Robert Duvall: ‘Kubrick was an actor’s enemy’, ‘Get off my lawn’

12.08.10 Written by Vince Mancini
I love this picture.

I love this picture.

Robert Duvall has probably been in more good movies than you’ve watched, and recently, Hollywood Reporter decided to mix things up by sticking him on a panel with a bunch of fresh-faced, booger-cheeked youngins like Baby Goose and Jesse Eisenberg for an actor’s round table.  Flanked by Gosling, Mark Ruffalo, James Franco, Jesse Eisenberg, and Colin Firth, Duvall demonstrated the one thing we have to look forward to in getting older: being candid as hell and not giving a f*ck.

As [David Fincher's] meticulous style [of doing 50 takes or more] was being discussed by Jesse Eisenberg and Mark Ruffalo, Duvall turned to the host and asked, “who’s he? He’s the director?” Moments later though, after seemingly remembering who Fincher was, the actor asked “he’s always been like that David Fincher? How about when he did ‘Se7en’? He got good results from that… I turned down a part in ‘Se7en’ maybe [his methodology is] the reason I did. Subconsciously I knew.” [ThePlaylist]

Then things got downright blasphemous, or at least they would have been if it hadn’t Robert Duvall speaking, who can say pretty much whatever the hell he wants.

“To me Stanley Kubrick was an actor’s enemy.  And I can point to movies that he’s done, that were the worst performances in movies.  The Shining, …what’s the one about — A Clockwork Orange.  Terrible performances, maybe great movies, but they’re terrible performances. How does he know the difference between the first take and the 70th take?  I mean what is that about?  Maybe it’s the new way of working, I don’t know.”

I’m sure it’d edge into Abe Simpson territory from time to time, but I could listen to Robert Duvall tell old showbiz stories for days.  “Thing about Marlon Brando, we used to find week-old sandwiches buried under his fat titties.  I once saw Jimmy Caan punch a whore harder than I’d ever seen, but God as my witness, the next day she thanked him for it,” and so forth.

Read the rest of this entry »

9 Comments TAGS: , , , , , , ,

UPDATE: Disregard this post completely.

04.28.10 Written by Vince Mancini

Eli-Roth-Robert-Duvall

UPDATE:  Yep, the article actually says ERIC Roth.  I’m an idiot.  Carry on.

All my life I’ve been dreaming of the day that the guy from Apocalypse Now and Lonesome Dove would finally get together with the dude from Cabin Fever and Hostel, and it seems that day is finally upon us.  Hall, meet Oates.

Get Low star and executive producer Robert Duvall said during today’s junket that Crazy Heart director Scott Cooper recently met with Brad Pitt about directing The Hatfields and the McCoys for Warner Bros….if and when Pitt decides to clear a place in his schedule. An excellent script about the legendary family feud of the 1800s has been written by Eric Roth, Duvall said. Pitt’s Plan B would produce with Pitt playing “the main guy,” Duvall said. Duvall would costar, and T-Bone Burnett would do the music. [HollywoodElsewhere]

All this time, I think all that Eli Roth’s dialogue was missing was someone like Robert Duvall to deliver it with the full gravitas it was intended.  (Gravitas.)

HARMON MCCOY: What’s that rifle for, Randolph?

RANDOLPH MCCOY:  Killin’ Hatfields.

HARMON MCCOY:  Why would you wanna kill Hatfields?

RANDOLPH MCCOY:  I reckon ‘cuz they’re gay.

HARMON MCCOY:  Randolph, don’t be a f*cking retard.

16 Comments TAGS: , , ,

TERRY GILLIAM’S THOUGHTS ON AVATAR

01.21.10 Written by Vince Mancini

TerryGilliam-VerneTroyer(“Open up, little man, I know you’re hiding a pot of gold in your belly.”)

Terry Gilliam recently did an interview with the Onion A/V Club, and you should read the whole thing, because he’s awesome, and what else are you going to read, Michael Phelps’ autobiography?  Anyway, he mentions that he’s still trying to get money for his Don Quixote movie, which now has Robert Duvall attached.  But it was also interesting to hear what he had to say about Avatar.

“Technically, it’s extraordinary work. And that’s where it sort of ends. We’ve seen the story before. We’ve seen so much of what’s been done there before, but I think he’s obviously moved the technology way ahead, to a point that who’s going to get the benefit from it is the real question. I think his system that he’s developed is obviously extraordinary, but you need these vast sums of money to create something like that. The thing that always amazes me about Cameron is how he uses the camera. I’ve always been amazed by that, ever since I first saw his films. And he continues to do it. It’s a dynamic that’s quite extraordinary, but as far as the ideas and everything else, nothing surprised me.”

“What he’s done is so difficult. And that deserves praise for something. I don’t know if it’s necessary, is my problem. I occasionally would pull the glasses off and say, “Did the depth mean that much to me?” And it didn’t. But it’s very lush work.” [source]

That’s right, he agrees with me, eat it.  He also had some thoughts on the new Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes:
Read the rest of this entry »

25 Comments TAGS: , , , , , ,

ROBERT DUVALL IS SPANISH, JOHNNY DEPP MEXICAN

12.03.09 Written by Vince Mancini

Robert Duvall-Spanish, Johnny Depp-Mexican

Jesus, I spent way too long trying to make that Photoshop work and it totally wasn’t worth it.  Kind of like your parents’ marriage.  Anyway, story is that Collider has the scoop that Terry Gilliam wants Robert Duvall to play Don Quixote in his famously cursed Don Quixote movie.  The film’s still in the process of securing financing, but it sounds like director and star are in agreement.  Meanwhile, Variety reports that Johnny Depp is in negotiations to play Pancho Villa in “Seven Friends of Pancho Villa and the Woman With Six Fingers.”

The Spanish-language biopic is to be shot partly in Mexico, where Villa — an early 20th-century bandit who became a guerilla fighter and a hero to the poor — is an iconic historical figure. Depp will act in Spanish, Serbian director Emir Kusturica said.  Depp and Kusturica collaborated previously on “Arizona Dream” in 1993.

The script is based on the biographical novel “The Friends of Pancho Villa,” in which author James Carlos Blake recounts how Villa and his compadres had a great time fighting and robbing the rich, but also dancing, partying and making love.

What a coincidence, that’s what I spend all my time doing!  At least, that’s what I pretend I’m doing while I make snarky blog posts and pet my cat.  *writes “rebel” on white v-neck in puffy paint*

24 Comments TAGS: , , , , ,

THE DUDE WRESTLES COUNTRY SINGIN’

11.17.09 Written by Vince Mancini

Jeff Bridges stars in Crazy Heart, a film already drawing comparisons to The Wrestler.  It’s still got a guy singin’ about a three-legged dog on a one-way road to nowheretown, only this time, he’s the main character.

Bad Blake is a broken-down, hard-living country music singer who’s had way too many marriages, far too many years on the road and one too many drinks way too many times. And yet, Bad can’t help but reach for salvation with the help of Jean (MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL), a journalist who discovers the real man behind the musician. As he struggles down the road of redemption, Bad learns the hard way just how tough life can be on one man’s crazy heart. [Apple]

I’m not sure if The Dude is supposed to be Merle Haggard or Waylon Jennings, but either way, I think by “salvation” they mean “a way younger chick’s vagina.”   It’s the American dream.

20 Comments TAGS: , , , , ,

[avatar]
Welcome to Film Drunk.
| Register
Follow Us