The RedRum Podcast

🎃 Halloween Special: Episode Re-release of Critters with Dee Wallace!

• Captain & Wilson • Season 7

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This is a special Halloween re-release of our episode from 2021 featuring Dee Wallace! The interview begins around 28:00.

DEE WALLACE sits down with Captain and Wilson this week to discuss her 1986 film "Critters"! In this episode, Dee talks about what it was like filming Critters and Cujo, as well as some other highlights of her career. She even gives Wilson a new nickname...

Captain:

that was still sprite mix mix. Right, okay, good, I want to see carbonation.

Wilson:

I mean, there is Sprite and vodka in here.

Captain:

We're not drinking vodka water Vodka.

Wilson:

Vodka, vodka water, vodka, vodka, tap water Disgusting, it's so disgusting. You know what I like a vodka and well water. I really like well water for my vodkas.

Captain:

I want you to go out to the creek Cup up some of the creek water. Just splash some vodka in there Perfect.

Wilson:

I like my water from aquifers and collect it in a well.

Captain:

I want a free pan-catched rain as my water Collected in a well. I want a free pan catch to rain as I water Straight from. I'd also take the water straight from the Baltimore Harbor Gross. It has so much fecal matter in it that you're not even supposed to swim in it.

Wilson:

That's gross, but anyway.

Captain:

Well, that's fun. Do you know what I'm drinking over here?

Wilson:

what do you? Well, okay, to be clear, I'm not drinking well water and vodka it's.

Captain:

It's a vodka sprite I'm pretty sure you're lying what are you drinking? I'm drinking fresh made sangria. This is like really good I shouldn't eat this carrot in the mic.

Wilson:

Or not. Carrot Carrot Apple in the mic. I think that's an apple. Are there carrots in there?

Captain:

I wish, no, I'm kidding. I mean, I could like acquire you some carrots, no, it's apples and blood orange and strawberries and triple sec and some other things. It's actually really good.

Wilson:

I would pay money for this. I'm not kidding, I really would like this would be something that you I mean, yeah, that's like you'd probably pay like 10 bucks for at a restaurant, or something like that yeah, a tall glass like this, yeah yeah yeah, yeah, um, yes, 10 out of 10 would do again would drink more sangria.

Captain:

Well, you're in luck, there's more I think I kind of went through most of that picture. I'm not gonna lie well, that's okay.

Wilson:

Um, do you want to know some hot?

Captain:

oh, just jumping right into the hot, what'd you?

Wilson:

say some hot horror, goss hot horror, not hot Hot hot horror, yeah, so way back when ish we did an episode on Don't Breathe.

Captain:

Are you going to pull up the number?

Wilson:

I guess I can, but that might take away from you. Keep talking. Okay, great, I will pull up Way back when a couple years ago we did an episode Don't Breathe that had Stephen Lang. We had an episode Don't Breathe that had Stephen Lang. We had Clay Jensen, what's?

Captain:

his face Stephen Lang Dill.

Wilson:

Manette Dill, manette and girl. I can't remember her name, dude. What was girl's name?

Captain:

I don't know, but you can't just call her girl.

Wilson:

Was it Jane Levy? That's who it was. She was in the uh the evil dead remake that was good all right, it was quite a while ago.

Dee Wallace:

What are you?

Captain:

thinking let's, let's take a bet. I'm gonna say episode like around 40, right?

Wilson:

oh, I was gonna say episode like 13 what?

Captain:

yeah, okay, I'm gonna say like 37, you're gonna say 13 you're probably closer honestly, I feel like I probably know you're probably way closer, because I remember we kind of saw it in theaters, right or not, like kind of we did.

Wilson:

I kind of remember I was living at the time oh well, that's like cheating.

Captain:

Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh. Did I skip it? Did I miss it? Maybe it was like even further back, but it was like episode two don't breathe came out in 2016. Oh my god, what it's very close to episode two.

Wilson:

It's episode four wow oh my gosh and that was like we. We saw in theaters and then did an episode on it, like that night.

Captain:

Yes, we really did.

Wilson:

It says september 2016 yeah, and what the movie was released on? Uh wait, oh, august 26 2016.

Captain:

Yeah, so yeah, I like that. We tried to be nice and said spoiler alert. This episode contains spoilers because it was recently released, but it's like duh, um, okay, so we. So we did an episode on Don't Breathe in 2016.

Wilson:

Yeah, so there's to the point. There's a sequel coming out this August.

Captain:

Speaking of Don't Breathe.

Wilson:

So what, five years later? And it stars the same dude.

Captain:

Yeah, why would they do it five years later? Well, I mean, I don't know, it is now five years later, no, but I'm saying like normally when you're going to put a sequel on a movie, like don't wait five years.

Wilson:

Do you want to know the premise of this movie?

Captain:

Yeah, I actually don't remember how the last movie ended.

Wilson:

Well, I don't know if this will help, but the blind man has been hiding out for several years in an isolated cabin and is taken in and raised a young girl orphaned from a devastating house fire. Their quiet life together is shattered when a group of criminals kidnap the girl, forcing the blind man to leave a safe haven to save her.

