Maila Nurmi

Maila Elizabeth Syrjäniemi known professionally as Maila Nurmi, was a Finnish-American actress and television personality who created the campy 1950s character Vampira.

Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)

In California, an old man grieves the loss of his wife and on the next day he also dies. However, the space soldier Eros and her mate Tanna use an electric device to resurrect them both and the strong Inspector Clay that was murdered by the couple. Their intention ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Edward D. Wood Jr.
CAST:  Gregory Walcott  •  Mona McKinnon  •  Duke Moore  •  Tom Keene

In California, an old man grieves the loss of his wife and on the next day he also dies. However, the space soldier Eros and her mate Tanna use an electric device to resurrect them both and the strong Inspector Clay that was murdered by the couple. Their intention ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Edward D. Wood Jr.
CAST:  Gregory Walcott  •  Mona McKinnon  •  Duke Moore  •  Tom Keene

The Beat Generation (1959)

A group of beatniks unwittingly harbor a serial rapist. A cop goes after him after his wife is attacked.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Charles F. Haas
CAST:  Steve Cochran  •  Mamie Van Doren  •  Ray Danton  •  Fay Spain

A group of beatniks unwittingly harbor a serial rapist. A cop goes after him after his wife is attacked.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Charles F. Haas
CAST:  Steve Cochran  •  Mamie Van Doren  •  Ray Danton  •  Fay Spain

The Big Operator (1959)

A power-mad union boss resorts to murder to eliminate witnesses scheduled to testify against him. The eclectic cast includes Mickey Rooney, Mamie Van Doren, Mel Torme, Jay North, Vampira, Charles Chaplin Jr., Jackie Coogan and Norman Grabowski.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Charles F. Haas
CAST:  Mickey Rooney  •  Mamie Van Doren  •  Steve Cochran  •  Mel Tormé

A power-mad union boss resorts to murder to eliminate witnesses scheduled to testify against him. The eclectic cast includes Mickey Rooney, Mamie Van Doren, Mel Torme, Jay North, Vampira, Charles Chaplin Jr., Jackie Coogan and Norman Grabowski.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Charles F. Haas
CAST:  Mickey Rooney  •  Mamie Van Doren  •  Steve Cochran  •  Mel Tormé

Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th (2013)

Taking inspiration from Peter M. Bracke's definitive book of the same name, this seven-hour documentary dives into the making of all twelve Friday the 13th films, with all-new interviews from the cast and the crew.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Daniel Farrands
CAST:  Corey Feldman  •  Robert Englund  •  Sean S. Cunningham  •  Kane Hodder

Taking inspiration from Peter M. Bracke's definitive book of the same name, this seven-hour documentary dives into the making of all twelve Friday the 13th films, with all-new interviews from the cast and the crew.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Daniel Farrands
CAST:  Corey Feldman  •  Robert Englund  •  Sean S. Cunningham  •  Kane Hodder

Schlock! The Secret History of American Movies (2001)

Hollywood is a town of tinsel and glamour; but there is another Hollywood, a place where maverick independent exploitation filmmakers went toe to toe with the big guys and came out on top.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ray Greene
CAST:  Forrest J. Ackerman  •  Samuel Z. Arkoff  •  Peter Bogdanovich  •  Roger Corman

Hollywood is a town of tinsel and glamour; but there is another Hollywood, a place where maverick independent exploitation filmmakers went toe to toe with the big guys and came out on top.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ray Greene
CAST:  Forrest J. Ackerman  •  Samuel Z. Arkoff  •  Peter Bogdanovich  •  Roger Corman

The Haunted World of Edward D. Wood, Jr. (1996)

Often called the worst director in the history of cinema, Ed Wood is nevertheless a beloved figure among cult-film aficionados for his oddball productions. This documentary takes a look back at Wood's unique career at the margins of 1950s Hollywood, speaking to ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Brett Thompson
CAST:  Maila Nurmi  •  Dolores Fuller  •  Paul Marco  •  Bela Lugosi

