Technically, this was to be my ‘Women in Horror’ first article… well, I guess it still is… but since it came out so well as an interview… let’s call it both: Women in Horror: Not just screamers… and a straight up interview with one of the best in the business… Jovanka Vuckovic!

Jovanka Vuckovic is a horror icon in her own right. Not only has she risen through the ranks to become the Editor in Chief of one of the most respected magazines in the industry, she has appeared in several documentaries on horror such as ‘Zombiemania’, ‘Famous Monster: Forrest J Ackerman ‘, and ‘Pretty Bloody: The Women of Horror’. She has more knowledge of this genre than most people, and is considered an expert in the field.
Her ‘Mini Bio’ (source: IMDB)
Editor-In-Chief of Rue Morgue Magazine (Horror in Culture and Entertainment), a leading publication in the genre. Her university education was in Physical Anthropology. She had a brief stint as a visual effects artist (sometimes under unknown pseudonyms), won a Gemini Award for Best Visual Effects, then moved on to edit Rue Morgue. Has appeared as a zombie in Zakk Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead and George Romero’s Land of the Dead. Easily recognizable as she has bright flame hair and is heavily tattooed with horror icons including Lon Chaney Sr., Vincent Price, Boris Karloff, Elsa Lanchester, Christopher Lee, Edgar Allan Poe and more.
… Yeah, you read that right… She was IN the new Dawn of the Dead AND George A. Romero’s Land of the Dead (I only made the ‘extras’ list, but no call back…boo)! If anyone has an opinion that I value in horror, it’s hers.

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Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to chat to us, Jovanka, we really appreciate it!

JV: Hey, no problem, I’m sorry it took me so long to get back to you. It’s been nuts around here with the Halloween double issue and preparations for Festival of Fear, plus some personal projects I’ve got deadlines for.

ZI: Women have been a huge part of Horror and Zombie films, from the iconic ‘Little Girl’ that dominates the ‘Night of the Living Dead’ imagery, to the more modern role of the female heroine, to even the ‘T & A’ roles such as ‘Slumber Party Massacre’ (directed by Amy Holden Jones and written by feminist activist Rita Mae Brown.) Women have an incredibly diverse and (in my opinion) pivotal role in most genre films. My personal favorite modern horror film (American Psycho) was directed by Canadian filmmaker and screenwriter Marry Harron, and a ton of new genre movies are being written, adapted and directed by women. Most recently the breakout vampire hit ‘Twilight’ adapted from the writing of Stephenie Meyer, and directed by Catherine Hardwicke had the largest opening of any female director ($70.6 million at the box office in it’s debut weekend). Give us some of your thoughts on women in horror over time in film and would you say that more industry jobs (not necessarily in front of the lens)are opening up for women these days?

JV: I was recently part of a documentary called Pretty Bloody: The Women of Horror. Donna Davies, the director, who also created the documentary Zombiemania, is a fantastic lady. I’m grateful to her for allowing me to be part of the documentary. It basically takes a look at the lives of women who work professionally in the genre. It examines the issue of empowerment, which I don’t think it is couched in a single genre at all. I think it’s much bigger than that. It parallels what’s been happening in society. Over the course of the sexual revolution, women have been slowly gaining more equality. You’re seeing more women in high powered positions, including the once male dominated careers of executives and politicians. With that empowerment, stronger characters have emerged in entertainment media. Most modern women want to be in control of their destinies. Obviously art has to reflect that or it would be failing at what it aims to do: imitate life. Empowered women aren’t going to identify with victims, so it’s no surprise we have been seeing an increase in female heroes, villains and other strong characters in the art we create. But it’s important to note that it’s actually not a new phenomenon. Tura Satana (Faster Pussykat, Kill! Kill!) has been doing it in Russ Meyer films since the 60’s! Then there’s Vampira, Pam Grier (Foxy Brown), Barbarella, Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia) Dyanne Thorne (Ilsa: SheWolf of the SS), Sigourney Weaver (the Alien films), Linda Hamiltion (Terminator 2), even Japanese women (Audition) and schoolgirls (Machine Girl) have been featured in prominent, empowering roles. Those strong female characters span decades. In the case of Kill Bill, Quentin Tarantino is actually borrowing heavily from Asian cinema particularly the Pinky Violence film Sex & Fury (for the female sword fighter lead) – and a film called Thriller: A Cruel Picture (for Darryl Hannah’s character), so it’s not like it’s a completely novel idea that’s never been tried before, it’s just emerging in the mainstream more, courtesy of people like Tarantino and filmmakers, who have an interest in those types of characters.

ZI: Would you list some of the women in the genre that have stood out in your mind and why for us?

JV: Right now it’s Kathryn Bigelow by a long shot. She directed Near Dark but now she’s directing action movies – really exciting ones like The Hurt Locker, which is rumored to be Oscar worthy. To see a woman telling a “man’s” story, doing it in a “man’s world” and doing SUCH a good job at it pleases me to no end. Angela Bettis will always impress me with her outsider art and commitment to never sell herself out. She’s an incredible person. Doris Wishman always impressed me because she directed more exploitation movies before Herschell Gordon Lewis ever picked up a camera! I definitely want to see more women directing genre films, I’m hoping to personally change that some day if all goes as planned.

ZI: What about your own experience in the industry, past (as a Visual artist) and present: have you had difficulties (or felt you have) over the years due to your gender?

JV: Rarely. Most people know by now that it’s just best to give me what I want. Few rarely mess with me. But still, the odd moron tries to use my sexuality against me or tries to flirt with me – that gets them nowhere. It’s sad but there are still some really dumb, sexist men out there that take advantage of women who allow themselves to be taken advantage of. I’m not one of them. I’m always in charge and I never lose a fight.

ZI: OK, while all of the past questions have been topical… I gotta know: How did the whole Dawn of the Dead and Land of the Dead thing happen, and can you tell us a bit about being on the sets of these films?

JV: Zakk Snyder invited us to do it! They were shooting just outside Toronto it just made sense. I wrote an entire journal called Diary of the Dead (way before Romero named his movie!) about it. It’s in RM#38. It was a blast! As for Land, Greg Nicotero and I are pals. He snuck me in on it. I got a speeding ticket on the way to set. I had just seen Motorhead and was excited to get my ass to set. In the end I got cut out of the movie, though and my ex-boyfriend (who snuck in!) got a hero shot. Jerk!

ZI: As a follow up, since you have had the inside experience on both (and we ask everyone this)… which do you prefer… Fast or slow zombies?

JV: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: ZOMBIES SHOULD NEVER RUN.

ZI: Anything you’d like our readers to know?

JV: They might be excited to know that I’m working on shooting my first short film soon. If I can get the grant money, I should have something to announce in September. Wish me luck because it’s a goal of mine to make horror films. Good ones, I hope. [Laughs]
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Ok, so if she makes a horror movie, I need to start petitioning to be an extra RIGHT NOW!!! Women have shown that they are just as much a force to be reckoned with in the horror/genre industry as much as anyone else, and if she is going to put her mind into making a movie, you better believe that it will most likely be made… you read that part about getting what she wants…right? Thanks so much for the time and words Jovanka, here’s hoping for another successful ‘Festival of Fear‘ (August 28th to 30th) and hey… really- give me a call if you need a hand on your movie…I get coffee like NOBODY’S business!

This topic is now DEAD to me!

ZK…

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