1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:03,960 Speaker 1: This is Alec Baldwin, and you're listening to Here's the thing. 2 00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:07,760 Speaker 1: It's award season and we're re listening to some of 3 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:12,040 Speaker 1: our favorite interviews with Oscar winners. Cameron Crowe won his 4 00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:15,680 Speaker 1: OSCAR for Almost Famous. In his speech, he gives a 5 00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:19,680 Speaker 1: nod to Billy Wilder. Stay listening to our conversation to 6 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 1: hear just how that friendship came about. Imagine it's the 7 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:31,200 Speaker 1: nineteen seventies, the golden years of rock and roll, and 8 00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:34,680 Speaker 1: you are one of the biggest rock stars in the world. 9 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:45,520 Speaker 1: Let's say you're David Bowie, and this cutting edge magazine 10 00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:48,360 Speaker 1: that everyone in the industry is taking notice of sends 11 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:52,680 Speaker 1: a reporter to interview you and in walks a sixteen 12 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:58,600 Speaker 1: year old boy. Cameron Crowe is still probably best known 13 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:03,240 Speaker 1: for his personal story the child prodigy who convinced Rolling 14 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:06,440 Speaker 1: Stone to let him in bed with rock superstars at 15 00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:09,960 Speaker 1: age sixteen, as told in his brilliant coming of age 16 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:13,720 Speaker 1: movie Almost Famous, for which he received an Academy Award 17 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 1: for Best Screenplay. But before he won that Oscar, Cameron 18 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:21,800 Speaker 1: Crow spent his high school years on tour with the 19 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:25,400 Speaker 1: Legends of Rock. My dream kind of ended with a 20 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 1: story on the cover of Rolling Stone. I was like, 21 00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:31,080 Speaker 1: that may never happen, And then it happened when I 22 00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:35,640 Speaker 1: was sixteen, so it was like, okay, let's recalibrate the dream. 23 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:37,800 Speaker 1: But when you when you go to make movies, was 24 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:40,840 Speaker 1: that inevitable? Did you always say that's what I'm gonna do. No, No, 25 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 1: that that happens. That was a bonus thing that was 26 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:47,440 Speaker 1: coming from a family that worshiped Mike Nichols in Elaine 27 00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:50,240 Speaker 1: May and that stuff was playing. And my mom would 28 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 1: take me to see Cardinal Knowledge on opening weekend, argue 29 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 1: with the theater owner to get me in. I'll take 30 00:01:55,520 --> 00:01:57,920 Speaker 1: him outside if anything's coming up. Of course she's like, stay, 31 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 1: don't leave. She wants me to see it all. And 32 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:03,000 Speaker 1: um and some movies were a big part of our world, 33 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:07,840 Speaker 1: and Yahn and Ben Functors kept me doing stories that 34 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:12,000 Speaker 1: were inching towards cinema. So I got to kind of 35 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:14,680 Speaker 1: blend a little bit. Were you thinking cinema during that 36 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:19,640 Speaker 1: time too? Because um, I loved Sissy SpaceX, loved Carrie 37 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:22,919 Speaker 1: and loved um you know what she was starting to 38 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:26,480 Speaker 1: do with alt Men, And so my daughter, coal Miner's 39 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:30,480 Speaker 1: daughter daughter came together while we were on assignment for 40 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:32,679 Speaker 1: a cover story for Rolling Stone. It was Annie Leawood's 41 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:36,639 Speaker 1: and me and Sissy who said, oh, let's go see 42 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:39,400 Speaker 1: Loretta Len. I have to turn her down for this project. 43 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:41,360 Speaker 1: She's been trying to get me to do her life 44 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:44,040 Speaker 1: story for six months, so I have to go and 45 00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:46,520 Speaker 1: actually face to face say no, we'll come with me. 46 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:49,399 Speaker 1: So we all go, yeah, cover that. So we rode 47 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:53,520 Speaker 1: trip to a Loretta Lynn show with Sissy spacek Alec. 48 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:57,080 Speaker 1: Loretta Lynn closed Sissy in about ten minutes. It's like 49 00:02:57,120 --> 00:03:00,920 Speaker 1: as soon as she saw Sissy they got into it. Boom, 50 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:02,920 Speaker 1: she was going to play that part that Wonner an oscar. 51 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:04,799 Speaker 1: And it was just one of those great moments where 52 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:07,480 Speaker 1: I get to be fly on a wall for this 53 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:11,679 Speaker 1: stuff and starting to see how films happen. But um, 54 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:14,400 Speaker 1: that was a dream that was really far away at 55 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:16,600 Speaker 1: that does it also a time out when Yon leaves 56 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:18,520 Speaker 1: the West Coast and goes to New York. It will 57 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:20,240 Speaker 1: kind of come together where like, you're done with that 58 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:22,400 Speaker 1: now that Yahn's you're not going to New York, can 59 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:24,519 Speaker 1: we talk about going to New York? No? I was 60 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:26,400 Speaker 1: continuing with them, and you live on the West Coast. 61 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:29,240 Speaker 1: I stayed in l A and kind of worked in 62 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 1: that office and and stayed independent because I didn't want 63 00:03:33,639 --> 00:03:36,560 Speaker 1: to be somebody who would be given an assignment and 64 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:38,520 Speaker 1: have to do it. So I was always kind of 65 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 1: a freelancer, but I had an editor position, so it 66 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:44,720 Speaker 1: was kind of the perfect thing. And then it grew 67 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 1: into the idea of telling the story about kids from 68 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 1: a kid's point of view. And I had been writing 69 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 1: all these stories about like Rod Stewart's and Crosbie Stills 70 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:57,000 Speaker 1: and Nash, and you would hear them talk about the fans, 71 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:00,280 Speaker 1: and you would see the fans follow them through the situations. 72 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:02,160 Speaker 1: But at certain point I was kind of like, let's 73 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:05,800 Speaker 1: just let's just turn the observation over to those people 74 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 1: who follow Rod Stewart, for example, And and the stories 75 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 1: just became endless, just interviewing people. And that grew into 76 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 1: a desire to capture characters. And the first when you 77 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:18,200 Speaker 1: wrote the book Fast Times, and it wasn't a novel, 78 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 1: that was a real story. It's a nonfiction the Truman 79 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:23,720 Speaker 1: capody of Rock and Rome. Who tells you you're going 80 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:25,239 Speaker 1: to make that as a movie, How does it become 81 00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:30,039 Speaker 1: a movie? Um? Art Linson and Irving as Off and 82 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 1: a few people that they kind of knew the music 83 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:36,560 Speaker 1: world and knew my writing, liked the book a lot. 84 00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:40,080 Speaker 1: And Art Linson, I remember, really loved Spicoli the surfer, 85 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:42,720 Speaker 1: and that always felt like a great character if we 86 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:44,560 Speaker 1: were able to get the right guy to do it. 87 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:47,960 Speaker 1: Sean isn't necessaritionbod who comes into Nails with the reading. 