Captain:

So the first movie was like, I feel like his house and he had a bunch of money and they knew that yeah, so like he was defending his house.

Wilson:

Yeah, it's like he felt bad for him, but also he was like killing kids. Oh, he was defending his house, yes, so like he felt bad for him, but also he was like killing kids.

Captain:

Oh yeah, he was like down to a fucking clown.

Wilson:

Yeah, but this one he's like actually just like the good guy, he's like 100% the good guy.

Captain:

Oh, it has Dylan Minnette in it.

Wilson:

Again.

Captain:

No, I'm just saying.

Wilson:

Oh, the original. Yeah, like, yes, some of it's coming back to me. Yes, yes, dylan minnette and jane levy, I was gonna say jane.

Captain:

I'm thinking you're gonna say jane lynch that was not jane lynch um, it says that they're at the first. I mean, should I spoil our alert? I can't even talk right now. Um, the last movie ended where there's a news report about the incident and like some people are like dead or whatever oh, and the guy ended up still being alive.

Wilson:

I think that was like the big.

Captain:

Yeah, he's like still rocky stole some cash and rocky and diddy board a train to la god. I don't fucking remember that shit I do remember the one kid that was like wild.

Wilson:

He was kind of like yeah, he died like right away like jay leto. No, jared leto jay leto because doesn't jared, let us on that like goes he goes like into his roles yeah, like too much and like he plays a, I think, a similar character, the one you're talking about, and don't breathe. He played a similar character in um.

Captain:

yes, Uh, panic room. Well, I was going to say panic room specifically. Yeah, and what episode was panic room? Take a guess, let's click that on it again.

Wilson:

You were closer last time Like I don't know, 83.

Captain:

Like we just did that, that movie. Yeah, you're probably running the money. I'm gonna say 86, what was it? We don't have the rights to that song. Um man, I cannot find things it should be like right towards 86 nice nice um yeah, so we've done a lot of these moves all right.

Wilson:

Well, welcome to the what episode is it?

Captain:

91, no 93 can we?

Wilson:

can we check that, though? I don't know if I want to get this wrong.

Captain:

Okay, fine, I'll look man, I'm like way off of my numbers. Something's really we fucked up, something Like we're way off.

Wilson:

We pissed off someone.

Captain:

Probably the demon in the basement is.

Wilson:

Welcome to the 91st episode.

Captain:

There we are 91. Of the Red Rum Podcast where we review horror movies while enjoying an adult beverage or two. And I'm captain and I'm wilson okay, and wilson, what are we doing this week?

Wilson:

well, this week, as you know, like we said, we review horror movies. Every week we enjoy a couple adult beverages, and this week is especially exciting because we have a special guest it's our first.

Captain:

Well, I wouldn't say it's our first special guest.

Wilson:

Oh, this is like an extra special guest. We've had special guests, but this is a celebrity guest. Do you want to say who?

Captain:

we got my heart dropped when you said celebrity guest.

Wilson:

Celebrity guest. Who do we have?

Captain:

Did you say you want me to guess?

Wilson:

No, no, no, no, no. I said guest. Yeah, yes, do you want to say it? We are having d wallace. Finally, here she is and you may uh recognize her. She was the mom from et um, she was in critters um she's incredible in kujo right, you're right, she's in kujo um she's. Then she's in a number of other movies. She's also been in a lot of TV shows. She's had a long film and TV history.

Captain:

She has, like what? Over 200 credits, I think.

Wilson:

She has quite the extensive history and she also has her own podcast.

Captain:

She has her own podcast and she's still currently filming. What is it? The TV show 9-1-1 that's recently on.

Wilson:

TV. Oh yeah, she was, like recently, featured on a couple episodes. She was recently featured, in january um, oh, she's such an amazing person. Um, she was so fun to talk to. Oh, she's the best, she's so fun, so we have that interview uh in this episode. So we'll review the movie and then we'll we'll jump into the interview.

Captain:

A quick review quick review.

Wilson:

Um, so we already covered our drinks for this week, so I I guess we just jump right in yes all right, so, uh, like we said, we're this week reviewing critters, so this was a movie that she starred in um. This was a 1986 sci-fi comedy horror film, and this was directed by steven herrick herrick so he's also known for uh bill and ted's excellent adventure the mighty ducks. The three musketeers wait what?

Captain:

you said the mighty ducks keenan thompson wait, isn't he the one in that? He's am I thinking of a different?

Wilson:

is he in?

Captain:

I don't think he's in that in the in the in the teenage hockey amelio estevez is in the mighty ducks wait, wait. Is keaton thompson not in the mighty ducks?

Wilson:

I feel like keaton thompson was like too young for that really wait, is he?

Captain:

I'm so. I swear to god I that my entire life is I don't is unearthed by this news.

Wilson:

I mean using Good Burger.

Captain:

I don't think I'm mixing up Good Burger with you.

Wilson:

I do not see him listed on the cast.

Captain:

I'm so upset Now.

Wilson:

I'm really curious.

Captain:

No, he's in D2, the Mighty Ducks 2 from 1994.

