ScreenCrave.com » Michael Sheen

1-1 Interview: Michael Sheen’s Words of Wisdom

Mali Elfman — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 19:29:58 +0000

This weekend Michael Sheen‘s latest work, Beautiful Boy hits cinemas with some of the most stunning acting you’ll see this year. Sheen’s performance is risky, subtle, and without trying to show off, builds into a beautiful cathartic piece. Though he was great fun as the self-absorbed, American, Anglophile in Midnight in Paris, this type of role is really where Sheen shines.

I had trouble going into this interview because there was a side of me that didn’t want to ask him any questions about the role because he left his work on the screen, everything you needed to know about how and why was there. I began the interview by asking about just that and then it evolved into one of the best acting lessons I’ve probably ever had! Check it out…

When your performance is so clear, is it hard to talk about it?

I sometimes do find myself being asked a question and I say to myself “well the film is the answer” or “the performance is the answer.” If I had anything worth while to add to it now than I’ve missed something out in the film. That has to speak for itself. So it is quite difficult to talk about things sometimes. I mean you can talk about the research or the experience of doing it, but if you need to ask something about the character or the story than it means that something was either missing from what we did, or you weren’t paying attention! [laughs]. Either one! I don’t know!

Do trailers ever bother you? Do you ever feel like they take away from the work you’ve put in to developing your character? And is more frustrating when you’re in the trailer you’re watching?

On Woody’s film Midnight in Paris they absolutely left out everything that you would think would be the thing that would hock people into seeing it. Which is really brave really. I suppose, my character benefited from it because almost my entire performance was in the trailer, so it made it look like I was the star of the film! With this trailer, which I watched a long time ago, I found the trailer very moving.In a way, any tagline or anything that’s written about this film, when people saying “what’s this film about? Why this is the film about the parents of a teenager who killed people in a Columbine style shooting.” So, immediately that’s there in the trailer. It kind of needs to be there I guess.

And yet you hear that pitch and yet there’s a lot more to it, why do you think people should see it?

Ultimately, maybe I shouldn’t say this, weirdly the film is much less about a shooting then it is about, “is it possible for a couple who have come to the end of the line in their relationship, is it possible for them to overcome that huge wall that is built up in a relationship. Is there hope in a situation like that and I think that’s ultimately why this is a very hopeful film. These people go on a journey where they think they know each other, they think they want to call it a day and move on in some way, and then events happen that bind them together, and through going on a very difficult and isolated journey, into a territory that they have no rule book for, they don’t know what they’re supposed to do, they can only rely on each other, and how it brings up everything that has been getting in the way between them. And there’s that pivotal scene in the hotel room where it all comes out and seems like there is no hope here because how do you come back after you’ve said those things and shown them things. And yet those are the things that were in the way.

What drove your character to the finally break?

For my character it’s the fear that he never loved his son, that he wished that he’d never been born, that his son was the problem, that’s what kept him in the relationship that he didn’t want to be in for years — and all those things come out. And suddenly, without him realizing it, it was a way for him and his wife and him and him – because he’s totally disconnected from himself at the beginning of the film — suddenly all of that stuff comes out, it leaves the possibility of moving ahead! Suddenly, he’s just a different man after that, he’s able to become vulnerable and start feeling things a bit more, and that allows him to find his way into the vulnerable position so that he can say to his wife “I want you to sleep with me, I want you to stay in this bed with me, don’t leave me.” Where at the beginning of this film he could never say anything like that. I think you’re right, it’s not a film that says “isn’t it sad that…” it’s actually saying “relationships are really fucking hard.” And There is hope and you can find your way. And tragic events can have positive outcomes in a way. So it’s an incredibly hopeful film in a way. And all those things like love, hope redemption, are all in this film, you just have to work for it a bit.

You allow yourself to simply take in the scenes and almost appear blank, which adds up to so much more. Many actors would be far to afraid to allow themselves to do nothing in front of a camera. When did you make that choice?

It was something that kind of evolved. I thought there was kind of a blankness about him, about a man who was so frightened of what he feels that he has to disconnect from what he feels becomes kind of blank in a way. They’re quite subtle things. He’s asked what side of the bed he wants to sleep on, and he can’t choose. He can’t make choices because he doesn’t know what he wants because he’s cut himself off from his feelings, and he’s cut himself off from his feelings because he’s so frightened because he’s thinking things like “I wish my son had never been born. I hate my wife. I hate my life.” All those things that he’s living with are just too frightening to deal with so he’s in a limbo at beginning of the film that gives him that blankness. And then in the motel scene, you hear all these things that have been going on in his head, and you haven’t seen those things happening. I suppose it was a risk that I took to play him as a man who just kind of receives and remains kind of blank and yet there’s this whole world going on underneath that I didn’t want to let people into. And that’s what’s so frustrating for Maria’s character, that he doesn’t let her in.

You were giving her a lot to deal with!

Yeah! It was sort of the absence that I wanted to explore. And the risk is that you just look a bit wooden, but hopefully it doesn’t come across like that.

It doesn’t. When do you get to a point in your acting where you feel comfortable enough to just let yourself be on camera?

It’s a combination of things I think. Yeah it’s experience, and being in front of the camera more and more. but it’s also about the people you’re working with. You have to be allowed to do that in a way. What I find most annoying is when a director or whoever sort of says “can you do this?” and I say “I’m already doing this, is it not coming across?” and they say “Oh! Maybe I wasn’t watching it right.”

That’s disconcerting!

