1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:04,080 Speaker 1: This is Alec Baldwin and you're listening to Here's the Thing. 2 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:08,280 Speaker 1: It's awards season and we're re listening to some of 3 00:00:08,280 --> 00:00:12,920 Speaker 1: our interviews with Oscar winners. Here's Spike Lee. He won 4 00:00:13,039 --> 00:00:17,119 Speaker 1: his first competitive Oscar last year for the screenplay of 5 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:23,880 Speaker 1: Black Klansmen. This was thirty years after Do the Right Thing. Everybody, 6 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:30,520 Speaker 1: welcome Alec Baldwin and Spike Lee. I've been trying to 7 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:33,440 Speaker 1: get Spike Lee on this program for a long time. 8 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:36,880 Speaker 1: Finally we made it happen in front of a live 9 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:42,000 Speaker 1: audience at this year's Trebeca Film Festival. The deal was 10 00:00:42,159 --> 00:00:45,280 Speaker 1: we would each engage the other in a discussion about 11 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:48,560 Speaker 1: one of our favorite movies of all time. Just listing 12 00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 1: Spike Lee's films should be enough to establish his place 13 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:56,080 Speaker 1: as one of the deans of American movie making. Do 14 00:00:56,200 --> 00:01:00,200 Speaker 1: the Right Thing, Malcolm X, Jungle Fever, She's gotta of It. 15 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 1: They defined what it means to be black in America 16 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:07,720 Speaker 1: and help Spike smash through Hollywood's racial glass ceiling. And 17 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:12,200 Speaker 1: he's still at it with this year's festival favorite, Black Klansmen, 18 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 1: in which I make an appearance alongside stars John David 19 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:20,839 Speaker 1: Washington and Adam Driver and now our conversation at Spring 20 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:24,640 Speaker 1: Studios in New York as part of the Rebeca Film Festival. 21 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:28,360 Speaker 1: We didn't rehearse any of this. First of all, let 22 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:30,679 Speaker 1: me just explain to you what a pain in the 23 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 1: acid is. To get him on the phone. It is 24 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:37,479 Speaker 1: so painful. Pull him and text him and text him 25 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:41,039 Speaker 1: really sunny. He calls me back like six music. What's up? 26 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 1: If I see a number on my phone, I don't 27 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:51,080 Speaker 1: know the number, I don't pick up and he has 28 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 1: four numbers. Tell me. I mean what I want to 29 00:01:56,360 --> 00:02:00,360 Speaker 1: know first is because I think this is helps you know, 30 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:03,520 Speaker 1: these kinds of origins help us understand this kind of 31 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:07,280 Speaker 1: film appreciation. What was movie going in your life when 32 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 1: you were young, when you were a child, tell us 33 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:12,240 Speaker 1: where you grew up, what kind of household you grew 34 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:14,960 Speaker 1: up in, and what was the whole TV movie dynamic 35 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:17,120 Speaker 1: in terms of your consumption of that kind of stuff 36 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:18,959 Speaker 1: when you were a child. I even I never knew 37 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:21,280 Speaker 1: that you could even make a film growing up. I 38 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 1: grew up in the Republic of Brooklyn. We were the 39 00:02:25,919 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 1: first black family to move into cobble Hill, which is 40 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:32,680 Speaker 1: a predominant town in American Navy because cobbles right by 41 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:38,360 Speaker 1: the docks, and the docks were Italian American, and uh, 42 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 1: we got called nigga a couple of times first week. 43 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:45,000 Speaker 1: But once my friends sold them, weren't a hundred of 44 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:48,120 Speaker 1: other black families moved in behind me. Then we were 45 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:50,120 Speaker 1: just cool after that. So none after that, and then 46 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 1: we my mother decide we gotta stop paying rents, so 47 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 1: we bought a brown still a fourth Green, for forty 48 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:03,639 Speaker 1: five thousand dollars. They go for four million. Now what 49 00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:07,200 Speaker 1: year was up? Sixty eight? My father grew up in 50 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 1: four Queen on St. James's Place in Fulton's So I 51 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:17,080 Speaker 1: remember you now you're a pain in the ask then too, 52 00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:19,480 Speaker 1: I couldn't get you on the phone back in sixty 53 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:25,680 Speaker 1: eight either you were in four Green and sixty eight 54 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:31,080 Speaker 1: because white flight had happened by then, people will move 55 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:38,440 Speaker 1: to Long Island. But what's the first movie you saw 56 00:03:38,480 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 1: on the big screen? The first movie I can remember, 57 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 1: my mother took me to see really quick. My father 58 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:49,680 Speaker 1: hated movies, but he loves sports. I got my love 59 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 1: of sports from my father. My mother loves movies, but 60 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:56,240 Speaker 1: my since my father hated movies, I was my mother's 61 00:03:56,520 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 1: movie date. The first film I can remember my mother 62 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:02,640 Speaker 1: took my late mother take me to. She took me 63 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 1: for Eastern Sunday raistic musical. So Bye Bye Birdie. And 64 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:12,880 Speaker 1: here's the thing though, that film impact me so much 65 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 1: I even know it. The opening credit sequence will do 66 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:18,760 Speaker 1: the right thing, Rosie pres dancing. That came from Bye 67 00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:23,359 Speaker 1: Bye Birdie and Margaret. That's where it came from. And 68 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:26,400 Speaker 1: I mustn't. I must have been like seven eight years old, 69 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:30,560 Speaker 1: but it just came out of nowhere? Did I mean? 70 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:32,560 Speaker 1: This is a cliche, I guess, But did that do 71 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 1: something to you the first time you saw a movie 72 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:37,520 Speaker 1: on a big screen? Did you sit there and go yeah? 73 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:41,599 Speaker 1: But I didn't want them. It's not like at that moment, 74 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 1: but it was not who who? Who makes a movie? 75 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:50,760 Speaker 1: So growing up, I wanted to play a second base 76 00:04:50,839 --> 00:04:53,840 Speaker 1: for New York Mets, but genetics conspired against that happening. 77 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:57,520 Speaker 1: That's where I changed over to the Yankees. But anyway, 78 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:02,320 Speaker 1: I want to to be a porn star, but against 79 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:08,720 Speaker 1: that too, So I'm I grew up wanted to be 80 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:12,800 Speaker 1: a filmmaker. But I remember my mother taking me to 81 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:17,360 Speaker 1: see uh Main Streets when Bunny and Clyde came out. 82 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:21,440 Speaker 1: I said, can I go? She said, I'm not taking you. 83 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:25,279 Speaker 1: I went to see Buying Clyde. I had nightmares for 84 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:28,800 Speaker 1: two weeks because I mean, up to that point there 85 00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:32,279 Speaker 1: was never violent shown like that, and that that shook 86 00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:38,080 Speaker 1: me for two weeks was groundbreaking the Penn. But the 87 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:42,000 Speaker 1: reason why I chose On the Ward from besides is 88 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:44,760 Speaker 1: one of the greatest films ever, is because I became 89 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:48,560 Speaker 1: very friendly with Bud Schilberg, the great Great Bud Show. 90 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:57,599 Speaker 1: I called him up. You know, back then, you called 91 00:05:57,640 --> 00:06:03,479 Speaker 1: people up. I called Stanly Dining up, Colcazan up. You 92 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:05,600 Speaker 1: get people on the phone. People don't realize how much 93 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 1: that happens in this business. And you know, I was 94 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:11,279 Speaker 1: a young filmmaker, so you know. And and in fact, 95 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:15,240 Speaker 1: I called Billy Waller up. He said, come on over. 96 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:17,960 Speaker 1: And Craig and I had anything my go at people. 