Wilson:

Oh, okay, so the sequel, but not the first Mighty Ducks.

Captain:

I guess so. Okay, okay that's weird, though, because I must have seen d2 a lot I feel like I heard more about d2 yeah, just because I remember keenan. I remember the movie, I remember him being in it and being like on the ice all right, well, um, and then he's also known for 101 dalmatians.

Wilson:

Good to know, wait he did the live action one.

Captain:

We're talking about two different people, but I know.

Wilson:

Oh, the director Did the live action. He also directed, yes, the one with Glenn Close, 101 Dalmatians.

Captain:

I have not seen that in forever.

Wilson:

Did you see they're coming out with a new one? Yeah, with Emma Stone. She's.

Captain:

Cruella Emma Stone, she's Cruella, wait. I kind of want them to put a dark spin on it.

Wilson:

I'm curious what they'll do. I'm kind of nervous about it.

Captain:

How do you hear all these things about these movies? I saw a trailer. I don't know who's your inside man.

Wilson:

I just got a thing that was like Cruella. I think it was on Reddit.

Captain:

Wait, it's called Cruella.

Wilson:

I'm pretty sure, yeah, that sure, yeah. That's like so much better to feel later I we'd also don't have the rights to that. Okay, well, okay, so back to the back to the uh.

Captain:

Yeah, um, right, right, right, right, right, right, so uh oh, I guess we gotta watch this after we finish recording this trailer.

Wilson:

I guess I have hot goss for this, but we can wait till later to share that.

Captain:

But like okay, fine.

Wilson:

I can share a quick hot goss. It's like related to the director. Yes, okay. So apparently it was widely believed that Critters was inspired by the success of the 1984 film Gremlins, but the director has refuted this in interviews, pointing out that the script was written by um the writer long before gremlins went into production and subsequently underwent rewrites to reduce the apparent similarities between the two films the og og og we also did a ghoulies which is like 31 and that was definitely a ripoff of Gremlins and I do not see the similarities with this and Critters that I do with that.

Wilson:

Right, right, right, right, All right, so let's jump into the cast. All right? So of course we have Dee Wallace.

Captain:

We have the queen, do you?

Dee Wallace:

want to cover.

Wilson:

Dee Wallace's little bit of her little history here. Do you want to cover her?

Captain:

I mean she's a queen.

Wilson:

She's known as a scream queen.

Captain:

She's the literal goddess of scream queens. Yeah, so Dee Welles has been acting since like I don't even know forever the 70s. But yeah, I would say yeah, like Wilson said earlier, she's most known for the mom in ET Mary, and then the mom in Cujo Donna. In this movie she's Helen, and then she's also in Critter's Attack. That's what it's called, right, the new one from 2019.

Wilson:

Okay, yeah.

Captain:

Is that 2019?

Wilson:

I don't remember the exact year, oh yeah.

Captain:

Critterters of the Tag. Yeah, she's also in that. She's in Red Christmas, which we did an episode on that was like an Australian horror Christmas movie, and then she's also in another one we did called the Devil something the Devil's Around.

Wilson:

Me the House of the Devil oh.

Captain:

What else is she most? Known for she in the office as andy's mom in one episode she was yeah in the garden party episode oh, I kind of need to re-watch that. Um yeah, she's also known for the howling um which is a movie from the 80s that she was like, really known for.

Wilson:

If you look up like famous photos of d wellis that one comes up a lot yeah, like she's been in all the shows that like, especially like shows that are known for having, just you know, every single actor you know like somebody's guest starred, like you name it. She's been in it like jag gray's anatomy um, I mean just like so many shows, the twilight zone general hospital yes ncis.

Captain:

Oh my gosh, when you're on her wiki, it just like scrolls and scrolls.

Wilson:

She's like scrolling and scrolling supernatural.

Captain:

Everyone hits supernatural at some point um did you? I have not heard of this, but there's um a movie called ouija house in 2018 I just scrolled past that. Oh wait is this the one with oh, it has Tara Reid in it too, and Misha Barton. We should look into this.

Wilson:

We should.

Captain:

And then she also does a couple movies with her daughter, gabby, gabby.

Wilson:

Gabby. Are you allowed to say Gabby, Because like I don't, I'm not her friend, that's true.

Captain:

I don't like know her, know her, but I don't know her, know her. Her daughter also acts and does some similar things as Dee. Yeah, I don't know. She's awesome in every way. She's awesome. She's really cool.

Wilson:

Just wait until the interview. And then we also have M Emmett Walsh. M Emmett Plays Harv. If you look him up, you'll recognize him from a lot of different movies, um he's played a lot of different side characters.

Captain:

Um then we have, uh, billy green bush?

Wilson:

um, you may recognize him, he's. Which one is the kid, which one is the son the kid? Uh, that's, that's either billy or sc. I think that's Scott. Oh, I think it's Scott. That is Scott. Yeah, scott Grimes.

Captain:

Yeah, has Scott done it? I think he was in the next Critters. He was in the Critters 2 because he comes back.

