In the history of adult films, there is no bigger star than Marilyn Chambers. After over a decade away from the blue screen, Marilyn returns in ‘Still Insatiable’ from VCA Pictures. Taking time out from a very busy schedule, she took time out to talk about her career, past, present and future.

Before we get started, I must thank you for taking the time to do this interview. On behalf of all the readers and fans on your fanclub, I thank you.

Absolutely, my pleasure.

You’re returning to adult films after how long?

It’s been close to fourteen years.

How does it feel to be back?

It feels really good. It was a little scary at first, but with the help of the Veronica Hart, director and the cast members, it was a great experience. I really had a good time.

And the reception has been positive I assume?

Well, have you seen the film?

Yes.

Did you like it?

I thought it was very good.

I think it was done very well. There was no expense spared. It took a little bit longer than most adult films being shot today. There was a little more thought put into it and I think it shows. I’m very pleased with how it turned out, which is good since I just signed to do two more pictures for VCA.

Veronica Hart directed this film. Was this the first time you’ve worked for female director?

Yeah, actually it was.

How was that different, if it all?

Well, I’ve known Veronica for a long time. We did an R rated film for Private Screenings together in New York. I had never worked with her as actress until then and I noticed that she was a very good actress. We worked really well together. So when she told me she was directing, we both got in our heads that maybe one day we could work together with her directing me. When she approached me about this, I was very excited.

What was she like to work for?

Veronica knows what it’s like to be a woman in front of the camera, especially when you’re doing a sex scene. There are a lot of people, especially when it’s a guy directing, you know that they are into it but they are mostly into the work aspect of the scene. Maybe they are turned on, but they aren’t as into it as Veronica is. Veronica is sitting there and she is so turned on by the scene and that really helps me doing my scene. It gives me something to feed off of when I know she is so turned on by the scene. So working with her was a real pleasure and a real thrill. I could say anything I needed to her and she could say anything she needed to me. I just felt really comfortable.

How would you say she stacks up against the very best directors you have worked with over your career?

I think she is one of the best. She takes a lot of time and effort. If there was a problem, she was approachable and changed things immediately to make everyone feel comfortable. On the other hand, she’s no shrinking violet. She can be tough when she had to be and works her butt off. I don’t know how she does it sometimes. She is just very devoted and dedicated. I would like to see her win some awards.

You have scenes in this movie with Julian, Mr. Marcus, Juli Ashton, Julian St. Jox and others. How do you think the new talent stacks up?

That’s kind of hard to say. They’re young. Sexually, they are really professional. The scene with Julian and Marcus was interesting. I think we were all kind of nervous. I don’t want to sound like I’m patting myself on the back, but I think my reputation proceeded me on that one and they were a little nervous, maybe trying to impress me. I was nervous too and I think that’s why the scene worked. It was supposed to be in a sleazy motel, so that energy worked. The scene with Julian was good because he is just so professional. At the time we shot that, his back was killing him so he could barely stand up. He just kept his mouth shut and did what he had to do. I appreciate that kind of professionalism. In the old days, we used to do all this cocaine and drink and get crazy. It took forever to do a scene.

This was different?

Much. None of that stuff, it was totally professional and I think it shows in the quality of the scenes.

What made you decide to make your return to adult films at this time?

Once again, I have to credit Veronica. Having a good director was one of my concerns. Obviously one of the biggest concerns has been the AIDS issue. When I found out that there was a condoms-only policy, plus the type of AIDS test that they do now, I started thinking that my personal life was probably more scary than my professional life. That made me feel a little bit safer because I do have a child and I want to live to see her grow up. One of the other reasons is that I’m forty seven years old. I haven’t seen that many older women in films. For me personally, I have never felt sexier. My personal sex life is at an all time high, so sex has never been better for me. I would bet that there are a lot of women out there who feel the same way. No offense to younger ladies, because everybody likes to see that, including myself. But I think that when you’re watching an adult film, if that’s all you see it can be a little intimidating. I think men like to see older women as well because older women are sexy and we have a lot of experience. It’s important to show that in adult films because it’s not being done.

