Monday, January 12, 1998
Kevin Costner delivers his thoughts on lengthy movies
FILM: The actor and director defends ‘The Postman,’ hoping
audiences can enjoy his newest work ‘for what it is’
By Stephanie Sheh
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
This past holiday movie season, Academy Award-winning actor and
director Kevin Costner may have been planning to bring audiences a
glorious sweeping tale with "The Postman," but with less than
stellar reviews, it does not look as if the film will be the
"Dances with Wolves" epic that its previews want it to be.
However, Costner remains strong. There is a refreshing honesty
and maturity from this movie veteran as he reflects on the joys,
pains and mistakes of his career.
"I’ve always gone to my own drummer," Costner says. "I never
thought I was trying to take people to the cutting edge of
anything. I have a great love of movies and when I find a great
story, I want to make it."
It seems simple. But Costner is a star. He is a celebrity. And
with fame comes public scrutiny. Costner suggests that the recent
bad press is a reflection of the world today.
"I think why there can be negativity (in the press) is a
function of who we are as people right now, what we want to write
about," Costner explains. "Because I certainly try to make a great
movie each and every time out, whether I do or not."
If it were up to Costner, the public would not have much prior
knowledge about the movies before viewing them. That way, they
could simply enjoy the film for what it is.
Yet Costner acknowledges that this is not the way the complex
tango between the press and the industry works. However, he still
doesn’t understand why they get hung up on the length of his films.
"The Postman" runs about three hours long.
"When we start writing about a length before we see the movie,
length becomes the biggest issue," Costner says. "I think all of
our movies are going to look and smell the same. They’re going to
be sequels. They’re going to be a regurgitation of television
shows. And when people want to deal with length, you’re killing me.
Because I don’t know how to do it shorter. I don’t know what it is
you don’t want to see.
"It’s painful to hear people talk about length like it’s the
enemy," he continues. "I don’t think it is. I think with a great
book or a great movie, you never want it to end. And end they must.
(With the length) you see what my style is. And I hope I don’t
conform in a way conventional wisdom would like me to do. I don’t
consider myself an elitist as a filmmaker. Sometimes it just takes
me longer to tell my story."
And the Costner story that the no one can forget is the
"Waterworld" disaster. One of the most expensive movies ever made,
the film did not do as well as expected at the box office. Overseas
it was another story, but the film’s international success is not
something that Costner parades around.
"I didn’t feel vindicated. I just felt that there was so much
heat put on that movie," Costner says. "I really felt the
responsibility of taking it around the world. There’s people that
put a lot of money into it. There were some bad decisions made.
Okay, but so what? Now you’ve got to stand up for something and I
was the best person to go do that. I was the only person."
But finances and box office success seem trivial in light of his
cherished role as a family man.
"Kevin’s had his family with him from the beginning," recalls
producer Jim Wilson. "He’s not kept the business from the children
at all. So they’ve been with him as little kids in diapers on sets.
Everywhere we go his kids are with him."
Costner directed his kids, Lily, Joe and Annie in "The Postman"
as well as "Dances with Wolves." And he loved being both director
and father.
"For me it was terribly satisfying," Costner smiles. "To have
them and ride with them in the car knowing that they’re a little
nervous that day. And then to drive home with them that night. And
they felt like giants, because they did it. That’s as much as an
opening weekend."
Some may shout nepotism and criticize, but Costner insists he is
not trying to push his little ones into the spotlight.
"My children are not on display in the public arena," Costner
says. "They are not in other people’s movies, but they are in mine.
And that’s a choice I have to make. They have to expand as
children. They don’t have to be sheltered. They can make up their
own mind about what they want to do. And right now they want to be
with their dad in the movie."
Likewise, Costner says that aside from his job of promoting
films, the he does not seek publicity.
"I don’t talk to the press unless I make a movie," Costner
explains. "I don’t live my life with (the press), pro or not. It’s
not interesting to me. I have my own life. Only when the movies
come out do we have this relationship."
But it doesn’t mean the press doesn’t talk. Home life must not
have been too comfortable a few years back when tabloids focused on
Costner’s split with his wife. He points out that many people get
divorced today and yet the details of those divorces are not
publically reported.
"What no one ever talks about is how great a mother Cindy is and
how good a friend she is to me," Costner says. "(And) that we have
a love that does not translate in magazines. And it won’t ever make
sense to anyone else because we knew each other when we were 19
years old."
Still, the level-headed and reasonable Costner refuses to make
general angry vents about the media. He says that his words would
be misinterpreted on certain instances and it would not be fair to
his friends in the media who have supported him.
He also acknowledges that stardom is a double-edged sword.
"For as many doors that have been closed for me as a result of
(being) a celebrity, an equal amount of doors have been opened,"
Costner recognizes.
With a trail of over 20 movies, a lot of success and a few
missteps, Costner looks back upon it all with a healthy
attitude.
"I think I would do some things differently," Costner admits.
"But you don’t get to places by second guessing. Because what
happens is you stall and you become afraid. If I have to make a
thousand mistakes to get to where my life is supposed to be, I’ll
make those. I’m willing to make those."
FILM: "The Postman" is currently in theaters.
Warner Bros.
Kevin Costner stars in and directs the futuristic adventure,
"The Postman," which is about three hours long.