Los Angeles Journal


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2008-03-13

by John Esther

Interview: Writer-director David Gordon Green

Summary

Film explores love along the ages

Article

For the past eight years David Gordon Green has been a quiet, sturdy presence among the independent filmmaking scene. Making quality films about ordinary people caught up in extraordinary circumstances of their own demise, writer-director Green’s George Washington, All the Real Girls and Undertow are such obvious precursors to Snow Angels it seems redundant to offer anything more than a brief synopsis of his fourth film.

Based on Stewart O’Nan’s novel, Snow Angels opens with a high school marching band working out Peter Gabriel’s sexual-symbolic song, "Sledgehammer." The bandleader Mr. Chervnick (Tom Noonan) rants and raves at the students’ lack of musical expertise. It is a comical scene cut short by gunfire in the distance.

Considering what follows between three couples – Annie (Kate Beckinsale) and Glenn (Sam Rockwell), Louise (Jeannetta Arnette) and Don (Griffin Dunne), Arthur (Michael Angarano) and Lila (Olivia Thirlby) -- at three different stages of their love lives, Snow Angels seems to be saying, “You have had your laugh. Now get ready to feel the angst of amour.”

In this exclusive interview we talked to Green about the film, directing Kate Beckinsale, Hollywood, his upcoming film and his environment.

Los Angeles Journal: Why did you want to make this film?
David Gordon Green: Ultimately I saw it as an ensemble piece to get great actors together – doing something we could all disappear into, go up north and play in the snow, and bring some interesting characters to live that illustrated intertwining love stories.

LAJ: Were there a lot of rehearsals?
DGG: We shot a lot spontaneously. There were no rehearsals per se. We didn’t sit around talking about it a lot. I really don’t like sticking to the script so much so I didn’t want anybody getting too attached to it.

LAJ: We often think of Kate Beckinsale as a very pristine looking woman who has been associated with high-profile glossy movies like Pearl Harbor, Underworld and Van Hesling. What did you do to allow people to forget they were looking at Kate Beckinsale and focus on her character?
DGG: I sort of let her lose and said, “What’s in your closet?” I basically asked her honest questions. There’s no denying her beauty but we weren’t trying to do some massive transformation. We were just trying to strip it down and give it a little salt and keep her on earth.

LAJ: The characters are rather upset with their world. How do they serve as a microcosm for Americans at large?
DGG: Arthur and Lila are the young couple who have hope and optimism. Looking at any tragedy or disaster or error in judgment or frustration or personal sacrifice backward is where the best education comes from, which is Louise and Don. You can look at that in an epic sense in terms of where we are universally in the country or you can look at it on an intimate sense.

LAJ: The film is set up where the biggest laugh comes at the beginning. While there are a few chuckles afterward the film becomes increasingly morose. What larger narrative goals were you after since you must have known the audience or depressing way? I do not mean that in a negative way; if you had a happy ending I would have found that depressing.
DGG: [Laughs] Me too. But you’ve got to have the light. You’ve got to have the humor, the escape of these innocent eyes, of that youthful anxiety. In terms of narrative I just tried to give the youth something to think about. Give them realistic scenarios. Some couples are happier together flaws and all – like Arthur’s parents. Some are not. It’s a cautionary tale for Arthur and Lila. It’s a downward spiral seen through youthful eyes and hopefully they can bring value from it.

LAJ: Why did you use the sexually metaphorical song, "Sledgehammer," as the opening track?
DGG: It has a thematic and comedic parallel to a lot of the story. Emotionally and sexually, as you say, I didn’t want to have something that hit it on the nose, but had those suggestive qualities. It’s the kind of song to hear a half-assed band tooting around about.

LAJ: Your next film, starring Seth Rogen and James Franco, Pineapple Express, has been labeled an “action comedy.” What does that mean and what can you tell us about the film?
DGG: It’s kind of this homage to the ‘80s movies that we love -- from Scott Baio comedies to Sylvester Stallone action movies. It’s a wild ride that’s highly improvised.

LAJ: In light of your reputation as someone who tells stark character-driven films, how did you manage to persuade the powers that be you could take on something a bit more commercial?
DGG: We were very interested in forming to similar processes from two very different universes. The more we got together and talked about it the more it turned into fireworks. So we jumped into it and had a good time with it.

LAJ: You come from Arkansas, you lived in Texas, you now live in New Orleans and you set this film in Minnesota. How comfortable are you with Hollywood?
DGG: [Laughs]. I know my way around town but I’m looking forward to going home.

LAJ: Lastly, what do you think about these interviews where you talk about your work? Does it serve the work? Should the work speak for itself?
DGG: In the marketplace today the work needs the exposure of people projecting their voice and word of mouth and embracing the media rather than running from them. This film is not a concept that’s going to be sprayed up on Hollywood Boulevard sign. It’s going to be people writing thoughtful things and having contemplative talks after seeing the movie and letting their buddies know it’s something worth checking out.

LAJ: Beyond the marketing necessity, do you find value when directors discuss their works?
DGG: I do. Certainly as a movie fan I enjoy commentaries and learn quite a bit from the experience. It’s great because I’m at a point right now where I have a lot of friends going off in new directions and learning from each other and calling each other and using each other as a resource and a sounding board. I work in a very collaborative way so it’s very helpful to learn from peoples’ frustrations, mistakes and pitfalls. We’re able to maintain an environment that inspires us to make movies as much as when we were 8 years old when we decided we wanted to do this shit.