Category: Interviews

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Interviews London Film Festival Podcast

Interview: Mark Hartley on Not Quite Hollywood

Not Quite Hollywood is a new documentary exploring the world of Australian exploitation cinema that began in the early 1970s.

Directed by Mark Hartley it shows how a new generation of maverick filmmakers capitalised on the relaxing of censorship laws to create wilder films on smaller budgets.

Whilst more refined directors like Peter Weir achieved worldwide acclaim with films like Picnic At Hanging Rock, more maverick directors and actors created a crazier breed of exploitation movie.

This is the trailer:

Many of the titles were sloppily made, politically incorrect and outraged critcs but some also made money in their home country and abroad.

One of the pleasing aspects of the documentary is Hartley’s irreverent approach, which allied to a huge amount of clips and interviews with the likes of George Miller, Quentin Tarantino, Barry Humphries and many others, makes for a thoroughly entertaining examination of Australian film culture.

I spoke with Mark recently about the film which is screening at the London Film Festvial this week.

You can listen to the interview here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Mark_Hartley_on_Not_Quite_Hollywood.mp3]

You can also download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.

Not Quite Hollywood screens at the London Film Festival on Saturday 24th and Tuesday 28th before getting a UK release in March.

> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Mark Hartley at the IMDb
> Official website for the film
> Buy tickets for the film at the LFF website

Categories
Cinema Festivals Interviews London Film Festival

Interview: Toa Fraser on Dean Spanley

Dean Spanley is a new film based on the novella by Irish author Lord Dunsany.

Set in the Edwardian era it is the story of a father (Peter O’Toole) and son (Jeremy Northam) who attend a lecture by a visiting Hindu Swami (Art Malik).

There they encounter Dean Spanley (Sam Neill), with whom, after a series of chance encounters, Henslowe strikes up an unlikley friendship.

It screened at the London Film Festival last Friday and I spoke to the director Toa Fraser earlier that afternoon.

You can listen to the interview here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Toa_Fraser_on_Dean_Spanley.mp3]

You can also download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.

Dean Spanley is out at UK cinemas on December 12th 2008

> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Dean Spanley at the IMDb
> Toa Fraser at the IMDb
> Rotten Tomatoes UK visit the set

Categories
DVD & Blu-ray Interviews

Interview: Ian Freer on Reservoir Dogs

Reservoir Dogs was a gangster film that landed like a bombshell in the early 90s, making an instant star of writer-director Quentin Tarantino.

The tale of a heist gone wrong it starred Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, Steve Buscemi and Lawrence Tierney as a gang of criminals struggling to find the traitor within their group.

The innovative flashback structure, pop-culture laden dialogue, clever soundtrack and unnerving violence all marked it out as a major film of the decade even though it wasn’t initially a major success at the box office.

It is being re-issued on DVD in the UK this week and I recently spoke to Ian Freer of Empire Magazine about the film.

We discussed various aspects, including the importance of Harvey Keitel in getting it made, its impact and how it compares to Tarantino’s other work.

Listen to the interview here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Ian_Freer_on_Reservoir_Dogs.mp3]

You can also download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.

Reservoir Dogs is out now on DVD and Blu-ray disc from Lionsgate

> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Buy Reservoir Dogs on DVD or Blu-ray at Amazon UK
> Reservoir Dogs at the IMDb
> Official site for Empire Magazine
> Ian Freer’s entries on the Empire blog

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DVD & Blu-ray Interesting Interviews Podcast

Interview: Noel Clarke and Adam Deacon on AdULTHOOD

AdULTHOOD is the sequel to the 2006 hit Kidulthood and follows the story of Sam Peel (Noel Clarke) six years on from the events of the last film.

After returning home, Sam struggles to deal with life on the outside and is pursued by Jay (Adam Deacon)

The film was also written and directed by Noel and I recently spoke to him and Adam about the film which is out on DVD this week.

Listen to the interview here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Noel_Clarke_and_Adam_Deacon_on_AdULTHOOD.mp3]

You can also download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.

AdULTHOOD is out on DVD now from Pathe

> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Noel Clarke and Adam Deacon at the IMDb
> Official UK website for AdULTHOOD
> Buy AdULTHOOD on DVD at Amazon

[Image courtesy of Pathe © 2008]

Categories
Festivals Interviews Podcast

Interview: Eliot Grove on The Raindance Film Festival 2008

Eliot Grove is the founder and director of The Raindance Film Festival, which is the UK’s largest independent film festival.

He founded it in 1993 and since then it has premiered films such as Pulp Fiction, The Blair Witch Project, Capturing the Friedmans, Memento, and Oldboy.

The Raindance organisation also offers advice and support for independent filmmakers.

Although based in London they are open for anyone who might want to work with them in another city or country.

In addition, Eliot also helped start the British Independent Film Awards in 1998.

The current Raindance festival is currently on in London until October 12th and I recently spoke with Eliot about what’s been happening this year.