Yeah! And the difference is, between doing something that is quite subtle and comes across and other people respond to; and then banging people over the head. It’s such a fine line, and so you have to be allowed to just be and take those kind of risks. Whether it’s being big and over the top and obvious in some ways, you can still do that in subtle ways and have complexity to it — or whether it’s doing very, very little. So the director, and the other actors, all make a difference. It’s a group effort. And you have to have the courage and conviction. And you have to be able to convince people of it. The more that you do this, the more that you realize that it’s an accumulative art form. Anything I do in one individual scene, only works in the context of what happens all together and, which like you said, in this film you think “well that’s an interesting choice” and only later realize “oh that’s why!” It’s working towards something and putting yourself in the hands of other people because the director and the editor are going to chose what take and it all goes together. So I’m trying to build a performance in a way. You work out the architecture of this and you have to have a guiding vision so that it’s moving forward. but then you also have to just stand there and let it be and hope that a director can kind of look at what you’re doing in that one scene and even though it doesn’t necessarily make complete sense in that scene in the context of what you’re trying to do it does make sense. And they allow you to do. Rather that doing your whole performance in every scene. Because there’s no trust in that!

Is there a difference between the big budget film where they say you just have to come in and do your jobs and on these small indies you can play — is there any truth to that?

No, no, I don’t think so. It’s not necessarily either way. Obviously there are things that you’re dealing with on a big budget film that you’re not dealing with on smaller budget, independent film. We shot this film in three weeks and I’ve shot things in shorter times than that and I’ve had more time on big budget films and that’s not necessarily a good thing… sometimes! It depends. On TRON for instance, I just did what I did! I wasn’t told to do that. I was just given certain perimeters and then I come on and do what I do.

In a way you have to overcome things as an actor that are not necessarily being put on you, but you feel them. I remember the first film I was ever in, MARY REILLY, I was playing a fairly smaller part in it and I remember all I had to do was, I was playing a servant, all I had to do was walk into the room with a tea tray and put it down. And I was so aware of the pressure of getting it right, and there was such a big crew and it was all so expensive and I went “ahhuauh” and I messed up. Now that continues with something like TRON where I wasn’t playing one of the main parts, so there was a feeling of, “oh god, I mustn’t mess this up for people” and there’s a huge set up and what not. And you you need to go, no! I need to feel free and take risks, and hopefully they’ll pay off and if they don’t hopefully I won’t be too criticized and lambasted so that I can still take those risks.

It’s not necessarily something that’s coming from the outside. Inevitably on a big budget film you feel more pressure, but the job of the actor, I think, is to fight to do whatever it takes to give yourself the space and the freedom to do your work. And that’s usually not going to be when you’re doing what you’ve been told to do, but when you take risks. So!

Thank you so much!

Thank you!

Beautiful Boy is in theaters starting today, June 3rd!

Beatiful Boy: Movie Review

Mali Elfman — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 00:00:02 +0000

Beautiful Boy is a truly beautiful film that tackles a number of life’s most ugly and challenging issues with grace and tact in a way that few can. With a number of stunningly powerful performances and a surprisingly honest message about love and hope, it’s not what you would expect in any way. Buying a ticket for this film is really buying an experience into these two characters lives and if you’re in the mood for it, will not disappoint…

The Players:

Director: Shawn Ku
Writers: Michael Armbruster, Shawn Ku
Stars: Michael Sheen, Maria Bello and Kyle Gallner

The Plot:

Two parents are married and miserable. They’re on the verge of separation and struggling to keep it together when suddenly they receive the news that their 18-year-old son committed a mass shooting at his college. Suddenly, with their world turned upside down, they have to turn to each other and deal with their own issues as well as their sons.

The Good:

Michael Sheen: He gives one of the most fascinating and wonderful performances you’ll see all year. He’s not afraid to come off “un-liked” or “wimpy” in a role which in fact make him all the stronger and more likable as an actor. At first character in this film seems almost invisible, and then suddenly everything blows up (figuratively) and you understand all his decisions and how they added up. It’s truly a full out performance that was well planned, well executed, and truthfully acted. At times, he let himself do absolutely nothing, which added up to so much in the end. This was a truly brave and beautiful performance.
Maria Bello: Wonderful as well and gives an equally, though more overtly strong performance in the film. She’s another actor that’s not afraid to be un-liked. In fact, at times the duo are both despicable. BUT, that’s due to amazing performances and she really gives her all in this film and it’s impossible for an audience to not notice her.
The Story: For such a seemingly depressing premise the film has, it tells a beautiful story about the realities of a relationship under extreme pressure. It’s not just about a shooting but about a partnership failing under extraordinary stress and then finding it’s way back together in an entirely new way.
The Build Up: The film starts out more outwardly shockingly, but somehow manages to build on that with a different, more meaningful and seemingly private film. The ending is built to beautifully by the actors and the screenplay, which make it a strangely satisfying watch.

The Bad:

Not An Easy Film: This is not a film for everyone or for everyday. You really have to be in the mood to go on a journey and think beyond the obvious. I for one love that about this film, but it’s obvious that those of you looking for an escape from reality may not find this the easiest film to run away with.

Overall:

Not this is not the happiest films you’ll see this year, but it may be one of the best and I’m surprised they’re not releasing it closer to award season. Despite it’s darkness there really is an underlying message of hope that makes it brutally sweet.

Rating: 8.5/10

Midnight in Paris: Movie Review

Mali Elfman — Thu, 19 May 2011 22:07:50 +0000

Woody Allen‘s highly mysterious (and rightfully so) film Midnight in Paris has made its way back from Cannes and will be appearing in theaters in America this weekend. For me, this is one of my favorite Woody Allen films in a long time. It’s not necessarily what you would expect from Allen, though it does follow certain patterns we’ve come to know from him and one can definitely see references to his earlier work. There’s something both nostalgic and yet fresh about the film that makes it fun to watch. It’s finely made, finely acted and overall a fine picture to find yourself at this weekend…

The Players:

Director/Writer: Woody Allen
Actors: Owen Wilson, Tom Hiddleston, Rachel McAdams, Michael Sheen, Marion Cotillard, Adrien Brody, Alison Pill, Kathy Bates, Corey Stoll
Cinematography by: Darius Khondji

The Plot:

Mightnight in Paris is romantic comedy with a twist (that will not be given away in this review). The film starts with a couple traveling to the French capital for business and their different reactions to the world around them. The party includes a young engaged couple forced to confront the illusion that a life different from their own is better.