97 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:19,760 Speaker 1: I got my posters too, So I got my postes, 98 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:24,720 Speaker 1: you know, just the the sign but both But But 99 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:27,400 Speaker 1: and I we worked on the script together, and but 100 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:33,919 Speaker 1: lived to be ninety four or five. But when he 101 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:38,400 Speaker 1: was ninety we wrote a script together called Say's Joe 102 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:41,400 Speaker 1: Lewis about this relationship. Between Joe Louis and Max Schmollen 103 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:45,159 Speaker 1: and his in In the last two years of life. 104 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:47,120 Speaker 1: He would call me every week and say, Spike, did 105 00:06:47,120 --> 00:06:50,120 Speaker 1: you get the money yet? Did you get the money yet? 106 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:51,720 Speaker 1: Because I had promised him that I was gonna make 107 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:54,479 Speaker 1: this film before we passed. I'm gonna make that promise happen. 108 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:57,080 Speaker 1: But we just couldn't get together up. But it's amazing 109 00:06:57,080 --> 00:07:02,120 Speaker 1: as an epic has Hitler Girl Rules f dr on 110 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:07,920 Speaker 1: the Roosevelt, lenel Horn, Joe Louis, Max s mellon Shore, 111 00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:11,440 Speaker 1: the Ray Robinson. I mean, it's it's uh, let me 112 00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:13,400 Speaker 1: get it done one day. You know. I'm missing now 113 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:15,960 Speaker 1: when you when you talk about it in the same 114 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:19,200 Speaker 1: as in my life where I would watch movies and 115 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 1: I thought that movie stars were harvested on another planet 116 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:24,640 Speaker 1: and they flew them down here or something, you know. 117 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:28,120 Speaker 1: I I the idea that myself or anybody like me 118 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:30,440 Speaker 1: could get into the movie business was just absurd, you 119 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:33,160 Speaker 1: know to me. And when did that change for you? 120 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:36,800 Speaker 1: Meaning when did moviemaking become a direction that you wanted 121 00:07:36,840 --> 00:07:39,040 Speaker 1: to set sailing? Oh? When I went to college and 122 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:42,360 Speaker 1: went to Morouse College in Atlanta, Georgia and my first 123 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:47,240 Speaker 1: two years the house. My first two years, I was 124 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:55,679 Speaker 1: the C plus D minor student. What was your major? 125 00:07:56,240 --> 00:07:58,680 Speaker 1: I didn't have a major at that point, and so 126 00:07:59,080 --> 00:08:03,160 Speaker 1: before second semester ended, the ended. In my souphomayen, it's 127 00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:05,360 Speaker 1: trying to go back to New York. But if some 128 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:07,560 Speaker 1: of my advisor told him we had to choose a 129 00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:10,800 Speaker 1: major when I come back in the fall, And I 130 00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:14,120 Speaker 1: said why and my advisors said, because you have exhausted 131 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:19,240 Speaker 1: all your electives. So I came back to New York 132 00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:21,560 Speaker 1: and it was a summer ninth. There was an infamous 133 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:27,040 Speaker 1: summer nineteen seventy seven. The Yankees won the World Series. 134 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:31,880 Speaker 1: The first summer disco heat was horrible. Therefore you had 135 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 1: the blackout and you had David Berker. It's not the 136 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:43,000 Speaker 1: stand so it's amazing. Many minutes later I wrote the 137 00:08:43,040 --> 00:08:47,480 Speaker 1: Corona Script with the Michael Creole and Victor Clochio called 138 00:08:47,520 --> 00:08:52,400 Speaker 1: the Summer sam But anyway, New York City was broke 139 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:55,640 Speaker 1: that summer. There's a famous Daily News front page forward 140 00:08:55,640 --> 00:09:00,800 Speaker 1: to New York dropped dead. There you go. You up 141 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:03,440 Speaker 1: to that point, if you had your workers permit, you 142 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:06,680 Speaker 1: get the job doing something. But there were no jobs 143 00:09:06,679 --> 00:09:09,880 Speaker 1: in New York City and I and I didn't want 144 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:12,360 Speaker 1: to spend the whole summer playing strata matic baseball on 145 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:17,160 Speaker 1: my stoop. So as a still my friend today. Her 146 00:09:17,200 --> 00:09:19,240 Speaker 1: name is if you had to Johnston. She was very smart. 147 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 1: She if you go to Stifers and you had to 148 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:25,000 Speaker 1: be smart. The test for New York City was Brooklyn Tech, 149 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:29,960 Speaker 1: Science and Stuyverson. Brooklyn Tech was it might down the 150 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:34,559 Speaker 1: block for me here science and stops. She got in 151 00:09:34,679 --> 00:09:38,600 Speaker 1: the I mean she was smart. So one day and 152 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:41,720 Speaker 1: I swear my mother's grave this this was not a mistake. 153 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:46,360 Speaker 1: I was sitting on my stoop nothing to do, and 154 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:50,400 Speaker 1: the spirit told me and got cit Vieta. So I 155 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:56,200 Speaker 1: went to her house. She lived at University Towers on Waverley, No, Willoughby, 156 00:09:56,280 --> 00:10:00,360 Speaker 1: and uh will it will it be in Asheville Cross 157 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:04,200 Speaker 1: Street from l I U. So she's studying, I mean 158 00:10:04,360 --> 00:10:07,040 Speaker 1: she's studying the whole summer. And so there's a box 159 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:10,439 Speaker 1: in the corner of the room. And I said, what's that. 160 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:13,599 Speaker 1: She said, that's a super eight camera. You can have it. 161 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:18,200 Speaker 1: I said, was another box? She said, that's the stupid 162 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:20,640 Speaker 1: that's the cartridge of the super eight that goes into 163 00:10:20,679 --> 00:10:22,880 Speaker 1: the thing says you can have it. I'm gonna be 164 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:26,520 Speaker 1: a doctor, so I don't need this. She is a 165 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:29,400 Speaker 1: doctor now. She went to Princeton undergrad and with the 166 00:10:29,440 --> 00:10:34,760 Speaker 1: halready med school. So that was not a mistake for 167 00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:37,520 Speaker 1: me to go VI at his house that day. So 168 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:41,559 Speaker 1: now it had so now there's something to do. So 169 00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:45,199 Speaker 1: I spent the whole summer not trying to be a filmmaker, 170 00:10:45,280 --> 00:10:48,719 Speaker 1: but just shooting stuff. So I shot the Blackout. It 171 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:51,840 Speaker 1: was the first summer discos. Every weekend there's a block 172 00:10:51,920 --> 00:10:56,440 Speaker 1: part in DJs will hook them their turntables and speakers 173 00:10:56,480 --> 00:10:59,439 Speaker 1: to the thing and then uh, it was just a 174 00:10:59,520 --> 00:11:02,679 Speaker 1: crazy him. So I came back to school in the 175 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:05,599 Speaker 1: fall and declared my major's being a mask municse is 176 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:08,360 Speaker 1: a major. Now more House didn't have that major, so 177 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:12,680 Speaker 1: I so I took mastercations across the street at Clark College. 