You can listen to the interview here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Eliot_Grove_on_The_Raindance_Film_Festival_2008.mp3]

You can also download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.

For the full Festival programme go to www.raindance.co.uk

Tickets can be booked online at their site or by telephone on 0871 200 2000

Raindance.tv will host further exclusive material via www.raindance.tv with trailers and filmmaker interviews.

> Download this interview as an MP3
> Official Raindance site
> The British Independent Film Awards
> Join the Raindance Facebook group
> Eliot’s MySpace page

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Interviews Podcast

Interview: Matteo Garrone on Gomorrah

Matteo Garrone is the director of Gomorrah, a new film based on the best selling book by Roberto Saviano.

It explores the world of the Comorrah, the mafia-like organisation based around the city of Naples in Southern Italy.

The film follows five stories that are based on real life accounts:

  • A young boy named Toto (Salvatore Abruzzese) who is slowly sucked into the world of drug dealers near his housing estate
  • An elderly accountant named Don Ciro (Gianfelice Imparato) who acts as a courier for the relatives of imprisoned gang members
  • A tailor named Pasquale (Salvatore Cantalupo) who endangers himself by trying to work for new company that isn’t controlled by organised crime
  • A university graduate named Roberto (Carmine Paternoster) who starts working for a toxic waste company that has ties to criminal gangs
  • Two unruly young men called Marco (Marco Macor) and Ciro (Ciro Petrone) who fantasise about being mobsters when they uncover a stash of weapons.

I recently spoke to Matteo in London where we discussed various aspects of the film, including: his initial reaction to the book; how he approached casting the various roles; the issues the film raises about contemporary Italy; the reaction at the Cannes film festival back in May and the music in the film by Massive Attack.

N.B. Although Matteo conducted the interview in English, we had an interpreter handy for those trickier phrases and words.

You can listen to the interview here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Matteo_Garrone_on_Gomorrah.mp3]

You can also download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.

Gomorrah is out at UK cinemas from this Friday

> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Matteo Garrone at the IMDb
> Official UK website for Gomorrah
> GreenCine Daily with links to the various reactions to the film at Cannes
> Find out more about the Comorrah at Wikipedia
> Guardian feature on the film by Clare Longrigg
> Buy Roberto Saviano’s book at Amazon UK

Categories
Cinema Interviews Podcast

Interview: Tarsem Singh on The Fall

The Fall is the story of an injured stuntman (Lee Pace) in the early days of Hollywood who forms a friendship in hospital with a younger girl (Catinca Untaru) by telling her a fantasy story, which we then see in flashback.

Directed by Tarsem Singh, who’s previous work includes The Cell and numerous award winning commercials and music videos, it was largely funded out of his own pocket and took many years to make.

I recently spoke to Tarsem in London about the film and you can listen to the interview here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Tarsem_Singh_on_The_Fall.MP3]

You can also download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.

N.B. We conducted the interview in a hotel with a rather loud swimming pool in the background, so apologies for the background noise.

The Fall is out at selected UK cinemas from today

> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Official site for The Fall and the IMDb entry
> Tarsem Singh at the IMDb
> Check out the R.E.M video for Losing My Religion which Tarsem directed in 1991
> Find a local cinema showing The Fall via Google Movies

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Cinema Interviews Podcast

Interview: Matthew Goode and Hayley Atwell on Brideshead Revisted

Brideshead Revisited is the first feature film adaptation of the Evelyn Waugh’s classic 1945 novel of the same name.

Set in a pre-WWII England, it tells the story of a young man named Charles Ryder (Matthew Goode) who becomes friends with an aristocrat named Sebastian Flyte (Ben Whishaw).

Charles is then introduced to Sebastian’s family and becomes entranced by his sister Julia (Hayley Atwell) and their large and beautiful estate, despite disagreeing with their religious views and cold manner – embodied by their matriarch, Lady Marchmain (Emma Thompson).

Directed by Julian Jarrold, it explores the decline of English aristocracy, catholicism, the conflict between love and duty and the social changes brough about by World War II.

I recently spoke to Matthew Goode and Hayley Atwell about the film and you can listen to the interviews here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Matthew_Goode_and_Hayley_Atwell_on_Brideshead_Revisited.mp3]

You can also download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.

Brideshead Revisited is out at UK cinemas from this Friday

> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Official site for Brideshead Revisited
> Matthew Goode and Hayley Atwell at the IMDb
> Find out more about the original novel and the famous 1981 TV adaptation at Wikipedia

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Cinema Interviews Podcast

Interview: Simon Pegg and Robert B. Weide on How To Lose Friends & Alienate People

How to Lose Friends & Alienate People is the film adaptation of British writer Toby Young‘s 2001 memoir of the same name which charted his time at Vanity Fair magazine in New York during the late 1990s.

For the film, the names of the magazine and people Young encountered have been changed but it still keeps the general thrust of the book intact.

