I Think Everything Is Politics
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4 1/7 2013 SPECIAL EDITION OF FREE KVIFF’s MAIN MEDIA PARTNER INSIDE Today’s Official Selection films English Section, page 2-3 Sidebar celebrates spirit of Independents English Section, page 4 Tomorrow’s program Czech Section, pages 5-8 Photo: Jan Handrejch Jerry Schatzberg helped launch Al Pacino on the road to international stardom. I THINK EVERYTHING IS POLITICS LOWDOWN Celebrities have responsibilities be- US INDIE PIONEER JERRY SCHATZBERG ON WHY THEY LOVE HIM MORE IN FRANCE sides looking fabulous and calling on society to save rain forests. Among Will Tizard lucky – they were always telling the I didn’t really care for it that much. And with funny things. That was all from hav- their most grave duties – feasting on American critics that they’ve criticized he was managing Al Pacino at the time ing that freedom of talking and being to- rich food and libation without ever gain- When fashion photographer Jerry me badly and why they were wrong. and he said, “And Al is interested” and gether. ing weight aside – is the notorious Schatzberg decided in 1970 to cast one of Were you consciously embracing an I said, ‘Aah.’ He just opened it up for me I read that Francis Ford Coppola press junket. This involves recounting his New York models, Faye Dunaway, as element of the counterculture political – where I could see how I could do it. had to show producers your footage of tales told a thousand times with fresh- a troubled glamor queen dogged by men- movement with films about characters But you were always drawn to the Pacino from Panic to convince them he ness while scanning the room and tal illness in Puzzle of a Downfall Child, grappling with emotional breakdowns, street and the characters inhabiting it, could pull off the Michael Corleone gauging how well one’s charm status is the result helped forge an independent addiction and unemployment? right? You are credited with bringing role in Godfather. faring – no small feat. In fact, many of film movement that remade American cin- I think everything is politics, no matter fashion photography out into the He screen tested four times for Hollywood’s best performances are ema. This film, along with his next two, what you talk about. If you talk about streets. Paramount, and they rejected him all four surely done off camera. The Panic in Needle Park and family relationships, it’s politics. I’m a New Yorker, brought up in the times. And Francis asked if I would lend Czech film legends are no slouch at Scarecrow, showed up the major studios Anything. It’s not, “Okay, we’re having Bronx, and I always liked hanging out. him some footage. I sent it to him and this, as evidenced by an interview with as hopelessly out of touch with a society an election tomorrow,” but it’s the social But Al is too. That helped make it that when they saw that he got the part. pioneering 1960s auteur Vojtěch Jasný. in the throes of a major upheaval. All politics that go on all the time. I saw way. And I think Al’s brother was a drug And you’re now developing after 40 The octogenarian filmmaker got a boost three are screening this year in the sec- a wonderful Japanese film this morning addict. years a sequel to Scarecrow? Where yesterday during his chat about tion Tribute to Jerry Schatzberg. about families and it was all politics. You Pacino is like a caged animal in your are these two characters now? Marshal Tito, KGB assassins, and the see the different levels of social strata, films – he’s always on the move. Was it I’ve written a sequel to Scarecrow. art of storytelling for the big screen. When your films of the 1970s came how they treat their siblings... a challenge to harness that perform- Everybody in Europe says, “What a great As a Daily reporter endeavored to out in the US, they weren’t nearly as So were you consciously trying to ance? idea.” In America they say, “We don’t write down the overflowing fount of well received at home as they were shake up the establishment a bit by de- It was his first film, my second film. We want to do that – we want to do Iron tales, none other than one John abroad, were they? Now they’re being ciding to shoot Joan Didion’s screen- spent about a month and a half just hang- Man.” They have the carwash now, very Travolta sauntered up to the Pupp studied in American film schools... play based on the book Panic in Needle ing out with [actress] Kitty Winn. It was successful. Al is damaged from his cata- restaurant table to greet him. Europeans – the French especially – al- Park? such a