Chat about "Rated X"

Showtime presents

May 13, 2000

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Joseph: Marilyn, I remember you in a great early David Cronenberg film called "Rabid," any thoughts on that film or any special memories while making it?

Marilyn: "Rabid," for those of you who don't know, was a horror film. That's David Cronenberg's forte. I was very excited to be a part of the film. I love horror films. It was so much fun doing all the blood and the gore and all the special effects. David is a very introverted type of guy, very quiet and very subdued. He's made some pretty scary pictures. You don't know what's going on inside of that head. He gave me confidence as an actress. He taught me a lot of neat tricks. When you work in the theater and other films, when you have close-ups, you have to be careful of your expression. He taught me some pretty neat tricks. I learned a lot. It was 30 below zero--we did this in Canada--and all the directions were first given in French and then in English. It was a very good learning experience for me.

Diane: "Behind the Green Door" was the first porn movie I ever saw, and you looked like you were enjoying yourself for real. Were you?

Marilyn: Of course! That's what I find as an actress, I think if people truly like your performance they get turned on by it--whatever type of film it is, if you want to make them laugh, or whatever. If you don't enjoy it, don't do it. I always thought it was a real pleasure to be paid to live out some of my wildest fantasies. I did a film called "Insatiable" and that made tons of money. It was so much fun, I remember going to work everyday thinking what a great job this is! What a great country we live in! It's like living out your fantasies on screen. I think people like to live vicariously through me when they see the film. It's funny, because an adult film really is like a documentary when you think about it. It's something that's really happening. When you're having actual sex on screen. It's not an act. It's really difficult to mask the feelings of what's happening to you in that time and space. It's difficult for you to pretend if you're not enjoying it. If you're not enjoying it, it's pretty obvious.

Sfemme: Was that porn scene back then how it is in movies, with all the drugs and alcohol? Do these movies make it very realistic?

Marilyn: Yes, basically. It was the late '60s and '70s, drugs, sex, and rock and roll. Free love, peace man.There was a lot of pot, a lot of alcohol, and a lot of cocaine. I think the cocaine addictions grew. And when it became more available it got ugly. As you can see from the film "Rated X" it didn't matter what business you were in. If drugs and alcohol take over your life you're going to pay the price. I had a couple of beers to loosen up. I didn't use coke while doing the film. Maybe later I did, but when I was doing "Behind the Green Door" more pot was available. I think that doing drugs was detrimental to the performance. I think a lot of men will tell you that also.

Merry Prankster: Just a comment, I lived near the O'Farrell theatre in the mid-70s and was entranced by "Behind the Green Door." Now, I have an employee who is 16 years younger who loves "Bikini Bistro." What other woman could have such intergenerational appeal?

Marilyn: That's a very nice comment. Thank You! "Bikini Bistro" was one of the late-night R rated things I've done. I appreciate the comment. That's very nice. I try to enjoy myself. I find that over the years a lot of people have grown up with me. A lot of people who have grown up come up to me and say, "I saw you on my parents video." As the generations grow up it's captured in celluloid. So it's frozen in time. I just turned 48 in April. I find that there are not a lot of older attractive women to do racier films. That's why I wanted to come back and do a few more films. It's important to know that older women are still very sexy. As you get older things aren't as taunt and tight as when you were 20 years old. I think that when women watch with their husbands or lovers, they appreciate watching to see what an "older" woman has to bring to the screen. I've been getting a lot of good comments.

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