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Let's Talk - Movies
A true movie lovers podcast celebrating great films worth revisiting or seeing for the first time. Host: Jason Connell, award-winning documentary producer & film/tv expert.
Let's Talk - Movies
Christine (1983) - Alexandra Paul (Leigh Cabot)
Let's Talk - Movies
Episode 41: Christine (1983) - Alexandra Paul (Leigh Cabot)
Jason Connell has actor Alexandra Paul (Baywatch, Dragnet, American Flyers) on the show. They discuss her role as Leigh Cabot in John Carpenter's classic film, Christine, and much more.
Recorded: 05-05-23
Studio: Just Curious Media
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Whoa, just curious. Welcome to Just curious media. This is let's talk movies. And I'm Jason Connell on the show. Today I'm joined by special guest, Alexandra Paul, thanks for being here.
Alexandra Paul:Oh, thank you so much for having me. I appreciate it.
Jason Connell:Yeah, this is a real, a real pleasure. I have to say, this is a movie that I watch quite frequently. I'm a huge John Carpenter fan. And as let's talk movies has grown. This is our logo here. And let me bring up the movie we are discussing Christine. I'm now bringing on more people and just do it's a celebratory podcast. We're not here to bash anything. We're here to remind people that there's some great movies from the past that they should a revisit, or if they've never seen it, like another generation. There's more reason to do so. And I reached out to you, you got back to me, Alexander so fast. It was unbelievable. So thank you for writing me back. I was like, oh, yeah, it's great. Now we you know, we scheduled like, two months in advance, but I love that. Most people it's like crickets, you never hear back and then you gotta keep going. So this is a true pleasure for me. I have to say,
Alexandra Paul:I always respond. I might sometimes respond no to folks, but I respond if I get it. And I try and respond quickly, mostly because I'm neurotic. I don't like having a lot of things. Yes, exactly. So my inbox
Jason Connell:is zero at the end of each day. I strive to do that. Bravo. Yeah, well, you're not only in Christine plain Lee Cabot, which we're going to mainly explore but if you have fun today, we can come back another time and explore some of the other movies like American fliers, which I love that movie, directed by John Batum. Saturday Night Fever WarGames short circuit. And of course, it's got Kevin Costner in it. I mean, you are fantastic. And I saw that on HBO so many times. But so there's that one, 8 Million Ways to Die. dragnet was a huge movie, sunset grill Sharknado four mind, you know, Force Awakens. I was actually walking my dog one day and it was in Pasadena or Altadena and came across the production. I don't know if it was the day you were shooting, but there was like a water tower scene. I was like, What do you guys shooting and I saw on the truck, and they had sharks everywhere. So I really want to hear about that sometime.
Alexandra Paul:That was fun. Yeah. Look, if if David Hasselhoff and geniunely Nolan are gonna be there, I'm gonna be there. And exactly. It was very fun. I, as I've aged, I've really gotten much more of a sense of humor about things. And I much I'm really open to saying yes, but it has to have, it has to have one has to either be working with great people, great dialogue or part. A great message or a lot of money has to have at least one of those things. That
Jason Connell:is some good rules to go by.
Alexandra Paul:If it doesn't have those things, then it's a no but if it does have at least one of those things. I'm like, why not? As long as it doesn't go against my own values? And I'm easy.
Jason Connell:Have you worked on some of the have all three?
Alexandra Paul:Oh, yeah, a lot of things. I've been very fortunate. I've been so lucky in my career. Wow.
Jason Connell:Well, speaking of your career, just a few TV things now. I think it was one episode but madmen is one of my favorite shows of all time, so I didn't even spot you on that until I was researching you yesterday. Melrose. You wouldn't
Alexandra Paul:stop me it was yeah, it was I played ducks wife, ex wife. Oh. I have one seat. But when you're when you read for it, no audition, you have no idea what what you're auditioning for. They don't give you the sides that have the correct characters or anything or scenarios. Yeah. And then you go to the reading and you find out oh, okay, I have one. Yeah, it was like they said, maybe it could be recurring and I don't know if it's because I was so terrible. And I didn't know I didn't know that recur it so no, I was fine. I was fine. Actually. It was a it was a great experience feed on that show.
Jason Connell:That's funny. I have a few friends one was a soccer buddy who played a lot of soccer in LA and he was on there he was someone's brother is like in five or six episodes. Another cool I forget whose brother what Pete? Pete's brother, one of the main guys. Oh, yeah. So we pop off every once a while as his brother that I met another actress at one of my film festivals and she was on there. And then I met I met duck at a Starbucks one time and had a chat with him in real life. I was like your duck on it a madman because the show was still going and so there's our connection right there. And his storyline was really great. And he's fantastic, by the way, so nice
Alexandra Paul:man. And by the way, everybody that shows really authentic because I had one scene and I didn't even take my coat off. I come into the office and I talked to him about the kids and going to a play and this is switch off between our kids. Okay, I mean the kids over to him, and he's knowing he has an alcohol problem, so I mentioned it subtly, and that annoys me. And even though I never took my coat off, I was wearing garters, the stockings from the time shoes from the time a bullet bra from the time I had a slip on, which nobody wears now. Thank God, but everyone wore a slip under dresses or skirts until the 80s. And yeah, the whole shebang who would
Jason Connell:know you have a coat on?
Alexandra Paul:No, I'm kidding. I had a dress on. So and Oh, in the hairstyle, too. They were looking at catalogs in the hair and makeup room just of that year to see what was what hairstyle would they cook for me? And was it the fall or the summer was really very impressive.
Jason Connell:You know what, let's just talk about bad man. Let's just hold on Christine. I could go on all day. Well, that's fantastic. Fantastic. And you're on Melrose Place quite a bit. But then of course, season the last season. But you really made waves no pun intended on Baywatch. Stephanie Holden, you're on like almost 100 episodes of Baywatch. I mean, that's an unbelievable, you. And Hasselhoff. That's a ton of episodes, tons of seasons, what an incredible ride that must have been. I would love to explore that on often make another podcast called Let's Talk TV. So we could explore that. But yeah, any takeaways, I mean, that that had to catapult you in so many ways to have that kind of visibility on a show that that was that popular?
Alexandra Paul:Yeah, for your younger viewers that they watched was a television series that was ridiculed here in the United States at the time when it was on from 1989 to 2001. So it had a dozen years, it was on television, but it was beloved all over the world, the rest of the world. And it was the number one show in the world, the first show to ever really be. It was really, actually seminal in ways that people don't really realize in that in terms of global trade, which was opened up in the 90s Baywatch epitomize that in terms of the entertainment history, because it was the first television series that was really showing episodes almost simultaneously across the world, right? Before that American television shows would end up you know, in different countries, maybe a year later, etc. No, not so with Baywatch. So that was that that was really breakthrough. It sort of brought the montage into television. Yeah,
Jason Connell:the slum Oh, yes.
Alexandra Paul:And also was shown in a lot of countries that really didn't, that really wouldn't have allowed that content like you're on. Or China. It was the first it was the first actually till the American television series into Mainland China. So yeah, it was it was and it was an amazing experience. I love it. I love doing it. I love being on it. I loved all the actors on it. It was such an amazing, I've done over 100 projects. And I have to say that Baywatch is my very favorite hit all three important to me. Yeah, no, actually, actually, it wasn't we weren't paid much at all. I was paid very, very little. Wow. But I had a very liberal contract, we only shot five months a year because we shot so quickly. It was such a low budget series actually. And you know, you're outside most of the time you're on the beach, you already have all the all the background and the sets. But, and I could go off, I also could go off and leave and do another series. Sorry, another television show for at least a month during the year if I want it, which I did a couple of times. And it was just such a great experience. And now all those Americans who kind of scorned and sort of left when they would come up to me and say, Oh, are you are you in that show Baywatch? I don't watch it. But in other countries, everyone was always so excited, never tried to distance themselves from it. And now for 30 years later, 30 almost 35 years later, from when I was on, people don't do that anymore because it's gotten kind of cool. Yeah, so Exactly. Gotten kitschy if you're around LA and it's, it's had so many spin offs, you know, seasons was heavily maligned by Hollywood, but it has had, you know, it's replaying on Amazon now. It's got his own its own channel on Pluto, I think. And then there was a movie made with the rock based on
Jason Connell:another director.
