A Chat with Phantasm's Lady in Lavender: Kat Lester

0:00 Well, you know, Kat, playing the antagonist in a phantasmic film requires delivering a very memorable one word line. Would you be willing to give us your version of boy? Oh? My version? Yes, a different version. I guess mine would be boy Boy. I've been waiting for you. You play good game, Boy? The game is finished? How you Die?

0:50 Hello, everybody, Welcome back to a film by podcast. I'm Jeff Johnson, I'm David Burns, and this is a film by podcast. Last October we had the pleasure of going to Scarefest in Lexington, Kentucky. We happened to meet the cast and crew behind the legendary horror film Phantasm, which was celebrating its forty fifth anniversary. We had an incredible episode, David, I gotta I gotta give it up to you and Scott for when you guys covered it on a film at forty five. You're welcome it. It was a pleasure covering that, Believe me, it was. It was. I know we got a big response from our audience for that one, but I think they're gonna love what we have from today because we're going back to the world of fantasm and we're going to have a chat with the Lady in lavender, kat Lester. Welcome Cat, Cat, Welcome to the Welcome to the show.

1:51 Thank you so much. I'm honored and excited to talk to you all about fantasm. Are There's so much you want to get into, Cat, I I got again. I gotta thank you for everything that you were talking about back in October. The line to get to you, I mean it was you're you're not, You're not. It's it's you're gonna wait, but it's it's worth the wait. I I was just I loved having that conversation with you back in October, and I'm so happy that you're here with us today. Honestly, same here, same here. Yeah. That that was a lot of fun too. I've I've never seen a crowd like that in my life, with all the conventions I've been to. When I saw the line wrapped around you know this, the block.

2:40 Yeah block, Yeah, you guys. You guys kind of took over the town, and it was it was incredible. Uh you know, a Cat, you're wildly popular at the at these conventions and you know you're talking Scarefest. Uh so in comparison to some of the other appearances, is you know is was it was one of the bigger ones that you've you've come across. This, I think, yeah, I think this was the largest one. Nice. Gosh, I should have thought about how many I've been to. I've never really counted, but yeah, this seemed to be the largest, really did it was?

3:21 It kind of surprised us when we approached and arrived because we've been to quite a few of these conventions. So when we got there we saw that line around the building, We're like, oh, my goodness, quite the crowd that. Is for sure. Yeah, it's just amazing after all these years to see you know that there's there, well there's a couple, well there's more than a couple that seemed to go to every convention where you know where Phantasm cast and crew are going to be there. That that just blows my mind. But also what blows my mind is you know the new fans. It's just uh yeah, and this was just a little B movie that I went out for and wow, it's been a wonderful, wonderful experience.

4:14 That's good. So at this event, was there any memorable encounters with fans? Let's see. Mostly what I get is uh men telling me that I was their first crush, and sometimes they go into too much detail. Oh no, no, no. Those are details. We don't need details, you don't need for crying out loud, that's. Right, that's right. Well, there didn't seem to be any security this time in Kentucky. But there's sometimes where I just kind of have a little a little gesture, you know, I meet with a security guy and I say, you know, look for this little gesture, and that means move the person along when they're in line, you know, just it's time to go now, you know, the awkward. But that doesn't happen all the time, and it didn't happen in Kentucky.

5:14 But it's just so there's that, and then also the love that I receive from the fans and the way they share their stories and and a lot of young girls women they have this they love like fantasizing and having the kind of power over men. That's the lady laugh in her hats, which cracks me up because she's so evil. But but I have to say that one of the funniest things that happened was that this young girl came up to me. Not not this time, this was oh maybe maybe five years ago. She came up to me and she was just gosh. She says, I love you so much, and you have no idea you know how you've inspired me. And then and I'm saying, thank you so much, and she picks she picks one of the pictures, one of the photographs for me to sign.

6:23 And then she says, you know, I just I just don't get it though. I don't know why you're not wearing your long black wig and you're not wearing your long black gown. And I, oh, my goodness, do you think that I'm Elvira? And then she turned red and she said yes, and I said. No, no, oh no, no, you know I was just. Like, she was so embarrassed, and I, you know, I just gave her a big and I said, no, I'm actually really flattered that you thought I was her. And anyway, it it all ended up really well. But that was the funniest it's ever happened.