88 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:52,760 Speaker 1: He wasn't necessarily the guy. And uh, and we heard like, oh, 89 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:54,200 Speaker 1: there's this guy. He's like kind of a young de 90 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:59,479 Speaker 1: Niro guy. He's really good. He's from Malibu. Let's let's 91 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:02,039 Speaker 1: read him. So he came in. There were three of 92 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:05,240 Speaker 1: us in the room and he said, I know how 93 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:09,440 Speaker 1: to do this part. We're like, great, do it. No, 94 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:13,680 Speaker 1: I'll do it when you hire me. I'm not giving you. 95 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:17,840 Speaker 1: For some reason, we just decided to hire him without 96 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:21,840 Speaker 1: ever seeing him do it. It was kind of like, 97 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:27,040 Speaker 1: what the fuck happened? And and he was staying in 98 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:30,040 Speaker 1: character of the whole movie. How us call him? Jeff 99 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:32,920 Speaker 1: and I would try and get him to do parts 100 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 1: of the character before it was time to actually film, 101 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 1: wouldn't do it. And then he just busted out with 102 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:40,720 Speaker 1: the character on the day and we're like, oh my god, 103 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:46,080 Speaker 1: this is the guy's bicycle. Yeah, it's like a documentary version. 104 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:50,640 Speaker 1: Hard to believe that other, you know, with the other 105 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:53,039 Speaker 1: Chameleon things he did Falcon and the Snowman and things 106 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:58,520 Speaker 1: like that. Very strange way I met him. I don't 107 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:01,200 Speaker 1: remember when I met him, but I remember first seeing 108 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:05,280 Speaker 1: him there and thinking he was like this, uh, you know, 109 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:08,680 Speaker 1: crazy comic genius. He was like a Peter Sellers to 110 00:06:08,680 --> 00:06:13,200 Speaker 1: me almost. He just completely occupied the character and all 111 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:15,120 Speaker 1: the classic lines. And I want to bore everybody with 112 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:17,680 Speaker 1: But people who are not familiar with the movie, you know, 113 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:20,040 Speaker 1: people on lude should not drive all that. We all 114 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:24,160 Speaker 1: were gagging, laughing. We watched everybody watches fast times you 115 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:26,400 Speaker 1: watched the movie for Sean Penn's performance, and we would 116 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:28,880 Speaker 1: just be gagging, laughing. And there was there was some 117 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:31,200 Speaker 1: really and in the middle of the laughing and in 118 00:06:31,279 --> 00:06:33,640 Speaker 1: the middle of the kind of madness of it, and 119 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:36,640 Speaker 1: and and Ray Walston and ordering the pizza and everything 120 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 1: is is Jennifer Jason Lee story. And I made a 121 00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:42,800 Speaker 1: movie with her. I know who's there's nobody deeper than her. 122 00:06:42,839 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 1: She one of the deepest actresses I've ever worked with him. 123 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:47,839 Speaker 1: Very real. Yeah, she's cool. She was ready for the 124 00:06:47,839 --> 00:06:50,680 Speaker 1: movie to be even more raw and real. I mean 125 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:53,120 Speaker 1: there was some conversation in the movie. First came out 126 00:06:53,279 --> 00:06:55,440 Speaker 1: like this is a hard are this is really more 127 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:58,279 Speaker 1: than we want to see from our young kids today. 128 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:00,839 Speaker 1: And she was the just wanted to say, like, I 129 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:03,080 Speaker 1: wish it was ex there was there was nudity on 130 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:04,839 Speaker 1: me that they cut out that I wish they had 131 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:09,000 Speaker 1: kept in, which which was like super bold and like 132 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:12,760 Speaker 1: you know, visionary knew where she was headed. The thing though, 133 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:15,360 Speaker 1: was Tann and all those guys calling this movie is like, 134 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:17,880 Speaker 1: we're gonna best theater. This is a piece of crap. 135 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:21,280 Speaker 1: We shouldn't be making movies like that. We we snuck 136 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:24,160 Speaker 1: it through, and when they started to see it, they 137 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:27,680 Speaker 1: realized that Amy Heckerling had gone for the raw truth, 138 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:31,240 Speaker 1: you know, of like what Jennifer Jason Lee's character had 139 00:07:31,280 --> 00:07:35,120 Speaker 1: gone through, gotten pregnant and an abortion. Amy had this 140 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 1: brilliant kind of take on it, which was let's just 141 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:39,600 Speaker 1: show it. How was it for you when you saw it? Okay, 142 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:42,120 Speaker 1: I mean it was like this, let's shoot that. So 143 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:46,600 Speaker 1: she had this very naturalistic, funny approach that when people 144 00:07:46,640 --> 00:07:50,720 Speaker 1: saw it they laughed. The thing, though, was Bicoli was 145 00:07:51,040 --> 00:07:54,640 Speaker 1: our magic. That was our bit of magic. And and 146 00:07:54,840 --> 00:07:57,239 Speaker 1: the studio and the people involved in the movie. Maybe 147 00:07:57,360 --> 00:08:01,800 Speaker 1: Art Arlenson knew the potential there, but everybody who made 148 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:04,280 Speaker 1: those plants like on opening weekend, we're gonna drive around, 149 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:06,640 Speaker 1: we're gonna get together. We'll pick you up, we'll pick 150 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:08,480 Speaker 1: you up, we'll come and get you we'll all go together, 151 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:11,239 Speaker 1: we'll get like two cars will caravan. As it gets 152 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:13,480 Speaker 1: closer to the to the weekend that the movie comes out, 153 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:17,440 Speaker 1: it's like, I'm gonna be out of town. Um, are 154 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:20,480 Speaker 1: you gonna go? I can't make it. So it turned 155 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:23,840 Speaker 1: out nobody would go and do like a victory tour 156 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:26,040 Speaker 1: of the theaters for fast Time. So I got in 157 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:27,840 Speaker 1: a car and drove to Arizona to to go to 158 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:29,720 Speaker 1: my friend's wedding that didn't think I would be able 159 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:32,160 Speaker 1: to go to. Oh was I available to go to 160 00:08:32,240 --> 00:08:34,800 Speaker 1: his wedding? And I went with a buddy. And we 161 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:37,719 Speaker 1: can start to get close to Phoenix, Tucson where we're going, 162 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 1: and and we're like, let's go to the theater. Let's 163 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:43,680 Speaker 1: just see the empty theater. Showing fast times. We go in, 164 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:47,520 Speaker 1: it's packed. There's already kids who have gotten the checkerboard vans, 165 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:50,040 Speaker 1: gone to the mall and gotten them and come back 166 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:57,160 Speaker 1: to see the movie. And I'm saying Coli drives them 167 00:08:57,200 --> 00:08:59,880 Speaker 1: into the theater and and and saves the movie. Really, 168 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:03,280 Speaker 1: they never caught up because they cut our theaters the 169 00:09:03,360 --> 00:09:05,319 Speaker 1: last minute. They were like, nobody in the East Coast 170 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 1: is gonna go see this movie, and then like those 171 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:12,720 Speaker 1: theaters ended up being packed. You've never written a screenplay before. 172 00:09:12,840 --> 00:09:15,320 Speaker 1: I had not. You're with the book. How the people, 173 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:18,200 Speaker 1: even though it's a small movie, done this research alc. 174 00:09:18,280 --> 00:09:20,800 Speaker 1: You're like the busiest guy. How did they get you 175 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:24,119 Speaker 1: to do that? I mean, how did you get them available? 176 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:26,000 Speaker 1: It's like they bought the book and they were like, 177 00:09:26,800 --> 00:09:29,320 Speaker 1: let him let him write it. Let him write it 178 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:35,160 Speaker 1: twelve dollars and maybe he'll pay us fifty coffee. Was 179 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:37,640 Speaker 1: Amy on board? Then? Were you did you? Script was done? 180 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:41,319 Speaker 1: Script was done and Tom Mount again, the guy at Universal, 181 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:44,200 Speaker 1: was kind of our secret patron, you know, helping us 182 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:46,560 Speaker 1: out and everything. I said, I got this great idea, 183 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:49,840 Speaker 1: who could direct it? He's done this film eraser Head. 184 00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:53,520 Speaker 1: He's really a talented guy, David Lynch is his name, 185 00:09:54,240 --> 00:09:57,160 Speaker 1: and uh, I saw a racer. Of course racer. It's amazing. 