The Movie Katie Aselton Has 'Seen A Million Times'
The weekends on All Things Considered series Movies I've Seen A Million Times features filmmakers, actors, writers and directors talking about the movies that they never get tired of watching.
Actor-director Katie Aselton's credits include the TV show The League, and the films Jeff, Who Lives At Home and Black Rock— currently in theaters and on VOD. The movie she could watch a million times is Kathryn Bigelow's Point Break.
Interview Highlights
On when she first saw Point Break
"I think I saw it in the Milbridge movie theater, probably with popcorn and a slushie and a boy. The boy was less memorable than the movie."
On why she loves Patrick Swayze as Bodhi
"Oh my God, Patrick Swayze created a character that defined Southern California cool to me at that time. I was in Maine so I didn't really know what that was, but he was like the Zen master who had no morals. I loved him."
On the absurdity of the movie's plot
"I think, you know, watching this in a theater in Maine and seeing this sort of lifestyle that was so foreign to me and yet so cool, and these guys were so dangerous, yet so at one with nature, and they had this connection to the ocean — it all seemed so mystical and beautiful and romantic and it totally got me."
On what makes Point Break a good action film
"You can make jokes about it, and I certainly make plenty of jokes about it, but as you're actually experiencing the movie, as you're watching it, it totally scoops you up and takes you for a ride, and that's what a good movie should do."
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Transcript
JACKI LYDEN, HOST:
On this show, we've been asking filmmakers about the movies they never get tired of watching, including this from one of the stars of the TV show "The League."
KATIE ASELTON: Hey. My name is Katie Aselton. I am an actor and filmmaker. And the movie I have seen 1 million times is "Point Break," directed by Kathryn Bigelow; starring Keanu Reeves, Patrick Swayze and Lori Petty.
(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "POINT BREAK")
KEANU REEVES: (As Johnny Utah) Hi. Johnny Utah.
ASELTON: I think I saw it in the Milbridge movie theater, probably with popcorn and a slushie - and a boy. The boy was less memorable than the movie.
(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "POINT BREAK")
JOHN C. MCGINLEY: (As Ben Harp) Special Agent John Utah, day No. 1 in LA. Welcome aboard.
ASELTON: Johnny Utah is a young, hotshot, cowboy FBI agent.
(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "POINT BREAK")
MCGINLEY: (As Ben Harp) I've been going over your personnel record; it's very impressive.
REEVES: (As Johnny Utah) Thank you.
MCGINLEY: (As Ben Harp) You may very well have been in the top 2 percent of your class at Quantico. But quite frankly, son, out here, you have exactly zero hours of experience in the field.
ASELTON: And he is faced with a new partner, Gary Busey - amazing.
(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "POINT BREAK")
GARY BUSEY: (As Angelo Pappas) Angelo Pappas.
REEVES: (As Johnny Utah) Punk. Quarterback punk.
BUSEY: (As Angelo Pappas) Hmm. Welcome to SeaWorld, kid.
ASELTON: And he's old school, and Johnny Utah is new school.
(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "POINT BREAK")
REEVES: (As Johnny Utah) You mad?
BUSEY: (As Angelo Pappas) Yeah, I'm mad!
REEVES: (As Johnny Utah) Good and mad?
BUSEY: (As Angelo Pappas) Yeah!
REEVES: (As Johnny Utah) What do you want to do about it? Feels good, doesn't it? Like you're still alive, right?
BUSEY: (As Angelo Pappas) Yeah!
REEVES: (As Johnny Utah) Well, since you're still alive, and you're not in the box just yet, why don't you tell me this theory of yours, and we'll go get these guys?
ASELTON: And he comes onto a case of bank robbers.
(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "POINT BREAK")
PATRICK SWAYZE: (As Bodhi) Everybody freeze!
JAMES LE GROS: (As Roach) Nobody move.
ASELTON: They rob these banks as ex-presidents, and they're all wearing masks.
(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "POINT BREAK")
BUSEY: (As Angelo Pappas) Twenty-seven banks in three years. We're talking about solid professionals.
REEVES: (As Johnny Utah) Good moves.
BUSEY: (As Angelo Pappas) Yeah.
ASELTON: And Johnny Utah, using his brain, he hones in on this group of surfers, and so he tries to infiltrate the group of surfers as a surfer himself.
(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "POINT BREAK")
REEVES: (As Johnny Utah) You're trying to tell me the FBI is going to pay me to learn to surf?
BUSEY: (As Angelo Pappas) It's either you or me out there on the board. You get my drift?
REEVES: (As Johnny Utah) Angelo, this is for little rubber people who don't shave yet.
ASELTON: He gets in, and he gets in a little too deep because he falls in love with one of the surf ladies, played by Lori Petty. Her character was Tyler, and I thought she was the coolest. She had that voice. She made me realize that I could have a croaky voice, that it would be OK.
(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "POINT BREAK")
LORI PETTY: (As Tyler) (Laughing) If I didn't know better, I'd say you looked almost happy.
ASELTON: I loved me some Johnny Utah.
(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "POINT BREAK")
REEVES: (As Johnny Utah) I can't describe what I'm feeling.
ASELTON: It's a fuzzy line between Johnny Utah and Keanu, I think.
(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "POINT BREAK")
REEVES: (As Johnny Utah) Via con dios.
ASELTON: And Bodhi?
(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "POINT BREAK")
SWAYZE: (As Bodhi) It's not tragic to die doing what you love.
ASELTON: Oh, my God, Patrick Swayze created a character that defined Southern California cool to me, at that time. He was like the Zen master who had no morals. (Laughin) I loved him.
(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "POINT BREAK")
SWAYZE: (As Bodhi) Just feel what the wave is doing, then accept its energy, get in sync, then charge with it. You don't need to see.
REEVES: (As Johnny Utah) Yeah, right. Vision is highly overrated.
ASELTON: I love the bonfire scene, you know, and their night surfing. These guys were so dangerous, yet so at one with nature. (Laughing) And they had this connection to the ocean. And it all seemed so mystical and beautiful and romantic. And you can make jokes about it - and I certainly make plenty of jokes about it. But as you're actually experiencing the movie as you're watching it, it totally scoops you up and takes you for a ride; and that's what a good movie should do.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "NOBODY RIDES FOR FREE")
LYDEN: That's actress Katie Aselton, talking about the movie she could watch a million times, Kathryn's Bigelow's "Point Break." Aselton directed and stars in the new film "Black Rock," which is currently in theaters.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "NOBODY RIDES FOR FREE")
RATT: (Singing) I'm sick and tired of it getting in my own way. I'm sick and tired of everything I see, but I know... Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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