Lilja: How happy are you with that movie yourself? Is it fair to say that The Shawshank Redemption was your big break?
Frank Darabont: I’d certainly qualify The Shawshank Redemption as a big break. You can’t get seven Academy Award nominations including Best Picture and not suddenly be taken very seriously as a director. And that movie led directly to The Green Mile. Hanks, one of my favorite people in the world, saw The Shawshank Redemption and rang me up and said, “Hey, love your work, we should find something to do together. If you ever have a script you think I’d be right for, send it to me.” That’s quite a nice door to have opened.
And, yes, I’m delighted with the movie. I watched it again when we had our Ten-Year Anniversary screening and DVD rerelease about two years ago. And with all that time and distance, I was knocked out by how well the movie holds up. (I’m glad I didn’t get the same feeling I got watching The Woman in the Room again!) You know, after a decade goes by, you (the filmmaker) don’t really feel like you had anything to do with it, you just kind of sit there and watch the movie on its own terms. It’s almost like somebody else’s movie by then, you just get caught up in the story like any audience member. And I was very pleased with what I saw. It’s that Steve King tale, man, it works a treat. But the thing that really jumped out at me was how great Tim Robbins was. I’d somewhat forgotten that. Everybody talks about Morgan Freeman, and of course, he’s just superb—I always hear how much everybody loves his narration—but Tim really carries equal weight on his shoulders for the movie working so well, truly. Don’t tell him I said that, he’ll get a swelled head.
Lilja: Then five years later you had another success based on a King book. That time it was The Green Mile, which was nominated for four Academy Awards. Why do you think your King adaptations are so successful?
Frank Darabont: Because when I recognize that a story is great, I try not to mess with it too much. I promise you, that’s not a glib answer. That’s why The Green Mile wound up being three hours long. I’m the first to admit that’s not an optimal length for a movie—it’s a lot to ask of an audience to sit for three hours—but if I’d made that movie two hours, it would have cut the heart out of Steve’s story. It would have given us a mangled version.
Lilja: Just the other day I listened to your commentary track for The Green Mile. How hard was it to talk for three hours straight?
Frank Darabont: That’s when I swore I’d never make another three-hour movie again! Sitting in that recording booth! We joked about that quite a lot. I swear, trying to keep commentary fresh for that long is a challenge. And I’m not one of those guys who just mumbles through a commentary and doesn’t care if it’s good or not, or if there are long gaps of silence. To me, it all has to be right, or I shouldn’t be doing it. The way I figure, if you buy my DVD and are willing to give me three hours of your life to hear what I have to say, I better damn well say something worth your time and money.
So I think I might have set a record for time spent recording a commentary. Call the Guinness Book. The whole process, beginning to end, was about nine months. I don’t mean nine months putting the DVD together, I’m talking nine months recording that commentary track alone. Of course, I wasn’t in there every day, but I did devote every day that I could spare out of my schedule. We should have kept a log of hours to say for sure, but I’m betting if we total it all up it’s about three or four solid weeks of full-time work: recording commentary, working with the editor (giving him endless notes) to lay it in the right way, rerecording sections if they sucked the first time, reediting to accommodate that, going back and filling in all the gaps and silences. I’m told most directors spend an afternoon or two in the recording booth, but I spent the better part of a year. I’m the first to admit that’s excessive, but I figure it’s my time and I want to do the job right. As I said, I owe the listener my best effort.
I have to say, the fine folks at Warner Video were really patient. I’m sure they were tearing their hair out, but they never showed it. At least not to me.
Lilja: All three King movies you have done so far have been nominated for numerous Academy Awards (The Woman in the Room was nominated in 1986 as best short film). Do you feel an Oscar-pressure with The Mist?
Frank Darabont: Again, let’s clarify that The Woman in the Room wasn’t nominated. That’s a myth. I suppose I could just keep my mouth shut about it and let people think I’m cooler than I am, but that’s just not in my vocabulary. Fair is fair, and it wouldn’t be fair to the people whose films were nominated.
