Vampira: The Movie DVD cover.
Vampira
Maila Nurmi in her famous role in "Plan 9 From Outer Space". Photo/Still
What an amazing person she was.
This DVD was directed/produced by Kevin Sean Michaels. Alexia Anastasio edited.
This documentary contains a very rare interview with Ms. Nurmi. It gave her carte blanche to speak about what she wanted to speak about. That is one of the reasons I loved it so much. It didn't have a narrative, it didn't need one.
Ms. Nurmi (who was Finnish,) discussed everything from the invention of Vampira so she could become an evangelist, to her relationships with James Dean, Ed Wood, and Marlon Brando.
She talks about the Bondage and Discipline side of Vampira. This woman was completely ahead of her time. I would have loved to have known her.
We hear her tell the story of riding a bus to get to the studio where "Plan 9" was being filmed....in full Vampira make-up.
As a child, she seems to have had some very low self-esteem, which you would never guess by the woman being interviewed in this doc.
She was afraid of everything as a youngster. As many people do, she turned to fantasy, and made that fantasy a world-wide phenomenon. She gave herself power. She did whatever she felt like doing for her career. Like calling a major magazine and telling them she should be photographed for their cover in her bathing suit. This same magazine..Life I believe did end up doing a photo-shoot with her. She also revealed a deep belief in pre-cognition and showed a bit of a mystical side of herself.
There are also interviews with some icons of the horror/monster genre.
Sid Haid, Bill Mosely, Forrest J. Ackerman, David J. Skal, Jerry Only (of the band, The Misfits,) Cassandra Peterson (who briefly discusses the law-suit filed against her by Malia. After watching the doc, I think Malia had a good case, total rip off..Love you Cassandra,) Debbie Rochon, Lloyd Kaufman, Penny Dreadful, The Double D's, Jami Deadly, Svengoolie, Kevin Eastman, Julie Strain, and Zacherley.
Even the soundtrack is good. Original score is by Ari Lehman, songs by The Merry Widows and Count Smokula.
Miss Maila Nurmi passed away of natural causes on January 10th, 2008 at 85.
Produced by Vamp Productions. Check out the Vampira: The Movie Website.
Comments