Simon Pegg plays the lead character ‘Sidney’ Young, whilst Jeff Bridges portrays ‘Clayton Harding’ (based on VF editor Graydon Carter) and other key supporting actors include: Kirsten Dunst, Danny Huston, Gillian Anderson, Megan Fox and it is directed by Robert B. Weide.

I recently spoke to Simon and Robert about the film and you can listen to the interviews here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Simon_Pegg_and_Robert_B_Weide_on_How_To_Lose_Friends_And_Alienate_People.mp3]

You can also download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.

How To Lose Friends And Alienate People is out at UK cinemas from this Friday

> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Simon Pegg and Robert B Weide at the IMDb
> Official UK site and IMDb entry for How To Lose Friends And Alienate People

[All images © 2008 / Paramount Pictures]

Categories
Cinema Interviews

Interview: Paul W.S. Anderson and Jason Statham on Death Race

Death Race is an action film written and directed by Paul W. S. Anderson, based on the 1975 Roger Corman film Death Race 2000.

It stars Jason Statham as Jensen Ames, a convict forced to participate in a deadly futuristic car race organised by a ruthless prison warden (Joan Allen).

I recently spoke to Paul and Jason about the film and you can listen to the interview here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Paul_WS_Anderson_and_Jason_Statham_on_Death_Race.MP3]

You can also download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.

Death Race is out now at UK cinemas

> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Paul W. S. Anderson and Jason Statham at the IMDb
> Official UK site and IMDb entry for Death Race

[All images © 2008 / Universal Pictures]

Categories
Interviews Podcast

Interview: David Thomson on Have You Seen…?

David Thomson is the author of numerous books on film, most notably The Biographical Dictionary of Film and has also written for New York Times, Film Comment, Movieline, The New Republic, Salon, The Independent and The Guardian.

His latest is Have You Seen…? and in it he writes about 1000 of the films that he has particularly liked – or in some cases, hated – from the earliest classics of cinema to the present day.

I recently spoke to David about the book and we had a lengthy discussion including the following:

You can listen to the interview here:

Or here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/David_Thomson_on_Have_You_Seen.mp3]

You can also download our podcast via iTunes by clicking here.

Have You Seen…? is out today in the UK and is published by Allen Lane (The US version can be found here)

> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Buy Have You Seen…? at Amazon UK
> David Thomson’s recent articles at The Guardian
> Official page for the book at Penguin

Categories
Cinema Interviews Podcast

Interview: Walter Salles on Linha de Passe

Linha de Passe is the story of four poverty-stricken brothers who live in a favela neighborhood in SĂŁo Paulo, struggling to fight for a better life after their father dies.

Directed by Walter Salles and Daniela Thomas, it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival back in May where one of its stars, Sandra Corveloni, won the award for Best Actress.

Walter has directed a number of acclaimed films since the 90s such as Foreign Land (1996), Central Station (1998) and The Motorcycle Diaries (2004).

I recently spoke to him about his latest film and we discussed various aspects of the movie such as football, shooting in SĂŁo Paul without a permit and whether or not he has seen Steven Soderbergh‘s Che yet.

Listen to the interview here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Walter_Salles_on_Linha_de_Passe.MP3]

You can also download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.

Linha de Passe is out at UK cinemas from this Friday

> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Walter Salles at the IMDb
> Official UK site for Linha de Passe

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Cinema Interviews Podcast

Interview: David Thewlis, Vera Farmiga and Rupert Friend on The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is the film adaptation of the best selling book by John Boyne which explores the Holocaust from the perspective of a young boy named Bruno (Asa Butterfield) who befriends someone his own age (Jack Scanlon) across the fence of a Nazi prison camp.

It opened in the UK this week and I recently spoke to the actors David Thewlis (Father), Vera Farmiga (Mother) and Rupert Friend (Lt Kotler) who all star in the film.

Listen to the interviews here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/David_Thewlis_Vera_Farmiga_and_Rupert_Friend_on_The_Boy_in_the_Striped_Pyjamas.mp3]

You can also download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is out now at UK cinemas

> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> David Thewlis, Vera Farmiga and Rupert Friend at the IMDb
> Official UK site and IMDb entry for The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

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Cinema Interviews Podcast

Interview: James Watkins on Eden Lake

This week saw the UK release of the horror movie Eden Lake, which stars Kelly Reilly and Michael Fassbender as a couple who are terrorised by a gang of youths in a remote country location.

I recently spoke to the director James Watkins and we discussed various aspects of the movie and the different challenges in bringing it to the screen.

Listen to the interview here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/James_Watkins_on_Eden_Lake.mp3]

You can also download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.

Eden Lake is out now at UK cinemas

> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> James Watkins at the IMDb
> Official UK site and IMDb entry for Eden Lake

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Cinema Interviews Podcast

Interview: Mark Herman and John Boyne on The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

This week sees the release of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, a film dealing with the Holocaust from the perspective of two boys who befriend each other across the fence of a Nazi prison camp.

I recently spoke to the director Mark Herman about the film and the author John Boyne who wrote the original novel.

