Brinke Stevens really needs no re-introduction. I met her a long time ago, and when I heard she would return to Victoria, BC for another convention, I interviewed her. Because I’m a fan of scream queens from the 80s, I was more than thrilled when the opportunity was made available. Plus, when I see that she’s keeping busy with new projects, from more scary stories to even serious ones, I’m glad she’s showing no signs of slowing down. She’s a different kind of wonder woman.
She’s no longer that “nubile coed” from long ago and the reason is not about ageism in the entertainment industry. It’s about respect. These days, she’s getting offers to play characters whose profession is that of a doctor, lawyer or even a sheriff! The films might still be campy, and that’s okay. For her, “It’s really fun to be in roles that’s more about female empowerment,” stated this actress.
And to see her as a lonely individual once revered at her job, the narrative is easy to follow to explain how this scientist has fallen from grace. It’s not just about The Night Jane Went Insane because aliens are there to coax her to come aboard. Instead, it’s about how the visual elements tell the story and how Brinke’s character had to react to them. Zach Lorkiewicz tailored this film for her because he knew what she’s passionate about.
While growing up, Stevens read everything she could find about the subject of life in outer space, watched Star Trek, and read everything she could find. The moment started one day when she found a collection of pulp magazines in a bin at a used book store. And who knows, maybe that Galaxy magazine she held in the short film may well have been her own copy, saved from long ago! She was your classic high school nerd and had no problems being labelled as such in that part of her life.
“I was a very weird child and I always felt like I’d been dropped off by aliens who eventually would return for me. When Zach showed me his script about this woman who desperately wants to communicate with aliens, I said yes, ‘I’m down with that!’ In fact, even if Jane truly goes insane or if she really is picked up by aliens is totally open to interpretation,” mused Stevens.
“I’ve read some reviews where they call my character a hipster. That’s not true. I created a backstory–I was a hotshot NASA scientist whose one big dream was to communicate with aliens and when it never happened, the disappointment led to a downward spiral. For the rest of Jane’s life, she smoked and drank.”
“The concept was originally called The Invasion, about a woman who is contacted by aliens. And at the end, she’d be whisked aboard,” said Stevens.
And for this short, this performer did not do what she’s famous for–to usual scream and dash away! Here, she has to show a wide range of emotions as something is calling for her. In the end, she even got to dance. That’s very rare for her to do in a film. She said, “As an actress, you very often have to put yourself in the hands of a filmmaker and the entire team in order to let them create what they want. Afterwards, it’s up to me to fill in the gaps.”
Although she’s tried to do some serious work early in her career, the fact she got pigeonholed never bothered her. She simply stated, “I never looked back.”
Even though her brief appearances in works like Body Double by Brian De Palma and This Is Spinal Tap by Rob Reiner seem trivial, she was okay with it. She eventually earned her cred and these days, is working behind the scenes too! Her directorial debut with Personal Demons shows she’s ready, and after her sophomore work in Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama 2, nothing can stop her now. She even has a credit in the upcoming Dawn and the Dead, which is listed as still in production. And she’s even dabbled with writing; Terror Toons 4 is worth seeking for those who love animated horror!
And what’s coming soon is another Western titled A Blood Moon Rising. “I play the town medic. It’s set in 1860, where the idea is Doctor Quinn Medicine Woman meets Werewolves. Filming that was really fun,” declared this performer.
“And arriving this month is Return to the Dark House of Mystery, directed by Dustin Ferguson. Here, Michelle Bauer and I are sisters in the film. So I’m so looking forward to that because I’ve always thought we kind of look alike, even though she’s taller than me.”
And there are many more works to check out! And Brinke Stevens is gearing up for this year’s convention appearances. To find out what they are, please visit either her official Facebook and Instagram page. After all this time, most fans think she’d have that special plague by now, and when Joe Bob Briggs presented her with the “Etheria Inspiration Award” last year at the Etheria 2023 Film Festival, she said that’s just as good as getting a plaque for Lifetime Achievement.
She said, “Horror fans are the best; they continue to buy my movies, and that’s just incredible.”
The Night Jane Went Insane (full film), Starring Brinke Stevens
