Film makers on film

"Huston is a little forgotten," says [Sam Raimi]. "He's a brilliant master of film and he's my favourite director, the absolute number one." Why does he think Huston is out of style now? "There's been a focus on the visual over the past 25 years - more and mor...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inDaily telegraph (London, England : 1969)
Main Author Interview by S F Said
Format Newspaper Article
LanguageEnglish
Published London (UK) Daily Telegraph 15.06.2002
Subjects
Bogart, Humphrey
Huston, John (1906-1987)
Raimi, Sam
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Summary:"Huston is a little forgotten," says [Sam Raimi]. "He's a brilliant master of film and he's my favourite director, the absolute number one." Why does he think Huston is out of style now? "There's been a focus on the visual over the past 25 years - more and more, from MTV on - but that will pass, and Huston will come back into vogue. It's the human story that is powerful, meaningful and lasting." His favourite scene is one that stands out for its absolute economy. "There's a great moment when [Humphrey Bogart] makes a vow with [Tim Holt] to be partners and friends. They shake hands and the camera moves in close, as if to mark that moment. Huston waited; he didn't move the camera for movement's sake. He waited until he knew that this was a detail that would be extremely highlighted with a small camera move. It's a lesson in subtlety." Though Raimi made his reputation with spectacular camerawork and eye-popping effects, as his career has developed he has grown into a teller of human stories - most notably in A Simple Plan, an unjustly overlooked gem of a film that owes a great deal to Huston's. It, too, is about the corrupting effects of money on ordinary lives; and, like Huston, Raimi made it with great restraint.
ISSN:0307-1235