The Good:

The Acting: For me Corey Stoll who plays Ernest (no need for a last name here) steals the show. He does a fantastic job of bringing his character to life in a fun and lively way. Wilson is one of Allen’s best leads in a while, mainly because he’s so NOT Woody Allen like. His laid back persona allows you to watch a Woody Allen film without watching Woody Allen. Michael Sheen, brilliant as an American playing an anglophile. Alison Pill, Kathy Bates, Tom Hiddleston (I’m just listing the cast now) and all the rest all gave wonderful and surprising performances.
The Concept: Without giving anything away, it’s a bit far-fetched and not something entirely new, but the way that Allen handles the idea with such a nonchalance is really quite fun.
The Scenery: Allen and his cinematographer Darius Khondji really do an amazing job of capturing the feel, almost the smell of Paris in the spring time. They take their time establishing the location, light the scenes in a way that makes everyone and everything glow, and use some classic music to help you take it all in. Really well done.

The So-So:

Not Broad: This is not a film for everyone, and without giving too much away, you need to have a certain amount of knowledge of art history and literature and desire to know more about it in order to really find the film amusing. If you’re a nerd like me, it’s a blast and really fun to see so many well known faces, as well known names on the big screen.
Allen Cliches: It’s hard not to see patterns repeating themselves, it’s up to you whether you see that as good or bad. I for one didn’t mind them, in fact I rather enjoyed them, others may easily have a different opinion and one I can understand, just not relate to.

Overall:

This was a really interesting film and if you have any knowledge of literature or art your will definitely appreciate the references and find it humorous. It’s one of Allen’s better films of late, it’s extremely well made and the acting is superb. It was really a pleasant, fun experience to sit down to, and one well worth watching,

Rating: 7.3/10

Midnight in Paris will be in theaters starting May 20th!

Photo Gallery:

Tribeca 2011: Jesus Henry Christ Movie Review

Brendan Walsh — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 04:16:21 +0000

It wouldn’t be an independent film festival without a quirky family comedy, complete with a plucky guitar score, precocious children speaking with maturity beyond their years, and Toni Collette as the matriarch. Jesus Henry Christ follows in the footsteps of Little Miss Sunshine, Juno, and Garden State, by creating cartoonish, idealistic and quick tongued characters, but thankfully employs fewer emotionally manipulative plot techniques to compel viewers (But not much fewer). Check out the full review after the jump…

The Players:

Director/Writer: Dennis Lee
Starring: Toni Collette, Michael Sheen, Frank Moore, Jason Spevack, Kate Hewlett
Executive Producer: Julia Roberts

The Plot:

Jesus Henry Christ is the story of ten year old genius Henry James Shepard (Spevack). Henry’s left wing mother Patricia (Collette), wanting to raise a child, and convinced she could do it without the help of a man, had him conceived him in a petri dish from an anonymous sperm donor. When Henry is old enough to be curious about his father, his grandfather Stan (Moore) reveals the secret of his origin. Henry goes on to find his biological father, Dr. Slavkin O’Hara (Sheen), a chronically depressed and anxious professor who has alienated himself from his daughter Alice (Hewlett), by making her the subject of his book on whether or not a child is born or raised to be homosexual. When the two families come together, they discover that they create a whole new family, even if they do drive each other crazy.

The Good:

Frank Moore- In the most enjoyable performance of the film, Moore brings a familiar, gruff lovingness that rests all of the movie’s good will on his shoulders. He is the only character bereft of anxiety and anger, and his strong comic timing and light hearted delivery really make him the heart and soul of this film. His character is the proponent of all the film’s plot points, and his presence is felt even in his character’s absence from the frame.
Michael Sheen- Taking a break from the grave, dignitary roles that have been his bread and butter of late, Mr. Sheen still brings his trademark, strong characterization to Dr. O’Hara. His physical peccadillos and facial twitchiness make Slavkin a believable and pitiable individual, in a role that if mismanaged, could be boring and unsympathetic. Moreover, Sheen finally gets to employ his very strong comic timing which, even as the straight man, turns the humor of the film way up.
Cutaway Scenes- A few scenes in the film remove us completely from the story at hand in order to provide context. A flashback which shows the demise of Patricia’s family which left her and her father alone but for each other is funny in a way that the rest of the film is not. The scene in which Stan explains Henry’s origins to him breaks out of the film’s reality and is delivered entirely in Spanish which, although out of place, adds a romantic and silly sense to an otherwise purely expository scene. Along with a few others, these short bits of the movie manage to throw in a little energy and momentum at points of the film when it could use the help.

The Bad (or at least, so-so):

The Kids- This is not to denigrate the young actors, who turn a completely adequate performances. Rather, this point is simply to wonder why kids can’t just be kids in movies. While many people seemed to find the snarky verbosity of the kids in other indie films charming, more often than not, this trait is outright unbelievable and serves as a distraction from the story at hand. And although this is the story of two exceptionally gifted and bright children, you’d be hard pressed to find children who can really convey the subtle and complex thoughts they’re charged with delivering. When this is the case, the words they’re speaking had better stand on their own, regardless of delivery, and carry some relatable emotional resonance. Unfortunately, in this film, they don’t really seem to.
Quirk- An element of stylization is one thing, but when a film tries to be quirky and off-beat for its own sake, it smacks of desperation. It’s as if it is trying to force itself among a group of films whose success can just be transferred to whatever movie is employing those techniques at the time. The headline they’re really hoping for is “This years’ Garden State!” As if there were a void to fill in cinema ever since that movie has left the theaters.

Overall:

Ultimately, Jesus Henry Christ is enjoyable enough film. There is enough of a sense of humor and fun to send viewers out the door with a pleasant feeling at the end of the movie’s 90-minute run. For audiences who have ever felt like outcasts, or idealized the relationships between parents and their children, there is a redemption in the reflection of these subjects and the characters’ search for the truth. Dysfunctional or not, it’s always nice to see a family come together.

