Voices on the Art Form

Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 So that process of revelation is what tells the story.

Yes, that's right. That's right. So I think, well I'll do this bit, and afterwards I discover that it was all this, and this, and this that was going on and I wasn't even aware of it. So I'm quite happy to work in what you would call the intuitive, or the unknown. I mean, I'm surrounded by people who know a lot, so if I was doing something wrong I'd encourage them to tell me. But I like not knowing certain things so that I have to learn them. It's often other people who tell you them, after you've finished the film.

It must feel very satisfying, because it's more than an art form. . . .

Yes, it's sort of life, really. It's taken me so by surprise! Because I didn't set out to be a film director. It's come as a surprise that there should be a job which suited my character.

Let's move on to The Hi Lo Country. How do feel about your understanding of the cowboy at this point?

Extremely nervous!

You've been observing cowboys working on the film crew, what they do, how they do it. . . .

Yes, but every day I learn something new. . . . I mean, I can see the really peculiar thing is why I'm in the middle of all this - walking around with all these people, this sort of English fellow.

How did it start with you? How did you get involved in the project?

Scorsese sent me Max's book, and I said, "Well, I don't know how you make films like this, but if you can find someone who'll teach me". . . . they said we'd better find a writer, and they sent me a list of writers. Walon Green came up, and I said "Well, he wrote The Wild Bunch, he's wonderful." And then Walon came on, with Max, and Walon wrote the script - well, you were there - I said "You'd better go and show me the country," so they took me up there. I didn't know what we were doing in Des Moines!

Well now, I can see there's a difference between the Cook Ranch and Las Vegas, and a difference between Las Vegas and Des Moines. . . . It's taken me this long to understand all of it. I can look at the land at the Cook Ranch and I can see that it's different. But I remember when Max started talking I didn't know what he was talking about.

Anything else about "Hi Lo"?

No, except that it's the most eccentric thing I've ever done. I've never done anything so bizarre.

. . . Tomorrow, when I say, "Action!" and the cattle start to move, it'll make me laugh so much! You know, you can't believe you're in the middle of it all, really.

How large a herd will it be tomorrow?

Six hundred fifty. Is that enough? Is that a lot? . . . The prairie is so huge that I worry the cattle will get lost. But since I have to learn which end of a cow is which. . . .

You'll find out how good your wranglers are.

I love the wranglers. You say, well, I'm going to film a cattle drive and they sort of look at you with their eyes out on stalks. Find out tomorrow!