Older women were generally confined to ridiculous parody type roles, Granny’s Gang Bang and such. Do you think this movie will help change that?

I hope so. I think that a beautiful, sexy older woman is needed. I’m not saying that’s what I am, but if I can bring any kind of portrayal of an older woman who enjoys sex, then I am proud to do so. Maybe I can even help expand the screen life past twenty five. That’s one of the problems with this business. It is scary because usually past age thirty, that’s it. I’ve been very fortunate to have a long career. Having only done six feature adult films in my whole career, I haven’t really over exposed myself. People know who I am because of the other things I have done,. I am constantly doing a lot of publicity and appearing here and there. Still, I am best known for my adult films which makes me very happy because obviously they have been done very well. I think that’s an important factor. If you totally inundate the market with yourself, people will get tired of seeing you. How many movies can you make? How many positions can you be in?

Now that the business doesn’t shoot features any more, it’s not uncommon to see a woman do two hundred scenes in two hundred movies.

Behind The Green Door Review

I talked to one of the girls who said that she made eighty films during her first year in the business.

How many movies have you been in throughout your career?

You mean R rated and X Rated?

Yeah, everything.

I’d have to really think about that one. Let’s say twenty seven give or take.

So right around on third the number this woman did in her first year.

Yeah, it’s pretty amazing.

On any list of top porn performers, be it a fan list or a critic list, you come out as either the top name or the second name on each and every list. Are you aware of that kind of popularity and esteem, and how does it feel?

I try not to think about it actually. I know that fame is fleeting. I am honored that people think that way. I really don’t know what to say. I try not to think about it in those terms.

The woman who usually appears right below or beside you on the list is Ginger Lynn. She also has just made a comeback film for VCA. Any chance you might be working with her in the future?

I’m not sure they would do that. They might want to use us to promote different films because of the name value, but I would like to. I like Ginger a lot.

Now, the big question. Marilyn Chambers is back. Ginger Lynn is back. Who is going to win the battle of the superstars?

Oh me, for sure. (She laughs.) I hate to be competition with someone, but hey.

This is something I should probably tell you. You are probably single handedly responsible for my career in porn journalism, and all the hassles I have ever given film makers or performers.

I am?

Yes. The very first adult film star autograph I ever had was yours. My parents brought it back for me from Las Vegas and it hung over my desk for years. That began my interest in porn.

Thank you for that compliment. You know I do hear that from a lot guys who snuck their parents copy of Behind the Green Door or what not. I have been fortunate the people have grown up with me over the years. Now their kids are watching my films and I get a lot of feedback when I do shows.

Do you still dance?

No, I still do shows, but I don’t dance I was just in San Francisco doing some live sex shows at Mitchell Brothers. I hadn’t even done that in ten years. It was pretty weird, but it worked out well, I’m going back in October. I also go the a proclamation from Mayor Willie Brown. He named July 28th 1999 Marilyn Chambers day for all of my service to the city. That was pretty special.

In the 80’s you did some things on film that not everyone did, specifically some interracial scenes and anal scene. Did that have any adverse affect on your career?

No. That’s one of the reasons why I wanted to do an interracial scene in this movie. I had some people saying ‘oh no, you can’t do that, you’ll offend people in the south.’ I said you know what, screw that. To me, that makes it a big turn on, that it’s taboo, that you’re not supposed to do it. I’m sure it has turned some people off over the years, but I know it’s turned a lot of people on. People still think you should stick with your own kind and I think that it was important to do a scene like that because Whether people want to admit it or not, that it turns them on. It’s an important thing to show because it’s nothing I’m afraid to do. I think it’s sexy and a turn on.

And it’s a good sign that it hasn’t harmed your career.

Hell, what’s going to harm my career? I’ve already been black balled from doing anything other than adult films anyway.

Obviously, with your hard-core career, it has been tough for you to get mainstream work.

