Happy Sad Confused - Kathryn Hahn, Vol. III

Episode Date: May 6, 2020

The wonderful Kathryn Hahn returns to the podcast to talk about her upcoming projects, "I Know This Much Is True" and "Central Park", and also her favorite comfort movie, "E.T."! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

D.C. high volume, Batman. The Dark Nights definitive DC comic stories adapted directly for audio for the very first time. Fear, I have to make them afraid. He's got a motorcycle. Get after him or have you shot. What do you mean blow up the building? From this moment on,

none of you are safe. New episodes every Wednesday, wherever you get your podcasts. Prepare your ears, humans. Happy, Sad, Confused begins now. Today on Happy, Sad, Confused, Catherine Hahn on her comfort movie, E.T. Hey, guys, I'm Josh Horowitz. Welcome to another edition of Happy, Sad, Confused.

Sammy, I almost qualified that by saying the full title of the movie. Technically, it's E.T. the extraterrestrial. Yeah, it is. Do you think I confused listeners by just saying E.T.? Are they now, like, what is he talking about, that weirdo? Well, you just, you said it just now. So I think, like, they had a second of freaking out, but now they're okay.

So what percentage of the listenership dropped out after hearing just E.T. And was like, what, I don't know what. Yeah. Well, hello to the three of you left. I'm Josh. Yeah, they stuck for the, for the Cape Blanchette Chinese film. But when you just said E.T. They were out.

You better check that movie out if you want some culture in your life, Sammy. Yeah, that's what I need. Mm-hmm. I'm Josh. That's Sammy. This is a podcast called Happy Say I Confuse where I talk to actors and filmmakers currently about their favorite comfort movies

in this re-chiggered weird new format for Happy Say Confused in our lovely new world. And like I said, I'm happy to say that Catherine Hahn, or Cawthrin-Hon, if you want to go really classy, is the returning guest. and a happy, second, fused. And she is a delight, Sammy.

I love her. Who doesn't love Catherine Hahn? She is a breath of fresh air in these dark times. When I saw her face zooming from across the country, it just filled me with joy. Unlike right now, the kind of sense of dread I feel when I stare at you. Yeah, this is awful. I just look off in the distance.

Catherine, you know, of course, from, she's great in everything. Stepbrothers, transparent. Whenever she pops up on a film or on TV, you know it's going to be good. And certainly she fulfills that promise with a couple new projects. She's got the new HBO miniseries.

I know this much is true. Yes. You're going to watch that one, Sammy? It's a little dark. Yeah. Yeah, I was going to say, give it to me. I like it dark and depressing right now. Well, that's perfect.

It's perfect. Six-part miniseries based on the best-selling book starring Mark Ruffalo as twins. And Catherine Hahn, I'm only halfway through the series as of now only one role for Catherine sadly but I mean who knows what happens in the second half of the series. I didn't know

that Mark plays twins so I feel like you spoiled that. It's not like a big reveal. It's not an Shyamalan twist. It's right from the kick of he's got a twin brother. She is also if a dark brooding adaptation of a novel is not your speed well then check out Central Park on

Apple Plus at the end of the month It is a musical, cartoon, Josh Gadd, Kristen Bell, a ton of great talented performers. It's from the folks that brought you Bob's Burgers. I also checked out a few of those episodes in our alternate timeline. I was moderating the Q&A for that one at South by Southwest. Never happened. But I'm glad I got a chance to catch up with Catherine and talk to her about those projects.

But also, ET, which is just a stone cold classic. Like, you know it. Everybody loves it. If you have a brain and a heart, you love E.T. And she was really insightful and thoughtful and emotional talking about what she loved about the movie from performances, from the music, all the aspects that resonated with her and hit her at the right time as a kid. And now she's exposed her own kids to it. So this was a really great chat and a really good excuse to catch up with her. So I'm glad we made it happen.

I don't know. I'm so sorry to interrupt you. I don't think children should watch that movie. Oh, that's interesting. By children, do you have a cutoff point? I... Or do you just interview all children in the same bucket? I was so traumatized by E.T. as a child.

I had a vision of his little head going up from... Like, I would be in my bed, and I would see his head rise up from the side of my bed. You know how, like, it goes up. up and down. Yeah. And like, I had a full panic attack on the ride with my mom. What's the less to do with E.T. than the ride.

No, because he was supposed to be in the basket in front. And I was so fucking scared of him. Okay. His head would pop out of the little basket that we had to get off the ride. And this is, this is two years ago. This was six months ago right before Disney closed. But then I re-watched the movie in my 20s, and I was like, oh, I get it. You're not so bad.