Alexandra Paul:series coming out. Okay, yeah. So it's really and now they're rebooting it. Oh, there, it's it's
Jason Connell:breaking news here on Let's Talk movies. They're rebooting Baywatch, the show a new series is coming.
Alexandra Paul:Yes, yes. And that's because this is let's talk movies now let's talk. Yeah, no, you would have
Jason Connell:had, we will have it all over. Well, that is fantastic. Really fantastic. We'll have to get into it more of that later. But a lot of your success had to have started here. At least some of it. Christine, this movie had opened up some doors for you. I'm only assuming.
Alexandra Paul:I mean, you know, I was I was 19 when I shot that film. And it was the first my first feature film, I had done a television movie called paper dolls that had been very successful. But it was the first feature film that came out after that. And I didn't know anything about the business. I didn't even know who John Carpenter was. I didn't watch Stephen King. Okay, I didn't I'd never read any of his books. But I did read the book after I got the part. And I thought it was great. I mean, I knew of John Carpenter, but I hadn't seen a lot of his things. I really didn't know. I was just excited to get a part. Yeah, I didn't see the big picture. And certainly never. None of us ever, I don't think thought that it would have this kind of legs now. 40. It's 40 years. 40 years since I've taped it and filmed it. And so I'm sure that it helped me. Yes. Because what was the I think American? I don't remember what I did a series of TV movies after Christine. And then flyers came out. I've done America. Yeah. It was filmed the day before. So I think it probably helped me get American fires. Yeah, for sure. And then dragnet and eight, nine boys to die and all those other ones that you mentioned. I definitely had a film career in the first 10 years of my career from 18 to 28. And then when I went on to Baywatch, movie, TV, which at that time was really, you know, they thought, oh, you know what, you're never gonna get out of TV. But I had a manager who said, you know, Alexandra, a lot of the independent films that you're doing are financed by German money. And Baywatch is very popular in Germany. So I recommend that you do this. And then it will help your independent film career which I was moving, which I was doing a lot of independent films. Yeah. So for better or worse, I don't regret it at all. But I think, Yeah, who knows what it did to my movie career. My feature film big feature film career. I don't I don't know. It's certainly gave me legs though. Longevity. And you know, if you're still working as a woman in your 50s it's something to be grateful for.
Jason Connell:Absolutely. Yeah. Well, Christine, here's a synopsis again, for the newbies or those who forget. A nerdish boy buys a strange car with an evil mind of its own, and his nature starts to change to reflect it. And I gotta say, I mean, watch this movie a lot. And now watching it more for notes, or just an outline yesterday. This movie is fantastic. It holds up, it's truly terrifying. And the character arc and we'll get into your character as well, Lee, who's great, but Arne is to see him go from Nerd to this demon character. It's a wonderful part, you know, and I thought he the kid, the kid, listen to me. Not Stockwell. But he's gorgeous. Gordon.
Alexandra Paul:Did it? Yeah, he did an amazing job. He has so many fans from it. He's such a good actor. And you know, just for folks I mean, I'm sure a lot your people listening and seeing this podcast, they they know this, but we shoot out of order. So when you have a character that transitions like Keystone casted as RNA, it's not easy, because you might be being the nerdy boy in the morning. And then the next thing you've got to be the coolest cat in the school. And that's uh, and then maybe not go back. Yeah, and then go back or not even the coolest cat maybe becoming the somewhere in
Jason Connell:the middle. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, and then where it goes to the end is like the extreme I'm assuming some of that stuff was shot. The ending was later in production with all the demolishing Yeah, that's probably back ended. Okay. Yeah, but I was was shot
Alexandra Paul:at the end because we had to ruin ruin a bunch of stuff is that so many cars? So many of them. So Christine, folks is a car. Not my character though. I do play this while the second female lead if you want to cow Christina's the lead. Yeah, I played the human lead. Lee.
Jason Connell:That's right. That's right. Well, it came out December 9 1983. Which I didn't see it when it came out. I probably caught it on video is quite young. But that's crazy. Like this is a Christmas movie. Like this seems like it would have come out in a summer in this day and age. But whatever it came out in December, horror thriller, and John Carpenter not only did he direct it, but he composes music for it. He's so good at that he did the Halloween score. He's got I mean this watching it again yesterday and the score I want to listen to on Spotify now. It's fantastic eerie when you see Christina see headlights It's kind of like Jaws you'd look in the water and just no Jaws is there. Well, you to see headlights and the road and a lot of those POV shots. It's just you can tell this is a pro. He'd already done Halloween, the fog Escape from New York, and the thing, and then he does Christie and the thing by the way, which I was watching something yesterday, him talking, the thing, I guess wasn't a hit, which is crazy to believe that now because, you know, everyone loves the thing. They've embraced it and they've made sequels and prequels. And then he goes on to do Star Man Big Trouble in Little China. They live escape from LA, and so many more. So I have to ask you, Alexandra, what was it like working with this legendary director?
Alexandra Paul:As I mentioned, I wasn't aware of his journey you didn't know. But I did. At that time. I really did. Look, I've worked with Ed's wick right before and Ed's wick is a very he's won Oscars for his work as a producer. And he directed glory, which I don't know if that one, I think one best picture, but it's certainly one Denzel Washington and Oscar. But I really had worked with he was amazing as a director, and John was, I really looked up to John as like a father figure to kind of lead me through. So I was very quite dependent on him. I don't think he was very used to that. Having a young girl wanting his advice and guidance as much. He's not really that, that kind of director, he and Keith conferred a lot about his character, but I was and I was also a little intimidated by him. But he was so nice on the set really nice and had a very happy set, because he works with a lot of the same people.
Jason Connell:Yeah. Right. What's that makes sense. And by then he, he's made some great movies. And of course, the writing has a lot to do with a great movie, the novel Stephen King, I've read so many of his books. Now to read Christine, for some reason. Now I need to go do so because maybe there's scenes in there that just didn't translate to the screen, I'm sure the screenplay, which was written by Bill Phillips, you said you did read Christine, what was your takeaway?
Alexandra Paul:I really liked the book. I was like, Wow, this isn't too scary. The reason I hadn't seen a lot of Stephen King movies was well, I didn't grow up with a lot of movies, because I lived in the country in New England. So we just didn't go to movies. And my mother severely restricted television. So I didn't watch much television either. But yeah, much to her chagrin, by the way, was not the, you know, wasn't up to her standards, being an actress. But it is now luckily, she overcame that, by she wanted me to go to college, actually, which I never did, because I started working
Jason Connell:or working at 19.
Alexandra Paul:I was a big reader, though. Really big reader. Because when you grew up in the country, you either go outside and play which is why I'm an athlete and also or you read if you can't watch TV and my mother didn't watch TV, so I was a big reader. And I really really liked his writing it's not it's not just shot you know, trying to scare you know, all characters characters. Yeah, ground.
Jason Connell:I just remember everything was in New England, which Yeah, I live now. You were in them. Well had to really mean something.
Alexandra Paul:Yes, definitely. I just remember that. Like, just details like peanut butter. Does it something about a peanut butter sandwich? Arnie's mother makes for him or something, you know, things that are Yeah, just these details. So I really liked the book. Okay. Yeah.
Jason Connell:But it deviates at some point in time, I mean, would have to write so I don't know if you remember the differences and things?
