Writer/director Barry Levinson (Wag the Dog) takes on the world of politics once again with Man of the Year starring Robin Williams, Laura Linney and Christopher Walken. In support of the film's release on DVD, Levinson took time to discuss his latest politically-themed film.
You describe your style of directing as one of ‘controlled freedom’. Could you define that?
“If I cast a person in the movie, then I have a certain trust in them so I want them to feel that they’re free to do all kinds of things. In reality they’re not, but I like to create it to feel that way. I like them to feel that nobody got any direction, that somehow they were doing what they wanted to do - but they can’t. But that’s what I like because I’m looking for the moment that surprises me. I’m looking for the moment. I know in this particular moment he’s got that. ‘Okay, I got that, but what else is there that’s even more interesting than that?’ That’s what I’m looking for. I’m not looking for just the normal, simple response. I’m curious about how colored that moment can be. And so that’s what you’re always seeking.”
Presidential politics is such fertile ground for comedy and it’s interesting you approached an election from a different point of view, rather than just focusing on a comedian being elected President. Instead Man of the Year is more about the voting system. Why did you decide to take that approach?
“Because that’s where, to me, the problem is. It’s all during that process. There’s too much money in the system so therefore, the system we have… This is why we ended up with the people we have, because of all the money in the system. It costs too much to run for office so the good people don’t really get a great shot, because they can’t raise money that easily. It’s all about money. It’s all about money. And so that’s really the main issue behind it all. As long as we want to play this game, that you’re going to go and raise $250 million to be the President and think this President is going to be free enough to go do what he thinks is correct without maximum amount of influence to all the people he’s beholden to, it’s just not realistic.”
Did you talk to political consultants while working on the Man of the Year script?
“I talked to consultants and all those people, and you get a pretty good sense of what’s going on. That’s why that line where he says, ‘Look, if we’re going to be that beholden to special interest groups, then let’s be up front about it. You can be in the Senate and we’ll be like NASCAR and on our suits we’ll just wear [sponsor] patches. Then you’d know, ‘Oh, okay, he’s involved with the pharmaceuticals. I see. That’s why he’s taking that position. I get it.’ If we’re going to play that game, then be straight about it.”
When you were writing the script did you have Robin Williams in mind?
“I did once I thought of it as a late night political talk show host.”
Do you normally have specific actors in mind when you’re creating characters?
“Sometimes it comes later. But this one, originally I was writing it with like a Nader character in mind and then I thought, ‘Well, that’s too boring.’ And then I finally switched over to the late night political talk show host because a comedian is extremely disarming, because comedy just sort of lightens the moment up. Somehow we seem to find more truth in the comedy than we do in the reality. Political speak doesn’t seem very credible anymore.”
Are you surprised there hasn’t been a candidate yet with that background?
“Yeah, I think it’s coming. The influence of the Internet and these other elements are going to start to change something.”
Speaking of the Internet, what do you think about the Internet's impact on the film industry?
“I think it’s part of the evolution of it all. Everything continues to evolve, you know, as technology impacts on all the elements. So with the Internet, it’s ultimately going to continue to create more and more diversification for one, and ultimately will change the very elements of storytelling. I think that once it starts to get in place, people will be able to pull up a director and see what kind of movies he or she makes and then suddenly you can go and just download it in your computer. You’ll see some movie that you couldn’t find at Blockbuster – something more obscure. I think you’re going to look at a big changing pattern about to emerge.”
Are you happy about that emerging pattern?
“I think it will be very beneficial. I think we’ve been basically strangled to death by about 15 years of corporate entities controlling the content. I think that will change radically, soon."
Is there another political film in you?
“Never say never.”
Do you have one planned?
“I have nothing in mind, but you know, who knows? I mean the point was to… In some ways, which I got criticized for, it wasn’t like Wag the Dog. But it wasn’t designed to be like Wag the Dog. It was never as dark and cynical a movie as Wag was. And this would function with comedy and drama and suspense – and those elements don’t necessarily apply to kind of a dark satire. But if I do another one, I want to find another place to make it work. Another design.”
Do you have your next project lined up?
“The next project I’m doing is called What Just Happened?. It’s based on a book that Art Linson wrote. He’s a producer, Hollywood producer. It’s really like two weeks in the life of the Hollywood producer. It’s sort of funny and terrifying at the same time. It’s sort of like survival in Hollywood. It’s not trying to ruffle feathers; it’s just trying to show you like the desperation level of everyone when it comes to movie making.”
