Mel Brooks’s Young Frankenstein, co-written with Gene Wilder (seen here with Marty Feldman and Teri Garr) inspired Tony McNamara’s screenplay adaptation of Alasdair Gray’s novel for Yorgos Lanthimos’s Poor Things (Oscar wins for Emma Stone and costume designer Holly Waddington).
By using well-chosen excerpts from the audiobook of Gene Wilder’s autobiography, Kiss Me Like A Stranger, Ron Frank lets Wilder himself guide us through the documentary, by positioning him in dialogue with many friends and colleagues assembled here, most prominently Mel Brooks, who directed Wilder in a number of groundbreaking movies. We find out how the two met, because Anne Bancroft, starring at the time on stage in Bertolt Brecht’s Mother Courage (with Wilder as the Chaplain), was dating Brooks, who was looking for an actor to play Leo Bloom in what was to become The Producers. The two men clicked, as they both recall,...
By using well-chosen excerpts from the audiobook of Gene Wilder’s autobiography, Kiss Me Like A Stranger, Ron Frank lets Wilder himself guide us through the documentary, by positioning him in dialogue with many friends and colleagues assembled here, most prominently Mel Brooks, who directed Wilder in a number of groundbreaking movies. We find out how the two met, because Anne Bancroft, starring at the time on stage in Bertolt Brecht’s Mother Courage (with Wilder as the Chaplain), was dating Brooks, who was looking for an actor to play Leo Bloom in what was to become The Producers. The two men clicked, as they both recall,...
- 3/21/2024
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
The Untold Story Of A Lost Classic: What Ever Happened To Gram Parsons’ Sci-Fi Film ‘Saturation 70’?
In the late 1960s, Gram Parsons, fresh from leaving The Byrds and becoming close pals with the Rolling Stones, signed on to star in a sci-fi film, Saturation 70.
Directed by Anthony Foutz, who worked with the likes of Orson Welles and Richard Lyford and was the son of a very early Walt Disney exec, the film was shot across Joshua Tree and Los Angeles.
But Saturation 70, which also featured the work of Douglas Trumbull, the pioneering special effects wizard behind 2001: A Space Odyssey and Blade Runner, was never finished, and the footage subsequently vanished.
But a new book tells the wild story of a possible lost classic.
Chris Campion, who rediscovered the film while working on a book about The Mamas & The Papas, is putting together Saturation 70: A Vision Past of the Future Foretold, raising money via Kickstarter for the project with a view to publish next spring via Wolf+Salmon.
Directed by Anthony Foutz, who worked with the likes of Orson Welles and Richard Lyford and was the son of a very early Walt Disney exec, the film was shot across Joshua Tree and Los Angeles.
But Saturation 70, which also featured the work of Douglas Trumbull, the pioneering special effects wizard behind 2001: A Space Odyssey and Blade Runner, was never finished, and the footage subsequently vanished.
But a new book tells the wild story of a possible lost classic.
Chris Campion, who rediscovered the film while working on a book about The Mamas & The Papas, is putting together Saturation 70: A Vision Past of the Future Foretold, raising money via Kickstarter for the project with a view to publish next spring via Wolf+Salmon.
- 10/26/2023
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Which is Mel Brooks's best movie: "Blazing Saddles" or "Young Frankenstein?" "Blazing Saddles" has social relevancy, fart jokes, and a truly bonkers final act. But "Young Frankenstein" has neighing horses, rolling in the hay, "Putting on the Ritz," and the most excruciating meal of soup in the history of cinema. Every scene in "Young Frankenstein" is gangbusters, and every lowbrow gag sings. The movie even looks pretty good, emulating the expressionist appeal of James Whale's original "Frankenstein" films. Brooks went on to make many more features, including "Spaceballs," but, for me, none live up to the simple pleasures of "Young Frankenstein."
There's one small catch though, which is that "Young Frankenstein" didn't actually begin with Brooks. The seed of the film was planted by none other than the actor Gene Wilder. Brooks had earlier invited Wilder to star in "The Producers," where he played the aspiring producer, Leo Bloom.
There's one small catch though, which is that "Young Frankenstein" didn't actually begin with Brooks. The seed of the film was planted by none other than the actor Gene Wilder. Brooks had earlier invited Wilder to star in "The Producers," where he played the aspiring producer, Leo Bloom.
- 11/20/2022
- by Adam Wescott
- Slash Film
Newly remastered in 4K! Bruce Dern’s (literally) tree-hugging forest ranger Freeman Lowell commits space piracy to save the trees, dude, and becomes lost in space with only Huey, Dewey and Louie for companionship. The only soul back on Earth who seems to care is Joan Baez. Douglas Trumbull’s technically-accomplished first feature film does 2001 on a tiny budget, and creates something original, if a bit mushy — the bittersweet ending depresses more than it uplifts.
