Ep71 - Ed Harris / "Kodachrome"

A little sick about them? All right? I heard you were late getting out of New York all the weather, five and a half hour. It was some plane that Boston didn't get out of Boston. Oh yeah, it starts to back up. Let's say, you know, I just finished this play Sunday afternoon, and my body just said you're done. You know you're getting this fun. Cold came over. So the plane ride was like pretty tough, but it's all right. He's having to get creative on the lighting. By the way,

do you sleep on planes? Are you able to sleep on Yeah? I wish I could. Man. My dad's the same way. He'll just conk out as soon as he says down to just naturally or do you have to like no, no, I just yeah, I mean, especially since I wasn't feeling well, I just crashed you. So usually I just drink like a double of vodka soon as ye like just all or so anyway, we're recording, sir, okay, so we'll dive right in. I'm here today with Ed Harris, one of my favorite actors, and I'm so happy to

be sitting here with you. Thank you for taking the time to talk to me. Man, star of Code of Chrome. It's a new Netflix movie, and uh, it totally slips up on you, and I was a bit of a mess by the time movie was over. I have to admit tears were flowing. It's a beautiful performance, I must say. And uh, but it's also, you know, within a genre that was familiar. If shaunre is the word, I mean,

just the tropes of a father's son thing. Uh. And you know, my first curiosity is how to keep it fresh when you know it's something that is kind of territory that's covered in the past, and how do you keep something like that fresh? Well, I didn't have any reference point of anything similar myself. I'm sure I've seen something somewhere along away, you know. But I think Jonathan Trouper wrote a pretty tight script, you know, and and I really like Mark rosso on where he was coming

from with it. Um and work with Jason was was really a treat, you know. I mean, we got along from the get go. We've never met prior to filming it, but you know, to me, you get a script and then that's your bible, and that's its own reference point in a way, you know, and so you're just trying to tell the truth of that story as well as

you can. It was interesting though, because off the page, when you just read the script, the character that I play it could have been it reads, It read a lot more kind of flamboyant, a lot more kind of caricaturists character. Caricature Yeah, is that a word? It is now? But as soon as we shot remember one of the very first shots and exactly what it was, but it was like, no, no, no, that this just lives where

it lives. I mean, the guy's you know, he's old, he's feeble, he's had a great career, he's basically paid no attention to his family for years. Uh, there's a part of him that wants to rectify that, as as difficult as it might be, and it's just playing the truth of that. You know, it wasn't didn't call for anything above and beyond some reality, you know what I mean. If that makes any sense, Yeah, for sure, I mean,

I guess it kind of answers this question. But I was just curious what you might have done to build the inner life or even the exterior of the character in interesting ways. Because I remember I spoke to you a number of years back about the Way Back Peter Weird film, which I loved. He said something that I just thought was so awesome that you would just gone to town on a stump in your backyard or something

with an ax. It had some really hard land up top that I busted up with a pick axe for a while, just manual labor for calls that you're not going to see in the movie. But it just took also just what it was like that just before forced labor, you know what I mean, just to like do that for no purpose other than you you have to really gonna shoot you, you know what I mean? Um, because I wasn't achieving anything doing that, you know what I mean? Yeah,

And in terms of this. I mean, you know, I did buy a leak like a MP three camera and started reading about because I that I didn't know that much about photography, and I probably still don't, but at least I let a lot more than I did before. I mean, they gave us defessional professional photographers. Talked to Steve McCurry for a while, who you know, he was a famous photographer. My character's work is based on McCurry's work.