No, but you're right. And we actually discuss, not in those crude terms, like you're like the mouth of a sailor, a trucker. But in more eloquent terms, Catherine and I discussed how, yes, it is. Traumatic, maybe is the wrong word, but it is. Traumatic is the right word. Okay, traumatic is the right word. For kids, because it is about loss and death and big emotions. and if you are not crying by the end,

then something's wrong with you. And I think it's a profound movie for kids. And of course, it works for us as adults. If you still have a child within, you know I have embraced my child within, Sammy. Yeah, you've yet to embrace your adult. One of these days. Let's hear a few other comfort movies from the listeners out there.

I ask every week for you guys to send in your own picks for your comfort movie. As always, you can send them to my Twitter handle with the hashtag my comfort movie, hashtag HappySat Confused. This is Abby Hiddleston. I don't believe that's your given name, Abby. Oh. Unless the whole Hiddleston family is a fan of Happy Sighton Fused, which I guess is possible.

Abby chooses Raising Arizona. Great call. Kelia McNabb says, Weekend at Bernies. Oh. That's a fun one. Elizabeth Smith takes it old school with singing in the rain. Great pick. James McTavish says,

Father of the Bride, we'll never know. Is it the original or the remake? Is it both? James, clarify. I'll never know. Follow up. Kelly Thurman says when Harry met Sally.

These are all fine picks. I support all of the listeners and their great taste. So, yeah, so that's my comfort movie. Other things to mention, I want to mention that I got a busy week of Josh Horowitz content for you. MTV and Comedy Central, an embarrassment of riches on Comedy Central. Stir Crazy, my comedy talk show continues with the cast of Reno 911. That new episode is up by the time you hear this.

It is awesome. The show, they're just amazing improv artists, so as you can imagine, they're hysterical. And then later on this week, very soon you'll be able to hear my conversation with Alexander Dodario, another former guest of Happy Say I Confused, and she is, of course, delightful as well. Over on the MTV side, I'm starting to do these Instagram live interviews, Sammy. Do you know what that is? We have never done it. It's okay, you know me too well.

I have never done an Instagram live. So guys, you should check these out if for no other reason to see if I can pull this off. I will. So I'm stealing MTV News's Instagram account for the duration of these chats. And like I said, I'm just praying I don't mess everything up. But, yes, tomorrow, or actually, we're taping this on Tuesday, but if you hear this on Wednesday when the episode drops, later on today, I'm talking to Beanie Feldstein at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Eastern Time.

That will be great to her new movies and How to Build a Girl. And then on Friday at 3 p.m. Eastern, I'm talking to Skylar Aston about Zoe's extraordinary playlist. So I'm really excited to catch up with us for them. Way more talented than I won't speak for you, but we both know. But certainly more talented than I. Who knows, maybe we'll break out into song. Hopefully them, not me. Yeah, one-sided song break-out.

You can do spoken word. How's your Friday Night Lights viewing, Sammy? Really good. We're in, we're deep in it. I moved through. I was just telling you, I forgot, like, when the writer's strike was. So the transition from season two to three was very jarring. Right.

Like, I thought I missed, like, five episodes, and I freaked out. Do you miss the New York Sirens? Can you hear them where you are? That was nice. Yeah. That was nice. That's New York character for you. I like to bring a little bit of real life into the podcast.

I heard earlier there was, there's, like, someone was mowing their lawn out there. And I was like, whoa, what is that noise? Yeah, you've got dogs and mo, you're Americana, and I'm in an urban hellscape. So it works for both of us, I suppose. Well, enjoy your continued first watch of Friday Night Lights, which is... Hey, that Riggins guy's pretty hot, huh? Big the Kitch, you're a fan of the Kitch? Yeah, I get it now.

What red-blooded man, woman, child is not a fan of the Kitch? That's true. Even the dog loves the Kitch. He's a special individual. Okay, enough prittle, prattle. Is that a word? Priddle, prattle? I just made it up.

I hope you guys enjoyed this conversation with Catherine Hahn talking about her favorite comfort movie, E.T. Extraterrestrial, remember to review, rate and subscribe to Happy Say I Confused, spread the good word, use the hashtag happy say I confused, use the hashtag my comfort movie. And without any further ado, here's me and Kathy. I'm happy to see a familiar face and hear a familiar voice. It's Catherine Hahn. It's good to see you, Catherine. Hi, friend. Good to see you. Oh, my gosh. Crazy times, crazy times. But it's good to see reassuring. Yes. We're talking in our Zoom boxes. We've, you've been, I don't know if it's any weirder than being in my office, to be fair. At least you get to be in the comfort of your own home this way. No, right. Exactly. I don't have to look at your amazing knickknacks. Although they're very distracting, but you've got a lot, you've got quite a lot of knickknacks in there. As you can see in my home, I actually don't have many knickknacks in the home. It's all in the office. That's kind of an amazing thing you have a place to put them. Thank God.

