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The above link goes to a two-movie set that includes Quinn's "In the Year 2889" and a non-Quinn sci-fi feature called "It's Alive!" starring Quinn's friend Tommy Kirk (of "Old Yeller" fame). This set includes lots of extras and a recent interview with Quinn's co-star Paul Petersen, who talks about this movie and other things.
This made-for-TV film has since
become a cult classic. Quinn is more surprised about that than
anyone!
"I think the budget was $28.89," Quinn jokes. "If I would have seen the monsters during the show, my character could have died laughing!"
The infamous Z-movie director Larry Buchanan helmed this project, which was a remake of 1955's "The Day The World Ended". "THAT was actually a GOOD movie," Quinn says. "I didn't know who Larry Buchanan was before I signed onto this film, otherwise I might not have done it."
Funny things happen in Hollywood, though, and this movie provided Quinn with one of her best-known roles.
"I loved playing Jada, and I loved working with Paul Petersen. Paul and I are friends to this day. The rest of the cast was nice, too. I had a great time filming this movie, but wish that Larry would have let me come back to do the overdubs of my exterior scenes in post-production. I even offered to fly back to Texas to do it, but he wouldn't hear of it. Instead, they had the lady that did hair do my overdubs in the outside scenes. Her voice was not a match to mine, and it confused audiences. When you hear Jada speak inside the house, that's my voice. The voice of Jada outside was not. This is the only thing that truly bugs me to this day about that movie."
For being an alleged science-fiction movie, there was nothing science-fiction about it, except the fact that the world was supposed to have ended. There is nothing even remotely futuristic about the movie, despite the title. A name change to "1989" would have been pushing it. In the opening scenes of the movie you see an old Sony radio on a table. In Jada's drunken striptease scene near the end of the film, she dances to an old style of portable record player. Actually, it made a better soap opera than anything else.
The pace of the movie was very slow, and as some critics described it, "Like a day at the mall." The most exciting character, by a longshot, was Jada. She had the most diverse wardrobe of anyone in the film, and she was the only character with a defined back story. Jada was an alcoholic stripper, and not the brightest bulb on the lamp post. She's funny, dramatic, and has the most expression of anyone in the film. Unfortunately, she's one of the few characters that DOES get killed in the show.
"My character of Jada was always supposed to die," Quinn explains. "Larry Buchanan told people my character was killed off so I could leave the production early. That's not true. Jada (called Ruby in the original film) died, too. Funny thing, the script originally had Jada being pushed off a cliff. The drowning of Jada in the swimming pool was a last minute inspiration. It ticked me off, because I was wearing an expensive wig that I bought at Fredrick's of Hollywood. The wig was completely ruined when I was drowned."
Jada's character lives through most of the film, being killed near the end when her treacherous boyfriend Mickey drowns her in the pool. Mickey is later shot to death by the "old dude" in the film at the very end. Our heroes Steve and Joanna (Paul Petersen and Charla Dougherty) decide to become a couple after defeating the mutant man.
But why the name, "In The Year 2889"? AIP had some success in 1961 with a movie called "Master of the World". That film was based on a story by legendary author Jules Verne. The popular B-movie production company planned to make another movie based on a Jules Verne story, called "In The Year 2889". The idea never came to pass, and was ultimately shelved. Director Larry Buchanan was given the script to AIP's earlier picture, "The Day The World Ended", but a new title was needed. Since the title "In The Year 2889" was already registered, it was simply attached to this film. Interesting enough, the Larry Buchanan version is almost a line-for-line remake. Characters names were changed, but it was essentially the same script.
"I think it's amazing that this movie has so much staying power after all these years," Quinn remarks. "And I love it that people still remember and appreciate my performance as Jada. I'm contacted by fans of this film on a regular basis, and I find it all very flattering."
Some people think this movie is "so bad it's good". Other viewers just think this is a very good film. Quinn appreciates the fact that it's remembered in any capacity.
"I think the budget was $28.89," Quinn jokes. "If I would have seen the monsters during the show, my character could have died laughing!"
The infamous Z-movie director Larry Buchanan helmed this project, which was a remake of 1955's "The Day The World Ended". "THAT was actually a GOOD movie," Quinn says. "I didn't know who Larry Buchanan was before I signed onto this film, otherwise I might not have done it."
Funny things happen in Hollywood, though, and this movie provided Quinn with one of her best-known roles.
"I loved playing Jada, and I loved working with Paul Petersen. Paul and I are friends to this day. The rest of the cast was nice, too. I had a great time filming this movie, but wish that Larry would have let me come back to do the overdubs of my exterior scenes in post-production. I even offered to fly back to Texas to do it, but he wouldn't hear of it. Instead, they had the lady that did hair do my overdubs in the outside scenes. Her voice was not a match to mine, and it confused audiences. When you hear Jada speak inside the house, that's my voice. The voice of Jada outside was not. This is the only thing that truly bugs me to this day about that movie."
For being an alleged science-fiction movie, there was nothing science-fiction about it, except the fact that the world was supposed to have ended. There is nothing even remotely futuristic about the movie, despite the title. A name change to "1989" would have been pushing it. In the opening scenes of the movie you see an old Sony radio on a table. In Jada's drunken striptease scene near the end of the film, she dances to an old style of portable record player. Actually, it made a better soap opera than anything else.
The pace of the movie was very slow, and as some critics described it, "Like a day at the mall." The most exciting character, by a longshot, was Jada. She had the most diverse wardrobe of anyone in the film, and she was the only character with a defined back story. Jada was an alcoholic stripper, and not the brightest bulb on the lamp post. She's funny, dramatic, and has the most expression of anyone in the film. Unfortunately, she's one of the few characters that DOES get killed in the show.
"My character of Jada was always supposed to die," Quinn explains. "Larry Buchanan told people my character was killed off so I could leave the production early. That's not true. Jada (called Ruby in the original film) died, too. Funny thing, the script originally had Jada being pushed off a cliff. The drowning of Jada in the swimming pool was a last minute inspiration. It ticked me off, because I was wearing an expensive wig that I bought at Fredrick's of Hollywood. The wig was completely ruined when I was drowned."
Jada's character lives through most of the film, being killed near the end when her treacherous boyfriend Mickey drowns her in the pool. Mickey is later shot to death by the "old dude" in the film at the very end. Our heroes Steve and Joanna (Paul Petersen and Charla Dougherty) decide to become a couple after defeating the mutant man.
But why the name, "In The Year 2889"? AIP had some success in 1961 with a movie called "Master of the World". That film was based on a story by legendary author Jules Verne. The popular B-movie production company planned to make another movie based on a Jules Verne story, called "In The Year 2889". The idea never came to pass, and was ultimately shelved. Director Larry Buchanan was given the script to AIP's earlier picture, "The Day The World Ended", but a new title was needed. Since the title "In The Year 2889" was already registered, it was simply attached to this film. Interesting enough, the Larry Buchanan version is almost a line-for-line remake. Characters names were changed, but it was essentially the same script.
"I think it's amazing that this movie has so much staying power after all these years," Quinn remarks. "And I love it that people still remember and appreciate my performance as Jada. I'm contacted by fans of this film on a regular basis, and I find it all very flattering."
Some people think this movie is "so bad it's good". Other viewers just think this is a very good film. Quinn appreciates the fact that it's remembered in any capacity.