Talking to Helga Line

So yesterday, about noon, I talked to Helga Line. I came home from some household chores to find Helga Line's voice on my answering machine. Previously in the week I had given her maid or housekeeper my phone number, but I never expected a call, as I thought communications were at a standstill, either due to a failure to communicate or simple disinterest on the other party's side. But it was Line's voice on the machine, and since she spoke English, I could fully understand her. So hoping that she would still be at the number she gave over to the answering machine (a different phone number than the one I had been calling), I dialed and found myself speaking to Helga Line a moment later.

I briefly explained who I was and about my interest in interviewing her, not forgetting to mention that I was writing liner notes for two films she had starred in, whose DVDs would be released later in the year in the United States. The first film I mentioned, in my best Spanish, was LAS GARRAS DE LORELEI, and Line's reaction was immediate and surprising. (What she said will be revealed in my liners for the DVD.) Later, after I made sure I had a bit more from her about the film and its director Amando de Ossorio, we talked briefly about the next film of hers that would be released on DVD in America--EL ESPANTO SURGE DE LA TUMBA, or in English, HORROR RISES FROM THE TOMB, with the by-now legendary Paul Naschy. Her reaction to Naschy and the film was--well, it pleased me, but her responses will also have to wait to see the light of day in another set of liner notes.

I went over her career in a quick overview, starting with her work as a child in the circus, where she was a contortionist. There were not that many surprises along the way, and Line could not offer specifics, as she's done an incredible amount of films and most of these were about three decades ago. I made sure at various instances to inform her how beloved she is by cult-movie fans in the United States, and asked her if she was aware of her status among a segment of film fans.

"I don't understand this," she replied modestly, but undoubtedly with a smile on her face that I could not see but could feel over the phone and the distance between us.

I didn't want to overstay my welcome, as it were, and I wasn't that prepared to interview her fully at that point, so we said our farewells, with Line saying that since I was so very nice and complimentary, she would give me her address in Argentina (where, I assume, she lives a good deal of time) and also her phone number there.

Of course, I hope to contact her again, this time prepared to explore her life and career with the thoroughness it deserves. But what a day, I thought afterward. I just spoke to the Helga Line, one of the most renowned actresses in euro-cult, and one of the most elusive.

Calling Emma Cohen

It is worth noting that yesterday, about noon, I called Emma Cohen. Emma Cohen is a Spanish actress (and authoress), who is most known in the United States among euro-cult fans for her roles in such films as HORROR RISES FROM THE TOMB, CUT-THROATS NINE and, possibly, CANNIBAL MAN. Her resume is far lengthier than that, of course, but such is fame that one finds it sometimes in the least expected places--at least for the actors and actresses who starred in genre films once upon a time. They may have forgotten about these films, but we haven't.

My call, with my Spanish-speaking friend Louis assisting me, came after a third attempt last month to contact Helga Line, another euro-cult actress. I wasn't expecting to reach her, but the person who picked up the phone was a female--and, yes, she confirmed that she was the Emma Cohen. After a frustrating time talking to Helga Line's maid (if it was her maid and not her), talking to Ms. Cohen, however briefly, was refreshing, even exhilarating. Her Spanish was spoken with precision and kindness (Louis and I tried to confirm her e-mail address several times, and Ms. Cohen exhibited lovely patience with us), and her voice was clear, youthful, sensitive and intelligent.

She had guests, so I was not able to interview her at that moment (I wasn't prepared, either), but with her e-mail received, I was sure to approach her again with questions about her life and career.

Now the dilemma is whether Emma Cohen will want to respond to questions about the films she is most famous for here in the United States. I said to her, through Louis, my interpretor, that I wanted to interview her about her career, so she doesn't suspect the specific direction many of my questions will take. (Though, obviously, I will address other parts of her career in some measure, too, not just that horror stuff.) In my next introduction to her, via e-mail, I will be upfront about my reason for interviewing her--research for my book on Spanish fantaterror films and for DVD liner notes.

As far as I know, Emma Cohen has never been interviewed about her genre films. Considered an intellectual, she may not be interested in going down the memory path of films she may think beneath her nowadays. But, then again, her voice was so lovely and her demeanor so casual, that it may not be that much of a big deal to her.

We shall see. As beauty can be deceiving, so can voices be.