|
|
On Sunday, October 20, 2008 Gary Childress, the webmaster for GlennShadix.com sat down with Glenn to talk about the 20th Anniversary and the release of the special HD two disc set in honor of the event.
GS: "Excepting the fact that this was my first film and Tim Burton's second, I must say there is a part of me that is not surprised. We had so much fun filming this unusual and so very original movie that I had a feeling something very special was happening."
GS: "90% was shot on the sound stages at Culver Studios (the former David O. Selznick Studios) in Culver City (Los Angeles). All the Maitland home (Alec and Geena's house) interiors were constructed on a sound stage on the Culver City lot, as were all the other sets, except the exterior of the Maitland house and the doomed Covered Bridge. The people in the little community of East Corinth, VT (where we did the location filming) wanted us to leave the bridge but it was not up to code. Warner Bros. would have been responsible, and besides we practically destroyed it filming the "accident". Rumor has it the town has built one but I can't confirm that bit of gossip. The film's story was set in Connecticut, but Vermont offered Tim the location he needed."
GS: "Same fate as the bridge. It was an empty shell built for specific views and only stood approximately 16 days. I hope some enterprising young (safe drivers) have used that lot and built something wonderful. It was a spectacular location. Being Vermont, at least we know it won't ever be a Walmart."
GS: "Easy one. The people who made the movie on and behind the camera. Still in touch with many and several have become my closest friends. It was truly unique in that respect and has never happened again. It was the happiest time in a very happy life with hopefully more to come when I'm ready to go back to Hollywood."
GS: "First of all Tim is an artist. The fact that he is so deeply involved in every aspect of A TIM BURTON FILM is the reason he has earned that credit. He is very adept with the suits at the studio and in recent years has had Richard Zanuck (true Hollywood Royalty) as his producer. His collaboration with Danny Elfman has become one of the all time successful movie making teams. In the end, however it Is Tim who makes the decisions."
GS: "Temperamentally smooth with diamond hard focus. I have only heard him raise his voice once, and I heard it all the way from the make-up trailer. He was on the set and someone in a responsible position was not prepared with a workable and very important prop. Other than that he casts so well his direction is usually minimal and technical."
GS: "I talked endlessly about the dinner party in the 1997 interview with Shaun Fleming and it seems a general favorite. In Miss Pauline Kael's New Yorker review, she said, 'that scene like all truly classic scenes will be just as funny in 50 years as it is today' (The New Yorker, April, 1988). HOWEVER, the sweep through the house with Catherine O'Hara truly was the most fun sequence I have ever filmed, and I have never laughed so long and hard in my life. Catherine was a hero of mine long before we met."
GS: "I don't think the Academy knew what to make of it first off, and secondly it was a comedy, and they seem to be less appreciated by the Academy. I am extremely happy to report that yes, it did win an Oscar, and a very special first-ever award for make up. It was the first of three Oscars (so far) for my dear friend Ve Neil and her team, Steve LaBorde and Yolanda Toussing."
GS: "Most everybody became stars is what happened! And then I just became a regular working actor and sometimes that’s just about the happiest place to be. I was stamped as Otho in producers’ minds and that might have limited some of what I would have liked to have done, but I am quite content. I admire how Alec has created a great second act as a very funny star character actor. It took me a long time to warm up to Alec. I think because we both are loud and larger than life and I was probably a little jealous of the fact that he was so damned handsome on top of all that talent. "Unfortunately, in the years since Beetlejuice opened, we’ve lost two members of the ensemble that will be greatly missed, the magnificent Sylvia Sydney, and most recently, the unforgettable and delightful Robert Goulet."
GS: "Both of these very close friends of mine have made solid TV and film careers and have worked constantly and always in quality projects. Jeffrey recently wrapped a five year stent on HBO’s Deadwood and is finishing up a film in Los Angeles. Catherine has become a star member of Chris Guest’s troupe, and scored with the Home Alone films, Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, among a dozen others, and has FIVE films in pre-production."
GS: "I met Winona when she was 14 years old. She worked as an actress for well over 20 years without a break, and was recently co-starring with the late Heath Ledger when he died unexpectedly. She will be back and she will shine as bright as ever."
GS: "Well, most people who follow film know what’s up with Tim. He has joined forces with Helena Bonham Carter and they have been making babies and movies! What else can I say? "They happily live in London, and since Helena’s grandfather was Prime Minister, Tim has “joined” the Peerage."
GS: "First off, after 30 years of New York and Hollywood, I wanted a change, and a big one. I bought a house (the first house built in Bessemer, AL – in 1887) and have been writing, gardening on my 3 acre lot, and really getting my hands in the dirt, so to speak. Nothing could be more of a contrast than leaving the Hollywood lifestyle for small-town Alabama. Everyone keeps asking me if there’s a ghost in my attic. If there is, I only hope they're as cute as Alec and Geena were in 1988! "I’m not alone here. I live alone in this grand old piece of art, but I have my mother, five brothers, a sister, six nieces and nephews (with one due in April), all living within 10 miles of my house. This is a time for me to do some re-creation. I am currently learning French from a wonderful lady named Miss Kitty for a production of History Boys, that begins rehearsal in Birmingham this coming January. "I wanted to celebrate the 20th anniversary of this incredible experience called Beetlejuice and Warner Brothers has generously provided me with a big, fat box full of DVDs, both Blue-Ray and standard format, of the Deluxe 20th Anniversary Edition of Beetlejuice. Starting soon, there will be a trivia contest and I will be giving away one copy of the DVD per week to the winner until they are all gone."
|
