LOS ANGELES, June 5 (UPI) -- Horror legend Barbara Crampton, who is currently filming the short film "Blue Diamond" featured on Bloody Bites Friday, said the recent success of "Behind the Scenes" and "Obsession" bodes well for aspiring horror filmmakers.
Crampton's first horror film was Re-Animator in 1985. She has worked with various directors throughout her career and, more recently, has produced several of her own films.
In a recent UPI Zoom interview, Crampton said albums like Backrooms and Obsession prove that unique voices can find an audience.
«"There's no formula," Crampton said. "Just let creative people do what they do and be creative. That's the whole point. So I'm glad to see these young filmmakers really rise to the top and get a platform to showcase their work.".
The film "Behind the Scenes" is based on a YouTube series by writer-director Kane Parsons. Crampton watched short films by writer-director Curry Barker of "Obsession" on Instagram.
In Friday's episode of "Blue Diamond," Jacqueline (Barbara Crampton) finds herself stuck in the prime of her career in the 1980s. Photo courtesy of DesiMo Productions.
«"I thought it was absolutely brilliant as a short film," Crampton said. "It definitely had an eerie quality to it, and everything was thought out to the last detail, and the editing was just brilliant because there was nothing unnecessary.".
Blue Diamond, written and directed by Sam Fox, stars Crampton as Jacqueline, a 1980s ski enthusiast who may be the leader of a cult, and Desiree Staples as her estranged daughter, Alison.
In Friday's episode "Blue Diamond," as part of the "Blood Bites" program, Alison (Desiree Staples) believes she's done with her mother. Photo courtesy of DesiMo Productions.
«"You have to find your own voice and try to be as unique and true to what you want to do as possible, rather than trying to imitate," Crampton said. "It's art, so you have to be yourself. Obviously, these guys have done that, and I think Sam has, too.".
The short film "Blue Diamond" has been screening at film festivals since 2024. Fox intended the short film as a calling card for a feature film, stating that the viability of the horror genre existed long before the release of "Behind the Scenes" and "Whiplash.".
«"I told investors, 'You don't understand. Horror movies are almost always profitable. You don't need big stars. We can make a movie like this for a small budget, and audiences will love it and go to the theater to see it,'" Fox said.
Fox also drew inspiration from her father, whom she says she considered a narcissist. When Desiree confronts Jacqueline, Jacqueline simultaneously wants her daughter back and still pursues her own sinister goals.
«"Even narcissists have drives and feelings, I think," Crampton said. "I really wanted to combine those two components in one scene to pay homage to this character based on Sam's father.".
The short film only hints at what Alison's childhood was like. Fox stated that Alison's monologue was originally longer, but even the deleted footage influenced Desiree's character and could be used in the feature film.
«"Jacqueline wants Alison to be like a Barbie doll," Staples said. "In the monologue, Alison likes to speak in metaphors and distance herself from the situation. So there were a lot of funny moments there that I'll have to use in the feature film.".
Crampton recognized some of Jacqueline's behavior from her own history.
«"I think I've encountered narcissists in my life, and I've dated some of them," Crampton said. "I've definitely been seduced by someone who treated me like the second coming and then said nothing but horrible things about me.".
According to Fox, the '80s "ski bunny" imagery of Jacqueline and her followers was also part of her narcissism.
«"Another characteristic of narcissists is that they often get stuck in the past or the prime of their career," Fox said, adding that Jacqueline embraces the cult of the '80s as "a sort of Gloria Swanson idea from Sunset Boulevard.".
Fox co-wrote the short film with Addison Heyman, whose feature film "Touch Me" was a hentai love story. "Blue Diamond" features a hentai-style tentacle, and the feature film will expand on this theme.
«"The more tentacles, the better, we always say," Staples said. "There will be even more tentacles in the movie.".
Fox stated that the film would require a multi-million dollar budget, which she hasn't yet managed to secure because she's making her feature-length directorial debut. She plans to make a less expensive film first to establish herself.
«"And when they're ready to throw money at me, it's going to be crazy," Foxx said of Blue Diamond.
Crampton's classic '80s films remain popular. Last year, she attended the 40th-anniversary screening of Re-Animator alongside her co-stars Jeffrey Combs and Bruce Abbott, representing the late writer-director Stuart Gordon.
«"Re-Animator still holds up well because it was so bold for its time," Crampton said. "I think you can't be afraid to be outrageous. It just reinforces what we're saying.".
Crampton is surprised she has received fewer requests for a follow-up to her collaboration with Gordon, 1986's From Beyond.
«"I think it was my best role in that universe, but 'Re-Animator' is the signature Stewart movie, so there was more hype around it," Crampton said.
Fox says both films had a profound impact on her, as her older sister showed her horror films when they were growing up in the 1990s. Fox personally requested a screening of From Beyond to commemorate its anniversary.
«"When I was five, Rosemary's Baby was my favorite movie," Fox said. "I absolutely loved Barbara. My sister did, too. When she accepted the role, I called her and said, 'You're not going to believe this.' It was a really beautiful moment because it feels like something that shaped me is now becoming part of my life.".