Spike Jonze and Lance Bangs directed portrait of author of "Where the Wild Things Are"
TheWrap Grills Jon Voight
On Angelina Jolie's film debut, Obama, and the newly discovered cut of Hal Ashby's "Lookin' to Get Out."
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It’s perhaps the most anticipated head-to-head competition in Oscar history.
Kathryn Bigelow’s low-budget indie war film, “The Hurt Locker,” and James Cameron’s 3D mega-blockbuster “Avatar,” both nominated for nine Oscars Tuesday, are going directly against one another for Director and Best Picture, among other categories.
Oh, and of course, Bigelow and Cameron used to be married.
Which film is going to win the big Best Picture prize on March 7?
TheWrap breaks down the competition.
Jon Voight did some of his best work with director Hal Ashby, including the classic, “Coming Home,” in which he portrays a paralyzed Vietnam vet coaxed out of his acerbic shell by co-star Jane Fonda. He won an Oscar for his performance, reteaming with Ashby two years later for “Lookin’ to Get Out,” co-written by Voight and first-time scribe Al Schwartz. The picture opened in 1982 to morbid reviews and dismal box office, but now, 27 years later, a new edit has surfaced, available for the first time on Warner Home Video.
These days he may sound like Rush Limbaugh -- but don’t be fooled. With first-rate performances in classics like “The Deliverance” and “Midnight Cowboy," Voight is one cool cat. He sat down recently with TheWrap to talk about the new edit, daughter Angelina Jolie’s first screen appearance, the war in Iraq and the passing of some of Hollywood’s greatest performers.
All these years later, how does this discovered edit of “Lookin’ to Get Out” compare with the 1982 release?
The original was all over the place and it reflected the drama that was around the post-production. Hal was working on three films at the same time. He had teams of editors working on each of the films, and it was tough for him to see — just to see the whole thing clearly. Hal walked away from it in a battle of some kind and the picture — 15 minutes were taken out of the picture, which wasn’t a perfect picture as it was. Then Hal passed away.
At the age of five, Angelina has her big screen debut with you in the final moments of the film.
It’s a lovely little scene and it was written for a boy and my son was going to play it but Hal wanted a little girl. So Angie, when I asked her, she said “Yes, I’ll do it.” And her mother was there and she worked with Angie on the lines and probably gave her a little advice, gently. So when Angelina came to the set, she was very well prepared. She wasn’t worried too much about it. I said, “Do you want to go over the lines, Angelina?” And then she just said, “Okay.”
This sweet little girl, usually distracted by everything, by this and by that, you didn’t know where her focus was going to be or if she would get upset and say “I can’t do it,” or cry. She could have done any of those things. But she didn’t. She was very poised. When the camera went on and when Hal said “Action,” she just did it.
It’s great to have it preserved like that on film.
When you see the film, the way she looks at me when I’m bending down, you can see she feels my pain. You see it in her eyes, just little tiny things. It’s quite a lovely performance, really a lovely performance.
Did you know early on Angelina was going to grow up to be in movies?
I’d give the kids little acting things to do, playful.
Comments
Gerald Says
The liberals keep pounding the fact that Bush "Lied" but the conveniently forget the fact that among those politicians who proclaimed that Saddam possessed WMD's were none other than John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, Tom Daschle, Dianne Feinstein, Bob Graham, Arlen Specter, Madeline Albright, Sandy Berger, Barbara Boxer, Wesley Clark, Bill Clinton, Clinton Secretary of Defense William Cohen, John Edwards, Dick Gephardt, Al Gore, Ted Kennedy, Carl Levin, Nancy Pelosi, John Rockefeller, and Henry Waxman.
Copy and Paste These Addresses to see the documented facts and excerpts from their speeches and or letters:
http://www.thewrap.com/article/jon-voight-grilled_4105?page=1
Even SNOPES Agrees: http://www.snopes.com/politics/war/wmdquotes.asp
John Kerry is even on VIDEO saying that they had FOUND WMD in Iraq:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IH93UlGHBfk
In Fact John Kerry was quoted as saying:
"'If Saddam Hussein is unwilling to bend to the international community's already existing order, then he will have invited enforcement, even if that enforcement is mostly at the hands of the United States, a right we retain even if the Security Council fails to act.'
http://myrightmind.blogspot.com/2005/04/wmd-flashback-john-kerry.html
Nancy Pelosi On VIDEO Claiming that "There is no Question" about Saddam's Chemical and Biological weapons:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwDJRBOsj78&NR=1
Pelosi Back Pedals About Her Documented Quotes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyB_ldDMmFE&NR=1
It seems to me that the only ones who are LYING are the politicans who are being so dishonest.
Dan Says
It is nice to see a guy from the hollywood crowd speakout against what the current admin is attempting to sell the American public. This is the same public who now has what it wished for!!
Annie Says
You loony tunes think Pres. Bush lied...where did he get his information? The CIA. Yea, we went to Afganistan, dummy, that is where the enemy took cover. Do you remember 9/11? Probably not!!! Why would we sit back and do nothing to keep this country safe. Because the terrorists were in another country we should have left them alone Give me a break!!! You have liberal brainwash syndrom.
Annie Says
You loony tunes think Pres. Bush lied...where did he get his information? The CIA. Yea, we went to Afganistan, dummy, that is where the enemy took cover. Do you remember 9/11? Probably not!!! Why would we sit back and do nothing to keep this country safe. Because the terrorists were in another country we should have left them alone Give me a break!!! You have liberal brainwash syndrom.