186 00:09:57,200 --> 00:10:00,400 Speaker 1: I'm like, you know, if you'll read the script app resolutely, 187 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:03,680 Speaker 1: So I give him the script and he was really 188 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:05,840 Speaker 1: great about and David Lynch like drove back a couple 189 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:07,680 Speaker 1: of days later in a I believe it was a 190 00:10:07,720 --> 00:10:12,520 Speaker 1: white VW bug and very politely said, fun story. Not 191 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:14,880 Speaker 1: really what I think I'm going to be doing. It's 192 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 1: a bad David Lynch, but he he, he appreciated it 193 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:21,840 Speaker 1: enough so that they kept looking. And then Amy had 194 00:10:21,880 --> 00:10:24,280 Speaker 1: done this short called Getting It Over with Not a 195 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:26,839 Speaker 1: Young Girl Losing a Virginity. It was fantastic, and so 196 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:30,360 Speaker 1: we're like, let's let's go Gorilla Lo Fi and make 197 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 1: it Where do you right after Fast Times? We did 198 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:35,600 Speaker 1: when when you so you wrote the screenplay, the film 199 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:38,040 Speaker 1: comes out and eventually becomes this kind of this called 200 00:10:38,080 --> 00:10:41,360 Speaker 1: classic comedy. So are you like fully smitten? Then you're like, 201 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:45,840 Speaker 1: I'm going down that road now far less? Rolling Stone 202 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:48,440 Speaker 1: essays that kind of right. I always feel like it's 203 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:51,959 Speaker 1: been journalism all the time, but it was kind of, 204 00:10:52,080 --> 00:10:54,000 Speaker 1: you know, a morphous trying to get to what the 205 00:10:54,040 --> 00:10:57,080 Speaker 1: story would be. I was trying to tell other people's stories, 206 00:10:57,120 --> 00:11:01,040 Speaker 1: but the more almost famous became utterly personal the more 207 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:03,320 Speaker 1: it became the movie it should be. Wasn't there something before? 208 00:11:03,320 --> 00:11:06,360 Speaker 1: Almost between many? But it's like that was the first 209 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:09,520 Speaker 1: thing that I went I want to get into the music. 210 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:13,280 Speaker 1: That started characters and music because it was so fun 211 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:15,880 Speaker 1: putting the music on fast times. That you could take 212 00:11:15,880 --> 00:11:19,640 Speaker 1: a song like Somebody's Baby, which like in this part 213 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:22,360 Speaker 1: of the movie, it's just kind of nice pop, but 214 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:25,839 Speaker 1: if you put it over a kid having premature ejaculation, 215 00:11:25,960 --> 00:11:29,280 Speaker 1: all of a sudden, it's like kind of psychedelic and 216 00:11:29,320 --> 00:11:32,280 Speaker 1: the and the song you'll never forget as you remember it. 217 00:11:32,880 --> 00:11:34,720 Speaker 1: And then later you run into Jackson Brown, He's like, 218 00:11:34,800 --> 00:11:36,240 Speaker 1: thanks a lot. I thought I was writing you a 219 00:11:36,280 --> 00:11:38,880 Speaker 1: nice little ballad, and now I'm like a poster boy 220 00:11:38,880 --> 00:11:42,880 Speaker 1: for jacking off and coming too fast. It's like it 221 00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:48,120 Speaker 1: was like thank you, Jackson, Jackson and and uh, and 222 00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:49,880 Speaker 1: that was kind of like the beginning of Wow, you 223 00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:53,360 Speaker 1: can use these songs and really make the music character, 224 00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:56,920 Speaker 1: and that became you see people that are doing that, 225 00:11:56,960 --> 00:11:58,960 Speaker 1: though when you think that they're not doing that well 226 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:02,080 Speaker 1: with without naming names and judge. But I'm just saying 227 00:12:02,080 --> 00:12:03,720 Speaker 1: for me. I'll see movies sometimes and I'll be like, 228 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:06,480 Speaker 1: enough enough of you telling I get it. We're in 229 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:08,839 Speaker 1: the seventies, I get it. I get it. Your script 230 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:11,080 Speaker 1: is a nimick and you want to bolst it with 231 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:13,800 Speaker 1: you know, knights and white satin or something. I'll get it. 232 00:12:14,760 --> 00:12:16,960 Speaker 1: They're great. Music is gonna make your movie great. Yeah, 233 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:18,880 Speaker 1: and they just use it for a minute while somebody's 234 00:12:18,920 --> 00:12:22,120 Speaker 1: car door opens and then shuts, rather than like let 235 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:24,719 Speaker 1: the song play. Of course, as he was always the 236 00:12:24,760 --> 00:12:27,000 Speaker 1: guy that could give you a fast buzz of like, 237 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:28,880 Speaker 1: here's the guy that knows music, and he's gonna give 238 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:32,560 Speaker 1: you this Ronnett's record, and it's gonna rip your soul out. 239 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:35,600 Speaker 1: You know this because he knows when you're cocaine all 240 00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:38,760 Speaker 1: of a sudden with Ray, you and Ray are Jones 241 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:41,480 Speaker 1: and yeah, or or you're looking at that helicopter and 242 00:12:41,559 --> 00:12:44,400 Speaker 1: Nielsen is has got that track going and you're like, 243 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:49,840 Speaker 1: take me there. Cameron Crowe is a master of the moment. 244 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:54,160 Speaker 1: The needle drops, the song comes on, and you're there 245 00:12:54,200 --> 00:13:02,440 Speaker 1: filled with teenaged longing. Lloyd Dobbler holding up the boom 246 00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:05,520 Speaker 1: box and Say Anything. Jerry McGuire, as you had me 247 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:12,600 Speaker 1: at Hello and Comic Perfection, Sean Penn's puckished stoner. Jeff Spicoli, 248 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:14,920 Speaker 1: Just what in the hell do you think you're doing? 249 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:19,360 Speaker 1: Learned about Cuba having some food? Mr Spicoli, You're on 250 00:13:19,440 --> 00:13:23,199 Speaker 1: dangerous ground here. You're causing a major disturbance on my time. 251 00:13:24,880 --> 00:13:28,280 Speaker 1: I've been thinking about this, Mr hann If I'm here 252 00:13:28,480 --> 00:13:32,079 Speaker 1: and you're here, doesn't that make it our time? We 253 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:34,960 Speaker 1: certainly did nothing wrong with a little feast on our time. 254 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:39,280 Speaker 1: After the break, Cameron Crowe tells me what John Cusack 255 00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:43,040 Speaker 1: was like on the set of Say Anything. I'm Alec 256 00:13:43,080 --> 00:14:06,400 Speaker 1: Baldwin and you're listening to Here's the Thing. Yeah, that's 257 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:10,719 Speaker 1: Neil Young's Cinnamon Girl, used by Cameron Crowe to give 258 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:15,360 Speaker 1: an unsentimental retro rock Field to a montage sequence in 259 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:19,240 Speaker 1: two thousand elevens we bought a Zoo. Now more from 260 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:23,880 Speaker 1: my conversation with crow about going from screenwriting success to 261 00:14:24,040 --> 00:14:27,680 Speaker 1: taking full creative control of his films. What's the first 262 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:33,400 Speaker 1: one you directed? Uh, Say Anything? James L. Brooks. He said, like, okay, 263 00:14:33,440 --> 00:14:35,840 Speaker 1: we have two other people that we've always talked about 264 00:14:35,920 --> 00:14:37,920 Speaker 1: and if if the second one on that list, the 265 00:14:37,920 --> 00:14:41,080 Speaker 1: second one is no, you really got to think about it. 266 00:14:41,120 --> 00:14:45,800 Speaker 1: And the second one was in fact Lawrence Caston, who 267 00:14:45,840 --> 00:14:47,840 Speaker 1: who said, you know, if I was prolific and did 268 00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:49,560 Speaker 1: a movie a year, I would do this. But I'm 269 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:52,840 Speaker 1: doing um Accidental Tourists, and that's going to be my 270 00:14:52,880 --> 00:14:54,440 Speaker 1: movie in the next two years. But I'm gonna call 271 00:14:54,480 --> 00:14:56,160 Speaker 1: the studio and telling James Brooks is right and you 272 00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:59,160 Speaker 1: should direct it. So that got me the directing job. 273 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:01,920 Speaker 1: On anyone say anything, how did you find that the 274 00:15:01,920 --> 00:15:03,640 Speaker 1: first time you directed? What was it like for you 275 00:15:03,680 --> 00:15:06,960 Speaker 1: to direct characters? And how was that change? Scared? Today? 