To actually show his his his quote quone photos. I think at the end of the film, my character is not based on his character at all in terms of being a human being, but just to work and what it was. Anyway, it was great talking to him and just uh playing that reality of being someone who who has lived a selfish life in the sense of being totally dedicated to his work and not giving a damn

about anything else. Uh. I don't live my life that way, but I could certainly understand it, you know, and you're put locking yourself into that and and it was fun because the guy, because he doesn't really give a damn about anything other than his work. He does, but he can't allow himself to until later in the picture, you know, in a way, you know, but there's a it was a freedom about playing this guy, you know, in a relaxation and I just kind of getting the groove off

here he is, take him and leave him. He started to talking about Jason's today because there he co star plays your son. Uh, you know, you end up in some really emotional waters towards the end of the film. So I would imagine the give and take of working with the actor is important throughout the film and getting to that place and making it feel real. So guess just talk a little more about working with Jason, and well, you know, we met, we met, we hadn't met everyone,

We've never met prior. Uh, certainly aware of his working SNL and a couple of films he'd made, but right off the bat, I mean, he's a very open guys. Jason so smart, you know, and he's he's interested in lots of different things and really dedicated actor professional, and you know, it was a little bit of a departure for him playing a role that wasn't in you know, comedic uh throughout. I mean there's some funny stuff he does in there, but it's not like a comedy role.

You know, there's a dramatic turn, you know, and uh, we just really trusted each other and we both like sports and we you know, we had some good really good Catch has always been my mits with me when I play, when I come to a set, and we just got along, you know. And uh, you know, as an actor, you just do what you gotta do to make something work. So that's what we did. That's what we were doing. I didn't know that you bring your mids, you play catch a lot of thea when you're on set.

Oh yeah, It's just a nice way to relax, you know. And it's also and it's a fun thing to do with somebody because you're not talking, but you're sharing this energy. You know, he's doing this thing back and forth, and especially if somebody knows how to start to tell the ball, it's fun. Right, Yeah, that's awesome. I want to talk about Netflix. I mean, as a filmmaker yourself. Netflix acquired this film out of Toronto. It's interesting. Yes, we do

have a Netflix still represented in the room. Um, it's it's interesting a movie about code Chrome film and picked up by Netflix. I just thought that was funny. But I'm just curious as a filmmaking yourself. What do you think about Netflix changing the game? I have very mixed feelings about it, to tell you the truth. I mean, I'm glad that they wanted to put the film out in theaters, you know, even if it's just for a week, that would be it would be nice if they would

have it out longer. The fact that they have I don't know what a hundred and eighty eight million viewers and a hundred ninety plus countries or something like that. I mean, what can you say? I mean, I I like seeing the difference of seeing a film on the big screen and in your living room is huge to me. Any film that works works better on a big screen just does you get more out of it. It's just more intense, it's more detailed, it's more you just it's

just a different experience, you know. So in that sense, now that's where my mixed feelings come in. But then again, the access to things. You know, first of all, you go to any major city, any movie complex, and they've got you know, four Avengers in there and a couple of other films. I mean, it's just there's no there's no place for films to be seen other than on

either Netflix or other cable stations. You know. So the thing I don't understand about Netflix, and maybe somebody can help me, is understand that is how you understand what's gonna be on what a new films on Netflix? Okay, so they do some advertising, but there's hundreds of films. How how does anybody know? Yeah, how do you you know? How do you specify, Hey, this is a film that's

coming out. I mean, I guess they're doing a good job trying to promote this one of the reasons I'm talking to you, but you know, but uh so it's a mixed bag. You know. If I was going to make a film, which I hope to do this falling, I'm directed something since Thattloosa, just speaking personally, I would

not want to make it under the Netflix banner. Off the Battless had to guarantee that it But even then the guarantee would be, yeah, we'll put it in the theaters for a week and it'll come out on Netflix on the same day. Um, I don't know how I feel about it, and they've got mixed emotions about it. Feeling is about it, but I'm glad they picked it up. I'm glad they believe in it. I'm where they're behind it.

