This is one of my favorite outtakes that we dug up during the BLADE RUNNER Final Cut restoration: Rutger Hauer giving such a tremendous performance, that even Harrison Ford (who was understandably fed-up with the shoot at this point) gave Rutger an affectionate "atta boy."
I, and others, missed some talented people in last nightโs
#Oscar
In Memoriam, so I whipped this up over lunch today. Apologies if I, too, missed anyone.
40 years ago today, BLADE RUNNER began principal photography on The Burbank Studios lot. The tumultuous shoot kicked off with Deckard's visit to the Tyrell Corporation. And this is the first image captured on set by the late, great still photographer Stephen Vaughan.
I still wish DIAL OF DESTINY had maintained Indy tradition by match dissolving with the Paramount logo instead of that Lucasfilm/lock thingy. I get not wanting to dissolve from Disney's castle to a Nazi stronghold. But contracts be damned, the best answer was there all along.
Ep. 10 of
#ANDOR
is some of the best filmmaking STAR WARS has ever seen. And yes, I was in tears. But not easy tears of nostalgia. I was run through a genuine emotional ringer because I cared about the characters, story, and stakes. All of it is so masterfully earned.
#OneWayOut
@livingformusic
Yup. My favorite RAIDERS cheat is how they dealt with an absent Ronald Lacey at the end of the truck chase. Looks almost like itโs just Tohtโs hat and coat and not much else.
37 years ago today, two R-rated, dark science fiction films opened in theaters. They were both blasted by critics. They both failed at the box office. And today, theyโre both considered classics. So there.
Ten years ago today, I took one of my all-time favorite photos. The TWIN PEAKS โMissing Piecesโ World Premiere afterparty at the Bigfoot Lodge Los Feliz was both wonderful and strange.
Good night, Peggy Lipton. Loved you in everything I saw you in, and Iโm so pleased you were able to give Norma a lovely, loving send off on TWIN PEAKS. Really gonna miss your soothing, positive presence. R.I.P.
Yaphet Kotto could make every scene crackle. He was a force of nature in many roles, and certainly as Parker in ALIEN. But I also loved the more poker-faced side of him, such as Mosely in MIDNIGHT RUN, as well. A terrific actor. R.I.P.
It's been a few years since I worked on an in-depth making-of documentary, so Iโm especially proud to have produced the six-part TORN ASUNDER: WAGING ALEX GARLANDโS CIVIL WAR for the Lionsgate release of A24โs CIVIL WAR, arriving in July. Itโs a good one.
Deeply saddened to hear that the great Doug Trumbull has passed. It was a high honor to have him consult on BLADE RUNNER: The Final Cut and learn much from his visionary insight. His VFX artistry on BR, STAR TREK TMP, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS, 2001, etc., remains unparalleled. 1/2
Just found my hand-written logs from when I went through all of BLADE RUNNERโs dailies, cuts and other assets over a decade ago. Of note is the raw footage of the unicorn scene which was shot for BLADE RUNNER and not, contrary to fanboy conspiracies, LEGEND โ as the slate proves.
I am just now finding out that there was a stage adaptation of Vincent Wardโs โwooden planetโ script for ALIEN 3. Apparently it ran in Glasgow three years ago to positive reviews. And it might be returning next year. I wanna see it! h/t
@Podcast_PO
.
As he should be. His film is the only star war since 1980 that had me on the edge of my seat, uncertain how our heroes would survive, let alone win. He took some big, crazy George-style swings, and even if not all of them connected for me, most of them did. A 10/10 landing too.
EXCLUSIVE: Rian Johnson is "even more proud" of The Last Jedi five years on, he tells Empire in a major new interview reflecting on his
#StarWars
sequel.
READ MORE:
40 years ago today, BLADE RUNNER wrapped Principal Photography. Still photographer Fred Sabine (filling in for Stephen Vaughan late in the schedule) captured these images of that harrowing "28 hour" last day, with
#9865
likely being the final set photo taken during production.
Roger Kastel created two of the most iconic and beloved movie posters ever. JAWS brilliantly sold its powerhouse beauty/beast inciting incident with haunting purity, while EMPIRE lavishly captured the grand, romantic sweep of an old time epic. His art will endure forever. R.I.P.
So here we are. The future. It only took 37 years.
Throughout
#November2019
, Iโll try to share rare
#PreciousPhotos
from the making of
#BladeRunner
, most of them taken by the late, great Stephen Vaughan.
First up: Brion James and Rutger Hauer on the Burbank Studios lot, 1981.
I always loved Ian Holmโs quietly quirky and selflessly chameleon-like way of not only disappearing into any role, but also fully embracing the often fantastical worlds of those characters, no matter their place in time and space. A wonderful actor. R.I.P.
When I interviewed Harrison Ford for BLADE RUNNER, he surprised me with a fun, detailed story about recording the V.O. Starstruck by Han/Indy/Deckard, all I could say was, โCool.โ He said, โNo. It wasnโt cool. It was terrible!โ So, HBD to the only actor ever to leave me awed.
