- Title: USA / SHOWBIZ: Tom Cruise attends the New York premiere of 'Valkyrie'
- Date: 15th December 2008
- Summary: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (DECEMBER 15, 2008) (REUTERS) * * BEWARE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY * * VARIOUS OF VALKYRIE PREMIERE ACTOR TOM CRUISE POSING FOR PICTURES ACTOR BILL NIGHY POSING FOR PICTURES ACTRESS CARICE VAN HOUTEN TALKING TO REPORTERS ACTOR EDDIE IZZARD TALKING TO REPORTERS WITH PAN TO CRUISE ACTOR TERENCE STAMP TALKING TO REPORTERS WITH PAN TO DIRECTOR BRIAN SINGER CRUISE TALKING TO REPORTER ACTOR SEBASTIAN KOCH ON THE RED CARPET ACTOR THOMAS KRETSCHMANN TALKING TO REPORTER ACTOR CHRISTIAN BERKEL ON THE RED CARPET TOM CRUISE TALKING TO REPORTER MEDIA CUTAWAY (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR TOM CRUISE, SAYING: "I couldn't have anticipated the kinds of generosity and the stories that I've heard about this time period, and family members, and people bringing in pictures to help us tell this story, and I think they realized very early on how dedicated we were to having it be as authentic as possible, even though we are here to entertain, that is first and foremost when you are looking at this film, but also, the people who know this story, we absolutely wanted to honor and respect them and that history." (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR KENNETH BRANAGH, SAYING: "Because the nearness, they so nearly did it, and the reasons why they didn't are so curious and dramatic, that they, I think it gives you a chill to understand the tiny things upon which history turns, and it's like a piece of fiction that you couldn't imagine being dreamed up, and it's in fact true." (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR BILL NIGHY, SAYING: "No the story is, I would imagine, all the more interesting because of that, I don't think a story is less interesting because the characters don't perhaps achieve their goal, I mean it's like if you go and see 'Titanic,' you know the boat's not going to make it but that doesn't make it any less of a ride." (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR BRYAN SINGER, SAYING: "Well you're not legally allowed to brandish the Swastika or overtly celebrate Hitler's birthday, things like that, trying to respect the fascist regime and the history, but if you have an artistic permit, or you're making the film or something like that, you just get permitted, so we were allowed to fly quite a few Swastikas from quite a few buildings, and got quite a lot of cooperation actually from the German government, and from the people in the streets and whatnot." (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTRESS CARICE VAN HOUTEN, SAYING: "To work with Tom Cruise was for me a great opportunity for me to see a big professional work and to see that big movie stars can be gentlemen as well, and that's good to see, and he's inspirational in a way - that he's supportive to new young talents, and he was very warmhearted, he's goofy, he really spoiled me in a way, and he was, every day he was like 'Carice, you're a great actress, Carice.' You know, he was so much behind me that you feel wanted and safe, which is great for a beginning actor." (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOM CRUISE, SAYING: "No, actually I was treated very well throughout. I was very proud at the end to receive the Bambi Award for making the film, and as I said, we had a great experience, I know there's that perception, and then the day-to-day reality of living, and that was two different things." CUTAWAY OF MEDIA VARIOUS OF CRUISE ON THE RED CARPET UNIDENTIFIED FILM LOCATION (FILE) ENDS
- Embargoed: 30th December 2008 12:00
- Keywords:
- Reuters ID: LVA5H7PJ10ABXK69ZBGYOZKSAWS4
- Story Text: Actor Tom Cruise took to the red carpet Monday (December 15) to premiere his latest film, "Valkyrie," in New York City.
Joining the A-list star of the film were fellow actors Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Eddie Izzard, and Carice Van Houten, who plays Cruise's wife in the picture.
Based on the true story of the plot among German government officials to kill Adolf Hitler, Valkyrie is steeped in history, which caused Cruise to take his research and preparation for his role very seriously.
"I couldn't have anticipated the kinds of generosity and the stories that I've heard about this time period, and family members, and people bringing in pictures to help us tell this story," said Cruise. "And I think they realized very early on how dedicated we were to having it be as authentic as possible."
Cruise plays Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, a central figure in a shrewdly planned assassination attempt against Hitler. While approximately 700 people were connected to the plot in 1944, the film whittles it down to a few key players, including Major General Henning von Tresckow played by Kenneth Branagh, who was shocked to discover how close the attempt came to changing history.
"They so nearly did it," says Branagh.
"And the reasons why they didn't are so curious and dramatic, that they, I think it gives you a chill to understand the tiny things upon which history turns, and it's like a piece of fiction that you couldn't imagine being dreamed up, and it's in fact true."
The fact that the assassination attempt did not succeed had no impact on actor Bill Nighy's impression of the strong subject matter.
"I don't think a story is less interesting because the characters don't perhaps achieve their goal, I mean it's like if you go and see 'Titanic,' you know the boat's not going to make it but that doesn't make it any less of a ride," says Nighy.
The shoot for "Valkyrie" posed some problems logistically because of strict laws prohibiting displays of Nazi paraphernalia and celebrations of Hitler's birthday. Director Bryan Singer was determined to remain respectful of the subject matter and was pleased with the reception from the Germans he encountered.
"If you have an artistic permit, or you're making the film or something like that, you just get permitted," Singer said, "so we were allowed to fly quite a few Swastikas from quite a few buildings, and got quite a lot of cooperation actually from the German government, and from the people in the streets and whatnot."
Tom Cruise also felt welcomed by the people of Germany, despite some rocky publicity at the start of filming for "Valkyrie." There were initial reports that Cruise's connection to the religion of Scientology created controversy among some officials in the German government, which the actor himself denies.
"No, actually I was treated very well throughout," says Cruise, "I know there's that perception, and then the day-to-day reality of living, and that was two different things."
"Valkyrie" opens in North American theaters on Christmas. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None