No, you've got a very minimal decor. I love it. Yeah. Well, my wife doesn't really support my stupid ways. So maybe your office is... Oh, I see. That's my respite. Sure.

Okay. So how are you... Let's just get a lay of the land on how you're holding up. Have you settled into a new normal? Like, is there a normal yet? Like, is there a routine for you in this new world right now? I mean, I mean, I can't even form a sentence. I mean, it's bananas.

I mean, it's... I feel like we're living. I'm definitely living in the upside down. Oh, you're freezing up on me. Kids, they're both in different schools. I mean, we're filled with gratitude and also paralyzed with what we can possibly do. Like there's just this, you know,

you wake up and it's 4.30 the next day. It feels like the days go so fast. Like time feels very strange. We go through, it's the four of us and our two dogs, so we've gone through quite, as everybody's family, I'm sure have, has gone through quite some journeys together, some emotional journeys.

Weirdly, we just saw the lighthouse, and I was like, oh, God, what an amazing, maybe not the best movie to watch in quarantine, but what an incredible movie. The true movie for our times, yeah, about being fumbled together in the tight space. Who would have thunk it?

I know. At least you don't have Willem Defoe next to you. I mean, that character, at least. I mean, I would love to have Willem Defoe next to me, but maybe not the character. But, yes, we're holding up. You are passing the time by, by, you're still acting because I've seen your masterwork, Glenn Gary Glenn Ross, and you've employed the entire family.

My vocal work? I mean, it was, so for those that don't know, you, how did this happen? This was like with, you did it with dolls, you kind of recreated this. American Girl dolls. Oh, sorry, my daughter's, please. Mo, my daughter, my friend Matt Jackman, who runs the Gevin Theater out in Los Angeles, was trying to, you know, he started this thing called the Gevin Stayhouse, which is like another, like, you know, a theater artist,

whatever, would be able to every week put something on, you know, let internet for people to enjoy and keep reminding us that the theater still exists. And to support those theaters, if anyone, you know, just a reminder that they're around. And so that this was something we just came up with my family and I that we just made us laugh. And it took like two seconds.

And also my, I mean, my behind the scenes, a lot of tension. My son was a very reluctant D.P. and cameraman. They did not want to do it, but my daughter was very excited to swear. I was going to say, so did she actually get to utter the, I mean, that's as profane of play as there is. Definitely. I didn't want to hear it, but we really, she tore up a, she, yes, of course. She grew up overnight, thanks to David Mamet and you. Not that she hadn't been hearing those words, plenty. Right.

In this lockdown, but she definitely has heard plenty of language. They came out real fast and easy. I love it. It's coming out, yeah. Yeah, so you're saying the Han household. basically, usually sounds like a David Mamet play on any day, especially given the lockdown. It's going to be true.

I would say that's pretty accurate, Josh. As you know, we're going to get into one of our favorite comfort movies, but I do want to mention that thankfully, in this dark time, we can at least enjoy the summer of Han. I'm calling it the summer of Han, because we have a lot going on. It doesn't trip up the tongue, but I'm going to take it. It's the best I could do. It's really good.

I so appreciate it. I'm so flattered. So they're on two different ends of the spectrum. There's something for everybody in the summer of Han. I'm thankful to say. We've got Central Park. Yes. Yes.

Central Park is delightful. It's from the Bob's Berger's folks, which you obviously have an association with. And I assume that's how this one came about, this animated series of Apple. Yeah, Lauren Bichard, amazing Lauren Bichard, who I love. And then he co-created with Josh Gad, who's also like, I mean, that crazy, talented, amazing human.

And they, I knew it was going to be a musical, which was really compelling to me. And then I saw the rest of the cast, and I was like, what are you talking about? So I, I mean, just to be in the same sentence with some of those people is hilarious to me. But it's, yeah, the music is incredible. Like really, really legit, incredible. And it's, I, yeah, I'm really humbled to be in that same company, for sure. As somebody that grew up, just a stone's pro from Central Park, I can tell you, it's a near documentary. It's basically, exactly.