276 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 1: Cusack is the lead Cusack it was. It was a 277 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:12,400 Speaker 1: wide shot in a nursing home, and he gave the 278 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:14,480 Speaker 1: speech and I kind of turned around to everybody and said, 279 00:15:15,400 --> 00:15:18,200 Speaker 1: I like it. It's good. I think we have it, 280 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:20,600 Speaker 1: and they kind of like, hey, come, come, come over, 281 00:15:20,680 --> 00:15:22,760 Speaker 1: here gets some look of one. You have to do 282 00:15:22,800 --> 00:15:25,200 Speaker 1: a thing called coverage. You have to shoot it from 283 00:15:25,240 --> 00:15:30,360 Speaker 1: other angles, other angles. Let's go other angles. Everyone terrified. 284 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:33,800 Speaker 1: I went to the trailer and and just like was 285 00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:38,160 Speaker 1: in an upright fetal position and Clay Griffith my good 286 00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:41,600 Speaker 1: buddy who's like been production designer for all the movies lately, 287 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:45,280 Speaker 1: Claire Griffith says, you gotta get outside of the trailer 288 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:48,320 Speaker 1: and you should go have lunch with the crew and 289 00:15:48,440 --> 00:15:51,360 Speaker 1: tell the crew just by being there that you're with 290 00:15:51,440 --> 00:15:53,600 Speaker 1: them and you're all making the movie together. And it 291 00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:57,800 Speaker 1: was like the greatest advice. I left the trailer obviously 292 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:01,960 Speaker 1: never left hanging with it. It's the only way to 293 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:04,000 Speaker 1: make a movie is to love your crew and to 294 00:16:04,080 --> 00:16:09,200 Speaker 1: be with them. About the actress actors, I didn't realize 295 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:12,840 Speaker 1: until we're halfway through what great partners they could be. 296 00:16:12,880 --> 00:16:16,760 Speaker 1: Like John Mahoney and Cusack are like these Chicago brawlers. 297 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:21,440 Speaker 1: They're like they just want to tear your scene thirty takes. 298 00:16:21,520 --> 00:16:23,480 Speaker 1: Like Johnny be like, let me do one where I 299 00:16:23,480 --> 00:16:26,360 Speaker 1: throw John Mahoney across the table. You're supposed to be 300 00:16:26,440 --> 00:16:29,200 Speaker 1: kind of like the nonviolent guy. Well, let me just 301 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:31,280 Speaker 1: do one where I do this. And it's like, yeah, okay, 302 00:16:31,320 --> 00:16:32,960 Speaker 1: let's do that. Let me make out with him, let 303 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:37,520 Speaker 1: me kiss them on the mouth. Yeah. We kind of 304 00:16:37,760 --> 00:16:40,960 Speaker 1: found through collaboration, like how to get a really good 305 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:44,960 Speaker 1: language first time director style on that movie, and I 306 00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:47,480 Speaker 1: fell in love with directing actors, and you're worked with 307 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:49,680 Speaker 1: him again. Since then, you worked with the one time, 308 00:16:49,840 --> 00:16:51,880 Speaker 1: tried to a couple of times and we've missed. But 309 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:55,160 Speaker 1: I think that the times so for you there is 310 00:16:55,160 --> 00:16:58,560 Speaker 1: is there a the notion that you have kind of 311 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:00,520 Speaker 1: a battery with them as a direct and an actor. 312 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:02,840 Speaker 1: You think I can get movies made with the guy. 313 00:17:02,880 --> 00:17:06,760 Speaker 1: It's like Scorsese with Leo. Now he's a DeNiro. I 314 00:17:06,800 --> 00:17:11,200 Speaker 1: love that. That's you know why I'll always call you 315 00:17:11,320 --> 00:17:13,600 Speaker 1: when you have to say anything, just a quick question. 316 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:15,639 Speaker 1: When we were going over movies that we're going to 317 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:19,720 Speaker 1: talk about, there were so many like super strong leading 318 00:17:19,760 --> 00:17:24,440 Speaker 1: man movies like just you know, double fisted, I'm gonna 319 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:26,680 Speaker 1: give you the story, I'm gonna I'm gonna hit my 320 00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:29,040 Speaker 1: mark and give it to you. Man. It was like, 321 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:32,119 Speaker 1: there are not many of those movies made anymore. And 322 00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:34,320 Speaker 1: I saw them on that list, and I was like, damn, 323 00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:38,040 Speaker 1: studios used to make movies that we're both personal and 324 00:17:38,160 --> 00:17:42,560 Speaker 1: universal and and and without a lot of fear, it seemed. 325 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:45,879 Speaker 1: And and so now there's these cannon of movies that 326 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:48,800 Speaker 1: are that are feeling like they're from the distant past. 327 00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:52,040 Speaker 1: Which is strange because we gotta start making like these 328 00:17:52,080 --> 00:17:55,359 Speaker 1: movies that are kind of our version of that. Today. 329 00:17:55,640 --> 00:17:57,840 Speaker 1: It's there's a lot of whimsical stories being told, but 330 00:17:57,920 --> 00:18:00,320 Speaker 1: I just like to like, straight up, look, tell you 331 00:18:00,359 --> 00:18:03,280 Speaker 1: an American story quality. Then there was Woodstock on the list, 332 00:18:03,320 --> 00:18:09,000 Speaker 1: of course, equally important in every way. It's like, I'm 333 00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:12,720 Speaker 1: obsessed with it too. And Monterey Pop. Monterey Pop is amazing. 334 00:18:12,760 --> 00:18:15,880 Speaker 1: For the crowd shots. Monterey Pop has the most beautiful 335 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:20,320 Speaker 1: crowd shots. They're like comfortable, Oh my god, they're so great, 336 00:18:20,359 --> 00:18:23,000 Speaker 1: and they also tell you that thing of like in 337 00:18:23,160 --> 00:18:27,520 Speaker 1: nine seven, it wasn't all the sixties. It was still 338 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:29,879 Speaker 1: like there were dudes from the fifties still there in 339 00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:31,720 Speaker 1: the shots. You know, they go to the show too. 340 00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:34,440 Speaker 1: They just they didn't get the manual for the Moon 341 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:37,879 Speaker 1: to wear. They're still wearing like, you know, a little 342 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:41,040 Speaker 1: skinny black tie. And you see these things in Monterey 343 00:18:41,040 --> 00:18:43,159 Speaker 1: Pop and just go wow. Somebody was there at the 344 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:46,879 Speaker 1: right time with the camera just captured the generation changing 345 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:50,800 Speaker 1: and it was crazy. The end of that the end 346 00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:53,040 Speaker 1: of that time, we're like, I always get so upset 347 00:18:53,080 --> 00:18:56,560 Speaker 1: when people say the sixties was for nothing, But I 348 00:18:56,560 --> 00:18:57,960 Speaker 1: want to get back to something you said, which is 349 00:18:57,960 --> 00:19:00,440 Speaker 1: about Monterey and wood Stock, which is on the board 350 00:19:00,440 --> 00:19:02,560 Speaker 1: of the Hampton's Film Festival, and we have our festival, 351 00:19:03,080 --> 00:19:05,040 Speaker 1: so we do give me shelter, and we find out 352 00:19:05,080 --> 00:19:08,280 Speaker 1: the Masals is Insect Harbor visiting his daughter who lives there. 353 00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:10,639 Speaker 1: We bring him into interview him. It's sold out and 354 00:19:10,680 --> 00:19:13,440 Speaker 1: everybody comes in and everybody like, no, there's no dope 355 00:19:13,480 --> 00:19:16,320 Speaker 1: in the room, but you can smell. Everyone gets a 356 00:19:16,359 --> 00:19:19,399 Speaker 1: contact high. This is really true, Alex. This is like 357 00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:23,760 Speaker 1: the the souvenirs of that era. People are are gravitating 358 00:19:23,840 --> 00:19:26,399 Speaker 1: to so strongly, like that's why they showed up for 359 00:19:26,440 --> 00:19:29,240 Speaker 1: give me shelter. I want to see Richie Furay, you 360 00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:35,600 Speaker 1: know who packed a nice sized theater singing Buffalo Springfield types. 361 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:38,879 Speaker 1: It's like that they people are there for the things 362 00:19:38,920 --> 00:19:43,520 Speaker 1: that moved them in their lives shows. So bring him back, 363 00:19:43,840 --> 00:19:46,240 Speaker 1: Will and Grace. Yeah. But and if and if Will 364 00:19:46,280 --> 00:19:48,240 Speaker 1: and Grace comes back with the feeling that you got 365 00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:51,320 Speaker 1: that contact high the first time and they have, You're like, 366 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:53,960 Speaker 1: they're in that's a miracle now. But but I know 367 00:19:54,040 --> 00:19:59,240 Speaker 1: that you did reunion with Elton John and us couple 368 00:19:59,400 --> 00:20:01,359 Speaker 1: numbers from Lee. Um, I know that you did the 369 00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:05,000 Speaker 1: reunion with him. Why didn't you make more movies like that, 370 00:20:05,080 --> 00:20:09,480 Speaker 1: like concert films? Why didn't you marry? We're doing it. Yeah, 371 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:12,520 Speaker 1: it's just the movies have taken me like a long 372 00:20:12,600 --> 00:20:14,639 Speaker 1: time because they take a long time to write and 373 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:17,080 Speaker 1: then I you know, maybe put one aside for a 374 00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:19,560 Speaker 1: while and start a new one. So it's like, as 375 00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:22,240 Speaker 1: I've kind of streamlined that process a little bit, there's 376 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:25,160 Speaker 1: a room to do music stuff. So we're we're actually, 377 00:20:25,359 --> 00:20:27,360 Speaker 1: um gonna do a couple of documentaries and a few 378 00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:29,320 Speaker 1: and a few music things. One thing I guess I 379 00:20:29,320 --> 00:20:32,320 Speaker 1: can say is, um, we're gonna do a little documentary. 