Often called the worst director in the history of cinema, Ed Wood is nevertheless a beloved figure among cult-film aficionados for his oddball productions. This documentary takes a look back at Wood's unique career at the margins of 1950s Hollywood, speaking to ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Brett Thompson
CAST:  Maila Nurmi  •  Dolores Fuller  •  Paul Marco  •  Bela Lugosi

James Dean: The First American Teenager (1975)

Stacy Keach narrates this documentary that chronicles the abbreviated life and career of iconic brooding bad boy James Dean, from his obscure early days working in television to his rise to stardom in films such as Rebel Without a Cause. Clips from Dean's movies ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ray Connolly
CAST:  Stacy Keach  •  Natalie Wood  •  Sal Mineo  •  Sammy Davis Jr.

Stacy Keach narrates this documentary that chronicles the abbreviated life and career of iconic brooding bad boy James Dean, from his obscure early days working in television to his rise to stardom in films such as Rebel Without a Cause. Clips from Dean's movies ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ray Connolly
CAST:  Stacy Keach  •  Natalie Wood  •  Sal Mineo  •  Sammy Davis Jr.

Sex Kittens Go to College (1960)

Collins College needs a new department head for their science department, so Doctors Carter and Zorch consult Thinko, the campus computer, and come up with Dr. Mathilda West, who has degrees in lots of things, but turns out to be disruptively attractive as well.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Albert Zugsmith
CAST:  Mamie Van Doren  •  Tuesday Weld  •  Mijanou Bardot  •  Louis Nye

Collins College needs a new department head for their science department, so Doctors Carter and Zorch consult Thinko, the campus computer, and come up with Dr. Mathilda West, who has degrees in lots of things, but turns out to be disruptively attractive as well.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Albert Zugsmith
CAST:  Mamie Van Doren  •  Tuesday Weld  •  Mijanou Bardot  •  Louis Nye

American Scary (2006)

A fond remembrance of and tribute to the uniquely American institution of the horror movie host.  (more)

DIRECTION:  John E. Hudgens
CAST:  Forrest J. Ackerman  •  Douglas Agosti  •  Curtis Armstrong  •  Bob Beidman

A fond remembrance of and tribute to the uniquely American institution of the horror movie host.  (more)

DIRECTION:  John E. Hudgens
CAST:  Forrest J. Ackerman  •  Douglas Agosti  •  Curtis Armstrong  •  Bob Beidman

Population: 1 (1986)

A defense contractor who somehow becomes the sole survivor of a nuclear holocaust. In his solitude, he traces the history of U.S. civilization in the 20th century through musical numbers.  (more)

DIRECTION:  René Daalder
CAST:  Tomata Du Plenty  •  Sheela Edwards  •  Beck  •  Al Hansen

A defense contractor who somehow becomes the sole survivor of a nuclear holocaust. In his solitude, he traces the history of U.S. civilization in the 20th century through musical numbers.  (more)

DIRECTION:  René Daalder
CAST:  Tomata Du Plenty  •  Sheela Edwards  •  Beck  •  Al Hansen

I Woke Up Early the Day I Died (1998)

A mental patient escapes from the looney bin in drag, robs a bank, and goes on the lam!  (more)

DIRECTION:  Aris Iliopulos
CAST:  Billy Zane  •  Tippi Hedren  •  Ron Perlman  •  Sandra Bernhard

A mental patient escapes from the looney bin in drag, robs a bank, and goes on the lam!  (more)

DIRECTION:  Aris Iliopulos
CAST:  Billy Zane  •  Tippi Hedren  •  Ron Perlman  •  Sandra Bernhard

Romance on the High Seas (1948)

Georgia Garrett is sent by jealous wife Elvira Kent on an ocean cruise to masquerade as herself while she secretly stays home to catch her husband cheating. Meanwhile equally suspicious husband Michael Kent has sent a private eye on the same cruise to catch his ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Michael Curtiz  •  Busby Berkeley
CAST:  Jack Carson  •  Janis Paige  •  Don DeFore  •  Doris Day

