Jeremy Davies is one of those actors whose talent is so abundant, but he isn’t a household name because his characters are so unmarketable. Co-starring in the new film, Rescue Dawn, he talks briefly about working with Werner Herzog and the real reason he’s been showing up recently in films by great directors.

Starz Denver Film Festival, spout.com podcast

The legendary and enigmatic director, Werner Herzog, found a new collaborator for Rescue Dawn (2006) in producer, Harry Knapp. Knapp describes that collaboration with one word.

Brutal.

Starz Denver Film Festival, spout.com podcast

I went to Friday evening’s Red Carpet event to talk to British director Michael Apted about his new film, the historical drama Amazing Grace. Although Apted’s name might not be familiar to everyone, many of his films are, including Coal Miner’s Daughter, Nell, Gorillas in the Mist, and Blink.

His newest film, which was screened at the festival last night, tells the true story of one man’s long, hard efforts to abolish slavery and the slave trade in late 1700s Britain. Before the film, Apted talked to me about what drew him to this story, the important ways the film speaks to world issues today, and how The Up Seriesis especially close to his heart.

Starz Denver Film Festival, spout.com podcast

Link: Why Hollywood Movies Prefer to Premiere in New York.

“But the real reason is that New York’s the home base for the burgeoning, always-hungry celeb-photo press, guaranteeing coverage…The joke is that I don’t think you have to show the movie. If you say “red carpet”, they’ll come, they’ll take the pictures, they’ll ask the same questions, and they’ll go home”

This reminds me of a great article I read in The Times a couple of weeks ago about the recent decline in the box office. In the article, Mr. Lynton of Sony said he would be focused on making, “only movies we hope will be really good.” Mr. Shmuger, of Universal, said the he intends to reassert “time and passion” in movie production. He goes on to say that some of his own summer movies should have never been made.

It is evident to me that Hollywood is willing to blow off their audience if it does not effect their bottom-line. But now, audiences are no longer taking Hollywood’s crap and are forcing them to actually think about making quality films. They are no longer fulfilled by the empty experiences of the multiplex. As audiences are turning away from the multiplex, what will we do now for our film watching experience?

Dave