Listen to the interviews here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Mark_Herman_and_John_Boyne_on_The_Boy_in_the_Striped_Pyjamas.mp3]

You can also download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas opens today at UK cinemas

> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Mark Herman at the IMDb
> John Boyne’s official site and blog
> Official UK site and IMDb entry for The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

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Cinema Interviews Podcast

Interview: Seth Rogen and James Franco on Pineapple Express

This week sees the UK release of Pineapple Express, a comedy about two pot-smoking slackers who go on the run after one of them witnesses a murder.

I recently spoke to Seth Rogen and James Franco, the two lead actors in the film, and we discussed various aspects of the movie as well as other projects they have recently been involved in.

Listen to the interview here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Seth_Rogen_and_James_Franco_on_Pineapple_Express.mp3]

You can also download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army is out now at UK cinemas

> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Seth Rogen and James Franco at the IMDb
> Official UK site and IMDb entry for Pineapple Express
> Reviews at Metacritic

[All images © 2008 / Sony Pictures]

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Cinema Interviews Podcast

Interview: Adam McKay on Step Brothers

Adam McKay is the director of the new comedy Step Brothers, which stars Will Ferrell and John C Reillyas two siblings who have been living at home too long.

He has had a long career writing and directing comedy, most notably at Saturday Night Live where he made his mark alongside Will Ferrell, with whom he went to team up with on the films Anchorman (2004), Talladega Nights (2006) and now Step Brothers.

I spoke with Adam recently about the film, his time at SNL, FunnyOrDie.com (the website he started with Will which spawned hit viral videos like The Landlord and Paris Hilton’s 2008 Campaign Video), the struggle to get Anchorman made (and the possibility of a sequel), how marketing affects what scripts get green-lit and how he works with his co-writer and star.

Listen to the interview here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Adam_McKay_on_Step_Brothers.MP3]

You can also download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.

Step Brothers is out in the UK from today

> Download this as an MP3 file
> Adam Mckay at the IMDb
> Listen to our interview with Will Ferrell and John C Reilly about Step Brothers
> Official UK site for Step Brothers
> Watch the trailer at YouTube

Categories
Cinema Interviews Podcast

Interview: Jonathan Levine on The Wackness

The Wackness is a coming of age tale set against the backdrop of New York in 1994. It stars Josh Peck as a teenage drug dealer and explores his relationships with a psychiatrist (Ben Kingsley) and his daughter (Olivia Thirlby).

I recently spoke with the director Jonathan Levine and we discussed various aspects of the film including the setting of 1994, working with Ben Kingsley and the importance of getting accepted at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year.

Listen to the interview here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Jonathan_Levine_on_The_Wackness.mp3]

You can also download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.

The Wackness is out in the UK this Friday

> Download this as an MP3 file
> Official UK site for The Wackness
> Jonathan Levine at the IMDb
> Watch the trailer at YouTube

[Photo by JoJo Whilden, © 2008 Occupant Films, Courtesy of Revolver/Sony Pictures Classics]

Categories
Cinema Interviews Podcast

Interview: Will Ferrell and John C Reilly on Step Brothers

Step Brothers is the new comedy starring Will Ferrell and John C Reilly as two step brothers who still live at home and make life difficult for their parents.

I spoke with them recently about their previous film Talledega Nights, how Paul Thomas Anderson almost ended up as a producer on Anchorman, how George W Bush inspired this film and their possible future collaborations.

Listen to the interview here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Will_Ferrell_and_John_C_Reilly_on_Step_Brothers.mp3]

You can also download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.

Step Brothers is out in the UK this Friday

> Download this as an MP3 file
> Official site for Step Brothers
> Will Ferrell and John C Reilly at the IMDb
> Watch the trailer at YouTube

[Image © 2008 / Sony Pictures]

Categories
Cinema Interviews Podcast

Interview: Guillermo Del Toro on Hellboy II: The Golden Army

This week sees the UK release of Hellboy II: The Golden Army, the sequel to the 2004 movie adaptation of the character from Dark Horse Comics, originally created by Mike Mignola.

I recently spoke with director Guillermo Del Toro about the latest film and we also discussed different aspects of his work – which has included such films as Cronos, Mimic, The Devil’s Backbone, Blade II and Pan’s Labyrinth – and his next project, the eagerly anticpated prequel The Hobbit.

Listen to the interview here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Guillermo_Del_Toro_on_Hellboy 2.mp3]

You can also download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.

Watch the trailer here:

Hellboy II: The Golden Army is out now at UK cinemas

> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Guillermo Del Toro at the IMDb
> Official UK site and IMDb entry for Hellboy II: The Golden Army
> Reviews at Metacritic
> Webchat with Guillermo and Peter Jackson about the upcoming Hobbit film

[[All images © 2008 / Universal Pictures]

Categories
Cinema Interviews Podcast

Interview: Anthony Daniels on Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Anthony Daniels is best known for his role as the droid C-3PO in the Star Wars films made between 1977 and 2005.

