Zora Kerova is a Czech actress, dancer, singer and model who starred in some of the most controversial horror films of all time!
Born in Prague, Czechoslovakia, she began her career as a dancer and singer, later becoming a photo model – and ultimately began starring in Italian thrillers in the late 70’s…
She achieved worldwide fame with her role in the slasher film “Terror Express” in 1979.
She went on to star in some of the era’s most controversial cult horror films like “Antropophagus” from 1980:
Kerova’s “Cannibal” Classic Shocker!
But it was her next film that shocked audiences around the world – well, the ones that were allowed to see it, because “Cannibal Ferox” – AKA “Make Them Die Slowly” in 1981 was banned in many countries!
Here is the trailer, that begins with a warning about how shocking the film is!
This film, along with “Cannibal Holocaust”, were two of the most violent and sadistic films of the grind house era – and were routinely banned around the world.
Zora’s character endures one of the film’s most shocking sequences – but listen, the film just never stops – one of the most intense cinematic experiences you could have…
The very next year, Kerova was back with another controversial thriller, Lucio Fulci’s “The New York Ripper!”
This film was savaged upon release, but years later, has begun a critical reexamination that has made it one of the more important films of the later grindhouse era….and a new 3-disc blu-ray shows why:
Fulci’s vision of a nightmarish New York mirrored the city’s state at the time, and looking at the film now, it’s a cinema verity shocker that holds up well.
On the terrific new Blu-Ray edition of “The New York Ripper” is this:
“I’m an Actress!” (9m30s) spends time with Czech-born actress Zora Kerova, who was hired from Prague for the film in the quick but memorable role as a sex show performer who gets the wrong end of a broken bottle. She calls her sex scene “the most difficult I’ve ever done” but has better memories of her murder scene; Kerova’s other notable films from the period include Anthropophagus, Cannibal Ferox and The New Barbarians. Most interestingly the still-gorgeous actress talks about how the role got her in hot water with her native country, shares sometimes unpleasant memories of other directors like Bruno Mattei and Umberto Lenzi, and remembers a nice relationship with Fulci, whom she believes New York Ripperwas more angry at the world than women in particular.
Zora later appeared in another two other Fulci’s films, Touch of Death (1988) and Sodoma’s Ghost (1988).
I had a great time going through Zora’s film credits – some of the most controversial films of their time…and that’s what grindhouse exploitation was all about:
This is a great example of the films of the era – especially at the beginning of the exploitation explosion…here is a look at some of the classic films that broke new ground in cinema:
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Congrats to Zora Kerova on a terrific career!
Categories: 70's Films, Classic Action Films, Cult Classics, Exploitation Films, Extreme Cinema, Grindhouse, JRsploitation, Nudity, sex kittens, Talent / Celebrites, Uncategorized
Great review of Zora’;s career, John. I had never heard of her.
Best wishes, Pete.
Thanks Pete…these get a really good response, so trying to mix and match between the well known and lesser so, because they left us with some great films as well!