7:12 Kudos to you there for handling it that that way. You know, I think a lot of people would have been a little more stand offish. So I you know the fact that you you you educated her but also didn't make her feel bad about it. That's absolutely sweet cat, I think that's great. Well, it just you know, I put myself in her place. So what what initially inspired you to pursue a career as an actress? Was it a film? Was it a director? Was it maybe someone's performance. I know exactly when and where and what and how it was the first time I saw a Shirley Temple movie. Okay, okay, I was very very young, and I remember just being in such on thinking she's so little like me, and I want to do that. I love to dance, I love to sing, i'd love to act. And as a matter of fact, I was such a fan of hers, and and you know, way back then, you know, it's just like you never knew what was coming on the TV.

8:27 I'm really feeling very. Old right now. I remember, Yeah, I would just you know, hope and pray that another Shirley Temple movie would come on the TV black and white. Yeah, yeah, And I just well, she would tap dance a lot, and I remember I learned how to tap dance from her. Oh, I would just copy what she was doing, and I just I just thought, okay, I I this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. So I love it all. I love singing, dancing, acting, I love performing.

9:08 Yeah, I was gonna say it's kind of like a lost art for actors anymore, because back then, you need to know how to sing, you need to know how to dance, you need to. Know how to act. All of that you had to bring it, you know. Yeah, it seems like some of that's lost today where you really just need to know how to act and have a few other talents of course, but that was the good days, for sure, So I can see why you lasted onto that cat for sure, because that's that was a good role model to pull you in. But you know, it's really interesting though, because you know, now since we have all this access now to celebrities, you know, they're they're online, they're they're on you know, TikTok whatever, and you're finding out that a lot of these people can sing, dance, an act, but they just don't you know, that the studios don't utilize and these don't these talented people in those ways.

10:03 Yeah, you're absolutely right. Well, we know you're a talented singer, kab performer. Uh, we're gonna get it. We're gonna get into that a little bit here. In a bit. But David, before we do, I know, I know our listeners have they're they're hoping that we're gonna talk a little bit about Phantasm. Of course you want to give us a quick synopsis of the of this iconic movie. I sure can. Boy, if you're looking for horror that's got balls, it's found you. Fantasm The delusion of a disordered mind, a phantom, a spirit, a ghost. Mike Pearson and his older brother Jody have been recently orphaned and together are doing their best to make it through life. However, things begin to get very strange and very scary when a friend is killed, followed by a funeral home where odd things begin to occur.

10:54 It is up to Mike, Jody, and their great friend Reggie to find out just what is going on and do their best to put a stop to it. But as we discover, there's more to it, and they are going down a path that leads into the unknown and a battle with one of whror's scariest icons, the Tall Man. Thank you, David, that was great. Thank you. Yeah. Yeah, the film is great. Uh, it's actually it is. It's out there, it's streaming. I recommend the four k Blu ray that came out recently. You'll you'll see it on my shelf behind me, but it's it's out there. So if you haven't seen it and you want to, you want to hear about what we're going to talk about. Do yourself a favor and go watch this film. Absolutely so.

11:35 Prior to the film production, you're studying at the Roldan Dupres Dance Academy. When an agent discourage you and asks you to read for Phantasm, tell us about the audition process. Was there a specific scene that you had read? Uh? Yes, So first of all, I should tell you it was. It was so funny when I when I went to do a reading and I it was a I remember it was a very large commercial building that I went to in Long Beach and there was an office a door that I was banging on, nobody was answering, and then finally I tried the doorknob and the door was unlocked. So I opened up the door and there's this office in all there is is boxes all over the place and not much lighting. And I was, you know, I was saying hello, hello, and then there was no answer, and I was feeling very uneasy and just as I was about to flee, I hear what. I turn around and I see Don Coscarelli and he's like six foot five or maybe more, and all of a sudden he had this big smell smile on his face, and that put me at ease, thank god, because it was earlier and anyway, so yeah, so I read for him, and

13:08 I remember the line was something like, so, what's the only thing to do in this town? And then Don slaps his knee and he goes, finally, somebody read this the way it was supposed to be or said it the way it was supposed to be said. And we talked for quite a while and then he said, well, you know, i'll give you a call. I'll let you know. And I've heard that before, so I wasn't I wasn't waiting around. But anyway, what happened was he called me back. It was maybe a week or so, and he said he wanted me to do a screen test, and so he said, but this time, I want you to wear a tight fitting dress because I had the first time.

14:01 I was in jeans and a T shirt when I read for him. And so I showed up at the screen test with my my favorite dress, which was the lavender dress that I wore in the movie. And so I did this scene with Bill. He was very handsome and we had a lot of chemistry and a lot of fun. And it was about two weeks later, Don calls me up and he says to me, you know you're not going to get the You're not going to get the role that we had planned for you. And my heart just sank because I thought I felt like everything went so well. And I said, oh all right.

