During the 1980s the Horror genre was blistering with inventive, gory, fun, and memorable films. After the success of exploitation Slashers in the late 1970s the Horror scene found its perfect blend of Comedy and Horror by the time 1980 hit. With that in mind, one of the decade’s brightest Horror stars was Linnea Quigley.
With a resume of Horror film credits, a bloody bucket full deep, Quigley justifiably earned the name scream queen. Taking on a list of memorable roles, including those in cult classics The Return of The Living Dead (1985) and Night of the Demons (1988), she has undoubtedly engraved her name in Horror forever. Recently, Linnea Quigley sat down for a personal look into her career in Horror films, her love for music, and much more.
Crypticrock.com – Now you have starred in numerous classic ’80s Horror films including Silent Night Deadly Night (1984), The Return of the Living Dead (1985), and Night of the Demons (1988). When you first started in films did you think becoming a fixture in the Horror genre was something you aspired for or was it something you just fell into?
Linnea Quigley – It was something I fell into even though I loved Horror. I really loved Horror, but it was nothing I thought I’d make a mark in. Which really made me happy when I all of a sudden started to get attention from People Magazine, Premier, and the fans. It was pretty cool.
Crypticrock.com – Absolutely and sometimes as an actor or actress you fall into something you really didn’t want to do and you get typecast, so it’s good that it was something you wanted to do.
Linnea Quigley – Yes, I would have hated to be typecast as a Soap Opera queen or something like that. Even though it’s good money, I don’t think I’d want it.
Crypticrock.com – Of course you have to do what you want to do. Now you have acted in other films besides Horror films of course. In 1984 you co-starred with Linda Blair in Savage Streets; quite an excellent film with a great soundtrack. What was it like playing the role of a mute-deaf girl?
Linnea Quigley – It was actually, believe it or not, challenging. I had to remember I couldn’t hear them. I had to look at their lips and not hear noises that were behind me or in front of me. It was actually very challenging during the rape scene not to make any noise, because the normal thing to do would be to scream and make noises.
Crypticrock.com – One can imagine that it had to be challenging. That film is another one of those lost gems from the ’80s. It’s a great film.
Linnea Quigley – Oh it is, it’s a really good ’80s film. Especially with the soundtrack, with Linda Blair in it, and the gangs. It’s just great, I’m really proud of that film.
Crypticrock.com – As you should be, it’s an exciting film. Your role as Trash in The Return of the Living Dead is somewhat iconic in the Horror genre. Twenty-eight years from when the film was released could you have ever imagined that your role, and the film in general, would become as iconic to horror film fans?
Linnea Quigley – Oh no, when we were doing it we didn’t know how it would turn out because we were taking it dead serious. We didn’t know twenty-eight years later people would even remember it. We thought it would just make the circuit and go away but luckily it really hasn’t. It’s a really good movie.
Crypticrock.com – It stands up and it has become a cult-like film. There is a huge following and it’s part of the ’80s Horror classics. The Return of the Living Dead had a certain atmosphere and feel to it that still holds up today. What do you think the key to the long-term success of the film is?
Linnea Quigley – I think it was just written so well, the characters were so good, and Dan O’Bannon paid attention to detail so much. Also, the moon and stars were aligned at the right time. It just happened. There is no way to force a movie to be good, it just kind of goes together. It was just a great ensemble of people, a great director, great art direction, a great wardrobe, and everything. Everyone cared.
Crypticrock.com – It shows through in the film because it still holds up with horror fans.
Linnea Quigley – Yeah and there is a lot to see that goes on that you’ll miss one time that will show up another time.
Crypticrock.com – In 1988, three years after The Return of the Living Dead, you did Night of the Demons. The film, like many Horror films, got some negative feedback. Another fun film, it is a lost gem of ’80s Horror. How do you feel about the film and do you feel it deserved to be more successful than it was at the time?
Linnea Quigley – I think especially because it really didn’t have much of a budget, it should have gotten a lot more respect and notoriety than it did. I think that it was a really great movie, and Kevin Tenney did a great job directing it. I wish it would have received a little bit more exposure out there.
Crypticrock.com – Agreed, it was another memorable ’80s Horror film with a great atmosphere to it.
Linnea Quigley – Yeah and the make-up and effects were great, which were no CGI.
Crypticrock.com – Yes and there was that one memorable scene with yourself and the lipstick. That was an unbelievable effect, it looked good on film.
Linnea Quigley – Oh yeah it’s flawless.
Crypticrock.com – Right, and while remakes are not always the first on any real Horror fan’s list, you did make a cameo in the remake of Night of the Demons in 2010. How did that happen for you and how do you feel the remake holds up against the original?
Linnea Quigley – I haven’t watched the whole remake to tell you the truth. I’m not a fan of remakes either. It just happened that I guess they wanted to have me in there. It was funny because they kept calling asking can you send pictures over in a bathing suit or can you send pictures over in shorts? They didn’t know if my butt had grown too big in proportions or something like that (Laughs). They just called me in and I was glad to do it and work, but it wasn’t the same feeling as doing Night of the Demons or anything. It was kind of a letdown.
Crypticrock.com – Right. Remakes are difficult and often do not work out well.
Linnea Quigley – Yes they lose so much. The first time you saw Jaws (1975), it was like oh my god… to me it’s the most terrifying film in the world. Then they keep remaking it, and remaking, and sequels and it just loses its feel.
Crypticrock.com – True. We are living in an era of horror films where everything is either PG-13 rated and watered down or an excessively gory remake of classic Horror films. What do you think of the current state of the Horror genre and how do you feel about the extensive amount of remakes being done?