It’s impossible, it really is. I have done some R rated stuff, late night crap on USA and Cinemax. I mean, it’s fine, it’s good money, but it’s nothing that I consider acting. You can do that stuff with your eyes shut. I would like to do something that takes some actual acting ability. It seems that every time I play a part I am playing myself. I have been offered a lot of stuff that ends up jinxed or turned down because the producer’s wife got pissed off or some famous actor wouldn’t work with me because I did porno films or whatever. A lot of them are afraid because I’m more famous than they are. So, I kind of got the idea that it was never going to happen about ten years ago. I figured I might as well enjoy what I have and not be bitter over what I don’t. I’ve been very happy that my career has gone on as long as it has. If I can go another three years, I’ll be very happy.

And after that?

After that, who knows? Hopefully I’ll be involved in the film business on some level.

Do you plan on directing any adult films?

I would like to, and I think I could be successful at it because I really know what I’m doing now. God, I’ve been around long enough. I do know what I think makes a sex scene sexy and I often see things that could be done better.

What philosophies would you bring to directing?

I really believe in rehearsal, so you know what you’re going to say, what positions you’re going to do, blocking a scene. Little things. I know for me, the visual stimulation is not as sexy as the audio. I like sounds, so I like to hear them saying the right things and being verbal. The talking part of it is really sexy so it helps if part of that is scripts. "Oh God" is fine at home, that’s natural, but for films, I like a little more. When you have actual sex on camera, it almost becomes documentary footage because you actually are having sex. That isn’t something you are acting. There has to be something going along with it that makes it pretty to see and pretty to listen to. Something you don’t normally get in the bedroom. We want to kind of pepper it up a little bit.

If you could wave a magic wand over your career, would you make any changes?

I don’t know, that’s a really good question, I would have to say no, I don’t think so.

Nothing stands out, I shouldn’t have done that?

No, absolutely not. I guess there are some things I should have done, but I wouldn’t un-do anything.

Your first adult film was ‘Behind the Green Door’, had you been doing anything in front of the camera before that?

No, I was in a film that Sean Cunningham did when I was about seventeen. He later did Friday the 13th. It was supposed to be like a documentary. Before that I was in ‘Owl and the Pussycat.’ Those were my only two films of any kind before Green Door.

Marilyn Chambers Photos

How were you the first day on Green Door, were you nervous?

As you would expect any nineteen year old to be, I was nervous as a whore in church.

What about now, do you still get nervous?

When it’s a sex scene, yeah. I want to do the best I can. For instance, there was something funny that happened in ‘Still Insatiable.’ We were doing the scene and Veronica said ‘OK, we’re ready for the DP now’ and I’m thinking, what does that mean, the director of photography? Everyone started laughing at me. When they reminded me it was double penetration, I was sure I wasn’t ready for that. Let’s face it, I don’t get a dick up my ass every night.

What? It’s not a regular thing in your life?

No, I don’t even live with anybody. I have a boyfriend who lives in Las Vegas, so it’s mostly phone sex. So yeah, I still get nervous. I have always wanted to do the best scenes possible. Even in the old days, I mean taking John Holmes up the butt, that was something. Nobody was really doing that. Back then anal was the ultimate, now everybody does it.

How did you get yourself ready for taking that plunge again?

A couple of days before the shoot, Veronica gave me a box of dildos going from small to very large with a lot of love oils to get me started.

That scene is getting a lot of praise.

I wanted to do it a little differently, a little rougher. I don’t know if you remember, at the end when I’m on that dresser with my head hanging off, that’s the best way to deep throat. It’s actually the only way you’re going to get a dick all the way down your throat. I also think it’s a very pretty angle. I made that suggestion and they took it graciously, but I wanted to do it rougher.

You do have to be careful with that these days. That pool table scene from ‘Insatiable’ probably wouldn’t fly today.

And see, that’s my favorite scene of all times. That one and the blowjob scene with Artie.

What do you think your best adult movie is, before the new one of course?

I’d have to say Insatiable, it had the pool table scene and the anal with John, that would be best.

Well, thank you very much for taking the time, it was an honor and we look forward to seeing you in new projects.