178 00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:17,000 Speaker 1: So you had Spellman, Morehouse, Clark College, Atlanta University, and 179 00:11:17,080 --> 00:11:20,280 Speaker 1: Morris Brown these all black institutions really in the same 180 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:24,280 Speaker 1: mary in Atlanta. And there's a teacher. There's there's a professor, 181 00:11:24,360 --> 00:11:28,120 Speaker 1: his name is Dr Herbiker Burger, still teaching there and 182 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:32,080 Speaker 1: I told him I had this film I just shot 183 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:33,600 Speaker 1: from footage. I don't know what to do with. They said, 184 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:35,439 Speaker 1: you make up feel with it, so mass much case 185 00:11:35,559 --> 00:11:43,520 Speaker 1: is quickly with film, TV, journalism and broadcast, and he said, 186 00:11:44,480 --> 00:11:47,200 Speaker 1: make a documentary. To make a documentary of the film. 187 00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:50,840 Speaker 1: The film end up being called Last House in Brooklyn. 188 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:54,680 Speaker 1: I worked all semester on it, and then many times 189 00:11:55,640 --> 00:11:58,320 Speaker 1: when he had he had the key to the film lab, 190 00:11:59,840 --> 00:12:04,160 Speaker 1: and twice a week he would stay extra. So I 191 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:06,400 Speaker 1: guess spent another four hours edited and he wasn't getting 192 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:09,120 Speaker 1: paid for it either. Extra. Why do you think he 193 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:11,880 Speaker 1: did that? He saw some mammy I didn't see right. 194 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:14,200 Speaker 1: What did he see in you that you didn't see? 195 00:12:18,040 --> 00:12:20,960 Speaker 1: I don't know. I never asked him that teaches are 196 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:23,679 Speaker 1: so important. I mean, I think you're going to somebody 197 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:30,840 Speaker 1: giving you a hand. Explain that, by the way, because 198 00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:32,800 Speaker 1: I mean, I don't want to just kiss your butt 199 00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:34,480 Speaker 1: here all day, all night long, but because that's very 200 00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:36,400 Speaker 1: easy to do. I mean, let's listen, I'm gonna get 201 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:38,920 Speaker 1: I don't wanna get emotional here. But like in this business, 202 00:12:39,559 --> 00:12:41,400 Speaker 1: there's just something. I mean, you look at people who 203 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:44,360 Speaker 1: are talented, and you really, it just it humbles you, 204 00:12:45,040 --> 00:12:47,480 Speaker 1: it quiets you. You know, this man is one of 205 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:50,360 Speaker 1: the greatest movie makers of the last fifty or seventy 206 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:52,800 Speaker 1: five years. In this kind thank you, thank you, expends 207 00:12:52,800 --> 00:12:56,839 Speaker 1: one of the greatest filmmakers alive. Thank you ever. And 208 00:12:57,040 --> 00:13:00,240 Speaker 1: so when you that mentorship thing, to explain it people, 209 00:13:00,240 --> 00:13:02,800 Speaker 1: which even was news to me up until recently. You 210 00:13:02,880 --> 00:13:05,720 Speaker 1: don't guest teach. You're on the faculty. You teacher course 211 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:08,480 Speaker 1: every year for how many years now going on five 212 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:14,199 Speaker 1: team years. I'm a tenure film professor. You're gonna get 213 00:13:14,200 --> 00:13:17,040 Speaker 1: a paid check man, fantastic, No, he had paid now. 214 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:21,520 Speaker 1: But the thing is that both my children went to 215 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:27,719 Speaker 1: n y U, so that tuition ain't no joke. But 216 00:13:28,559 --> 00:13:32,000 Speaker 1: my mother was a teacher, my late mother, she taught 217 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:35,439 Speaker 1: us Saint Ann's and broken heights on the legendary seven balls. 218 00:13:36,440 --> 00:13:43,319 Speaker 1: None of my grandmother taught My grandmother's grandma was a slave. Yes, 219 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:47,280 Speaker 1: she graduated from Spellman. My mother, my mother graduated from Spellman, 220 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:51,040 Speaker 1: My grandmother graduated Spellman, my father and grand my father 221 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:55,000 Speaker 1: and grandfather graduated from Warhouse. My father's a freshman Dr 222 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:57,439 Speaker 1: Market came was a senior Martin became the third and 223 00:13:57,480 --> 00:14:01,280 Speaker 1: our classmates the class seventy nine. But my grandmother taught 224 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:05,800 Speaker 1: art the fifty years in Atlanta, George and fifty years 225 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:08,880 Speaker 1: she never had one white student because of the Jim 226 00:14:08,960 --> 00:14:12,400 Speaker 1: Crow laws and and and in the South, specifically in 227 00:14:12,440 --> 00:14:15,880 Speaker 1: Atlanta and the fifty years, white students missed on the 228 00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:20,240 Speaker 1: great art teacher. And my mother, my grandmother fifty years 229 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:25,400 Speaker 1: saved their social Security checks for grandchildren education. So since 230 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:29,520 Speaker 1: that was the first grandchild, she put me through more 231 00:14:29,560 --> 00:14:33,920 Speaker 1: house and n y U just accumulation of the Social 232 00:14:33,920 --> 00:14:39,320 Speaker 1: Security checks over fifty years. M and she gave me 233 00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:43,880 Speaker 1: the seed money for my my thesis film, Joe's bestse Barbershop. 234 00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:46,720 Speaker 1: We cult head one which wanted student Cammy Ward and 235 00:14:47,040 --> 00:14:48,600 Speaker 1: a little bit money for us. She's gonna have it 236 00:14:48,680 --> 00:14:51,880 Speaker 1: the first film. But but even more important than the money, 237 00:14:52,280 --> 00:14:54,040 Speaker 1: and we gotta go, we gotta talk about the films, 238 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:58,840 Speaker 1: even more important. And here's the thing, though, here's what 239 00:14:58,920 --> 00:15:01,200 Speaker 1: I say when I when I in public, I always 240 00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:06,640 Speaker 1: say this, parents kill more dreams than anybody, so just 241 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:10,720 Speaker 1: specifically if those dreams that their children have had to 242 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:15,760 Speaker 1: do with the arts. So I grew up in a 243 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:19,120 Speaker 1: very artistic family. So when I said my tory, but 244 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:22,240 Speaker 1: I wanted to be a filmmaker, nobody said, get the 245 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:25,160 Speaker 1: funk out of you're crazy. No black filmmakers. You know, 246 00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:28,520 Speaker 1: Melvin was not around anymore. I wasn't making films Ozzie Daves, 247 00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:31,120 Speaker 1: Oscar Show, Oscar Showman Dead for many of me the years. 248 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:37,640 Speaker 1: But I only got encouragement. And so often when a 249 00:15:37,840 --> 00:15:41,400 Speaker 1: child a young adult tells their parents, you know what, 250 00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:47,960 Speaker 1: what are you gonna make? Dream? Poetry, ballet, dance, photography, 251 00:15:48,080 --> 00:15:52,080 Speaker 1: whatever it is, they're like now their black parents goes 252 00:15:52,200 --> 00:15:56,280 Speaker 1: like this, as long as your monkey has as black 253 00:15:57,560 --> 00:16:01,920 Speaker 1: living in my house? Where am I clothes? Eat my food? 254 00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:06,360 Speaker 1: We we did. We didn't take out a second more 255 00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:09,640 Speaker 1: to go to house. And I mean they got some points, 256 00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:11,840 Speaker 1: you know, in my house that played out like this. 257 00:16:12,240 --> 00:16:15,320 Speaker 1: I'm going to GW to study political science. I go 258 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:17,640 Speaker 1: up to New York. Long story, but I go my 259 00:16:17,720 --> 00:16:20,720 Speaker 1: audition for the acting program and I get accepted, and 260 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:22,520 Speaker 1: I'm going to go to the n y U Acting program. 