Silent Running
4K Ultra HD
Arrow Video
1972 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 90 min. / Street Date December 13, 2022 / Available from / 49.95
Starring: Bruce Dern, Cliff Potts, Ron Rifkin, Jesse Vint, Mark Persons, Steven Brown, Cheryl Sparks, Larry Whisenhunt.
Cinematography: Charles F. Wheeler
Film Editor: Aaron Stell
Original Music: Peter Schickiele
Special Photographic Effects: John Dykstra, Douglas Trumbull, Richard Yuricich
Written by Deric Washburn, Michael Cimino, Steven Bochco
Produced by Michael Gruskoff, Marty Hornstein
Directed by Douglas Trumbull
Arrow has been on a two-year roll,...
Silent Running
4K Ultra HD
Arrow Video
1972 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 90 min. / Street Date December 13, 2022 / Available from / 49.95
Starring: Bruce Dern, Cliff Potts, Ron Rifkin, Jesse Vint, Mark Persons, Steven Brown, Cheryl Sparks, Larry Whisenhunt.
Cinematography: Charles F. Wheeler
Film Editor: Aaron Stell
Original Music: Peter Schickiele
Special Photographic Effects: John Dykstra, Douglas Trumbull, Richard Yuricich
Written by Deric Washburn, Michael Cimino, Steven Bochco
Produced by Michael Gruskoff, Marty Hornstein
Directed by Douglas Trumbull
Arrow has been on a two-year roll,...
- 11/15/2022
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The 46th annual Saturn Awards, which celebrate the best in genre entertainment, were handed out on Tuesday night in LA with the Star Wars franchise garnering seven prizes across such properties as Disney/Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker, Disney Xd animated series The Clone Wars and Disney Plus’ The Mandalorian. (Scroll down for full list of winners.)
Best Science Fiction Film Rise Of Skywalker was one of several movies from last year’s awards season that were included this year after the eligibility period was extended to run July 15, 2019-November 15, 2020 and allowed streaming and VOD entrants in the film categories.
Also taking multiple honors were Rian Johnson’s Lionsgate thriller Knives Out, Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood from Sony, Universal/Blumhouse’s Leigh Whannell-directed The Invisible Man, Disney’s live-action Mulan and CBS All Access’ Star Trek: Discovery. John David Washington was...
Best Science Fiction Film Rise Of Skywalker was one of several movies from last year’s awards season that were included this year after the eligibility period was extended to run July 15, 2019-November 15, 2020 and allowed streaming and VOD entrants in the film categories.
Also taking multiple honors were Rian Johnson’s Lionsgate thriller Knives Out, Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood from Sony, Universal/Blumhouse’s Leigh Whannell-directed The Invisible Man, Disney’s live-action Mulan and CBS All Access’ Star Trek: Discovery. John David Washington was...
- 10/27/2021
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
The 46th Annual Saturn Awards will take place at the L.A. Marriott Burbank Hotel on October 26, with Special Awards handed out to Midnight Mass creator Mike Flanagan, The Flash showrunner Eric Wallace, Young Frankenstein producer Michael Gruskoff, Amazon Studios and Alcon Entertainment’s sci-fi series The Expanse, and Chucky producer David Kirschner, along with Marvel Studios exec Victoria Alonso.
Flanagan will take The Visionary Award, with Wallace claiming The Dan Curtis Legacy Award, named after the creator of series such as ABC’s Dark Shadows. Gruskoff will claim this year’s Life Career Award, with The Expanse nabbing The television Spotlight Award, and the Special Achievement Award going to Kirschner. Alonso, who serves as Marvel Studios’ President of Physical and Postproduction, Visual Effects, And Animation Production, will be honored with The Producers Showcase Award.
The ceremony celebrating the best in genre entertainment will be hosted this year by The Evil Dead star Bruce Campbell.
Flanagan will take The Visionary Award, with Wallace claiming The Dan Curtis Legacy Award, named after the creator of series such as ABC’s Dark Shadows. Gruskoff will claim this year’s Life Career Award, with The Expanse nabbing The television Spotlight Award, and the Special Achievement Award going to Kirschner. Alonso, who serves as Marvel Studios’ President of Physical and Postproduction, Visual Effects, And Animation Production, will be honored with The Producers Showcase Award.
The ceremony celebrating the best in genre entertainment will be hosted this year by The Evil Dead star Bruce Campbell.
- 9/29/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
"Someone inevitably had a story about my dad." Central City Media has released a new UK trailer for an indie documentary called Laddie: The Man Behind The Movies, which we haven't heard of before even though it originally premiered back in 2017. And it looks entertaining and informative. Laddie is a doc film about Alan Ladd Jr., producer and former 20th Century Fox chairman, directed by his daughter Amanda Ladd-Jones. The untold story of the movie mogul who green lit Star Wars. And Blade Runner. And Alien. And Police Academy. You may not recognize his name at first, but as soon as you watch any of these films (and many others) you'll see his name in the credits right away. Featuring interviews tons of major names: Ben Affleck, Mel Brooks, Richard Donner, Lucy Fisher, Morgan Freeman, Mel Gibson, Michael Gruskoff, Jay Kanter, Ron Howard, George Lucas, Ridley Scott, Sigourney Weaver and many more.