But it is kind of a love letter to Central Park. I enjoyed it on that level. And then on the totally other end of the spectrum is HBO's mini-series of I Know This Much is True, which is based on a bestseller, of course, and got quite a pedigree from that. That's Mark Ruffalo playing not one, but two roles, and Derek C. in France, who I've always been a fan of it.

Yeah, me too. Me too. What's his method? He seems like all his stuff is so loose and improvite, seemingly improvisatory, is it feel like a different kind of way of things? Yeah, it did. I mean, it's really, yes, it did feel, it was pretty improvisatory as much as it could be. I mean, his adaptation is so beautiful, I think. And the original, the source material by Wally Lamb is a pretty incredible piece of writing as well. And it's like, I knew I was very, I mean, you know, he was a huge fan of his as well,

and a huge fan of Blue Valentine. I knew that it was going to be kind of an actor's, like, dream. And also to work with Mark, who I had never worked with before, but boy, boy, I just think he's magnificent, and I just knew that he was going to just go so all in on this. And it was really a privilege to watch. So, yeah, I would say it's just very, it's like performance forward, you know, performance is favored over anything else.

It's just like the dreamiest, yeah, the dreamiest for an actor. So Blue Valentine is not your comfort movie, nor is it mine, though I love that movie. I do love that movie. If that's your comfort movie, that says something about your dark, sad soul, I think. I kind of would love that person, though, if that's a comfort movie. It's a complex individual. Yeah, I get it. So we have kind of shifted the focus of the podcast in recent weeks because we're all looking for a little bit of comfort, a little bit of escapeism. I asked you for a few titles, and one jumped out at me because it's a comfort movie for so many. It certainly hit me at the right time. Tell us your comfort movie, Catherine.

Well, what I had thrown at you, and the first one that came out, like, you know, came out was E.T. And for me, I mean, I remember seeing that movie when I was, I mean, God, I don't know, but I know I was around my son's age, maybe a little bit younger, and I just remember the feeling of, first, it felt like a little, like it felt like an opera. That score is so gorgeous. I cannot hear it without wanting to burst in tears.

And it just feels there's something about it that just feels, I mean, it's so nostalgic, A. B, just seeing him in that red hoodie at the end, and if you just want to cry, a good, ugly cry, like just a cathartic, beautiful cry, it's the most gorgeous. Dee Wallace is the coolest mom in the world with that cat suit on. A young, amazing, Drew Barrymore with those amazing pig tails

with a thick, I always remember the thick yarn bows. Like, there's so much of it that just, like, takes me immediately, back to the time when I was a young, a young person. And it just, there's something very, and it was like just on that brink of becoming a grown-up, like that he just was able to capture that so well, Spielberg, that Mr. Steven Spielberg. And I just thought it was like, in my mind, it was like the perfect movie, like beginning to end. Like from the beginning when that orchestra starts to the end, when you hear that like, like, do, do, d'n, like, it's like the whole, it's the whole thing as a whole just destroys me.

I've seen it many times. Oh, yeah, who hasn't? Yeah, I mean, I coincidentally took my nieces, who I think the oldest was nine a few months ago here in New York was playing at a theater downtown and to see it on the big screen again. And it just works. It's a time-less, it's like our Wizard of Oz

of the last 40 years probably. It's one of those that will always work. For sure. So talk to me about, so I did do the math. I think you were probably eight if you saw it one on its first run. So you were somewhere- I was gonna say I was 17.

You were 36, just last year. No, so you were somewhere between Gertie, Drew Barrymore, and Henry Thomas, Elliot. Do you remember, like, even, like, were you relating to both of them, one of them? Did you see yourself in one of those kids, do you think? I mean, I think I probably saw myself. I think that Elliot reminded me so much of my brother, like he looks like my brother, my younger brother. And so I think I threw myself right in there. I definitely wasn't, Gertie I wanted to protect.

I definitely didn't find myself in Gertie's storyline. But I cared for Gertie deeply. But there's like, I think I, I mean, my parents sat behind me. I think I just remember being able to sit with a couple of friends in front, in the row in front of them. And that felt very big to me. And I don't think I had, like, cried watching a movie before. And I just remember feeling, like,