380 00:20:32,440 --> 00:20:35,480 Speaker 1: David Crosby, who I first met when I was fifteen, 381 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:39,800 Speaker 1: he's you know, more prolific now that he's been a 382 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:42,560 Speaker 1: long time. He's at a point in his life where 383 00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:45,240 Speaker 1: he's just got a lot to say, and I think 384 00:20:45,280 --> 00:20:48,640 Speaker 1: with a with a lack of a lot of talking 385 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:52,400 Speaker 1: heads and leaving it with him just telling you almost 386 00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:56,800 Speaker 1: all just a very personal thing. I'm gonna tell you 387 00:20:57,200 --> 00:20:59,119 Speaker 1: some stuff you'll agree with, some stuff you won't. But 388 00:20:59,119 --> 00:21:01,520 Speaker 1: it's this between me you, this is my life. Like 389 00:21:01,640 --> 00:21:04,439 Speaker 1: I love that tone, that tone. So we're gonna do 390 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:09,920 Speaker 1: that with David Crosby, who's wonderful. And I just well, 391 00:21:11,560 --> 00:21:15,280 Speaker 1: you know the music, you know, listen, we made almost famous. 392 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:18,640 Speaker 1: And here's this note that comes to the mail like immediately, 393 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:22,359 Speaker 1: and it's from Alec Baldwin. I'm like, fuck, open it up. 394 00:21:22,359 --> 00:21:25,320 Speaker 1: And it's like, I loved your movie. I love led Zeppelin. 395 00:21:25,359 --> 00:21:28,560 Speaker 1: I can't believe you put tangerine in the movie, Aleck. 396 00:21:28,960 --> 00:21:32,080 Speaker 1: That's the way, that's the way, and and and I 397 00:21:32,119 --> 00:21:36,680 Speaker 1: was like, like, Baldwin knows that's the way. And Zeppelin, yeah, baby, 398 00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:41,239 Speaker 1: And fandom, that fandom, and you do good and you 399 00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:44,000 Speaker 1: don't do you can't because I just think you have 400 00:21:44,119 --> 00:21:47,719 Speaker 1: to sign on for the people that you love creatively 401 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:51,840 Speaker 1: and personally. Take the ride. Lennon can make mind games, 402 00:21:51,840 --> 00:21:53,919 Speaker 1: he can make you know. It's one of the in 403 00:21:53,920 --> 00:21:57,760 Speaker 1: between records. Don't leave him. He's John Lennon. You know. 404 00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:00,399 Speaker 1: It's like you just have to stay for the ride 405 00:22:01,040 --> 00:22:03,600 Speaker 1: or your fair weather. You get that from your mother 406 00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:07,639 Speaker 1: for a little bit, your lack of pretentiousness. Well, you 407 00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:11,760 Speaker 1: want an Academy Award for screenwriting, As I reminded your children, Yes, 408 00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:15,400 Speaker 1: thank you for that I told your children, I said, 409 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:18,159 Speaker 1: Rocket Roll Hall of Fame, and your father want an Oscar. 410 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:21,199 Speaker 1: I said, you know, no pressure, but but but but 411 00:22:21,200 --> 00:22:23,919 Speaker 1: but what you're doing well by the way, but but 412 00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:26,520 Speaker 1: you're but you're but but I think it's super important. 413 00:22:26,560 --> 00:22:29,520 Speaker 1: And I think you can even make movies that way. 414 00:22:29,840 --> 00:22:32,400 Speaker 1: You can. You can be loving with the point you're 415 00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:34,920 Speaker 1: staying to make with a movie and stay open and 416 00:22:34,920 --> 00:22:38,920 Speaker 1: and be open to your actors too, because generally, not 417 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:43,200 Speaker 1: every time, but generally a movie will have your spirit, 418 00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:46,320 Speaker 1: your the movie will have your signature somewhere. Even even 419 00:22:46,359 --> 00:22:48,800 Speaker 1: in movies where like you know, Penny Marshall came in 420 00:22:48,800 --> 00:22:51,160 Speaker 1: at the last minute and replaced so and so it's 421 00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:56,359 Speaker 1: it's a Penny Marshall movie. The director's personality seeps in Hallelujah. 422 00:22:56,560 --> 00:22:58,919 Speaker 1: And and I love playing with that. I love playing 423 00:22:58,960 --> 00:23:01,600 Speaker 1: with like the sensibility, the and the feeling that the 424 00:23:01,640 --> 00:23:05,159 Speaker 1: movie is going to give you. Music helps the relationship 425 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:08,000 Speaker 1: on the set, Like when we've been able to work together, 426 00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:11,800 Speaker 1: it's it's really been wonderful to have like the environmental 427 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:15,360 Speaker 1: version of directing where where we all are together kind 428 00:23:15,359 --> 00:23:18,200 Speaker 1: of vibing, and there are relationships that are separate and 429 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:20,600 Speaker 1: the characters are part of it and we're doing this 430 00:23:20,640 --> 00:23:23,320 Speaker 1: thing together. I think that feeling gets into the movie. 431 00:23:24,040 --> 00:23:26,240 Speaker 1: So Jerry mc would you say that, Jerry McGuire, that 432 00:23:26,280 --> 00:23:28,520 Speaker 1: blows things open for you. That's a big hit movie. 433 00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:30,440 Speaker 1: That's you got number one in the call sheet there. 434 00:23:30,560 --> 00:23:33,320 Speaker 1: I just came from London shooting with him and no, No, 435 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:35,440 Speaker 1: it's a singular experience. Number one. When you work with 436 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:37,720 Speaker 1: Tom is you can never complain that you're tired. Yeah, 437 00:23:37,800 --> 00:23:39,359 Speaker 1: and you can never complain that you're in pain. That's 438 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:42,959 Speaker 1: what happened once Tom broke his leg in October, like 439 00:23:43,040 --> 00:23:45,960 Speaker 1: really fucking smashed his legs and he's back to working 440 00:23:46,040 --> 00:23:48,119 Speaker 1: like nine weeks or wherever the was. So when you 441 00:23:48,119 --> 00:23:50,600 Speaker 1: work with him, I love him the best. So you 442 00:23:50,640 --> 00:23:54,119 Speaker 1: could do the movie that obviously changes everything for you. Yeah. 443 00:23:54,280 --> 00:23:57,280 Speaker 1: When he said yes that that that change things. But 444 00:23:57,280 --> 00:23:59,399 Speaker 1: but he said it in a way, Alec that like 445 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:02,360 Speaker 1: you know, your friends take your sense. You know, if 446 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:05,760 Speaker 1: Tom Cruise says yes, you lose your power. You can't 447 00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:08,200 Speaker 1: do a thing. It just becomes a freight train that's 448 00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:10,440 Speaker 1: out of control. And it's a freight It's a Hollywood 449 00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:12,879 Speaker 1: freight train. You'll be lucky if you see the back 450 00:24:12,920 --> 00:24:16,560 Speaker 1: of the caboose and and you get terrified. And then 451 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:18,800 Speaker 1: Tom Cruise calls from England. So I read your script. 452 00:24:19,320 --> 00:24:20,840 Speaker 1: I hope I'm the right guy for you. Let me 453 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:24,159 Speaker 1: come out and read it for you. You're like, wait, 454 00:24:24,600 --> 00:24:26,520 Speaker 1: you want to come out and read it? Yeah? Why 455 00:24:27,040 --> 00:24:28,800 Speaker 1: why not know if it's right for both of us? 456 00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:30,000 Speaker 1: Let me read it for you. See if I'm the 457 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:32,600 Speaker 1: guy for you. And he was that guy from the 458 00:24:32,680 --> 00:24:37,240 Speaker 1: moment he got off and and and hope to work 459 00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:38,919 Speaker 1: with him again. And when you do the movie and 460 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:42,520 Speaker 1: the movie becomes a success because you you know, you 461 00:24:42,600 --> 00:24:44,919 Speaker 1: make small movies and you're like everybody. You start off 462 00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:46,800 Speaker 1: in one place and then you end up in another place. 463 00:24:47,280 --> 00:24:49,280 Speaker 1: How does that change once the movie makes a lot 464 00:24:49,280 --> 00:24:51,600 Speaker 1: of money and you're directing movies with big movie stars. 465 00:24:51,960 --> 00:24:55,120 Speaker 1: Two people except back and go whatever you want, Cameron, 466 00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:58,760 Speaker 1: whatever you want, baby, You do get easier, you do well, 467 00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:00,480 Speaker 1: we never knew that, Jeremy, Why I was going to 468 00:25:00,560 --> 00:25:02,560 Speaker 1: do that? Well, it's the same old thing you know of. 469 00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:06,000 Speaker 1: Is it an in between movie? Because it's sports and 470 00:25:06,040 --> 00:25:09,000 Speaker 1: it's also a romance and sports guys don't want to 471 00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:13,560 Speaker 1: see romance and romance is confusing people. You're confusing people. 