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Snipes Talks
to AC Team Continued...
Q: Were you involved with that whole process, because
from the initial story to what you ultimate ended up with, it just
seems like there is a lot of changing and tweaking.
Snipes:
Yeah, we had a lot of different versions of the script, and I'm
a hands-on guy, especially if I'm wearing the producer hat... I'm
like, look man, if we were to pay to go see this movie, what would
we want to see? Let's make a movie that we will be comfortable and
satisfied with paying to go see.
Q:
Do you think you are trying to create a different kind of action
film? Does it make it very important then, to get the great actors,
to have a Donald Sutherland, and an Anne Archer...
Snipes:
Yeah, we have a Christian Duguay, a great filmmaker, a man
who understands filmmaking and can tell great stories in film. It
makes all the difference in the world. Then people don't just throw
it away as an action film. "Oh yeah, action film."
Q:
Can you talk about all the martial arts training that was involved
for this movie? Or did you have to train? [Did] you just walk in and
do it?
Snipes:
This time yeah. Kind of walked in and did it. I usual train
on a regular, and stay at some level where if it requires for me
to play an action role, then we can just beef up, pump up, rev up.
And then when I have to play something more dramatic, then I don't
work out at all.
Q: How long have you been doing martial arts?
Snipes:
Since I was twelve years young. I'm only eighteen (laughter), so,
not that long!
Q:
You think there's an extra challenge in doing all those martial
arts in evening attire?
Snipes:
(Laughter) We had the tuxedoes constructed where it has that little
gusset in it, so we won't split my pants during the shot!
Q:
This as a complex story, but also an action movie. Are you involved
with the marketing of the film, do you have much say?
Snipes: As executive producer, sure.
We didn't only want it to be appealing to say, youth, or boys or
males. It had to be intelligent, so a 60 or 70 year old person,
who's going to the movie and say, well I want to see something that
makes some sense, you know, where I can think about something -
they can come to see this movie. So we can appeal to both sides�plus
the movie has an international appeal.
Q:
When you do movies that have such a political backdrop of deception?
does that affect your world view at all? Is this reflective of your
outlook on the behind-the-scenes working of politics between our countries?
Snipes:
So much of the movie that I can tell you, that hanging out with
these guys, I'm jaded. (Laughter) There's a lot of stuff that, man,
if you only knew.
Q:
Such as?
Snipes:
Wow, phew. I'll tell you, nothing is what it seems. I don't care
what you see on television, I don't care what you hear what you
hear in the news, it ain't what it seems.
Q:
So as we are in the political election season now, Americans are
feeling, I'm making a choice.
Snipes:
You know what the irony of this is? Okay, let's take this for example,
and I'm not going to get political, so I'm not talking political.
But this is very simple. Who is the Electoral College? Who the hell
are they? I don't know anybody. Who are the Nielsons? Where they
at? Can a Nielson please come up in here and introduce themselves
to somebody? Please! (Laughter)
Q:
Now you mentioned international a while ago. And I imagine, you
know, particularly the action films you've done, have they done
pretty well overseas for you?
Snipes:
Excellent.
Q:
So you can go to different parts of the world and get a lot of recognition?
Snipes:
All places. I can actually go to places, if I never work in
America again, I can still work as an actor. They will accept me
like that. (Snaps fingers) Thank god! (Laughter)
Q:
What country or part of the world would you say that the following
and recognition is strongest?
Snipes:
It's strange man. It goes from Germany, to Sweden, to all the African
continents, all the African diaspora. And then the Asian community
are like, Yo Wes, you're our man! Plus you're getting us jobs! We
love you! (Laughter)
Q:
You're kind of like what Bruce Lee was to the Asians, to the brothers
here?
Snipes: No doubt.
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