April 30, 2009 12:30PM EDT
Q&A: Love the Beast
Share
"I'm in this other small independent film, called, uhm, Star Trek," said Eric Bana before the start of his directorial debut (but possibly last foray into directing, see below), Love the Beast, a love story-documentary about his 1974 Ford XB Falcon Coupe.
That, and his mates, says the Australian actor in the film, are the only things that have remained constant on his rise to stardom. Twice he refers to his car as "the campfire" that brought all of them together and kept everyone out of trouble. The Beast, he explains in his introduction, doesn't have to be the car—just the one thing we come back to. For Bana, this passion eventually takes him to the offices of Dr. Phil McGraw, who patiently explains the Beast's relationship to Bana and what it means for him as a man.
Like all good love stories, the film traces the first sparks of passion in Bana—a love of American cars, racing, and, finally, Mel Gibson riding a souped-up Falcon in the 1979 Mad Max—through an exuberant cohabitation of many hours spent in the garage, the occasional race, and an epic adventure in the five-day Targa Tazmania rally, all the way to a climax too good to spoil here. Unlike many Hollywood love stories, however, this one is real, and ongoing, as Bana admitted in the Q&A.
Bana, as humble about his wheels as he is about his mainstream success, unashamedly admits to using a Nissan Pathfinder diesel as his daily drive. The Beast is something else entirely: the impetus for the documentary for him and co-producers Peter and Matt Hill, he explains, was their "frustration with a lack of emotion in car films." Was this, then, an emotional undertaking, asked one earnest moviegoer?
"You know what I can't stand? The term passion project," Bana replies. If it was just racing, it would be, indeed, just that. But the cameras only took away from the experience.
Having had to film a documentary while participating in a rally myself, I was floored by the camera work, actually. Most of the filming takes place in, around, or next to the car—but it never gets boring. Much of the credit should go to editor Conor O'Neil (the only American on the project, as Bana joked): his combination of video manipulation, attention to sound, and split-screen use makes the duller moments glide through and turbo-charges the action sequences to a level of big-budget stunts.
Great foray into directing, another audience member exclaims. Any more, then?
"It took me 38 years to come up with this idea, so ... ," Bana deadpans. A man and his beast: it only happens once. But if you have a good idea, talk with Bana; he is open to co-writing projects, however.
Love the Beast screens on Thursday at 4:30 pm, and tickets are still available. It is also screening on Friday and Saturday.
Read more Festival Q&As.
April 30, 2009 05:21 PM
Bevy Bee said:
Love the Beast, Eric Bana Director
Unfortunately, I cannot get into NYC to catch this documentary. I'm an Eric Bana fanatic (Banatic), but it's just impossible to get to Tribeca Festival showings this week. Where can Love the Beast be seen after its debut in NYC? Is it only available in theaters that show only documentaries? or do I have to wait until it comes out in DVD? B. Mavus
May 13, 2009 04:37 PM
bronzecar351 said:
Love the Beast
Where can Love the Beast be seen after its debut in NYC? Do I have to wait until it comes out in DVD? Jeff G