261 00:16:22,560 --> 00:16:25,560 Speaker 1: And I explained to my parents how it's actually gonna 262 00:16:25,640 --> 00:16:28,240 Speaker 1: cost less for me to go to n y U, 263 00:16:28,280 --> 00:16:31,200 Speaker 1: even though it's more expensive school because I requalified for 264 00:16:31,240 --> 00:16:35,320 Speaker 1: all this New York state based loans and scholarships, region scholarship, 265 00:16:35,360 --> 00:16:37,480 Speaker 1: things that I forfeited when I went to Washington. So 266 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:40,200 Speaker 1: I called my family and I say, I'm gonna leave 267 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 1: g W. I'm not gonna go to law school. I'm 268 00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:43,840 Speaker 1: gonna go to n y U and study acting. And 269 00:16:43,960 --> 00:16:46,480 Speaker 1: my mother, I means, she screamed like a heart, like 270 00:16:46,640 --> 00:16:48,920 Speaker 1: like like Jamie Lee Curtis in a horror movie. She 271 00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:50,400 Speaker 1: was like. My mother was like, are you out of 272 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:54,520 Speaker 1: your insane? She's screaming, and I go, no, no, I 273 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:56,720 Speaker 1: go listen. I go, it's gonna cost you guys less money. 274 00:16:56,840 --> 00:16:58,560 Speaker 1: And my father, let's hear him out. Let's hear him 275 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:07,280 Speaker 1: out here about director Spike Lee. He also teaches in 276 00:17:07,359 --> 00:17:10,560 Speaker 1: the graduate film program at n y U. And when 277 00:17:10,680 --> 00:17:14,240 Speaker 1: we return, we'll do some analysis on our chosen films. 278 00:17:14,640 --> 00:17:26,800 Speaker 1: A place in the sun and on the waterfront. I'm 279 00:17:26,840 --> 00:17:30,520 Speaker 1: Alec Baldwin and you're listening to here's the thing now, 280 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:33,600 Speaker 1: more of my conversation in front of a live audience 281 00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:38,080 Speaker 1: at the Rebeca Film Festival with director Spike Lee. Your 282 00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:41,159 Speaker 1: films obviously deal with a lot of themes of racial 283 00:17:41,240 --> 00:17:44,639 Speaker 1: injustice and so forth and struggle are themes that are 284 00:17:44,720 --> 00:17:48,720 Speaker 1: in your own films? Are they in Waterfront as well? Yeah? 285 00:17:49,040 --> 00:17:53,480 Speaker 1: Amazon Anderson Cooper. When this whole thing was Happenel Kaepernick 286 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:56,960 Speaker 1: and I watched on a Ward from again for the 287 00:17:57,000 --> 00:18:00,840 Speaker 1: million times, and the stuff that Nick was saying with 288 00:18:00,960 --> 00:18:05,359 Speaker 1: the same stuff that did. Marlon Brando was saying, I 289 00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:11,480 Speaker 1: want my rights. And you can see the mob who's 290 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:14,399 Speaker 1: an NFL owner, because you have when you have the 291 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:18,160 Speaker 1: shape up. He had the things that guy was giving 292 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:24,080 Speaker 1: out and here here's the motherfucker here in the scene 293 00:18:24,960 --> 00:18:27,720 Speaker 1: to get under work the guy, the steward, whatever he 294 00:18:27,760 --> 00:18:31,480 Speaker 1: has to give you, like a coin. And so after 295 00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:37,240 Speaker 1: Marlon Brando, Terry Malloyd testifies against Lee J. Cobb friend 296 00:18:37,359 --> 00:18:41,320 Speaker 1: Johnny Friendly, he he says, fuck it, I'm going back 297 00:18:41,359 --> 00:18:46,040 Speaker 1: to work. So we standing there and they're giving out 298 00:18:46,080 --> 00:18:50,280 Speaker 1: a coin to everybody, and then there's nobody there and 299 00:18:50,359 --> 00:18:55,640 Speaker 1: there's some rummy, some bump who's has his hands over 300 00:18:56,160 --> 00:19:01,600 Speaker 1: there and he put in it's so I'm saying, the NFL, 301 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:07,040 Speaker 1: these motherfucker's higher montherfucking quarterbacks who were horrible. So what 302 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:10,360 Speaker 1: they did the TERMINI they were doing the Kaepernick. They 303 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:12,480 Speaker 1: were I don't want to say the guy's name. The 304 00:19:12,520 --> 00:19:17,440 Speaker 1: guy had retired Chicago Bears quarterback. Go ahead say his 305 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:23,000 Speaker 1: name here. They took him my retirement, gave him a 306 00:19:23,080 --> 00:19:27,480 Speaker 1: ten million dollar contract. He was horrible, and Kaepernick still 307 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:32,720 Speaker 1: can't get a job. So it was amazing. I mean, 308 00:19:32,960 --> 00:19:37,480 Speaker 1: but Schilberg was a visionary, and when I saw what 309 00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:39,720 Speaker 1: they were doing, the term malloy was the same thing 310 00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:44,760 Speaker 1: that was doing the Kaepernick. I think that there's a 311 00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:47,560 Speaker 1: lot of legend and lore about that film, and you know, 312 00:19:47,920 --> 00:19:51,600 Speaker 1: these stories of everybody's heard a million times about Brando 313 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:55,520 Speaker 1: doesn't do the off camera for Er and all that crap, 314 00:19:55,600 --> 00:19:56,879 Speaker 1: and you know, all that stuff which is not that 315 00:19:56,960 --> 00:20:01,320 Speaker 1: important is the movie about because ends mea culpa for 316 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:04,600 Speaker 1: you know, ratting him. I'm glad what I've done to you, 317 00:20:04,760 --> 00:20:07,040 Speaker 1: John Friendly, I'm gonna keep on doing it, he says, 318 00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:09,560 Speaker 1: you know, you know that that no apologies for that. 319 00:20:09,960 --> 00:20:12,240 Speaker 1: But for me, it's like, uh, you know, Brandon was 320 00:20:12,320 --> 00:20:16,000 Speaker 1: someone who was did you know, Yeah, I met Brandon 321 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:18,920 Speaker 1: one time. I was gonna do I was in this 322 00:20:19,119 --> 00:20:22,960 Speaker 1: wheel of my life where c you know, CBS was 323 00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:25,400 Speaker 1: gonna pay people big money to do these m ow's 324 00:20:25,400 --> 00:20:27,439 Speaker 1: the old m o W we're gonna do? We did. 325 00:20:27,520 --> 00:20:29,439 Speaker 1: I did street Car on Broadway, which we wound up 326 00:20:29,480 --> 00:20:33,520 Speaker 1: doing on uh for TV. No no, no, no, no that, 327 00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:35,119 Speaker 1: but we do we do a street Car and bro 328 00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:36,840 Speaker 1: we were on TV. But that was a waste of time. 329 00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:38,840 Speaker 1: But they paid everybody a lot of money. But like, 330 00:20:38,960 --> 00:20:40,560 Speaker 1: why do it from TV when it's in the in 331 00:20:40,640 --> 00:20:43,159 Speaker 1: the movie? His movie? And so I go see him 332 00:20:43,160 --> 00:20:45,000 Speaker 1: because they want to do Canton a huntin Roof and 333 00:20:45,040 --> 00:20:46,520 Speaker 1: they want him to play Big Daddy, but they're not 334 00:20:46,560 --> 00:20:48,639 Speaker 1: going to insure him. Long story short, as I go 335 00:20:48,760 --> 00:20:50,320 Speaker 1: to his house, there's a true story. I go to 336 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:53,040 Speaker 1: his house up on Mulholland and I go there to 337 00:20:53,160 --> 00:20:56,160 Speaker 1: beg him to do Cottas and Roof if they will 338 00:20:56,320 --> 00:20:59,000 Speaker 1: ultimately insure, which they wouldn't. And I mean, I'll do 339 00:20:59,119 --> 00:21:02,840 Speaker 1: my my my tepid, brand new impersonation. But I said, uh, 340 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:07,320 Speaker 1: I said, uh, you know, I you know one thing 341 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:08,639 Speaker 1: led to whatever. I had lunch with her for four 342 00:21:08,720 --> 00:21:11,639 Speaker 1: hours and I said, uh, uh, you know, I did 343 00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:14,280 Speaker 1: Streetcar on Broadway. Uh, like it was like six or 344 00:21:14,320 --> 00:21:17,200 Speaker 1: seven years before. And then yeah, I heard about that 345 00:21:17,359 --> 00:21:20,480 Speaker 1: from some friends of mine that you did that. I 346 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:23,560 Speaker 1: heard you were very little, not yes, and I heard 347 00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:27,440 Speaker 1: you were very funny, and I wish I had done 348 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:29,879 Speaker 1: more of that because it's a very funny part, and 349 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:33,280 Speaker 1: the character of Stanley is very funny, and I wish 350 00:21:33,280 --> 00:21:35,480 Speaker 1: I had found more of the humor myself. And there's 351 00:21:35,480 --> 00:21:37,960 Speaker 1: a pause, and I went, but it worked out pretty 352 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:39,280 Speaker 1: well for you just to say it, don't you say, 353 00:21:39,920 --> 00:21:43,760 Speaker 1: I mean, I mean, I mean it went okay. Don't 354 00:21:43,760 --> 00:21:46,080 Speaker 1: you think how it went over, you know, in the 355 00:21:46,160 --> 00:21:49,800 Speaker 1: for the public, and uh, but it's uh, yeah, I 356 00:21:49,840 --> 00:21:51,760 Speaker 1: met him just that one time. And uh but but 357 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:55,000 Speaker 1: you see, he's interesting to me because there's a couple 358 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:57,639 Speaker 1: of guys. I mean, I'm gonna talk briefly about it 359 00:21:57,680 --> 00:22:00,200 Speaker 1: from the actor's standpoint, which which I can't out, but 360 00:22:00,600 --> 00:22:02,879 Speaker 1: you know, but Sheina was obviously a big beacon for me. 361 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:06,680 Speaker 1: And there's those moments. There's always a moment, uh, you know, 362 00:22:07,119 --> 00:22:10,280 Speaker 1: John Mandolph was in the hospital and Serprico has got 363 00:22:10,320 --> 00:22:13,240 Speaker 1: the bullet hole in his face. Uh, and John Mandolf 364 00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:15,240 Speaker 1: puts the