Spring Break
Christmas day delivers new, 'debatable' film
Director's Guild gives 'standing ovation'
VALENTINA TAPIA
Issue date: 12/7/07 Section: Variety
- Page 1 of 1
Denzel Washington knows full well that he has clout at the box office, he said Thursday in a conference call.
"Tell everybody at the University of Georgia Denzel said they have to go to ("The Great Debaters"). There'll be an exam in January," said the Oscar winner of his second directorial effort.
"The Great Debaters" is based on the true story of Professor Melvin Tolson, who led a debate team at historically black Wiley College in 1935. It opens in theaters Dec. 25.
"I thought it was an interesting story, the little train that could," Washington said. "It hit me on an emotional level. I really looked at it as sort of a sports movie, and I was just attracted to the fact that it was about spoken word.
"One of the dominant aspects of our culture now is hip-hop, rap, poetry. I won't say it was the rap of the time, it was a real spectacle sport, if you will."
Not even the thought of potential Oscar buzz surrounding the movie fazes Washington, he said.
"I've been in this business too long, that's all gravy, you know what I mean?" Washington said.
"For me, the joy is making the film and finding people that respond. The Director's Guild, which is the toughest audience (screened the film last night). They gave the film a standing ovation.
"You have to sort of keep an even keel. I've been around too long (to pay attention to hype)," he said. "You can't get too high, can't get too low."
The film, which stars Washington in the role of Tolson, was produced by Oprah Winfrey.
"She was there when we needed her, and supportive in every way, and kept the ball moving," Washington said. "It was her baby long before it was mine."
Washington said the decision to act in the movie was out of financial necessity.
"It was strictly to get the money. Basically the studio said, 'If you're not in the film your budget is this. If you're in the film, this is your budget.' They sort of back you into a corner," he said.
"These aren't vanity projects. I've had great success as an actor. I have no desire to direct myself, that's the last thing I wanted to do. To get these kinds of stories, I have a lot of box office clout," Washington said of acting in both films he has directed. In terms of switching characters from movie to movie, Washington said he had little difficulty starting anew.
"As soon as I finished 'American Gangster,' I dropped it on a Monday, and Tuesday I was getting started (on 'The Great Debaters'). There's no Frank Lucas in my Mel Tolson."
"Tell everybody at the University of Georgia Denzel said they have to go to ("The Great Debaters"). There'll be an exam in January," said the Oscar winner of his second directorial effort.
"The Great Debaters" is based on the true story of Professor Melvin Tolson, who led a debate team at historically black Wiley College in 1935. It opens in theaters Dec. 25.
"I thought it was an interesting story, the little train that could," Washington said. "It hit me on an emotional level. I really looked at it as sort of a sports movie, and I was just attracted to the fact that it was about spoken word.
"One of the dominant aspects of our culture now is hip-hop, rap, poetry. I won't say it was the rap of the time, it was a real spectacle sport, if you will."
Not even the thought of potential Oscar buzz surrounding the movie fazes Washington, he said.
"I've been in this business too long, that's all gravy, you know what I mean?" Washington said.
"For me, the joy is making the film and finding people that respond. The Director's Guild, which is the toughest audience (screened the film last night). They gave the film a standing ovation.
"You have to sort of keep an even keel. I've been around too long (to pay attention to hype)," he said. "You can't get too high, can't get too low."
The film, which stars Washington in the role of Tolson, was produced by Oprah Winfrey.
"She was there when we needed her, and supportive in every way, and kept the ball moving," Washington said. "It was her baby long before it was mine."
Washington said the decision to act in the movie was out of financial necessity.
"It was strictly to get the money. Basically the studio said, 'If you're not in the film your budget is this. If you're in the film, this is your budget.' They sort of back you into a corner," he said.
"These aren't vanity projects. I've had great success as an actor. I have no desire to direct myself, that's the last thing I wanted to do. To get these kinds of stories, I have a lot of box office clout," Washington said of acting in both films he has directed. In terms of switching characters from movie to movie, Washington said he had little difficulty starting anew.
"As soon as I finished 'American Gangster,' I dropped it on a Monday, and Tuesday I was getting started (on 'The Great Debaters'). There's no Frank Lucas in my Mel Tolson."
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