Georgia Garrett is sent by jealous wife Elvira Kent on an ocean cruise to masquerade as herself while she secretly stays home to catch her husband cheating. Meanwhile equally suspicious husband Michael Kent has sent a private eye on the same cruise to catch his ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Michael Curtiz  •  Busby Berkeley
CAST:  Jack Carson  •  Janis Paige  •  Don DeFore  •  Doris Day

I Passed for White (1960)

A young woman falls in love and marries, but withholds from her husband information about her family.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Fred M. Wilcox
CAST:  Sonya Wilde  •  James Franciscus  •  Patricia Michon  •  Jimmy Lydon

A young woman falls in love and marries, but withholds from her husband information about her family.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Fred M. Wilcox
CAST:  Sonya Wilde  •  James Franciscus  •  Patricia Michon  •  Jimmy Lydon

The Magic Sword (1962)

The son of a sorceress, armed with weapons, armour and six magically summoned knights, goes on a quest to save a princess from a vengeful wizard.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Bert I. Gordon
CAST:  Basil Rathbone  •  Estelle Winwood  •  Gary Lockwood  •  Anne Helm

The son of a sorceress, armed with weapons, armour and six magically summoned knights, goes on a quest to save a princess from a vengeful wizard.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Bert I. Gordon
CAST:  Basil Rathbone  •  Estelle Winwood  •  Gary Lockwood  •  Anne Helm

Vampira and Me (2013)

Though most people knew her as Vampira, a late-night, creature-feature host in Los Angeles, Maila Nurmi was so much more. From her relationships with James Dean and other Hollywood luminaries to her significant contributions to the eventual Goth craze, Nurmi was a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  R.H. Greene
CAST:  Maila Nurmi  •  Gloria Pall  •  Dana Gould  •  Jennifer Van Goethem

Though most people knew her as Vampira, a late-night, creature-feature host in Los Angeles, Maila Nurmi was so much more. From her relationships with James Dean and other Hollywood luminaries to her significant contributions to the eventual Goth craze, Nurmi was a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  R.H. Greene
CAST:  Maila Nurmi  •  Gloria Pall  •  Dana Gould  •  Jennifer Van Goethem

Flying Saucers Over Hollywood: The 'Plan 9' Companion (1992)

A documentary detailing the making of the cult favorite "Plan 9 from Outer Space," featuring interviews with cast members and prominent filmmakers about the film, its lasting legacy, and its creator, Edward D. Wood Jr.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mark Patrick Carducci
CAST:  Forrest J. Ackerman  •  Carl Anthony  •  Stephen C. Apostolof  •  Conrad Brooks

A documentary detailing the making of the cult favorite "Plan 9 from Outer Space," featuring interviews with cast members and prominent filmmakers about the film, its lasting legacy, and its creator, Edward D. Wood Jr.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mark Patrick Carducci
CAST:  Forrest J. Ackerman  •  Carl Anthony  •  Stephen C. Apostolof  •  Conrad Brooks

Vampira: The Movie (2006)

Vampira The Movie chronicles the story of Malia "Vampira" Nurmi living on the very edge of show business and her rise to celluloid cultdom 50 years later. Her big break came in 1954 when she played the "glamour ghoul" Vampira, emerging from the mist to greet ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kevin Sean Michaels
CAST:  Forrest J. Ackerman  •  Zack Beseda  •  Count Smokula  •  Jami Deadly

Vampira The Movie chronicles the story of Malia "Vampira" Nurmi living on the very edge of show business and her rise to celluloid cultdom 50 years later. Her big break came in 1954 when she played the "glamour ghoul" Vampira, emerging from the mist to greet ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kevin Sean Michaels
CAST:  Forrest J. Ackerman  •  Zack Beseda  •  Count Smokula  •  Jami Deadly

Vampira: About Sex, Death and Taxes (1995)

Interviews with Maila Nurmi, who famously played the horror hostess Vampira  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mika J. Ripatti
CAST:  Maila Nurmi

Interviews with Maila Nurmi, who famously played the horror hostess Vampira  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mika J. Ripatti
CAST:  Maila Nurmi