Something to Scream About

Something to Scream About (2003)

*** (out of 4)

Brinke Stevens hosts this documentary that takes a look at various Scream Queens as we hear their stories on how they got into the business, their thoughts on what is required of them, their fans and of course their thoughts on the films themselves. Those interviewed include Stevens, Julie Strain, Judith O'Dea, Lilith Stabs, Debra DeLiso and Felissa Rose.

If you're a fan of these Scream Queens then you'll certainly want to check this documentary out. Running just over a hour, the documentary does a pretty good job at covering a wide range of topics including the stuff I mentioned but also that subject of nudity, which is one major thing that runs through a lot of horror movies.

The film features some fun interviews including the stuff with Rose and O'Dea who are of course best known for their roles in SLEEPAWAY CAMP and NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. Both of them tell some great stories about seeing those films for the first time as well as what they did after those movies.

The film certainly would have been better had it been a bit more detailed. At just 65-minutes the film is obviously rather short and to the point but a bit more details would have been nice. Even with that said, the film is still very much worth watching if you're a fan of the actresses.

J.R. Bookwalter's Tempe Entertainment scares up this documentary tapping the experiences of several horror starlets (aka 'Scream Queens'). Brinke Stevens (a scream queen in her own right) is mistress of ceremonies that includes interviews with: Julie Strain (Penthouse Pet, Heavy Metal 2000), Felissa Rose (Sleepaway Camp), Debbie Rochon (Dead & Rotting), Judith O'Dea (the original Night of the Living Dead), Denice Duff (Subspecies 2 + 3) and a few others.

Although it isn't a detailed study of the iconic screen scream queen (say that 6 times fast) 'Something' do a pretty decent job portraying the mantel from the actresses' perspectives and experiences. Not strictly a 'talking head' piece it's peppered with clips, footage and photos. Most of the usual topics are addressed: nudity, violence and the inevitable effect the genre has on 'normal' people. 'Scream' is a solid view for the fanboy in all of us.

Do we really need to hear the thoughts and feelings on life from a group of females who's claim to fame is merely the fact that they're aesthetically pleasing to the eye and/or know how to scream rather well? In theory no, it shouldn't be that high on the agenda for someone to watch. However in practice, it is an informative watch that any horror fan will want to watch, if not one to actively go out of your way to seek out. True, some of it MAY be, nay IS a tad pretentious (a constant falling of most, if not all feature length documentaries of any stripe).I'd like to say that it was kept to a bare minimum, but that's not the case. However, that being said, as a horror fan, I still found it interesting. Could the subject matter been handled better? That's debatable, but I'm on the side that it all come out well enough.

My Grade: C+

Where I saw it: Showtime

I was pleasantly surprised by this feature which was sent to me by a friend who knows I attend a lot of horror cons. Most of the girls I have met at one or other of these outings. It is amazing how how all of them came off so close to what was my impression of them from meeting them. The best I feel were Judith O Dea & Debbie Rochon. You can feel the sincerity in Judith & the endless energy in Debbie. You get a feel for the genuine niceness of Brinke Stevens who always has time for fans. Ariauna Albright comes across as the knowledgeable actress she is & a real person besides. The honest answers by Felisha Rose show her to be a strong woman & Denise Duff is just a pleasure to listen to. Lilith Stabs lived up to her reputation of not really appearing to appreciate anybody asking her anything & seemed to have her mind in some other galaxy. But apart from her all the others came across as really nice down to earth women who are very approachable & first rate performers. A video worth seeing.

Jason Paul Collum got it right with this one, a documentary probing the scream queen phenomenon that tackles real topics instead of going the easy route with hot tubs and lingering cheesecake shots.

Collum reveals all the actresses interviewed to be intelligent and sensible, something that goes against the popular ideology of the scream queen since the 1980's. Fans should be pleased to see that the public will learn that there's more to their favorite actresses then just good looks - brains too.

Topics range from public perception of their respective personas to enjoyment of the genre that made them famous. Some of the ladies look back on their time with fondness while others seem to have some disdain for where the industry is headed.

Well worth tracking down.