I recently spoke with him about his iconic role in the franchise and the new animated feature film Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

Listen to the interview here:

Or you can listen here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Anthony_Daniels_on_Star_Wars_The_Clone_Wars.mp3]

You can also download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars is out now at UK cinemas

> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Anthony Daniels at the IMDb
> Official site for Anthony Daniels
> Find out more about C-3PO and Star Wars at Wikipedia
> Official site for Star Wars: The Clone Wars

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Cinema Interviews Podcast Trailers

Interview: Adam Sandler on You Don’t Mess With The Zohan

Since making the transition from TV and stand up to movies in the mid-90s, Adam Sandler has become one of Hollywood’s biggest comedy stars.

Films such as Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer and Big Daddy have all been big hits whilst he has also starred in more discerning projects such as Punch-Drunk Love, Spanglish and Reign Over Me.

His latest film is You Don’t Mess With The Zohan, a comedy in which plays an Israeli commando who tires of fighting terrorists and packs it all in so he can travel to America and fulfill his dream of becoming a hairdresser in New York.

I spoke to Adam recently about the film and his career, which you can listen to here:

[audio:https://www.filmdetail.com/podcast/get.php?fla=podcast-2008-08-13-23140.MP3]

You can also download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.

Here is the trailer:

You Don’t Mess With The Zohan is out in UK cinemas this Friday

> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Subscribe to our podcasts vis RSS or iTunes
> Adam Sandler at the IMDb
> Official UK site for the film

[Image courtesy of Sony Pictures © 2008]

Categories
Cinema Interviews

Interview: Mary Elizabeth Winstead on Make It Happen

Mary Elizabeth Winstead first came to prominence as a movie actress in the Disney superhero comedy Sky High (2005) before going on to appear in such films as Final Destination 3 (2006), Bobby (2006), Death Proof and Die Hard 4.0 (2007).

Her latest film is Make it Happen, in which she stars as a struggling dancer trying to make it in Chicago.

I spoke to her about her new role, working in horror films, the experience on Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof and her part opposite Michael Cera in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World the upcoming film from director Edgar Wright.

You can listen to the interview here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Mary_Elizabeth_Winstead_on_Make_It_Happen.MP3]

You can also download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.

Here is the trailer for the film:

Make It Happen opens in UK cinemas today

[Image courtesy of Optimum Films © 2008]

> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Mary Elizabeth Winstead at the IMDb
> Official UK site for Make It Happen

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Cinema Interviews Podcast

Interview: Luc Jacquet on The Fox and the Child

Director Luc Jacquet came to prominence in 2005 with the Oscar winning documentary The March of the Penguins, a surprise hit which also won the Oscar for Best Documentary.

His latest film is called The Fox and the Child which is the charming story of the relationship between a young girl (Bertille Noël-Bruneau) and the wild fox she befriends. It is narrated by Kate Winslet.

I spoke to Luc recently about the film and you can listen to the interview here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Luc_Jacquet_on_The_Fox_and_the_Child.mp3]

You can also download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.

Watch the trailer for the film here:

The Fox and the Child opens in UK cinemas this Friday

[All images © 2008 / Pathe ]

> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Luc Jacquet at the IMDb
> Official UK site and IMDb entry for The Fox and the Child

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Cinema Interviews Podcast

Interview: Ben Kingsley on Elegy

In a highly distinguished acting career Ben Kingsley has played a wide range of characters in films such as Ghandi (for which he won an Oscar), Bugsy, Schindler’s List, Death and the Maiden and Sexy Beast.

His latest is Elegy, an adaptation of the Philip Roth novel The Dying Animal, directed by Isabel Coixet.

In it he plays David Kepesh, a cultural critic who forms a relationship with a younger woman (Penélope Cruz) and is gradually forced to confront his attitudes to relationships and intimacy.

I spoke to him recently about his work on the film which you can listen to here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Ben_Kingsley_on_Elegy.mp3]

You can also download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.

Watch the trailer for the film here:

Elegy opens in UK cinemas this Friday

[All images © 2008 / Entertainment Films]

> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Ben Kingsley at the IMDb
> IMDb entry for Elegy
> Reviews of Elegy at Metacritic

Categories
Cinema Interviews

Interview: Philippe Petit on Man on Wire

On August 7th 1974 Philippe Petit gave an incredible high-wire performance by walking between between the Twin Towers of New York’s World Trade Center eight times in one hour.

It is the subject of a new documentary called Man on Wire from director James Marsh (who made Wisconsin Death Trip) and I recently spoke to Philippe about his historic wire walk and the film.

You can listen to the interview here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Philippe_Petit_on_Man_on_Wire.mp3]

Download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.

Watch the trailer for the film here:

Man on Wire is out at selected UK cinemas this Friday

> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Official UK site and IMDb entry for Man on Wire
> Reviews of Man on Wire at Metacritic
> NY Times article on Philippe from 2006

[All images © 2008 Jean-Louis Blondeau / Polaris Images & Magnolia Pictures / Icon Film Distribution]

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Animation Cinema Interviews Podcast

Interview: Angus MacLane on WALL-E

Angus MacLane was the directing animator on WALL-E, the latest film from Pixar.

