Exclusive : Ellen Sandweiss Satans Playground Interview

First off, thank you for taking the time to do this interview and it’s great to soon be seeing you back on the "big screen". I know this is a lot of ground to cover, but basically, what have you been doing in between "Evil Dead" and "Satan’s Playground?"

GEEZ...YOU KNOW HOW MANY YEARS WE’RE TALKING HERE?  OKAY, TO SUM UP: WENT BACK TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AND GOT MY B.A. IN THEATRE, WAS IN A FEW MORE PLAYS, WENT TO GRAD SCHOOL, WORKED IN ARTS/NON-PROFIT ADMINISTRATION, GOT MARRIED, HAD TWO CHILDREN AND RAN MY HUSBAND’S MANUFACTURERS’ REP. BUSINESS, WHILE OCCASIONALLY DOING SOME THEATRE, SINGING AND COMMERCIALS.

After such a long absence between films – what made you decide to get back into feature films and do Satan’s Playground?

I HAD DECIDED THAT SINCE MY CHILDREN WERE OLDER IT WAS TIME TO GO BACK TO SOMETHING I REALLY LOVED - I WAS REALLY HANKERING TO GET BACK INTO ACTING.

AT THE SAME TIME, I WAS DOING THE "LADIES OF THE EVIL DEAD" THING AND WE’D BEEN FEATURED IN A RUE-MORGUE ARTICLE IN THE SAME ISSUE AS DANTE TOMASELLI.   HE WAS A BIG EVIL DEAD FAN AND E-MAILED ME AND ASKED ME TO DO THE FILM.  THE REST WAS HISTORY.

We know you play Paula, the sister of Donna (Felissa Rose/Sleep Away Camp), can you give us any insight into your character?  Tell us what Paula is all about?

PAULA IS A SOMEWHAT BITTER BUT OPTIMISTIC, RECENTLY-DIVORCED SINGLE MOTHER.  SHE’S GOT THAT ITALIAN/AMERICAN SPUNK, LIKE HER SISTER BUT A LITTLE MORE REFINED. SHE IS FIERCELY PROTECTIVE OF HER BABY AND VERY CLOSE WITH HER SISTER.

So is "Satan’s Playground" going to scare the %$@! out of us?

ABSOLUTELY!! IT’S VERY EERIE AND SURREAL.

How was it working with the likes of Dante Tomaselli, Felissa Rose, and Edwin Neal?

IT WAS WONDERFUL WORKING WITH ALL OF THEM.  DANTE LIVES FOR MAKING HORROR MOVIES AND HAS GREAT VISION.  HE’S VERY DEVOTED AND CARING WITH HIS ACTORS. HE ALSO TURNED OUT TO BE A GREAT FRIEND. FELISSA IS A VERY DISCIPLINED AND TALENTED ACTRESS, WHILE BEING A FUN AND CRAZY FRIEND AS WELL. 

EDWIN NEAL IS FULL OF INSANE ENERGY AND CAN TALK QUITE INTELLIGENTLY FOR HOURS ON ANY SUBJECT (IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT VOICES AND POSSIBLY A FEW DIFFERENT LANGUAGES THAT I’M NOT SURE ACTUALLY EXIST).

We interviewed Edwin Neal and we discovered very quickly hes one crazy mutt. Is he as crazy on set?

ACTUALLY HE’S A FINE ACTOR AND CONTAINS ALL THAT ENERGY WHEN HE’S ON THE SET. I THINK HE DID A GREAT JOB WITH HIS CHARACTER. Did Dante have to sedate him? NO, BUT THERE WERE A FEW TIMES I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SLIPPED SOMETHING IN HIS DRINK MYSELF.

Any interesting stories you would like to share?  I’m sure you have a couple of good ones about Edwin Neal?  (Here on the site, he’s one of our favorites – if you haven’t read his interview that we have on our site you should.. it’s a riot)

THERE ARE A FEW STORIES I WOULDN’T LIKE TO SHARE...UNFORTUNATELY THE GOOD ONES WOULD GIVE AWAY THE FILM AND I DON’T WANT TO RUIN IT FOR YOU BEFORE YOU SEE IT. HOWEVER, I WILL TELL YOU THAT I WAS ARRESTED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE WHEN I WAS TRAVELING FROM HOME BACK TO NEW JERSEY AFTER A BREAK IN FILMING!  I FLEW BACK AND FORTH A LOT DURING THE SHOOTING AND IT WAS ALWAYS ON A ONE-WAY TICKET, WHICH SENDS UP A RED FLAG WITH AIRPORT SECURITY AND THEY ALWAYS DO THE THOROUGH CHECK OF YOUR STUFF.

I HAD INADVERTANTLY LEFT A VERY LARGE SWISS ARMY KNIFE IN MY PURSE, BECAUSE IT HAD A GOOD SIZED CORKSCREW IN IT THAT I HAD USED AT A PARTY THE NIGHT BEFORE FOR A BOTTLE OF WINE I’D BROUGHT.  I GUESS IT WAS LARGE AND THREATENING-LOOKING ENOUGH THAT THEY ACTUALLY ARRESTED ME – RIGHT THERE IN THE AIRPORT! FINGER PRINTS AND EVERYTHING, BUT I SOMEHOW STILL MADE MY FLIGHT (SEE CHILDREN, IT PAYS TO GET THERE EARLY). 