gold Shield on him and he doesn't want 365 00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:18,159 Speaker 1: the gold Shield to become a detective. And finally he 366 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:21,280 Speaker 1: gets it in Macino. Just he erupts into this moment, 367 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:25,240 Speaker 1: this momentary sob this gasp of agony for just a 368 00:22:25,359 --> 00:22:28,440 Speaker 1: moment of his suffering. And I just thought to myself, 369 00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:30,399 Speaker 1: this is why I want al maybe want to be 370 00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:32,760 Speaker 1: an actor as much as anybody, as much as anybody, 371 00:22:33,080 --> 00:22:37,200 Speaker 1: but Gina was the one that maybe want. He was 372 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:39,960 Speaker 1: one of them, you know, Yead dog Day Surprico was 373 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:42,680 Speaker 1: one of my favorites. But and Brando to But Brando 374 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:46,600 Speaker 1: of course gets into that zone where he doesn't care. 375 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:48,520 Speaker 1: You know, he's a prodigy, and he puts all the 376 00:22:48,520 --> 00:22:51,080 Speaker 1: pieces together when he's twenty four years old. Brando did 377 00:22:51,160 --> 00:22:52,840 Speaker 1: Street Car and Brodery when it was twenty four. I 378 00:22:52,880 --> 00:22:57,080 Speaker 1: did it when I was thirty four. He I never 379 00:22:57,200 --> 00:22:59,359 Speaker 1: met him. You never did call me up two o'clock 380 00:22:59,400 --> 00:23:06,440 Speaker 1: in the morning and uh, I'm not gonna do imitational. 381 00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:09,639 Speaker 1: But he wanted me to do a film about Native Americans. 382 00:23:12,119 --> 00:23:16,640 Speaker 1: And I've never heard from after that. Well, well, he yeah, 383 00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:18,840 Speaker 1: and then I found lady. He would call people late, 384 00:23:19,520 --> 00:23:21,840 Speaker 1: but Tibody got my number and I unbelieve it was 385 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:23,800 Speaker 1: him at first. But my favorite line he said to 386 00:23:23,840 --> 00:23:26,040 Speaker 1: me was I sit in his house and I'm terrified 387 00:23:26,080 --> 00:23:28,919 Speaker 1: with him. I'm terrified, terrified. I meet people who are 388 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:32,119 Speaker 1: my peers, you know, and my generation of actors, and 389 00:23:32,359 --> 00:23:35,480 Speaker 1: I admire some of them incredibly, but it's different when 390 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:37,600 Speaker 1: you meet Kirk Douglas or Gregory Peck and some of 391 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:38,920 Speaker 1: these guys I met. I mean, I was like, I 392 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:41,520 Speaker 1: literally pissed my pants when I met Gregory Peck and 393 00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:45,480 Speaker 1: uh like almost literally and uh um and then I'll 394 00:23:45,480 --> 00:23:47,240 Speaker 1: never forget. I'm in Brando's house and he said to me, 395 00:23:47,280 --> 00:23:49,919 Speaker 1: he says, he says, you know, you and I are 396 00:23:50,040 --> 00:23:58,080 Speaker 1: like two dogs that are sniffing each other. He said, 397 00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:02,960 Speaker 1: You're sniffing me and I'm sniffing you. And he said, 398 00:24:03,359 --> 00:24:06,000 Speaker 1: and oh god, oh god, I hate that. I hate that. 399 00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:08,560 Speaker 1: He said, So you say whatever you want to say, 400 00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:10,760 Speaker 1: and I'll say whatever I want to say. I mean, 401 00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:13,800 Speaker 1: just really, he just didn't want anybody to play him. 402 00:24:14,359 --> 00:24:16,040 Speaker 1: He hated that, and I mean, and it was, it was. 403 00:24:16,240 --> 00:24:18,280 Speaker 1: It was an amazing day. I have a day I 404 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:22,639 Speaker 1: spent with him now. Um So in Waterfront. One of 405 00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:24,320 Speaker 1: the other things I love about this film is that 406 00:24:24,520 --> 00:24:27,200 Speaker 1: is that you know, Kauzan, having directed in the theater, 407 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:31,119 Speaker 1: he knew that you had to set the table with 408 00:24:31,359 --> 00:24:33,879 Speaker 1: every detail in terms of the acting in their performances 409 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:36,600 Speaker 1: that there was one week link in the chain. I'm 410 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:40,200 Speaker 1: talking about Fred Gwynn and I later wanted to play 411 00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:44,440 Speaker 1: Herman Munster with a small role Lee J. Cobb and 412 00:24:44,520 --> 00:24:47,000 Speaker 1: one of his greatest roles, one of the great great 413 00:24:47,119 --> 00:24:50,120 Speaker 1: great actors in history, Lee J. Cob Steiger, great great 414 00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:55,119 Speaker 1: actor Marie s her Firstrmory sat Of course, I mean 415 00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:58,800 Speaker 1: the the the acting is superlative from one end to 416 00:24:58,920 --> 00:25:01,119 Speaker 1: the other. In that cast. It's mind blowing and and 417 00:25:01,240 --> 00:25:04,399 Speaker 1: and uh two ton Tony Galento. You know it was 418 00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:08,920 Speaker 1: Bud that got all those xbox boxers in the film 419 00:25:08,920 --> 00:25:11,639 Speaker 1: because he knew them. Yeah, I mean just the acting 420 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:14,920 Speaker 1: is breathtaking. But also what I what I love is that. 421 00:25:15,359 --> 00:25:20,679 Speaker 1: Uh also what I love is it it's so nothing 422 00:25:20,760 --> 00:25:24,240 Speaker 1: on the screen really in terms of set design, in 423 00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:28,600 Speaker 1: terms of costume it's it literally is the closest I've 424 00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:31,919 Speaker 1: ever seen to a motion picture that behaves like radio. 425 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:36,239 Speaker 1: You only focus on the ideas, You're not thrown them 426 00:25:36,280 --> 00:25:38,320 Speaker 1: by a lot of pizzazz and a lot of shots 427 00:25:38,400 --> 00:25:41,040 Speaker 1: and a lot of it's so straight ahead and so honest. 428 00:25:41,359 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 1: You as a filmmaker. When you first saw the film, 429 00:25:44,119 --> 00:25:45,480 Speaker 1: what did you think of it as a movie? How 430 00:25:45,560 --> 00:25:48,399 Speaker 1: you put together a movie? I loved it, and I 431 00:25:48,520 --> 00:25:53,800 Speaker 1: gotta give love to Lennon Bernstein. Score amazing and for 432 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:57,560 Speaker 1: me is one. I know, we gotta get to your 433 00:25:57,640 --> 00:26:01,560 Speaker 1: your selection. But what it has for one of the 434 00:26:01,640 --> 00:26:07,399 Speaker 1: most amazing endings in the movie with the score. And 435 00:26:07,520 --> 00:26:10,440 Speaker 1: they brought in James Wang Hang the great photographer to 436 00:26:10,520 --> 00:26:14,200 Speaker 1: be in the Roller Skates. Boris Kaufman was the cinematographer. 437 00:26:14,359 --> 00:26:16,200 Speaker 1: But you said the brought in James Wang How I 438 00:26:16,240 --> 00:26:18,439 Speaker 1: didn't know that he did that shot? Wow, that's amazing. 439 00:26:18,600 --> 00:26:23,520 Speaker 1: Brando's peel vs walking towards the guy and you see 440 00:26:23,560 --> 00:26:27,360 Speaker 1: everybody goes and stumbles him. Everybody goes in behind him, 441 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:32,640 Speaker 1: and they see the gate clothes and you see, uh yeah, 442 00:26:32,760 --> 00:26:35,440 Speaker 1: called Maldon and you may even recently walk out. I 443 00:26:35,480 --> 00:26:41,680 Speaker 1: mean that that and a lot of great lines in 444 00:26:41,760 --> 00:26:48,080 Speaker 1: that movie that uh um. I still quote Brando whenever 445 00:26:48,359 --> 00:26:53,040 Speaker 1: my wife would say to me, you know, she'd said 446 00:26:53,040 --> 00:26:54,359 Speaker 1: to me, you know, when are you gonna take me 447 00:26:54,440 --> 00:26:56,159 Speaker 1: to dinner or whatever? The line buzz and you know, 448 00:26:56,240 --> 00:26:58,440 Speaker 1: Brando's got the line in the in the bar with 449 00:26:58,560 --> 00:27:01,320 Speaker 1: the gun, and he says, it's none of a business. 