BAD ASS WOMEN OF CINEMA: A COLLECTION OF INTERVIEWS (paperback)
Martial arts actresses, cult Heroes, and stuntwomen—badass women both on and off screen—discuss with author Chris Watson the challenges they’ve faced in their different career paths as cinema’s toughest ladies.
This eclectic group of international actresses includes Cheng Pei Pei (Come Drink with Me), Yukari Oshima (Outlaw Brothers), Marrie Lee (They Call Her…Cleopatra Wong), Cynthia Rothrock (Yes, Madam), Catherine Mary Stewart (Night of the Comet), Betsy Russell (Avenging Angel), stuntwoman Sophia Crawford (Buffy The Vampire Slayer), stuntwoman Diana Lee Inosanto (The Sensei), Patricia Tallman (Night of the Living Dead), Rebekah Brandes (Bellflower), Laurene Landon (Maniac Cop, Hundra), Bridgett “Baby Doll” Riley (stuntwoman), and Chris Yen (Give ‘em Hell Malone).
Introduction by Steve Carver (director of The Arena and Lone Wolf McQuade). 233 pages. Illustrated.
About the author: Chris Watson is an award-winning filmmaker of several internationally distributed films. He has also written for Black Belt Magazine, Inside Kung-Fu Magazine, Classic Images, Paracinema Magazine, B-Independent, Strictly Splatter, East Side Boxing, and numerous other magazines and websites. He has also co-written or contributed to several other books, including Reflections on Blaxploitation, Dwarfsploitation, Joe Estevez: Wiping Off the Sheen, Dirty Talk: Conversations with Porn Stars, and Gods of Grindhouse.
"An engaging read that provides an intimate look into the lives, careers, triumphs, and heartbreaks of some of cinema's toughest ladies."
-- Jordan Garren, The B Movie Vault
“… pulls together conversations with thirteen actresses who defied genre expectations and carved out careers as female action heroes. It’s an eclectic grouping, with several names familiar to ‘80s genre fans (NIGHT OF THE COMET’s Catherine Mary Stewart, TOMBOY’s Betsy Russell, CHINA O’BRIEN star Cynthia Rothrock), as well as newcomers like Rebekah Brandes (BELLFLOWER). But what makes this collection unique is its emphasis on women from the martial arts and stuntwork fields, such as Sophia Crawford, Cheng Pei Pei, Yukari Oshima, Diana Lee Inosanto, and Marrie Lee, with Watson and his interviewees discussing casting, training, the need for strong female roles, and much more. Along with an introduction by director Steve Carver (BIG BAD MAMA), this 244-page volume is a fun addition to any action addict’s library.”
-- Shock Cinema