Wilson:

Okay, because he's in now. He's been in the show the Orville, he's in Band of Brothers ER. He's been in a lot of stuff. It looks like.

Captain:

He probably hits up d wellest still.

Wilson:

I could see that, oh like they're still friends yeah, I can see they're still friends. Yeah yeah, they're, they're besties. Um, all right, and then we have uh, let's see, I don't know if there's we do have have Billy Zane. He's in this as well. You might know him from Back to the Future. He's in Titanic.

Captain:

Is that the cop?

Wilson:

No, he, I don't remember actually, and we have Ethan Phillips. I know him from Star Trek.

Captain:

You know everyone from Star Trek.

Wilson:

Yeah, it's like one of those shows where also, like I wouldn't be surprised if d was in it I don't think she was, but you know, it's like one of those shows that just like gets everyone okay, um so that's all for the cast um. So let's jump into the, the synopsis or the plot yeah, just like a quick rundown of what happens.

Wilson:

Yeah we want, we want to get to this interview because the interview is like pretty good um, so basically, you see, at the beginning there's this like there's a prison on an asteroid in space and sector 17. Sector 17 so um, basically these what they're calling krites, escape um, and they're like prisoners right, right, these prisoners escape. They're called crites um. They get a vessel and then they crash on earth on this farm yes um and then they the prison.

Captain:

What's that called? When you like, take charge of it, what's that?

Wilson:

well, the bounty hunter. They send bounty hunters yeah but the oh, the warden sends bounty hunters yeah to um go get them right right, right, right, right yeah so then they pop down to this itsy bitsy farm and uh they uh go after basically like right away you see these like little black blobs rolling around, but um, people start coming across like cows or like eaten I think a pizza delivery guy, or maybe that's the new movie yeah, that's the new movie.

Wilson:

Um, so this one, I think the family whose farm, the, the critters or the crates crash, one they find like a cow, was like insanely devoured yeah, you see the bounty hunters, yeah.

Captain:

And then like, pretty quickly, you see the bounty hunters come down and, um, I think it's funny, so they can like change their appearance. So one of them sees johnny steel, the rock star, on tv and can like reform his skeleton to look like, um, to be like an identical copy of him, um, so like he starts walking around town and they're like, oh my god, you're johnny steel, like in this tiny little farm town. Um, yeah, but they go all over.

Wilson:

I mean, they're like, um, they're like go to the bowling alley at one point looking for yeah they're basically just like going all over town, um, but really the critters are focusing on this farm, um. So, like you know, like I said, first they eat the cow and then like the daughter of the family. So d's the mom, the daughter of the family. Like you know, she has her like boyfriend. It's one of those 80s movies where, like you know, there's always like a girl and a boy and they're like going off having sex somewhere.

Wilson:

Yeah, so like they're about to have, sex and like the, the boyfriend just like gets eaten while they're having sex no biggie all right. So and then the critters kind of um, they kind of like force, force the family to get like locked inside their own house. And you know, dee and her family, they're barricading themselves in because these little like creatures that are rolling around are, you know, like trying to eat them.

Captain:

I have written here. The house started to shake as they like, barricaded themselves in.

Wilson:

Yeah, so it's just a lot of like you know they're trying to. A lot of like you know they're trying to get in through the windows, trying to get in through the door and um, I think like my favorite scene around this time is, uh, so d has a shotgun and she's like trying to protect her family because her husband's wounded, um, and like the critters are out front and like one of the critters so they talk in like their weird language.

Captain:

So you see subtitles, but they're like the sims, but more gobbled and right lower toe.

Wilson:

Yeah, there's like these little creatures with razor sharp teeth and glowing red eyes. But they're like um, they're like the humans have weapons and like d, just like, fires a shotgun at one of them and it explodes, and then that critter next to him is just like fuck.

Captain:

Yeah, no, it's great. They definitely went the horror comedy route. I appreciate that.

Wilson:

Oh yeah, I think growing up it was a scary movie, but now I can appreciate that it's a comedy and it's not necessarily meant to be taken fully seriously.

Captain:

Yeah, I do like that they give crutz a little bit more than just like these creatures the teeth, because like they'd have that power to shoot quills out. And they do do that a couple times in the movie. Like they shoot, I think, one of the kids and they do shoot d wallace, or no, they shoot the dad with a bunch of quills and they do shoot d wallace with the quills and they're like I don't know if they're sedatives or like toxins yeah, I'm not really sure um, but yeah, like they, they did still like put some thought behind it.

Wilson:

It's not just like these random creatures right and so, um, basically, the bounty hunters eventually track them down to this farmhouse and the son has like these firecrackers and he throws one in their spaceship because the critters are really just trying to escape and they stole like the daughter.

Captain:

Yeah, the ones that are the bounty hunters are after them, yeah once they know the bounty hunters are after them.

Wilson:

Yeah, yeah, um, so uh, one of the, the townspeople, throws like a molotov cocktail inside of the spaceship as the door is closing and it ignites the firecracker and basically it blows up the ship. And this is after they get the the daughter out, like she's fine um, so you know, they save the day. And then one of the bounty hunters leaves like a, like a device, in case, like the critters ever come back, they can call them again.

