The journey from the movie's final shot to its limited release in 2004 has been a convoluted one, a tumultous time frame that included a producer re-cutting the movie and found the movie's actors and director walking away from supporting the film. Fortunately, with Lions Gate Films playing the role of savior, Kalem's original cut has returned intact, and the version both the actors and director support is finally in front of audiences after a rocky five year delay.
INTERVIEW WITH GUY PEARCE ('Drumstrings Casey'):
This movie was completed quite a while ago, wasn't it?
August in Austin in ‘98.
During a heat wave, right?
Yeah.
Was that horrible to shoot in?
No, it wasn't. It was grueling, but for me, it was another element to the story, I suppose. I'd given up eating chocolate at that point. If you eat a lot of chocolate, I find that it zaps me of my energy, incredibly. I'd been working in Prague and Slovakia just before that on "Ravenous," and they had such bad chocolate there that I stopped eating it. And, I suddenly realized that my energy levels were really up. In Austin, I was so surprised that I could be in this heat and actually feel okay. So, I was kind of bouncing around and going, "This is great!"
What appeals to you about these weird little movies?
(Laughing) Maybe the fact that they're weird little movies. I don't see them as weird little movies. Working in Australia, where all movies are independent films, I've grown up working on stories where you uncover things. There's no formula to it. It's just about observing life, I guess. That's what I know and that's what I'm really interested in, as opposed to the more studio-oriented stuff, generally speaking. Obviously, some of the studio stuff is brilliant and fantastic, but generally, they're bound by formula and they're fearful of going outside the lines. Whereas independent films are really unique and allow you to explore what life is really about. I don't want to make films just for entertainment. I want to make films to make people question things, I suppose.
So when do you decide to do films for entertainment?
I tried it with "The Time Machine," but even then, for me, it was more than just entertainment. I was fascinated with that whole concept. I knew the film would pretty much be a piece of entertainment but I thought, within that, it could bring up questions for people.
Did "The Time Machine" make you not want to do big studio pictures again?
Not even so much the result of "Time Machine," but the experience of "Time Machine." Having 12 producers running around and saying, "We're going to shoot it 12 different ways and worry about it in the editing room later," makes me feel like I'm not quite sure what movie I'm on. I can't work like that. I don't have the strength to be able to cut through that. I need clear, obvious discussion and direction. I need everyone to know exactly what we're all doing, so we all go ahead and do it. Mindless stuff doesn't do anything for me. I don't like to sit down and watch it, so I don't really want to make that stuff either. I just don't have much interest in it, I guess.
How much did you prepare for this role?
I didn't have voice lessons. I've been singing all my life. I read the novel. I didn't feel like I needed to really indulge in the novel too much. It was good to see what originally inspired Toni [Kalem] in writing the script, but the script, to me, was the preparation. If I'm inspired by the script, then that's great. If I'm not, then I have to put the pieces together and try to find the inspiration for myself. But, I'd much rather work on things where I'm completely inspired by great writing.
When did you start playing music?
Ever since I was a kid, really. I was learning the organ when I was 6 or 7, or something like that.
Do you have your own band?
No, not really. There's a bunch of people that I play with at home, but they play with other people as well. We just sort of shift around and change.
What sort of music do you usually play?
It kind of varies. It just depends on who I'm playing with, I suppose. I don't really play pop. I like folk and blues, but I like a really broad range of stuff as well. It depends on who I'm playing with. We might do some standards. There's a friend of mine, Tim, who's a Hammond organ player, who I grew up with, and he's a brilliant jazz player. So, if I do stuff with him, then we'll really look at old standards. Whereas there's a couple other guys that I work with, and we just do all my original stuff. I just try to make that come to life.
PAGE 2: Guy Pearce on Pursuing Hollywood Projects, Fans, and Singing
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Interview with Lili Taylor
"A Slipping Down Life" Photo Gallery, Trailer and Credits