450 00:27:04,560 --> 00:27:06,200 Speaker 1: You have to say that line of people like that 451 00:27:06,359 --> 00:27:08,480 Speaker 1: will not work in the Lee household. Let me tell 452 00:27:08,520 --> 00:27:13,720 Speaker 1: you that it's none of a business. One of a 453 00:27:13,840 --> 00:27:22,080 Speaker 1: manuel business Lee. Uh No. Now, now, another person in 454 00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:24,040 Speaker 1: this film who I thought was that I really was 455 00:27:24,240 --> 00:27:26,840 Speaker 1: taken by was the art director. You know what I 456 00:27:26,920 --> 00:27:29,159 Speaker 1: do work, I do on TCM and things like that 457 00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:33,159 Speaker 1: where I get into these details. Richard Day, who did 458 00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:35,400 Speaker 1: the art direction on this film, was nominated. I think 459 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:38,000 Speaker 1: I don't have the statistics in front of me. He 460 00:27:38,119 --> 00:27:41,800 Speaker 1: was nominated for like nine Academy Awards and won many 461 00:27:41,880 --> 00:27:45,160 Speaker 1: Academy Awards for for a career that spanned from Dark 462 00:27:45,240 --> 00:27:49,399 Speaker 1: Angel and Dodsworth and dead End in the thirties and 463 00:27:49,680 --> 00:27:55,160 Speaker 1: how Green was My Value? And then it goes onto 464 00:27:55,240 --> 00:27:58,479 Speaker 1: street Car and Waterfront in the in the in the fifties, 465 00:27:58,480 --> 00:28:01,359 Speaker 1: and this guy one Oscar is over the arc of 466 00:28:01,440 --> 00:28:06,119 Speaker 1: like a two decades and uh. And of course Letard 467 00:28:06,160 --> 00:28:11,760 Speaker 1: Bernstein score, which uh you know, the New York Philharmonic 468 00:28:11,840 --> 00:28:13,600 Speaker 1: has a program that I'm the co producer I called 469 00:28:13,640 --> 00:28:16,000 Speaker 1: the Art of a Score, which we played the music 470 00:28:16,080 --> 00:28:19,960 Speaker 1: live to picture, particularly films that have classical repertoire, with 471 00:28:20,119 --> 00:28:22,879 Speaker 1: Kubrick being the u the ultimate example of that, and 472 00:28:22,920 --> 00:28:27,000 Speaker 1: showing films like You Went to Science Again very exactly 473 00:28:27,040 --> 00:28:30,359 Speaker 1: exactly Kubrick, you know two thousand and one, which we're 474 00:28:30,359 --> 00:28:32,960 Speaker 1: showing again for the second time next year, Barry Linded 475 00:28:32,960 --> 00:28:35,480 Speaker 1: and so forth. But we've also played films were to 476 00:28:35,560 --> 00:28:40,320 Speaker 1: have they just have lush, non classical score. Although Bernstein's 477 00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:42,960 Speaker 1: part of that world and we showed Waterfront and the 478 00:28:43,160 --> 00:28:47,280 Speaker 1: Philharmonic played water Front, he didn't like the way he 479 00:28:47,400 --> 00:28:51,080 Speaker 1: wrote more music than was put in We did it, yeah, 480 00:28:51,240 --> 00:28:55,000 Speaker 1: so he wasn't happy with the way to now turn out. 481 00:28:56,200 --> 00:28:59,720 Speaker 1: We talked about Shelley Winters You Go, You Go. I 482 00:28:59,800 --> 00:29:05,840 Speaker 1: got is amazing in a Place in the Sun, and 483 00:29:06,720 --> 00:29:10,640 Speaker 1: when I saw her role, automanty automatically thought about her 484 00:29:10,880 --> 00:29:14,520 Speaker 1: and Night of the Hunter. It's almost like the same. 485 00:29:15,760 --> 00:29:19,960 Speaker 1: It's tragic woman that just can't get it right and 486 00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:25,479 Speaker 1: with the wrong guys, and she got murdered. In both films, 487 00:29:26,080 --> 00:29:28,680 Speaker 1: here's Cliff gleaming with his beauty and she's gleaming with 488 00:29:28,720 --> 00:29:31,520 Speaker 1: her beauty. But the acting of Shelley Winters, her performance 489 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:34,760 Speaker 1: is unbelievable in this movie. She's incredible, but there are 490 00:29:34,880 --> 00:29:38,800 Speaker 1: very few people. You can't shoot two people this close 491 00:29:38,920 --> 00:29:42,400 Speaker 1: and the famous kissing scene between Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor. 492 00:29:42,640 --> 00:29:45,800 Speaker 1: You can't shoot two people that close and hold the 493 00:29:45,880 --> 00:29:48,840 Speaker 1: camera that close for too long unless you have two 494 00:29:49,520 --> 00:29:52,840 Speaker 1: perfect looking people. And in this film you have the 495 00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:55,000 Speaker 1: You have the most beautiful man, or one of them 496 00:29:55,040 --> 00:29:57,000 Speaker 1: that ever lived in the history of the movies, and 497 00:29:57,040 --> 00:29:58,760 Speaker 1: the most beautiful woman. I mean, it's it's like a 498 00:29:58,840 --> 00:30:02,840 Speaker 1: cinematic like a confection, you know. I mean, in terms 499 00:30:02,880 --> 00:30:05,960 Speaker 1: of the delight you feel from watching these people. The 500 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:08,160 Speaker 1: scene when they meet and he's shooting pool at the 501 00:30:08,200 --> 00:30:10,880 Speaker 1: party and she walks in, I mean, there's there's there's 502 00:30:10,920 --> 00:30:13,720 Speaker 1: so much for the eye. There's so much beauty in 503 00:30:13,760 --> 00:30:17,440 Speaker 1: this film, and just flat out beauty between these two people. 504 00:30:18,600 --> 00:30:21,200 Speaker 1: And then beyond that is this horrible drama of what 505 00:30:21,320 --> 00:30:24,719 Speaker 1: happens to him and to Shelley when there's no spoiler 506 00:30:24,760 --> 00:30:28,920 Speaker 1: alert here, but it's this film. The first time I 507 00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:32,320 Speaker 1: ever saw this film, I remember he's on television. I 508 00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:34,200 Speaker 1: mean a lot of these films I saw on TV 509 00:30:34,280 --> 00:30:36,760 Speaker 1: because when I was a kid, Channel nine, right there 510 00:30:36,760 --> 00:30:40,040 Speaker 1: you go. I mean, people, I always say the same 511 00:30:40,120 --> 00:30:41,360 Speaker 1: tire thing all the time about this. But you know, 512 00:30:41,440 --> 00:30:44,760 Speaker 1: no HBO, no vs VCRs. When I was a kid, 513 00:30:45,120 --> 00:30:49,080 Speaker 1: it was Channel eleven, Channel five and Channel uh nine 514 00:30:49,240 --> 00:30:51,840 Speaker 1: would make licensing agreements with a studio probably haven't been 515 00:30:51,960 --> 00:30:59,320 Speaker 1: a cycle. Do remember I'm gonna come out a million 516 00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:02,760 Speaker 1: dollar movie with the theme from Gama the Wind. So 517 00:31:02,880 --> 00:31:05,160 Speaker 1: I see this movie on TV. I remember, like, it's 518 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:07,280 Speaker 1: not even about sexuality, I don't think, but just kind 519 00:31:07,280 --> 00:31:09,560 Speaker 1: of sitting there with my mouth up and going, oh 520 00:31:09,680 --> 00:31:13,160 Speaker 1: my god. You know, I think I'd probably kill Shelley 521 00:31:13,200 --> 00:31:18,720 Speaker 1: Winters for Elizabeth Taylor too. And that's not a hard choice, 522 00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:23,080 Speaker 1: but that but that movie doesn't mean you hear you've 523 00:31:23,120 --> 00:31:25,520 Speaker 1: got the guy though they both played that mean Elizabeth 524 00:31:25,560 --> 00:31:28,480 Speaker 1: Taylor was a breathtaking actress, and and and and Clift 525 00:31:28,560 --> 00:31:30,960 Speaker 1: was it was it was a brilliant actor. And then 526 00:31:31,080 --> 00:31:35,400 Speaker 1: you see the juxtaposition between Shelly win Is, you know, 527 00:31:35,520 --> 00:31:38,400 Speaker 1: a lower lower class and you know that sound was 528 00:31:38,440 --> 00:31:43,360 Speaker 1: really about classism. Even though Montgomery is Eastman, he's like 529 00:31:45,640 --> 00:31:48,640 Speaker 1: not really part of the real family. So he's trying 530 00:31:48,680 --> 00:31:51,680 Speaker 1: to get up the ladder. Two, I have to take 531 00:31:51,720 --> 00:31:53,600 Speaker 1: advantage of you being here for this kind of thing. Now, 532 00:31:53,720 --> 00:31:57,240 Speaker 1: what do you do when you direct the film? Because 533 00:31:57,280 --> 00:32:01,200 Speaker 1: they always say that, the directors then and now, it's 534 00:32:01,200 --> 00:32:05,280 Speaker 1: always been the same that they cast. Well, you try 535 00:32:05,400 --> 00:32:07,200 Speaker 1: your best to get who you want for the role. 536 00:32:07,240 --> 00:32:09,640 Speaker 1: You have a dream cast, and you try to get 537 00:32:09,680 --> 00:32:12,360 Speaker 1: them in terms of their availability, and there their their 538 00:32:12,400 --> 00:32:14,239 Speaker 1: their their desire to be in the film, and can 539 00:32:14,280 --> 00:32:16,400 Speaker 1: you afford them, and so all those things come together, 540 00:32:16,760 --> 00:32:18,480 Speaker 1: which I want you to speak about for people to 541 00:32:18,560 --> 00:32:21,680 Speaker 1: understand what an extraordinarily difficult thing that is to do. 542 00:32:22,480 --> 00:32:24,840 Speaker 1: I meaning, you're you're gonna make a film, Spike Lee 543 00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:27,120 Speaker 1: is gonna make a film, and you're gonna have anybody 544 00:32:27,200 --> 00:32:29,320 Speaker 1: in your films. People are begging to work with you, 545 00:32:30,120 --> 00:32:34,440 Speaker 1: and sometimes you don't get who you want in the film. True. Well, 546 00:32:35,080 --> 00:32:41,440 Speaker 1: since we are here at the Tribeca Film Festival, the 547 00:32:41,640 --> 00:32:46,440 Speaker 1: role of sal I offered to Mr de Niro. Are 548 00:32:46,520 --> 00:32:50,120 Speaker 1: you want to do it? That son of a bitch? No? 549 00:32:50,400 --> 00:32:56,920 Speaker 1: I think it's Daniel you got nominated, and I think that, 550 00:32:58,240 --> 00:33:01,520 Speaker 1: which I mean, I love Bob and I wanted my film, 551 00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:06,600 Speaker 1: but the narrow might have tilted. It was meant to 552 00:33:06,680 --> 00:33:10,360 Speaker 1: be a ensemble piece, do the right thing. Men. You 553 00:33:10,440 --> 00:33:16,960 Speaker 1: had two tuo. I mean everybody was in it, but 554 00:33:17,400 --> 00:33:21,760 Speaker 1: no one was really Richard Edson, the Great Ruby, d 555 00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:27,280 Speaker 1: Ozzy Davis. You no but Sam Sam Samuel Jackson. He 556 00:33:27,400 --> 00:33:32,240 Speaker 1: was saying back then, g and Carlo, Jean Casposito, Rosie Perez. 