- 3/25/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Bruce Dern is on a life-saving mission! After killing John Wayne in The Cowboys but before trying to massacre the Super Bowl in Black Sunday, his forest ranger Freeman Lowell committed space piracy to save the trees, man! The only one back on Earth who seems to care is Joan Baez. Douglas Trumbull’s technically-accomplished first feature film does 2001 on a tiny budget, and creates something original, if a bit mushy. The screenplay by Derek Washburn, Michael Cimino and Steven Bochco reaches a wistful ending — but is it uplifting or depressing?
Silent Running
Blu-ray
Arrow Video
1972 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 89 min. / Street Date November 17, 2020 / 39.99
Starring: Bruce Dern, Cliff Potts, Ron Rifkin, Jesse Vint, Mark Persons, Steven Brown, Cheryl Sparks, Larry Whisenhunt.
Cinematography: Charles F. Wheeler
Film Editor: Aaron Stell
Original Music: Peter Schickiele
Special Photographic Effects: John Dykstra, Douglas Trumbull, Richard Yuricich
Written by Deric Washburn, Michael Cimino, Steven Bochco
Produced by Michael Gruskoff,...
Silent Running
Blu-ray
Arrow Video
1972 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 89 min. / Street Date November 17, 2020 / 39.99
Starring: Bruce Dern, Cliff Potts, Ron Rifkin, Jesse Vint, Mark Persons, Steven Brown, Cheryl Sparks, Larry Whisenhunt.
Cinematography: Charles F. Wheeler
Film Editor: Aaron Stell
Original Music: Peter Schickiele
Special Photographic Effects: John Dykstra, Douglas Trumbull, Richard Yuricich
Written by Deric Washburn, Michael Cimino, Steven Bochco
Produced by Michael Gruskoff,...
- 11/24/2020
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The onscreen exploits of stuntwomen, and their off-screen battles for fair and equal treatment, is explored in Stuntwomen: The Untold Hollywood Story, a new documentary from director April Wright for Shout! Studios that debuts September 22 on digital platforms.
Narrated by Fast & Furious franchise star Michelle Rodriquez and based on Mollie Gregory’s 2015 best-seller, the film chronicles the lives of women who perform the stunts in some of Hollywood’s biggest action sequences — from the early days of silent movies to today’s blockbusters. The producers are Stephanie Austin, Michael Gruskoff and Marion Rosenberg.
“These unheralded heroines are the generations of stuntwomen who risked their lives in front of the camera, while behind it they fought for equal rights with male stunt performers, battled sexism and harassment, sustained life-threatening injuries and returned to the fray after each battle,” the producing team said in a joint statement.
Ben Mankiewicz, film historian...
Narrated by Fast & Furious franchise star Michelle Rodriquez and based on Mollie Gregory’s 2015 best-seller, the film chronicles the lives of women who perform the stunts in some of Hollywood’s biggest action sequences — from the early days of silent movies to today’s blockbusters. The producers are Stephanie Austin, Michael Gruskoff and Marion Rosenberg.
“These unheralded heroines are the generations of stuntwomen who risked their lives in front of the camera, while behind it they fought for equal rights with male stunt performers, battled sexism and harassment, sustained life-threatening injuries and returned to the fray after each battle,” the producing team said in a joint statement.
Ben Mankiewicz, film historian...
- 8/3/2020
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
Ryan Bury to lead sales efforts in Berlin.
Jason Alexander comedy Faith Based produced by the people behind The Death Of Stalin is among five additions to the Motion Picture Exchange (Mpx) sales roster on the eve of Efm.
Mpx senior vice-president of sales and acquisitions Ryan Bury will be in Berlin leading sales efforts.
Vincent Macsiale directed the story about two slacker friends (Luke Barnett and Tanner Thomason) who set out to produce a faith-based film. Alexander plays a seedy executive in the film, which premiered at Santa Barbara International Film Festival last month and is produced by Lone Suspect...
Jason Alexander comedy Faith Based produced by the people behind The Death Of Stalin is among five additions to the Motion Picture Exchange (Mpx) sales roster on the eve of Efm.
Mpx senior vice-president of sales and acquisitions Ryan Bury will be in Berlin leading sales efforts.
Vincent Macsiale directed the story about two slacker friends (Luke Barnett and Tanner Thomason) who set out to produce a faith-based film. Alexander plays a seedy executive in the film, which premiered at Santa Barbara International Film Festival last month and is produced by Lone Suspect...