The story is about the last robot left on Earth many years into the future, after mankind has evacuated onboard a giant spaceship.

Named WALL-E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter-Earth class), he organises the giant mounds of waste that litter the planet, with only a cockroach for company.

But when a new robot named EVE (Extraterrestrial Vegetation Evaluator) visits Earth, he starts to have feelings for her and soon discovers where the humans have gone.

Since it was released in the US last month it has got rave reviews and topped the box office.

I recently spoke to Angus about his role, the challenges animating the robots and what it is like to work at Pixar.

Listen to the interview here:

You can download this interview as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here

WALL-E is out at UK cinemas this Friday

> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Angus MacLane at the IMDb
> Check out the WALL-E Angus made from Lego
> Official site for WALL-E
> Read reviews for WALL-E at Metacritic
> Pixar Animation Studios
> Find out more about Pixar at Wikipedia

Categories
Documentaries Interviews TV

Interview: Simon Tatum on The Last Freak Show

The Last Freak Show is a short documentary directed by Simon Tatum that airs on More4 this Tuesday.

It follows a musician named Jeffrey Marshall who was born without arms or legs, his feet growing almost directly from his hips.

Curious as to whether people come to his gigs for the music or to stare at a limbless man playing the bass guitar with his feet, he decided to explore his identity as a disabled performer by exhibiting himself in ‘The World of Wonders‘ – the last remaining ‘freak show’ in America.

It is run by Ward Hall, a veteran who was on the road with the likes of Schlitzie the Pinhead (made famous by Tod Browning’s 1932 film Freaks), Sealo the Seal Boy, Grace McDaniels: The Mule-Faced Woman, Percilla the Monkey Girl and countless others.

Today, along with his business partner Chris Christ and 77 year-old dwarf Pete ‘Poobah’ Turhurne, he runs the only surviving 10-in-1 freakshow in America, the World of Wonders.

I recently spoke with Simon about the film and you can listen to the interview here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Simon_Tatum_on_The_Last_Freak_Show.mp3]

You can download this interview as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here

The Last Freak Show is on More4 this Tuesday at 8.30pm

> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Check out Tuesday’s schedule for More4
> Discuss documentaries, shows and films at the More4 Forum
> The FourDocs section at Channel 4 and the other films showing in the First Cut strand
> The film recently screened at the Chashama Film Festival in the US
> See Jeffery Marshall play with his band Supercool and check them out at MySpace
> New York Times article from 2006 on Ward Hall and The World of Wonders show
> Find out more about the 1932 film ‘Freaks’ at Wikipedia

Categories
Cinema Interviews Podcast

Interview: Richard Jenkins and Tom McCarthy on The Visitor

This week sees the UK release of The Visitor, a drama about an economics professor (Richard Jenkins) who discovers two illegal immigrants living in his New York apartment.

I recently spoke to  Richard Jenkins and writer-director Tom McCarthy about the film.

Richard is probably best known for his supporting roles in films such as Flirting With Disaster, The Man Who Wasn’t There and as the ghost of Nathaniel Fisher in HBO’s Six Feet Under.

Tom made his debut as a writer-director with The Station Agent in 2003 and has acted in films such as Good Night, and Good Luck, Flags of Our Fathers and the TV shows The Wire and Law & Order.

You can listen to the interviews here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Richard_Jenkins_and_Tom_McCarthy_on_The_Visitor.mp3]

You can download this interview as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here

The Visitor is out in UK cinemas from Friday

> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Richard Jenkins and Tom McCarthy at the IMDb
> Official site for The Visitor
> Trailer and clips of the film at Take Part
> Video of Tom McCarthy discussing the issues of the film at the ACLU
> The Lost Children – A feature in The New Yorker by Margaret Talbot about US immigration and detention

[Photos: © Halcyon Pictures Ltd / WireImage]

Categories
Cinema Interviews Podcast

Interview: Akiva Goldsman and Peter Berg on Hancock

Hancock is the new summer blockbuster starring Will Smith as a drunken, depressed superhero seen as a nuisance by the public.

I recently spoke to screenwriter and producer Akiva Goldsman and director Peter Berg about their work on the film.

Listen to the interview here:

[audio:https://www.filmdetail.com/podcast/get.php?fla=podcast-2008-07-02-52444.mp3]

You can download this interview as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here

Hancock is out in cinemas today

> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Akiva Goldsman and Peter Berg at the IMDb
> Listen to our recent interviews with Jason Bateman and Charlize Theron about the film
> Official site for Hancock
> YouTube channel for Hancock and the viral site Hancock Was Here

[Photo credit: © Solarpix / PR Photos / Frank Masi SMPSP © 2008 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. and GH Three LLC All Rights Reserved]

Categories
Cinema Interviews TV

Interview: Jason Bateman and Charlize Theron on Hancock

Hancock is the new film starring Will Smith as a depressed, drunken superhero loathed by a public that finds him a dangerous nuisance.

