The_Film_That_Changed_My_Life

158 Michael Polish
aspects of filmmaking. There’s just no patience, but with that being said,
that doesn’t mean it goes unappreciated. It just won’t get mass viewings.
Now it’s considered one of the best films made. In the mid-’80s, when it
first came out, it was considered the worst thing he’s ever done. In the ’90s,
you’re seeing it on top ten lists; by 2000 it was probably one of the best films
made in a hundred years. So we’re always fighting time and perception, and
that’s something Sergio did his entire life. We now know what Sergio was all
about, but what a fight that guy had! His whole life was about fighting.
He was the assistant director on The Bicycle Thief, had a long career,
but he was not well-respected possibly because he was a genre director.
What sort of stigma comes with that, and is time the only thing that
can remove it?
Polish: If you start going up against what people perceive as your boundaries,
you’ll be fighting the wrong battle. You start fighting and answering the
criticism, then you’re not doing your work. You’re spending time answering
things that may not have any validity at the end of the day. They hurt you
but you start answering your critics, and that’s a battle you’re not going to
win because critics change, criticisms change. All you got to look at is Van
Gogh, someone who didn’t make a dime, was considered an odd painter
who painted straight from the tube, who lacked technique, and now you
can’t touch one of his paintings. That’s a cliche example, but it keeps happening
over and over.
I think European films, in a way, are considered genre because they’re
shipped to us. They seem to love the exotic thriller, and we repackage it with
exotic stars.
Let’s talk more about the performances.
Polish: James Woods has the goods. The reserved quality that De Niro possessed
was just remarkable. He was able to carry the entire weight of the
whole story without going above Woods’s performance, which was great to
watch—you compare and contrast. What James did was kind of be the emotion,
the internal part of Noodles. They made such a great duo on-screen
because I think Noodles always wanted to do what Max was doing.