- 2/18/2020
- by 36¦Jeremy Kay¦54¦
- ScreenDaily
By Todd Garbarini
Douglas Trumbull’s 1972 film Silent Running celebrates its 45th anniversary with a special screening at Laemmle's Ahrya Fine Arts Theatre in Los Angeles. Starring Bruce Dern, Cliff Potts, and Ron Rifkin, the G-rated film runs 89 minutes and is being showcased on the big screen in a rare opportunity.
Please Note: Director Douglas Trumbull and Producer Michael Gruskoff are scheduled to appear in person for a Q & A following the screening.
From the press release:
Silent Running (1972)
45th Anniversary Screening
Wednesday, December 13, at 7:30pm at the Ahrya Fine Arts
Q&A with Special Guests Director Douglas Trumbull and Producer Michael Gruskoff
Laemmle Theatres and the Anniversary Classics Series present a 45th anniversary screening of the groundbreaking sci-fi movie Silent Running which marked the directorial debut of special effects wizard Douglas Trumbull. Set 100 years in the future, the prophetic script by Deric Washburn, Michael Cimino, and Steven Bochco...
Douglas Trumbull’s 1972 film Silent Running celebrates its 45th anniversary with a special screening at Laemmle's Ahrya Fine Arts Theatre in Los Angeles. Starring Bruce Dern, Cliff Potts, and Ron Rifkin, the G-rated film runs 89 minutes and is being showcased on the big screen in a rare opportunity.
Please Note: Director Douglas Trumbull and Producer Michael Gruskoff are scheduled to appear in person for a Q & A following the screening.
From the press release:
Silent Running (1972)
45th Anniversary Screening
Wednesday, December 13, at 7:30pm at the Ahrya Fine Arts
Q&A with Special Guests Director Douglas Trumbull and Producer Michael Gruskoff
Laemmle Theatres and the Anniversary Classics Series present a 45th anniversary screening of the groundbreaking sci-fi movie Silent Running which marked the directorial debut of special effects wizard Douglas Trumbull. Set 100 years in the future, the prophetic script by Deric Washburn, Michael Cimino, and Steven Bochco...
- 12/7/2017
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will present a 40th anniversary screening of “Young Frankenstein” with special guests Mel Brooks, Cloris Leachman, Teri Garr and executive producer Michael Gruskoff on Tuesday, September 9, at 7:30 p.m. at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. Film historian Leonard Maltin will introduce the comedy classic and host a live onstage discussion with Brooks, Leachman, Garr and Gruskoff.
“Young Frankenstein,” Brooks’s 1974 homage to the Golden Age of monster movies, features a large ensemble cast including Leachman, Garr, Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman, Madeline Kahn, Kenneth Mars and Gene Hackman. It earned Oscar® nominations for Adapted Screenplay (Wilder, Brooks) and Sound (Richard Portman, Gene Cantamessa).
Additional Academy events coming up in September at the Bing Theater in Los Angeles are listed below, with details at www.oscars.org/events:
“Let There Be Fright: William Castle Scare Classics”
The...
“Young Frankenstein,” Brooks’s 1974 homage to the Golden Age of monster movies, features a large ensemble cast including Leachman, Garr, Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman, Madeline Kahn, Kenneth Mars and Gene Hackman. It earned Oscar® nominations for Adapted Screenplay (Wilder, Brooks) and Sound (Richard Portman, Gene Cantamessa).
Additional Academy events coming up in September at the Bing Theater in Los Angeles are listed below, with details at www.oscars.org/events:
“Let There Be Fright: William Castle Scare Classics”
The...
- 8/25/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Listening to Hollywood producer Michael Gruskoff talk about his experiences with some of the most legendary directors is an awe-inspiring learning experience. In a business so reluctant to taking chances that might represent financial loss, Gruskoff has placed it all on the line in order to support original voices and talent outside the norm. Although he admits that some of his projects were more successful than others, he remains certain that he always went with his gut in pursuit of talent. In that regard, he has undoubtedly overachieved.
The list of people he has worked with includes acclaimed German filmmaker Werner Herzog , Jean-Jacques Annaud , Mel Brooks , and Stanley Donen. Gruskoff has always had an international taste and is unafraid of searching for stories abroad. Not surprisingly, he is a member of the Academy’s Foreign Language Film branch, to which he returned, invited by Mark Johnson, the head of the Foreign Language Committee, after serving there in the past. Once again he brings his expertise and eclectic global influences to support the Academy in its efforts to highlight World Cinema as a crucial element of the film industry.
Winner of a Cesar Award for the film Quest for Fire , and an outspoken defendant of the filmmaking craft over the cult of celebrity, Mr. Gruskoff is a humble creative person. Still fully in love with cinema despite the ups and downs the industry throws at anyone who attempts to make a living out of its unstable magic, it is incredible to see that passion for a great story is still Michael Gruskoff’s prime motivation. This writer had the privilege to talk to Mr. Gruskoff’s a couple weeks ago in Beverly Hills. Here is what he shared with us.
Carlos Aguilar: Could you tell us how you got started in the film industry?