Jason Bateman plays a Ray Embrey, a PR man who decides to help Hancock rehabilitate his image after he is saved by him whilst Charlize Theron plays Ray’s sceptical wife, Mary.

I recently spoke to Jason and Charlize about their roles in the film and Arrested Development – the TV show they starred in from 2003-2006.

Listen to the interviews here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Jason_Bateman_and_Charlize_Theron_on_Hancock.MP3]

You can download this interview as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here

Hancock is out at cinemas on July 2nd

> Download the interviews as an MP3 file
> Jason Bateman and Charlize Theron at the IMDb
> Official site for Hancock
> Find out more about Arrested Development at Wikipedia

[Photo credit: Frank Masi SMPSP. ©2008 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. and GH Three LLC All Rights Reserved.]

Categories
Cinema Interviews

Interview: John Hensley on Teeth

John Hensley stars in the new US horror film Teeth, which is the story of a teenage girl with a rather unusual body problem.

He plays Brad – the brother of Dawn O’Keefe (Jess Weixler), a teenager who is struggling to cope with a particularly sensitive area of her body.

Best known for his role as Matt McNamara in the TV show Nip/Tuck, John has also appeared in Shutter and The Sopranos.

I spoke to him recently about Teeth and you can listen to the interview here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/John_Hensley_on_Teeth.MP3]

You can download this interview as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here

Teeth is out at UK cinemas now

> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> John Hensley at the IMDb
> Official site for Teeth

Categories
DVD & Blu-ray Interviews Podcast

Interview: Peter Biskind on Miramax

Peter Biskind is the author of Down and Dirty Pictures: Miramax, Sundance and the Rise of Independent Film, the 2004 book which explored the rise of US independent film in the 80s and how it influenced the major studios.

One of the key studios of that era were Miramax, who have recently re-released some of their most famous films on DVD including Pulp Fiction, The English Patient, Good Will Hunting, Chicago, City of God, Kill Bill and Hero.

Since they were founded in 1979 by Harvey and Bob Weinstein, the company (named after their parents Miriam and Max) started releasing films such as The Secret Policeman’s Other Ball before carving out a niche as the key US independent distributor.

By the late 80s and early 90s they released films like sex, lies, and videotape and The Crying Game but after being acquired by Disney in 1993, the company went to another level with crossover hits such as Pulp Fiction, The English Patient and Shakespeare in Love.

With the departure of the Weinsteins in 2005 to form their own company, Daniel Battsek arrived from Buena Vista International and has continued to make Miramax an important studio, releasing films such as No Country for Old Men, Gone Baby Gone and There Will Be Blood.

I recently spoke to Peter about the history of Miramax, the larger than life methods of the founders, the landmark films they released and their legacy.

Listen to the interview here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Peter_Biskind_on_Miramax.MP3]

In addition to Down and Dirty Pictures, Peter also wrote Easy Riders, Raging Bulls, a landmark book about Hollywood in the 1970s, and Gods and Monsters, a collection of writings about the film industry.

He has also written for Rolling Stone, The New York Times and The Washington Post and is a contributing editor at Vanity Fair.

You can download this interview as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.

> Download this interview as an MP3
> Official site for Miramax
> Find out more about Miramax at Wikipedia
> Profile of Harvey Weinstein by Ken Auletta of The New Yorker from 2002
> New York Times article from last December about Daniel Battsek at Miramax
> Peter Biskind’s page at Bloomsbury Books (his UK publisher)
> Buy ‘Down and Dirty Pictures’ from Amazon UK

[Image by Elizabeth Hess and courtesy Simon & Schuster / Miramax logo copyright of Miramax Films]

Categories
Cinema Interviews Podcast

Interview: Ben Affleck and Casey Affleck on Gone Baby Gone

Gone Baby Gone is a new film based on the Dennis Lehane novel about the search for a young girl who has been kidnapped in an area of Boston.

Ben Affleck makes his debut as director and his younger brother Casey Affleck stars as the private investigator who is asked to help out on the case.

It also stars Michelle Monaghan, Amy Ryan, Ed Harris, Morgan Freeman, John Ashton and Amy Madigan.

I recently spoke to Ben and Casey about the film and you can listen to the interviews here:

Or you can listen to the older version here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Ben_Affleck_and_Casey%20Affleck_on_Gone_Baby_Gone.mp3]

Gone Baby Gone is out at UK cinemas this Friday

> Download the interviews as an MP3 file
> Ben Affleck and Casey Affleck at the IMDb
> Official UK site for the film
> Check out the trailer for the film
> Read reviews of the film at Metacritic
> Q&A with author Dennis Lehane at his official website

Categories
Cinema Interviews Podcast

Interview: Neil Marshall on Doomsday

Director Neil Marshall was the man behind such horror films as Dog Soldiers (2002) and The Descent (2005) and he now returns with post-apocalyptic thriller Doomsday.