TRUE ROMANCE opened 30 years ago today. Less than a year later, I would go on to become an intern for Tony Scott. Bursting at the seams with some all-timer Tarantino dialogue, a jaw-dropping cast, and several outrageously entertaining scenes, itโs still my favorite film of his.
Another legend gone. JAWS cinematographer Bill Butler has left us just shy of his 102nd birthday. He was behind the camera on one of my other faves, THE CONVERSATION, not to mention fun stuff like STRIPES and ROCKYs II, III, IV. Show me the way to go homeโฆ
I always loved Jim Steranko's pre-production art for RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. Had a tough, pulpy, adventure magazine style that instantly transports the viewer safely into dangerous situations, much like the movie does. Indy has a bit of a badass Mitchum vibe here too.
#Raiders40
Iโm pretty sure
#TheBatman
is going to be a massive hit. After its bladder-busting 3 hour runtime, there was a gentleman in our theaterโs restroom enthusiastically humming
@m_giacchino
โs main theme while at the urinal.
To say that William Friedkin was an outspoken, opinionated dynamo, even late in life, is an understatement. And his fiery on-set directing style will long be debated. But, his work on screen? Beyond masterful. He never left anything on the field. An iconoclast. A legend. R.I.P.
10 years ago today, PROMETHEUS opened in the U.S., and wellโฆlook, the film is what it is. But in all my years documenting the making of movies, this BTS gig was the most fun, by far. My inner 11 year old was grinning ear-to-ear whenever I was on that set, in that world.
This is a Fox memo from Nov 1976 alerting those at the studio that their little film called :::checks notes::: STAR WARS might be something worth paying attention to after all. The giddy combo of discovery, excitement and relief here is a joy to behold. h/t
@nickjwright
50 years ago today, a 28 year-old George Lucas pulled out a pad of paper and began writing a little thing that would eventually be called STAR WARS, changing movies forever. So today, Iโm going to write my own paragraph of weird make-believe. I encourage you to do the same.
You may think you're cool, but you'll never be "lining up a shot on a helicopter/smoking a Monte Cristo/getting back-hugged by Madeleine Stowe/all while daring to wear a McDonald's cap on the set of REVENGE" cool like Tony Scott was. He left us 8 years ago today. Miss him much.
Iโm saddened by the passing of film editor extraordinaire Terry Rawlings. An honor to have him share his memories in my docs on ALIEN, ALIEN 3 and BLADE RUNNER, he was also an invaluable advisor on LEGEND: Directorโs Cut and ALIEN 3: Assembly Cut. A true gentleman. R.I.P.
Iโm at the
#PREY
premiere at
#SDCC2022
and this thing justifiably earned a huge, rousing standing ovation. Easily my favorite PREDATOR movie since the original.
@DannyTRS
and team have made a primal and emotional survival epic.
@AmberMidthunder
is a total badass in this too.
I went to a test screening of GHOSTBUSTERS several months before release. Usually, some suit would introduce the film to warn people the VFX and music were temp, etc. At this one, Ivan Reitman introduced the film. The audience burst out in applause. My first ever test screening.
Alan Ladd, Jr. was a good luck charm on the ALIEN and BLADE RUNNER documentaries I directed. His were the first interviews I conducted on both. His visionary taste, and heroic support of firebrand filmmakers, has left us with some all-time classics. Well done, Laddie. R.I.P.
THX 1138 turns 50 today. It represents what couldโve been a very different career for George Lucas, and I wish I could visit that alternate universe. Artfully shot by Kihn & Myers, and Murchโs sound design is next level. A deeply hypnotic dystopia I enjoy immersing myself in.
This one hurts. I was honored to have met Richard Donner a few times, observe him work a bit, and I was always in awe of how he not only commanded a set, but commanded the screen. He made this kid believe a man could fly, and maybe one day, that same kid could make a movie. RIP.
Just rewatched
@thebearfx
S2 E7: โForks.โ One of my favorite episodes of anything ever. Balances the tension of a bomb countdown (will Richie screw this up?) with a glorious sense of hope. Plus, its inspired use of โDiamond Diaryโ from THIEF is next level cool. 10/10
Two nights ago, I was having dinner in a small restaurant in a small town when an absolute titan among titans walked in. I was fortunate enough to thank him for his magnificent work and inspirational career. And so today, I wish Francis Ford Coppola, a very, very Happy Birthday!
Rumor control, here are some facts about ALIEN 3: 1) The Alien Anthology Blu-ray box is the best version to get; 2) Fincher understandably chose not to be involved, but the "Assembly Cut" largely conforms to an early cut he made with editor Terry Rawlings; 3) And...
Re: Eleanor CoppolaโฆWhen I started producing making-of documentaries, there were a few gold standard film docs I drew inspiration from, mostly due to their refreshing candor, and for being more fearlessly journalistic than promotional. I highly recommend them all.
Just signed a deal to direct and produce what could likely be the most unexpected, ambitious, and wonderfully insane making-of documentary of my career. Fingers crossed. And no, I'm not saying what it's for. Yet.