Linnea Quigley – I don’t like it at all because there are so many people who write good scripts out there. They can get someone who really writes well and does a good horror film. I’m not a fan of these Paranormal Activity films, The Last Exorcism (2010), and this and that. For me, it’s really a bad state of horror films right now.
Crypticrock.com – Completely agree. Honestly, it could be agreed that it’s at the weakest point that it has been in a few decades.
Linnea Quigley – Yes, because they had the resurgence which was really good, and all of a sudden all these really cheaply made ones came along and they’re horrible.
Crypticrock.com – A very good point. So, why do you think Hollywood is remaking so many Horror films? It cannot be for a lack of new story ideas. Do you think it is merely just a cash-in on ideas people already know and love?
Linnea Quigley – Oh yeah, I think it’s a cash-in. They get the fans of the movies to believe these paranormal things are real, and they get their crowd of people, and they feel safe. I think it’s a safety thing, they feel like people will automatically go to the movie or get it from Redbox because they’ve heard of it before.
Crypticrock.com – Sadly that is the case a lot of the time, but if people did see some original films coming out, they would do well.
Linnea Quigley – Yes, I do too. It’s really sad because some of the big actors are doing cameos in these really horrible films too (Laughs). You know actors that were in the big A-list films, and somebody gets it just to see it because so and so is in it, and it bombs really badly.
Crypticrock.com – Now you have been involved in music as well. Many may not realize but you played in your own band The Skirts in the ’80s which you reformed in 2003. You have also been in music videos for bands like Motörhead and the Ramones. Are you currently working on any new music?
Linnea Quigley – I’m surprised you know that (Laughs). Well, right now our bass player is on the other side of Florida. We are trying to get together to write some more stuff. There is a load of stuff that we had that we didn’t record and we want to get into the recording studio to get some of that done. I love recording, it’s one of my favorite things.
Crypticrock.com – That sounds cool. You have been involved in music for a long time now.
Linnea Quigley – Yeah I started pretty early in my career. When my career started taking off I was learning guitar and started joining punk rock bands. I went through a few of those until The Skirts were solidified.
Crypticrock.com – That’s cool. Speaking of the Punk Rock scene in the ’80s, what was the scene like back then? It had to be amazing.
Linnea Quigley – It was great. When pure punks were around it was really fun. People really lived the part it was like Suicide in The Return of the Living Dead said “It’s a way of life.” They really lived the part and they had fun. It was really fun, we used to rehearse underneath the Pussycat Theater on Hollywood Blvd at The Masque. It was this place where The Go-Go’s were on one side of us, The Motels on the other, and The Germs would come in and try to break instruments every now and then.
Crypticrock.com – (Laughs) It sounds like it would have been a blast because there is so much great music from that era and so much influential music. Being involved in music as long as you have one can imagine you are a passionate music fan as well. What are some of your favorite bands and musical influences?
Linnea Quigley – I love Fleetwood Mac, that’s one of my favorites. I like Stone Temple Pilots and Metallica. It’s hard to say all the bands that I like, but those are the top bands. The Rembrandts. I have a vast variety of different music that I like. Those are some of my favorites. AC/DC and The Ramones, of course (Laughs).
Crypticrock.com – Very cool. Did you ever have an opportunity to hang out with the Ramones?
Linnea Quigley – Yeah I did; mainly it was just Johnny. He was a really sweet, really nice guy. When you think of Punk Rock, you think of the Ramones. Plus they did the movie Rock ‘n’ Roll High School (1979). I actually read for that movie and I was new to my career when that was happening. I had never done The Return of the Living Dead or Savage Streets or anything. They had Cheap Trick as the band instead of the Ramones, but thank god they changed to the Ramones; because they really played better than Cheap Trick would have.
Crypticrock.com – Yes the music alone makes the movie. Did you ever have an opportunity to hang out with The Cramps at all?
Linnea Quigley – Oh yeah. Down at The Masque, The Cramps would be down there, The Dead Kennedys, and everybody. That was kind of the hang out for the bands practicing and to do an impromptu show down there. The punks were really cool. They were nice people and caring. They were really decent people until the beach punks came in, then it was a different story.
Crypticrock.com – That is a misconception people had about the original punk scene; that they were not good people, and that’s a bunch of nonsense. Our last question for you is regarding films. Crypticrock.com is a music and Horror news site so we like to focus on all genres. Being a fan of Horror films, what are some of your favorite Horror films?
Linnea Quigley – The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) and When a Stranger Calls (1979); the original ones. I am kind of a fan of The Saw movies, the first couple they came out with I liked them pretty well. They were a little bit different and then it got old after a while. I like Hershel Gordon Lewis films too; because there is Comedy and Horror.
Crypticrock.com – That’s interesting as well that you say that. Horror is supposed to be terrifying, yes, but there needs to be elements of humor in there for it to be effective.
Linnea Quigley – Yes, exactly. You always have a scene like when a girl opens a door and a cat jumps out or something like that. You have to have that relief in there or it’s dull, it’s really dull, you don’t have those scars in there.
Crypticrock.com – Yes, and that is something a lot of the new Horror films are lacking. They either go over the top on the comedy or it’s not subtle enough and it’s not the right formula.
Linnea Quigley – Yes you’re right, you’re very right about that.
Crypticrock.com – What are you currently working on now?
Linnea Quigley – I am going to be doing the movie The Hunters next. The Hunters is going to be kind of The Hills Have Eyes or a Rob Zombie-type film. Then I will be working on a Hershel Gordon Lewis film when the money comes through.