Alexandra Paul:I don't. I don't remember the differences. No,
Jason Connell:that's okay. I need to read it. So that's on my hit list. So I mean, there's
Alexandra Paul:been some criticism that we all look too old. Or at least some of us like the guy some of the guys look too old. Like Buddy the bad. Yeah, I
Jason Connell:was gonna say he definitely. Well, they started doing that. No, no. 210 No one looked like you were young. And you know, you look like fresh faced, but some of those guys definitely look like they're in their mid 20s. And yeah, it works though. You know, they looked at it. They may they may have done on purpose. Maybe he failed four times. Who knows?
Alexandra Paul:That character did for sure. Bill who played buddy representatives, that character who people say look too old. He says that his agent said hey, they're looking for someone who looks really dumb. Can you go into audition for this bar? Nailed it. Yeah, I was. I was happy to get the part but I have to take Kelly Preston is in this
Jason Connell:i know i Yes, please. So
Alexandra Paul:lovely. in it. She plays the popular sweet girl who has a crush on John Stockwell who plays the athlete, the opposite of Keith Gordon's character Ernie, and she kind of pines after him and I'm the new Girl and Stockwell kind of likes me. So I always thought when I was doing that movie, like, why didn't they cast Kelly as the leak, girl, she's just so pretty and so lovely. And I had that real insecurities throughout. And it's interesting. I think I had that that real insecurity up until I started shooting Baywatch. When I was plugged in with lots of beautiful
Jason Connell:blonde. Pamela Anderson, here you go. Yeah. Wow.
Alexandra Paul:And then I realized, oh, no, everybody's different. And I have my own thing. And I actually so actually got it like, why they cast me it doesn't always have to be a beautiful bodacious, blonde. There are other types of folks. And so I did get that part partly because I had an innocence about me, partly probably because I was from New England. Yeah. And hadn't been exposed to lots of, you know, I don't know, makeup boys, all that stuff. Yeah,
Jason Connell:it comes through. I mean, yes, you just look innocent. Nothing's affecting you. I'm sure Preston could have done a great job as well. And she's great in the movie, but it was really well cast really quickly on buddy, as you mentioned that and talking about him for a second. Those guys all the hoodlums kind of look like sweat hogs. But then they go dark. Remember sweat hogs from walking back cars, the way they dress. I was like, these guys sweat hogs. And it's like, no, no, but they're, they're darker, darker version of that. Well, I didn't mean to butcher his name earlier, because I'm a huge fan. But I've got a pile of notes. And I was like, oh, but Keith Gordon. I have loved his acting not only in this is Arnie Cunningham, but jaws to dress to kill back to school. And then he becomes a director, as you know. And does movies like the chocolate war and midnight clear Waking the Dead? Amazing. He was great. It worked those to me. He's
Alexandra Paul:incredible. Yeah. And, and let me tell you something, please. He's one of the nicest people you will ever meet. You just get it from him. Yeah. Like we hadn't seen each other for No, maybe 10 years or something. And I'm on. I'm in LA in West LA. And I'm registering voters because I used to register voters. I've registered voters once a week on this on the street corner for 18 years, and I'm registering voters, and Keith comes up. He's like, hey, and we talk and it's just like his. So I've seen and I've been in contact with him since you know and been to his house and all that. Just remember thinking he is so lovely. It just is you can't you can't get over
Jason Connell:how do people look at you guys, when you're together blow their minds like hang on a second. It's already in Li what's going on here. My mind would have been blown. And then there's John Stockwell who is great as Dennis Golder. He's in lots of movies as well losing it. Eddie and the cruisers Top Gun to Tom Cruise movies there and he becomes a director crazy, beautiful blue crush into the blue. So it's funny how
Alexandra Paul:I think he also wrote Rockstar. Yeah,
Jason Connell:I could have went on and on and on. I was trying to limit it. But no, these prolific guys, talent heroes and they're young as well. You probably were younger than them. But here's this young I mean, casting goes a long way. And you've mentioned Kelly Preston which yes, rest in peace. We lost her in 2020 at a very young age. I know that gets redundant but 57 It was really sad. And of course she marries John Travolta but she was the it girl for a while after this movie comes out. She is more of the leading lady and mischief and secret admirer space camp so many more. And I have to LIS mention two other actors who I thought killed it in this movie. We've lost them both. They were a bit older. Robert prosti plays Darnell oh my gosh, he he kills every scene he's in. We lost him rest in peace. 2008 77 But he's movies like iconic movies broadcast news, Mrs. Doubtfire. I loved him and Rudy. And then Harry Dean Stanton, former Oklahoma and that's actually where I was born. So before I moved to LA, oh, gee plays Junkins the cop you know, figuring things out. He's so good at that role. We lost him in 2017 91 Rest in peace, alien, Paris, Texas. Pretty in Pink, just to name a few. And then there's yourself like this thing was loaded. There's a reason why this movie holds up today. And I mentioned one more person. First name is Christine. Last Name Belford. Regina Cunningham, also amazing. This is really good. Go back and watch it. Wow.
Alexandra Paul:She's really good. And you know they're doing a supposedly remaking Christine. So
Jason Connell:about this.
Alexandra Paul:Yeah, it's, I forgot who's directing. Well,
Jason Connell:if it's in good hands. Yeah, I do.
Alexandra Paul:I think gets in good hands. I think it's an His name is Brian and he's done a lot of stuff and I can't remember his last name. Sorry Brian, but he's done a lot of stuff and I think he is in good hands if he has some respect for the original and maybe puts some of us in as like I would love to play the part of just putting myself out
Jason Connell:there. Christie or Regina? Yeah. Be Regina.
Alexandra Paul:Yes, the mom or something that fits somebody my age trying to you know, maybe I like
Jason Connell:that. I didn't know that Alexander. That's exciting news. Sometimes I get a little hesitant and then I think hang on Jason. Invasion of the Body Snatchers, the one from the 70s that I love was a remake the fly David Cronenberg's fly was a remake. So sometimes it can come around late enough and be its own thing and not trying to you know, recreate it and so in good hands. I'm gonna hold judgment.
Alexandra Paul:And I think is what what is Christine gonna be? What is they don't want her to be a 5057 Plymouth Fury or 50? Was she 57 or 58?
Jason Connell:I have that I have that in my notes. I think it's a 5858
Alexandra Paul:Is it going to be a 58 from its period I've discovered but is no it's going to be an
Jason Connell:87 Honda Accord. And they're just gonna That's right. Christine, I want to see
Alexandra Paul:no um, speaking of which, and Roberts blossom was also in an actor. He plays he's in the beginning. He is the actually the guy who sells Christine Goshi you are the character of Arne. So yeah, he also was terrific in the movie.
Jason Connell:Oh, he he steals every scene he's in you don't know what's talking about blah he's always so mad that outfit he's got on he's got the hunch going I love that actor. It was in movies like vision quest and I don't know if he's still with us or not but that guy has not killed it.
Alexandra Paul:He died not too long ago it just and even though he looks like he's on death's door and Christine
Jason Connell:make good makeup on that Yeah,
Alexandra Paul:yeah, he's he didn't die too long ago. So yeah, I tried to get him to come to a signing you know an autograph signing where all the cast were together and I went to his house and dropped a letter off because you know he wasn't on email or anything
Jason Connell:even mail it he just dropped it off I liked it not too far from me so I don't even know his address I just know where it's at. Let me go take this over there. You did grow up in the country
Alexandra Paul:so the cars in Christine for people that I didn't know this because when you're shooting in 1982 I think yeah, no way we shot Navy three sorry because it came out in December. Well that was December we shot and I remember that we shot like April May June kind of thing that like that. Okay. So the cars were like I guess they I don't know if they were cool then but they're cool. Now the car John Stockwell drove was Oh, yeah.
Jason Connell:Oh, no. People love it. He's got and Buddy has another Plymouth like he's got a car very similar to Christine.