Michael Gruskoff: I started in the N.Y. mailroom of the William Morris Agency and ended my agency career at Creative Management Associates. While at Cma I was representing Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda during Easy Rider, as well as Robert Redford, Natalie Wood ,Faye Dunaway, amongst others. I started getting the producing "bug" while representing Albert Ruddy and Irwin Winkler, having been instrumental in the packaging of some of their films. It was an exciting time in the industry, with the success of Easy Rider, Midnight Cowboy, and The Graduate, the studios were open to taking chances with new talent and ideas. Ned Tanen at Universal set up an independent division and asked me to run it but I opted to make an overall three picture production deal. I went into business with Douglas Trumbull, Michael Cimino, Sam Shepard and Steven Bochco and independently developed low budget scripts off the studio lot. It kicked off with Dennie Hopper's The Last Movie and Silent Running, a science fiction film dealing with environmental issues. I also developed a script called Conquering Horse with Cimino, which we were going to do in the Sioux language, a predecessor to Dances With Wolves, but it was tabled because of budget issues.
Aguilar: How did your interest in foreign cinema developed?
Gruskoff: Seeing Luis Buñuel , Ingmar Bergman , Vittorio De Sica, and Akira Kurosawa's films got me interested in foreign cinema. Another filmmaker that impressed me was Gillo Pontecorvo the director of The Battle of Algiers, which is one of the great anti-war movies. I was an agent at the time, and asked him if I could represent him. He said "Michael, I don't make that many movies, and you are not going to make any money with me because I'm not interested in working in the Hollywood system" I said, "It’s Ok, you can come to me if you're having trouble raising money for a project/" He said "That could work, but please do not send me any scripts." I was also Anouk Aimée's agent when she did A Man and a Woman with Claude Lelouch. She was responsible for me meeting many people in French and Italian cinema. She's a great lady.
Aguilar : What were your thoughts on the batch of films submitted this past year for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film? Were there any you consider highlights?
Gruskoff : You always look for a diamond that might be there. You have to see films from some 70 countries and many do not work, but being part of the industry I feel it's my way of supporting the Academy. You have to see four films a week, and with the addition of seeing new films. the internet, plus cable, and family etc. It's an overload of information. I did see a jewel of a film from Iceland called Of Horses and Men directed by Benedikt Erlingsson. We have been in touch and are in the process of discussing a project he is writing. He's a bold new voice.
Aguilar: How do you think this category benefits the industry and foreign filmmakers?
Gruskoff: Foreign filmmakers want us to see their films. They have stories they want to tell and we have the ability to make their dreams come through. It benefits us to see what's being made around the world because we are all part of the film community.
It's interesting talking to Bernardo Bertolucci about Italian realism and how those great Italian films and directors came together in the late 40s, 50s and 60s with Rossellini and Fellini , Visconti, etc. After Mussolini and the end of Ww 2 there was such exuberance that filmmakers ran into streets and started making movies. It was a great period in Italian Cinema.
Aguilar: Do you believe this nostalgia for those filmmakers influenced voters to choose The Great Beauty as the winner?
Gruskoff: Sorrentino is s very talented director and he carries the torch of Fellini. I liked The Great Beauty and I also loved his Il Divo
Aguilar: When watching these or any other film, as a producer do you look for something different in them from what a director or an actor might?
Gruskoff: I'm just hoping that when the lights go down I'll see a good film. I want to be entertained and have it not be a waste my time. When I saw 12 Years a Slave it blew me away. Steve McQueen is a great filmmaker because he puts all his passion on the screen and he doesn't cop out. It was real. I like movies that don't pander to the audience.
Aguilar: Would you say all of the 76 films submitted were on a level playing field, despite some of them being obscure titles and not having a festival run?
Gruskoff : I saw a real voice in Benedikt Erlingsson, Sebastian Lelio with Gloria , The Hunt , Omar , The Past , The Missing Picture , or The Broken Circle Breakdown.The directors have something to say and they know how to say it. An interesting thing is when you are seeing that many movies in an environment where the people like films, you really start getting into it. Like being at a Festival.
Aguilar: Now that you mention the Academy wants to promote foreign films, how do you perceive the role of world cinema in Hollywood today? Is it more influential?
Gruskoff: Definitely. 2/3 of the box-office comes from foreign markets. More films will be made with Asian and European talent to bolster their international box-office. Moviegoers in those countries like to see a character they can relate to as long as it's realistically part of the story.
Aguilar: On that note, can you talk about the international filmmakers you've work with throughout your career?
Gruskoff: I met Paul Verhoeven after seeing Soldier Of Orange, one of his earlier films. We developed a screenplay called Harry’s Tale. Unfortunately, it was ahead of its time and the budget was too high.
After seeing The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser by Werner Herzog , I called him. He mentioned Nosferatu the Vampyre , and said he wanted to remake it and it would be a film that "the likes of which the world has never seen before", and I told him "Please be my guest" [Laughs]. I got the financing from Fox and we made it for $900,000 starring Isabelle Adjani , Klaus Kinski and Bruno Ganz. . Werner is a tremendously innovative film director.
