Cinefantastique V30n
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N? ‘¢‘.- ‘ -i $1 v e ma Chris Carter transforms his successful series into a big-screen blockbuster. ilmed with a level of secrecy befitting the conspiracy portrayed in the TV show. the fea- ture-film version of THE X- i FILES stars series regulars ‘ Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny. along with such re- curring faces as Mitch Pileggi. John Neville. and William B. Davis. Newcomers to the world of X include Martin Landau. Blythe Danner. and Terry O'Quinn. Series director Rob Bowman. working from u script by Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz. helms the film, which opens June I9. Given the intense fan inter- est in the series, Carter knew that people would be looking for any pieces of information about the movie, but he never worried that keeping a lid on the project would cast him in the role of the Cigarette Smok~ ing Man: “lt would be like a competitive sport. and there would be spies and moles, so you have to develop a counter intelligence attitude. We've had a couple of situations. There's a picture running right now in [W Aewlmmmdwwmlnlmlllmm@v¢IIM¢I=vv¢vuvllltrI¢=II¢ithIIIl¢»nrIIw=~- '45 3 $55we MI4 0i0V_ER_VUlL “lliere were spies and moles, so you had to develop a counter-intelligence attitude,” said Carter of keeping the lm secret I want to preserve the element of surprise " lot again. lt relaunches ever_v- things that we can add on." A lot the series thing. lt's like a new phase in of the characters from the lives ofTHE X-FILES char- are in the film. and a lot of acters. He always had that in his things are going to become mind. and it's helped us a great clearer about who they are: the deal. We actually came up with abduction of Mulder's sister: Played] (John Nwllll),omoI ""3 “my .°"e'." S°v°“' 9.’ eigm‘ Fh“ ml“ M“ld.°'vS f‘"h°' uuiou (Dlvld Duchovi1y)mo0tlthoWoll-lllrileurod run day period in Hawaii. over in the conspiracy. All the big m.|,|,,qp|,,,|,,m,¢°mp|,,¢y p|,,mmwn¢|,,un;,°m||,.,Mw|,,m,m,v|._ Christmas, while we were questions, the obvious ques- breaking during the TV story. l tions, that any long-time viewer one of the tabloids where some- As a writer and co-producer about two days would know, will be answered or near, one of of the movie (with Carter), think it took us one snuck on, in some way." Frank Spotnitz noted that wri\— of just talking, all day and our locations and was taking that sum- done night, about where we'd been Spotnitz is mindful from a window. We ing for the series is usually pictures going to say mer action movies have become. in him out—or in a four-act structure, but the and what we were tried to block to get his words “roller coaster rides, unsuccess- movie uses a seven-act struc- and how we were going her—and we were is a certain amount of biggest difference bc- to the place Chris had always and there ful. I don't want to become like ture. The to that. We the series, imagined we were going to get pressure to bend a rabid dog about this, but l do tween the film and And then it was about five really resisted that. l think peo- want to preserve the element of however, is "explaining the to. days of actually doing the work, pie who know the show will surprise, and l think everyone movie to new audiences that figuring out the sub-actions of think [the movie] is true to the who is a fan of THE X-FILES had never seen the TV show," story. We knew what the spirit of the show. There's some understands that. But l don‘t he said, “while making it work the eliftanger [episode] would be, action stuff, but we try and keep want it to become my primary for long-time viewers—paying not written it yet." it in the realm of possibility. As goal. to make sure no one off five years of having fol- but had movie does have a bc- fantastic as some of the images what this story is. to the lowed the continuing story line The knows middle, and end, so are, they will all hopefully be detriment of everything else. faithfully with big revelations. ginning, “even if you've never seen THE seen as real. l think it will be The internct now is a gigantic and at the same time making it it will pretty much quite a change from other sum- publishing organ. so any time all understandable to those who X-FILES sense." Spotnitz said, mer fare out there." anybody gets something. they had never seen it before." make you have seen it before, The important elements of go on the net and everyone Spotnitz. who is also co-ex- “but if can will resonate for you. the show have been retained. can know, presumably." ecutive producer of the series. things strategy from the according to Spotnitz. but one be re- found that development of the Part of Chris‘ Although the lm will ingredient—-an almost con- as difficult as he beginning was, ‘Here's where l key leased in lune. Carter sees no script was not im- the want to begin and here's where stant level of tension—was reason to match the action level thought it would be: "From where l want to end: l'm not going to practical to sustain for feature of a typical summer movie: "l beginning, Chris knew myself to adhere to sign- length. Spotnitl explained: "lt's want it to be true to THE X- he wanted to end, and this force posts along the way. Let's pick really more a political thriller. FILES. so the elements in it are movie is in a sense an ending. as we go, and if we went back to look at any X- but it's also a new beginning for up found objects elements l would use in made in the '7lls. like characters. lt's kind of a pi- things that are in the newspaper. movies FlLES story. and they aren't the PARALLAX VIEW and ALL bigger just to be bigger or more g";j§°;;:u"_‘_'n;";§_"_ THE i>lt1t.Es(i‘o(i1zi~tp'}s_ MENi1it's elaborate just to be more elabo- 5°""Y l°'§:f§x';";'_°;"j:n':f1"f"'*"$f;:r'g5: E more t at in o t ing. w ere rate. l think they have integrity conspira- l you're unraveling the to do.“ to what we set out cy and you don't know who to Referring to the more exten- trust and there are unseen movie as sive effects in the forces. and you keep that ten- the show. Carter compared to sion going." pointed out. "they take long to to do do. so even if you wanted he move from small to one. maybe you could afford big screen has not of it. but you the elements been at radical shift: couldn't afford the time it takes “We've tried to do the to put all those elements togeth- TV show like ntini-movies process-— ' er-—the refinement J everv week and to have the ex- a strict beeause you're on such tra half-hour or 45 mlttttles have the deadline. Here, we whatever it turns out to he. was length of time to do these big- \ ,' liberating. And we have no just ger effects. and they're grounds for complaint about the more costly on the big screen." 20 e6§llL@ Reports ofhis death were greatly exaggerated. [iv Doiiglas Eby mostly l kill people who somehow de- serve it. Actually, I don't kill them: l arrange it. And l do still have a lot of fun ‘ Even after playing the Cigarette Smoking Man for five seasons. William with trying to convince fans that Mulder B. Davis is not bored with the role: “lt is the bad guy and I'm the good guy. But doesn't get tiring at all. I wish there was it's also that as an actor. that's the only more of it to do. And it's getting more in- way l can work; l have to believe some- volved. This season. we begin to see oth- how in what I'm doing. There was a time er sides of the character—that there is I could believe it was in the best interests l some humanity deeply buried.