Alexandra Paul:Oh, Desi. Yeah.
Jason Connell:Right. Yeah, exactly. And then there's an old caddy when Arnie's driving and, you know, Darnell is Caddy around sometimes when he leaves Christine's? Yeah, they did a very good job. All of these cars are popular now. In fact, I have a friend Well, one of my co hosts on two of our shows. He's a collector and he's got a Christine car. They're like, it's iconic. For sure. But I even read I'll save that for trivia. Well, I'll save that for trivia because you also have an amazing trivia that I know I saw on the DVD extras. I was like, Oh my gosh, what a story but I'll save that. What Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah, you'll know when I know the answer, you're gonna know the answer. So why don't we play this trailer I can only find HD it's only a minute it's not like the trailers today that give a lot of way and it kind of set the tone for anybody watching or at least listening you can kind of feel the energy or the tone of the movie so bear with me. Let me fire this up. Okay. What do you mean came back? I'm sorry. I know you're jealous. The kid was cut in half on it. ride is over
Unknown:I knew a guy had a car wash and killed himself when
Jason Connell:I'm telling you that score. There's that John Carpenter score don't don't don't don't. So when you hear the music I couldn't hear you didn't hear the dialogue. Why is that? You know what sometimes and I didn't know if it was going to work or not sometimes piping it through this way It blocks this score. So listen, I'm not gonna say anything, no disrespect into YouTube or anybody, but sometimes that can happen, but I'll have it at the audio version that comes out we'll have it laid in. So real short, though, it's like a little mini montage. Like, this is a trailer. I don't think it was the original trailer, I was looking. Yeah. And then one thing we haven't talked about are some of the effects when Christine starts to like, come back together. Like those shots are incredible for the time even in this day and age when they remake Christine, I'm sure it'd be all CG. But however, they did that, I think they did a lot of it in reverse, like, you know, played it backwards. And that like the dents come out and things as a kid that blew our minds. It was just like, you know, it's
Alexandra Paul:you're, you're right, that it wasn't CGI, and it was they would be practicing a lot because they needed so for folks who haven't seen the movie yet the car regenerate. Yeah. And to do that what they did was they made everything like either rubber or no, it could have been rubber, but it was like a soft material that they filled with air and then they would suck it in. So it looked like Smash. Yeah. And then they would blow it out. And it would look like it regenerates. So I don't even is that reverse? That's not they didn't even need to
Jason Connell:know not not on that technique. No, that wouldn't be I just one thing, but that is fast. We were there. That's incredible. I know. It was hydraulics
Alexandra Paul:and air and stuff. So it wasn't any CGI. No was all Hey, folks, you know, that's got to be really skilled. And
Jason Connell:then after one of my favorite movies, and I got to meet the director years ago, he saw my first documentary and it was like a moment that I never thought I'd have but An American Werewolf in London, John Landis. That transformation scene that he did with when he becomes aware of just in broad light. And they showed the whole thing he hadn't seen that it was always like cloak and dagger and the shadow someone becoming aware of. And once they did it, it was like oh, no, and that wasn't CG either. And Christine has a lot of those scenes like just restores itself right there in front of everybody. And I didn't understand it, but it was a marvel to look at and it still holds up. Like it's not like oh, it's so dated. No, those effects work forever. And that's the beauty. That's the difference. You can't call it out. Well, I know we kind of talked about lots of things already. But how exactly did you land the role of Lee Cabot? I mean, New Englander been in some things, but delivery boy paper, what was the name of that one? The front of
Alexandra Paul:the paperweight came later we had only been in paper dolls and I had shot one movie with Kristy McNichol and Michael on my team that had for MGM called, I won't dance. I think they changed the name of it, but it's just the way you are and ended up being but we shot half of it, and then it had to be shut down. Because Christina and Nikhil got sick. And so we had to go back. We went back the next year, and finished it, but during that time I shot Christine. So you go,
Jason Connell:so hadn't come out. You didn't have that mind. So how did Hey, this is great. Your high schooler, you know, go audition. And then was it just like all these other actors? Were there with you like, oh, yeah, that would be you know, what was that process? Like, essentially?
Alexandra Paul:You know, I remember that they were looking I think for somebody unknown freshman, they wanted an innocence. And they wanted someone who was young and I looked younger. I was 19. I was out of high school, but I looked younger. Yeah. So I went in and I auditioned. And then when back then you auditioned in person, the first time now graduated to you put yourself on tape and then send it in. But then you auditioned. And maybe you've just auditioned for the casting director. And then the next time you went in, you auditioned for the casting director and the director and then the third time the producer. Anyway, I do what I do recall was that the last time I was going in when they narrowed it down to I guess maybe a few women a couple. The Catholics are told my agent tell her to do something with her hair. Because I didn't know I didn't wear any makeup. I had been a model but that they do your hair for you. Yeah, it was was pretty good at that. So I asked my roommate, Mary, I said, Can you help me with big my hair is better because she used mousse. So I figured, well,
Jason Connell:she's got the body.
Alexandra Paul:She knows something. So she taught me how to put curlers in my hair, right. But the problem was she was going to UCLA the day of my last audition screen test. Essentially, she had exams so I showered and put the curlers in my hair. And then I drove over from I lived in Westwood and then I drove over to the valley Studio City to go audition in Studio City on Ventura Boulevard. And I parked the car about a block away from I'm where I was auditioning and took out my curlers so my hair would be extra fluffy. No, that was made a major mistake I had when I took out my curlers. My hair was stick straight because I hadn't dried it first. It had been wet. And so my hair was still wet. So I hadn't taken because Mary had forgot. I guess she thought, well, I hadn't realized that. So
Jason Connell:um, well, you did do something different with your hair. You did do that. I
Alexandra Paul:guess I walked in I immediately apologize to my hair. And I bet you John Carpenter didn't care at all about hair. That wasn't what he was looking for. And it was it was still wet probably because it had been a girl and so I guess my audition was good enough that they cast me Yeah,
Jason Connell:well great hair in the movie I gotta say so they you got the right team or oh my
Alexandra Paul:god so much hair. I'm like I'm all hair and cheeks and eyes. Oh my God, it was
Jason Connell:thick hair. It is true. So any memorable scenes with other actors or even Christine on the set before we get into some specific scenes that I have but anything standout? I mean, you're working with this car you know what to possess car you're in some scenes with Christina and you have this hatred your character does but anything stand out about that process?
Alexandra Paul:You know, I didn't care about cars at all. And so I didn't have any appreciation for the car or anything like that. Okay, so it was probably helped me in my acting that this what is it all this past? Car? Yeah, I think I say God, I hate this car seat, which upsets my boyfriend at that point. But yeah, I mean, I remember that we shot quite a few nights. I remember I'll tell you what I do remember is that when we shot in that warehouse, it was in a city of industry which is this awful of sorry, I don't know if it's awful, but it's full of just those warehouse. I don't think anybody lives there as maybe population 52 Even though it's probably 10 square miles but it's a long way and I got I there was one night where afternoon because you drove there in the afternoon and then you chewed on night drive back in the morning where I got a speeding ticket and and Stockwell got to on the way. So it was
Jason Connell:two classic days. You guys needed drivers.
Alexandra Paul:Yeah, we did know that. We weren't big enough. Not yet.