14:54 He goes, well, well, let me tell you something. When I saw the screen test, you had this kind of devious and seductive allure and I loved the dress. And he goes, so you're going to be the lady in lavender and instead of being the victim, because what I was supposed to be was some girl that gets picked up, you know, in the bar and gets taken to the cemetery and proceeds to get torn apart by Robinus Dwarfs. Oh gos.

15:36 But so now he said, you're going to be the lady in lavender and you're going to be the villainous instead of And I was like, wow, okay. Even better for you. Yes, I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe it. That's awesome, that's great that happened to you. So yeah, was there any background information that Don had given you or did you create the story of the Lady in Lavender? Well, that's that's how it all happened. He just saw me on the screen test and he just he said, You're going to be the Lady in Lavender. And that's how it was, and really there was. That's all I knew that I was now the villainous and the Lady in Lavender. And it wasn't until I went to the screaming that's a whole other story. I don't know. You want me to get into that right now?

16:34 Well, yeah we can. We can. Well, do you want to talk about it right now? Or do what? Do we want to? Wait? It's up to you. Well, I can tell you what happened. I didn't really understand. All I knew is that I'm the Lady in Lavender and I had done a few scenes and stuff, and it wasn't until I went to the screening that I saw my face super imposed. I was like, Oh, I guess, I guess I'm his alter ego, the tall Man's alter ego. Yeah it was. It was very bizarre, but I still didn't know how what the connection was exactly if he turns into me, I turned into him, or just some other entity I don't know. But anyway, that was the first time I realized that I was actually his alter ego.

17:38 I guess, yeah, well, clearly one meeting with Don, You're in a T shirt and blue jeans. You leave, He's doing some rewriting quickly because you know, you're the lady in lavender. So you know, I got to ask, like, were you given some creative freedom to develop her as far as her personality, her hair and makeup? You know, the fashion? Was that? Was that all you? Or was that was that Don or uh crew going like, hey, let's make her look like this. Well they they actually, you know, it was Don's mother who actually did the makeup for me. It's very seventies makeup.

18:18 But you know, I was just being myself, you know, with a lot of deep debious behavior. But yeah, it was basically I just I just showed it in that dress and that's the way he wanted me to look and he I remember being kind of frustrated because the first one of the first scenes it's after I have stabbed Reggie and I'm you see the tall men and then you see my face superimposed over his. And I wanted to have some sort of a scowl on my face or something, or lift an eyebrow, and Don said I don't want any expression at all, and I was so frustrated, but it actually turned out to be great.

19:13 I mean, so many people say, you know, you have this look on your face and you you can't read what's going on there, so it's very curious. So it's what makes her scarier. Yeah, in that moment, I have to ask Kat, I have to ask do you still own the dress? No? I don't, and I love that dress so much, but Don ended up keeping it and he must have thrown it out. I don't know why. Well, I know why he kept the dress. That going back to the scene where there's breasts supposedly my breast, but they were not mine. But so you know the scene where I'm supposedly laying on a grave what would you call it, it's kind of above it's a tomb. Yeah, and so we're supposedly having about to have sex, me and Bill Thornberry, or I should say Jody and there's a part where the dress is pulled down over supposedly my breasts. They were not mine anyway. So the only way to do

20:45 that was to cut the back of my dress because it was just like a fitted T shirt. Basically, it was a jersey dress that you just pull over. But he wanted to. I guess he just wanted it to look like it was being pulled down, and it was. But that was that was a stand in because I did not want to do that seat well. I was originally supposed to do that scene in my lingerie, you know, and I decided, oh big deal, I'll just I'll just find a bra and panties that looked like, you know, it covered more than my bikinis did. But what happened was when I was supposed to go out, we were out in the middle of nowhere at a big park way in the valley, and it was like maybe two o'clock in the morning, and it was supposed to be a close set. And what happened was is I had my makeup done, they were all ready for me to come out, and it was supposed to be a closed set, and when I opened the door to walk out from having my makeup done. There was a huge amount of young drinking beers and saying bring out the the bimbo.

22:06 That's when I said, this is supposed to be a close set. I'm not doing this scene in front of these people. Somehow, these guys that they were from the nearest university, I don't know what it was there, but somebody told them this was happening. And I was like, I'm not doing the scene. So Don said, okay, we'll work around the scene. And then later on he said, do you mind if we just get you know, somebody else to do that scene, you know, at another time, And I said sure, fine. I was only nineteen. I didn't think about the repercussion. Yeah, And so when I went to see when I went to see the screening, I was with my mother and here comes this scene and you know, the screen is like twenty feet high by twenty wide the farm and I you know, you see me saying, oh, oh, Tommy, Tommy from the shoulders up and then all of a sudden, there's these rests and I'm like, oh no. And I don't know if I told you this before, but I went to see this with my mother the screening and my mother turns to me. First of all, I scream out, those aren't mine.