I HAD TO GO TO COURT A FEW TIMES OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AND PAY A HEFTY FINE, BUT IT TURNED OUT OK.  A SMART-ASS FRIEND OF MINE MADE UP A VERY FUNNY FAKE NEWS ARTICLE WITH A PICTURE OF ME BEHIND BARS AND THE HEADLINE "HORROR DIVA ARRESTED BY AIRPORT SECURITY". 

Looking back on "Evil Dead", now over 20 years later, how does it feel to be part of such a "cult phenomenon and when did you first notice that this film was "getting big?"

IT’S STILL PRETTY AMAZING TO ME.  FOR YEARS I BASICALLY FORGOT ABOUT THE FILM BUT THEN I STARTED NOTICING IT AT THE VIDEO STORES.  I’D SAY ABOUT 5-7 YEARS AGO I REALLY STARTED REALIZING THE EXTENT OF ITS REACH WITHIN THE CULT HORROR GENRE.

Do you have a favorite "Evil Dead" moment?

I LOVE TO SEE BRUCE CAMPBELL FIGHT WITH THAT BOOKSHELF – I COULD WATCH THAT OVER AND OVER.

"The Ladies of Evil Dead".  Can you tell us more about that? 

ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, THERESA AND BETSY (THE OTHER TWO EVIL DEAD ACTRESSES) AND I ALL INDEPENDENTLY STARTED THINKING WE’D LIKE TO GET OUT THERE AND SEE WHAT ALL THE NOISE WAS ABOUT THIS FILM. 

THE TWO OF THEM FOUND ME AND CALLED ME ON THE PHONE AND WE DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO HIT THE CONVENTION CIRCUIT AND MEET THE FANS.  WE ACTUALLY FORMED A LEGAL ENTITY CALLED "LADIES OF THE EVIL DEAD, LLC" AND WE GO TO CONVENTIONS, HAVE A WEBSITE AND MERCHANDISE, AND ARE CURRENTLY MAKING A DOCUMENTARY.

Ok,  "Shemp Eats the Moon".. What’s the scoop Ellen and will it ever see the "light of day"?

MY FAVORITE HIGH SCHOOL FILM, IN WHICH BRUCE PLAYS A SCREWBALL DETECTIVE NAMED SHEMP AND I PLAY AN EVIL SEDUCTRESS. THE "MOON" IS ACTUALLY A GEM THAT HE INADVERTANTLY EATS AT THE END OF THE FILM.  A CLASSIC. YOU’LL PROBABLY NEVER SEE IT.

We have a lot of "Evil Dead" fans on this site, and I’m sure they would love to meet you.   Are you currently scheduled for any upcoming conventions? 

YES – THE NEXT ONE WILL BE IN MAY: "MONSTER-MANIA", IN CHERRY HILL, NEW JERSEY.  CHECK OUT THE "APPEARANCES" PAGE OF OUR WEBSITE: www.LADIESOFTHEEVILDEAD.COM.

What’s next for Ellen?  Is there any other films/projects you are looking at doing?  What’s "in store" for 2005 and beyond?

RIGHT NOW WE’RE FINISHING UP OUR LADIES OF E.D. DOCUMENTARY WHICH WILL PROBABLY SHOW UP ON A DVD SOMETIME IN EARLY 2006.  I’M ALSO "IN TALKS" (DON’T YOU LOVE THOSE SHOWBIZ TERMS?) WITH A COUPLE DIRECTORS OF HORROR FILMS AND ONE SLAPSTICK/HORROR FILM WHICH WILL BE A BLAST.

Give us some "Ellen Sandweiss Trivia".  Tell us something we don’t know – it could be anything.

I CAN CROSS MY BABY TOE OVER MY 4TH TOE WITHOUT USING MY HANDS (ON BOTH FEET).  I’M A REALLY GOOD PARALLEL PARKER.  I’M NOT REALLY AFRAID OF ANYTHING EXCEPT HUMAN VOMIT. I’M IN LOVE WITH MEL BROOKS.

What’s the one question (with answer) you wished somebody would of asked you, but never did? 

QUESTION: "I’M MAKING BLAZING SADDLES 2 – WILL YOU PLAY THE MADELINE KAHN ROLE?" ANSWER: "YES!!"

Thank you again, for taking the time to do this interview.  Lastly, is there anything else you would like to say, maybe to your fans or about "Satan’s Playground?"

GO SEE SATAN’S PLAYGROUND WHEN IT COMES OUT – IT’S A MILLION TIMES BETTER THAN ALL THE OTHER HORROR CRAP THAT’S OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.  SUPPORT INDEPENDENT THEATRE.  SUPPORT MY CAREER.  I LOVE YOU ALL!