ELIJAH WOOD:Thats right.
DANIEL NOAH:They have one for you, too.
JOSH C. WALLER:What?
Credit: Marten Tedin
The marketing potential for this film is quite extraordinary and unlike any that well probably ever encounter again.
Im just now concerned about the direction of this interview, frankly.
WALLER:I just want toleavethe interview.
Did it wind up being the film you expected to make?
The actual screenplay was more intense primarily sexually.
It was more graphic than the film we made.
Its actuallybetterthan the thing that we read.
Itsbetterthan we hoped it wold be.
Its sweeter and more endearing than we had anticipated.
Yes, its crazy and, yes, its graphic, and shocking.
But at the core its actually a really sweet kind of lovely story.
[Laughs]
WALLER:That speaks to Jim as a person, I think.
He has all these crazy, bizarre ideas.
Its hard to give someone like Jim notes because you have no clue whats going on in his mind.
But Jim is one of the sweetest people ever.
He has so much heart and hes just such a skilled filmmaker.
Tell me about casting the film.
WALLER:I was in the casting room with Jim, and it was fascinating.
Michael St. Michaels just stood out, you justknew.
And Sky was someone that Jim had worked with a few times before.
And Elizabeth was just a godsend.
She wasnt who I imagined initially, and then it became evident that she was the one.
What a gutsy, incredible, brave performance.
Earlier today, Michael told me he learned how to act by taking non-porn roles in porn movies.
WOOD:[Laughs.]
He has had the longest, weirdest life.
He opened a punk club in San Diego, hes talked to me about being to Area 51.
Yeah, he acted in porn.
Its very uncanny how similar he is to Big Ronnie.
There were known actors that came in to audition for Big Ronnie.
Those characters are so iconic within that universe.
If you populate that universe with something thats familiar, suddenly the entire thing falls like a souffle.
NOAH:Ive got to say, I would watch that though.
But thats not Jims intentionat all.
And that was very clear on set as well.
What were was the most difficult aspect of the production?
NOAH:The cks.
WALLER:Designing the cks was a lengthy experience.Lengthy, eh?
I need another ck.
You premiered the film at Sundance.
What was that like?
WOOD:That was incredible.
I mean, to premierethatfilm at Sundance, especially with the response that it got, which wasextremelymixed.
There were someveryadverse reactions to the film.
A few people walked out.
But there was also a great deal of praise.
It felt like this greasy, gnarly little film had taken over Sundance.
That was the first time that I fully understood what the film was.
