An Interview with David Twohy

An Interview with David Twohy (Dec. 3, 2002) by Karie Bible
What were the movies that really shaped you, influenced you, and made you fall in love with movies?
I would say I had horrible taste growing up.  Maybe that’s true of all kids. For me it was a lot of Japanese horror films.  I guess like most kids, I was completely indiscriminate.  I just went to a LOT of movies.  The ones that stood out for me as a kid were science fiction films and George Powell films like Destination Moon and Forbidden Planet….films like that.  I think the first truly great film I saw was To Kill A Mockingbird.  My parents took me to a drive in theatre with the whole family.  It scared the piss out of us when Robert Duvall was behind the door.  Great movie!
So when did you decided to go to film school?
I started out as an actor in college.  Then I realized that I probably couldn’t act any better so I had to back that up with something more functional.  I got a role in a student film and became intrigued by how they did what they did behind the camera.  They needed some scenes written, so I actually wrote the scenes of dialogue that I would have to speak in the film.  So I started writing and directing student films. 
When you got out of film school did you find a disparity between what you learned in film school and the real world?
There was a disparity in my expectations certainly.  I really had that feeling that I would step out.  I’d graduated.  I’d done my thesis project.  Here it is now hire me.  Fox, Universal hire me to do your films.  In regards to film school, I must say I was not learning on video at the time.  I was learning on 16mm film, and a lot of what I learned applies to 35mm film.  Some things are still true.  I mean the greatest thing I’ve learned over the years with all those rules…..there is not a one of them that can’t be broken.
When you were starting out, you worked as a bartender?
Yeah, right after I got out of college. When I realized I wasn’t just automatically going to make films.  My eye was on writing until somebody bought that so I could parlay writing into directing. 
Did you always want to be a director?
Yes.  Some writers turn into directors out of self defense.  I guess there is some of that because their script is on the line.  For me it was a way to get to directing.
It must be so discouraging as a writer when they hire someone to re-write your script, or when you get replaced.  How do you keep going under the circumstances? 
I rally pretty quickly.  Even for instance when Below was released.  It was released in a very half-assed way by the company Miramax.  It didn’t do well.  I mean I can suffer with that for a while, or I can just say “NEXT.”  I did everything I possibly could.  Maybe it’s time to move on.  That’s my personality type too.  All of us will suffer to different degrees.  All of us will suffer because we are writers.
On The Fugitive you wrote the original script, but Jeb Stuart was brought in to do the production rewrites?
Yeah.  He superseded me-postseded me throughout that process.  I took it up to a certain point, then when Andy Davis came on and then all of the things had to be reset or retooled for Chicago proper.  Jeb was doing that.
Did you feel satisfied when the film came out and it was so successful, getting a Best Picture nomination and then of course Tommy Lee Jones won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in the film….
Strangely so.  There is a voice inside of me that said, “Well if they only shot my script it could have been that much better.” 
Tonight seeing it on the big screen almost 10 years later, it has held up so well.
This was the first time I’d seen it on the big screen since the premiere. 
How did you feel seeing it again?
You worry that doesn’t hold up.  Tommy Lee Jones is so magnetic and great to watch.  Harrison Ford is also not laid back or at arm’s length with his role.  It’s great to watch him.  You really have two great star turns there. 
You’ve worked so much in action and sci-fi, are there any genres you’d like to try that are dramatically different like comedies, musicals, romance, or anything like that?
I think I can write those.  I know I can, but in a strange way I get pigeon holed.  The studio will go to certain people for certain things.  The studio will come to me if they want action, but they don’t come to me for comedies or love stories. 
Right now you are knee deep in The Chronicles of Reddick starring Vin Diesel, which you are writing and directing. 
I’m armpit deep.
That must be so satisfying writing and directing your work.
Absolutely. 
Does it frustrate you that it takes so long to make movies?  Of course in the old days of the studio system directors could crank out movies.  Reddick won’t hit theatres until July of 2004!
When I’m writing and directing, I’m on a picture at least a year and a half, whereas under the old studio system a director could whack three pictures out in a short amount of time, but those directors did not edit their films. 
After The Chornicles of Reddick, what are some of your other future plans? 
If the first follow up is successful, we are actually plotting three CHRONICLES.
Great!  Thank you so much for your time.

First Comment:

1. The Chronicles of Reddick was a fine piece of Art Work. Twohy should be encouraged to complete a sequel to the Series. Sci-Fi Buffs can’t wait.

   Posted by Ralph H. Richardson on 12/24 at 09:00 PM