Rating: 6.5/10

Poster and Trailer: Beautiful Boy Gets Seriously Dramatic

Mali Elfman — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:52:06 +0000

Get ready to get out the tissues for the extremely edgy, powerful drama Beautiful Boy. Unlike the title may suggest, this is not a sweet, love story; this is a dark tale that begins with a lot of ugliness and takes on a number of painfully serious and real issues. The film shows the journey of a married couple trying to stay together after their own son has done the unthinkable. How first time theatrical feature film director Shawn Ku finds the beauty in the story will be what potentially make the film great .

Starring in the film is Michael Sheen playing the typical American dad (a little different his recent Alice in Wonderland and Tron appearances) and Maria Bello as the lost mother. Also in the film is Alan Tudyk, Moon Bloodgood, Austin Nichols and Kyle Gallner, who you may have seen in Red State and seems to love outside of the box, challenging roles.

Before you hear more, watch the trailer and experience it for yourself…

Official Synopsis:

Bill (Michael Sheen) and Kate (Maria Bello) hopelessly try to find some hint of an explanation after finding out that their only son committed a mass shooting at his university before taking his own life. They struggle numbly through the funeral, the media onslaught, and the awkward pity from relatives and friends. Their already strained marriage is tested as they realize all they have left with each other is their shared grief and confusion-and the unfortunate legacy of their son. This life-altering event forces Bill and Kate to face their feelings of guilt, rage, blame, self-discovery -and ultimately hope- so that they can finally see each other and their chance for happiness again with clear eyes.

Poster:

Anchor Bay Film will be releasing the film this summer, release date still to be determined!

Are you interested in the film? Or is it too much for you?

Tron Legacy: Movie Review

Krystal Clark — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 01:30:22 +0000

After 28 long years, Disney has decided to make a follow up to the 1982 film Tron. Even though the original wasn’t a box office hit, it spawned a very successful video game, and the film eventually became a cult classic. The sequel Tron Legacy is a father-son story that takes all the things we loved about the first movie and adds modernized special effects, a kick-ass soundtrack, and of course the return of Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn. Find out if Tron Legacy lives up to the hype in our review…

The Players:

Director: Joseph Kosinski
Writers: Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis
Cast: Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, James Frain, Beau Garrett, Michael Sheen, Bruce Boxleitner
Cinematography By: Claudio Miranda
Original Music By: Daft Punk

The Plot:

In the film, Kevin Flynn has been trapped in the world of Tron for 20 plus years living on the opposite end of a spectrum from his creation and nemesis Clu. On the outside world, his grown son Sam (Hedlund) stumbles upon a gateway into Tron and tries to release him. Aided by his trusted friend Quorra (Wilde), the duo embark on a life-and-death journey to escape the cyber universe that has become far more advanced and dangerous since the last time we saw it.

The Good:

Score: The music in Tron Legacy is amazing! Daft Punk brings their A-game to the soundtrack by infusing it with tunes that make you feel like you’re a part of the Tron world. Thanks to the score, some of the action sequences look like mini music videos and I mean that in a good way.
It’s a Stand Alone Film: If you haven’t seen the original Tron you won’t get lost with the sequel. The majority of the connection between the two movies is explained within the first 10 minutes so nothing will go over your head. There are some smaller things that die hard fans will pick up on, but if you’re new to the series those things won’t bother you. It’s an overall entertaining film that could be seen as a sequel or a solo adventure.
Special Effects: Just like Avatar last year, Tron Legacy is a stand out when it comes to special effects. The world of Tron is taken to a whole other level. It’s sharp, it’s crisp, and it’s beautiful. It’s a visual feast.
3D: Tron Legacy achieves something rare: it has good 3D. Not only is the 3D exceptional, but it actually makes sense for the story. It’s not a distraction or a gimmick.

The So-So:

Clu’s Face: Earlier I praised the special effects on this film because they deserve it. They’re truly a step above anything else I’ve seen this year but there’s one problem — Clu. Clu is modeled and reanimated as a 35 year old version of Kevin Flynn. At first glance this is an amazing feat, until you look at his mouth. Sometimes his lips don’t sync up correctly with his words and in certain instances his eyes look beady and soulless. It was impressive but not perfect.

The Bad:

Sam Flynn: Sam isn’t flushed out at all. Garrett Hedlund is a decent actor but the material he had to work with was lackluster. Sam is your stereotypical rich boy, who’s the heir to a billion dollar corporation but doesn’t want to be a part of it. He obviously has abandonment issues, and he comes across as somewhat of an ungrateful brat. It’s hard to care or root for him because he’s so generic.
Tron Himself: The actual character Tron, who’s played by Bruce Boxleitner doesn’t have a huge part in this movie. The time he does spend on screen is inconsistent with the film’s story, which makes his addition seem like an afterthought. Without giving too much away, let’s just say he’s there one minute, the next he’s not, and we have no idea what happened in between.

Overall:

Tron Legacy is one of the most entertaining films I’ve seen all year. It has great visuals, amazing 3D, a memorable soundtrack, and the always awesome Jeff Bridges. Go see it!

Rating: 8.5/10

Tron Legacy opens in theaters everywhere on December 17.

Photo Gallery:

Trailer:

Further Reading:

Will you be seeing Tron Legacy this weekend?

Tron Legacy Clip: Sam Meets Castor and Daft Punk

Krystal Clark — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 00:48:39 +0000

We’ve got one more week until the long awaited sequel Tron Legacy debuts in theaters. To push the movie’s marketing over the edge Disney has released a new clip from the film that features Michael Sheen as the eccentric Castor. Not only that but if you look closely you can catch a peek of score composers Daft Punk in their strategically placed cameo. Check it out…

Tron Legacy will hit theaters on December 17th, after a long 28 year hiatus. The first movie came out in 1982 and starred Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn, the man and the myth behind the world of Tron. Legacy will shift the focus onto Flynn’s son Sam (Garrett Hedlund), who accidentally gets pulled into Tron while trying to save his father’s life.

