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Scott Cooper exposes his “Crazy Heart” to EC

January 15th, 2010 by Scott Marks

Scott Cooper and Jeff Bridges

You may recognize Scott Cooper from his acting roles in “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me,” “The X-Files” and “Gods and Generals.” With any luck, the first time writer, director’s name will soon go down in the annals of film history as the man who helped guide Jeff Bridges to his first Academy Award.

In my heart, he will always be remembered as the man who helped me land my first shot on CNN.

Cooper was at the AMC La Jolla recently for a screening of “Crazy Heart” for the Cinema Society of San Diego. We pulled up a table outside of Schlotzky’s “Deli” and in the middle of a crowded mall talked about anamorphic compositions, the value of Academy screeners, and the possibility of a first-time director leading one of the greatest working actors to his first Oscar.

Scott Marks: How long did it take you to shoot the movie?

Scott Cooper: Twenty-four days.

That’s it?

Twenty-four days, three states and ten musical numbers. A more seasoned director would have said no way.

How long did it take to write?

The first draft took about six weeks. After I finished it I sent it off to my mentor Robert Duvall. He loved it and said “Let’s make it. What do you need?” I needed two things to make the film and if I don’t get them I shouldn’t make it. One is (composer and producer) T-Bone Burnett and the other is Jeff Bridges.

There has been a lot of talk about the similarities between “Crazy Heart” and “Tender Mercies.”

They’re apt given that it’s, as the French would say that milieu. The comparisons should stop after they are both about country and western singers. “Tender Mercies” is two-thirds redemption whereas mine is one-third. It’s an edgier version of what the great Horton Foote (author of “Tender Mercies”) did.

Fifteen or twenty years ago you’d have been right to call Robert DeNiro the greatest living screen actor. He now appears to be using the eeny-meeny-miny-mo process of selecting scripts. For my money Jeff Bridges is the best American actor currently making movies. He has not always been in great movies, but they are never bad at his expense. Has he ever given a bad performance?

No. He’s such a true actor and he cares so much about the craft. Between Jeff and Robert Duvall I think I have America’s two best actors in my film. At 79-years old Duvall is continually pushing to explore and live in the moment. And while they are both movie stars, they aren’t taking movie star paychecks to do crap.

Then why hasn’t Jeff Bridges ever won an Academy Award?

And why has Robert Duvall only won one? They don’t play the game. These guys don’t go out and actively solicit votes. What they do makes acting look very easy. Hollywood likes to reward people who overact.

You won’t get an argument out of me. Everyone is calling “Crazy Heart” his crowning achievement.

Jeff thinks it is.

He’s due.

Oh, he’s due. There is no question he’s due. Let’s hope that people recognize how difficult it is to play in a scene and sing live.

He is an accomplished singer. About ten years ago he attempted to launch a musical career. There was talk that he was going to take a break from movies in order to become a singer.

That’s right. He has a lot of good will in this town, Jeff does. He’s a beloved actor. You hope that this time it’s a meritocracy because I think he gives one of the finest screen performances I’ve seen in a very long time. And I think that I can say that objectively.

You are up against a good year when it comes to acting and as superb as he is in “Crazy Heart,” I’m not sure that the Academy always hands out its awards solely based on merit. Let’s hope that this year the Academy pulls a John Wayne and views Bridges as what’s referred to as a ”sentimental favorite.“

Let’s hope that he’s finally rewarded for his fantastic work. He’s a better person than he is an actor and that’s saying a lot. He’s such a generous human being. I’m spoiled. I don’t know how I’m ever going to be able to go back to work.

Scott Cooper, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Jeff Bridges

So much of this film hinges on the chemistry between the performers. And it’s not just between the leads. It’s a small scene, but the actor who plays Wesley, the piano player that introduces Jean (Maggie Gyllenhaal) to Bad Blake…

Rick Dial. He’s an alumnus of “Sling Blade.” I found him in a furniture store in Arkansas. As Duvall says, “One of the best natural actors in America.”

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EC Interviews Robert Siegel, Writer/Director of “Big Fan”

September 15th, 2009 by Scott Marks

Robert Siegel on the set of “Big Fan”

One look at the trailer for Robert Siegel’s “Big Fan” and it was love at first sight. Paul (Patton Oswalt), a parking garage attendant/mama’s boy who worships the New York Giants runs into the team’s quarterback Quantrell Bishop (Jonathan Hamm) in a strip club. After an innocent exchange of words, the coked-out hurler beats Paul within an inch of his life, yet the big fan refuses to press charges in fear that the star QB will be sidelined thus costing “his” team any chance of a successful season.

