PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Perhaps best recognized for her role in Robert Aldrich’s All the Marbles and the 1982 hit comedy Airplane 2: The Sequel, Laurene Landon went on to give outstanding performances in Hundra (1983), Maniac Cop (1988) and Maniac Cop 2 (1990) before going on an unexpected hiatus. Recently, Landon returned to the silver screen once again in the high explosive action feature, Syndicate Smasher, as well as the touching drama, Sky, starring Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead) and Diane Kruger (Inglourious Basterds). PopHorror had the pleasure of speaking with this incredibly kind-hearted, talented actress who, as it turns out, is a very strong advocate for animal rescue and adoption. Below, we discuss everything from her start in the industry to her hiatus to her reemergence in the entertainment industry.
PopHorror: Hi, Laurene! Thank you for taking the time to speak with me.
Laurene Landon: My pleasure!
PopHorror: Have you always wanted to become involved in the entertainment industry?
Laurene Landon: Actually, I originally wanted to become a psychiatrist or a police officer. I went to Biscailuz Academy when I was in college, but when it came time to learn to shoot the clay pigeons, I couldn’t do it! So, I knew that if I couldn’t shoot the clay pigeons, I was never going to be able to use a firearm on a human being in real life. I think it takes a certain mindset to go into that profession. Someone who is really very fearless.
PopHorror: That is true. Law enforcement isn’t a profession for everyone. How did you get into the film industry, and what sparked this change in direction?
Laurene Landon: Well, I started out as an extra and I worked my way down from there.
PopHorror: (Laughs) You worked your way down?
Laurene Landon: (Laughs) No, I’m joking! I started out as an extra and, when I was in Las Vegas for a beauty pageant, I was approached by a casting director for the wrestling film called All the Marbles. I guess what precipitated my desire to be in the film industry was my father’s love for the great, old horror movies that had a lot of tension, suspense and mystery, unlike many of the modern slasher films of today. I don’t enjoy today’s slasher movies because they’re just not my thing. Personally, I enjoy horror films that dive into the subliminal, suppressed psyche.
PopHorror: That makes sense, given your interest in psychology. What was the casting process like for Robert Aldrich’s All the Marbles?
Laurene Landon: Well, they actually saw over 2,000 girls for that film. Quite a few well-known actresses were included in that list, and I was lucky enough to be chosen! They screen tested 12 of us and then narrowed it down to four, whom they sent to wrestling school. But then the actor’s strike hit. Regardless, Vicki Frederick and I continued to wrestle in the valley. After the strike, we performed for the producers at MGM. One of the other girls broke her wrist, which narrowed it down to 3.
They called me into the office to meet with Robert Aldrich, who told me that I did a great job. And I screamed, “And you don’t want me for your movie, right!?” And I started to cry (laughs). He corrected me right away and told me I was going to play one of the two wrestlers in his movie. My response was, “You want me in your movie!? …why!?” (laughs). That’s how stupid, naïve and terrified I was! He then told me to go out and tell Vicki, who was waiting outside of the office, that it looks really bad for her and have a sad face. I did as I was told, of course, and Vicki said, “Oh, shit.” She had her head down as she went into the office. Very soon after that I hear, “I’m gonna kill you, Laurene!” (laughs).
PopHorror: (Laughs) That’s a great story! Another one of your films that I recently had the pleasure of seeing was Hundra. I had no idea what to expect, but you did an excellent job with that film!
Laurene Landon: Oh, thank you so much! I did all of the stunts in that film except for one. And most people can’t figure out which stunt I didn’t do.
PopHorror: Which stunt didn’t you do?
Laurene Landon: It’s the high fall scene to where I fall 10 stories from the top of a building. I wanted to do that stunt, but they said absolutely not, and they put in a stunt double. They had another stunt double for the nude scene, which I originally wasn’t going to do. But the stunt double was heavier than me, and it just didn’t look like that. So, I agreed to do the scene myself.
PopHorror: How did you become involved in Hundra?
Laurene Landon: Matt Cimber, the director, had seen me in All the Marbles, and he called my agent at ICM. He told me all about his idea for the film and asked me to star in it. Because it had so many stunts involved, and it included a trip to Spain, I was 100% in (laughs). We filmed more stunts than were in the script, which I loved. I would have loved to do more! Quite a few of the stuntmen actually quit during that production, because they said I was insane and was really trying to kill them during the sword fighting scenes (laughs). I just wanted to make the action sequences believable, and they didn’t like the idea at all.
PopHorror: That is too funny! It did make for some great authenticity, though. What was your favorite part of filming Hundra?
Laurene Landon: I would say my favorite part of the production was doing my own stunts and playing a character that was very strong and powerful. I just had a feeling that this character would be empowering to many women. Some people thought this would be just a tits and ass movie, but it was not at all. It was very character driven about a woman warrior who was looking to procreate with a decent man. I loved the script, and I loved being in Spain! It was just a terrific experience all around! Much of the credit for my recent award given to me by the Martial Arts Hall of Fame can be attributed to this film.
With everything going on today with the #MeToo movement, women’s empowerment is important. However, there’s also a fine line with this campaign. It’s becoming distorted to a degree. On one hand, I’m very happy and very grateful that all these women have come forward. A lot of things happened to me when I was in my 20s, but I never came forward because I was too afraid of the backlash. One of my own stories includes an experience with a former agent of mine who harassed and hounded me incessantly. But the #MeToo movement seems to be moving to the extreme to where a guy can’t even say a girl has pretty hair or compliment her dress without being accused of sexual harassment. I think it is becoming so disproportionate and out of control. For me, it has honestly become a joke. I just do not think it’s fair that men have to be terrified of giving an innocent compliment to a woman.