472 00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:16,879 Speaker 1: So there was a big there's a big issue about 473 00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:20,960 Speaker 1: you know, is this one of those Robin Williams movies 474 00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:24,400 Speaker 1: that you know and you're like, I just remember being 475 00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:26,560 Speaker 1: in these rooms when everybody said, you don't have a star, 476 00:25:26,680 --> 00:25:28,600 Speaker 1: what are we gonna do? Now we have one, and 477 00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:32,119 Speaker 1: they're like, what are we gonna do? So you know, 478 00:25:32,160 --> 00:25:37,399 Speaker 1: over Thanksgiving weekend, Bob Cooper cut together, like one of 479 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:41,199 Speaker 1: the executives who just arrived I think, cut together a 480 00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:44,879 Speaker 1: version that was both and we watched it. It was like, fuck, 481 00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:49,720 Speaker 1: football can live with Rene Zellweger running through a street 482 00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:53,280 Speaker 1: and you're feeling love and romance. It's like it can work. 483 00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:56,639 Speaker 1: And it was a very very interesting thing because like 484 00:25:56,840 --> 00:25:59,119 Speaker 1: it was the first Tom Cruise movie that had like 485 00:25:59,480 --> 00:26:02,280 Speaker 1: not I want to see. So they were doing testing 486 00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:03,960 Speaker 1: and they were going like, you know, you're gonna get 487 00:26:04,080 --> 00:26:07,600 Speaker 1: killed by the Preacher's wife. It's coming out the same 488 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:09,399 Speaker 1: way you're gonna get killed. You know, this is a 489 00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:12,760 Speaker 1: changing of the guards, this is a new day, and 490 00:26:12,880 --> 00:26:16,520 Speaker 1: you know it's gonna be Preacher's wife. Tom was doing 491 00:26:16,760 --> 00:26:20,280 Speaker 1: the Cooper movie already at that time, came from London 492 00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:23,560 Speaker 1: to New York and said, boys, I'm gonna do some promotion. 493 00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:27,240 Speaker 1: And he started on a Monday. Did Rosie, did, Larry King, 494 00:26:27,280 --> 00:26:30,600 Speaker 1: did everything. By the end of the week, our numbers 495 00:26:30,600 --> 00:26:34,040 Speaker 1: were way high. Preachers One was starting to go down 496 00:26:34,400 --> 00:26:36,200 Speaker 1: and he basically blew us a kiss and went back 497 00:26:36,200 --> 00:26:39,399 Speaker 1: to England. In the movie opened, it was the brawn 498 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:43,600 Speaker 1: of him coming to say, okay, guys, I act for free. 499 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:46,160 Speaker 1: This is what you pay me for. I'm gonna give 500 00:26:46,240 --> 00:26:49,120 Speaker 1: him everything I got for this movie. And then when 501 00:26:49,160 --> 00:26:51,480 Speaker 1: that movie comes out and that's a huge hit, that's 502 00:26:51,480 --> 00:26:53,440 Speaker 1: when you decide you want to do. You feel like 503 00:26:54,200 --> 00:26:56,199 Speaker 1: the back pocket. Now we can now we can do 504 00:26:56,359 --> 00:26:58,840 Speaker 1: like the Labor of Love. And they were great. We 505 00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:00,879 Speaker 1: did it for DreamWorks and s be Brook said shoot 506 00:27:00,880 --> 00:27:05,080 Speaker 1: every word, which I've never heard before or since. And uh, 507 00:27:06,080 --> 00:27:09,760 Speaker 1: we started with the casting imperatives. There no finish we say. 508 00:27:09,800 --> 00:27:11,440 Speaker 1: We started to run. We started to run long and 509 00:27:11,720 --> 00:27:14,600 Speaker 1: I got a message back like Steven says, shoot every 510 00:27:14,600 --> 00:27:18,199 Speaker 1: other word for a while. The no, there was no 511 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:21,800 Speaker 1: casting imperative. In fact, you will dig this um. It 512 00:27:21,840 --> 00:27:24,879 Speaker 1: was gonna be Brad Pitt as the Billy crude up character, 513 00:27:25,680 --> 00:27:28,720 Speaker 1: and um, we we worked on it, and it just 514 00:27:28,920 --> 00:27:30,960 Speaker 1: he started to drift away. I still haven't had the 515 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:33,200 Speaker 1: definitive conversation with him on why it didn't work out 516 00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:38,000 Speaker 1: but didn't work out, but somewhere I have Brad Pitt 517 00:27:38,600 --> 00:27:42,080 Speaker 1: and Natalie Portman trying out for Penny Lane, and the 518 00:27:42,119 --> 00:27:44,560 Speaker 1: portrait of the two of them together is is riveting, 519 00:27:44,880 --> 00:27:49,560 Speaker 1: but a completely different movie. And Spielberg said, cast anybody 520 00:27:49,640 --> 00:27:51,840 Speaker 1: wants as long as he's right. And it came down 521 00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:57,720 Speaker 1: to Billy and Christian Bale and they both were great, 522 00:27:58,640 --> 00:28:01,760 Speaker 1: and it was kind of like, I'm gonna go with 523 00:28:01,760 --> 00:28:04,120 Speaker 1: Billy and he learned how to play guitar in six 524 00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:07,359 Speaker 1: weeks and was the guy of Destiny. He was the 525 00:28:07,359 --> 00:28:10,439 Speaker 1: guy of Destiny and they let me make it, you know, 526 00:28:10,480 --> 00:28:12,720 Speaker 1: with with all the so called bells and whistles, which 527 00:28:12,720 --> 00:28:14,400 Speaker 1: really was being being able to shoot up with John 528 00:28:14,440 --> 00:28:17,520 Speaker 1: Toll and get all the sets, ride and go back 529 00:28:17,560 --> 00:28:21,399 Speaker 1: to Sandy. Yeah, it's told the only person to win 530 00:28:21,440 --> 00:28:27,200 Speaker 1: the Oscar back to back years, brave heart. I love 531 00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:31,040 Speaker 1: he's great, and I think he worked on Monterey popper Woodstockers. 532 00:28:31,080 --> 00:28:34,280 Speaker 1: I mean he actually was there shooting for part of 533 00:28:34,320 --> 00:28:37,399 Speaker 1: that era, so he knew what real he knew what 534 00:28:37,440 --> 00:28:40,840 Speaker 1: authenticity was. And led Zeppelin said yes, and let us 535 00:28:40,960 --> 00:28:44,120 Speaker 1: use the music, which was incredible to go to England 536 00:28:44,120 --> 00:28:46,880 Speaker 1: and show the movie to led Zeppelin with the editor 537 00:28:46,920 --> 00:28:48,920 Speaker 1: and sit in a small room on the one day 538 00:28:48,960 --> 00:28:52,440 Speaker 1: that Jimmy and Robert like spend together going over Zeppelin business. 539 00:28:52,800 --> 00:28:55,080 Speaker 1: We're in the back row. It's just like five of us. 540 00:28:55,880 --> 00:28:58,160 Speaker 1: And every time the two heads of Jimmy Page and 541 00:28:58,240 --> 00:29:00,720 Speaker 1: Robert Plant would come together to talk talking about something, 542 00:29:00,720 --> 00:29:03,320 Speaker 1: we play What are they what are they talking about? 543 00:29:03,320 --> 00:29:05,560 Speaker 1: What are they talking about? And and um, and then 544 00:29:05,560 --> 00:29:09,880 Speaker 1: it was over. They they were kind of emotional, and 545 00:29:09,960 --> 00:29:12,640 Speaker 1: Robert Plant said, I have a I have a bottle 546 00:29:12,640 --> 00:29:15,040 Speaker 1: of Kludes I've been saving since nineteen eighty and I'm 547 00:29:15,040 --> 00:29:18,680 Speaker 1: gonna take one tonight. And then we went across the 548 00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:21,080 Speaker 1: street and talked about the music and Jimmy Page says, 549 00:29:22,240 --> 00:29:25,640 Speaker 1: I would like one of our acoustic songs, one more 550 00:29:25,640 --> 00:29:27,480 Speaker 1: of our acoustic songs in there, and I'll let you 551 00:29:27,480 --> 00:29:29,680 Speaker 1: have it for free, just find a place for it. 552 00:29:29,800 --> 00:29:32,480 Speaker 1: And I was like, damn, you're supposed to be the 553 00:29:32,480 --> 00:29:36,520 Speaker 1: people that say no music for anyone, And so they said, 554 00:29:36,600 --> 00:29:40,160 Speaker 1: like the movies coming from the right place, and how 555 00:29:40,200 --> 00:29:42,600 Speaker 1: great is Jeff Buckley, And they just started talking about 556 00:29:42,640 --> 00:29:46,600 Speaker 1: Jeff Buckley, Page and Plant like fans exactly what we're 557 00:29:46,640 --> 00:29:51,200 Speaker 1: talking about, like the way you want to hear musicians 558 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:53,520 Speaker 1: you love talking about the musicians they love. And it 559 00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:59,320 Speaker 1: was Jeff Buckley who unfortunately died playing immigrant song I've heard. 560 00:30:00,720 --> 00:30:03,160 Speaker 1: I loved all the musicians that helped us on Almost Famous, 561 00:30:03,160 --> 00:30:05,320 Speaker 1: because they all pitched in, they all gave us like 562 00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:07,640 Speaker 1: a good price on the music and love that we 563 00:30:07,760 --> 00:30:14,959 Speaker 1: played so much of it. Writer director, journalist Cameron Crowe 564 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:19,320 Speaker 1: After the Break Cameron Crowe on what it feels like 565 00:30:19,480 --> 00:30:23,120 Speaker 1: after the success of Jerry McGuire and Almost Famous to 566 00:30:23,240 --> 00:30:25,480 Speaker 1: have a movie fall flat in the eyes of the 567 00:30:25,560 --> 00:30:30,480 Speaker 1: outside world, Plus the story of his definitive interview with 568 00:30:30,560 --> 00:30:34,640 Speaker 1: the great Billy Wilder, which became the book Conversations with Wilder. 569 00:30:38,600 --> 00:30:41,960 Speaker 1: This song is led Zeppelin's Tangerine, which Crowe uses to 570 00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:45,520 Speaker 1: amp up the nostalgia as the tour bus drives away 571 00:30:45,560 --> 00:31:04,280 Speaker 1: at the end of Almost Famous, m h, this is 572 00:31:04,280 --> 00:31:13,400 Speaker 1: Alec Baldwin and you were listening to Here's the Thing 573 00:31:13,520 --> 00:31:19,720 Speaker 1: Baby That's led Zeppelin's Misty Mountain Hop, also from Almost Famous, 574 00:31:20,120 --> 00:31:23,760 Speaker 1: another great use of song, capturing the swelling pride of 575 00:31:23,800 --> 00:31:28,400 Speaker 1: Will the Cameron Crow character when he loses his virginity. 