Stone Gives Batty Advice for Pi Guy

By Azad January 23, 2001 4:52 PM

In the current issue of the magazine Premiere, director Oliver Stone had this advice for his fellow director Darren Aronofsky about the upcoming Batman: Year One movie: It's all about the script.

Stone says in his interview commentary to the magazine, "Unfortunately, the very first obstacle is that the expectation level on Darren is very high, where he has come from nowhere and made two powerful films one after another [Pi and Requiem for a Dream]."

Stone emphasizes his main point, "How does he maintain that intensity and purity in a form that is very commercial? It can be done. The script has to be as intense and pure as your other two were, but perhaps incorporating more characters into that world and seeing that world with integrity."

Stone added, "If you maintain that integrity in the script, and you fight for it, they'll let you do it. I believe that. But if they really don't like the script, they'll move on, and you'll lose that turn, but it won't stop your career. But it's a big number that you bit off. I mean, in the old days we worked our way up more. Now, young first-timers are given $100 million movies. My largest budget has been $62 million on Any Given Sunday, which was a lot. But stand your ground, and I think you'll win."

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RE: Stone Gives Batty Advice for Pi Guy   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on January 29, 2001 4:18 PM

Stone is a moron.  Arnofsky is not.  Arnofksy can do very well in this movie without his advice.... This is like Hercule/Mr. Satan giving Goku fighting advice (from Dragonball Z).  And I wish he wouldn't point out stuff that isn't obvious to everyone.....

RE: Stone Gives Batty Advice for Pi Guy   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on January 30, 2001 12:34 AM

I don't think Stone has said anything bad (accept maybe that "[add]more characters, the last two had too many for any real character dev)so give him a chance, he means well.

RE: RE: Stone Gives Batty Advice for Pi Guy   reply

Posted by woodsy13 (back to woodsy13) on January 31, 2001 8:21 AM

I agree. Stone may have been stoned and stating the obvious but if it didn't need saying we wouldn't have crap like Arnold as Mr. Freeze and Val Kilmer as the Batman. Only Burton has come close to the depth and darkness these tales deserve and he's was a little too over the top on set design and such. Good actors and a good script are what everyone wants. These are the mythology of my youth but I'm an adult now. I don't want them to be cartoon extravaganzas. I want them taken seriously and treated with respect. Like Singer did with X-Men. They only thing I found wrong with that film was it was too short.
PS. I wouldn't mind seeing Hackman reprise Lex Luthor for a Batman movie.

RE: RE: RE: Stone Gives Batty Advice for Pi Guy   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on March 6, 2001 3:11 PM

Agreed, Gene Hackman was great as Luthor. He stole the movie.

RE: Stone Gives Batty Advice for Pi Guy   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on November 18, 2001 9:52 AM

arnofsky doesn't need any interference from the  hollywood establishment to make Year One a bad ass movie. no offense to stone, Salvador is one of my all time favorites, but Pi and Requiem were proof enough that arnofsky can make up for the 4 pieces of sh*t masquerading as Batman films. let's hope he keeps his edge and doesn't cave. Batman: Year One is already a brilliant story, and should be treated with the respect that it deserves.