November 15, 2005

  •               Directing Kevin McCarthy      

    Most people have seen the original "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" more than once. Kevin McCarthy running onto the highway and yelling, "There coming. You're next." is a memorable scene.  Often the movie is ranked with  as the top two science fiction films of all time.

      

    I had listened to an audio-book of Kevin reading "Psycho" many times over the years. It was recorded 20 years ago and hard to find. At a photo signing show, I mentioned it to Kevin. He said that he had never heard it. I told him what a great review it got in a catalogue of audio-books.

    I picked up two copies of the "Psycho" audio-book for Kevin for the next time he came to the signing show, but that was four years ago and he hadn't been scheduled to appear there.

    Then my production of "Rock Star Rising" RockStar started and I wanted to have Kevin do a part in it. And wouldn't it be great to give him his "Psycho" tapes when he walked in to record?

    Well, before we could set things up with Kevin's agent. My agent Larry calls me to go to an Academy of Motion Pictures' screening of "Body Snatchers" hosted by Clint Eastwood on stage. So we go and who walks in, but Kevin.

    Larry recognizes a casting director that is personal friends with Kevin and after the show he get's him to introduce us to Kevin. We explain about giving him the "Psycho" tapes, but not about working on RSR. We wanted to do that professionally through his agent. So we said we'll get the tapes to his casting friend and then said good-night.

    A few days later we arrange Kevin to come in when James Darren and Robert Culp are recording their parts in HRL. When Kevin walks in, I presented him with the "Psycho" tapes. "Wow", he said. "So you two are the guys on this project. I haven't heard this recording of mine. Am I any good?" I say," You are great in it and so was the review.

    James Darren advised Kevin to get it transferred to cd as soon as possible for a protection copy. Then Kevin recorded his scene with Robert Culp. It was great to hear Kevin as a pushy lawyer push Culp, was was playing an unscrupulous music agent, into a corner. Kevin laughed and used sarcastic tones in the right places, really making the scene work. It was all his scene and he took it.

    A few days later, Kevin gave me a surprise call and thanked me again for the tapes. For me, a kid that grew up on "Body Snatchers", "The Twilight Zone" (One with Kevin)  and other of Kevin's movies, the whole thing was a dream.

    And, oh yeah, Clint Eastwood talking about Don Siegel  ("Body Snatchers" director) was great, too. He showed clips of Siegel's movies, including "Dirty Harry".  But I wish he had mentioned Siegel's Elvis movie  where Elvis played a half breed Indian.    Oh well, you can't have everything in one week. 

    Perhaps "Body Snatchers" is one of the most important movies ever made. Because it's about humans losing their feelings.  And the aliens trying to convince Kevin that life is so much better that way. "Faith, ambition, hope, love.  Life is so much easier without them.  You've been in love before. It didn't last."

                   

                        "No love? What a world. I want no part of it. I'll fight you."

Comments (2)

Comments are closed.

Post a Comment