23:38 My mother turns to me and she said, well, you should have done it because your boobs are better. Oh I did not see that part of the story coming there. Yeah, but I mean I can't imagine. That had to be difficult, you know, at that age, you know, when you're in front of a crew with cameras, that had to be a little overwhelming. I would think, Yeah, it was, It really was, you know. I think Don was only twenty four we did this. I was nineteen. Like I said, it was a B movie. But now it's got a life of its own now definitely classic.

24:24 Now it's a oul classic it is, and for. Good reason too. Yes, so you kind of told us a little bit about the filming location. Do you recall how many days you were on set filming your scenes? Oh gosh, this was a long time ago. Maybe I did eight scenes. I don't remember. There was I remember there was. One of the first things we also shot was in the canteena where I first met Bill and we had we had some banter going on. But the thing was it was it was going really well, but there there was we we re shot this scene over and over again because we were improvising, and but after a little banter, Bill was supposed to say one more do sekis you know at the bar, you know, and so they were supposed to the bartenders supposed to slide it down to Bill, and I don't know how many times we did it, but he kept swing, you know, he kept swigging the beers and he got a little ship faced, and so there was so when you see that scene, there's absolutely no dialogue. You just see me sitting at the bar and then we walk out together.

25:54 That's about all he could do. Yeah, when you guys were creating this, did they do table reads for the script or did you just. Do a lot of that on your own? No? Table I really I was told you know what to do on the day. Yeah, I didn't have a script. Wow. All right, well you did well? So wow script that's incredible. Yes, it is. Fifteen years after Fantasm you reprise your role for Fantasm three, Lord of the Dead. Do you recall your initial reaction when you were asked to return. I was, I was acstatic, but then I you know, I wasn't astatic when I found out what I was going to be doing playing a nurse of all things. Yeah, it didn't make sense to me. But I remember when I went to see it, I missed it. I missed it was just it was just the quickest cameo I'd ever not seen. So it wasn't until I watched it again, you know, when it was Yeah, I think I was watching it at home and I was like, oh, there it is. I had to stop it to just see.

27:13 Well, it's it's a bit of a tease because once you you move past fans, you know, once once the fans moved past Phantasm too, and we're in the third film and then here you are, and then I know my brain was like, oh my god, the lady in Lavender's back. Where we're we gonna go? And then and then that was it, and I was like, no, we want more, right, what happened? What happened here? You know, because you you know that you come then you came back in twenty sixteen for Phantasm Ravenger, and it's just like, what is don is really messing with our heads here? Because like, is she gonna pick up the mantel or not? Cat I got I'm just wondering you know, as you come back every every other movie, what point did it occur to you that this character was a horror icon in the in the community, beyond the Phantasm films.

28:04 Actually it was, it was way before. It was like the first convention I ever went to. God, I don't even know what year it was, but it was after the first Fantasm had been out for a while. And so this is my first convention and I'm sitting next to Linda Blair of all people. Oh wow, And she was lovely. But I mean, that's one film that I could never watch again ever. I was messed up for a good three months. Love But anyway, I said to her. We were we had a nice time talking with each other, and I said to her, I said, well, this is my first convention, and I guess I'm just gonna have a good time watching you signing because nobody knows who I am. And she turned to me and she goes, well, I know who you are, and I think wow, and she said, just you wait, and you know she was right.

29:08 All of a sudden, you know, there was a trickle people coming in, and all of a sudden, there was a long line that might have been gosh, I don't know. I mean it might have been a year or more after it had already been out. Yeah, so that's when I thought, Wow, this is really, this is really something. And so and with each convention that I go to, there was more and more people. Now there were people that I recognize now and you know, know my first name.

29:48 I mean I know them by first name, and lots of new people every time I go to another convention. So yeah, and especially the one so with Ravager that really you know, that was that was a real surprise. I didn't know it was going to go that it was going to turn into a feature It was supposed to be what was it called. Like a director video originally, wasn't it. Well no, first it was just supposed to be online series online and then it turned into a feature film.