Captain:

So the critters are dead. But then it's like Futuristic cell phone, but it just has like a bunch of lights on it, right, but then, like as a closing scene, of course, is like a horror movie.

Wilson:

They have to show like a butt weight.

Captain:

So you see like there are critter eggs that can be seen in the barn, inside a chicken's nest that seem to be ready to hatch.

Wilson:

Yeah, yeah, yeah, and that's just kind of how the movie closes.

Captain:

I will say, yeah, d Wallace has a lot of great scenes to see. Not only does she shotgun one of them, but she kills another one later on towards the end. Yeah, d gets another one. Oh, it's when the bounty hunters come back and she's like helping the bounty hunters kill them. Um d well, let's have some great scream, scream queen moments as well, because when april gets kidnapped by the daughter, april gets kidnapped by the uh critter. She like has a nice like, like a nice scream queen. It's always, you know, it's like riding a bike, it's always in there. Um, do you, uh, do you have any more hot goss that you wanted to share with me?

Wilson:

um, I was gonna say like so there's this movie, um, and then the movie, or then they actually had, I guess, four sequels, or there's five total movies, and there was also a mini series that premiered on. Uh, shutter the tv now um I did start it once. I didn't continue watching it.

Captain:

I don't really remember it um, but I definitely got some follow up, two after I watched this one, and that one was good. It's very different, but basically, after this, charlie, charlie is the son right or no? Yes, yes. No, I don't know Brad, I think it's Brad, brad. Basically, he leaves town after this because their whole house gets exploded. It gets exploded, but then isn't it reversed in time with, like their alien technology?

Captain:

I don't you know, okay, well, brad comes back um to town and um, then the crates come back too, um, and then I heard that the third one and fourth one are just wild and absurd. But then the fifth one, critters attack we recently it was pretty good, yeah it was actually pretty good and I like that d wallace comes back. They just basically are like revamp the idea of critters and they like shoot it in a nice new camera I do have like a hot, a little hot gossip found out about the fifth movie hit me um.

Wilson:

So, although so, although d wallace was assuming to be be portraying a new heroine during like for this movie, because it didn't seem like she was portraying the same character.

Captain:

She comes back out back like her name in the movie is aunt d, and in the first movie I think it's like right mary or something.

Wilson:

So even though it did seem like it was portraying a different character. Apparently, dee herself confirmed that she was reprising the original role, with a name change to Aunt Dee due to potential legal issues.

Captain:

Oh yeah. So basically she comes back in the new movie and she joins the bounty hunters. So one of the things that happens in the first movie is that brad the boy, the son, has a close friend named charlie, who's a full adult that works on the farm. We're just gonna let that be. And then, uh, charlie, you see, becomes one of the bounty hunters. He's like been obsessed with aliens his whole life and now that they're real, um, he joins the bounty hunter crew and becomes one of the bounty hunters. Um, and that continues on into this critters too. So I guess, um, multiple people from the original, um, you know, trauma of being attacked by krites start, you know, start joining this alien crew of bounty hunters to track them all down in the universe. So it makes sense that, like it happened to charlie, and then d wellis does it again later on I could see that yeah, it's.

Captain:

I mean it's very consistent. Um, that is kind of fun hot gas though it is.

Wilson:

I don't know if that helps, but like um, do you have a?

Captain:

um, I'll raise a glass. Should we discuss what that is?

Wilson:

I think, so we do cover it a little bit in the interview with d and I think that's right, I think I give my answer there, so I'll just, I'll just hold off for that so let's cut into our interview and check out what d Wallace has to say.

Captain:

All right, today, guys, we have a very special guest with us. Dee Wallace is here. Dee, thank you so much for joining us. We're so glad to have you. I'm so glad to be here with you. So just to kind of jump in, we've seen you make appearances in several of the films that we have reviewed and we're so happy to talk to you. For this week's episode, we are reviewing your film Critters. We're going to ask you some questions related to the film and then your career in general. All right, let's go.

Wilson:

All right, so the first question we have for you is okay. So first critters absolutely terrified me as a child oh you wussy person I know I was afraid to look in dryers and you know, around corners and on dark shelves you know, they were pretty corny, those little things.

Dee Wallace:

At the time they weren't, but now I can. I love it for what it is. Oh yeah, it's campy. It's campy and fun and it was really well done, I think. So your question was.

Wilson:

Oh, sorry. So the question is so like now, that I can see the humor in the movie and I can see, you know, the rest of the franchise. They are great movies for what they are Now. At the time it was filmed, did you know what it was going to turn into? Did you know it would be a cult classic, like what was the feeling at the time?

Dee Wallace:

Please, it was a job. You know, first of all, I don't care if it's ET or what it is, nobody ever thinks is this going to be a hit. Nobody ever thinks is this going to be a cult classic. You know, you just go in to do the best you can do and then years later you go. Who the hell knew Right? So no, we didn't, we didn't, we just thought it was a nice job. And you know, yet another mom, but a really fun role to bring to life and, um, yeah, so it was a job.