It turns out that Kevin has been living in the world of Tron for over 20 years, and Sam wants to find and release him. Aided by his trusted friend Quorra (Olivia Wilde), the duo embark on a life-and-death journey to escape the cyber universe that has become far more advanced and dangerous since the last time we saw it.

Doesn’t this clip just make you want to dance? Or perhaps travel back to the nineties and attend a rave party glow sticks and all?

Tron Legacy opens in theaters on December 17, 2010.

What do you think of Castor?

Comic-Con 2010: Tron Press Conference Video – Jeff Bridges Steals the Show

Mali Elfman — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 20:44:57 +0000

We’ve got more Tron: Legacy interviews to give you a little more info about the film. It seems as if they’ve been promoting this thing forever! I think we’re all about ready for it to finally hit theaters later this year. Once again the gang stopped by Comic-Con for a chat with the press, much like we saw last year. Check out our video interview below with with director Joe Kosinski, producers Sean Bailey, Jeff Silver, Justin Springer, Steven Lisberger, writers Adam Horowitz and Eddy Kitsis, and cast members Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, Michael Sheen and Bruce Boxleitner are also in the house!

***You can also check out our live blog from the panel going on now!!!!***

Check out the videos below…

And more details from the rest of the press conference…

For the actors new to the Tron franchise, what was your first exposure to the original?

Sheen: I remember when I first saw Tron back in 1943. You were too young to see it.

Wilde: I was. It came out two years before I was born but it’s always part of the culture. I was aware of it because of video games. It was kind of this cool retro thing that I was aware of. It was just part of the zeitgeist. I don’t know but I just always knew it was cool and now we made it cooler.

Sheen: I was 11 when it first came out. Garrett was sitting next to me. ??? I went to a cinema. My uncle Russell was there with me, ??? and it was that weird – - and apart from the phenomenonal acting, I forget who the actors were [joking], it was just that look. That kind of both futuristic and historical kind of cybermovie ??? and this weird thing called CGE? ??/

Hedlund: I never saw the original until about 2003. I saw it on my laptop oversees somewhere. A pal had shown me, “You’ve never seen the original Tron? You have to see Tron.” ??? I sat back and watched and just thought it was a trip. It was like nothing I’d ever seen before. At that point, it being 20 years old, still played so well.

It’s great to see a Tron sequel with Flynn and Alan Bradley. Why did you not want to bring back the Yori/Lora character?

Kosinski: Well, you know, our story is a father/son story, a story of Sam Flynn in search of his father who disappeared into the Encom mainframe 20 years before. When you make a movie, you have to kind of make difficult choices in what you’re going to focus on. For this story, we chose to focus on the story of Sam and Kevin Flynn as well as the kind of instrumental role of Tron and Alan Bradley in that story. The character played by Cindy Morgan is in the Tron universe, however just not in this particular story…

How hard was it to maintain the look and atmosphere of Tron and how was it working with 3D?

Kosinski:Well, the work that Steven [Lisberger] did with Syd Mead and Moebius is just phenomenal design work. For me, and I have a design background, I feel like that’s one of the reasons the film, you can still sit down and watch it today. Even though the computer graphics are simple compared to what we’re able to do now, the design work is so strong, the imagination is so vivid and vibrant, it just transcends time. So it was quite a task to sit down and start to look at what group of designers I could assemble that I felt were going to kind of be the next generation of those amazing designers. And I had a great time assembling people from the automotive industry, the world of architecture, people outside the film world who all came in to collaborate on this project. There’s such a great foundation for us to build on with a lot of time evolving those designs and making it feel more photo-realistic, more visceral. I wanted it to fell like we had been pulled into the computer and we shot it with motion picture cameras on the inside.

As far as 3D goes, this film seems perfectly suited to it. We used the new generation of the 3-D camera system developed my James Cameron. We used a newer generation of camera than the camera used on Avatar. We got Sony F35 and it just creates such a beautiful image. I’m really happy with the decision to go with 3-D because it is a lot more work. It does cost more, especially when you do it the way we’re doing it, a true 3-D movie shot with two cameras. All the visual effects were done for both eyes. It’s a really huge process that I think paid off in the end.

What was your reaction when this first came across your path?

Bridges: Well, I had heard rumors that there was going to be a sequel for many years, and I kind of gave up on it. And then all of a sudden this script showed up and Disney kind of had it on the back burners and they were not satisfied with the script, so they waited. And I’m so happy they did because we got a good script and also they held out and found the right guy to be at the helm and with Joe I really think they found a terrific leader because he was coming from architecture. It’s always interesting where a director comes from, whether he’s a writer or an actor. To have an architect at the helm of this one was terrific. He was really up to date with all of the modern techniques we had in special effects, so he was a great leader, and he was terrific with actors. When we got that whole package together and there presented it, I said this sounds like something I’d love to do. And also, just like the first one it tickled the kid in me – you know, to be sucked inside a computer – and playing with all of the new toys that we had available to us, the cutting edge, to be involved with the cutting edge was very exciting.

The internet wasn’t out with the original Tron. Now we kind of live online. How do you impress that public with Tron?

Lisberger: That’s not going to be a problem. You’ll find out what we’re going to do. The look of Tron is unique. It’s one of the strongest things about it and there is a sense, now that we’ve moved into the next generation, that it really is sort of a founding myth for an entire generation. It’s almost like it’s been held back and now when it came back, you can feel all the energy in the mist of the last 25 years.

Bridges: You know, Michael was talking about CGI but we didn’t do CGI.