30:35 So yeah, that was great. And again, uh, no script, when what is don doing? It's always been it's always been a puzzlement and a pleasant surprise that you know. But yeah, he just told me to show up and not in the lady Lavender of it for this first scene. Let's see. Yes, I think it was at the Mausoleum actually first, Yeah, I did have to find another lavender dress because the other one was destroyed and I was supposed All I knew was he told me I was going to be levitating through the mausoleum. And I showed up in a lavender dress and he hooked me up to some sort of makeshift Oh, it was so bizarre.

31:45 It was dolly. And then there was this pipe that I hung from with wheels. I wasn't on the dolly yet and I was supposed to hang from it, and he didn't want me to wear shoes. Yes, so I'm sure you remember the scene where you see that my toes are scratching and sparking, sparking, levitating. Oh my god, it was so crazy through the hallways. Anyway, it was pretty bizarre. So there was that, But I don't know if I told you this is this whole crazy thing that happened. Afterwards. He said it would just be I would just be doing that, just levitating, and then you know, it'd just be, you know, i'd be done for the day.

32:39 And I had planned to go out to dinner afterwards, you know, later in the evening. And so what happened is I did that scene, and I was getting ready to go home and Don says, you know what, why don't you go back and get your makeup redone? I have some other ideas, oh Don. And so when I got back to Gigi, who was doing the uh the makeup, I saw that she was mixing this huge, huge barrel of movie blood. And I said, oh my, what's that for?

33:27 And she looked at me coly and said you mean you don't know? I said no. She goes, well, it's for you, and I said, oh no, no, what am I supposed to do? So anyway, she fixed my makeup, you know, look all lovely and everything. And Don says, well, you know you're going to be shot first of all. And I was. Thinking when he told me that, I you know this, this is all in my head, that I'd get shot in the head and I'd have this stream of blood that it would come over, you know, start falling down on my cheek and off of my cheek to my decollete and you know something sexy. No, basically I get my head blown off.

34:24 Yeah. Anyway, so they feel me, you know, like you know, falling back and all that, and then on the and then so then they tell me, well you need to get on the floor and I said, Don, there's like two inches of disgusting whatever on this floor, and like, can you at least put something on the like I was planning on going to dinner from here. And it goes, yeah, well, we'll put some put some newspaper down or something, and so he says, okay, I watched it laid down right here, and here comes Gigi and she starts pouring this barrel movie blood all around me, and I start feeling it seeping into my tee and in my hair and in my face, and I'm thinking, oh, just you know, just be a trooper, a cat. You can do this, you know anything. We're a good scene. And we finish and I get up and everybody's just cracking up because I have no idea what I look like, but I know what I feel.

35:42 Like and it feels horrible. And I said, so, don do you have a rope for me? No? Do you have a talent? No? I said, Don, what do you expect me? And I said, well, is there a bathroom? He goes, well, yeah, it's you have to cross the cemetery. It's on the other side. So by this time the sun has set, I'm freezing, I'm wet, from head to toe on one side of me. And so I start to walk across the cemetery, and all of a sudden, I see there's like a family that's gathered, sitting on the grass with candles at a grave site. And I'm thinking, oh God, I don't I don't want to bother them, but I have to cross the way. And I didn't. I was being as quiet as I could be, and all of a sudden, one at a time, people start looking. They hear the crackle of the leaves or whatever, and they start to yell, and I pick up my hands to say no, no, and they all just stand up and run.

37:09 Could you imagine? Could you imagine being in the just sitting at the at someone's headstone, and then you see a blood covered woman coming right at you. I'd be terrible. I would never go back ever, no never. They left everything. They left their candle, the food, and god knows what else. And so then I finally get into the bathroom and I turn on the light and I see what I look like, and I think, oh my god, these poor people. What if I do? Then I go, I want to rinse my hair off and get this stuff off of me, and the sink is about as big as a soup bowl. And I go to turn on the water and there's no water.

37:57 Oh no, so. I'm out of luck. I come back, I tell everybody what's happened. They thought it was the funniest thing they've ever heard, and I still thought aw awful. And now I'm sticky and gooey on one side of my body. My hair is matted, and I was like done. You can never do this to me again. I've been a trooper up at this point, but this is it. I'm not doing this anymore. And yeah, it was. It was pretty crazy.

38:38 That's a lot to take. My goodness. Well, listen, we're going to take a quick break and when we come back, we are going to talk about Cat in the music world. Ah, stay tuned, welcome back. We are chatting with the Lady and Lavender herself, Kat Lester, the iconic character from Phantasm. Cat. You're more than the lady in Lavender though, you're also you're the cat. Can we talk about the music career a little bit? It's indeed so your. Music it's it's described as jazzy, bluesy, a little bit naughty and frankly it's very tantalizing. What first attracted you to this particular.