ConstitutionalConservative Says
To RightToTalk -
Were there no WMD's? SH had 3 years to get rid of what he had thanks to the Dumocrats. Every intelligence agency in the world agreed he had them, even the French! The war in Iraq freed an entire nation from the strangle hold of a single man and his agenda. What possibly could have been more right than that?
Right to talk Says
John has a righ to his opinion and we have a right to tell him he's way off target. He's OK that all of those people died in Iraq based on a LIE told over and over by the Bush administration and thinks we are safer today because we attacked a country that had nothing to do with any attacks on us! From his viewpoint anyone who disagrees with an uneccesary war is unpatriotic. I say anyone who supports actions resuling in lessening the power of this great country is AT BEST unptriotic. He talks about his incredible loyalty. Has he ever been to war for his country? How about his wife and family? Where was his loyalty to them when they needed him.
Teresa M. Says
Jon Voight is a great actor and a class act. I would rather listen to him discuss politics than those Hollyweird know nothings like Matt Damon and Jaenene Garafolo.
Libertynotliberalsocialism Says
An intelligent star who is not a liberal socialist puppet. Thanks Jon, for having integrity to speak up and be pro-American!
Isla Says
Jon Voight is a class act compared to the phonies in hollywood...let the record show that he is one of the few(can count 'em on one hand) that after the lights are dimmed, after the cue cards are all put away, after the catering wagon has closed down, the makeup crew left the building- here is a man who walks, talks, and thinks like the rest of conservative America, the rest of the hollywood clowns and we know who they are, actually BELIEVE that their voice represents the majority of standards of moral, ethical, political will of America- in their own feeble mindedness, they fail to see the glaring deer in the headlight sign post that WE the people do not care about what they think, just read the cue cards like Obama reads his teleprompters and get out of the way because my constitutional rights declare that WE, the rest of us that is, have been endowed by our creator with certain unalienable Rights , that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness and it doesn't come from the white house or hollywood..thank you Mr. Voight, we respect you for speaking the truth for us...keep up the good fight for it is soooo worth it..
Marty Says
It's so refreshing to hear Jon Voigt. He's a true American,
savvydude Says
The coolest guy in Hollywood. Jon Voigt for Best Supporting Actor at the Emmys!
alle Says
Jon Voight is a voice of sanity among those of Hollywood. I hope we hear a lot more from Jon Voight in the future. He has as much right to talk about current events as anyone else in Hollywood.
Jack Wilson Says
Refreshing to hear from a Hollywood guy who doesn't parrot the same old liberal baloney.
Dan Mehlhorn Says
Jon Voight is a class act 24/7. Too bad the ones like him are dying off and the trash is staying with us.
I wish Jon had more scenes and lines in "An American Carol". I'm sure he could have written something that would have added to the full smorgasbord that movie was.
Walter Skinner Says
Jon Voight is one of few from Hollywood who gets it. His position is a throwback to former stars like Glenn Ford, John Wayne, Lee Marvin, Jimmy Stewart, and others who loved this country and were true patriots.
These present day 'stars' (Ben Afleck, Matt Damon, Alec Baldwin, etc., etc., ad nauseum) are spoiled brats who believe the world owes them a living and that their opinions actually mean something. Most, if not all, of them are merely parroting the leftist-leaning, liberal trash as the present Socialist loving administration. If only they understood what our founding fathers went through and what they sacrificed to establish this great Nation.
I admire Jon Voight. I've listened to him on Glenn Beck's program. He is eloquent, impassioned, and fully understands how we came to be the bastion of freedom our country is. He is a truly patriotic American.
The so-called stars (Afleck & company) can barely string a couple of sentences together that make any sense.
Keep speaking out, Mr. Voight. Never waiver. Never quit. Never give in.
William O'Reilly Says
Get off my lawn!
Boy, is this guy ultra-sensitive or what? Ask him a question about politics or Iraq and he gets all defensive, like someone is questioning his patriotism by asking a harmless question about his political beliefs or current events. Lighten up, Jon. We loved you in Midnight Cowboy, Coming Home, 24 and lots of other projects. But you don't have to be so brusque and grumpy during interviews. Or maybe you're just trying out for The Tommy Lee Jones Story. . . . .
Diana Says
A VERY BIG THANK YOU, Mr. Voight, for your courage in speaking out and for your personal dignity!
SebastianHGZ9 Says
I admire your work and courage, Mr. Voight. I'll never forget seeing "The Champ" as a child. Wow.
Would love to see you pursue the cause of Christopher Marlowe - his story is the greatest story never told.
http://marlowe-shakespeare.blogspot.com
jrIII Says
Finally a hollywood actor tells the truth. I am grateful to this man for taking a stand against this insanity that has been ruling hollywood for the last two decades. You would think an industry that was subject to McCarthyism would be more tolerant to other views especially those of that are the views of the majority of Americans. Apparently the hypocracy of hollywood knows no bounds. Noticed an article recently stating that hollywood no longer needed a big name for movies. Is this a result of hollywood's attitude? My grandfather once told me never forget who pays your bills. Well hollywood middle America (you the people you deem ignorant) pays your bills! I wish they would consider this the next time stars like clooney, dicaprio or Paltrow open their mouths and spew their bs.
Laura Says
Thank goodness for Jon Voight, a voice of sanity in the land of make believe.
Voight fan Says
Jon Voight is a class act. Period. 'Nuff said...