Harvey Weinstein was on Graham Norton - 2015 I think it was - I know, different times... But he did say that when Miramax received the script, they said 'what the hell is this sex scene between Matt Damon and Ben Affleck? It doesn't belong in this movie?' and that proved - unlike anyone else they had sent it to - that they had actually read it, and so they let them produce it.
It's probably Gus Van Sant's least indulgent movie.
And so grown up - love is when you love someone more than yourself.
Robin Williams and Ben and Matt won Oscars, Picture, editor Pietro Scalia, music Danny Elfman, Director, Damon and Minnie Driver, all nominated. It didn't win any BAFTAs. Sorry? I said, 'It didn't win any BAFTAs'.
2nd February 2019:
I agree with Q that this is an incredible (Oscar-winning) script from two youngsters Matt Damon 27 and Ben Affleck 25, which Matt had begun writing as part of a class at Harvard. Interestingly neither has much of a screenwriting career since, which is kinda amazing considering how good it is. The two long monologues spoken by Damon and Williams are incredibly good and filmed in perfect long takes - Damon every bit as good as Oscar-winning Robin Williams, though it's one of the latter's best performances (and Minnie Driver's).
Contrary to urban legend, William Goldman did not write or re-write the script.
Oh, OK, Casey Affleck is one of the gang.
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| Painting by Gus van Sant |
12 August 2014:
In memory of Robin Williams, who committed suicide at the weekend, and who we will now always see had sad eyes behind the humour.
"It's not your fault."
"For 10 seconds I have the best part of the day."
Minnie Driver's Irish joke.
"I live with my three brothers."
"The bad stuff reminds you of the good things you were too busy to notice."
Van Sant directs much of the time in close-up, thereby robbing himself of the effect that shot size can bring, but it seems to work to me, and provides intense scenes. Editor Pietro Scalia knows when not to cut great moments of acting, thereby contributing to Williams' Oscar. Considering Matt Damon and Ben Affleck apparently wrote the screenplay in order to get some acting work, they must have been rather pleased that it won. Other nominations were for Driver (a very natural performance, as always, her giggles always sound so real but then she'll make you cry), the always watchable Van Sant, film, Damon, Scalia, song (Miss Misery) and music (Danny Elfman). Titles by the legendary Pablo Ferro and shot by Jean-Yves Escoffier.
There's a fight scene edited at varying speeds - I'm sure there's a 'slow mo' shot in there that is just people pretending to move slowly. That might appear to be a stupid thing to say, until you remember those 'freeze frames' in My Own Private Idaho which are the actors standing still. Scalia, a Sicilian, won Oscars for JFK (with Joe Hutshing) and Black Hawk Down, also nominated for Gladiator.
11 November 2012:
He's talented - why did he remake Psycho? "It was my sort of anti-remake statement!" It ended up being not a shot by shot remake because it had to have its own life. Danny Elfman scored it, and said the critics would kill him, which they did.
Written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck (AA), with Robin Williams (AA), Stellan Skarsgaard, Minnie Driver (who's fabulous - her giggles sound real, then she made me cry when Damon dumps her. Not really made it - all TV lately).
Music Danny Elfman, ph. Jean-Yves Escoffier.
Interesting positioning of camera / lenses. Good interplay between Williams and Damon (something about 'the bad stuff reminds you of the good things you were too busy to notice'). Great ending (Affleck, then car on road). Well overdue.
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