Lisberger: Oh yeah we did. We called it CG and then it became CGI. In the first film, it felt like we were doing 3-D. We came from a world of 2-D filmmaking, 2-D animation and we did the light cycles and grid and world of the first film. It was the first time we realized we were going to have to render this stuff inside the computer in 3-D. And I was thinking wow, we’re doing all this work that people aren’t going to see. They can’t see the other side is actually there. So that was the beginning of 3-D back then.

After the technology, what else will be for this generation of fans?b

Lisberger: The difference was when we made the first film, all we had to do was dream about what the technology might do but we didn’t really get involved in what the technology would do. As time went by, we’ve now reached the point where Sean and Joe and their generation had to make this real. Technology is all about bringing people together supposedly. Now there’s a sense that technology may have a dark side where it keeps us from connecting with each other. I think this film examines that problem.

Congratulations to The Dude for his Oscar. When will the original Tron be on Blu Ray and what do you have planned for the Legacy DVD?

Bailey: The original movie, we’re certainly looking into doing something special with the original movie. No date has yet has been determined. Certainly for Tron: Legacy, as far as the DVD and Blu-ray go, there will be some very cool materials on it and I also think we’ll be taking a hard look at 3D on that front as well because we can get greater penetration of 3-D TVs in the home. So certainly we’ll try to be as forward-leaning as we can when it comes to both of those, and certainly I think you can expect to see the original film in an exciting format sometime soon.

Adam and Eddie, do you write the script for the visual effects?

Kitsis: Through fear.

Horowitz: Luckily when we’re writing we’re doing absolutely no visual effects work.

Kitsis: For us we’re very lucky because Sean and Joe and everyone is very collaborative in the process, and we come from TV so we’re used to just kind of sitting around a table with a bunch of people saying, “hey, wouldn’t it be cool if?” We were very lucky really that these guys were collaborative with us through the whole process. But one of my favorite things was when we were talking about the disc games, that day I got a call from Joe and he said, “undulating platforms,” and he sends an email with the coolest looking design ever that he’d just sketched. That made it easier for us.

Horowitz: Right. and everything we did was always focused on character first, just writing from a character perspective, and the father-son story, and I think it kind of grew out of that.

Jeff, did you do any photography on the set of this film and give everyone a copy?

Bridges: No, I didn’t take too many pictures on this film, mainly because the cameras that I use are wide lights. They require quite a bit of light and our movie required very little light. The suits and so forth, so it was quite dim so I didn’t take too many pictures. I have a few and they may pop up on the web site again.

How did you put together the viral campaign?

Bailey: I think one of the things when we all made the decision to do kind of a standalone sequel, that we’d accept that the events of 1982 had narratively occurred, one of the things with Eddie and Adam and Joe all did was we mapped the mythology from ’82 to 2010. That gave us, number one, hopefully a really good foundation for the story we wanted to tell in 2010, but also gave us all of those intervening years, so there was a lot of history and back story we thought there were interesting ways to express. So some of that is coming across with the ERG and the viral [marketing], some of that is going to come across in other platforms, with the video game and our publishing efforts, and it has been really fun watching the community evolve and build and seemingly enjoy what is going on. Bruce dealt with conditions on the ground in San Francisco so it’s been fun.

How did you get Daft Punk involved with the score?

Kosinski: I hooked up with Daft Punk very early in the process, before even doing the VFX test piece. Sean and I went down to the 101 Café and met them for a pancake breakfast and discussed their passion for Tron and how serious they took it and how big of an inspiration it was to them, which I think is pretty obvious if any of you have seen their live shows. So we talked about it for a long time and then got started on the music very early. We were doing music before we even started shooting, and they continued to work on it for almost two years now. They’re in the studio as we speak putting the finishing touches on their score, and it’s a really incredible blend of electronic music, orchestral music, and really blurs the line between sound design and music in a really interesting way. It’s a new direction for them that they’re really excited about and it’s so tied to the film because we developed it all together. It’s really just an amazing fusion of music and picture that I’m really happy about.

Didn’t they base their look on Tron?

Kosinski: Absolutely, absolutely.

Wilde: And it was also amazing while we were shooting because they would come to where we were shooting because sometimes if you really needed to find the tone of a scene, we would listen to a Daft track and you’d really understand where you are with the scene. I thought that was really helpful and really inspiring so we were lucky about that.

Jeff, do you think 3-D is here to stay?

Bridges: As far as 3-D goes, I don’t know if that will stay very long because things are moving so rapidly. We’re constantly as filmmakers always looking for something to bring the audience deeper into the reality of the story you’re telling. There’s a film process called Show Scan that Douglas Trumbull developed that never really got, didn’t take off. That was running the film 60 frames instead of 24 frames and projected that way. It made everything look sharp and almost a 3-D effect. So I guess isn’t 3D without glasses coming out in the next 10? That would be a hologram. ??? Or maybe you’d just take a pill. ‘TRON: The Pill.’

Mr. Sheen, how is it being at your first Comic Con? Is that why you did this film?

Sheen: The entire reason I did this film. It’s all come together, almost like it was planned. I was offered to come for a few years, I think with Underworld and I wasn’t able to. Also I wanted to grow a really big head of steam. Thanks fans.

For the actors wearing the electronic suits, what was it like?

Wilde: It was amazing.

Sheen: It was amazing–to watch Olivia in the suit.

Wilde: (laughing) It was totally revolutionary. This had never been done before. We were wearing electro-luminescent lamps woven through layers of neoprene and all these other amazing materials. It was an honor to be able to wear something like that that was changing the way that every other department was working on the film. It would change the way the scene was lit and opening up to all these possibilities. It was really beautiful. We would get really excited every time the suits would turn on because you’d look around and just kind of gosh, this is really amazing. Then it made this really sound which the sound department loved.

Hedlund: At the beginning, they’ve got this process that they do. First, you’ve got to train immensely for the suit and they do this thing called Cyber-Scan where they create this suit out of every curve and definition of your body so it’s completely exact and fits like a glove. Then the greatest thing is, you go into a dark room room and the one of producer has their kids around, you light it up and they just go “Aaaaaahhhh!” So I think that’s the most satisfying.