I briefly worked with Russian director, Andrey Konchalovskiy , we developed a story that never got to be a screenplay.
Following that, Jean-Jacques Annaud gave me the English translation of a book called “La guerre de feu”, which is Quest for Fire . The film became an international hit and it earned us 5 Cesar Awards including Best Picture. It was a great moment when Orson Welles handed me the award.
Aguilar: One of the great American directors you worked with was Mel Brooks, how did that relationship begin?
Gruskoff: I had briefly met Mel Brooks when I was working in the mail room at William Morris Agency in New York. At the time I was 22 and he was 32, and he had already achieved success in television.
Mike Medavoy worked as an agent at Cma during the early 70s and wanted me to come back and work with him. I wanted to continue producing, and he gave me the treatment for a movie called Young Frankenstein.written by Gene Wilder. I said I wanted to produce it , but Gene said that it was up to Mel Brooks to decide. Having met Mel Brooks earlier and since he actually remembered and liked me, he said "Let's do it ...get the deal." At that point in Mel's career, he made two terrific films, The Twelve Chairs and The Producers, both films did not make money and he was just starting to reignite his career with pre-production on Blazing Saddles.
I set Young Frankensteinn up at Columbia but they passed because the budget was too high and Mel, rightfully so, wanted to make it in Black & White. They were insisting that it should be in color. I gave it to my friend Alan Ladd Jr. at Fox and he said yes with an even bigger budget than we had. Seven years later Mel and I did My Favorite Year based on an idea I had. The original script was written by Norman Steinberg and Mel helped develop and executive produce it.. Peter O'Toole was a dream to work with and I learned a lot about filmmaking working with him.
Aguilar: Going back to the Foreign Language Academy Award, back when the shortlist and eventually the nominees were announced, there was much talk about several films being snubbed, including Gloria and The Past. Why do you think these weren't included?
Gruskoff: Gloria probably didn’t get nominated because it wasn’t as serious as some of the other films. We will be hearing a lot from its director Sebastian Lelio. On the other hand, it's about preferential viewing, Farhadi makes very specific movies. He is a serious filmmaker, and he is a very good storyteller. He is another director that tells it how it is. His films are like reading a book with great characters, It was one of my favorite films but it was a tough movie for some people. He is what he is, take it or leave it. He just does his thing.
Aguilar: Are there any filmmakers you would like to work with in the future? Anyone who has caught your eye?
Gruskoff: Sure, David O. Russell would be great. [Laughs]. Other great directors whom I would love to work with are Steve McQueen, Martin Scorsese, Christopher Nolan , David Fincher, or Kathryn Bigelow ....who wouldn't!
Aguilar: Where do you think the industry is going, with all the awards campaigns and the more glamorous, less artistic, side of the business becoming so prominent?
Gruskoff: The industry has become more about celebrity. After seeing 12 Years a Slave at the Pacific Designer Center early on, I knew McQueen's work was just beginning. He was going to have to live between L.A. and N.Y.C. to attend press events and Q&As for the next six months....longer than it took to shoot the film. Fashion has also joined the fray to cross-promote films.
Just a few years ago when Sydney Pollack made a movie and the distribution people received the print, the filmmakers promotion schedule was not as arduous. Going to 2 or 3 major cities with the actors before the film opened. Now it has become so celebrity-driven with all the different outlets fighting for space, it has gotten out of hand. If you have Brad Pitt producing or Ben Affleck starring, you have an opportunity to promote your film on every talk show. It cuts your marketing costs, which are very expensive and getting even more expensive, even with the help of the internet.
Aguilar: What are your future plans? Looking back your career are there any regrets?
Gruskoff: As a producer you are always looking for a good story. I did Quest for Fire and my friends said “Don’t you have something better to do with your time? You will never get it made.” Miraculously it did get made. I’d like to do dark comedies in the vein of American Beauty or Fargo. It's about what turns you on, what gives you a rush, because it is such a difficult journey. You never know what's around the corner.
The list of people he has worked with includes acclaimed German filmmaker Werner Herzog , Jean-Jacques Annaud , Mel Brooks , and Stanley Donen. Gruskoff has always had an international taste and is unafraid of searching for stories abroad. Not surprisingly, he is a member of the Academy’s Foreign Language Film branch, to which he returned, invited by Mark Johnson, the head of the Foreign Language Committee, after serving there in the past. Once again he brings his expertise and eclectic global influences to support the Academy in its efforts to highlight World Cinema as a crucial element of the film industry.
Winner of a Cesar Award for the film Quest for Fire , and an outspoken defendant of the filmmaking craft over the cult of celebrity, Mr. Gruskoff is a humble creative person. Still fully in love with cinema despite the ups and downs the industry throws at anyone who attempts to make a living out of its unstable magic, it is incredible to see that passion for a great story is still Michael Gruskoff’s prime motivation. This writer had the privilege to talk to Mr. Gruskoff’s a couple weeks ago in Beverly Hills. Here is what he shared with us.