Wilson:

All right. So related to that now, like when you first heard that it was going to be about these little balls of fur rolling around that eat people, like I mean, was it still? Would you consider it, you know, just a job, or did you like what was running through your mind when you heard it?

Dee Wallace:

Well, the first thing I asked and I ask it in a lot of my films, because I do so much sci-fi and horror is do you have enough money to make the creatures good?

Captain:

Oh, like the real.

Dee Wallace:

Yeah, because you can have a great story, you can have a great performance from a lot of actors, but if the special effects don't work, the film doesn't work. In a film like Critters.

Wilson:

Right.

Dee Wallace:

And they assured me that they did and they showed me some of the you know pictures and stuff. Actually, we didn't have the big critter when we shot critters. It hadn't been completed yet. That's why you just see that one shot of its eyes and its head coming up through the window when we're there. And then later there's a great picture of me standing with the big critter, which they had to come back in and take a picture with. Most of them were little furry balls and we would be into these big emotional scenes. We would hear the director go okay, roll them in. Five guys were standing on the side rolling these little furry things. Right, because so much of it was really done with you know special effects and stuff.

Wilson:

Right, oh, I love that.

Captain:

Yeah.

Wilson:

So that kind of leads into my next question and to preface it, um, for each podcast episode, we always have a raise a glass moment, which is, um, what we call a scene that we found most enjoyable or most notable. Um, so what would be, you know, your raise a glass or your favorite or most memorable moment from Critters?

Dee Wallace:

Well, that's a really really good question. I love the scene where the Critter goes fuck you or oh, fuck or whatever. I love that scene. Scenes with the family I think the family they cast the family so well in that. I loved working with Billy.

Dee Wallace:

And Scott, I actually after Critters, I went right into a series called Together we Stand and asked them to bring him in and he got hired for that. Oh wow, I was just so impressed with his performance and he was a nice kid with a nice family. And let me tell you, when you work with kids as much as I do you look for nice families that aren't going to get all up in it you know yeah. Right.

Wilson:

And I was realizing that last night too, because I wanted to rewatch, you know, cujo, after so many years, and I realized, like, how good the acting was, especially the connection between you and the son. It's just that part was very well done.

Dee Wallace:

Oh my God, he was brilliant. He was brilliant in that role. I got up every morning and said thank you God that I got this kid. Can you imagine going through a script like that and what we had to go through with a kid that had to be directed every note? I would have committed Harry Caray.

Wilson:

I was reading, I guess, part of an interview when you talked about Cujo previously and I had no idea how much you went through just to film that movie. And how strenuous that was.

Dee Wallace:

Hardest thing.

Captain:

I've ever done. It shows, though it is so beautifully done, even re-watching it in 2021. I was like this is such an amazing movie.

Dee Wallace:

Thank you, thank you. It's my favorite movie of mine, just because I think I went as far as I could go, as truthfully as I could go there.

Wilson:

Right.

Dee Wallace:

You know, and it's challenging in a movie like Cujo, because you kind of think you have to do more. And so my challenge was always okay, are you truthfully in this moment? Are you truthfully in this moment? Is this really what you would do in this moment? But you know, every scene was how do I break down, how much do I break down and when do I break down?

Captain:

Right.

Dee Wallace:

They treated me for exhaustion for three weeks after that movie ended. Oh my gosh, it was relentless because you know when the kid and the dog work, they print it. So I have to be on every single solitary take every time oh my gosh well, you can tell that you were in it yeah there's no doubt there yeah, I definitely was in it and up in it so, uh, pivoting a little bit um onto another movie.

Wilson:

So, uh, many people, especially those who grew up around the time, I did recognize you as Mary, the mother from ET. Really, yeah, that's, I think, where I first saw you.

Captain:

Yeah, same.

Wilson:

So I guess how did you get involved with that film? And again, what like a notable or favorite memory from it?

Dee Wallace:

Well, actually I went in and auditioned for Used Cars, which is a movie that Stephen did prior to ET, but he works very, very far ahead in his schedule and when he saw me he went oh, that's the quality I want for the mother in ET. So when ET came along, they just called and offered it to me.

Wilson:

Oh, wow, okay.

Dee Wallace:

Yeah, and one of my. I mean, I have so many favorite scenes in ET, buti love the scene where I'm reading Peter Pan to Mary, because Peter Pan was something I shared with my mom and my grandmother a lot when, I was younger and it's also what I teach in my healing work. You know, think happy thoughts and we fly.

Wilson:

Well, there we go, and I'd say the movie is the epitome of that.

Dee Wallace:

Yep, everybody's flying, aren't they?

Wilson:

Oh my gosh, so and then okay. So here's the last question that I have Did you, did you always want to act in horror films? And you know, if so, what draws you to them? Like why do you? What brings you to horror films? And you know, if so, what draws you to them, like what brings?

Dee Wallace:

you to horror films. I just wanted to act, okay.

Wilson:

Okay.