39:28 Sound, Well, we go back again, like I you know, I told you about Chirley Temple those I think that was in Wow, late thirties forties. I just absolutely loved all of these old black and white movies. And I was so fixated on Marlene Dietrich when she was in the Blue I think it was called The Blue the Blue Angel, and she played it wasn't burlesque, it was cabaret. She played a cabaret vixen, and I thought, I just thought, that's so glamorous. I loved all of those movies from from the late twenties. They're in thirties and forties. There was just so much glamour. And also I loved the jazz age in Paris. You know, I would I would think how fabulous it would be during you know, the late well, the twenties, the twenties. Wow, it was. It was so progressive the artistry that was coming out during that time, and especially in Paris, the Chanzlise and Hemingway, and I just thought, God, I wish I was born in that era, because fantastic, the glamour, the glitz, the artistry, anyway, So,

41:04 and I love the music and Josephine Baker, and so I started, you know, I love all kinds of music, but I thought, you know this, I really want I really want to get into this whole thing I want to I want to create. I just want to create a show that you know, people can I don't feel like they're being drawn back into that error. And yeah, so that's that's what started the whole thing, you know. And then I started like, I'm looking at my at my album right now, and it's like, what I really liked to do is to take something like a song like I Need a Man by the Eurythmics. Yeah, and it was a very rock kind of song, but I decided to do it in a jazzy bluesy and and then I wrote a few songs like talk to Me, which is has that kind of well the songs are from the airs when I'm like from the twenties to the forties, a little bit of fifties, and I actually have I kind of mix it in with a little bit of hip hop too. But yeah, I so in

42:37 creating well, I did the music first, but I always had this whole idea of whole production, which I called The Cat's Boudoir Rouge Extravaganza. I had feather fan dancers, tap dancers, belly dancers, but they weren't the kind of belly dancers that you'd see, you know, in Dubai. They were like, they looked more like the Harems from the twenties in Rudy Valley movies. You know, no Rudolph Valentino, not Rudy Valley. I don't know, have you ever seen any Rudy Rudolph Valentino movies from the twenties. They were silent, but he was He always played like a chic and he had, you know, he had the belly dancers around, and so yeah, yeah, yeah, So I had my belly dancers.

43:44 They're very pale and they had tattoos, and the way they dance was called tribal belly dancing. It was kind of like a pop lock hip hop way doing belly dancing, but they were dressed very much like the twenties, and so yeah, it was. It was a fabulous show. I do about thirteen to fourteen songs and do about three to four costume changes. I just love the whole idea of that. So that's what I was doing well. I got to tell you, having seen several clips on YouTube and reading the very positive feedback in the comments, it's safe to say your show is not to be missed and hearing you describe it, and like I was, I was, I was mesmerized, honestly.

44:39 Thank you and you know, and also seeing you know what inspire you now and seeing that the stamp is all over that so incredible job with that cat. Thanks so much. Yeah, you met. You mentioned a couple of tracks that that you you recorded. I gotta tell you coming home that that I that is a siren song because it's it's like you're you're under a spell listening to that thing. It's I was like, Dave, you gotta listen to this one. Check this one out. Jay Breaking the Sun is Shune I Fall when will blow? Can't ton these voices calling me.

45:26 Calling me to you. Oh my gosh, thank you so much. That's one of my favorites. Actually the reason absolutely, oh thank you. Yeah. I've been playing that one a lot leading me up to this. I knew we're gonna be talking to you soon, and I was like, I'm just gonna It's one of those that on my Spotify has has got a lot of repeat uh plays. Oh thank you? Well what about uh? And I you know, we we got to talk about the Lady in Lavender. You actually you know you you wrote the song and it's another one of favorites for obvious reasons because we're talking phantasm today. But you know, you got like these lyrics, like you know, you think you know me. I've got a secret, but I'll never speak it. It's I'm listening to it. I'm like, that is the lady Lavender sitting at the cantina, and it's so like, you know, you shouldn't be leaving with her, but you can't. You can't with her, you can't help it because that's that's that's the aura around her, that's the appeal. I love that track. Kat. I'll tell you what.

46:30 Listeners will play the full song at the end of this episode because we love it and we think you'll love it too. I have to hate it. Yeah, it just it just happened. I just finished pretty much finished my album and then I remember my producer went to lunch and I said, you know, I have this idea because because I had already we had filmed you know, those scenes from Ravager, and I said, you know, I just feel like I need to I want to do a song about my character, and so I kind of it was like less than an hour. I had the whole song and then we just started working on it and it came together really quick. It was amazing.