Jason Connell:Not yet. Yeah. Well, I also like how they made up a city for the movie Rockbridge California. I liked that. They couldn't just put Pasadena they gotta make up a city but it kind of works. And then I noticed that some speaking of locations you're in city ministry. The high schools were Vann eyes, football scenes were at Calabasas Lee's home your house is in Monrovia, Dennis's was in Hollywood and RNase was in South Pasadena. So you really were all over the place, which I'm happy they fell in California, because they did that in the 80s. Like the Karate Kid movies. It was very authentic. But they did spread it all over the place. Because it's not easy to commute and move film teams and companies that far. So yeah, a lot of ground to cover there. And I've actually been
Alexandra Paul:I've forgotten. Did they say that? It was you said Rock Ridge, California. That's what it says. Yeah. Oh, okay. So I don't know if we ever did. It was ever actually just, you know, mentioned that was California because that film was set. The book was set in New England, as you said. So that was one major difference. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. But it was nice. Because those places are very suburbia. And it was a very, you know, looking at it. It doesn't look super dated. Know it to me at all. And I don't know, you can tell me but because I don't know, maybe our clothes have gone back to the 80s or something. But no, yeah, it was the 80s it was itself, right. Yeah. But it's pretending
Jason Connell:it set as a timestamp in the very beginning. Not one of their Detroit but I mean, you know, present day for you guys was September. Well, the first day was September 12 1978. So we are pretending it's the 70s
Alexandra Paul:Okay, and we were we were five years shooting five exactly and
Jason Connell:behind and you know, some of the clothing I get it you know, buddy and his team and the jock Stockwell wears normal nondescript things, right. But the car's spoke the years it's like, Ah, here we go. Yeah, but it did. It's dated in the right way holds up. I mean, these houses are great, too. I've actually gone by Arnie's house. I didn't go in. In fact, you know, you don't even have a scene there that I recall unless it was cut out. But I've drove by one day, and it looks the same. And this is you know, five years ago I was on my scooter. It's like I'm gonna go by because you know, there's a lot of houses in South Pasadena peewee from Pee Wee's Big Adventure and the Teen Wolf house and Halloween house all these houses. And I go by it's like, oh my gosh, it's just like the movie. overgrown trees hidden the way that the house is tucked in. It really works that they did a good job of locations. Essentially. It's what I'm trying to say here. Very, very good job. But I didn't understood And the stamps I thought it was interesting choice. Because this transformation Arnis transformation happens over a short period of time. It's just a few months doesn't take long for Christine to put her hooks in you. But we don't get a day but you just get a month goes by it's like October, November, and then it just resolves itself. So I was interesting because I guess I just want to show some passage of time. It's a nice, a nice choice. I also love before buying Christine, this is great Dennis this character says your funeral man. Spot on there. Like these things stand out when I watched it yesterday, like oh, wow, right there. There it is. No, don't buy this car.
Alexandra Paul:Well, my favorite my favorite line has to do with me. Me me me. Is when Doug, the actor Doug war hit when I first walk into the school. Yes. And I think this is my first scene actually, which I didn't have any lines. It just have to look like wide eyed and innocent coming down. Yeah. And warheads character goes to stock. Well, she looks smart. But she's got the body of a slot. And he says it's so perfectly he says and he's my friend to this day. It was just last week and I emailed him and he called me in LA. But um, he was 28 at the time actually speaking but you look like you. Yeah, actually. And I just love that because yeah, it always sort of acquainted myself as being smart. Because I've been good in school was important to me, and I was good in school, but the slugged me That's hilarious. This was a teenage boy would say because any girl looks like they would have the body of a slap because I did not have the body of a sweat at all. Or the demeanor. But that's what makes it so funny. Because no one said, wow, look at her body.
Jason Connell:I liked that line, too. I wasn't going to bring it up. So I'm glad that you did it. It is hilarious. And then right after that one of the few lines we get out of Kelly oppressive because she's more like you said just she's got eyes, you know, for dentists and she's always looking at dentists is looking over her to look at you. But she bust out TTFN with Tata for now, which did it originate here? Because I did he I never used this phrase, I would probably get punched. But people did. And I was like, I wonder if it spawned from this book or the movie, but whatever. There was a nice little moment. It might have been a valley girl kind of thing. Totally valley girl. I should go back and watch that movie. Yeah. Now some other scenes. There's a little bit of questions like, would you Lee, not you your character Lee fall for Arnie. You know, it's like, well, where's the net? You never met Arnie, the totally innocent nerd. You met him on part of that plight. So where was that where you found him? attractive in a way? Maybe he was just confident something. But obviously I'm sure audiences always think what what why does it she like Dennis? Like that's an that's an obvious connection. I know. It's not how the book of the story goes. But as you as an actor getting into it, do you think like, Yeah, this is plausible, she would fall for this guy and not only fall like she really gets head over heels for him. As he's changing the dial as he's going up to 11 and really changing. What was your thoughts of that? Is it believable?
Alexandra Paul:Um, you know, I was a lot taller than him to I think there's a truck car and I'm talking Akash I have to say, I was really insecure. I mean, I think all 19 year old girls and boys are probably yes. Right. All teenagers. We could admit it now that we're older, but I was really insecure about being like big, tall, and I was slender, but I wasn't thin. I was nor I think I was normal. I don't know. It's like, I wasn't fat by any means, by the way. But being being with a man, a boy who's smaller than you that always makes a woman more insecure. So interesting. I don't know physically. I've never been one of those people that goes Oh, he's so tall. I don't know why I never cared about height and a guy but all but I just remember seeing that. That kissing scene, a steal from it and thinking, wow, we do look like an odd couple. You know? Yeah, I'm definitely even though. He looks handsome in his dark.
Jason Connell:Oh, yeah. He starts to change. Exactly.
Alexandra Paul:Yeah. And she's a smart girl. And he's, you know, and he's nice in the beginning. So I can see why she might be attracted to him rather than, you know, the jocks.
Jason Connell:Or he got to you first, which I gotta say some of that is a great reveal. Because we don't know that Arnie has been talking to Lee. We just know that Dennis asked her out in the library, and she's like, I've already got a date and blah, blah, blah. But we don't know until the football game and you pull up in Christine. That was a wonderful reveal. Like, oh, wow, he's changing. He's got coffee. This guy couldn't talk to a girl now he's taken the pill. The new girl to the football game is like, wow, that says a lot right there. Yeah. Hey, being a male, once in my teens, insecure for sure. It takes us a lot a lot longer Alexander to grow up. Trust me on that. Yes, it
Alexandra Paul:does. No, I know your prefrontal cortex doesn't develop that doesn't until 25. And that's why that's why nobody can drive a car except rented car until they're 25. Males not because of us female I'm
Jason Connell:shocked they give driver's licenses away so young. I'm what I sound like an old guy. Now. What is 18? These kids? It's true. But I do sound that way for sure.
Alexandra Paul:Well, that's why they lowered by the way, as of I told you register vote, they lowered the voting age, because they used to be 21 in the 70s. For but in the 60s, and then sometime in the 70s or 80s. They lowered it because they realized they were drafting young men who couldn't even vote Exactly. And that was wrong. So you know my opinion they should have just raised everything and drafted y'all later. Yeah, I saw I suppose women weren't being drafted then. But
Jason Connell:I liked the y'all on there. That's kinda reminds me about Oklahoma roots there.
Alexandra Paul:I send you all only because I did date somebody from Texas for a long time. Actually. Who's in Christine, interestingly. But
Jason Connell:can you share guys? Yeah,
Alexandra Paul:I can't. It was so long ago. I've been married to my beloved 27 years. He doesn't mind at all. He's not threatened by anything, because he knows how much we'd love each. So I say y'all, because you guys, I hate that. Yeah. Because there's often a woman in the room and she's not a guy. I'm sorry. So I say yeah. All right.
Jason Connell:Everyone would work. Everyone. Yes. For sure they love y'all. They'd love it. Oh, yeah. So who is the guy? Can you divulge
Alexandra Paul:Barry Tubb? Okay. Well, you would hardly have known him. He was the quarterback and on the other team, I think another football team during the that football scene. Okay, and we didn't date till. Let's see. 19 We started dating 88 Okay. 88 for two and a half years, but he was in Top Gun. He played cowboy. He was a Texan. Okay, Texas.
