This is the tenth in a new series of “Getting to Know”  Pages from Ultimate Movie Rankings.com.   Our interview this time around is with UMR Hall of Famer Helakoski…Class of 2015.   Helakoski has been visiting UMR for 7 years now.  She is a Top 15 Commenter.   So we figured it was time to learn a little more about Helakoski.

Cogerson –  It has always interested me in knowing which thespian made the first impact on a person. Who was the first actor or actress that you knew by their actual name?

Helakoski–  I know this answer without a shadow of a doubt.  Doris Day was that actress.  My mom and my grandmother loved her.   Seems that I learned to talk by watching Doris Day romantic comedies.  I would bet either James Garner or Rock Hudson would be the actor I first knew, mainly because their combined 5 movies with Day were ones I saw over and over.  I remember watching  James Garner accidentally drive his 1958 Chevy Impala convertible into the pool in The Thrill Of It All over and over.  I know it was a Chevy Impala because my granddad had a car almost identical to the one in the movie.

Cogerson – Is there a person in your life that pushed you down the path of liking movies?  For me, it was my parents and my grandmother.

Helakoski–  Another very easy question for me to answer.  That would be my mom and my grandmother. Both of them loved movies and had a vested interest in me watching their favorite movies.  My grandmother loved Robert Young.  We would watch his television shows Father Knows Best and Marcus Welby together.   On the movie side, it seemed his movie career was never ending–so many movies.  As for my mom, she loved Doris Day, Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly, Sophia Loren and Audrey Hepburn.

Cogerson – When I was younger, I was convinced that Disney’s Gus was the greatest movie of all-time.  Today, I realize, though it might be the best mule playing football movie, it is not very good.  What movies did little Helakoski think were awesome when she was a kid that you now know were not really very good.

Helakoski –  Hmmmm, interesting question.   The only movie that comes to mind is 1989’s Shag: The Movie.  I discovered that movie in the early 2000s and watched it repeatedly.   There is a character named Pudge played by Annabeth Gish that I loved and really associated myself with.  I recently re-watched that one and found it somewhat boring and not funny anymore.  Also the soundtrack was different.

Cogerson –  Buying my first ticket to an R-rated movie was a big deal back in the day.  Do you remember the first R-Rated movie you got a ticket for?

Helakoski –  Another easy one for me.  I was born in 1991.  My mom was somewhat strict on me when it came to going out with friends when I was in high school.  So the first time I bought a ticket for a R-rated movie was my first year in college in 2009.  The movie?  Paranormal Activity. I surprisingly really enjoyed that one, as I am not a big horror fan.

Cogerson – The first one was pretty good…nice and creepy.  By the time that got to Part 56 that was no longer the case..lol.

Cogerson –  What are your Top 3 movies of all-time? Or share as many as you are willing to share.

Helakoski –  I will go with Avatar, The Sound of Music, The Wizard of Oz, Pillow Talk and Notting Hill.  I find it interesting that three of my five movies were movies introduced by mom and grandmother.   My mom loved Notting Hill too, but it was me that introduced her to that one.

Cogerson –  I would guess you are very excited that not 1, not 2, not 3 but 4 Avatar sequels are coming.

Helakoki – I am excited, but I wish James Cameron would have focused on the first sequel versus trying to create four movies at once.  But, he has a great track record, so I am giving him the benefit of the doubt on this massive project.

Cogerson –  What are some of your favorite movie genres?

Helakoski –  I am a huge sucker for romantic comedies.  Any Doris Day romantic comedy,  any Hugh Grant romantic comedy, any Sandra Bullock romantic comedy, heck any romantic comedy period!

Cogerson – Do you have any favorite actors or actresses?

Helakoski–  On the actress side give me Doris Day, Julia Roberts, Meg Ryan and Sandra Bullock. On the actor side give me Hugh Grant, Mel Gibson and Tom Hanks.

Cogerson – I know it has been a while, but do you remember how you discovered UMR?

Helakoski –  My mom actually told me about it.  She discovered your page when she was looking up something on Doris Day.  This was back on your second website.  Your statistics held no interest for her, but she thought it would be right up my alley.  I am a CPA and have loved numbers all my life.  She never commented on your page, but she really enjoyed your classic pages.

Cogerson – That second website was called CogersonMovieScore.com.  It was not a success at all.

Cogerson – Do you have any memorable movie experiences?   I remember seeing Porky’s in theaters.  People were laughing so hard, I thought the walls might crumble.

Helakoski – Another tough question.  I do not have a Porky’s story but I remember watching Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight.   I had never experienced a performance like that.  The feelings I felt while watching that the first time!  I was nervous, excited, scared, enchanted and all kinds of other emotions.  It has almost been 10 years seeing it and nothing has even come close to that experience.

Cogerson – And finally…..ever had the chance to meet any movie stars in person?

Helakoski –  The only movie star I came into close proximity was Patrick Swayze.   This was around 2000, and my mom and I saw him on a beach.  My mom briefly talked with him.   I was 9 or 10 at the time and was not really aware of who the man talking to my mom was .  My mom loved telling people that story.  I of course came to really like him after seeing him in Dirty Dancing and Ghost.   

So speaking of my mom again.  I have found it difficult to visit UltimateMovieRankings.com as much since she passed away.  I know it is silly to think this way, but I associate the website with her.  So if you were wondering why I have been as you said “MIA”  I think it is part of the grieving process. But do not worry I still love the website and I am still proud of my Hall of Fame status.  I really appreciate the opportunity to talk about my mom here. I think she would have gotten a huge kick of this interview.

Cogerson –  My condolences on your mom’s passing.  I know how hard it is to lose a parent.    I am glad to read that she would have liked this interview.  Thank you Helakoski for taking the time to answer these questions.    You are truly deserving of your UMR Hall of Fame status.

In case you missed the first interviews. bob cox is on the clock.

• –UMR HoF Interviews–
• Bern1960 Class of 2014
• BryRog57 Class of 2014
• Flora Class of 2014
• GeorgeV  Class of 2018
• Helakoski Class of 2015
• Laurent Class of 2015
• PhilHoF17 Class of 2017
• Søren  Class of 2014
• SteinHoF16 Class of 2016
• WoC Class of 2020

Others to interview – Bob, bob cox, Dan, KTCat94, Lupino, Lyle, Pierre, Steve, Sunshine