I'm where they're promoting it. I hope people who don't get a chance to see in the theaters do see it on Netflix because I think it's a really cool film. Yeah. Well, you bring up a good point. I mean the fact that, you know, the spaces for some of these movies are more and more limited in terms of the multiplex and and whether they you know, I had a filmmaker on the show last week, an independent filmmaker. He's worked in like the shoe string space. He's made like two thousand

dollar films. He's got a new film called Gemini, and so we were talking about, uh that and you know the fact that the industry has gotten to a point where the mid budget stuff has gone away. I mean, like a movie like, for instance, I was going to bring this up the Rock. It's one of my favorite movies that you've ever done. And I feel like movies like that can't really get made even anymore because it's not based on like previously existing I P or something

like that. And it's nice that the Netflix is are around to kind of shoulder that. I guess, you know Netflix as well as you know HBO or whatever other cable networks showed time or etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. I mean, yeah, a lot of stuff wouldn't get made because there's there's no they don't put it in at there. I don't know if that's how we're gonna turn around either, I tell you the truth. I mean, I guess Marvel's got to run out of property at some point. I don't

know if maybe not. We'll keep conjuring more. And not that there's anything wrong with those things, but it just doesn't have to it's almost you know, it's a glut. It's a glut on the market. He started to touch on this, So I I guess you're going to direct something soon because I wanted to know if you were going

to get behind the camera. Well, I get this. They wrote the script based on a novel called The plow Men, which takes place in Montana, and I bought the rights to the book, but maybe three years ago, got the script a good place and hoping to shoot at this fall. You know, then I think I'm on the verge of

getting it together. So Garrett Headline is gonna be doing it, and uh, my wife Amy, hopefully my daughter Lily and uh actor who I'm pretty sure of some renown the older guy who I think could be great in the part. But I can't really say it because it definitely cool. Well, yeah, I mean, is that something where you've been itching to get back to? Yeah, I mean directed? You know. The last thing I did was Appoloosa, which was ten years ago, man,

which I find hard to believe. And I've really been one the direction son because I just I love it, you know. Uh. And there were a couple of things I was interested in doing that the properties were owned other people that were tied up one way or another, you know, and I hadn't had you know, I read quite a bit, but I never read anything that I really felt could translate cinematically into something that I could handle or felt worthy of doing until I read this.

You know. I saw this review in the New York Times about this book and got it and optioned it. And I think it could be really cool, you know, so we'll see cool. I wanted to talk just branch out a little bit. Surprised it's been ten years since Appaloosa. Can you believe it's been thirty five years since The Right Stuff Anniversary? This year that's crazy. One of my favorite movies of all time. I had Jeff Goldblum on the show a few weeks back actually talking a little

bit about this. But you know, just any memories that surface, Well, yeah, we long, we lost Levon, we lost Sam last year. I know, Phil Coffin's wife passed away. Uh, just talking to Caleb about shooting this movie I want to make. I'm hoping I can work with him again. Uh. You know, see Kathy Baker once in a while and some of the guys from the Founta Saint Fred Warden Ages I haven't seen. I worked with Lance on Appaloosa. I haven't seen Lance and Henderson's first spell Dennis Quad, I haven't

seen for a number of years. But yeah, it was a really good it was very important time for me and a lot of us. And uh, yeah, it was a great experience, you know, working up in the Bay Area mostly. And I love the fact that there's that and then you obviously Apollo thirteen and you pop up with this fun cameo of sorts and gravity the space stuff in your career. Yeah, just kind of it's coincidental. You know, people go, are you a huge space fan?

I mean you're totally into you know, space exploration and go. Not necessarily, It's just like I've enjoyed doing those movies, and I have a lot of respect for science and and for research, especially you know, exploratory research. But you know, it's just my involvement with those pictures has just been kind of a coincidence. Really, what about Stephen King This is a weird question. I was just kind of poking around, uh some research before talking and I noticed, you know,

the Stand and Needful Things and going back to Creep Show. Yeah, is that just another coincidence. I met Stephen when we did Night Riders because he and George were buddies. Georgia Merrill and Stephen actually has a part in that a cameo always much on a hot dog being some obnoxious guy. But there again just kind of you know, and then George Wright to Creep Show it he asked me to be in and the stand was kind of just h a favorite. Georgia wouldn't be much of a role for me.