I spoke with Robert Siegel, author of “The Wrestler” and co-writer/director of “Big Fan” about sportsophobia, stand-up comic turned actors, racism and homo-eroticism among sports fans and our shared love of all things Scorsese.

EC: I could have written my review of this film based solely on the trailer. This is one of the most original story ideas I’ve seen in years. The whole idea that Paul (Patton Oswalt) will not turn in some thug, who almost cost him his life, because some stupid f**king football team might lose the championship fascinated me.

Robert Siegel: Wow! Thank you.

Here’s the big question. Are you a sportsophobe like I am?

No, I’m not. I’m sorry. I hate to disappoint. I’m a sportsophile.

Really? Your jock friends must want your head.

(Laughing) Sports fans love this movie. They relate to it and think it’s great. A lot of people say “I know that guy! That guy is just like me.” I know it seems strange, but sports fans wear there extremism as a badge of pride.

But this is not a flattering depiction of sports fans.

Not strictly speaking, but it is a tribute of sorts to their passion. They view the passion and loyalty and dedication to the team as all good things. Honorable qualities. Of course, taken to extremes it’s not good, but I think they see themselves as dedicated and loyal and passionate.

Are either Patton or Kevin (Corrigan) sportsophobes?

I wouldn’t say phobes, but neither of them are sports fans. They’re kind of indifferent. They don’t know anything about sports and they don’t follow it. Patton connected with the theme of obsession of a particularly nerdy sort. Patton is not into sports, but he is hugely into comic books and movies, so he knows a thing or two about being way, way into something. I think he was able to relate to it on that level.

Admittedly, this is not exclusively about sports fans. It’s about obsessive behavior like “California Split” or “King of Comedy.”

Yes. Exactly.

Sports notwithstanding, the one thing we share in common is a deep and undying love for Martin Scorsese. Do you know Scorsese’s take on professional sports?

No I don’t.

Somebody once asked him, “Marty, what do you think of sports?” He paused and said, “Anything with a ball, no good.”

Really?

Oh, come on. Look at his films.

He’s never made a movie about it, but I don’t think I can glean anything from his body of work that tells me he doesn’t like sports.

I got it from the “American Masters” documentary about Him during the closing credits. For me, it was a moment of blinding confirmation. If I heard it in person I’d have thrown my arms around the little guy and given Him a big hug.

“Color of Money” doesn’t count as a sports film?

Well, there’s “Raging Bull,” too. I think he’s more interested in what goes on outside the poolroom and ring than anything inside. C’mon. “Raging Bull” is a damning portrait of a sports figure.

Yeah, but you can damn the figure but love the sport. If he said that he said that. I wouldn’t say I’m surprised, but I don’t think his work suggests a guy who doesn’t like sports. He certainly likes to explore the nature of masculinity and how it’s tied to sports in our culture.

Paul’s mother is clearly based on Rupert’s mom in “King of Comedy” and there are elements of “Taxi Driver” sprinkled throughout the film. The disassociated shots of his car as he’s driving and all that. Did you ever think you were getting too close to encroaching on the Great Man’s territory?

(Laughing) Yeah, there is a fine line between loving homage and rip off. I tried to be careful of it, but as a fan of his I find it cool and exciting to try to emulate that. I don’t think I ever consciously tried to put anything in my film that was a direct imitation of something in one of his movies. Actually, the scene where (Phil) enters the bar to the Rolling Stones at the end is probably the closest I came to that.

What Marty does best is he steals from others and makes it his own. In a large way, that is what you are doing here. We never see Rupert’s mother in “King of Comedy.” In this case, the mother is ripping into her son for never getting laid and having s**t stains in his underwear. That was truly horrifying.

(Laughs) Uhh…Thank you?

Oh, it was meant as a compliment. This movie is hilarious. I laughed all the way through it.

You know, that’s one of those things I love most about Scorsese is the humor. All of the Scorsese imitators focus on the macho posturing, but they often miss the humor. To me, his movies are just really funny. Even  “Taxi Driver” and “Raging Bull” are funny movies in their own strange way.

Hilarious!

“The Sopranos” does a great job. It’s one of my favorite shows. They are pretty close in the way they know how to lace a healthy dose of absurdity in serious and even scary situations. I don’t think you need to choose between drama and comedy. You kinda’ have them both. In life they both co-exist and I think they should. In the movies I like best they tend to co-exist.

Patton Oswalt

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