576 00:31:29,240 --> 00:31:32,320 Speaker 1: Now back to the real Cameron Crow on making a 577 00:31:32,360 --> 00:31:36,040 Speaker 1: movie that is not the hit? Is it painful? Is 578 00:31:36,080 --> 00:31:39,960 Speaker 1: its soul searching? Do you get in a minivan and 579 00:31:40,040 --> 00:31:42,960 Speaker 1: drive cross country and meditate to great? What do you 580 00:31:43,040 --> 00:31:44,800 Speaker 1: do in the wake of the one we sait there 581 00:31:44,800 --> 00:31:50,120 Speaker 1: and go I miscalculated something. You definitely do that. Um, 582 00:31:50,120 --> 00:31:55,160 Speaker 1: but you also know that sometimes time is the component 583 00:31:55,280 --> 00:31:58,760 Speaker 1: that's not in play yet and over time stuff that 584 00:31:58,840 --> 00:32:01,320 Speaker 1: I've done and movies that I appreciate that other people done. 585 00:32:01,360 --> 00:32:04,560 Speaker 1: Time adds a little something, sometimes takes it away, but 586 00:32:04,680 --> 00:32:07,880 Speaker 1: it adds something. So some of the movies, like Elizabethtown, 587 00:32:08,000 --> 00:32:10,000 Speaker 1: got a strange reaction when it first came out. I 588 00:32:10,400 --> 00:32:13,400 Speaker 1: love Elizabethtown. I love what we did, and I love 589 00:32:13,480 --> 00:32:16,760 Speaker 1: the purpose of elizabeth Town. Not everybody got it. But 590 00:32:16,920 --> 00:32:19,720 Speaker 1: as it's for my dad, as as Almost Famous was 591 00:32:19,800 --> 00:32:21,400 Speaker 1: very much a kind of portrait of my mom. I 592 00:32:21,400 --> 00:32:23,400 Speaker 1: wanted to I wanted to say something about my dad. 593 00:32:24,000 --> 00:32:26,640 Speaker 1: And Um, as time goes on, more and more people 594 00:32:27,120 --> 00:32:30,600 Speaker 1: really get that movie, like really get it. Like when 595 00:32:30,600 --> 00:32:33,400 Speaker 1: people started to say to me, I saw your movie 596 00:32:33,640 --> 00:32:35,600 Speaker 1: or I read something that you wrote, and it kind 597 00:32:35,600 --> 00:32:38,040 Speaker 1: of changed my life. It took me a long time 598 00:32:38,120 --> 00:32:40,920 Speaker 1: to to kind of wrap my head around that, and 599 00:32:40,960 --> 00:32:44,000 Speaker 1: then it became something that I was so proud of. 600 00:32:44,640 --> 00:32:46,840 Speaker 1: And if you're able to just like touch people in 601 00:32:46,880 --> 00:32:50,040 Speaker 1: a in a certain way, they remember you forever. They 602 00:32:50,080 --> 00:32:52,720 Speaker 1: remember the movie of the line or the character forever. 603 00:32:52,840 --> 00:32:56,560 Speaker 1: So I just love the game. It's really they're all 604 00:32:56,640 --> 00:32:59,959 Speaker 1: gonna so. So the thing is, like Kirsten Dunce's care 605 00:33:00,000 --> 00:33:04,760 Speaker 1: actor in Elizabethtown, for example, like understood, less understood, now 606 00:33:04,840 --> 00:33:06,920 Speaker 1: kind of understood again. What's the acronym the guy came 607 00:33:06,960 --> 00:33:10,440 Speaker 1: up with to describe her character Ani Pixie dream Girl. Yeah, 608 00:33:10,520 --> 00:33:15,000 Speaker 1: well it was Lucille Ball, so you know, totally Mary 609 00:33:15,000 --> 00:33:18,160 Speaker 1: Tyler more and um and that character was patterned after 610 00:33:18,240 --> 00:33:21,360 Speaker 1: a real person. So it's kind of authentic too. But 611 00:33:21,400 --> 00:33:25,760 Speaker 1: the thing is it's disappointing, but then you never lose 612 00:33:25,800 --> 00:33:28,120 Speaker 1: the desire to get back on the horse and just 613 00:33:28,240 --> 00:33:31,360 Speaker 1: like you know, but stand doing what you're doing, meaning 614 00:33:31,720 --> 00:33:34,640 Speaker 1: maybe it doesn't perform because it is a business according 615 00:33:34,680 --> 00:33:36,560 Speaker 1: to plan. When you go right back into it the 616 00:33:36,600 --> 00:33:38,160 Speaker 1: same way you do it. You don't change the way 617 00:33:38,200 --> 00:33:40,400 Speaker 1: you're doing. When I first started out, like given the 618 00:33:40,400 --> 00:33:42,000 Speaker 1: opportunity to do it, my thing was like I want 619 00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:44,040 Speaker 1: to make movies about the people that never get movies 620 00:33:44,080 --> 00:33:46,800 Speaker 1: made about them. And I still believe that, I still 621 00:33:47,240 --> 00:33:50,320 Speaker 1: like say anything. Was that for me? Like a guy 622 00:33:50,400 --> 00:33:53,520 Speaker 1: like Lloyd? I mean it was patterned after my next 623 00:33:53,560 --> 00:33:58,160 Speaker 1: door neighbor really, who was just a completely unique, soulful 624 00:33:58,320 --> 00:34:01,920 Speaker 1: guy lived died at a very young age, was like 625 00:34:01,960 --> 00:34:05,680 Speaker 1: a young motivational speaker, and was a you know, fledgling kickboxer. 626 00:34:06,640 --> 00:34:08,680 Speaker 1: I was trying to figure out the main male character 627 00:34:08,719 --> 00:34:10,480 Speaker 1: in the script, and this guy knocked on my door 628 00:34:10,560 --> 00:34:13,880 Speaker 1: and said, I'm from Alabama. I'm here in town. My 629 00:34:13,920 --> 00:34:16,560 Speaker 1: father is under investigation for income tax and I'm gonna 630 00:34:16,600 --> 00:34:18,719 Speaker 1: be doing some kickboxing later tonight. Would you like to 631 00:34:18,760 --> 00:34:21,359 Speaker 1: come see me? And I'm like, no, I'm busy trying 632 00:34:21,400 --> 00:34:25,560 Speaker 1: to come up with a creative character. Wait a minute, hey, 633 00:34:25,560 --> 00:34:28,520 Speaker 1: come back, yeah, come back? And that that guy actually 634 00:34:28,560 --> 00:34:32,000 Speaker 1: I didn't go watch him kickbox, And I said I 635 00:34:32,080 --> 00:34:35,280 Speaker 1: might and go out to like Samernardino and watch him kickbox. 636 00:34:35,280 --> 00:34:38,000 Speaker 1: I didn't make it. Next morning, I hear like, boom 637 00:34:38,040 --> 00:34:41,520 Speaker 1: in our apartment place, boom, boom, boom. What's happened? I 638 00:34:41,600 --> 00:34:45,080 Speaker 1: go downstairs. He's got a bag hanging from the pipes 639 00:34:45,160 --> 00:34:48,359 Speaker 1: in the in the parking lot, parking garash and he's 640 00:34:48,480 --> 00:34:51,480 Speaker 1: working out again. And he turns around and guys black 641 00:34:51,520 --> 00:34:56,000 Speaker 1: and Blue. He was decimated in his fight and and 642 00:34:56,120 --> 00:34:57,799 Speaker 1: I said, I guess it didn't go too well. And 643 00:34:57,840 --> 00:35:00,759 Speaker 1: he goes. He goes, I'm back at next Friday, and 644 00:35:00,920 --> 00:35:03,479 Speaker 1: I think I'm gonna do well and I want you there. 645 00:35:03,560 --> 00:35:06,719 Speaker 1: And I was like, this is a warrior for optimism. 646 00:35:06,960 --> 00:35:09,479 Speaker 1: I love this and this is life. No, I didn't 647 00:35:09,480 --> 00:35:12,600 Speaker 1: go why, But I went and hung with him a 648 00:35:12,600 --> 00:35:14,960 Speaker 1: lot and we watched a lot together. So he you're 649 00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:18,759 Speaker 1: not making a movie about him? Um in the end. 650 00:35:18,960 --> 00:35:24,120 Speaker 1: In the end, Lloyd was based on Diane was supposed 651 00:35:24,120 --> 00:35:25,680 Speaker 1: to be the main character. When we first started doing 652 00:35:25,719 --> 00:35:28,200 Speaker 1: Say Anything, the Ione Sky character was the main character. 653 00:35:28,560 --> 00:35:31,919 Speaker 1: Lloyd kind of took over along with Lowell, my next 654 00:35:31,920 --> 00:35:35,319 Speaker 1: door neighbor and um. And that was another thing. It's 655 00:35:35,320 --> 00:35:37,000 Speaker 1: like real life is going to deliver you some of 656 00:35:37,000 --> 00:35:39,320 Speaker 1: the best stories. Like you just sit tight and listen 657 00:35:39,360 --> 00:35:44,520 Speaker 1: and watch because life is the best writer now, of course. 658 00:35:45,640 --> 00:35:50,239 Speaker 1: And when you love movies, classic films, whether they were 659 00:35:50,239 --> 00:35:52,920 Speaker 1: in the TCM wheelhouse or not, people will say to me, 660 00:35:52,920 --> 00:35:53,880 Speaker 1: who you know? Who do you want to work with? 661 00:35:53,880 --> 00:35:54,920 Speaker 1: Who do you want to work with? I said, well, 662 00:35:54,920 --> 00:35:56,000 Speaker 1: who do you think I want to work I want 663 00:35:56,000 --> 00:35:58,880 Speaker 1: to work with Bogarts. I wanna work with John Houston, 664 00:35:59,440 --> 00:36:01,640 Speaker 1: William Old and I just wanted to I just watched 665 00:36:01,640 --> 00:36:05,080 Speaker 1: Bridge on the River Quiet the other day again. So 666 00:36:06,160 --> 00:36:08,200 Speaker 1: for you, how does the connection happen? How do you 667 00:36:08,239 --> 00:36:11,120 Speaker 1: get the hook into Wilder and meet Wilder? You know, 668 00:36:11,320 --> 00:36:13,960 Speaker 1: I I fell in love with his stuff when we 669 00:36:13,960 --> 00:36:16,279 Speaker 1: were working on Jerry McGuire. I just fell in love 670 00:36:16,320 --> 00:36:18,640 Speaker 1: with the stuff, and and the apartment spoke to me 671 00:36:18,680 --> 00:36:22,080 Speaker 1: in such an amazing way. I got like a vintage 672 00:36:22,080 --> 00:36:24,960 Speaker 1: poster and I wanted to go visit Billy Wilder and 673 00:36:24,960 --> 00:36:28,640 Speaker 1: have him sign it. And I did, and he was 674 00:36:28,719 --> 00:36:32,279 Speaker 1: kind of where at his office, Uh in Beverly Hills. 675 00:36:33,040 --> 00:36:36,120 Speaker 1: You're an established director who just wants to meet him? Yeah? Yeah, 676 00:36:36,200 --> 00:36:39,000 Speaker 1: And so there was a there was an appointment made 677 00:36:39,080 --> 00:36:42,520 Speaker 1: like two o'clock. So I go to this little office 678 00:36:42,560 --> 00:36:46,520 Speaker 1: building and uh, and I have like my poster and 679 00:36:46,600 --> 00:36:49,880 Speaker 1: a tube and everything, and two goes and to third 680 00:36:49,920 --> 00:36:54,879 Speaker 1: e goes, and three goes, three thirty and uh, I'm 681 00:36:54,920 --> 00:36:57,520 Speaker 1: getting ready to leave, and like four o'clock, here comes 682 00:36:57,520 --> 00:37:00,799 Speaker 1: Billy Wilder like crossing the street, and I'm like, excuse me, 683 00:37:00,920 --> 00:37:04,040 Speaker 1: Mr Wilder, Cameron Crow, I'm here. CIA was supposed to 684 00:37:04,640 --> 00:37:07,000 Speaker 1: call you to tell you that had an appointment. I 685 00:37:07,040 --> 00:37:09,239 Speaker 1: got no call. I got no call from c A. 686 00:37:09,400 --> 00:37:11,520 Speaker 1: Why don't they call me for work? Why don't they 687 00:37:11,520 --> 00:37:13,080 Speaker 1: call me for work? If they call me, they should 688 00:37:13,120 --> 00:37:15,040 Speaker 1: call me for work. Well, well, okay, who am I 689 00:37:15,080 --> 00:37:16,759 Speaker 1: signing this poster? You want to sign a poster? What 690 00:37:16,880 --> 00:37:19,399 Speaker 1: to sign a poster? Camera? Get me a fucking tie. 691 00:37:19,520 --> 00:37:22,799 Speaker 1: Go up to his office and um, he signs the 692 00:37:22,840 --> 00:37:27,440 Speaker 1: poster and starts talking to me about carry Grant And 693 00:37:27,480 --> 00:37:30,040 Speaker 1: I'm like, I'm sitting in fucking Billy Wilder's office and 694 00:37:30,080 --> 00:37:33,680 Speaker 1: he's telling me carry Grant stories. Thinks I'm like a 695 00:37:33,800 --> 00:37:37,160 Speaker 1: p a for somebody at CIA. He hasn't quite put 696 00:37:37,200 --> 00:37:40,759 Speaker 1: it together. Starts telling at about like they should have 697 00:37:40,800 --> 00:37:42,920 Speaker 1: called me for this and that, and you know, Schindler's 698 00:37:42,960 --> 00:37:46,080 Speaker 1: list was mine at a certain point, like that's great, 699 00:37:46,640 --> 00:37:50,400 Speaker 1: Mr Wilder. I'm making a movie and myself and I 700 00:37:50,400 --> 00:37:53,399 Speaker 1: would like you to play a part in it. I'm 701 00:37:53,440 --> 00:37:56,080 Speaker 1: not an actor, Hire an actor, but it's great. It's 702 00:37:56,120 --> 00:38:00,239 Speaker 1: like it's like you're a sports agents mentor. Okay, okay, okay, okay, 703 00:38:00,239 --> 00:38:02,239 Speaker 1: you come and find I come and dad do it. 704 00:38:02,239 --> 00:38:03,919 Speaker 1: I do what I do. I come and I'm so happy. 