I don't recall as I recall, but I you know, I've always enjoyed it, enjoy his books, you know, they're always fun to read. He's a great writer and keeps at it prolific and uh, but there again, it's just kind of one of those things. Yeah, it seems like prolific, to say the least. And it seems like there's always a new wave of adaptations, like we're in the midst of a new one, you know, with the his films,

you know, his books translate the film pretty dunn. Well, yeah, they did, they do Mr Mercedes yet, did they think recently work? Did you see? I didn't see it, but they were definitely fans, So I guess it worked, you know what I'm seeing. Uh, let's see what else, you know. I wanted to step back and talk about last year. What was it like Diving into Darren Aronofsky's brain for Mother was pretty bizarre and really, I mean I really like Darren a lot. You know, it was a tough

shoot because he works. He's very very meticulous, you know, by his own admission, he gets to exorcise his O c d S situation when he directs. So you're doing thirty takes, thirty two takes, you know, and since the pull picture shot from Jennifer's point of view, I mean it's either on or over shoulder or what she's seeing a lot of times like Michelle and I be you know, we're walking up the stairs in the background while there's a scene with Javier and and uh Jennifer and the foreground,

and you know, we're doing that thirty two times. They have to wait because I'd be really curious when he gets into cutting room which take he's using. You know, I started using take number four, you know what I mean. But it was cool because you kind of know that going into it. I mean, he's a total visionary. I mean the film obviously got very very mixed reaction. You know, I got one buddy of mine loved it, and other people who just didn't get it at all. You know,

my mother expected that. Oh wait, tell me my mother. Of course, I don't know if we I don't know how I sat through this act, you know. But no, I mean I'd worked with Darren again because he's he has a point of view, which I appreciate. Uh, let's see what else do I have here. I always curious about Glenn Garry, Glenn Ross and talking to the people that worked on that, and you guys all tear into

that dialogue and yeah, it was a trip work. You got to work with Jack Lemon and that obviously Jack and Alan Arkin, you know Arkin, I had a really good time, you know, because we were doing several scenes together, which I think worked pretty well, you know we Yeah, I had a good time and getting to know Jack a little bit before we left the planet was was

pleasant surprise and a nice good time. Tons of quotable stuff in that movie, I mean was it was that the feeling amongst actors beat the sense that you're able to just kind of fiercely tear into this well, I think so we rehearsed that. We rehearsed that more than

any other film I've ever done. And we had a we rehearsed in the office space those scenes for a couple of weeks, you know, like play almost you know, you're based on the play with and I think that really helped us all because most everybody was out of theater anyway doing that show, you know, Alan Having and everybody, you know, Arkin and all the people in the show, Jack, etcetera. Um. But yeah, and Jamie Foley, you know, I think they did a really good job and he kind of left

the radar. I'm not sure what Jamie's up to these days. Yeah, it's a great adaptation. Yeah, I think I think it. I think it definitely did justice to the to the do its work great atmosphere. I saw it on stage a few years ago actually, when when Al did it on stage and he played Jack's part, he played Levine. Just kind of fun to see him take that on instead. But yeah, I love that that work from David mamnitt Um. Have you done anything else that he's written? I was

curious about that. And then we've got West World season two is out. Uh, you know, I understand people have been asking you about that a lot lately, but what can you say about it? What's your experience been like working on this show. I really like Joan and Lisa a lot. Joan and Olan, Lisa, you know who created this thing and who responsible for for its existence? Uh,

a lot of it. It's crazy because there's so much going on, you know that I tend to gravitate to to what my character is doing and what he's up to, and that's kind of on a need to know basis, that's what I need to know. I don't need to know anything else, you know, because I find it, especially when you at the end of the second season, we were shooting like parts of you know, six different episodes on two consecutive to two or three days with three