Carlos Aguilar: Could you tell us how you got started in the film industry?
Michael Gruskoff: I started in the N.Y. mailroom of the William Morris Agency and ended my agency career at Creative Management Associates. While at Cma I was representing Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda during Easy Rider, as well as Robert Redford, Natalie Wood ,Faye Dunaway, amongst others. I started getting the producing "bug" while representing Albert Ruddy and Irwin Winkler, having been instrumental in the packaging of some of their films. It was an exciting time in the industry, with the success of Easy Rider, Midnight Cowboy, and The Graduate, the studios were open to taking chances with new talent and ideas. Ned Tanen at Universal set up an independent division and asked me to run it but I opted to make an overall three picture production deal. I went into business with Douglas Trumbull, Michael Cimino, Sam Shepard and Steven Bochco and independently developed low budget scripts off the studio lot. It kicked off with Dennie Hopper's The Last Movie and Silent Running, a science fiction film dealing with environmental issues. I also developed a script called Conquering Horse with Cimino, which we were going to do in the Sioux language, a predecessor to Dances With Wolves, but it was tabled because of budget issues.
Aguilar: How did your interest in foreign cinema developed?
Gruskoff: Seeing Luis Buñuel , Ingmar Bergman , Vittorio De Sica, and Akira Kurosawa's films got me interested in foreign cinema. Another filmmaker that impressed me was Gillo Pontecorvo the director of The Battle of Algiers, which is one of the great anti-war movies. I was an agent at the time, and asked him if I could represent him. He said "Michael, I don't make that many movies, and you are not going to make any money with me because I'm not interested in working in the Hollywood system" I said, "It’s Ok, you can come to me if you're having trouble raising money for a project/" He said "That could work, but please do not send me any scripts." I was also Anouk Aimée's agent when she did A Man and a Woman with Claude Lelouch. She was responsible for me meeting many people in French and Italian cinema. She's a great lady.
Aguilar : What were your thoughts on the batch of films submitted this past year for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film? Were there any you consider highlights?
Gruskoff : You always look for a diamond that might be there. You have to see films from some 70 countries and many do not work, but being part of the industry I feel it's my way of supporting the Academy. You have to see four films a week, and with the addition of seeing new films. the internet, plus cable, and family etc. It's an overload of information. I did see a jewel of a film from Iceland called Of Horses and Men directed by Benedikt Erlingsson. We have been in touch and are in the process of discussing a project he is writing. He's a bold new voice.
Aguilar: How do you think this category benefits the industry and foreign filmmakers?
Gruskoff: Foreign filmmakers want us to see their films. They have stories they want to tell and we have the ability to make their dreams come through. It benefits us to see what's being made around the world because we are all part of the film community.
It's interesting talking to Bernardo Bertolucci about Italian realism and how those great Italian films and directors came together in the late 40s, 50s and 60s with Rossellini and Fellini , Visconti, etc. After Mussolini and the end of Ww 2 there was such exuberance that filmmakers ran into streets and started making movies. It was a great period in Italian Cinema.
Aguilar: Do you believe this nostalgia for those filmmakers influenced voters to choose The Great Beauty as the winner?
Gruskoff: Sorrentino is s very talented director and he carries the torch of Fellini. I liked The Great Beauty and I also loved his Il Divo
Aguilar: When watching these or any other film, as a producer do you look for something different in them from what a director or an actor might?
Gruskoff: I'm just hoping that when the lights go down I'll see a good film. I want to be entertained and have it not be a waste my time. When I saw 12 Years a Slave it blew me away. Steve McQueen is a great filmmaker because he puts all his passion on the screen and he doesn't cop out. It was real. I like movies that don't pander to the audience.
Aguilar: Would you say all of the 76 films submitted were on a level playing field, despite some of them being obscure titles and not having a festival run?
Gruskoff : I saw a real voice in Benedikt Erlingsson, Sebastian Lelio with Gloria , The Hunt , Omar , The Past , The Missing Picture , or The Broken Circle Breakdown.The directors have something to say and they know how to say it. An interesting thing is when you are seeing that many movies in an environment where the people like films, you really start getting into it. Like being at a Festival.
Aguilar: Now that you mention the Academy wants to promote foreign films, how do you perceive the role of world cinema in Hollywood today? Is it more influential?
Gruskoff: Definitely. 2/3 of the box-office comes from foreign markets. More films will be made with Asian and European talent to bolster their international box-office. Moviegoers in those countries like to see a character they can relate to as long as it's realistically part of the story.
Aguilar: On that note, can you talk about the international filmmakers you've work with throughout your career?
Gruskoff: I met Paul Verhoeven after seeing Soldier Of Orange, one of his earlier films. We developed a screenplay called Harry’s Tale. Unfortunately, it was ahead of its time and the budget was too high.