I mean, when he is crying also over the kind of body of ET in the thing, you know, in the refrigerator or whatever, the refrigerator with the cutout. Exactly. I just remember bursting. I mean, I just, I don't think I'd ever like connected that much to a movie either, like that I had felt that I felt it that strongly. Like I, as a viewer, as a, and that idea of, it's also so awesome. to talk about this now, like, just the idea of sitting in a theater with people

and feeling that together was like, I just remember being like a real kind of, I want to say religious, but it was like I just remember it as being a really deep moment for me seeing that movie. The whole way through, like, plant dying. Like, I still see, like, there's images that is like, I will never, that are just going to be in here till I get, I die. Like, those, there's, there are so deep in there. It just feels like this, it just feels so, safe. I mean, I remember just like every time I would see when I first moved out to L.A. and I didn't know what a termite, you know, when people would have to tent their houses for termites. And I'd always be like,

oh, it's like the E.T. house. Like, because I would always think of like the house shrouded and the thing with the tubes coming out. Oh, I don't know about you. That was that was the traumatic thing for me growing up. I will always remember that scene where they come in, like, the astronaut like outfits. And it's like, what is even happening? And I was always like, why did they They have to do that. Like, why do they have to come in like that? Like, did they really have to have that mask on

that you couldn't even see through? Like, he really knew how to push buttons. Because, like, that was, that was always a very terrifying. You're right, it was terrifying, terrifying. Well, it is. Where was the room in their house to put that whole triage center? Now I'm starting to take it. But now I can.

No, but you, I think you're hitting on all the right, the things that resonated with me when I watched it again for probably 50th time the other day. But, like, I could only imagine how so many kids also first started to grapple with, like, loss. Because you are, like, you're seeing, you're seeing death and you're seeing, you're seeing him say goodbye to a friend. It's like all these kind of things that are so, that we never get over. But especially if it hits you at five or six or eight or ten, that's what we're still figuring out what that even means to lose someone. Yeah, the idea of being a parent and having to, wanting to protect your child from that inevitability,

of just like what real life is and what real, what pain is and heartbreak. And it's just, it always to me feels like that edge when he's just standing there looking up and seeing it going away. It's always like the edge.

It just feels like it's like the precipice of, like the end of childhood. Right. And there's like that is, yeah, yeah, an innocence. And it's not bad. It's just truth. Like there's like he's like,

it's like the light has just been. in, you know, it's like the curtains have just been pulled away. It's not like it's, it's not like a horrible thing. It's just what it is. And that's why I think it's so fucking moving that he ends on that little, fucking gorgeous face. Like, it really just kills me. I want to cry thinking about it.

Don't cry now. What am I doing? You're doing enough crying in recent weeks, probably. I know. All the time, virgin tears. But another thing you mentioned that I do think, like, one of the MVPs of this film, and there's so many to go around.

But John Williams, obviously, is always amazing. But the score, you're right. The beginning, it's about, like, I timed it. It's basically a silent eight-minute sequence in the beginning when it's just we see E.T., you know, the ship leaving and the boots of the scientists in the mud. That's kind of the operatic opening. And then the ending is just another probably five, ten minutes of nearly silent,

you know, a very sparse dialogue between E.T. and Elliot. and just letting John Williams do his thing. It's just, it's just transcendent. It's transcendent and how it builds and like the rush of, I mean, I remember going to to back here, you know, Universal when they used to have the E.T. ride. Do you remember that? Did you ever do that at Universal Studios?

Yeah. You know, that's just even that music when he finally goes up into the air with them. Like, I mean, the like exhilaration, like the, and just being with your pals. Like that idea of freedom, like, of finally being able to like be with your pack of buddies like on bikes and having that like taste of like of total autonomy like and summer and possibility like yeah that all of those things

in one movie he captured that all and also responsibility with it like that they you know that they weren't just fucking around they have like a mission like I was just like yeah anyway perfection I think it also, no, that's what this is for. So it also really captures, I mean, we should get into some of the performances because you mentioned Dee Wallace, who's awesome. But I love Peter Coyote too, like Peter Coyote, who doesn't see the face of until like an hour in as the,

he doesn't have a name even, but he's just so decent. Like this, it's not what you expect in a movie like that. You expect this, like, mustache twirling villain to come in towards the end. And he's, he was Elliot as a kid. He says, like, he came to me too. It's just, you know, he's always thrown out. Oh, God. Yes, I remember feeling the same way I felt about,

and this is maybe a weird, this is a very weird parallel, but I remember feeling the same way about that kind of, that kind of character in Thelman, Louis, in Harvey Keitel and Thelman Louise, where you feel like there's somebody that you know that there are kind of an antagonist, but you want them, you feel their heart. And, because I just remember feeling that in that performance as well.