47:20 I absolutely love it. Impressive. It really is. On Spotify. It's yeah, very nice. It definitely as the listeners. If you've not heard your music, you definitely need to check that out because you're. Missing absolutely yes, wow, thank you for. Sure, absolutely so. Giving your success as an actress and a musician, where are you most comfortable, Which do you enjoy more? M I really love it all. I just love to perform. I do want to do more acting. I think it'd be a lot of fun, a lot of fun. So we kat. You and I had a brief conversation back in October, and I want to kind of I kind of want to address it again now that now that you're talking about that, i'd love to act again and act more. Let's talk about the future of Phantasm, you know, and because I've got some thoughts on reintroducing the Lady in Lavender to a whole new generation, you know, earlier you talked about, Hey, we've got all these new fans, all these younger fans are discovering the film. I can I can speak for him. We got to have some more because you know, with all due respect to Angus scrim the tall Man can never be recast. It's yeah, but it's important to remember that it's also not necessary because the Lady in Lavender is in fact his counterparts. So, Kat, what are your what what are your thoughts on taking up the mantle as the film series new villain? If we if we could get Don to do another film,

48:52 would you would Is that something that interests you absolutely? And like you said, you know, there's there's no way that anybody could take the place of Angus Rory that is, but yeah, you know not. But and at the same time, I think it would be a blast. It would be such a surprise, and I always wanted to, you know, really get into the meat what the Lady in Lavender who, and what the Lady in Lavender really is, and there'd be, of course this whole other side. But I don't know, you know, I think I know that, Yeah, I don't think I know that fans can make things happen more than anything else. All I know is too, is that Don keeps saying no, no, no, there's there's not going to be a number six. No no, no, no no.

50:05 But he was. I remember though, when I when I uh brought the song Lady in Lavender to him to listen to. He played it like seven times in a row and he goes, oh, this this really made me think more about the Lady in Lavender and wow, this is He loved it, and so really, I have to say, my heart was broken when they didn't even use it in Ravenger. I was like, why why But I don't know, And I really thought too, do you know you remember the scene where this is in Ravager where wrote the tall man is in the hospital bed at hospital and I'm underneath his bed. Do you remember that?

51:00 It was very It was a strange. Yeah, yes, And. Our arms are intertwined and then they do a close up of me and I am I am miming his words saying oh, I forget what it was, I'll be seeing you soon or something like that, and I thought, if anything, that would be like I really thought, oh, this must be the last shot of the film to make people think Oh, maybe the tall Man is transferring his power to me. Now, yes, yes, but that didn't happen.

51:48 Well, you know, well, maybe Don's right, Maybe there isn't going to be a six, because there's going to be a six, seven, eight, you know, and we can like that. Let's let's tell let's finally tell the story of the Lady in left right, Dave. Yeah, I mean it would take this series in a whole new direction that would be needed and it would make sense. Yes, it would, won't it. Yes, We've been waiting for the payoff, That's all I'm. Saying, and I've been waiting to give it to him. Yeah, come on, Don, you can do this. Well, speaking of that, you know, with some incredible actors that lead fights against evil in these films, is there a specific character you'd like to see return as a protagonist in against your character?

52:33 Oh? God, you know, I just I think Gloria Henry. Yes, I I just think she's fabulous, I really do. I We've even been talked about it, Like, wouldn't it be great if you know, we were just you know, we were at each. Other and that would be the movie, right, you know. I think, you know, she's so powerful and she's, uh, she's so talented. I just happened to lover. I think she's a great, great person. Yeah, we actually hung out also when we were in Kentucky and yeah, we were talking about wow, yeah, what what about us? You know?

53:22 And and it's like, you know, more and more you're seeing all of these women now that are you know, that are either you know, playing the protagonist or otherwise. And a lot of women, a lot of women. So I think it's time that this happens with Fantastic. I can tell you I'd pay the crap out of watching that. I would. Yeah, we know, it's like you said that fans can make things happen. Dave, clearly, we our next call. We gotta we gotta call Donna on the boat. But but Kat, what do you what do you think in your opinion when when when when it talks when we're talking about fans, you know, do you think a large reaction from the fans would would peak his interest to come back and do do a new film?

54:14 I think so, I think it would, you know, And if even even if he didn't feel like directing, there's I'm sure. Yeah, executive produce, maybe maybe give a younger guy a shot at like like David Burns. That's right, you know, I really think, you know, yeah, I really think at this point it's up to the fans. And I know I'm bringing something up nothing to do with with phantasm, but I've seen how the fans have really really been very strong about bringing things back, either whether it be TV or film. Also there you know when when fans don't like something like Amber Herd and Aquaman.