full crews. I mean, it just was crazy. So you just got to focus on what your characters after and what he's doing. You know, I enjoy doing a man of Black, and he's a great character, you know, in the in the second season. You know, somebody asked me the other night, is he a protagonist? You see him as a protagonist or an antagonist? And I said, I se him as a protagonist for sure. I think particularly in the second season, because he's after something that I

think is uh uh worthy. Cause are you one of those that kind of feels like that, no matter who you're playing, like, you don't think that the person thinks that they're a bad person. Yeah, you know, you know, well it depends unless the person is you know, wants to be known as evil and considers himself evil. Then and I guess you gotta get go there. But yeah, I mean, it just depends. That's a good question, but

I don't know how to answer it. It's a fun show because of the Western iconography, and obviously you've made a Western. We've talked about westerns in the past. That genre seems to always kind of be trying to kick back to look three service, in which I'm glad of. You know, I think it's part of the whole Americana syndrome and the whole history of our country. And I don't think it's gonna go away and keep popping up.

I mean, I really like Apple Loosa because I really feel it was a throwback in a way, you know what I mean. It was it takes its time, and it's not a kind of cuts in it. It's not some act fast paced cut cut cut cut kind of deal. You know. It wasn't trying to be modern in any way. And that's what I like about the gin of myself. Yeah, it's very classical. Uh do you think it can maintain relevance in the modern climate, you know, because it's in

some ways it's I don't know, good question. I mean, it's it's an honor that always wrangles with what's going on contemporarily in some way anyway, right, Like it's it's it always seems like the best Western good and evil. Yeah, basically sure, Yeah, you know, good guys trying to overcome the bad guys pretty universal, and there was a miss this. There's another anniversary going on this year that you're involved in. Twenty years since Truman show. Kay another Peter were joint.

If you go any any memories of that come come back. Just doing it, you know, and then meeting Peter on the beach in Malibu, not like only three or four days before I started filming, because I replaced another actor. You know that they didn't Peter and he didn't see eye to eye. So Peter asked me if I do this thing? And I had loved his films prior. You know that I've seen Picknicker Hanging Rock and uh, you know I thing he did with Harrison, Uh, you knows

Witness was tremendous and fearless. I love, yeah, yeah, with Jeff and so yeah, I was excited. You know. I didn't have much time to think about it, which was probably a good thing. I just kind of went in there and did it. It's a perfect little movie. I mean I saw it, and I say a little because it's so tight. I mean I'll watched it again a couple of weeks ago. Actually, No, it's very contained. He's

a wonderful filmmaker. I know he was kind of I'm pretty I think he was pretty devastated by the way The Way Back was handled because the finance series basically pulled out of it. I mean, he've got I think mixed reviews. I don't read reviews, but I think it kind of got mixed notices in Toronto. And they didn't publicize it all in the stage. I mean, they put one ad and pay for the only nothing. I'm I was going to theater with a buddy on a Tuesday night.

We were the only people in the theater. You know, it's a good, good film man. The guys are totally thorough filmmaker, beautiful filmmaker. And I don't know what he's been doing since, because that The Way Back was was doing nine. It was almost ten years ago, and I don't think Peter has made another film since. I know. I hope he's working on something, though. I was lucky

enough to talk to him that year. I saw the film and Tell Your Right at the Film Festival, and uh, he was receiving a tribute that year, and uh, it's a pleasure to talk to him. Hopefully you guys can work together again, and I'd love to, you know. And so she's been on a roll since then. Yeah. Absolutely, yeah, she's growing up. Uh make sure I've covered everything. I mean, you're you're the kind of guy. If I don't pull out quickly, then we will end up talking about your

entire career. But please see Code of Chrome. It's gonna be on Netflix and hopefully at at a theater near you for a week anyway, And uh, Harris, thank you man. Thanks killing go to the theater and see it if you get a minute. I still wasn't Joey. Thanks Chris,