luxury, which doesn’t exist now. tonia. But he went back to school and “Look how good you look!” said the ways find things about America that No, because I didn’t get into it that way. We liked the script; we liked the idea of he’s a computer geek. He’s the brains be- American star, kissing the director Americans have no idea exists. Then they I had seen a number of drug films on tel- the script. But it needed a lot of them to hind the business while Hackman is the Italian-style on the cheek for emphasis. pick it up later. Also future generations evision and when it was presented to me bring it to life. Just being together and bluster. I saw Pacino about a month ago, “We love each other. John’s such always pick up on things that the first set I turned it down. I went up to my manag- talking. In Scarecrow, he had already and I gave him the script and he took it a comic and good man, very human,” of critics didn’t see and didn’t want to see er’s office and he said there’s a good made The Godfather, so now he was and said, “I’ll read it.” If Al would say, Jasný explained, clearly enjoying the at- because it wasn’t what they see every script out there – it’s called Panic in a star. But we still hung out, walking the “Gee, I’d like to do that,” then we’ll find tention. “He’s big on the American mar- day. But the French – I’ve been very Needle Park. And I said I’d read it, but streets, and talking about scenes, came up a way. y ket, so I’m also being shrewd.” y SEE YOU THERE EXPLAINER DIRECTOR, CONSTRUCTING THE PRODUCTION JURAJ LEHOTSKÝ MIRACLE Anyone who saw the explosive opening ceremony will have one image stamped indelibly on their memories – I would like to see the competing documentary Exhibits or Stories from the Castle aside from a clearly thrilled Travolta working the crowd Exhibits or Stories from the Castle. I’m interested in screens today at 5pm in the to squeals of “Džón! Džón!” – yes, we’re talking about it because it’s my style; not only because it’s Slovak, Drahomíra Cinema. Velvet Terrorists the amazing wheelchair dance that culminated in show- but also because it is about old people living in a cas- also screens today at 4pm in the ers of sparks rocketing from the backs of these self-evi- tle, a simple story. I like simple stories, and I’ve heard Karlovy Vary Theatre and tomorrow at dently souped-up mobility devices. it’s about life during old age, about what their values 1:30pm in Lázně III. This one-of-a-kind number was once again the brain- are. I’ve been thinking about this theme; it’s interest- child of Brno theater mavens, the fraternal duo of Šimon ing because it’s far from my own experience. and Michal Caban, whose student-formed dance com- Maybe it’ll look like I appreciate only Slovak films, pany Ballet Unit Spasm featured in Twyla Tharp’s Don but I’d really like to see Velvet Terrorists. I know [co- Giovanni scene in Forman’s Amadeus. The Caban broth- director] Peter Kerekes. I loved his 66 Seasons. I like ers, who also juggle stage design and architecture prac- this crazy idea of making a film about people who tices, choreograph all the dance numbers that accompa- were arrested because they wanted to attack high-lev- ny the fest opening and closing ceremonies. They’ve el communist officials. I’ve seen the trailer and it been firmly in the fest foreground for 18 years now, and signer Martin Chocholoušek is back with another slick looks very funny, like a black comedy, and I would KVIFF production chief Petr Lintimer is continually im- customization of the Thermal’s exteriors, created espe- like to see how they do this from the point of view of pressed: “They’re a perfect team,” he says. “Michal and cially for the festival. But who (you must be wondering) three directors. It’s a very playful idea, to make a film Šimon are the best guys; they have really good ideas.” actually builds all this stuff? That, dear readers, is all the about three “heroes” who wanted to do something Also well into a long run of successful KVIFF collab- work of Michal Starý’s crack team of construction staff – bad. y (PLC) oration, at least a decade so far, architect and stage de- and doubtless several miles of duct tape. y (WT/PLC) strana 2 / page 2 FESTIVAL DAILY Monday, July 1, 2013 OFFICIAL SELECTION VIVA LA LIBERTA – WHEN A PROPHET AND A POLITICIAN ARE TWINS Zbyněk Vlasák Who would make for the better opposition party leader? The worn-out incumbent chairman or his twin brother, a philosopher freshly discharged from a mental hospital? The KVIFF Official Selection film Viva la Liberta by Roberto Andò leaves it to the viewer to decide.