55:12 She she had a huge part and then it was like down to ten minutes or less. That was all the fans. They have the power. So fans, yes, let me know. Yes, you hear that, you hear that. Listeners, the Lady Levender has put you to work. Let's do it. And I'll point out Dave Don Costarelli is very active on social media, which I think is amazing, so you know where to find him, let him know, Like, let's make this happen, is what I'm saying. Oh, I think I think it would be I don't know, it would breathe, breathe new life. It was well, you know, and and holding that memory of the Tall Man as well, I just think it would it could be so fabulous.

56:05 It could and you could pull a new new Watchers too, which will go back and watch the older stuff that you know, brought them into this, the new trilogy or whatever we would get. You know, absolutely all all the big franchises are doing it too, like what the legacy sequels as they call it. Now. Yeah, the time, the time's right, let's it's it's time for phantasm it is, let's do it. Let's do it well. You know, Kat, playing the antagonist in a phantasmic film requires delivering a very memorable one word line. Would you be willing to give us your version of boy? Oh? My version? Yes, a different. Version, let's see.

56:48 Take your time this. Mine would be. M oh, that's awesome. That doesn't care me. That makes me straight at her, I kinda get scared, but because what she's gonna do to me? Wow, that was fantastic. Yes, thank you, Kat. This has been just an incredible experience for us, Like, we can't thank you enough for speaking with us. Uh, what about the current current projects, future projects aside from a new phantasm film, anything that you can share with us right now? I can't really talk about some stuff that's coming up, you know how it goes. But I'm I'm always writing music and in the studio and I I am thinking about pitting well, I can't. It is really hard, But I.

57:50 Don't get yourself in trouble. Yeah, don't. I don't want to get myself in trouble. But I do have some projects that are coming up. And you will be the first to know. How's that ease? Yes, yeah, when you're when you're when you're at at h when you're able to talk about it, you gotta you gotta come back and talk with us, absolutely, and I. Do thank you. And I do have a question for the fans, and that would be do you want me to continue with the kind of music that I've been doing, which is jazzy bluesy and it is naughty, or would you like to see me branch out into other types of music? Really curious to hear.

58:40 For the listeners. There you go, I like it. I like it? Well definitely, Uh, head over to you to turn on your Spotify for sure. Uh. It's Boudoir Rouge by Lick Cat and it is fourteen killer tracks and I'm I've already said it, but you know, coming home that's that's my favorite, you know, but find your favorite. You know, let Kat know like that, you know, this is a chance to speak to the artist and let them know what you'd love to hear. Let them let let's let us know what what your favorite song is that that she's doing, because. Oh, I don't forget to uh listen to the Lady in Lavender.

59:23 You can't mess that one. Yeah, and again, this show you gotta you know, I Kat, I would I would love to see like a longer shirt, a longer version of it on YouTube. But there's there's some there's some fun clips on YouTube that that we're you know, some of your show got caught in Wow. It's it's just it's excellent. You know. I would love to catch that show. Absolutely. That means a lot to me. Thanks so much. Well, listeners, what do you think of relaunching the Phantasm franchise with Kat Lester as the sexy but sinister Lady in Lavender as the main villain? Let us know on on social media. You'll find us on Facebook, Instagram, and x You can check out a film by podcast dot com for all of our film and TV articles and the entire library of our show, which is streaming free.

1:00:12 You can write to us at a film by podcast at gmail dot com. With your questions, comments and concerns. We may just read your response on the show and send you some a film by swag. And I'm telling you right now, if you're letting us know what you want to hear from Kat, we will definitely get in touch with her and let her know. Absolutely, Kat, we want to thank you so much for joining us here as a film by. It has been an absolute honor and a pleasure for us. Oh well say him here. Really it was an honor. Absolutely, yeah, And I know Jeff mentioned the Spotify where they can find your music anything you would like to promote, anything you want to talk about for our listeners that they can go check out.

1:00:53 Yeah, where do they get more information about Kat Lester? Oh so that's another thing? My right, Oh god, my web site is down right now. We're building it back up, so sorry about that. So the best thing you can do is watch Phantasm listen to my music on Spotify and there will be surprises in this new year. And for those of you out there listening each week, following us on social media and subscribing to our Patreon, we thank you, thank you.

1:01:37 Thank you. You think you know me, but you don't know me, try and hold me and just my phone. Of God a secret O love us speaking, but I guarantee you with me you have a ball. Of course, I'm only the figure of the imagination.

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1:05:51 You think you know me, believe you do know me.