And I so appreciate that as a viewer and that's a real hard tone to find and a relationship to find. Because I mean, I remember as a kid kind of wanting D. Wallace and Peter Coyote to get together. I was like, is it going to happen? Like, it was just like enough of it. But I was like, they would be the bad. He was just such an amazing dad. Like, but I think that it's such a beautiful thing to find. Well, it's also, I mean, it's also about the.

film is about an absent father. It's like, you know, it's really a film also about divorce. And while we never see or hear the dad, there's that looming presence of dad in Mexico with his new girlfriend. Oh, Mexico with his new girl. You know, and so I kind of get like your instinct to be like, oh, wait, there's the new family unit.

Yes. We can make it all work again. Yes, and they're even kind of posed together at the end around the circle with the, but yeah, I mean, I also, that's Dee Wallace also in that. Because when I saw it again recently, well, they do, did a big, um, this was a few years back, but the Hollywood Bowl did it. They did a live, you know, they did one of those like John Williams, like, live.

Yeah, that's great. Performing while we got to watch it. And, um, I mean, first of all, Dee Wallace in that cat suit, just forget it, that that was her Halloween cause she also kind of turns into another woman in that scene. It's so interesting, like a different side of mom comes out in that scene, which I remember as a kid being like, ooh, like, what's happening? Like, she just gets a little flirty and a little like, Like, she really puts on that outfit and, like, something else is happening to that, to that mother.

There's also, like, a, but her, I mean, first of all, her face, her, her love for him, for all of them, but also her, like, amazing 80s hands-offness, which is, like, so incredible. Like, the thermometer scene. Oh, the thermometer scene, I don't know about you. I literally tried that when I was a kid. I tried it. For sure. Putting the thermometer up against the go light bulb,

see if you can get it to go above and make yourself stay at home. Yeah, that was classic. Yes, but I would never have been able to sit. My parents, I mean, that's what she had to do, but she got to spend a whole, like he got spent an entire day. I mean, it's pretty amazing.

The kind of like surrogate parents, those kids kind of had, like they already had, like they had a lot of responsibility too. I mean, they were, you know, the classic like 80s latchkey kids. Like I think I also kind of felt really, seen as a kid when I saw that movie. I want to mention some of the basics,

not that anybody doesn't know everything there is to know about ET, but just for those that don't remember. Extraterrestrial. That's all I needed. That's all I was going to mention. Spoiler, it's about an alien. Thanks, Catherine. I'm sorry.

It came on June 11, 1982, of course, directed by Steven Spielberg, written by Melissa Leight, sadly late, but Melissa Matheson. We mentioned a lot of the cast already, D. Wallace, Peter Coyote, the kids, we should get into the kids a little bit more. So it's Henry Thomas as Elliot,

Robert Nodden as Michael, and Drew Barrymore as Gertie. And I think that, I think, again, you kind of alluded to this also. I think it does capture not only the fraternity of kind of like the boys club of that kind of group of friends, but even among siblings, like I buy them as siblings.

And I also really always appreciated that, like, when I was watching it the other day, I'm like, he calls him like penis breath at one point. It's like they talk like kids talk. They're not sanitized version versions of kids. No, or just like random swears. Right, exactly.

And then that they're like alliances again, like together and apart. Like that felt very real to me. Like where when Gertie's in on it and where, when she's not. And the older brother, like it's perfect that Elliott is the middle child. Yeah, he's kind of lost in the shuffle. He's not being paid attention. Yeah, exactly. Exactly.

And that they, I'm still thinking about Drew Barrymore's performance also in that. And I know it's been held up to, you know, in such high regard as an incredible, like, child's performance. But, I mean, I just think it's an incredible, she's just so incredible in that movie. Like, I mean, just alive, all of them. And all three of them together. And the older brother is great. I can't remember his name. So it's Robert McNaughton, the character is Michael.

And yeah, I think you're right, because, like, it sells E.T. Well, as good an animatronic and a puppet as whatever E.T. was, you don't believe it unless they are, like, invested and are crying their eyes. It's like, it's the reaction shots that make E.T. work. Yes. Exactly. Didn't I remember hearing that there was, like, a, I wonder how they shot it with those kids. But, like, I mean, I remember reading something about it, about how he would work with them. Yeah, and, like, he, well, it's well-known also. Like, they talk about how he shot a lot of the film

kind of literally from a low angle, from their perspective, very much put in the viewer, well, they're subconsciously or consciously in their shoes a bit. Yes. But, like, and I'm sure you've worked with tons of kids over the years. Like, it must just make it all the more, you appreciate for you as an actor, all the more, like, how they got these kind of performances,

