Debbie Rochon: The Hardest Working Woman in Horror by Adam Blomquist

With over a hundred and fifty screen roles to her credit, not to mention her turns as a writer, producer, radio host and essayist, few people have as impressive a horror pedigree as Debbie Rochon. Dedicated to her craft while being affable and gracious with her fans; Rochon is the complete package. She recently made some time in her busy schedule to talk to us about her career and the industry in general; her anecdotes are sometimes good, sometimes bad, but all horror.

Macabre Cadaver: Wow, over a hundred and fifty screen roles since your first small role in Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains in 1981, could you tell readers about your early years in acting?

Debbie Rochon: Well my early years in acting were really focused on studying and working with NYC theater companies like The Tribeca Lab, The Actor’s Alliance and Love Creek Theater Company to name a few. I started going out for bit roles in the late 80’s. In 1988 and 1989 I got a few bit roles in films like Party Inc., which starred the late Marilyn Chambers. This was a T&A comedy for the then burgeoning cable channel Cinemax. I also got some horror movie bit parts in flicks like Lurkers, Banned and Valerie. So once I was introduced to the convention scene in 1992 I met a lot of people there and began working and getting bigger roles with experience. I was always somewhat limited in what I landed simply because I never had the desire to move to L.A. I really loved NYC.

MC: With such a sizable filmography you must be on film sets for a good part of the year. A lot of actors can’t say this. Is the workload ever too much?

DR: That’s only about half true. I am on film sets quite a bit yes, but it’s very rare that I spend more than a few days on any one set. I prefer to spend 4 weeks on a movie but that’s not always the reality of the budget and shooting schedules. So I can go to a location and work for one day or 12 days but rarely will I ever go anywhere for a month or more. But the workload can be daunting! Just making schedules work having to co-produce and co-host the Fangoria Radio show for almost 3 years now that has made travel a little trickier. But as long as you love everything you do then it’s energizing really!

MC: You’ve done extensive work with Troma. I know Lloyd Kaufman still insists (through great expense) on shooting his films in 35mm. Do you think the switch to mostly digital photography has hurt or helped the independent horror film?

DR: Yes Lloyd loves film as I do. But finally the HD cameras are now compatible with lenses that keep the picture clear but soften the image at the same time. That’s what film looks like projected. It is mostly flattering where as cheap video is unflattering. The new technology is finally catching up in creating imagery that is pleasing to the eye, not just ‘clear’ looking but it’s able to add the mysterious feel that 35 mm film has which is great. I think this technology has blown open the doors of possibility for filmmakers.

It has made it completely affordable in comparison to working with film and film cameras. But don’t misunderstand me: You still need to learn lighting, how to work your camera and composition regardless of what format you’re working on.

I have heard Lloyd say many times that he wants to do a story involving a small ensemble cast, shot on HD video for his next project . . . so maybe he will forfeit 35mm for his next show.

MC: Could you talk a bit about your relationship to Troma?

DR: I started working with Troma in 1993. I did all kinds of modeling for poster ads for them and did a lot of skits for Cinemax that were played in-between airings of classic Troma movies. Then we did the 30 minute infomercial special called The Troma System that aired on Comedy Central. By 1995 we began the Tromeo and Juliet shoot, which was very exciting! I loved that experience. I continued working with Lloyd and Troma, but it wasn’t for four years that he made his next film Terror Firmer. That is my favorite Troma movie I’ve been involved with. I’ve done a few movies with them since but that is still my favorite! Since then I have become even closer friends with Lloyd. We now bring each other in on outside projects that we do. I got him a role as a trannie-prostitute in a film I was shooting in Vancouver called Hanger. I followed that up by getting him a role as The Pope in a movie I was shooting in Rhode Island called Nun of That. So I try and get him things that show his comedic range. He’s a great friend and always will be. I just wrote a few segments for his next book coming out called Produce Your Own Damn movie.

MC: People put the title “Scream Queen” on you, also you’re an inductee of the B-movie Hall of Fame, but people may not realize what an accomplished actress you are ( I’m thinking here of very intense roles like those in American Nightmare and Nowhere Man, and let’s not forget your work on the stage). Do you feel like titles or labels like this can limit actors such as yourself?

DR: I think that labels can limit but I am not against them. People feel comfortable with categories and titles and a way to define things. I don’t define myself but I sympathize with people’s need to define me. It’s cool with me if they do. I think if people are making lists of a certain ‘type’ and include you that can be a good thing but if they are using the term in a derogatory way that can be bad. I’ve seen people use the term Scream Queen like it’s a terrific and fun handle and I have seen people use it in a sentence like they would the term Sex Offender. I think it reflects more on the person who is hung up on it rather than it’s subjects. I just do my thing and never think about titles. If you were to go to my web site you would not find the term posted once anywhere on the site. That says it all for me.

MC: Would you have any advice for young women looking to break into this industry?

DR: My advice would be to anybody seeking a career in film is to STUDY! I know that is a foreign thought to some, I have met many people wanting to get into film but taking acting classes is the last thing crossing their minds. I think because most people who want to get in movies are more interested in it for ego reasons. I am not saying all of them, but at least half the people I meet. Very few have an interest in studying, working hard, and looking at it like a life long commitment.

