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| CineVegas '06 Interview ('One Last Dance' Director Max Makowski) |
by Erik Childress
The ‘One Last Dance’ Pitch: Patrick Swayze is not in it. Harvey Keitel is. And he speaks Chinese.
Back when you were a little kid, and you were asked that inevitable question, your answer would always be "When I grow up I want to be a ." what?
MAX: At five it was "forest ranger". At nine it was "lawyer". At eleven it was "film director".
Not including your backyard and your Dad's Handycam, how did you get your real "start" in filmmaking?
MAX: A horribly boring answer - during my summer breaks I'd work in LA as an unpaid Production Assistant.
How did you get your film started? How did you go from script to finished product?
MAX: I wrote the screenplay over eleven years ago so the story of how it got made is quite drawn out. The short of it is a producer friend of mine, Aimee Shieh, read it and liked it. She took it to Cinetic Media and with her amazing skills got them to come on board. She then got the script to Raintree Studios in Singapore. After a few years of work, Cinetic got money from Japan, France, Belgium, and The Netherlands and with that first money in place, Raintree agreed to join in. Raintree convinced the Singapore Tourism Bureau and the Media Development Authority to chip in as well.
If you were programming an all-day, all-night Hong Kong Gangster Festival which films would on the docket and why?
MAX: "The Mission" - The only Hong Kong gangster movie that understands the power of silence.
"The Killer" - Love it or hate it, it's still the "Citizen Kane" of HK gangster flicks.
"Election" - Many locals consider this HK's "Goodfellas".
"God of Gamblers" - Okay, it is not gangster per se but it's probably Chow Yun Fat's best role. As close to a James Bond as Asia ever got.
"Too Many Ways to Be Number One" - Lau Ching Wan and Francis Ng are two of the best actors in the world. This is a chance to see them together.
"Jiang Hu" [the newer one] - The first HK film considered to be an "art-house gangster movie".
"As Tears Go By" - Wong Kar Wai's directorial debut. And it is a very commercial film.
"Young and Dangerous" - Became one of the most successful HK gangster film franchises. It also focuses on young thugs, so it's a different take on the genre.
"A Better Tomorrow" - It's the film that put John Woo on the map.
Of all the Muppets, which one do you most relate to?
MAX: That's a hard one. Monster is terribly misunderstood, so the "woe is me" part of Max finds a kindered spirit in Monster. Fozzie Bear kept going no matter how bad his jokes were. So I dig his perseverance. As for the Great Gonzo, aka the blue weirdo. Damn I always waited anxiously for him to end the intro to the show. To play that last note. And the fact that he referred to himself as a "whatever". Do I relate to him. Only in that I want to be him. [Without the chicken fetish, of course]. Ultimately, however, I think I am a young version of Statler or Waldorf. P.S. I love you, Beaker.
How have things changed for you since your film started playing on the festival circuit? What are you looking forward to most during your CineVegas experience?
MAX: It is as if I have been posessed by someone who can actually make a decent living at this. As for CineVegas, Anthony DiMaria, the lead in my first feature, "the pigeon egg strategy", is from Vegas. I look forward to seeing him. I am also curious to see how the audience reacts to the film.
Have you been turned down by other festivals? If so, which ones and what do you think could be improved with festivals in general.
MAX: With this film I have not been turned down. With my first I was turned down by nine before Sundance accepted it. These festivals shall remain nameless. The only improvement I can think of is to have less of them.
Have you seen any independent films recently on the festival circuit, in theaters or on video that influenced you? Or anything that you would just like to give a shout-out to that audiences should be seeing (or given a chance to see?)
MAX: "The Quince Tree Sun", "El Milagro de P. Tinto", "Hukkel", "La Haine", "JSA", "The Mission" [the Hong Kong film]
If you could share one massive lesson that you learned in the past few years what would it be?
MAX: By the time you are eleven you know everything about life. But there is a difference between knowing everything and knowing how to do everything. It's the "knowing how to do" part that takes time. So, take the time to learn. Use those worthless hours when your life seems like it is at a dead end and learn how to do... everything.
If a studio said 'we love this, we love you, you can remake anything in our back catalogue for $40m' - what film, if any, would you want to remake?
MAX: "One Last Dance".
Tell us how you got Harvey Keitel in the film.
MAX: He auditioned. Seriously though. The producer was able to get a script to him. Mr. Keitel read it, liked it, and said he'd do it.
Two parter - name an actor you'd KILL to work with, and then name an actor in your own film that you really think is destined for great things.
MAX: I'd kill to work with Francis Ng again. Another actor is Anthony Wong.
As for greatness, Francis Ng is on his way. Wu Kai Shing could make something of himself. Joseph Quek could. Hossan Leong or Dennis Chew could easily become comic giants. Honestly, most of the cast have one destiny in front of them laden with great things. The question is, will the universe allow them to take that path.
At what point will you be able to say, "Yes! I've made it!"
MAX: When I've made a movie called "It". Funny, huh.
Honestly, how important are film critics nowadays?
MAX: Too important. And most are irresponsible. They are more concerned with impressing their readers than with informing them. And that kind of showing off, done at the expense of someone else [in this case, filmmakers], is the worst kind of bravura.
If a studio bought your film and then decided not to show it to critics, what would your reaction be?
MAX: Everyone's a critic and with the internet and IMDB the word would get out regardless, so such a strategy is somewhat moot. It's like not giving sailors condoms thinking it'll stop them from getting hookers.
You're contractually obligated to deliver an R-rated film to your producers. The MPAA says you have to delete a scene that's absolutely integral to the film or you're getting an NC-17. How do you handle it?
MAX: I have a guy in Hong Kong who can help the MPAA change their minds.
What's your take on the whole "a film by DIRECTOR" issue? Do you feel it's tacky, because hundreds (or at least dozens) of people collaborate to make a film - or do you think it's cool, because ultimately the director is the final word on pretty much everything?
MAX: It is an insult to filmmaking. So many things go wrong on a shoot. Once in a while, however, something truly magical happens. Everyone gels into a singular being - seamless, egoless. When that occurs, great films are made. To then slap on "a film by DIRECTOR" is disgusting.
In closing, we ask you to convince the average movie-watcher to choose your film instead of the trillion other options they have. How do you do it?
MAX: I wouldn't. A film should speak for itself. I am not a salesman and I'd hate to think something I said convinced someone to see my film. Even worse, if they ended up not liking it, how could I repay them.
link directly to this feature at http://hollywoodbitchslap.com/feature.php?feature=1866
originally posted: 06/21/06 18:58:40
last updated: 07/07/06 18:04:06
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