because this doesn't happen. And you just feel it now, like, looking back and, because I, I mean, I just held that this movie is like, like, you were saying, like, Wizard of Oz. Like, I never even think about it on, like, a craft level because it was just kind of existed in this other plane and my memory. But it is so interesting to think about just, like, such a small cast, probably set up in some house, probably not the most complicated shoot. Like, it just, it would, it just, the kind of intimacy that he was able to get with those. three is um it must have been very very precious um an experience and shoot for them because that that kind of vulnerability is like it's pretty rare to see in children and also just to think about the context of where this came like in Spielberg's career like this was his follow film

to Raiders of the Lost Ark and there are no like there are no name actors in this like peter coyote maybe i don't know to people know maybe they knew him slightly but probably not this is so this is kind of like him putting his chips on the table like the confidence that Spielberg had as a storyteller and telling a story with D. Wallace as your lead actor. I mean, that's not, it's kind of amazing. And also, I mean, we didn't even talk about, like, how visually this movie has inspired so many other things. Like, one of my favorite photographers is this is, is this man, um, Gregory Crudson. But I remember when I first would see those photographs, like he,

every photograph, you feel like you're in those, you know, that shot of the backyard that kind of feels like a backyard but also like the like somewhere in a plane like you can't quite see where the neighbors are right like you're like in the middle of nowhere there's that shed with the light coming out and there's that one shot of him just in the lawn chair like holding out the I used to call him Reese's PCs by the way too they couldn't apparently Eminems made the worst mistake of their lives by they came to Eminem's first and they're like no thanks bad call that's a horrible call in the Moms. But you're right.

It was my vision. I grew up in New York City. That was like my vision of suburbia, like literally. Like, oh, that's what it is. And maybe to a degree it is, Spielberg did that, you define that in a number of films. Like, that's like the so-called Amblin films. Some he directed some he didn't, but like he really captured

Middle America's suburbia, like, no, like, he defined it for a generation. Well, this was more like, to me, it was almost more like, it was like that idea of that California cul-de-sac, that cut out cul-de-sac in the, in just, it would be kind of cut into the middle of basically the mountain range so that your backyard was literally like you you felt they were like suburban pioneers so you just feel like you had nothing but woods and roads behind you and it was just like nothing but then in the front was this very like cookie-cutter neighborhood these really nice houses like suburbia suburbia but like your backyard was still like the Wild West.

And I feel like that was such a, I always felt very grabbed by that, too, as a kid watching that. Because there's still something in your backyard. There's still like mystery. There's still like, something to explore. Like, it's not everything is, you know,

not everything is known yet. Like there's so much, there's so much unknown as a kid. I assume your kids have seen this film by now. Is it, do you remember showing? showing this to them? Did it work for them? Yeah. Oh, yes.

Do you as apparently know instinctually what age to show a film? Like, is that always a debate, like, when the right time is to show? You know what? It had been, and we had been really conscious about it, until, you know, deep into this where we were like, I was like, I kind of can't watch another kid's movie for a while. And then, so we started, we've started a little bit of an awesome movie camp, but they are definitely watching movies that are probably wildly inappropriate for them.

Hence my daughter is probably outside first one. wearing. I'm kidding. But I mean, it's been interesting to show the movies that are like, you know, just, you know, great movie. Because I remember when I was like, you know, my son's 13, 14, but I remember seeing like some pretty intense stuff when that was that age. Totally. I'm defined by that. I'm scarred, but also marked by that. That's why I love movies. I was probably exposed to a bunch a little bit too early, but that's how I kind of learned about the world. Yes. Right. Exactly. So some random, um, fun facts to mention. This was interesting. I found. So you mentioned a scene where we lose ET. We think E.T. is lost to us. Those are actual

like emergency room doctors that feel were put in that in that scene. He just wanted a little bit of authenticity and kind of the back and forth. Oh, that's so interesting. That's amazing. You know Harrison Ford was in the movie, that he was cut out of the movie? No. He was like, he was like the principal. He was, I think we could hear his voice actually in the school scenes. In the frog scene? I think that's him. Oh my God. Also one of the most romantic kisses. It is. It's juxtaposed, of course,

with this great scene from a John Wayne film and the music sores. And the music soars. I forgot about that fucking part. Yes. And E.T. when they start to... Oh, my God, I have another tidbit.

Well, I'll tell you in a second, but... Don't go for it. I want your tidbit. No, but, like, I... There's also that, like, my meld part that I have thought of in other scenarios that I have... that I have...

Things that I've worked on are other things like creatively like that, you know, that idea I feel like where they, their minds are melted that, melded at that moment. Right. Like what, that connection between the two of them is also so mysterious and so, so gorgeous. Yeah, right, that swirling music and the.