557 00:33:32,360 --> 00:33:35,680 Speaker 1: That's her first film is Mark Lawrence, first film, Robin 558 00:33:35,760 --> 00:33:40,400 Speaker 1: Harris first film, The Late Robin Harris. So it's been 559 00:33:40,480 --> 00:33:45,080 Speaker 1: my experience things happen for the most part the way 560 00:33:45,120 --> 00:33:47,360 Speaker 1: it should be, because that's not the only time where 561 00:33:47,400 --> 00:33:51,200 Speaker 1: I wanted someone and I didn't get them and it 562 00:33:51,320 --> 00:33:55,760 Speaker 1: turned out for the best because I got somebody who 563 00:33:55,920 --> 00:33:58,120 Speaker 1: just fits better. So and it also like it was 564 00:33:58,200 --> 00:34:01,960 Speaker 1: like a sports team, you know. I mean one year 565 00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:05,600 Speaker 1: the Lake's Head like by all stars starting. They were 566 00:34:05,720 --> 00:34:09,719 Speaker 1: terrible because it was no there's no chemistry and everybody's 567 00:34:09,760 --> 00:34:14,040 Speaker 1: gonna be starting. Everybody can't be like it just needs 568 00:34:14,080 --> 00:34:16,920 Speaker 1: to come together. As interesting. It's interesting because you hear 569 00:34:17,000 --> 00:34:19,719 Speaker 1: that across the board, you have an ensemble of people 570 00:34:19,920 --> 00:34:22,359 Speaker 1: and if you change one little thing, it would upset 571 00:34:22,400 --> 00:34:26,239 Speaker 1: the now. Now without naming names, because one of my 572 00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:28,920 Speaker 1: goals into you know, embarrassing anybody but when you make 573 00:34:29,040 --> 00:34:32,760 Speaker 1: films as a as a director, and your films are dramas, 574 00:34:32,840 --> 00:34:35,440 Speaker 1: they're they're they're they're acting is at the four you 575 00:34:35,520 --> 00:34:38,080 Speaker 1: don't do action films and space movies and all this 576 00:34:38,160 --> 00:34:41,799 Speaker 1: other crap. I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. Um um. 577 00:34:44,360 --> 00:34:50,600 Speaker 1: What I meant was because we love space movie, let's face. 578 00:34:52,239 --> 00:34:56,239 Speaker 1: But when you're directing, what is directing performance for you? Now? 579 00:34:56,400 --> 00:34:58,759 Speaker 1: Because like you bring these people in, and you bring 580 00:34:58,800 --> 00:35:00,440 Speaker 1: people who are gonna play at the role when you 581 00:35:00,760 --> 00:35:03,000 Speaker 1: you assume they're pretty good to go. But what happens 582 00:35:03,040 --> 00:35:05,520 Speaker 1: when it's not working? How involved are you involved? And 583 00:35:05,560 --> 00:35:07,239 Speaker 1: like walking up to people, take them aside and go, 584 00:35:07,480 --> 00:35:10,399 Speaker 1: hey man, this is what I need in the scene. Yeah, 585 00:35:10,480 --> 00:35:12,440 Speaker 1: but you can't. It has to be done you know, 586 00:35:13,040 --> 00:35:17,799 Speaker 1: in a whisper. If you do that, I felt you're 587 00:35:18,000 --> 00:35:20,400 Speaker 1: gonna lose the actor. Even if you take them aside 588 00:35:20,440 --> 00:35:21,920 Speaker 1: and do it. Know I'm saying it has to be 589 00:35:22,000 --> 00:35:24,600 Speaker 1: done private, exactly. I agree with you. Oh no, it 590 00:35:24,640 --> 00:35:28,680 Speaker 1: should be private, you know. So you really, here's the thing. 591 00:35:28,760 --> 00:35:33,000 Speaker 1: Don't you try to head that stuff off in rehearsal. 592 00:35:34,719 --> 00:35:37,000 Speaker 1: You can't be on on the on the day while 593 00:35:37,000 --> 00:35:39,680 Speaker 1: you're shooting you know hundred people, you know, crew members, 594 00:35:39,719 --> 00:35:42,120 Speaker 1: and you're discussing the character and the aren't all that stuff. 595 00:35:42,160 --> 00:35:44,960 Speaker 1: That stuff has to be worked out in rehearsal. But 596 00:35:45,160 --> 00:35:49,040 Speaker 1: sometimes whether I'm having a bad dare act and having 597 00:35:49,080 --> 00:35:50,640 Speaker 1: a bad day, things that happen. You're just trying to 598 00:35:50,719 --> 00:35:56,920 Speaker 1: go through it. But and make sure that at the 599 00:35:57,160 --> 00:36:00,440 Speaker 1: end we're done that we talked. So gotta get you, 600 00:36:00,480 --> 00:36:04,600 Speaker 1: gotta work that ship out so it's squashed, done with 601 00:36:04,920 --> 00:36:07,880 Speaker 1: and you could continue in good spirits. I'm reminded of 602 00:36:08,040 --> 00:36:11,000 Speaker 1: my dear, dear friend who passed away, Marvin Worth, you know, 603 00:36:11,280 --> 00:36:15,000 Speaker 1: Marvin Brutus, Malcolm X. Give me an example. Maybe he's 604 00:36:15,040 --> 00:36:18,560 Speaker 1: one producers who actually contribute to help you make the 605 00:36:18,600 --> 00:36:23,520 Speaker 1: movie you want to make. Well, Marvin, but the rights 606 00:36:24,800 --> 00:36:29,680 Speaker 1: to the autobiography of Malcolm X, as told by Alex Haley, 607 00:36:32,000 --> 00:36:36,520 Speaker 1: I mean really really many years ago, and he's been 608 00:36:36,560 --> 00:36:39,959 Speaker 1: trying to make it. Set lamed a whole bunch of people. 609 00:36:40,160 --> 00:36:43,320 Speaker 1: One time, Richard Pryor and supposed to play him, and 610 00:36:45,840 --> 00:36:50,680 Speaker 1: he's he said, he sent me letters saying you want 611 00:36:50,719 --> 00:36:52,440 Speaker 1: to be involved in film, So I never I never 612 00:36:52,520 --> 00:36:56,920 Speaker 1: got the letters. So then I was reading the papers 613 00:36:58,120 --> 00:37:01,560 Speaker 1: that Denzel Washington was gonna play Malcolm X. He had 614 00:37:01,560 --> 00:37:04,120 Speaker 1: already done the play a Broadway When Chickens Come, When 615 00:37:04,200 --> 00:37:07,239 Speaker 1: Chickens Come Home the Roost, and the director was gonna 616 00:37:07,280 --> 00:37:14,440 Speaker 1: be Norman Jewison. And I said to myself self, hold 617 00:37:14,520 --> 00:37:22,160 Speaker 1: the funk up. And Norman great director in the heat 618 00:37:22,239 --> 00:37:24,840 Speaker 1: and the Night. I mean, he's done many, many, five films. 619 00:37:27,080 --> 00:37:31,000 Speaker 1: And I just began to talk about a little bit. 620 00:37:31,040 --> 00:37:36,319 Speaker 1: And then Marvin Worth call me, Sayspike, stop talking. Let's 621 00:37:36,400 --> 00:37:43,480 Speaker 1: have you and Norman sit down, and so we we met. 622 00:37:43,760 --> 00:37:46,200 Speaker 1: I mean, this is not a new story, it's all 623 00:37:47,520 --> 00:37:51,360 Speaker 1: and uh, Norman want to know why I want to 624 00:37:51,440 --> 00:37:55,720 Speaker 1: do it, and I told him, and he gracefully said, okay. 625 00:37:56,320 --> 00:37:58,560 Speaker 1: He didn't have to do that. He had the gig. 626 00:37:59,200 --> 00:38:01,600 Speaker 1: He was a direct he was the one the Marvel 627 00:38:01,640 --> 00:38:08,040 Speaker 1: Works and also Water Brothers. So I've always had deep 628 00:38:08,120 --> 00:38:12,000 Speaker 1: respect for Mr Jewis, And because he could have said, 629 00:38:12,120 --> 00:38:15,359 Speaker 1: fuck you, Spike, I don't care who you are. I'm 630 00:38:15,400 --> 00:38:17,920 Speaker 1: directing this film. But there are producers, and this is 631 00:38:18,000 --> 00:38:19,640 Speaker 1: I guess what my question is, because a lot of 632 00:38:19,680 --> 00:38:21,719 Speaker 1: people that that's an intangible for a lot of people. 633 00:38:21,800 --> 00:38:24,719 Speaker 1: What producers do beyond, as they say, bringing a vital 634 00:38:24,800 --> 00:38:27,040 Speaker 1: element to the table, the script, the star, the money 635 00:38:27,080 --> 00:38:29,200 Speaker 1: from the studio. They've got the juice with the studio, 636 00:38:29,239 --> 00:38:31,600 Speaker 1: what have you. But there are producers who have actually 637 00:38:31,640 --> 00:38:33,880 Speaker 1: have they've helped you make your films. If they've they've continued, 638 00:38:35,480 --> 00:38:37,920 Speaker 1: there's no way pause. I've been involved. I was directed 639 00:38:38,440 --> 00:38:41,480 Speaker 1: Malcolm X without the late great Marvel Worth. I went 640 00:38:41,560 --> 00:38:45,640 Speaker 1: to a screening. Marvin invited me to a screening, uh 641 00:38:46,360 --> 00:38:49,840 Speaker 1: at the Academy in uh another DJ but the Academy, 642 00:38:49,960 --> 00:38:52,120 Speaker 1: you know, one of the great great screening rooms in 643 00:38:52,160 --> 00:38:54,759 Speaker 1: all of Los Angeles, which is saying a lot. And 644 00:38:54,880 --> 00:38:57,400 Speaker 1: then we went to that screening of Malcolm X there 645 00:38:57,440 --> 00:39:00,400 Speaker 1: and uh, I gotta say, it's one of your great films. 646 00:39:00,520 --> 00:39:04,959 Speaker 1: That's a great, great film, Malcolm xIC all that goes 647 00:39:05,080 --> 00:39:08,960 Speaker 1: to Mr Denzel Washington. I know we're talking all the films. 648 00:39:08,960 --> 00:39:10,840 Speaker 1: I have to just say this real quick because tomorrow 649 00:39:10,960 --> 00:39:15,040 Speaker 1: let's see Denzel Washington that had the opening of Lifeman 650 00:39:15,080 --> 00:39:21,520 Speaker 1: coming for three curtain call. It's like a nine play, right, yeah, 651 00:39:22,160 --> 00:39:26,759 Speaker 1: not that long, but people ask me all the time, 652 00:39:27,080 --> 00:39:31,880 Speaker 1: you know, we uh, Denzel more better Malcolm X. He 653 00:39:32,080 --> 00:39:35,480 Speaker 1: got game inside man. So it's been a minute. But 654 00:39:35,680 --> 00:39:40,960 Speaker 1: Denzel people ask me about his performance. He prepared a 655 00:39:41,120 --> 00:39:44,440 Speaker 1: year before. He told his agent, don't give me any 656 00:39:44,480 --> 00:39:49,600 Speaker 1: more work. Learn to praying Arabic, speaking Arabic, learning to 657 00:39:49,600 --> 00:39:55,520 Speaker 1: read the Koran, cut out pork, cut out alcohol, because 658 00:39:57,200 --> 00:40:05,440 Speaker 1: he under Denzel understands that just sounded like somebody or 659 00:40:05,560 --> 00:40:09,680 Speaker 1: looking like that's just surface. And he and he knew 660 00:40:09,760 --> 00:40:12,200 Speaker 1: that if he did the job need to be done, 661 00:40:14,040 --> 00:40:18,440 Speaker 1: that Malcolm's spirit will come into him. I put my 662 00:40:18,600 --> 00:40:21,440 Speaker 1: hand on a stack of Bibles. There was a scene. 663 00:40:21,800 --> 00:40:25,400 Speaker 1: All the speeches in the film were Malcolm's words, and 664 00:40:25,480 --> 00:40:29,239 Speaker 1: there was one speech. I mean, he was killing it, 665 00:40:29,520 --> 00:40:31,040 Speaker 1: and I'm looking at him. I got the momit of 666 00:40:31,160 --> 00:40:34,600 Speaker 1: him looking at Ernest right here, my great sematographer, Ernest Dickinson. 667 00:40:34,800 --> 00:40:38,080 Speaker 1: So I see that, to see him looking at the sides. 