Dee Wallace:

The first movie I did was a religious film, and then I went right into the Hills have Eyes and then I went into Ten, which is a comedy, and then I went into the Howling, which is another horror film, is a comedy, and then I went into the Howling, which is another horror film. But you know, I love to do the highly emotional work and there's no genre that allows you to get into it like you do in the horror films. So no, I didn't go looking for it. Do I love doing them?

Dee Wallace:

yeah, I love, love, love doing a good horror suspense movie. I do I.

Captain:

I love all the emotional stuff right I mean it definitely shows for sure, and I I love, I think, horror movies, probably my favorite.

Wilson:

Well, we are a horror movie, yeah but, you know they are my favorite and I love it when I get to see you know cameos or like there are several movies that I've watched that you know you've just popped up in.

Dee Wallace:

It's always like a nice surprise just to see that well, yeah, and I, you know I like to go in and help young filmmakers. Uh, if I think the script is good and I look at their work and I think they know what they're doing and they have any money at all, I think it's important to give back. That way and I know my name can help get a horror film financed. But I mean, I like doing everything Comedy and suspense and you know Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas movies I like doing them all and then I don't get bored.

Wilson:

You know I get to constantly be using all the different parts of me. Right, that makes total sense.

Captain:

Yeah, okay, so some questions. I have Dee Given your work in several well-known horror films, you're referred to as a scream queen. What do you think of yourself being referred to as a scream queen and do you think that's had an impact on your life and in your acting career, and do you think that's?

Dee Wallace:

had an impact on your life and in your acting career. Well, I think it's had an impact only because my fans get behind that so much. So, I love, I don't have a problem at all being called a scream queen.

Wilson:

In the world of horror.

Dee Wallace:

That's like homecoming queen and I was also crammed that, um, you know it's, it's uh, it's a, it's a love word. You know, absolutely, it's a. It's a way to honor my body of work. Do I want to be limited as a screen queen? No, I don't want to be limited anywhere in my life. I want every possibility open to me that I can bring to me.

Captain:

Right, I guess, yeah, so kind of coming into that, uh, you you've made. So we talked about how you made a lot of cameos in horror movies, but were there any movies that you would have loved to have a cameo or a major part in? I guess, regardless if they were horror or not?

Dee Wallace:

everything Meryl Streep's done and a lot of movies of the week. I used to be the queen of the movies of the week and, um, the one they did on, uh, adam the little boy that that was taken. Um, they wanted me for that. I couldn't get out of another mow that I was doing. I really, really, really wanted to do that part. There's a lot of movies that I go please don't tell anybody that I ever did this, maybe they'll never find it and a lot of movies that I go damn, why wasn't I up for that?

Wilson:

and.

Dee Wallace:

I think every actor that you could ever talk to will give you the same answer We've all done shit that we hope nobody ever sees.

Wilson:

Okay, we won't ask you those then.

Captain:

I wouldn't remember them anyway, and there's always roles that somebody else got, that we wish we did right right right okay yeah, um, I guess, going from more of like a director stance, would you ever, um, how like would you ever want to write a horror movie yourself and like, if you did, what would that be about?

Dee Wallace:

well, actually, I produced a short one this year called stay home oh, which you can find on youtube now. It's awfully good. It's a a takeoff on. You know, we're safer if we stay home these days with covid. Well, not in our film. Okay, come back. No paint hotter and uh, danielle harris and scout taylor compton and barbara crampton, and they all said, sure d, we'll come. We'll come do this with you, except we all did it in our own homes okay to stay covet correct.

Dee Wallace:

We and my daughter and Chris Heck co-directed it and it was really interesting for them directing people over Zoom, you know. But we just did it as kind of a gift to all our fans and it's really really good.

Wilson:

So everybody check it out I'm I'm very interested in that now and I imagine like I can only imagine how hard that is to like try to direct someone over zoom and also how to act in something like that.

Captain:

I don't know Well.

Dee Wallace:

I'm not an actor, but I don't know how I would do it. Well, but you know so many of the shows. Now you're acting with green screen or my whole career I've worked with kids and dogs so I've been following tennis balls on poles. You know for my entire career. So you just learn. You just learn to be there and see what you're supposed to see. You know Right.

Captain:

And then one of our final questions. Besides film, you've obviously made a lot of appearances in TV shows as well. What experience filming TV like sticks out to you the most? What experience?

Dee Wallace:

filming TV like sticks out to you the most. Oh my god, do you know how much TV?

Captain:

I've done.

Dee Wallace:

It's a lot, I know honey well, I I did a movie of the week called the Five of Me with David Burney where I'm his wife and he has multiple personalities. That was awesome, gosh. There's just so many, I don't even know where to start. You know, my series that I love the most was Together we Stand, which was a comedy, and it was chosen the best new series of that year. And then the network changed hands and you know it wasn't the new guy's baby, so it didn't last very long, right, which was too bad. It was really really a good show. But I have so many in my career, just so many projects that were just really great projects.

Wilson:

I'm sure you have lots of fond memories across all those years and it's probably as hard to pick you know, a single moment.

Dee Wallace:

Hey, it's hard to remember them. Dear Lord, I mean my publicist called me a couple weeks ago and said Dee, do you know you have more film credits than any other actor alive right now.