After seeing The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser by Werner Herzog , I called him. He mentioned Nosferatu the Vampyre , and said he wanted to remake it and it would be a film that "the likes of which the world has never seen before", and I told him "Please be my guest" [Laughs]. I got the financing from Fox and we made it for $900,000 starring Isabelle Adjani , Klaus Kinski and Bruno Ganz. . Werner is a tremendously innovative film director.
I briefly worked with Russian director, Andrey Konchalovskiy , we developed a story that never got to be a screenplay.
Following that, Jean-Jacques Annaud gave me the English translation of a book called “La guerre de feu”, which is Quest for Fire . The film became an international hit and it earned us 5 Cesar Awards including Best Picture. It was a great moment when Orson Welles handed me the award.
Aguilar: One of the great American directors you worked with was Mel Brooks, how did that relationship begin?
Gruskoff: I had briefly met Mel Brooks when I was working in the mail room at William Morris Agency in New York. At the time I was 22 and he was 32, and he had already achieved success in television.
Mike Medavoy worked as an agent at Cma during the early 70s and wanted me to come back and work with him. I wanted to continue producing, and he gave me the treatment for a movie called Young Frankenstein.written by Gene Wilder. I said I wanted to produce it , but Gene said that it was up to Mel Brooks to decide. Having met Mel Brooks earlier and since he actually remembered and liked me, he said "Let's do it ...get the deal." At that point in Mel's career, he made two terrific films, The Twelve Chairs and The Producers, both films did not make money and he was just starting to reignite his career with pre-production on Blazing Saddles.
I set Young Frankensteinn up at Columbia but they passed because the budget was too high and Mel, rightfully so, wanted to make it in Black & White. They were insisting that it should be in color. I gave it to my friend Alan Ladd Jr. at Fox and he said yes with an even bigger budget than we had. Seven years later Mel and I did My Favorite Year based on an idea I had. The original script was written by Norman Steinberg and Mel helped develop and executive produce it.. Peter O'Toole was a dream to work with and I learned a lot about filmmaking working with him.
Aguilar: Going back to the Foreign Language Academy Award, back when the shortlist and eventually the nominees were announced, there was much talk about several films being snubbed, including Gloria and The Past. Why do you think these weren't included?
Gruskoff: Gloria probably didn’t get nominated because it wasn’t as serious as some of the other films. We will be hearing a lot from its director Sebastian Lelio. On the other hand, it's about preferential viewing, Farhadi makes very specific movies. He is a serious filmmaker, and he is a very good storyteller. He is another director that tells it how it is. His films are like reading a book with great characters, It was one of my favorite films but it was a tough movie for some people. He is what he is, take it or leave it. He just does his thing.
Aguilar: Are there any filmmakers you would like to work with in the future? Anyone who has caught your eye?
Gruskoff: Sure, David O. Russell would be great. [Laughs]. Other great directors whom I would love to work with are Steve McQueen, Martin Scorsese, Christopher Nolan , David Fincher, or Kathryn Bigelow ....who wouldn't!
Aguilar: Where do you think the industry is going, with all the awards campaigns and the more glamorous, less artistic, side of the business becoming so prominent?
Gruskoff: The industry has become more about celebrity. After seeing 12 Years a Slave at the Pacific Designer Center early on, I knew McQueen's work was just beginning. He was going to have to live between L.A. and N.Y.C. to attend press events and Q&As for the next six months....longer than it took to shoot the film. Fashion has also joined the fray to cross-promote films.
Just a few years ago when Sydney Pollack made a movie and the distribution people received the print, the filmmakers promotion schedule was not as arduous. Going to 2 or 3 major cities with the actors before the film opened. Now it has become so celebrity-driven with all the different outlets fighting for space, it has gotten out of hand. If you have Brad Pitt producing or Ben Affleck starring, you have an opportunity to promote your film on every talk show. It cuts your marketing costs, which are very expensive and getting even more expensive, even with the help of the internet.
Aguilar: What are your future plans? Looking back your career are there any regrets?
Gruskoff: As a producer you are always looking for a good story. I did Quest for Fire and my friends said “Don’t you have something better to do with your time? You will never get it made.” Miraculously it did get made. I’d like to do dark comedies in the vein of American Beauty or Fargo. It's about what turns you on, what gives you a rush, because it is such a difficult journey. You never know what's around the corner.
- 6/2/2014
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
American Masters documentary Mel Brooks: Make A Noise premieres May 20 on PBS. Here’s a clip in which Brooks talks about his 1970 classic, The Twelve Chairs, which screens tomorrow at the TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood. The filmmaker will be on hand for a discussion of the comedy. In the clip, Young Frankenstein producer Michael Gruskoff and Joan Rivers chat about Brooks’ affinity for staying up late to read the classics:...
- 4/25/2013
- by THE DEADLINE TEAM
- Deadline TV
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