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by Rusty White
Sexy can be classy, and INGRID PITT
proved that vampires can be both. More than fangs, blood, and sexuality,
Hammer Films’ scream queen Pitt, the sensual vampiress preying upon unwitting
Victorians, played memorable characters equal, if not superior, to the men with
whom she shared screen time. She portrayed characters that never compromised
with those who stood in her way. All the while, she drove the male antagonists
wild with desire.
In the pantheon of horror film stars
few women have come close to occupying the top ranks with male stars such as
Christopher Lee or Peter Cushing. For the most part, women in horror have been
little more than sexy window dressing or pathetic victims. Even Elsa Lanchester
had little to do as the title monster in "The Bride of Frankenstein." Hammer
Films star Ingrid Pitt was one of the few women to break through the ceiling and
take her place among the best of the best.
Pitt, a Polish actress, became the
object of desire for millions of horror fans in such films as "Countess
Dracula," "The Vampire Lovers," "The House that Dripped Blood," and "The Wicker
Man." What set Pitt apart from countless other beautiful femme fatales was her
striking screen presence and finely honed acting skills.
Pitt emerged as a star during the late
1960s and early 1970s. At that time, Hammer was trying to inject new life into 
their ailing studio. Sex and violence became more graphic. Pitt was never shy
about performing nude scenes. Anyone can take off his or her clothes on film,
but there were (and are today) few talented actors who were endowed with bodies
as beautiful as Pitt’s. The fact that she still draws crowds 30 years after the
period of her greatest on-screen success is proof that Pitt’s talents are much
more than skin deep.
Born in Poland, Pitt’s childhood was
scarred by the holocaust. She survived her WWII experiences and became a
successful actress. I had the great pleasure of meeting Ingrid Pitt and spending
a little time with her on June 1, 2002, at the "Chicago Fantastic Film
Festival." Ms. Pitt was warm and open to all of the fans that lined up to say a
word, ask a question, or fawn over the British scream queen. Pointing to a still
photo of Pitt and Clint Eastwood from the film "Where Eagles Dare" I asked….
EI: I watched "Where Eagles Dare" a couple of weeks ago. How
did it feel to shoot the Nazi characters at the end of the film?
IP: I…I had to keep swallowing. I was thinking, "I’m
shooting the Nazis."
EI: Was it a cathartic experience?
IP: In some ways it was. You survive something and you
have to get on with your life.
EI: Not everyone has survived what you went through. In your
acting were you able to use the evil you were exposed to as a child? You
portrayed a lot of evil characters?
IP: Somewhat. It is more fun to portray the heavy. If
you’re the victim you are quickly forgotten…or you are pathetic. You remember
the heavy.
EI: Were you a formally trained actor?
IP: I started out in the theater. I was part of the
Berlin Ensemble. It was a group of actors run by Bertolt Brecht and his wife.
Next I was at the Actor’s Studio in New York. I left though. I went round and
round with that Man (Lee Strasberg). We argued endlessly about the Russian
Method. What they taught wasn’t really the Russian method. We argued and argued
and I left…well, he would say he threw me out. Either way, I didn’t stay
there.
He was fun. One
day he grabbed me, threw me on a motorcycle and took off. When we got back, the
producers were yelling, "Think of the insurance!" We didn’t do that
again.--Ingrid Pitt talks about acting with Clint
Eastwood in "Where Eagles Dare."
EI: (pointing out the Clint Eastwood photo again) It is amazing
how much Clint Eastwood matured as an actor and filmmaker since "Where Eagles
Dared."
IP: Yes, yes. He and Richard Burton were so different.
Clint was looking forward to the rest of his career. He was watching everything,
looking forward. Richard Burton was just drinking and spouting
Shakespeare.
EI: Did he think the role was beneath him?
IP: No, he was tired of living. He was unhappy. He
drank. His wife drank; she drank more than he did at that time. It was sad. They
were a couple of sad children. It was unfortunate. They would divorce, get
remarried. Really out of control. He was a man’s man; he was just tired of
living.
EI: So, you enjoyed working with Clint Eastwood?
IP: He was fun. One day he grabbed me, threw me on a
motorcycle and took off. When we got back, the producers were yelling, "Think of
the insurance!" We didn’t do that again.
Ms. Pitt and I spoke of things in general. She found out I was
from Memphis.
IP: So, you’re from Memphis. Did you know
Elvis?