668 00:40:39,160 --> 00:40:42,439 Speaker 1: And the scene is about the end. Some great called 669 00:40:42,520 --> 00:40:45,800 Speaker 1: cut and he keeps going, we're shooting film, and he 670 00:40:45,880 --> 00:40:50,480 Speaker 1: went off another two minutes and finally Ernest that Spike, 671 00:40:50,640 --> 00:40:54,239 Speaker 1: we ran out. So I woke up to Denzel. He's 672 00:40:54,239 --> 00:40:58,320 Speaker 1: almost like in a daze. I said, d what was that? 673 00:41:00,320 --> 00:41:02,080 Speaker 1: So what are you doing? Is it? Spike I don't know. 674 00:41:03,400 --> 00:41:07,000 Speaker 1: I can't tell you what I just said. That ship 675 00:41:07,120 --> 00:41:09,920 Speaker 1: can't happen if you don't prepare for it. He worked 676 00:41:09,960 --> 00:41:14,520 Speaker 1: a year and and ask anybody was gonna set that 677 00:41:14,640 --> 00:41:17,880 Speaker 1: day we thought we saw Malcolm. Do you know? You 678 00:41:17,920 --> 00:41:19,919 Speaker 1: know what I love about that film? Also, it's tough 679 00:41:20,040 --> 00:41:24,200 Speaker 1: sometimes if you play if the film calls for an actress, 680 00:41:24,400 --> 00:41:28,680 Speaker 1: a woman to play that role of the wife of 681 00:41:28,840 --> 00:41:32,880 Speaker 1: the of the you know, it's a supporting role. And uh, 682 00:41:33,239 --> 00:41:35,840 Speaker 1: what I love was I thought, if Angela Bassett was 683 00:41:35,920 --> 00:41:39,080 Speaker 1: my wife, nothing I couldn't do either, you know, and 684 00:41:40,800 --> 00:41:43,799 Speaker 1: brought it. She was so what Angela Bassett is such 685 00:41:43,800 --> 00:41:46,200 Speaker 1: a great actress and she's so wonderful on that film. 686 00:41:46,400 --> 00:41:50,520 Speaker 1: So I understand that we're gonna take some questions. You know, 687 00:41:50,560 --> 00:41:55,000 Speaker 1: what's up, Spike. My name is Chris. I'm from Virginia, 688 00:41:55,120 --> 00:41:57,600 Speaker 1: and I just wanted to ask you, what do you 689 00:41:57,640 --> 00:42:05,799 Speaker 1: think of Black Panther? My brother, I've seen it four 690 00:42:05,920 --> 00:42:10,960 Speaker 1: times me too. I look at the world now differently 691 00:42:11,560 --> 00:42:14,440 Speaker 1: before black Panther and not the Black Panther. That that 692 00:42:14,680 --> 00:42:18,239 Speaker 1: should change everything, especially for people of color. Now, wait 693 00:42:18,239 --> 00:42:21,279 Speaker 1: a second, I mean I think in these times, in 694 00:42:21,320 --> 00:42:23,040 Speaker 1: these modern times where we're trying to all be more 695 00:42:23,280 --> 00:42:25,520 Speaker 1: sensitive and more inclusive. Don't you want to know what 696 00:42:25,600 --> 00:42:32,319 Speaker 1: I thought a black panther? I mean, do you want 697 00:42:32,360 --> 00:42:39,040 Speaker 1: to ask me? Go ahead? Oh, I was actually gonna 698 00:42:39,040 --> 00:42:45,279 Speaker 1: ask you about Infinity Wars and yeah, my brother, you 699 00:42:45,400 --> 00:42:48,239 Speaker 1: bought the catsups. You know it was the down. We're 700 00:42:48,440 --> 00:42:54,439 Speaker 1: give us the next question. Next question, can you tell 701 00:42:54,520 --> 00:42:56,839 Speaker 1: us a little bit about your new movie, The Black 702 00:42:56,880 --> 00:43:00,440 Speaker 1: Klansman and what that's based on. The Black answers are 703 00:43:00,480 --> 00:43:03,120 Speaker 1: based on the book My Man Hair is in It. 704 00:43:06,000 --> 00:43:11,640 Speaker 1: Ron Starwarp was the first African American policeman in Carol Springs. 705 00:43:12,800 --> 00:43:16,920 Speaker 1: He ended up infiltrating the clan. He's reading the paper 706 00:43:17,320 --> 00:43:20,600 Speaker 1: and the clan put it ad in the paper when 707 00:43:20,640 --> 00:43:25,799 Speaker 1: we need new members. So Ron Stalward thinks, as the joke, 708 00:43:27,680 --> 00:43:30,640 Speaker 1: you know it's a Google. So she calls up and 709 00:43:30,760 --> 00:43:35,040 Speaker 1: thinking as a joke, he leaves. They don't pick up 710 00:43:35,040 --> 00:43:39,160 Speaker 1: as a voicemails. He leaves his real name and phone number, 711 00:43:40,800 --> 00:43:43,680 Speaker 1: and the clan calls it back and said, we want 712 00:43:43,719 --> 00:43:47,319 Speaker 1: you to come down for interview. So since he's an 713 00:43:47,320 --> 00:43:51,880 Speaker 1: African American, he can't really show up for the inter 714 00:43:51,920 --> 00:43:56,320 Speaker 1: of you. So who has to send my man? Is 715 00:43:56,320 --> 00:44:02,879 Speaker 1: that a Boston Red Sox hat there? Thank you? Row 716 00:44:03,040 --> 00:44:10,719 Speaker 1: seven twelve? Row seven? That, oh boy? So he has 717 00:44:10,800 --> 00:44:15,840 Speaker 1: to get a white police officer play hidden. That's Adam 718 00:44:15,960 --> 00:44:22,920 Speaker 1: Driver And so we're in official competition that can and 719 00:44:23,040 --> 00:44:26,319 Speaker 1: it opens August tent so check it out. And who 720 00:44:26,400 --> 00:44:31,240 Speaker 1: plays the lead. The lead is played by John David Washton, 721 00:44:31,360 --> 00:44:35,600 Speaker 1: Denzel's eldest son. Denzel's son. You might have seen him 722 00:44:35,600 --> 00:44:39,120 Speaker 1: in Ballers. We have time for one more, one more, 723 00:44:39,920 --> 00:44:41,880 Speaker 1: um in the scope of all of your projects, what 724 00:44:42,320 --> 00:44:45,480 Speaker 1: is the work that has been most transformative and what 725 00:44:45,680 --> 00:44:48,680 Speaker 1: is the legacy that you hope to leave. She was 726 00:44:48,719 --> 00:44:52,520 Speaker 1: actually looking at you. She pretended it was for both 727 00:44:52,520 --> 00:44:54,600 Speaker 1: of us, but she was looking right at you when 728 00:44:54,640 --> 00:44:58,640 Speaker 1: she said that it's okay, It's okay, I would say uh. 729 00:45:00,200 --> 00:45:06,040 Speaker 1: I did a documentary called Full Little Girls, which is 730 00:45:06,040 --> 00:45:09,279 Speaker 1: about the bombing of the nine Birmingham Church, the six 731 00:45:09,320 --> 00:45:11,759 Speaker 1: and Street Baptist Church, and Burma Obama. Full of girls 732 00:45:11,840 --> 00:45:17,480 Speaker 1: were killed. Jacob Hoover and the and FBI knew who 733 00:45:17,600 --> 00:45:20,319 Speaker 1: did it a week after. One of the guy's name 734 00:45:20,400 --> 00:45:23,520 Speaker 1: was Donna mind Bob. His nickname was DNA nine Bob 735 00:45:25,680 --> 00:45:32,760 Speaker 1: and for many years the case was cold. And before 736 00:45:32,960 --> 00:45:37,400 Speaker 1: the film opened at the Film Forum, Karen Cooper and 737 00:45:37,520 --> 00:45:40,040 Speaker 1: a couple of days before the open the FBI called 738 00:45:40,120 --> 00:45:46,120 Speaker 1: me and they said, want to see the film. The 739 00:45:46,239 --> 00:45:50,839 Speaker 1: day after the film opened, they reopened that case. After many, 740 00:45:50,920 --> 00:45:55,360 Speaker 1: many years, they went to trial and it was motherfucker's 741 00:45:55,400 --> 00:46:07,960 Speaker 1: died in prison. True story they did. They killed murder 742 00:46:08,040 --> 00:46:11,880 Speaker 1: those full little girls and just went about their lives, 743 00:46:14,000 --> 00:46:16,960 Speaker 1: you know, and they died. I think I don't know 744 00:46:16,960 --> 00:46:24,600 Speaker 1: how many wanted to, but they died in prison. Well, 745 00:46:24,680 --> 00:46:28,520 Speaker 1: I mean, this is gonna sound corny and sound stupid. 746 00:46:28,600 --> 00:46:29,759 Speaker 1: When I was on my phone by the way, a 747 00:46:29,800 --> 00:46:31,560 Speaker 1: moment ago, trying to look up something about him, and 748 00:46:31,719 --> 00:46:33,680 Speaker 1: my wife, who's here, texted me and said, put your 749 00:46:33,680 --> 00:46:39,400 Speaker 1: phone down. She literally texted me, she wrote, enough with 750 00:46:39,520 --> 00:46:45,080 Speaker 1: the phone. My legacy is not really that much about Honestly, 751 00:46:45,120 --> 00:46:46,839 Speaker 1: I don't really think about the work I do that much. 752 00:46:47,400 --> 00:46:49,839 Speaker 1: It comes and goes. It's sand castles, you know, I mean, 753 00:46:50,120 --> 00:46:52,400 Speaker 1: the ocean comes. It's the moment you have with people. 754 00:46:53,080 --> 00:46:56,120 Speaker 1: I'm doing the Edge with Tony Hopkins, and he and 755 00:46:56,200 --> 00:46:58,720 Speaker 1: I would have lunch together and we would do dueling 756 00:46:59,000 --> 00:47:01,879 Speaker 1: Richard Burton in person Nations together over lunch and I'll 757 00:47:01,920 --> 00:47:04,439 Speaker 1: never forget that to the day I die. I wanted 758 00:47:04,480 --> 00:47:05,960 Speaker 1: to work with him and he called me recently I 759 00:47:05,960 --> 00:47:07,560 Speaker 1: had me comeing to a movie with him, and it 760 00:47:07,680 --> 00:47:09,320 Speaker 1: was it was really so. I mean it was we 761 00:47:09,400 --> 00:47:11,040 Speaker 1: did one day. I shot this little thing. I won't 762 00:47:11,040 --> 00:47:13,000 Speaker 1: give it away, but what a great honor it was 763 00:47:13,120 --> 00:47:16,160 Speaker 1: to get good with Norton. I just did a movie 764 00:47:16,200 --> 00:47:19,000 Speaker 1: with Ed Norton. Ed directed this wonderful movie mother Liss Brooklyn. 765 00:47:19,080 --> 00:47:21,440 Speaker 1: I'm in this crowd with people I worship, you know, 766 00:47:21,680 --> 00:47:26,279 Speaker 1: uh Cherry Jones and Connavali and uh Willem to follow 767 00:47:26,320 --> 00:47:27,719 Speaker 1: him on the set with him going, oh man, this 768 00:47:27,840 --> 00:47:29,239 Speaker 1: is what it's all about. You know. To me, it's 769 00:47:29,520 --> 00:47:31,279 Speaker 1: who you work with. I got to do a good 770 00:47:31,320 --> 00:47:34,040 Speaker 1: Shepherd with Bob Dinner would walk up to me and 771 00:47:34,239 --> 00:47:38,040 Speaker 1: uh Matt Damon and he would talk to me, and literally, 772 00:47:38,080 --> 00:47:40,280 Speaker 1: after like thirty seconds, I would I mean, I couldn't 773 00:47:40,280 --> 00:47:43,040 Speaker 1: hear him. I went death all the movie starts screaming 774 00:47:43,080 --> 00:47:45,279 Speaker 1: in my head and he talked to me, give me 775 00:47:45,280 --> 00:47:47,040 Speaker 1: the direction. I looked at my go I'm sorry because 776 00:47:47,080 --> 00:47:48,839 Speaker 1: you repeat that. I wasn't listening to a word you said. 777 00:47:48,880 --> 00:47:52,800 Speaker 1: Just now, hey, look at me go. You're very good, Alec, 778 00:47:54,239 --> 00:47:57,719 Speaker 1: very good to be with those people, to be with them, 779 00:47:58,000 --> 00:47:59,759 Speaker 1: And with that in mind, would you all please join 780 00:47:59,840 --> 00:48:02,399 Speaker 1: me in thanking our guests. One of the greatest movie 781 00:48:02,480 --> 00:48:06,520 Speaker 1: makers in history. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. 782 00:48:08,600 --> 00:48:19,160 Speaker 1: M H. Spike Lee's Black Klansmen will be in theaters 783 00:48:19,239 --> 00:48:24,200 Speaker 1: August ten. This is Alec Baldwin and you're listening to 784 00:48:24,360 --> 00:48:25,080 Speaker 1: Here's the Thing