Sheen: There was a great moment before every take where they’d say “sound’s rolling, camera” and, just before they’d say action, they’d say, “Light them up! And—action!” In the scenes that I was in, there were a lot of people in the scenes so just before they said “action… light ‘em up” suddenly the whole room would go “Bing” and you’d forget to act for a little bit, it’s so cool.

Boxleitner: You know, and all we had was spandex tights with magic marker. The first male thong. We didn’t plug them in. You guys go on and on about it all you want.

Bridges: When I sat down this morning in my seat, there’s something here I want to show you. My father years ago had sort of a prototype of the Tron suit in Sea Hunt.

Lisberger: I just want to say the key moments in getting this film made I think had to be first with Jeff because when we came up with the idea that Jeff had been lost up the data stream all these years like Col. Kurtz in cyberspace, it was just too good for the thought of revisiting Jeff this way. That had a lot to do with getting this film made. He had a lot to do with getting it made. Then the opportunity that was given to Joe by Sean pulling the whole team together, he made the most out of it.

Be sure to also check out our post on Tron and its 3D Innovation.

Comic-Con 2010: Tron: The Pill, Jeff Bridges’ 3D Innovation

Sasha Perl-Raver — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 20:37:13 +0000

Making their third annual appearance at Comic-Con, the entire Tron: Legacy posse, including Jeff Bridges, Michael Sheen, Olivia Wilde and Garrett Hedlund showed up to pimp their latest film, once again, to the San Diego crowd. More on Bridges’ 3D innovations, Sheen’s dreams of Comic-Con glory and Daft Punk’s involvement with Legacy’s score after the jump…

Tron and Comic-Con have been like peas and carrots in recent years. But don’t expect a complaint from Michael Sheen. An admitted fanboy himself, Sheen was as giddy as a Trekkie with a new pair of Spock ears to be in San Diego promoting his project.

Sheen: “I was supposed to come for a few years, with Underworld, Alice in Wonderland and Twilight, and I wasn’t able to. I wanted to build up a really big head of steam so that when I got here, I’d be carried shoulder-high through the streets, crowned the new King of Comic-Con. That hasn’t happened yet. So you have the chance to make this young man’s dream come true.”

It’s been 28 years since Tron first hit theaters. Obviously Bridges was a much younger man then, one who’d enjoyed far less of life’s carnal pleasures. When asked how he felt to be jumping back into the Tron world, he said he’d heard rumors about the film’s return for two decades but had sort of given up on the idea.

Bridges: Disney had it on its back burners and they were not satisfied with the script so they waited and I’m so happy they did. Because we got a good script and they held out to find the right guy at the helm. With [director Kosinski] they found a terrific leader.

Before Kosinski did any casting or camera tests, his first step in building the new world of Tron was to hook up with Daft Punk to create a score that blends electronic and orchestral music “that really blurs the line between sound design and music in a new way.”

Kosinski: I hooked up with Daft Punk very early in the process, before even doing the effects test piece. We went down to the 101 Cafe in Hollywood and met them for a pancake breakfast. Their passion for Tron and what inspiration it is to them, which I think is obvious if you’ve ever been to their live shows, we talked about it for a long time and got started on the music before we ever started shooting and still are, almost two years later. They are, as we speak, putting finishing touches on the score.

Sure, the score will be super cool, but the thing the actors seemed the most excited about were the neon-trimmed bodysuits they wore during filming. Responding to a question about how they were to wear, the cast said:

Olivia Wilde: It was amazing.
Michael Sheen: It was amazing–to watch Olivia in the suit.
Wilde (laughing): It was totally revolutionary. We were wearing electro-luminescent lamps woven through neoprene and all these other materials. We would get really excited every time the suits would turn on.
Garrett Hedlund: At the beginning, you’ve got to train immensely for the suit and then they’ve got this thing called Cyber-Scan where they create this suit out of every curve and definition of your body so it’s completely exact and fits like a glove. Then the greatest thing is, you go into a dark room room and the producer has their kids around, you light it up and they just go ‘Aaaaaahhhh!’
Sheen: There was a great moment before every take where sound’s rolling, camera, and just before they’d say action, they’d say, ‘Light them up! And—action!’ And suddenly the whole room would go ‘Bing’ and you’d forget to act for a little bit, it’s so cool.

That’s a moment audiences will get to experience in 3D when the movie hits theaters December 17, 2010. When asked how he sees 3D technology evolving, Bridges said:

We’re always looking for something to bring the audience into the story. Isn’t 3D without glasses coming out? Or holograms? That’s where it’s going. Or maybe you’ll just take a pill. ‘TRON: The Pill.’

From “The Dude’s” mouth to your ears.

Further Reading:

Tron Legacy Live Blog:
Tron Legacy Press Conference: Jeff Bridges Steals the show!

Comic-Con 2010 Live Blog: Disney’s Tron Panel

Krystal Clark — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 19:00:50 +0000

It’s been a long time coming, but Tron: Legacy is finally hitting theaters later this year (after being promoted for like 4), and some of the cast and crew are stopping by Comic-Con for a chat, just like they did last year. We’re live blogging from the Tron: Legacy panel, presented by Walt Disney Pictures, where director Joe Kosinski, producers Sean Bailey and Steven Lisberger, and cast members Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, Michael Sheen and Bruce Boxleitner are all in the house!

11:20 am: Tron is coming! Tron is coming!! Some random guy is introducing the Tron Legacy panel.

11:22 am: Patton Oswalt just walked out. Eeeew, he just said “Welcome Furries!”

Read on for more panel updates…

11:24 am: They just showed an awesome video package of how Tron has impacted pop culture. There were clips from Tron on Ice, Tron on “The Simpsons”, Daft Punk, you name it , it was in that video!

11::27 am: Director Joseph Kosinski and the original Tron creator Steven Lisberger are in the house!

