George Hickenlooper
George Hickenlooper
George Loening Hickenlooper IIIwas an American narrative and documentary filmmaker...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionDirector
Date of Birth25 May 1963
CountryUnited States of America
audiences connect dramas filling movies people relate
There's been a vacuum with movies that people can relate to. There's been a paucity of dramas that people can relate to. I think audiences are clamoring to connect - particularly after 9/11 - with things that are genuine and real and I think documentaries are filling that need.
films generally
Generally in my films like 'Hearts of Darkness' or 'Picture This,' I try not to make myself a presence in the film.
work
As a filmmaker I find it much more rewarding to work with actors who are classically trained. It's about the work and only the work.
bogus claims forced frivolous held hostage lawsuit literally production simon stolen
Simon Monjack had nothing to do with 'Factory Girl.' He filed a frivolous lawsuit against us... making bogus claims that we had stolen his script. He held us literally to hostage and we were forced to settle with him as he held our production over a barrel.
adore connection director dramatic great human kelly privilege rarely remarkable special spiritual tap truly wonderful
Kelly Preston is a remarkable human being and a great dramatic actress. It was a privilege as a director to tap into this part of her. Rarely do I make a kind of spiritual connection with my cast. Kelly was a wonderful exception. She is truly very special and I adore her.
close dreams emotional filmmakers inspired les material reflect versa vice
I was very inspired by Les Blank's film 'Burden of Dreams.' I think what's unique about his film and the two I've made is that they're close examinations of filmmakers and how their own emotional experiences reflect in the material they're rendering, and vice versa - how that material sometimes colors their own lives.
comedies failure fascinated finality historical life plays relate universal
I'm fascinated by failure, and I'm fascinated by finality. Shakespeare's historical plays are more universal than his comedies because they relate to the finality of life. Without finality, life would not be beautiful.
age became civic entered gilded individual lost mission responsibility rights social united
There's something unique about the United States, a sense of individual rights and freedoms, and a sense of social and civic responsibility that we contributed to so much of the world. We lost that mission in the 1980s and 1990s, when we entered a gilded age, and the culture of individualism became a culture of avarice.
struggle games two
Docs are more exhausting because of the physical labor that's required. Feature filmmaking is more exhausting because of politics and the bullshit. You get to the point of rolling film and until you lock picture it's one political game after another. They're both struggles for survival. They are two different worlds.
creating cinema narrative
At times doc filmmaking feels more rewarding creatively. Because you are creating something out of pure cinema - instead of narrative cinema, where you've got a script and a cast and you build from your foundation, whereas in documentary, you're building out of chaos.
art real creating
Narrative, fiction filmmaking is the culmination of several art forms: theater, art history, architecture. Whereas doc filmmaking is more pure cinema, like cinema verité is film in its purest form. You're taking random images and creating meaning out of random images, telling a story, getting meaning, capturing something that's real, that's really happening, and render this celluloid sculpture of this real thing. That's what really separates the power of doc filmmaking from fiction.
responsibility thinking ethics
Obviously you have a responsibility - one would like to think there is such a thing as ethics in filmmaking.
heart darkness trying
Generally in my films like Hearts of Darkness or Picture This, I try not to make myself a presence in the film.
beautiful play historical
Im fascinated by failure, and Im fascinated by finality. Shakespeares historical plays are more universal than his comedies because they relate to the finality of life. Without finality, life would not be beautiful.