Jason Connell:You got Stockwell playing Cougar. This is crazy. It's all
Alexandra Paul:right. It's so incestuous. misstating, radon. No. Once you find that, that we were shooting Christine, and then I worked with her. And okay, I'm gonna go
Jason Connell:go, please. I love this.
Alexandra Paul:And that football game was the day that William mostrando who played buddy repperton asked me out and we dated for two and a half years.
Jason Connell:Get out of here. He was a little bit older than new Alexander. I gotta say your mom probably didn't approve of that so much.
Alexandra Paul:He was only a couple years old. Oh, he was playing 28
Jason Connell:He wasn't 28 He was. I thought he was older.
Alexandra Paul:No, I didn't date Doug warhead, who's my friend? God.
Jason Connell:was when you told me he was 28. I just assumed the buddy. Yeah. Okay, got it. He went
Alexandra Paul:he was five at the time. Yes. He
Jason Connell:had a good look. Did he go on? And do I didn't look him up. I know all these other actors. But but he was. So he had a good look. And he really nailed that role. Did he have other successes?
Alexandra Paul:He went on to do some movies and like independent movies series. North South. Oh, yeah. And then But then he retired and went to I still see him because, you know, we go to autograph signings and things love it. So we're Yeah, we're friendly and everything. And he's got a wonderful wife and he moved to Northern California. And he's a farmer. And and also he ran for political office. For a congressman. Yeah. So he's had he's been very busy.
Jason Connell:That's great. Well, yeah, not trying to throw the years on him there. My bad.
Alexandra Paul:I think he's just a couple of years. Yeah. I'm not sure he might be. Yeah, three to five or something.
Jason Connell:So there's this great scene in the movie. Terrifying, I should add, but the choking scene at the drive in and Christine, what's you're doing? How hard was that to film? That's a pretty Oh my god.
Alexandra Paul:Alright, so carpenter kept saying do more. And I was like, it looks. You said do more. I don't care if it looks fake. Open your eyes. bug him out. Yeah. So I just did it as much as I can. I just followed what the director said he's the director. So
Jason Connell:while it was believable, and it's hard to watch, and it goes on and on because he's standing at his door and say, No, how long can she choke like that? Like that was pretty and then I guess it lit up. You got the music on it. Just yeah.
Alexandra Paul:And then shot it from above. Like, throwing my head back. That's funny. Yeah,
Jason Connell:thinner standard by the person next door opens the door and gives you the Heimlich that was like, Wow, very intense. Yeah,
Alexandra Paul:into the rain. And by the way, I was vegetarian, so I wouldn't eat hot, I wouldn't eat a hamburger. So I just pushed the hamburger back, because they didn't really have veggie burgers weren't really doing much then it would have been really a diva move. If I said, I really want a veggie burger in there instead of a hamburger. I couldn't do that. I was too too young. Now I can but um, and so I just pushed the burger back and bread choking on fun. Yeah.
Jason Connell:What was interesting that we only meet Arnie's parents and Dennis a sister. There's no other like, besides the people I mentioned earlier, but there's no like, figure a guardian in that way we show you at your house, on the phone tight shots. But there is that great shot of the light coming on when Arne and you are saying goodbye. And he's on the front porch. And that represents your parents. And that's all you need. Like that's smart filmmaking. Great choice. But I was like, did they shoot scenes? Did you shoot scenes with parents? Did you have parents? Or it was never it was just really deliberate that you didn't have them? We just didn't see them?
Alexandra Paul:Yeah, we didn't see them? No, I don't think we needed to know. No. But because she's really she's really just a device to compare with to show our nice change. Because she reacts to his changes and things. Yeah. And yeah, so as the girlfriend, you are
Jason Connell:more than a device. alexan Oh,
Alexandra Paul:thank you, thank you.
Jason Connell:Because he totally dismisses Dennis. Like, I haven't tapped him in forever. And then we put dentists in the hospital, you know, like, well, that's random. He's not hospital for a long time. But you're always there, you're seeing that in his parents are seeing the change. And they're shocked. And some of those scenes with him and his parents was like, I mean, I thought the mother was great. The dad had that one great scene where he pushes him and then he like, you know, puts the death grip on him. It's like, wow, and seeing him in the beginning of the movie. Like how far is this going to go? This guy is scary now. But yeah, but you're right. You were there part device, but it was it paid off. We need
Alexandra Paul:Yeah, I played the normal. I mean, Stockwell did too. But we played sort of like, you know, the popular girl. I mean, I guess. Kelly was the popular girl but I was the new girl. And then Stockwell was the jock, the friend who, who's best friends with Arnie, which can sometimes happen. They may
Jason Connell:have grown up together. I was thinking about that, like, how is this super popular guy with it? Well, they were in probably kindergarten together and middle school, and they they just develop that friendship. And that happens a lot. So that was bullied in
Alexandra Paul:high school. Yeah,
Jason Connell:that people go off. Yeah. Well, what was it like shooting that climactic ending sequence with you? And Dennis versus Arne and Christine like that was pretty intense. City of Industry. Of course, end of the movie, you know, what's the end of the movie? There's a lot of mashing of Christine, but a lot of physicality as well. Right? Or did you have a stunt person come in because you're you're running for your life and some sequences?
Alexandra Paul:Yeah, I had a stunt person for at least one of the scenes. And that was when I think I have to jump up and pulled onto some something that's in the in this industrial warehouse and, and then Christine goes under me or something like that. i You probably remember it more than I but I didn't have to do that. Okay, good. Otherwise, I did all the running around and, and I'm not crazy about those scenes I like to do taught as an actress I like to do even though I'm an athlete, I prefer to do scenes that where we talk we discuss
Jason Connell:not running from a car a deadly mess. Yeah.
Alexandra Paul:And I've done a lot of running away as the one thing. I liked Baywatch, because I was running towards somebody and save them. Yes. You know, I started at least 15 movies on lifetime. And I was always even though in the end I vanquish the bad person. I was always running from them at some point and I hope and with a gun and I always hated those. Yeah, that part. I mean, I didn't hate it but I would not like it as much as using my acting chops to relate to somebody.
Jason Connell:Well, it works here and I I gotta give you guys the characters like total props that they were that brave. They know what they're going to face and they didn't come with the cops didn't reach out to Harry Dean Stanton they have a plan and they go fire up they know the bulldozer and it's like wow, that's that was it works though. It really works because it makes it more intense because we care for both of you. By now Arnie's kind of as an audience. It's like yeah, he's churned. We care for Lee. And Dennis at this point in time.
Alexandra Paul:I will teenagers Why would we go to adult? Yeah, exactly. What
Jason Connell:do they know? Don't Don't tell Arnie's parent. Nobody. Let's just go take care of this ourselves. Yeah. And there was another great reveal. To his detriment is when RT comes out of the windshield because you don't have a seatbelt on but we didn't know for sure if he was driving because he wasn't driving when he took out the hoodlums Christine kind of went off on her own, because Arnie truly was like, Yeah, I don't know what you're talking about to the cop. So that was like, I guess carpenter painted the window is black so you never really knew who was in there or not arts a super tent job. But that was a amazing reveal. Because you weren't sure watching it like oh my god, here he is to his death. Which is kind of weird that Christine would let him go out of the windshield she loves him so much you probably wouldn't see pellet him in but you know, we need it for the movie. We need that closure, I guess.