Well, no, you were, but yeah, that line when the doctor's talking to the brother and he's like, E.T. thinks his thoughts and the brother's like, no, he feels his feelings. That's the connection. feeling. You know? Okay.

So here's some semi-rapire or not kind of questionnaires. So for you, the best performance in this film, who would you give the award, your favorite performance

in the film? I mean, everybody's amazing, but I think Henry Thomas is just, like, incredible. That face looking up at the end. But,

but like close seconds, D and Drew. Yeah. What's the best scene in the film for you? We've mentioned a few. What's the one that will always stand out? The one that just

came to me is when he is crying, again, the refrigerator scene where he's crying over him, and then the light comes into the, and you see that he's okay. But that, like, the combination of the music, his face, his performance, and then the surprise of E.T. still being alive, even though you know when you're hoping as an audience member, the fact that exactly what it comes at, that rush of music has just always been goosebumps for me and perfect. When I was in the theater watching with my niece, she moved next to him. She, like, came close to me, she's like, is he really dead?

I'm like, it's okay, it's okay, wait, it's going to be okay. I have to reassure. Yes, of course. It's horrifying. Should there be, this is a big one, because most films, as you know, now get a sequel, a franchise, a remake, something. Is this hallowed ground? Should there ever be a remake sequel, anything to eat?

I think this is hollowed ground. Josh, I really do. It's like, because also it's so perfect in, like, you were saying, it is so perfect in exactly where the time that it was made in like that we still are able to to put so much onto this puppet of ET and invest so much in this that now we look at and clearly it's a rubber doll laying in a river with like white stuff on it but like it's the whole world and that and ET is dying. and he's left, you know, and he's left in the creek with the, like,

they put the white on him to make it look like white. But, like, I think that, um, uh, that's the magic of it is, is that it is, it's so in our, for those of us that are older, like, it's so in our DNA, um, as like childhood. And it's a, I think it would just, it would talk about an end of innocence if you tried to remake it for sure. Yeah, unless it's about Peter Coyote and D. Walls hooking up in which case that you want, be very happy with that. Yes. I wanted them to be mom and dad. Is there a movie that you can think of that would be a good double feature with ET? Let's program an ET double feature. Come to mind? I mean, oh, you know what? Well, this would be like, there's a couple ones I would suggest. One is that I would suggest District 9, because I know that's really weird, but I think that there is something between that relationship, between the, because there is, again, there's something that you are invested in.

something, I just, that journey felt very similar. This is not maybe a children's double feature, although I did show my 13-year-old that and he loved it. But that relationship between that father, alien, and his son is also pretty like you feel it. Sure. And that's hard to do. Again, that was hard to do.

I love, and I love the performance of the main character on that. That was unexpected, but I like it. I would say, just don't do Macon Me. Have you ever seen Macon Me? Macon Me's the Rip-all. off, of course. That's the one. I don't remember Mac and me. I don't know if I've ever seen it, but you know, that's like Paul Rudd's like go-to clip on Conan. Yes, exactly. It was basically infamously the, the EG rip-off that was basically sponsored by McDonald's. It was literally

a commercial for McDonald's. Big Mac and me. I would also, I would say also, also, close encounters would also be really interesting. Just to hear, I mean, if you wanted to go that perspective of just sync, like, of this, a similar terrain, as it were, that Spielberg was exploring. Totally. Totally. Superberg at the height of his powers. Not that he's lost that many steps,

but he's... Oh, my God. Not at all. Okay, I'm going to let you go, Catherine. I do want to mention not only Central Park, and I know this much is true. You, by the way,

have made some comfort movies for all of us. Stepbrothers is obviously a comfort movie for many. Yes. For sure. No, there is something just to, like, sit back

and watch some anarchy and those genius two gentlemen that I... Exactly. Listen, I've seen it again since I've been in this. with my children. And I think a new addition to the Comber movies

is a Spider-Man. Spider-Man's probably a new. Yeah. People are loving that one. So, okay, so we'll talk again soon, hopefully in better times. Hopefully we'll talk about these projects. I want to pester you more about Wanda Vision.

Did you get, did you guys finish Wanda vision at least before all this madness? There's some bits to be done, but we were lucky enough to get, yeah, but there's some stuff. Okay, I can't wait to see that one. I'm glad this gave us an excuse to catch up, and distract ourselves. It's so good to see your face.

Yeah, exactly. And to just like wax about this movie for a second was medicinal. Thank you. So thank you. All right. Please take care. And so ends another edition of happy, sad, confused.

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