PopHorror: I think there is validity to what you’re saying, for sure. There is a difference between a simple, honest, innocent and well-intended compliment and lewd, unwanted, unsolicited display of degrading disrespect. Throughout your career, you’ve been in a variety of films. Most horror fans will probably recognize you from Maniac Cop and Maniac Cop 2. How did you become involved with these two productions?
Laurene Landon: I became involved with the film because of my friendship with Larry Cohen who, obviously, had seen my previous work. So, Larry wrote the script with me in mind.
PopHorror: That’s very cool! What was your favorite part in these two productions?
Laurene Landon: To be honest, it was probably the scene where I carve up the maniac cop with a chainsaw as well as the car scenes, which were fun to do.
PopHorror: Speaking of the chainsaw scene, was that an intentional nod to Evil Dead, due to your co-star, Bruce Campbell?
Laurene Landon: No one actually mentioned that to any of us. But in retrospect, perhaps it was. No one has ever brought that up until just now!
PopHorror: If it was a coincidence, it seems like it would be a big one (laughs). What was the biggest challenge filming Maniac Cop?
Laurene Landon: The weather in New York where we shot the sequel was horrendous. Even for me, who loves inclement weather. It was probably about 20 below, and everyone in the film had gloves… except for me. So my hands were black. We shot quite a few of the scenes that included my character without gloves, so they couldn’t just suddenly give me gloves. So, I just used hand warmers between takes. That was probably the only bad experience I had on either film. But I was just thankful that I was working.
PopHorror: Oh, no! That would be tough, for sure. Well, you did have a great cast to keep you company. What was it like co-starring with Robert Z’Dar and Bruce Campbell?
Laurene Landon: I loved working with Robert Z’Dar. He was a doll! I miss him so much. He was so kind. And Bruce was very professional and unbelievably funny. I had a crush on him. It was hard to work on a horror film with Bruce just because he’s always playing tricks on people and making jokes. He makes you laugh all the time, and he doesn’t even intend to. It’s just his nature. So, both of them were great to work with.
PopHorror: Robert Z’Dar is missed, for sure. I noticed that you went on a hiatus after Maniac Cop 2. If you’re comfortable discussing it, what caused you to take a break from film?
Laurene Landon: Absolutely. A couple of things happened. First and foremost, my mother became very sick, and I took care of her. Then my father had a cardiac arrest in Vancouver. He was on life-support and was brain dead for 13 minutes. So, I rushed up to Vancouver to be with him. He was on life-support for a week, but he came back. But he suffered severe brain damage, causing him to have no short-term memory. The hospital he was at wasn’t taking very good care of him, so I took him to a different one where I raised bloody hell to get them to do open heart surgery on him. It turned out that he had transitional cell carcinoma, which is a form of cancer. I asked him what he wanted most in life, and he said it was to be with his children. So, I brought him across the border, where I took care of him with my sisters until he passed away. So, that’s why I got out of the business for a while. And I wouldn’t change a thing. I just wish I could have done more for him.
PopHorror: I am very sorry to hear that. It sounds like you did everything you possibly could have done for your dad. After easing back into the film industry, you co-starred with Mel Novak in Syndicate Smasher, which recently became available on VOD. How did you become involved in this feature?
Laurene Landon: Directors Benny Tjandra and Doug Tochioka contacted me and sent me the script. I liked what I read. I thought it was an appealing story, and I got to play a detective again. So I agreed to come aboard.
PopHorror: I saw the film not too long ago, and I thought you gave an outstanding performance! What was your favorite part about this production?
Laurene Landon: I would have to say it was portraying my character’s obsession with catching the bad guy. I didn’t want to play the stereotypical cop. I wanted to add more depth and give my character a strong, personal motive behind pursuing the primary antagonist.
PopHorror: Are there any upcoming projects that you would like to discuss?
Laurene Landon: Yes, actually. I just did a film called Agramon’s Gate. Like I mentioned before, I really enjoy horror films that explore the psyche, which is done very well in this film. And this film is really such anomaly. It follows the story of events that play out after an séance goes horribly wrong, which unleashes Agramon, the left hand of the Devil. I play this crazy, discombobulated mental patient with a dark past that becomes increasingly more and more erratic. Harley Wallen brilliantly probes the psychological side of things and really focuses on the thrill of the hunt and the chase rather, than the suffering of the victim.
I also have a film that is releasing soon called Terror Tales, directed by Jimmy Lee Combs. It is an anthology that is an homage to horror films of the ’80s, which features iconic stars such as Jennifer Runyon, Ari Lehman, Felissa Rose and Lynn Lowry. I play a crazy wack job named Miss Tate who has a stuffed dog that she thinks is real, and who also happens to be the mother a serial killer named The Sludgehammer, played by Jonathan Tiersten. I loved it. I improvised everything. To prepare, I put the stuffed dog in a cat carrier and took it on the airplane with me on the way to the film location. I asked some people sitting around me if they would like to see my dog named Measles. They were a little unnerved when I pulled out a stuffed dog with its eye ripped out. People thought I was nuts, but I did it on purpose just to see their reactions.
And I will be working with the great Mel Novak again shortly when we begin to film RoboWoman, which I’m excited about. It’s a sci-fi action film about a woman who goes through a traumatic experience. I play the best friend, whom I hope to portray as a funny wack job (laughs).
PopHorror: Those all sounds like great films, and I hope to see them in the near future! Thank you, Laurene, for taking the time to speak with me.
Laurene Landon: Thank you! It was my pleasure.
We, at PopHorror, wish Laurene the best of luck with all her future endeavors, and we look forward to seeing more of her work in the future! Be sure to also visit Laurene’s IMDb and website to keep up with her latest work and upcoming projects!