Alexandra Paul:Yes, I think so. It was done on purpose that you didn't really know who was behind the wheel. And actually Terry Leonard was the the stunt guy yeah and he very respected stunt man and did some he did all the driving on the car was on fire. Yeah. And that's really hard because you he couldn't see much when it was on fire and then he's inside driving and the cars on fire I mean, there's and he played also, buddy repetition when buddy repetition was on fire. That was Terry Leonard on the ground. The buyer So yeah, that we didn't use CGI. We use real people. Oh,
Jason Connell:those sequences with Christine on fire and the paint is like the cars like blue. It's so hot. It's like blue glowing. That was in the music. Those sequences are riveting and captivating. So if you haven't seen in a while Xander, I tell you to fire up Christine later. Give
Alexandra Paul:it a watch because there's some things I didn't remember like I didn't remember that of the date and I didn't remember that it went from you know September October Yeah. Cetera I hadn't did not know. forgot that. I really should. I don't watch myself in well, just and sometimes I do only want to have to edit, like, get a clip from something. But otherwise, it's just it's really painful for me to watch myself at 19 I have this little voice that the sound people for years had to tell me Alexandra speak up. Because I had a little boys because I was, you know a girl and I thought I shouldn't be too much. Yeah, so you know, and I yeah, I just think an acting wise Oh, I could do that
Jason Connell:role so much better now. Oh, you did great. Don't be hard on yourself. Trust me, trust me. Well, Christina, ultimately is crushed into a cube at the salvage yard. And we hear music, which turns out to be a workman's jam box stereo, and you utter a nother great line, which is Do you remember?
Alexandra Paul:God, I hate rock and roll.
Jason Connell:So great. You are? Because everyone thought That's exactly right. Everyone thought oh, that's Christina again, because she was always playing music, which was kind of copied in Transformers and Bumblebee the way that Bumblebee would talk through music. But that was a really interesting choice to they'd put on a song which you know, I don't come down again or whatever was relevant was back to the bone. You mean well, yeah, the beginning was bad to the bone. But I mean, throughout the movie, if the song was really relevant to the scene, like oh, like whatever it was, yeah, I forgot to mention that in the beginning. Bad to the Bone George Thoreau Good. Great song but Baba bad. And when you saw in Detroit, and it kills the it crushes a guy's hand and then squashes another guy kills him. We know this is a possessed car in production in Detroit, which winds up in California at this guy's you know, which is interesting to Alexander that when they see Christine to buy, it already buys it. It's broken down doesn't fix itself. You know, it's just dilapidated, I guess because its owner died. But it's like, yeah, I'm out. I'm done. And then it has a metamorphosis. Interesting.
Alexandra Paul:You're asking a lot of good questions. Jason.
Jason Connell:I just washed it. So it's fresh in my mind.
Alexandra Paul:I hope yeah, I hope it doesn't mean that they feel like the film was jumped the shark maybe in the book, say explain why Christine was inspired to she was revitalized by her love for RNA.
Jason Connell:I think that's what I was like, here's someone cares about me again. And so here we go. But the movie ends with that. Yes, you call it out. It wasn't the Christina. It was a jam box. But then we see a little bit of you know, that little bit of movement in this cube. It's like, oh, my gosh, great Andy, which would uh, you know, if it wasn't Carpenter, it was someone else in the studio said, That's it. You're in production on the sequel. Like that usually would happen but he had some clout and he probably was not interested. I mean, he didn't do Halloween, two, three, etc, etc, etc. He moves on. But Had there been a scene?
Alexandra Paul:I don't know. Yeah, I don't know how well the film did when it first came out. That was maybe nine apes. It cost 8 million. I think I heard but is that true?
Jason Connell:Do you know what made money it definitely made like what the numbers on IMDb were like it made triple its money. So that's a success. but maybe they were expecting franchise or Stephen King might not have allowed it. That's right. Yeah, there is no Christine to book and I'm not gonna let that happen. But let's just say that they did. And they pick things up right there and Christine comes back. And we still have Lee and Dennis and those few players left. Do you think those two would wind up together? Lee and Dennis? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Okay. Yeah, definitely. That's what I wanted to get your take. And so that's, that's how I feel. Okay. Yeah,
Alexandra Paul:I was I was really intimidated by Stockwell, though because he was older. Yeah, he was from the East Coast too. But I don't know just I was I was not Keith had this warmth about him. But Stockwell didn't have that warmth. towards me. And I don't know if it was personal to me. Because he's very nice, man. There's certainly. But yeah, so I it was probably me and my insecurity
Jason Connell:or chemistry on those scenes. I thought I really, I believed it. I was like, Oh, he and he was really he was much nicer on the role. r&d. But yeah, he was caring and he was already injured. And he was looking out for you. And I saw some good chemistry going on there. So Oh, good.
Alexandra Paul:Good. Yeah. No, I liked him. And I yeah, I felt like I knew him that I had. No, I couldn't have known him. It was only after that. I saw him on you know, with because of American flyers, and his girlfriend, radon. That was it? I guess. Yeah.
Jason Connell:So how did you see the movie? Did you go to a big premiere? Or did you just see it when it came out? Or what was your experience on that?
Alexandra Paul:So I went to the premiere and I was horrified. In fact, I think I walked out early before I was so freaked out. And I remember Bill, you know, below strand coming out and being like, well, what's going on? I can't stand seeing myself like, I'm terrible. I'm this and that. And he was like, oh my god, boy. So yeah,
Jason Connell:so you didn't enjoy it? I get it. Did you enjoy it later on? Did you ever get a chance to watch it years later and just say, oh, you know, that's uh, did you even like the movie?
Alexandra Paul:Oh, yeah. I really liked the movie. And I did watch it years later, when I had to do the back, you know, the blu ray or the DVD or something. And they asked me to comment on some of the scenes so yeah, I did watch it before that. Yeah, I just I think the movie itself is wonderful. And yeah, I'm so glad I did it.
Jason Connell:As am I and all of the fans out there who love Christiane. Yeah, you were definitely Lee Cabot. So here's some trivia. And again, like I mentioned, you're gonna have the best one I read. So I did read it. Kevin Bacon was offered the role of Arne, but he chose to do Footloose instead. So I thought about that, like, yeah, bacon would have been good, but I don't know. Keith Gordon was so good. I'm glad it was him.
Alexandra Paul:It's funny, because Kevin Bacon was also considered for the role of the lead in American flyers, really, alongside Cosner. So he was gonna play my Yes, my limiters and I remember Batum saying that he couldn't get his blinding cast, Kevin because both of our noses were upturned. My nose was more upturned when I was younger. I don't know. I have not had a nose job. But it now it's pretty shaky, but it was presented look
Jason Connell:like siblings or cousins. Yeah, exactly. Know about coming. I just read that. And then I read that Brooke Shields was considered for your role
Alexandra Paul:of Lee. Oh, makes total sense. Yeah.
Jason Connell:I get that. They were probably looking for Brooke Shields type. Yeah, they went and got a new face. You nailed it. So
Alexandra Paul:that's probably it. Because I'm also tall. Yeah, we actually, you know, do have some sort of features the same and I got Brooke Shields hair. That's it. So she boy, she's sweet though. I've met her in real life. And she's super sweet. She would have been great in the role actually, too. Yeah.
Jason Connell:So this is the one that you'll know. And you actually say it on the extra so but I'll let you take over but so there was a story that you pranked John Carpenter with your twin sister. So please, I want to hear you tell the story. Okay, so
Alexandra Paul:John Carpenter. He's a prankster. And he played a great prank on the producer, which was much better. Well, I don't know if it was much better than our prank, but it was a great prank. The producer, I get to tell this story quickly, please. Yes, of course. The producer Richard. Richard had forgotten his last name right now. He's wonderful person. Go ahead. Yeah. So he would he come to the set in this really nice Porsche. And he loved his Porsche off and he would cover it every time with this car cover and everything. So one day, while everybody was having lunch, Carpenter, replace that portrait with an old junker and then put the cover on again, and we were all having lunch. I wasn't there actually. So I'm just saying um, this is Here's Kobrick Is that his name? Oh, great. Yes. Richard Roberts. Thank you. So Culbertson, everybody, you know, the actors and carpenters sitting having lunch in the cars parked nearby and a bulldozer comes off and rolls the bulldozer. We use rolls over it. And Colbert freaks out because he thinks his horses over there. It's an old junker car.
