My hotel room has a view of the gorgeous Virginia Theatre, where the festival is held. I could see the line stretching down the block for the opening night movie, which was The Fugitive.
I’ve seen the movie so many times, including in the theatre in its first release, but never on a screen this gigantic. That thing plays like a bat out of hell. It did back then, it still does. It never lets up, for one second. There’s a beautiful flow between the Harrison Ford scenes and the Tommy Lee Jones scenes. It’s a two-hander, even though they are only onscreen together for about 5 minutes, tops.
Director Andrew Davis was here to present the film. There was a QA after.
Much talk about the editing (a key element), much talk about the acting, and how much improvising they did as they went along, keeping it loose (especially in the scenes with Tommy Lee Jones and his merry band of U.S. Marshals). Davis spoke about how important it was to him to have a diverse cast (it’s extremely noticeable, but not in a “message”-y way. It’s just that this is actually what the world looks like – “and it’s the Chicago I grew up in,” he said – and so he wanted the casting to reflect that. Ahead of its time in that way.)
One question: “How did you do that train crash? How many takes did it take?”
Andrew Davis: “You don’t get more than one take for something like that, son.”
“You don’t get more than one take for something like that, son.”
That’s the best laugh I’ve had all year.
Oh it was so hilarious!!
Is it me, or has that movie kind of dropped off the radar in an unfair way? It is as classically watchable as any great thriller. I rank it with NORTH BY NORTHWEST and other greats of the genre. Brilliant film, amazingly made, rock-solid story with a genuine mystery beneath the chase, a witty script, great use of locations, and of course, brilliant acting all around.
Yes, I think you’re right. It’s an incredible thriller – one of the things that really struck me was the pace – how RELENTLESS it is – and yet without that “quick cut 5000 edits to keep the audience on their seats” kind of style. His style is very CLEAN. No fuss.
I was also amazed at how little CGI was done – Honestly, I know I sound like a fuddy duddy but CGI just doesn’t look AS GOOD as the “real thing.” That final showdown on the roof – with a helicopter really hovering right there … now, of course, that shot must have been a BEAR – but it looks incredible because you know, viscerally, what you are seeing actually happened. Same thing with the train. They actually just crashed that damn train and filmed it. !!!
It’s a masterpiece, honestly. It travels really really well – unlike a lot of other action films from back in the day.