EI: I never met him, but he did pay for my birth! My dad was a
reporter back in the late 50s. He did a free-lance story about Elvis’s mother.
That paycheck paid for the hospital bills of my birth.
IP: Elvis was a lovely man.
EI: You knew him well?
IP: We took karate classes together. He was a wonderful
man. He was centered. There was something about him that made you feel
secure.
EI: What degree black belt are you?
IP: I’m ranked higher in Europe. I took a different
type of karate in Europe than in America. You can’t always have a gun. You have
to have something in your life that gives you security. That makes you
safe.
EI: I left Memphis in a rush and forgot to bring my DVD of "The
Wicker Man" for you to autograph. At the time, did you realize that you were
working on something special?
IP: We felt like everything was going down the drain.
British Lion (the production studio) was being sold at the time. No one at
British Lion wanted to make the film. At Cannes, the producer had a Wicker Man 
statue made to promote the picture, but British Lion wouldn’t let the film be
shown. The film was cut and cut and forgotten. It was American college students
that made the film a success. Roger Corman had an uncut print. A lot of the film
was lost forever. Christopher (Lee) said that the film was buried under the
motorway. I don’t know what happened to the missing film.
EI: Fortunately we have the restored version now!
IP: I understand that Nicholas Cage is talking about
remaking "The Wicker Man." I don’t see why they would do that.
EI: Me either. I’ve enjoyed watching the film several times,
even though I already know the great ending. Part of the enjoyment of watching
the film again, is the memory of that first viewing.
IP: Remakes don’t usually work.
EI: Remaking "The Wicker Man" would make as much sense as
remaking "Gone With the Wind" or "Casablanca."
IP: Exactly. They got it right the first time. I can
think of few remakes, which are better than the original.
EI: The only one I can think of off-hand was Richard Lester’s
"The Three Musketeers." It was fun and bawdy, but so was the book.
The scene with
the whore…I wanted to hang her upside down from the ceiling. I would lie nude
below her and bathe as her blood poured over my body. They wouldn’t let us do
that. I wanted to show just how evil this woman was. It was horrendous what she
did to those girls.--Pitt on how the censors effected
her vision of Elizabeth of Bathory in "Countess
Dracula."
IP: Oliver Reed was wonderful.
EI: Did you ever work with him?
IP: No. (A sad smile crosses her face.) He was a dear
friend. A dear, dear man. It is still hard to believe he is gone.
EI: It’s hard to watch "Gladiator" without thinking about the
fact he died during filming. I liked that they dedicated the film to him.
IP: Exactly. I had a CD of the soundtrack. I would
listen and remember…. I lost it. Oh well, life goes on.
EI: America has a puritanical streak that makes it OK to show
violence onscreen, but sex is frowned upon. There seems to be a healthier
attitude in Europe concerning sex.
IP: There are problems there too. "Countess Dracula"
was tame compared to what I wanted to do.
EI: I love that film. I thought it dealt with its subject in a
mature manner.
IP: Elizabeth of Bathory was just evil. It was
horrendous what she did to those girls.
(EI Note: "Countess Dracula" was based on the true life story
of Elizabeth of Bathory, a noble who believed that bathing in the blood of
virgins would give her eternal youth and beauty. She murdered countless peasant
girls out of vanity.)
IP: Trevellian (the British censor) wouldn’t let us
film many things we wanted. He would say, "Cut this, cut that." We couldn’t show
much. The scene with the whore…I wanted to hang her upside down from the
ceiling. I would lie nude below her and bathe as her blood poured over my body.
They wouldn’t let us do that. I wanted to show just how evil this woman was. It
was horrendous what she did to those girls.
EI: (Noting the fans who were showing up to meet Ms. Pitt) I’d
love to talk all day, but there are others waiting to talk so, thank you very
much for giving me this time. I just want to add that you have the sexiest nose
that ever graced the screen.
IP: (Smirking) If you say so.
EI: You don’t like your nose?
IP: Lets say I have an optimistic nose!
EI: Thanks again for your time!
IP: You’ve very welcome "Firecracker"!
(EI Note: I was wearing a T-Shirt promoting Steve Balderson’s
film "Firecracker!)
Visit Ingrid Pitt's website: http://www.pittofhorror.com/
Read about the CF3 Fest here: http://einsiders.com/features/columns/CF3.php
Rusty White
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