Captain:

And I went what. How is that possible?

Wilson:

That's quite the accomplishment.

Dee Wallace:

So that gives me an excuse not to remember half of them, okay.

Wilson:

That is true.

Dee Wallace:

I mean, obviously, you know, all the projects I did with my husband are close to my heart. I did the Howling in Cujo with Christopher and we did the new Lassie together, the series, the new Lassie, and, yeah, I miss him a lot.

Wilson:

I can imagine. Yeah, and you've had a very wonderful career and I'm sure that was a shining moment of it.

Dee Wallace:

For sure, and a lot of people think you know I had something to do with him getting hired. Never had anything to do with him getting hired. As a matter of fact, on the Howling our producer, dan Blatt, whom I so loved, called me and said you know, dee, we've got a lot of great cast that we've hired, but we're having trouble finding the guy to play the husband blonde guys. But I went okay, well, what exactly are you looking for? And he said somebody really virile but that has a sensitivity and a vulnerability to him. And I went shit, I'm living with him. But I thought I can't say that because they'll never hire him if they know we're together. So I said you know, I did this thing, this chips episode with Christopher Smith or Christopher Stone, some s word. And so they went out and found him on their own and brought him in and he got the part.

Dee Wallace:

And the next day Dan calls and I pick up the phone and he goes D. I went hey Dan and hey Dan. And he said I'm sorry, I must have called the wrong number. You know that guy. We tracked him down and we hired him and I said no, you called the right number, dan. There was this long pause? And I heard oh shit.

Dee Wallace:

And I said don't see, it's really a positive, because you only have to get one trailer now that's a good point.

Wilson:

Oh, I love that story yeah, that's amazing all right, so that brings us to our final question. Uh, thank you so much for those other ones, so is there anything you'd like to promote?

Dee Wallace:

Well, I'd love everybody to find Stay Home. I think it's great. I'd love everybody to go to my website, iamdwallacecom Although it's all my healing work, not my acting work, but I think you really could change your life by visiting that. I've got three films coming out. The one that the fans are going to know the most is 13 Fanboy. It's gotten a lot of hype over the internet and we're just waiting for the world to open up again. I actually have a couple of great episodes on a TV show, but they won't let me mention the name of it.

Dee Wallace:

But it airs next Monday night, the 8th and the 15th.

Wilson:

Okay, I'll have to do some investigating.

Dee Wallace:

Yeah.

Wilson:

All right, so I believe those are all the questions we have time for. Thank you again so much for joining us. It's been an absolute honor being able to speak to you you're welcome.

Captain:

That was so exciting.

Wilson:

Yes, oh my gosh, I was so nervous for the interview, but I think it turned out so well. It was so great to get to talk to her.

Captain:

Yes, and I think that we both enjoyed it. And if you guys enjoyed it too, I think we're going to keep you know, trying to bring on some, some, uh, horror celebrities.

Wilson:

And I love that she called me what uh.

Dee Wallace:

A wuss A little wussy that was great.

Captain:

Oh my gosh. Yeah, I just. And I also loved that her raise the glass moment was when the critters say fuck you.

Wilson:

Yes, we're basically the same person now because, like that was also my raise, the glass.

Captain:

Wow, Wow, Wow, Um. Do you want to um know what my raise glass?

Captain:

I do, I really do okay there's, this is so small and dude's not even in it. But um, when brad is, uh, he's helping the bounty hunters find the crites and um he someone says to him like and um he someone says to him like, who did you bring to help? And he said I think it was his sister's owner said like, who did you bring to help? And he said I brought charlie, which was his friend. And then he's like I brought charlie and johnny steel, because the one, uh, bounty hunter is oh, he impersonated that singer.

Captain:

Yes, yes so like, but it just it's funny that because he's he is, he's dressed as that singer, like most of the movie. So like I just thought it was so funny is that that's not a real singer right?

Wilson:

I don't think so. No, no, just some random person that they picked.

Captain:

But yeah, um, I wonder if it was supposed to, supposed to be like someone. I feel like he had that kind of vibe, that like a lot of like of those 80s singers that'd be like such a weird cameo if it was like a real a real singer, yeah, but I would appreciate it more, I guess oh, oh. No, I'm gonna say Johnny still does have a wikipedia, but it's not. It's a football player.

Wilson:

It's a football player oh, I feel like it kind of sounds like a, like a porn name or something.

Captain:

But I could see that too, like my steel something, um, but yeah, uh, what a queen. In every way, uh, um, yeah, I'm just shook it was so good um, yeah, I think everyone should watch Critters and then watch probably, critters 5.

Wilson:

And then maybe the ones in between, if you feel like it.

Captain:

Yeah, if you feel like it, but Dee's not in them. So yeah, I don't know, does there? Do you have any?

Wilson:

I think that's it, but we do have advice from Dee.

Captain:

Yes To end the episode, as we always end our episodes with advice. So take it away, dee.

Wilson:

What advice would you give someone if they ever ran across a critter?

Dee Wallace:

Run, run, run or throw a mistake.