The Dolls Club Interview with Kristy Swanson
On July 15, 2015 one of our admins, Jessica Ketcham, had the opportunity to speak with Kristy Swanson. Kristy played Cathy in the 1987 “Big Screen” version of FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC. Transcribed by Jane Krabbeler. Questions provided by our lovely members!
Jessica: Hello my name is Jessica
Kristy: Hello Jessica
Jessica: We wanted to interview you because we are a VCA fan group. We are an FB group
Called The Dolls Club. We have about 500 members.
Jessica: Who is your favorite author?
Kristy: I would say VC Andrews
Jessica: I’m sorry but I’m very nervous
Kristy: Oh why are you nervous?
Jessica: Because you are my favorite actress.
Kristy: Oh that is so sweet. Don’t be nervous.
Jessica: Have you read Flowers in the Attic?
Kristy: No, not from beginning to end. I only read the movie script.
Jessica: Have you read any of the new series?
Kristy: No, I’m not a huge book reader, to be honest with you. VC Andrews is my favorite author, simply because I was in Flowers in the Attic, which was based on her book. I got to meet her, know and work with her. She was a lovely lady, so she is my favorite.
Jessica: Have you heard about how in the new series Cory is alive.
Kristy: No, to be honest with you I never went beyond Flowers in the Attic. I don’t even know the whole series of stories. Many years ago, after Flowers in the Attic I was given a script of Petals on the wind. They were going to make that a feature film and wanted to know if I would do the project. The whole project ended up falling apart and the movie was never made, so I never went beyond that story. I don’t really know that whole world.
Jessica: What was it like behind the scenes of Flowers in the Attic?
Kristy: I was sixteen years old. It was a fun environment. We had a great crew. All the actors were wonderful to work with. We got to shoot in Los Angeles and Massachusetts. We got to travel. All and all it was a great experience for me.
Jessica: Were you asked to make an appearance in the new lifetime films?
Kristy: I was given a script for If there be thorns and Seeds of Yesterday. They called me last summer about possibly playing Cathy in these two movies. The deal did not work out to do the movies.
Jessica: One of the members asked, how it felt to be a vampire slayer, compared to being locked in an attic.
Kristy: That’s funny. I’m sure Cathy would have preferred to be a vampire slayer when she was locked up in the attic. Maybe she could have gotten out. Comparatively they are both completely different characters, but they are both similar in that both are strong women.
Jessica: How do u feel now as an adult looking back, would u still have done the movie?
Kristy: Oh yeah absolutely! In fact originally, Wes Craven was supposed to direct it and they were taking too much production time getting the movie made and he got caught up doing something else and he ended up not directing it. It might have been a different film with him directing it.
Jessica: How did you get into character and what did you do to make it your own? What did you think about the role of “Cathy”?
Kristy: A normal teenage girl, who was very close with her father, was dealing with that he had died, and then she goes into protection mode of her siblings, and having to get through the horror of what she was trying to deal with.
Jessica: If they did another remake on the big screen, would you be a part of it?
Kristy: I would if they came to me and asked me too. You know I really liked the Flowers in the Attic. It was filmed kind of grainy and dark shot on 16 mil, which makes it give it a dark and grainy look. The lifetime films looked a little bit different. They were done really well. It was a time in my life that it was a great experience and would be open to it to be a part of it in the future. Absolutely.
Jessica: Are you surprised that people still talk about Flowers in the Attic and ask you about the movie and your time on it?
Kristy: Actually I am not surprised because I am well aware of how popular those books were and are still today and V.C. Andrews is an author. So im not too surprised, definitely something that I am proud of.
Jessica: What was the hardest part to film emotionally?
Kristy: Idk. It was all pretty intense. I remember having a dream while I was filming Flowers in the Attic that I was locked in my apartment and couldn’t get out.
Jessica: What was it like working with Louise Fletcher?
Kristy: Louise was amazing, I was so appreciative that I got the opportunity to work with her. She was just incredible.
Jessica: What are you working on now?
Kristy: One is called Driven under Ground and then I have a Christmas movie coming out Angels in the Snow and I just finished a movie yesterday called Crowning Jules and I’m going to be doing Wizard World next month in Chicago.
Jessica: Do you think we could get an autograph from you to do a contest for our group?
Kristy: Yea I have some from flowers in the attic pictures. Yeah I could probably get that to you. I have memorabilia’s that I’ll be signing next month in Chicago.
Jessica: What was like to work with Adam Sandler?
Kristy: Really Great. I’ve known him socially for years. He’s great. Really nice to work with.
Jessica: That was all the questions and we wanted you to know that we think you are the best Cathy.
Kristy: Aww that is just so sweet. I really appreciate that. Yeah it would have been nice to have come back and done the If there be thorns and Seeds of Yesterday. It would of nice if it would have worked out. I never ended up seeing them, did you watch them?
Jessica: Yeah they were different then how the book portrayed them but they were decent.
Kristy: One thing, you know, books are hard to please when it comes out as a movie because you have to fit it into an hour and half time slot. When you read a book your own imagination comes into it. Then when the movie comes up it is someone else’s imagination. It’s not always going to be straight on what you might have envisioned. Well I appreciate your guys support and you guys being active fans. I really feel appreciated so much. It’s really nice that you guys want to ask me questions and I have my twitter account called AtticFanatics. I am more than happy to ask any questions on that.
Jessica: Thank you for letting us interview you I know that you are probably super busy.
Kristy: It’s okay I am in between meetings and just doing media. Thank you for interviewing me and I will talk to you later!
