It was a real treat and a pleasure to get to talk to living legend Alan Arkin. I told a number of people that I was going to talk to the Oscar nominated improv guru and they said either You got to ask him about Glengarry Glen Ross. I was like Fuck that Im going to talk to him about Bad Medicine! But of course I was also very interested in talking with Arkin about his latest role, that of the heroin snorting grandfather of the dysfunctional family in Little Miss Sunshine. The film also stars Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Greg Kinnear and is directed by music video masterminds Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris.
Check out the official website for Little Miss Sunshine
Daniel Robert Epstein: I read that you had some reservations about working with two directors.
Alan Arkin: Well, who wouldnt? Its not something you run into every day. I think everybody did. Even if two people have the same ideas, theyre going to express it differently and its going to sound like different ideas. I was nervous but they were wonderful.
DRE: Were you surprised at how in tune they were?
Alan: They said they speak as one voice, that if you talk to one of them itll be like speaking to the other one. I didnt really believe it, but I felt like I had to do the script anyway. I just had to play the character and be connected with this project. So I bit the bullet. But after a day and a half, it was clear that what they said was true. Theyre terrific people and very bright and very sensitive and they had a very specific vision for the film and were able to communicate it.
DRE: You mustve worked with kids over the years.
Alan: Yeah, Ive worked with a lot of kids. Animals, kids, all the taboos.
DRE: How was working with Abigail Breslin?
Alan: Its like working with an old pro. She knew how to do it. Shes not pushed around by her mother. She gets down to business.
DRE: Even though Steve Carell is younger than you. Did you know each other through Second City?
Alan: No. He was at least 10 years after me, maybe more. Although we had certain friends in common that we talked about, but that was it.
DRE: Did you guys get to do any improvising in the movie.
Alan: I threw in a line every once in awhile, but that was about it.
DRE: You play Greg Kinnears father in this, how was working with him?
Alan: Hes just wonderful in this. I think hes actually brilliant in it. Ive watched his performance four times now and every time I see nuances that I didnt seen before. Hes doing really special work in this.
DRE: One thing I liked about this movie is there isnt a lot of comedies made for adults anymore. You probably get a lot of comedy scripts sent to you, are most of them just no good?
Alan: Yeah. If I liked them, Id be doing them.
DRE: Actors from your generation dont seem to do a lot of independent films, but youve really embraced it.
Alan: What about Christopher Walken? He does a million independent films.
DRE: Thats true. But are the scripts better for a lot of these smaller films?
Alan: Small films can stink too. I think the ratio stays pretty much the same. Every once in awhile you get a really good script.
DRE: Do you know anyone like this character?
Alan: Besides me, you mean? I really identify with this guy. Dont ask me why. I have no idea why. I dont think Im that disreputable, but maybe I think of myself as being like that.
DRE: I read that your wife propels you into a lot of the work that you do. Whatd she think about this one?
Alan: She felt like I had to do it. We both felt that I had to do this one. No question.
DRE: How do you like working on this low budget?
Alan: I dont care. It doesnt matter to me. I dont care if its television or movies. I want to work with material thats exciting, with people who are fun to work with.
DRE: What do you think about all this improv thats on television now?
Alan: I dont have a television set so I dont know whats going on. I have no idea. When were in the hotel room, we watch for about an hour until we get filled with guilty pleasure. Then I get sick of the screaming so I usually turn it off.
DRE: I know you directed a short not too long ago.
Alan: Yeah, but I dont think anybodys seen it. A long time ago I directed several shorts, one of which got an Academy Award nomination. That was a long, long time ago.
DRE: Are you interested in directing still?
Alan: No. Its too hard. I dont want to work that hard anymore.
DRE: Why dont you want to work that hard anymore?
Alan: Im an old guy. I want to have a good time. I want to sit quietly and look out the window at the birds.
DRE: They are starting to remake movies youve been and theyve already remade The In-Laws. What do you think of this remake trend?
Alan: It depends. For the remake of The In-Laws, which I wasnt in, I got the best reviews Ive gotten in 20 years. So that was good experience.
DRE: Are you writing anything else now, music or books?
Alan: No, Im not doing anything. Im taking it very easy right now. Im an old guy. I want to look at the birds.
DRE: Where do you live now?
Alan: Santa Fe, New Mexico.
DRE: What do you do there?
Alan: Look at the window at the birds. How many times must I tell you?
DRE: [laughs] Indulge me on one of my favorite films of yours. I dont know how proud of it you are, but Bad Medicine is a film that I really loved as a kid.
Alan: I had a good time in that actually. I didnt think the movie was any good, but I liked my character. I havent seen it since it came out. I loved working with Julie Hagerty. We worked together about three times.
DRE: Are there scripts you go after?
Alan: I dont go after anything. My manager and my agent are legally responsible for telling me about everything that comes in.
DRE: I read a quote from you where you said that you dont think its a very good time for the arts right now.