I spoke to him recently about his new film, his favourite font, the state of the horror movie, filming in South Africa and a few other things besides.

Listen to the interview here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Neil_Marshall_on_Doomsday.mp3]

Download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here

> Download this interview as an MP3
> Official site for Doomsday
> Neil Marshall at the IMDb

Doomsday is out at UK cinemas from today

[Image courtesy of Universal / Rogue Pictures © 2007]

Categories
Cinema Documentaries Interviews Podcast

Interview: Morgan Spurlock on Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?

Morgan Spurlock explored the health effects of eating McDonald’s food for a month in his 2004 documentary Super-Size Me.

Now, after the success of his TV series 30 Days, he returns to the big screen with Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?, a look at where the world’s most wanted terrorist might be and the different attitudes in the Middle East towards America’s war on terror.

Listen to the interview here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Morgan_Spurlock_on_Where_in_World_is_Osama_Bin_Laden.MP3]

Download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here

> Download this interview as an MP3
> Official site for the film
> Find out more about Morgan Spurlock at Wikipedia

Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden? is out at selected UK cinemas from Friday

[Photo: Daniel Marracino / Courtesy of Optimum Releasing / The Weinstein Company Ltd.]

Categories
Cinema Interviews Podcast

Interview: Stephen Morris on Joy Division

Joy Division is the new documentary about the Manchester band behind such seminal albums as Unknown Pleasures and Closer.

Formed in 1976 they consisted of Ian Curtis (vocals), Bernard Sumner (guitar and keyboards), Peter Hook (bass guitar and backing vocals) and Stephen Morris (drums and percussion).

They remain one of the most enduring bands of the last 30 years and although their career was cut short by the tragic death of Curtis in 1980, the remaining members went on to form New Order.

Directed by Grant Gee, the documentary features interviews with all the surviving band members and explores the band’s history through never-before-seen live performance footage, personal photos, period films and newly discovered audio.

It also features contributions from the late Factory Records owner Tony Wilson, iconic Factory Records graphic artist Peter Saville, photographer/filmmaker Anton Corbijn, Belgian journalist Annik Honoré (speaking for the first time about her relationship with Ian Curtis) and many other connected with the band.

I recently spoke with the drummer Stephen Morris about the film, how it differs from Control (the biopic that came out last year) and the legacy of the band.

Listen to the interview here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Stephen_Morris_on_Joy_Division.MP3]

Download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.

Joy Division opens at selected UK cinemas on Friday 2nd May

Check out the trailer here:

> Download this interview as an MP3
> Official site for the Joy Division film
> Find out more about Joy Division at Wikipedia

[Image courtesy of The Works / © Paul Slattery / Retna Ltd.]

Categories
Cinema Interviews Podcast

Interview: Jessica Alba on The Eye

Since coming to fame with the lead role in the TV series Dark Angel, Jessica Alba has appeared in films such as Sin City, Fantastic Four and Into the Blue.

Her latest is The Eye, a US remake of the 2002 Asian horror film about a young blind woman who experiences mysterious visions after a cornea transplant.

I spoke to Jessica recently in London where we discussed the film and her recent role in hosting the ‘technical Oscars‘ (a.k.a the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Scientific and Technical Awards).

Listen to the interview here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Jessica_Alba_on_The_Eye.MP3]

Download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.

The Eye is out now at UK cinemas

> Download this interview as an MP3
> Jessica Alba at the IMDb
> Official UK site for The Eye

[Image courtesy of Lionsgate UK © 2008]

Categories
Cinema Interviews Podcast

Interview: Jim Sturgess and Kate Bosworth on 21

Earlier this week I spoke to Jim Sturgess and Kate Bosworth who both star in 21, which opens in the UK today.

Based on the best selling book Bringing Down the House, the story is about a group of MIT students who use their math skills to count cards and win big in Las Vegas every weekend.

Listen to the interviews here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Jim_Sturgess_and_Kate_Bosworth_on_21.mp3]

Download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.

> Download this interview as an MP3 file

> Jim Sturgess and Kate Bosworth at the IMDb

> Official site for 21

> The Tech at MIT on the students who inspired the film

(Image courtesy of Sony Pictures © 2008)

Categories
Cinema Interviews

Interview: Kevin Spacey on 21

Kevin Spacey stars in and also produced 21, which is the new film about a group of MIT students who use their math skills to count cards in Las Vegas.

Spacey plays Mickey Rosa, the professor who tries to persuade Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess) to join his blackjack team.

Based on the bestselling book ‘Bringing Down the House‘ by Ben Mezrich, it is currently the number 1 film at the US box office.

I recently spoke to him about the film and his work at the Old Vic Theatre in London.

Listen to the interview here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Kevin_Spacey_on_21.mp3]

Download it as a podcast via iTunes by clicking the image below:

21 opens in UK cinemas this week

> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Kevin Spacey at the IMDb
> Official site for 21
> The Tech at MIT on the students who inspired the film