Jason Connell:That's a great price and very mean prime, but a great friend. Christine, yeah, you're gonna demolish cars. So you might as well Yeah, I love it.
Alexandra Paul:So, I since I've only been in Hollywood for a year, nobody knew. And there wasn't the Internet where you could just look up somebody and find out all about them. And I have an identical twin sister Caroline. And when we were in high school, we went to different boarding schools, and I had gone and pretended I was she at her boarding school, but she'd never done it the same to me for some reason. And so, when we were working in Christine, we thought, oh, let's pretend let's have you pretend you're me on the set. And so we got the makeup and hair and wardrobe people and Stockwell because the scene was with Stockwell. And we had her dressed up in my, you know, the, basically, you always have to have or three especially because we were doing stunts. This was the part this was the
Jason Connell:scenes. Yes, yes. Yeah.
Alexandra Paul:So we're all running around not a lot of acting stuff. And so it's the first scene in the morning and Stockwell takes Caroline onto the set, so she knows where to go. And he's, he's like going whispering like, okay, here comes the director. And so she's like, hello. And when John says, Hi, in the morning, and she gets up, and she shoots a scene. It's not a dialogue scene, but she should just see aware. It's just a lease foot. And and there's a great steal of carpenter looking up at her when she's sitting in that cab. And he's really quizzically like, and I asked him about that later, when I saw that still, he goes, You know, when she said hello to me, it just She sounded different. I thought you were sick? Because he didn't say
Jason Connell:yes, yes. Yeah. And
Alexandra Paul:Caroline was probably trying to be all Siri she she actually wrote a book. My sister is an author. I looked called. I think it's it wasn't called nearly famous. It was called, like, almost famous. It's a little book you can get on Amazon, which is
Jason Connell:a movie in its own right. But that's yeah. It wasn't. Yeah, it
Alexandra Paul:wasn't exactly that title.
Jason Connell:But if you what it's about this, this thing when she came, she recounts she would love it.
Alexandra Paul:He was trying to be all diva, like because I was, but she found out that Oh, no, I wasn't a diva because everyone was so friendly. And really, really was friendly and loving and likes me so much. And she writes very funny. Anyway. So yeah, that's the story is my sister did full John Carpenter's. The scene is in the movie.
Jason Connell:That's what I read. That's amazing. He also there's a quote from John Carpenter. It was like Invasion of the Body Snatchers. And Alexandra was a pod person. So he walked up and heard probably heard something like doesn't compute, but it looks like her. That's a really good prank, because he didn't even figure it out. Like what happened? Did you did you pop out somewhere? today?
Alexandra Paul:Okay, I forgot the ending part was I walk out onto the set. We're in the same clothes as my sister's wearing, you know, with the same hair and makeup. Yeah. And I say to John, have you fired me already?
Jason Connell:Why would only a couple people make up in stock? Well, that was it. Right? Everyone else didn't know. Oh, that's wonderful. I'd love to see footage of that. So you were telling that story? I thought that's great. And how many people have a twin and pull that off? So it's in the movie? Well, not that sequence, but her foot, whatever. Still the movie. Yay. So last couple of trivia here, and we're wrapping up. But you've been fantastic. Thanks for going extra with me today. Stephen King chose a 58 Plymouth Fury for Christine because it was a forgotten car. I didn't want a car with a legend attached to it like the 50s Thunderbird. So that makes total sense. You know, this was a car that not a lot of people are probably talking about. And then here it is. It's like very meta. Now this is a very popular car. And so to that point, I have another slide here. So there's Christine Right, right. It's just probably the shot when it was in Detroit on the factory line in the movie production still. So then I realized as I was getting ready for this episode, I was like, Oh my gosh, when I was at the Petersen Automotive Museum, I saw Christine so which is a great museum for those who don't know at 6060 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles 90036. Here is my photo of Christine. There's only two left and this is one of the two and there's the side. And then this was I read this I took a photo of it but it talks It's about how it was one of like, a lot of cars were torn up, as you know. And this was one of two left and it went to the museum forever. So and there's the license plate is si que Bina, do you remember what that stands for Alexandria?
Alexandra Paul:No, no, I don't do they talk about it's in the book though.
Jason Connell:It may be in the book. It was just online. So I was like, oh, because it's deliberative. It wasn't just circumstance or happenstance. It stands for close quarters battle. So there you have it. A classic. Just what happened at the end of the
Alexandra Paul:movie, if you're dealing with pristine military thing, it
Jason Connell:could be it could be I don't I don't know. But I thought that's interesting that it meant something. So as I was perusing through these photos, I was there at the museum, probably 2015 2016. So literally, I cruise through I was with the Back to the Future car come across Christine, the very next car that I swiped to was this, and I want to get your reaction to this. Do you recognize that?
Alexandra Paul:Yes, that's my kind of car. That is my first step back.
Jason Connell:This is the easy one.
Alexandra Paul:Yes, the easy one. It's so interesting, because yeah, as I told you, I didn't care about cars. To me, they were polluting machines, but they got you to where you need it to go. And then along came the Eevee. And which is for y'all. for y'all.
Jason Connell:There it is again. Car.
Alexandra Paul:Yeah, yeah. Well, and
Jason Connell:yeah, in the movie, the documentary, which I was, my mind was blown. I'm like, Oh, the EB one. Let me look up Alexander's credits. You're in the documentary Who Killed the Electric car? Yes, I've
Alexandra Paul:been driving cars for 33 years, I probably, I would say that I might be the woman who's been driving electric cars longer than any other woman in the United States only because there are men like Ed Begley, Jr. I
Jason Connell:was gonna say, I met him many times. He's always I used to watch him on Carson talking about it, like in the 1970s or early 80s. So yeah, he was in that lane. But you're right there.
Alexandra Paul:Yeah, well, 1990 was my first car after the Exxon Valdez spilled. And I got all my high horse about I can't believe the Exxon Valdez spilled all that oil into the Alaskan waters, and Oh, there I was driving a little GMC Jimmy and I realized, oops, I'm the reason that that takers out there. I better I better, you know, walk my talk. So yeah, I got my first electric car with actually a big least help he he recommended it got 25 miles per charge. And my first one and then you know, they got that another 50. And then, and then the Evie one got over 100. And now I drive an electric car. Yeah, it gets over 300. So
Jason Connell:I love it. I love when I saw Tesla come up. I had a leaf for a while I had an electric scooter. I love riding my bicycles. So I love it. And this documentary have you made 10 Docs myself? I was in the middle of my dogs and this one came out and it really spoke to me Chris Payne, I want to give him a shout out the director Martin Sheen narrates it, Ed Begley Jr, Tom Hanks, and, of course, you it all over it. Alexandra Paul, phenomenal. So that was it. I had to end it with that, because I was like, What are the odds that she's in this movie? But, uh, thank you for going on this journey with us today. Talking about Christine things we didn't know now you're inspired to watch it with your partner, your husband and you guys can don't meet don't cringe. You're phenomenal in this movie.
Alexandra Paul:Oh, my gosh, well, let will let your audience be the judge of that.
Jason Connell:Okay, that's fair. That's fair. And maybe next time if you're up for it, we can do a deep dive on another movie. I love American flowers. You never know.
Alexandra Paul:Okay, yes, you've let me know. Let me know you know how to find me. I do. Thank you so much, Jason. I appreciate it. My pleasure.
Jason Connell:My pleasure. So without further ado, please enjoy. Christine. So thank you so much for listening. And please be sure to subscribe to the let's talk movies podcast and the let's talk movies YouTube Live Channel. You can also really help us by giving the show a five star rating on Apple podcast. And for all you listeners that enjoy sharing your thoughts. You can leave us a review on Apple podcast, send us a direct message or post a comment on any let's talk movies social media platform. We also highly recommend checking out our other podcast and visiting just curious media.com