As for The Mist, no. I feel absolutely no Oscar pressure, because there’s no way it’ll be nominated for anything! It’s just not that kind of movie! It’s what I describe as a “nasty little gut-punch horror flick,” and those just aren’t on the Oscar radar at all. The only pressure I feel is to get the movie done on such a tight schedule and tight budget—it’s a real nut-cruncher from that standpoint. But I’m taking inspiration from Danny Boyle—he did 28 Days Later with very limited resources, and that turned out great. He’s my hero.
Well, then again, I suppose there is a slight chance for some nomination in the effects category, who knows? I’m sure my effects will be great, but we’re not nearly as effects-heavy as the films that usually get nominated in that category, like Pirates of the Caribbean or something. Café FX will be doing my CGI, and they’re wonderful. My buddy Guillermo Del Toro turned me on to them; they did his effects on Pan’s Labyrinth, which is an awesome film! A masterpiece! Everybody must see it! And Café’s work was terrific.
Plus, there’s my pal Greg Nicotero of KNB Effects handling the makeup effects and designing end. Greg and I have been designing Steve King’s “mist monsters” for months now, and having a blast! Greg’s one of my best friends, I’ve known him for fifteen years, and we’re both monster kids from childhood. We both grew up reading Famous Monsters of Filmland and seeing every bad black-and-white movie we could—and even some good ones. We’ve talked for years about wanting to design some cool monsters together. Now we’ve gotten our chance, and I think we’ve come up with some fantastic and original designs. Greg’s been just amazing. It helped quite a bit to have the legendary Bernie Wrightson, also a great friend, contributing some design ideas. There’s a reason he’s billed as The Master of the Macabre—he’s awesome. Plus, there are some other artists Greg uses in-house at KNB who contributed some wonderful stuff along the way—like this young guy named Mike Broom. He’s a hell of an artist, and I think he has a big future.
Lilja: Will your adaptation of The Mist make use of the monsters that Stephen King describes?
Frank Darabont: It’s all about the monsters! First: the monsters from another dimension that want to eat you. Second: the monsters you’re trapped inside with, in this case your friends and neighbors you’re trying to survive with, but who are going crazy with fear and pressure and might prove to be more dangerous than those hungry monsters outside. Like I said, it’s a nasty little gut-punch horror flick, and one of those great pressure-cooker situations that King specializes in.
Lilja: I know you are working on more King movies and I wanted to ask you to comment on them, if you can. First out is, of course, The Mist. I know this one has been in the making for quite a long time and now you’re finally ready to starting filming. Can you tell me your plans for it and when we can expect to see it?
Frank Darabont: This one will be quite a change of pace for me…literally. It’s a very tight budget and schedule, so it will be the fastest shooting I’ve yet done for a feature. I directed an episode of The Shield last year to prepare myself for this…a very fast and loose style, all handheld, very liberating for me in many ways. I’m not aware if The Shield has aired yet in other countries, so you may not be aware of it, but it’s just terrific—one of my favorite shows ever, a very gritty police drama with amazing writing and an equally amazing cast. It makes Hill Street Blues or NYPD Blue look like Sesame Street. Its creator, Shawn Ryan, had been after me for a while to direct on
e because he knew what a big fan I am. Finally my schedule cleared and the opportunity was there, so I grabbed it. Doing the show was liberating, as I mentioned. Directing, for me, has always been a very precise and painstaking approach, like brain surgery. I jokingly call it “delusions of being Kubrick.” Doing The Shield changed that aspect of it—it’s very fast and loose, more like playing jazz than performing a precise classical composition. If what you’re used to as a director is more like conducting a huge symphony orchestra performing Beethoven’s Ninth in perfect tune, then suddenly shifting gears into jazz can be wonderful. It’s throwing caution to the wind. You suddenly don’t care if you miss a few notes—in fact, that ragged style is part of the attraction. Same with The Shield—all the camera work is improvised as we shoot, rather than thought out by me far in advance. It’s very immediate, very instinctive, very “in the moment.” No time for second-guessing or doing careful math, just go go go, shoot shoot shoot! It’s nerve-wracking to work that way at first, but I got into it very quickly and loved it. My intention is to adopt this style for The Mist. I can always go back to conducting Beethoven later, but The Mist will be jazz, stylistically different than any movie I’ve done.
