Jessica Harper

Nic - Jessica, you've worked with a number of famous directors over the years including Woody Allen, Brian De Palma, and even Steven Spielberg. However, to many horror fans it is your work in Dario Argento's Suspiria that is your most memorable role. What was it like working with Argento on the film?

Jessica - Dario was great, very inspired and inspiring, and incredibly supportive. His high energy was infectious, as was his commitment to making a movie with such a strong and pure vision.

N - Is it true that Dario used some interesting techniques to build the mood on the set such as playing the soundtrack that his band Goblin made for the film at a very high volume during scary scenes?

J - It's funny, but I've heard that story so many times that I'm beginning to believe it, even though I have no memory of that actually happening. It may have been the case; I can't say that I know for sure, due to a faulty memory!

N - What do you remember as being the most challenging part of your work on Suspiria?

J - The final scene, when I had to run through an exploding hallway, was a little terrifying, probably the toughest scene to shoot. Those weren't computer-generated explosions, they were real!

N - In addition to Suspiria, you've been in a number of other features that fall into the horror genre. Are you a fan of horror films?

J - Funny you should ask: I don't really like horror films! It's better to act in them, to be the one doing the scaring, than to sit through them, to be the one being scared, which I find intolerable!

N - Is it different for you to make a horror movie as opposed to a regular drama or some other type of film?

J - No, not really. All acting works basically on the same principle: you have to connect to the material, make it real, regardless of the genre.

N - How do you think the genre has changed since Suspiria came out?

J - Since I don't like horror movies--well, I should say, I don't dislike them, I just don't want to see them--I'm not all that aware of changes in the genre because I haven't been paying attention. But I suspect that the level of gore has advanced considerably since Suspiria, which would probably look pretty tame next to, say, Saw.

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