Barbara Steele News

[Gothick]

Greetings, Cousins--

I was intrigued to see a new entry on Barbara Steele's IMDB page the other day.  Barbara has a role (I think a cameo, really) in something called Her Morbid Desires, the work of LA scene figure Edward Plumb.  A trailer (no appearance by Ms. Steele, unfortunately) can be viewed here:

http://bloodbyte.com/IrenaBelle/HMD_IBFilms.html

It looks, on the basis of this trailer, like a direct-to-DVD production, but could be a fun backdrop to a Halloween party (I forecast an October release date).

G.

[retzev]

Thanks for the heads up, Gothick.

Steele also recently participated in an audio commentary for an upcoming Dark Sky Films (a subsidiary of MPI) DVD of the 1966 Italian horror film THE SHE BEAST. The story and a photo are about a third of the way down this page: http://www.dvdmaniacs.net/Features/severin.html

[Gothick]

Wow, what a fantastic photo, and with the divine Ian Ogilvy, too!  Thanks for that link, Mr. Retzev!

I found the She Beast a crashing bore when I saw it on tape years ago, but I will have to revisit it, thanks to that new edition.

G.

[PennyDreadful]

 Wow, I'm surprised Barbara Steele agreed to appear in this.  I also suspect a fun sort of cameo. 

  Christopher Lee is often referred to as the last of the great horror film stars which always results in my reaction, "What about Barbara Steele?!!"   She has certainly earned her place in the pantheon of classic terror actors.

[Gothick]

Penny darling, Miss Steele was contracted for exactly one day's work on She Beast.  It was the first feature film to be directed by "angry young man" of the late 1960s British genre directors, Michael Reeves.  He saw to it that Miss Steele worked an exhaustingly long shift on her "one day" of work--I forget just how long, but it was around a 20 hour day for her, I believe.  Ian Ogilvy, who was a close buddy of Mr. Reeves,' worked I believe through the entire shoot.

I do recall the scenes between Steele and Ogilvy in the film's beginning as by far the best in the movie--definitely worth viewing if you're a fan of either or both.  There's a definite chem between the two.  I am really looking forward to hearing them swap stories about working in the genre during the Sixties, and beyond.

Unfortunately, the She Beast itself is a singularly unfrightening, embarrassing bit of goods--definitely bargain basement horror!

G.

[PennyDreadful]

Penny darling, Miss Steele was contracted for exactly one day's work on She Beast.  It was the first feature film to be directed by "angry young man" of the late 1960s British genre directors, Michael Reeves.  He saw to it that Miss Steele worked an exhaustingly long shift on her "one day" of work--I forget just how long, but it was around a 20 hour day for her, I believe.  Ian Ogilvy, who was a close buddy of Mr. Reeves,' worked I believe through the entire shoot.

 Yes indeed I have heard the story about Barbara Steele working that very long day on She Beast.  I believe I read an interview where Reeves stated that Steele wouldn't speak to him for a number of years after the experience.  I haven't watched She Beast yet, but definitely plan to do so at some point.  I agree that Madame Steele probably has a cameo in Her Morbid Desires.