Probably the smartest move I’ve made is to hire the team I worked with on The Shield to come do The Mist with me: the cinematographer, both camera operators, the editor and the script supervisor. Their skills are very honed in this style after five years of working on that TV show, believe me. They’re going to save my ass and make this schedule possible.
Lilja: I suspect that the cast has been selected, since shooting starts soon. It’s already known that Thomas Jane is in it, but can you reveal any other names?
Frank Darabont: Let’s see…well, Laurie Holden, who was my leading lady in The Majestic and recently played the motorcycle cop in Silent Hill. She’s probably best known to fans as Marita Covarrubias from X-Files. Gorgeous and incredibly talented. Very excited to be working with her again. Also, Andre Braugher—a hugely talented man. I’ve been a fan of his since Glory. Frances Sternhagen, who is a legend, will play Irene…folks may remember her from Starting Over, Outland and Misery. Alexa Davalos…wow, a remarkable young lady, a stunning new talent. Let me be the first to predict she’s going to have an amazing career—remember, you heard it here first. Sam Witwer, a terrific young actor who played Crashdown on Battlestar Galactica. Plus, a few of my stalwarts who I love working with again and again: Bill Sadler (Heywood in The Shawshank Redemption and the father of the two dead girls in The Green Mile), Jeff DeMunn (who’s been in every movie I’ve made starting with The Shawshank Redemption)…and, hey, I just cast Brian Libby! The real hardcore fans will recognize him as The Prisoner from my Stephen King short, The Woman in the Room…plus, he was Floyd in The Shawshank Redemption. It’ll be great to work with him again.
Lilja: Some time ago there where a rumor that Michael J. Fox was going to star in it. Was there any truth in that?
Frank Darabont: I remember that rumor! That was a persistent one! No, I’ve actually never met Michael J. Fox, nor had I ever gotten any indication of interest from him. But I am a fan. I was watching Back to the Future just last night…it’s been all over satellite TV the last few weeks…love that movie, and love him. I’m very sorry he’s dealing with the severe health issues he’s been facing. He’s very courageous. Nobody deserves that…except maybe the assholes in power in this country who are blocking stem cell research at every turn. Those preposterous, uncompassionate turds. God, if you’re listening: let them get sick. We’ll see how fast the arguments go away and the funding happens.
Lilja: The next one is The Long Walk. I hear that you have just optioned the film rights for it. How do you plan on realizing it? Some might say that it’s just a bunch of kids walking and impossible to turn into a movie…
Frank Darabont: It is just a bunch of kids walking. And talking. And getting shot. That’s why I love it. It’s a very intense ensemble character piece, another one of those “people in a contained pressure-cooker situation” stories that Steve does so well and seems to specialize in. To me, it’s an existential metaphor for our mindless obsession with war—kids being sent off to die for no reason other than “just because.” I don’t think it’s a coincidence that King wrote it in the shadow of Vietnam, though we’ve never really discussed that part of it, that’s just my interpretation. It’s a remarkable and pointed piece of fiction, especially considering he was basically a kid when he wrote it. In fact, is it true he started writing it in high school? I suppose I’ll ask him, I’ve always wanted to know. Anyway, chances are The Long Walk is more of an art house film than what we’d consider a mainstream Hollywood movie. When I do make it, I’m sure the budget will be even lower than on The Mist…a lot lower.
Lilja: How far away is The Long Walk?
Frank Darabont: Hard to say at this point. I’ll get there eventually. Just like I finally got there with The Mist.
Lilja: In the book Creepshow—The Illustrated Stephen King Movie Guide (released in 2001), the author, Stephen Jones, said that you were planning an official adaptation of King’s story “The Monkey,” probably for cable TV. Is there any truth to that, and if so, what’s happening to it?