11:28 am: Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, Michael Sheen have arrived and Sheen is covered in a questionable beard. Bruce Boxleitner on the other hand looks more together. Jeff Bridges is wearing a snazzy leather jacket and has his hair slicked back.

11:31 am: Kosinski says there’s no fake 3D here! The actors really wear fully illuminated suits and now he’s talking about Bridges playing 2 characters, Flynn and the 35 year old Clu.

11:33 am: Tron Legacy is very much a father-son story. They were really lucky to find Garrett Hedlund to play Bridges’ son. The audience just let out a big woooo for Hedlund. Girls swoon.

11:34 am: Bridges says it was pretty psychedelic to play himself as an older and younger man. He sounds like a stoned surfer. “The Dude” is in the building!

11: 36 am: Hedlund is talking about his skin tight suit that literally had electricity running through his body.

11: 37 am: Wilde says, it was such an honor to play a really powerful tough kick-ass woman. In the film her character’s been a companion of Kevin Flynn’s for a long time. She’s a fearless warrior.

11:38 am: Garrett had to go through extensive physical training, hand to hand combat, and Parkour.

11:39 am: Michael Sheen just made a crack about coming to Comic-Con dressed as Jeff Bridges, which is why he grew out his ridiculous beard. He also said Tron Legacy is really a 4D film because Bridges adds an extra dimension of awesomeness!

11:41 am: Boxleitner said when he got the call to do Tron again he immediately threw his walker in the corner. He thinks that we’re all going to be very thrilled by it because he is the biggest Tron fan around and he thinks the film looks great.

11:43 am: Bridges says Tron Legacy makes the original film looks like an old black and white TV show.

11:45 am: Patton just joked that they’re about to run a quick in memoriam montage for the fans who died waiting for this sequel to hit the big screen. Ha!

11:55 am: They just showed 8 minutes of footage from the movie and it looked amazing!!!

11:56 am: They’re about to shoot some footage using the Comic-Com audience. They have technicians throughout the crowd recording us as we shout different phrases on the screen. The first one is “Disc Wars!! Now it’s “Rinz Ler!” followed by “Dee Rez!”

12:00 pm: They just had us stand up and stomp a couple of times. Now Kosinski has us yelling and going silent. He just asked us if we’d like to see the new Tron trailer.

12:07 pm: One of the themes of the movie is the dark side of technology. We haven’t developed any ethics to go along with the technology we develop. He brought up the pollution coalition that deals with the environment and biodegradable products. He got “green” on us for a minute.

12:09 pm: Bridges spoke about why he did the second film. He said it appealed to the kid in him. You get to work with great guys and wear cool costumes and he liked the idea of creating a modern myth.

12:11 pm: Olivia just revealed that she hadn’t played a video game since Duck Hunt and she was shocked to see how much things have changed since then! Ha!

12:12 pm: Jeff Bridges is talking about how his preparation for movies hasn’t changed that much. He still maintains the playfulness with acting just like he did when he was younger.

12:14 pm: Since Tron is a father-son story at its core, and because Steven, Jeff, and Bruce set a creative legacy for where they could push boundaries in film they changed the name from Tron 2.o to Tron Legacy.

12:15 pm: They revealed that they’re having conversations about re-releasing the original Tron and converting it into 3D.

12:23 pm: They just introduced a special clip showing Johnny Depp dressed in full costume as Jack Sparrow talking about Pirates of the Caribbean On Stranger Tides. He just asked us to join him and his crew!

Further Reading:

That was funny, interesting, and surprising all at the same time. Tron Legacy hits theaters on December 17, 2010.

Adrien Brody Confirmed For Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris

Krystal Clark — Tue, 25 May 2010 20:42:38 +0000

Today legendary director Woody Allen finally decided to reveal the full cast for his upcoming mystery project, Midnight in Paris. In the past we’ve picked up on one or two actors like Marion Cotillard and Owen Wilson and now we’ve learned that Oscar winner Adrien Brody has joined the film. Here’s the complete cast list along with a brief synopsis…

The Synopsis:

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS is a romantic comedy that follows a family travelling to the city for business. The party includes a young engaged couple that has their lives transformed throughout the journey. The film celebrates a young man’s great love for Paris, and simultaneously explores the illusion people have that a life different from their own is better.

The film stars Kathy Bates, Adrien Brody, Carla Bruni, Marion Cotillard, Rachel McAdams, Michael Sheen, Owen Wilson, Nina Arianda, Kurt Fuller, Tom Hiddleston, Mimi Kennedy, Alison Pill and Corey Stoll.

Production on Midnight in Paris begins this summer in you guessed it…France! Out of this bunch of actors we’re mostly interested in seeing Tom Hiddleston because he’ll be playing the main villain in Marvel’s Thor next year. We want to see what he’s got!

What do you think of the full cast of Midnight in Paris?

Michael Sheen Just Can’t Let Go of Tony Blair

Anet Hovhanesian — Thu, 13 May 2010 04:12:21 +0000

He’s playing the Prime Minister… again! British actor, Michael Sheen who became known, famous and now just clingy for his portrayals of well-known public figure, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has portrayed him three separate times, The Deal, The Queen, and now in The Special Relationship. The later of the three will debut on May 29th on HBO. The film dramatizes the working relationship between Blair and Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

Playing a Prime Minister has Sheen thinking in political terms. During a Los Angeles interview, Sheen said that, Blair’s successor, Gorden Brown’s situation would be a “brilliant kind of Shakespearean tragedy” if it didn’t affect so many people. Brown resigned as Prime Minister last week’s election went against his labour laws.

Sheen believes it was Brown’s reluctance to make himself “vulnerable” and his hesitation to call a national election that led to his downfall. Playing a Prime Minister so many times, Sheen should know what it takes to get the job done.

What do you think of Michael Sheen playing the same character for the third time? Think he’s addicted?

ScreenCrave.com » Michael Sheen

1-1 Interview: Michael Sheen’s Words of Wisdom

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