted together in The “3” & “4” Musketeer films. Then we were in a film called “The Salamander” together. A very serious film, a political thriller. Which was written by Morris West who had written the screenplay for “The Shoes Of The Fisherman” with Anthony Quinn, and the fifth was the “Howling 2”.

TBS: It’s funny that you mention “Shoes Of The Fisherman because that happens to be my dad’s favorite movie.

TBS: Are you working on anything currently right now that you can tell your fans about?

SD: Yes, I just finished a movie & it’s coming out in the beginning of the new year. It was just picked up by Sam Raimi’s company which is Grindstone and is being distributed by Lionsgate. It’s called “H1 N1 Virus X” and it is a horror/thriller about the virus. I don’t want to say too much about it yet but it’s quite an interesting little project & I love it because I loved the script. I really loved the script & the director Ryan Harris has won an award for cinematography but this is his first film as a director and I think he did an incredible job. He also co-wrote the movie. It also features Dylan Bach, an actor I have worked with previously on a Fred Olen Ray production called “The Lair”.

TBS: The infamous Fred Olen Ray!

SD: Yes, I did five episodes of “The Lair” with Fred. Dylan played a villainous Vampire in that series & I actually have to thank Dylan for getting me this part because the producers were looking for someone to play the role I ended up playing & Dylan recommended me. They sent me the script & I loved it and the rest is history…It’s quite an interesting little movie and it just played at Shriekfest & it’s going to a few other festivals as well before it gets released next year.

TBS: Will you be traveling to any of the other festivals to promote it?

SD: I don’t know. I haven’t heard anything yet but if they ask me I will certainly go.

TBS: Thank you for sharing all of this information with all of us Miss Danning, it’s been a pleasure talking to you.

SD: You are very welcome.

You can find the trailer for Sybil’s latest opus here on her IMDB page. It looks pretty interesting & let me tell you guys…it’s been a few years since “Howling 2” but she’s still a stunner! Show her & her film some support when it’s released. More interviews to come tomorrow. Until then…don’t forget who to pray for before you go to sleep…..ME!!

Santos