Frank Darabont: The same answer as with The Long Walk. “The Monkey” is a story I’ve always loved, but I have no idea what its commercial viability might be these days as a theatrical feature. It’s gentle and old-fashioned Steve King storytelling, not Saw 2 or The Grudge. So maybe doing it as a cable film would be the best option available. I don’t know, we’ll see, maybe I’ll be surprised. But I will get to it one day.
Lilja: Am I missing any King adaptation? Do you have more of them up your sleeve?
Frank Darabont: Steve and I have kicked the idea around of doing The Dark Tower some day. Man, I love those books—they’re glorious, Steve’s magnum opus. But to be honest, it’s merely been idle talk. I’ve told him the thought of adapting that saga makes me break out in a cold sweat, curl into a ball and weep. It’s just so metaphysical and trippy, so much of it almost impossible stuff to visualize on screen. Not to mention it’s just staggeringly huge and massive! I don’t think I’d even know where to begin! Hey, you thought The Green Mile was long? You ain’t seen nothin’ yet! I’m afraid The Dark Tower might make the expanded Lord of the Rings trilogy look like a short subject. As long-winded as I am, I’m probably better off sticking to Stephen King’s short stories and novellas.
Lilja: What else are you working on? I read that you were involved in the fourth Indiana Jones. How does it feel to work on something like that and then find out they aren’t going to use your script?
Frank Darabont: Pretty awful. It was a wasted year or more of my life, and I have only so many years to devote. I worked very closely with Steven Spielberg, applied all my passion and skill, and gave him a script that he loved. He was ready to shoot it that very year—2003, I think? Maybe 2004? Well, no matter. The point is, Steven was ecstatic. We both were. It was going to be his next film. He told me it was the best script he’d read since Raiders of the Lost Ark. That’s a quote, and I’ll always treasure it. As a screenwriter, you dream of making a guy like Steven Spielberg happy and excited. Then George Lucas read it, didn’t like it, and threw ice water on the whole thing. The project went down in flames. Steven and I looked like accident victims the day we got that call. I certainly don’t blame Steven for it. He wasn’t in a position to overrule George, and wouldn’t have overruled him even if he could. He and George have been close friends for a long time, and they’ve had an agreement for years that no Indiana Jones film will ever get made unless they both completely agreed on the script. It was just such an awful surprise, after all my hopes and effort. I really felt I’d nailed it, and so did Steven.
Yes, as you can imagine, I would rank that very high on my list of professional disappointments. More than that, it was emotionally devastating. For somebody who, as a young man, was inspired to want to be a filmmaker by Steven and George, by movies l
ike THX-1138 and Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark, it was the ultimate kick in the nuts. In fact, it’s the main reason I quit my career as a “writer-for-hire” (writing for other people for a living). It’s not the only reason, but certainly a main reason. I swore never to go through that again. From now on, my intention is to write only for myself on projects that I produce or direct.
You know, I am trying to turn it into something positive. When life hands you a blow like that, I think you should move on as well as you can, or you risk becoming an embittered shithead. I’d rather do the former and not the latter. The experience did get me to refocus my energies on my directing career, which for me always came second to writing. Now it comes first. So maybe it was a blessing in disguise. I don’t know…we’ll see how it goes with The Mist and whatever comes after. If I direct some hits, I’ll look like a winner. If I direct some flops, I may eat my words and beg my agents to find me a job rewriting somebody’s next movie.
Lilja: How about more books? You have already written Walpuski’s Typewriter, which is a very good book, and you have also done a story in Hellboy: Odder Jobs. Is writing something you want to continue with?
Frank Darabont: Yes. As we just discussed, writing is a vital part of what I do…it’s part of who I am, really. I can’t imagine not being chained to this computer. I’m not sure I’d know what to do with myself. I’ve spent twenty years here professionally. I’ll certainly keep screenwriting, though hopefully not “for hire,” assuming the directing goes well. And, yes, I have a novel or two I’d like to try my hand at.
Lilja: In an interview I did with Stephen King, he said you wanted to do a limited edition of The Mist (as a book). Can you tell me what you want to do?
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