So my advice is study. Take smaller parts first; do you really want to star in a movie before you’re ready? Take all kinds of roles and build up your talent and confidence.

MC: You have had your share of trials and hard times throughout your career. Any words of caution?

DR: Only work on professional sets! I don’t mean only sets that have a huge budget; it can be a micro budget film, just make sure there is a professional atmosphere. If nothing else make sure they have set insurance! My four fingers on my right hand were cut off completely, except the bone, and I went through two painful operations to gain about 70% of the ability to use them back. The use of my hand will never be completely corrected and I will always have pain. These dummies never had set insurance and I went completely bankrupt over the ordeal. So realize that sets can be dangerous and not everybody knows what they are doing even though it may sound or look like they do. Keep your eyes open and if something does not feel comfortable don’t do it!

MC: You make a lot of convention appearances; it’s great because fans get to interact with you but is this ever a not-so-good thing? Any funny or weird stories?

DR: Sadly this past year I have not made many appearances. Things have been really busy for me with the radio show and film shoots and I miss the convention circuit very much! Plus last March 2008 I had a benign tumor removed from my brain so I couldn’t travel for a bit. The next convention I am slated to attend is in NY at the Fangoria Weekend of Horrors convention in June 2009. There are a few film festivals in Europe that look like they might be bringing me in so we’ll see! I hope to get to more soon I very much miss them!

The weirdest thing that has ever happened at one was probably at a Chiller convention in the mid 90’s when a fan asked me to sign a slice of pizza with a black marker then he ate it. [Laughs]

In 1995-ish lot of my fans were influenced by my films that were out; Broadcast Bombshells, Tromeo and Juliet and Abducted II: The Reunion. They probably thought from the films I was pretty wild and crazy in real life but in fact I have always been on the reserved side regardless of how sleazy the characters I have played are.

MC: If readers have satellite radio they can check out your new job as co-host of Fangoria Radio. Can you tell us a bit about how that came about and what the show is like?

DR: As I have mentioned we have been doing the show for almost 3 years now. I co-host the show with Twisted Sister front man Dee Snider. He’s a load of fun! We get a long great. We had both worked for a company called Moe Greene Entertainment and hosted the NYC Halloween Parade for the Fuse channel. Then after that the company bought Fangoria magazine and Starlog magazine in 2004. They wanted to do a radio show and Dee and I were both naturals to ask aboard because we had both done a lot of radio in the past. It really was great that we got along so well because you never know how these things will go! We have a terrific time! It has definitely been a highlight for me in my career. I get to book and speak with great horror celebrities that I love like Clive Barker, Rob Zombie, Betsy Palmer, Mick Garris, and the stars of the Dexter TV series. The list goes on and on. Over the years we have talked to all the greats! I think Sam Raimi is the only one who has slipped through the cracks at this point but we’re working on him!

It’s funny because so many people want to take shots at us because we are doing really well with the show. It comes from people who do internet radio mostly. I love internet radio. I have done internet radio since 1996 when I had a horror film show at Pseudo Radio. So it’s just taken technology time to catch up to me! I think there shouldn’t be any competition and that people should listen to all the horror shows and support the genre as a whole. Why people become obsessed with an ‘us vs. them’ mentality is beyond me. Very negative. I don’t hang around negative people. Messes with my mojo. LOL! But now that Sirius and XM have merged we air the show on TWO channels with two repeats! They just changed the channel numbers so stop by my web site for an update if you’re looking to find the show on your Sirius/XM dial! Or you can go to their main web site too.

MC: Could you talk about any projects you have coming up that readers should be on the lookout for?

DR: Oh yes! Thanks for asking. Director Ivan Zuccon’s Colour From The Dark, a movie I shot last year in Italy and is based on an H.P. Lovecraft story will be coming out this year! I am very excited about this title hitting the shelves and the internet and everywhere! The Good Sisters is another really fun, well done movie I co-star in with April Burril, directed by Jimmy O’burril. It’s a story of witchy sisters who are running from descendants of witch hunters. Coventry Lanes a movie directed by Mike Watt and starring myself, Brinke Stevens, Amy Lynn Best and a few others. This was a real throw back comedy horror influenced by 80’s fun flicks. I just finished a really scary flick called Hanger which is about a 8 month pregnant street walker, played by me, who has her baby aborted against her will by her pimp. The fetus is thrown in the trash can but lives (!) and comes back for revenge! Also I play Mother Superior in the comedy Nun of That, I just shot a great road flick in Florida called Stopped Dead and I starred in the wrap around segment for the anthology flick Gallery of Fear. I am just about to leave for Germany where I will be shooting a brutal horror flick called Game Over and in a couple months I will have a really fun role in Greg Lamberson’s Slime City Massacre which is a long awaited sequel to his 1988 cult hit Slime City. So a lot of really great stuff going on!

If I might add a little plug here, I just opened a merchandise page on my web site for the first time and I will be selling collectibles from my years of filmmaking - if any of the readers are interested!

MC: Thank you so much for your time.

You can find out more on her website: www.Debbierochon.com