Alan:: Historically I dont think its a good time for any culture, where we are now. I think we peaked and I think theres a hysteria about that. Its kind of great not having to be number one, but we havent really come to that yet.
DRE: Once you hit a peak, its a long drop.
Alan: Not necessarily. The English did it with a certain amount of grace. They came out of their empire intact with some dignity and with grace. I just hope we can do that.
DRE: I know its not going to happen but I would love to see this film recognized at the Academy Awards. I only say that just because comedy just seems to be ignored by them. I know obviously youre a member. Whats the stigma against comedy?
Alan: I dont know. I dont keep track of the sociological implications. I live a quiet life. I look at the birds. I try not to pay attention to this stuff because you try to make graphs and things and it doesnt work. Its like being a weatherman. Next year theyre going to want comedies with blue dresses on. Nobody knows.
DRE: But you must watch a lot of movies, right?
Alan: Yeah, I watch a lot of movies.
DRE: What have been some of the movies youve liked recently?
Alan: Ill have to ask my wife. I dont remember.
DRE: Have you seen any of the Christopher Guest movies?
Alan: I love his stuff. I think its wonderful.
DRE: Would you want to do a movie thats all improv?
Alan: Yeah, I would do that. I havent done that before. Ive worked on the dialogue for a lot of the films Ive been in. I dont do it without talking to the director beforehand, but Ill tell him, This as a scene doesnt really work. Id like to tool around with it. Id like to play with it. More than half the time they say yes.
DRE: How did you gravitate towards improv in the first place?
Alan: Because I couldnt get any work in straight theater. I failed into improv. I left New York thinking I was an abject failure. I went to Chicago and they gave me a job at Second City and I thought, Well, this is the end of my life. Its the end of my career. Ill earn $90 a week and live in a one-room apartment for the rest of my life, but its better than nothing. Six months later, we got national attention for the first time.
DRE: I love comedy and I love improv. I couldnt imagine what it was like for you guys at that point.
Alan: It saved all of our lives. I was with a group of people that had nowhere else to go. We thought we were changing the world. We thought that our point of view was going to fix everything. It almost did, but not quite.
DRE: Do you keep in contact with any of the people you came up with there?
Alan: A lot of them are dead. So I dont keep in contact with the ones that are dead.
DRE: Do you know what film youre doing next?
Alan: No. Do you know what film Im doing next?
DRE: Do Superman II.
Alan: We saw Superman.
DRE: It was long.
Alan: It was very long. How do you naturalistically have a guy who takes off his glasses and hes another person?
[I take off my glasses]
Alan: Who are you? Another guy was just in here.
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
Check out the official website for Little Miss Sunshine
Daniel Robert Epstein: I read that you had some reservations about working with two directors.
Alan Arkin: Well, who wouldnt? Its not something you run into every day. I think everybody did. Even if two people have the same ideas, theyre going to express it differently and its going to sound like different ideas. I was nervous but they were wonderful.
DRE: Were you surprised at how in tune they were?
Alan: They said they speak as one voice, that if you talk to one of them itll be like speaking to the other one. I didnt really believe it, but I felt like I had to do the script anyway. I just had to play the character and be connected with this project. So I bit the bullet. But after a day and a half, it was clear that what they said was true. Theyre terrific people and very bright and very sensitive and they had a very specific vision for the film and were able to communicate it.
DRE: You mustve worked with kids over the years.
Alan: Yeah, Ive worked with a lot of kids. Animals, kids, all the taboos.
DRE: How was working with Abigail Breslin?
Alan: Its like working with an old pro. She knew how to do it. Shes not pushed around by her mother. She gets down to business.
DRE: Even though Steve Carell is younger than you. Did you know each other through Second City?
Alan: No. He was at least 10 years after me, maybe more. Although we had certain friends in common that we talked about, but that was it.
DRE: Did you guys get to do any improvising in the movie.
Alan: I threw in a line every once in awhile, but that was about it.
DRE: You play Greg Kinnears father in this, how was working with him?
Alan: Hes just wonderful in this. I think hes actually brilliant in it. Ive watched his performance four times now and every time I see nuances that I didnt seen before. Hes doing really special work in this.
DRE: One thing I liked about this movie is there isnt a lot of comedies made for adults anymore. You probably get a lot of comedy scripts sent to you, are most of them just no good?
Alan: Yeah. If I liked them, Id be doing them.
DRE: Actors from your generation dont seem to do a lot of independent films, but youve really embraced it.
Alan: What about Christopher Walken? He does a million independent films.
DRE: Thats true. But are the scripts better for a lot of these smaller films?
Alan: Small films can stink too. I think the ratio stays pretty much the same. Every once in awhile you get a really good script.
DRE: Do you know anyone like this character?
Alan: Besides me, you mean? I really identify with this guy. Dont ask me why. I have no idea why. I dont think Im that disreputable, but maybe I think of myself as being like that.