One more
#AlienDay
thing I just realized: It was almost exactly 10 years ago when I was at Pinewood living a childhood dream. Probably the most fun Iโve ever had on someone elseโs set, and I hope it shows in my work.
I thought it over, and 40 years later, I still love Peter Hyamsโ HIGH NOON-in-space, OUTLAND. Itโs about as solid as a B-movie can get, with Connery, Sternhagen and Boyle all in fine form here. Plus, a killer Goldsmith score and a terrific knock-down drag-out foot chase.
Deeply saddened by the passing of the great Rutger Hauer. I have many fond memories of him, both on screen and in person. When he wanted to take a smoke break during our BLADE RUNNER interview, he took me outside by the hand. His very large hand. The hand of a giant.
#TearsInRain
35 years later, ROBOCOP is still a stone-cold masterpiece. Fun, exciting, emotional, and wickedly smart. I donโt really chase autographs anymore, but the one time I met Paul Verhoeven, I asked him to doodle a little Robo for me. This is what I got.
Now might be a good time to remind people that when someone says that the first cut of their film was "four hours long," they're almost always referring to an assembly -- a very rough string out of footage in story order -- and not something ever intended to be seen by audiences.
Today is the 35th Anniversary of STAR TREK V. Not my favorite TREK film, putting it politely. It suffers from clumsy, forced comedy and sadly "under resourced" VFX. But its cast chemistry, cinematography, basic concept, and predictably awesome Goldsmith score are all plusses. 1/2
I was such a huge fan of J.W. Rinzlerโs work, I once paid playful homage to his STAR WARS making-of books on April Foolsโ Day five years ago. If onlyโฆ
I have no idea where this scene ranks with Donald Sutherland's best. All I know is that he was handed six pages of dense, unforgiving exposition, did a simple walk-and-talk and a bench sit, and outright stole a 3 hour+ epic featuring one of the best casts ever assembled.
#JFK
R.I.P. Mr, Emge. His character in DAWN had a rollercoaster of an arc, and he sold every single step with full commitment, finally resulting in one of my favorite zombie performances ever. Clear skies, Flyboy.
Weโre terribly saddened to hear of the passing of David Emge, star of George A. Romeroโs DAWN OF THE DEAD.
Our condolences to his family, friends, and many fans. You did all right, Flyboy ๐ค
Today wouldโve been Dan OโBannonโs 75th birthday, making me mourn how early he left us, but also thankful for the privilege of interviewing him for my making-of docs on ALIEN and BLUE THUNDER. And more than ever, I celebrate his mad genius in directing RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD.
30 yrs ago today, I was lucky enough to attend the premiere of THE ROCKETEER. In addition to unveiling this charming, light-hearted gem of a flick, Disney also threw a carnival-like party afterwards with excellent swag, hinting at a franchise that hasn't happened yet. But should!
In a world of pop culture deep cuts, this might be one of the deepest of all. Custom STAR WARS โactionโ figures by
@kyledrayton5
of Kennerโs redacted Ewoks. IYKYK.
I appreciate it when people preserve BTS content I designed and produced, especially when itโs multi-angle DVD material like this that doesnโt translate to the Blu-ray spec. Tony was very gracious to support this raw examination of his process.
Tony Scott left us 10 years ago today. The term โforce of natureโ feels like it was coined specifically for him, and even that doesnโt do him justice. Tony was a true daredevil of a filmmaker, and without question, a bonafide artist. 1/2
I made this for fun a while back, imagining a JAWS Amityverse that went beyond sharkin'. Yes, Vaughn was dangerous and a sleaze. But that deleted scene from JAWS 2 in which he votes to save Brody's job suggests he sought redemption. And since "tomorrow's the Fourth of July"...
Some people will look at this photo and see George Lucas speaking with Billy Dee Williams, or Richard Marquand conferring with Harrison Ford. When I look at it, I see the behind-the-scenes camera operator, and want to see every single frame of his footage.
One of my first DVD producing gigs was for
#SPEED
, which turns 25 today. In addition to featurettes, commentaries, etc. in our loaded Five Star Collection set, we also explored some early use of multi-angle content, including raw dailies and storyboards. This movie still rocks.
30 years ago today, THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER set sail into theaters, and it remains one of my all-time favorite comfort movies. Thrilling, fun, smart. Terrific on all fronts. AND I got to visit the set when they shot the final scene in front of a blue screen on the Paramount lot!
This 7-disc (!!!)
#DUNE
4K Ultimate Edition beyond imagination just arrived from my friend Dieter in Germany.
3 versions of the film, 2 discs of extras, the score, rare photos, the comic adaptation, posters, all in a huge plexiglass brick that could brain a sandworm.
Wow.
50 years ago today, my favorite movie of all-time began filming at South Beach in Marthaโs Vineyard, Massachusetts. This scene economically packs a humbling amount of character, tone and tension into just 1 min 20 secs. JAWS is a master class Iโm still learning from. 1/2