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Sunday, October 10, 2010
THE 33RD MILL VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL
Norton Night In San Rafael
Edward Norton entering the Christopher B. Smith Film Center in San Rafael last
evening.
Omar P.L. Moore/PopcornReel.com
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Omar P.L. Moore/PopcornReel.com
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Sunday,
October 10, 2010
SAN RAFAEL, California
Last night Edward Norton was feted in a tribute at the 33rd Mill Valley Film
Festival before a packed house at the Smith Rafael Film Center here just a few
miles north of San Francisco.
Following a screening of "Stone", Mr. Norton's latest film which also stars
Robert De Niro, the 40-year-old activist, actor and filmmaker appeared on stage
at the Film Center theater with "Stone" director John Curran and prominent film
critic and Q&A host Elvis Mitchell to talk about filmmakers and "Stone", which
opened in New York and Los Angeles two days ago and expands its release in the
U.S. on Friday.
"A lot of the filmmakers I'm most drawn to, I think you could say they have
consistency. I don't say they make the same film over and over again, but
they go at a theme very relentlessly," Mr. Norton said. "And I think it
gives you the confidence that it's territory that they know and they're going to
do some sizable work in it."
In the new film Mr. Norton plays Stone, a convicted murderer up for parole after
spending eight years of a 10-15-year stint in a Michigan prison. Stone's
parole officer is played by Mr. DeNiro, who as Jack Mabry is a lifer in a
position of judgment. Milla Jovovich and Frances Conroy also star.
Mr. Curran, who has directed such films as "Praise", "We Don't Live Here
Anymore" and "The Painted Veil", the last of which also starred Mr. Norton, was
thankful for his star's addition to "Stone".
"Edward came in and did a lot to the script, really changed it up and made it
what it is now. I don't know where I would be without him, because I was
so focus on prepping for the film and I had no time for anything else."
Mr. Norton talked about finding the inspiration for his title character, saying
that "it wasn't until about five days before shooting" that he got the voice of
Stone, citing help from an inmate he spent time with.
Commenting on the film's themes, the actor/director said: "We are all very
complex. We all present something. If we sit in a chair across from
somebody, something just presents itself. And then (as an actor), you know
to me, it comes down to see, to reveal how much more I see in a person."
Mr. Norton acknowledged and praised the talents of "Stone" co-star Milla
Jovovich and recalled some moments he had on the set with her. "Sometimes
you're doing something and you get this experience of, sort of -- you're in the
middle of it and you're playing but you're also sort of watching with your third
eye out here. And she did a couple of things sometimes where I was in the
middle of a scene, and over here I was going, 'that was a weird, wild
choice!'"
"That was really, really interesting," Mr. Norton added as the audience laughed
at his revelation.
During the post-screening Q&A Mr. Norton mentioned Spike Lee, Woody Allen, Milos
Forman among other filmmakers as those he's worked with whom he is in especially
high regard of. "Films like 'Annie Hall' and 'Do The Right Thing' are the
kind of films where the rulebook is thrown out and the author does their own
thing. And I just love when that happens."
Prior to presenting Mr. Norton with the MVFF Award, Mark Fishkin, executive
director of the Mill Valley Film Festival, hailed the actor as one of the
greatest actors "not only of his generation but of any generation."
Elvis Mitchell, host of the
post-"Stone" screening Q&A, "Stone" director John Curran, Mill Valley Film
Festival Executive Director Mark Fishkin, and actor/director Edward Norton last
night at the Christopher B. Smith Film Center in San Rafael.
Omar P.L. Moore/PopcornReel.com
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