DRE: I read that your wife propels you into a lot of the work that you do. Whatd she think about this one?
Alan: She felt like I had to do it. We both felt that I had to do this one. No question.
DRE: How do you like working on this low budget?
Alan: I dont care. It doesnt matter to me. I dont care if its television or movies. I want to work with material thats exciting, with people who are fun to work with.
DRE: What do you think about all this improv thats on television now?
Alan: I dont have a television set so I dont know whats going on. I have no idea. When were in the hotel room, we watch for about an hour until we get filled with guilty pleasure. Then I get sick of the screaming so I usually turn it off.
DRE: I know you directed a short not too long ago.
Alan: Yeah, but I dont think anybodys seen it. A long time ago I directed several shorts, one of which got an Academy Award nomination. That was a long, long time ago.
DRE: Are you interested in directing still?
Alan: No. Its too hard. I dont want to work that hard anymore.
DRE: Why dont you want to work that hard anymore?
Alan: Im an old guy. I want to have a good time. I want to sit quietly and look out the window at the birds.
DRE: They are starting to remake movies youve been and theyve already remade The In-Laws. What do you think of this remake trend?
Alan: It depends. For the remake of The In-Laws, which I wasnt in, I got the best reviews Ive gotten in 20 years. So that was good experience.
DRE: Are you writing anything else now, music or books?
Alan: No, Im not doing anything. Im taking it very easy right now. Im an old guy. I want to look at the birds.
DRE: Where do you live now?
Alan: Santa Fe, New Mexico.
DRE: What do you do there?
Alan: Look at the window at the birds. How many times must I tell you?
DRE: [laughs] Indulge me on one of my favorite films of yours. I dont know how proud of it you are, but Bad Medicine is a film that I really loved as a kid.
Alan: I had a good time in that actually. I didnt think the movie was any good, but I liked my character. I havent seen it since it came out. I loved working with Julie Hagerty. We worked together about three times.
DRE: Are there scripts you go after?
Alan: I dont go after anything. My manager and my agent are legally responsible for telling me about everything that comes in.
DRE: I read a quote from you where you said that you dont think its a very good time for the arts right now.
Alan:: Historically I dont think its a good time for any culture, where we are now. I think we peaked and I think theres a hysteria about that. Its kind of great not having to be number one, but we havent really come to that yet.
DRE: Once you hit a peak, its a long drop.
Alan: Not necessarily. The English did it with a certain amount of grace. They came out of their empire intact with some dignity and with grace. I just hope we can do that.
DRE: I know its not going to happen but I would love to see this film recognized at the Academy Awards. I only say that just because comedy just seems to be ignored by them. I know obviously youre a member. Whats the stigma against comedy?
Alan: I dont know. I dont keep track of the sociological implications. I live a quiet life. I look at the birds. I try not to pay attention to this stuff because you try to make graphs and things and it doesnt work. Its like being a weatherman. Next year theyre going to want comedies with blue dresses on. Nobody knows.
DRE: But you must watch a lot of movies, right?
Alan: Yeah, I watch a lot of movies.
DRE: What have been some of the movies youve liked recently?
Alan: Ill have to ask my wife. I dont remember.
DRE: Have you seen any of the Christopher Guest movies?
Alan: I love his stuff. I think its wonderful.
DRE: Would you want to do a movie thats all improv?
Alan: Yeah, I would do that. I havent done that before. Ive worked on the dialogue for a lot of the films Ive been in. I dont do it without talking to the director beforehand, but Ill tell him, This as a scene doesnt really work. Id like to tool around with it. Id like to play with it. More than half the time they say yes.
DRE: How did you gravitate towards improv in the first place?
Alan: Because I couldnt get any work in straight theater. I failed into improv. I left New York thinking I was an abject failure. I went to Chicago and they gave me a job at Second City and I thought, Well, this is the end of my life. Its the end of my career. Ill earn $90 a week and live in a one-room apartment for the rest of my life, but its better than nothing. Six months later, we got national attention for the first time.
DRE: I love comedy and I love improv. I couldnt imagine what it was like for you guys at that point.
Alan: It saved all of our lives. I was with a group of people that had nowhere else to go. We thought we were changing the world. We thought that our point of view was going to fix everything. It almost did, but not quite.
DRE: Do you keep in contact with any of the people you came up with there?
Alan: A lot of them are dead. So I dont keep in contact with the ones that are dead.
DRE: Do you know what film youre doing next?
Alan: No. Do you know what film Im doing next?
DRE: Do Superman II.
Alan: We saw Superman.
DRE: It was long.
Alan: It was very long. How do you naturalistically have a guy who takes off his glasses and hes another person?
[I take off my glasses]
Alan: Who are you? Another guy was just in here.
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
VIEW 6 of 6 COMMENTS
earplug6947:
you'll have to run Yossarian!
jena:
I'm watching this right now 