705 00:38:03,920 --> 00:38:06,080 Speaker 1: I went to get some cigars. I brought him back 706 00:38:06,120 --> 00:38:11,720 Speaker 1: some cigars. Jerry McGuire comes together. We're in the rehearsals. 707 00:38:11,960 --> 00:38:13,279 Speaker 1: I haven't been able to get a hold of him. 708 00:38:13,320 --> 00:38:15,279 Speaker 1: Tom Cruise is standing there, and Cruise goes, when do 709 00:38:15,360 --> 00:38:17,759 Speaker 1: we get to meet Billy Wilder. I go, let me 710 00:38:17,800 --> 00:38:20,400 Speaker 1: call him. It's I call his office, and you know, miracle, 711 00:38:20,440 --> 00:38:23,960 Speaker 1: he picks up the phone. Mrs Wilder, it's camera crow. 712 00:38:24,160 --> 00:38:28,480 Speaker 1: Who I'm the guy. I'm doing this movie with Tom 713 00:38:28,520 --> 00:38:33,520 Speaker 1: Cruise and we talked about a part, and um, I'm 714 00:38:33,560 --> 00:38:36,640 Speaker 1: just at the rehearsals. So maybe you can come and 715 00:38:36,640 --> 00:38:39,239 Speaker 1: just be a part of it. You know, I'm going 716 00:38:39,280 --> 00:38:42,000 Speaker 1: to piss ice water on you right now. I'm not 717 00:38:42,080 --> 00:38:45,520 Speaker 1: an actor. Hire an actor. You're bothering an old man. 718 00:38:46,480 --> 00:38:49,200 Speaker 1: I'm going to say goodbye. To you now goodbye, click 719 00:38:50,480 --> 00:38:53,000 Speaker 1: and now like Tom Cruise is standing there with Bonnie 720 00:38:53,080 --> 00:38:57,799 Speaker 1: Hunt like Wendsy counting, and I said, I think he's 721 00:38:57,840 --> 00:39:00,920 Speaker 1: not in a good mood today, and you know, I'll try. 722 00:39:00,920 --> 00:39:05,360 Speaker 1: And it's like raining and terrible kind of moody situation. Cruise, 723 00:39:05,560 --> 00:39:08,799 Speaker 1: who you know it goes, Let's go to him right now, 724 00:39:09,080 --> 00:39:12,799 Speaker 1: come on, where's your keys? Let's go. So now I'm 725 00:39:12,880 --> 00:39:15,040 Speaker 1: driving through the rainy streets with Tom Cruise going please 726 00:39:15,080 --> 00:39:18,600 Speaker 1: don't let me get an accident because it is Tom 727 00:39:18,600 --> 00:39:21,880 Speaker 1: crumbal and number one to the car traveling. So we 728 00:39:21,920 --> 00:39:24,120 Speaker 1: get to the office, think goodness, Billy Wilder is still there. 729 00:39:24,120 --> 00:39:26,360 Speaker 1: He opens the door, he looks annoyed. Then he looks 730 00:39:26,400 --> 00:39:28,560 Speaker 1: next to me and sees it's Tom Cruise and suddenly says, 731 00:39:28,600 --> 00:39:33,359 Speaker 1: come in, come in, Come in, come in, and proceeds 732 00:39:33,440 --> 00:39:37,960 Speaker 1: to flirt with Tom Cruise the whole time where they're 733 00:39:38,000 --> 00:39:42,000 Speaker 1: like perfect, just loving, lashing him with nose like Tom's like, 734 00:39:42,040 --> 00:39:44,960 Speaker 1: we really want you to play this part. No, no, 735 00:39:45,040 --> 00:39:47,440 Speaker 1: you must hire an actor. No no, no, no no no. 736 00:39:47,480 --> 00:39:48,680 Speaker 1: I mean why wouldn't want to be in a movie 737 00:39:48,680 --> 00:39:51,000 Speaker 1: when you why you tell me, why why would you 738 00:39:51,040 --> 00:39:53,960 Speaker 1: make such a movie, what is the perfect I'm going, oh, fuck, 739 00:39:54,040 --> 00:39:57,440 Speaker 1: Billy Wilder, do not unravel the movie and rehearsal with 740 00:39:57,520 --> 00:40:00,759 Speaker 1: Tom Cruise because Tom's like, tell him the movie. I'm like, 741 00:40:01,120 --> 00:40:03,399 Speaker 1: it's sports agent, like kind of like tell him a story. 742 00:40:03,400 --> 00:40:06,600 Speaker 1: And while there's listening and it's not sparkling with love 743 00:40:06,719 --> 00:40:09,080 Speaker 1: for this story, and Cruiz is looking at him and 744 00:40:09,080 --> 00:40:11,520 Speaker 1: looking at me, and I'm going, I'm now gonna everything's 745 00:40:11,560 --> 00:40:15,319 Speaker 1: gonna be shipped because of this, while there goes, how 746 00:40:15,360 --> 00:40:19,000 Speaker 1: will you have a sympathy for such a sports agent? 747 00:40:19,040 --> 00:40:22,239 Speaker 1: How will you have sympathy? Why? You know, a little 748 00:40:22,320 --> 00:40:24,239 Speaker 1: kid tells him to funk off in the beginning, and 749 00:40:24,280 --> 00:40:28,120 Speaker 1: his heartbreaks, and he I think Lemon should have had 750 00:40:28,120 --> 00:40:30,640 Speaker 1: more problems with him in the apartment. I think Lemon 751 00:40:30,680 --> 00:40:32,640 Speaker 1: should have had a limp, So something like a limp 752 00:40:32,680 --> 00:40:35,680 Speaker 1: would have helped us with the sympathy, and and Cruises 753 00:40:35,760 --> 00:40:37,360 Speaker 1: looking at me, and I'm going, well, I think Jeremy 754 00:40:37,520 --> 00:40:39,600 Speaker 1: is a very sympathetic character. And I think you're gonna 755 00:40:39,640 --> 00:40:42,360 Speaker 1: love it. I think you're gonna love Okay, okay, okay. 756 00:40:42,560 --> 00:40:46,479 Speaker 1: It's nice to meet you. Nice to meet you, especially you, 757 00:40:46,680 --> 00:40:50,480 Speaker 1: he says to Tom and and delighted and we leave 758 00:40:51,400 --> 00:40:54,080 Speaker 1: and uh, and of course he doesn't play the part. 759 00:40:54,120 --> 00:40:57,280 Speaker 1: We hire the the business affairs guys guy at try 760 00:40:57,280 --> 00:40:59,799 Speaker 1: Star who is so not an actor but was fan 761 00:41:00,000 --> 00:41:04,320 Speaker 1: pastic movie comes out first week, goes by phone rings, 762 00:41:04,680 --> 00:41:06,799 Speaker 1: It says Billy Wilder on the on the caller, I 763 00:41:06,880 --> 00:41:10,560 Speaker 1: d so I'm shipping already. I picked up Hello, Mr 764 00:41:10,640 --> 00:41:15,080 Speaker 1: Cameron Crow. I enjoyed your picture. Who is this guy 765 00:41:15,120 --> 00:41:20,239 Speaker 1: who played my part? Well, he wasn't really not. He 766 00:41:20,320 --> 00:41:22,080 Speaker 1: was good. He was good. I liked him very much. 767 00:41:22,200 --> 00:41:25,120 Speaker 1: I liked the Billy Bob Thornton movie this year a 768 00:41:25,120 --> 00:41:28,200 Speaker 1: little bit more than yours. But yours is good. Yours 769 00:41:28,239 --> 00:41:31,400 Speaker 1: is good. Uh, come and visit me if you'd like 770 00:41:31,520 --> 00:41:35,480 Speaker 1: to do something for your column. And I go, I 771 00:41:35,560 --> 00:41:38,359 Speaker 1: don't really have a column, but I'm gonna come visit you. 772 00:41:38,520 --> 00:41:42,719 Speaker 1: He says, the same place. I'll be there tomorrow. Yeah. 773 00:41:42,800 --> 00:41:46,400 Speaker 1: So I went and just started interviewing him for my column, 774 00:41:46,719 --> 00:41:51,319 Speaker 1: which didn't exist, Archer and turned into the book, which 775 00:41:51,320 --> 00:41:54,319 Speaker 1: he argued against, like, do do they really care about me? 776 00:41:54,360 --> 00:41:56,359 Speaker 1: Do they really want a book of me talking to they? Really? 777 00:41:56,360 --> 00:41:59,080 Speaker 1: Does this generation really care? And in the course of 778 00:41:59,080 --> 00:42:03,160 Speaker 1: these interviews Alec like, you know, Sam Mendis would show up, 779 00:42:03,200 --> 00:42:06,320 Speaker 1: and Curtis handsOn would come along on some of these things, 780 00:42:06,400 --> 00:42:09,880 Speaker 1: and and and Jerry Moss, her Balbert's partner was was 781 00:42:10,520 --> 00:42:14,200 Speaker 1: Billy's you know, music friend, and he would come along 782 00:42:14,239 --> 00:42:17,319 Speaker 1: on stuff. And Billy just started to really get into 783 00:42:17,360 --> 00:42:21,680 Speaker 1: the idea of this book project. And he he said, 784 00:42:21,719 --> 00:42:24,440 Speaker 1: one night, and this was like a huge thing. We 785 00:42:24,480 --> 00:42:27,960 Speaker 1: went out to dinner with his wife and Audrey was amazing, 786 00:42:28,000 --> 00:42:29,600 Speaker 1: and Audrey goes to the bathrooms and now it's just 787 00:42:29,600 --> 00:42:31,160 Speaker 1: the two of us. I've been interviewing Billy Wilder for 788 00:42:31,160 --> 00:42:33,719 Speaker 1: about a year and a half and he goes, Okay, 789 00:42:34,560 --> 00:42:39,120 Speaker 1: is this book really going to come out? And I said, yeah, 790 00:42:39,239 --> 00:42:42,280 Speaker 1: of course. And he said, because if this was all 791 00:42:42,320 --> 00:42:47,080 Speaker 1: just for you, that's fine. And I realized he was 792 00:42:47,120 --> 00:42:49,760 Speaker 1: basically telling me, you know, if you if you wanted 793 00:42:50,280 --> 00:42:56,040 Speaker 1: film school with Billy Wilder, that's that's cool. But what 794 00:42:56,080 --> 00:42:59,279 Speaker 1: I sensed was I'd like to read it before I 795 00:42:59,360 --> 00:43:01,799 Speaker 1: check out, you know, like I'd like the book to 796 00:43:01,960 --> 00:43:04,200 Speaker 1: come out at a point where when I live in 797 00:43:04,239 --> 00:43:07,080 Speaker 1: the same world, because I'm not the youngest guy in 798 00:43:07,120 --> 00:43:11,560 Speaker 1: the world. So I threw it into overdrive. We finished 799 00:43:11,560 --> 00:43:14,600 Speaker 1: the book. He loved the book, Alec, it was great. 800 00:43:14,760 --> 00:43:17,200 Speaker 1: Vandity Fair asked him to right before he died, asked 801 00:43:17,239 --> 00:43:20,520 Speaker 1: him what was on his bedstand and he said Conversations 802 00:43:20,520 --> 00:43:26,960 Speaker 1: with the Wild, A fitting tribute to two incredible talents. 803 00:43:28,760 --> 00:43:32,680 Speaker 1: In his films, Cameron Crowe has used songs from Simon 804 00:43:32,719 --> 00:43:37,120 Speaker 1: and Garf, Uncle Yes, Rod Stewart, Blue Read, Peter Gabriel, 805 00:43:37,200 --> 00:43:41,080 Speaker 1: Paul McCartney, and several cuts from another band We both 806 00:43:41,120 --> 00:43:50,680 Speaker 1: love the Who, for example getting in tune in the 807 00:43:50,760 --> 00:43:56,440 Speaker 1: opening scenes of Jerry McGuire underlining Tom Cruise's intensifying emotions 808 00:43:56,719 --> 00:44:03,719 Speaker 1: as he writes his mission statement. As an actor who 809 00:44:03,760 --> 00:44:06,480 Speaker 1: has worked with Cameron Crowe, I can confirm he's the 810 00:44:06,520 --> 00:44:11,719 Speaker 1: greatest partner you could possibly have in filmmaking. This is 811 00:44:11,760 --> 00:44:14,560 Speaker 1: Alec Baldwin and you're listening to Here's the Thing.