USA: FUNNY-MAN ROBIN WILLIAMS TAKES A GOB OF GREEN GOO WITH A MIND OF ITS OWN IN THE COMEDY "FLUBBER"

Record ID: 387309

  • Title: USA: FUNNY-MAN ROBIN WILLIAMS TAKES A GOB OF GREEN GOO WITH A MIND OF ITS OWN IN THE COMEDY "FLUBBER"
  • Date: 16th November 1997
  • Summary: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (NOVEMBER 16, 1997) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) (SOUNDBITE ENGLISH) DIRECTOR LES MAYFIELD SAYING, "ROBIN ACTUALLY CREATED PROBLEMS FOR US. HE'S SO GOOD AT CREATING THE CHARACTER, THE WEIGHT, THE FEEL, AND WHEN HE DID THE STRETCH AND PLACED IT...WE HAD TO FIGURE OUT, HOW DO WE DO THAT? HOW DO YOU CREATE THAT EFFECT? WELL, IT'S GOTTA BE IN THE MOVIE, NOW WE JUST HAVE TO BACK INTO THE TECHNOLOGY, BUT WE WERE LUCKY TO HAVE THOSE TYPE OF PROBLEMS." (SOUNDBITE ENGLISH) ROBIN WILLIAMS SAYING (OF FILLING FRED MCMURRAY'S SHOES), "NO, THESE ARE DIFFERENT SHOES, WE'RE DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT WITH THIS. THE PART HE CREATED WAS WONDERFUL AND VERY SWEET AND IT WAS A WONDERFUL MOVIE. THIS IS DIFFERENT, WE'VE TRIED TO DO A, THERE'S PROBABLY THREE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS THAT ARE DIFFERENT. FIRST OF ALL THE FLUBBER IS NOT JUST A BOUNCING BALL, IT'S A CREATURE, SECONDLY, I HAVE A ROBOTIC ASSISTANT, KIND OF A GIRL FRIDAY, WITH A HARD DRIVE. THIRDLY, THE CAR IS NOT A MODEL-T FORD, IT'S A 1962 THUNDERBIRD, ONE OF THE SEXIEST CARS EVER BUILT, THANK YOU."
  • Embargoed: 1st December 1997 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES/ FILM lOCATIONS
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVAE5533PLPK0BK79E0BSNTG5AE4
  • Story Text: A New York city high school was the fitting setting for the world premiere of Walt Disney latest movie - "Flubber" on Sunday (November 16) - an update of the 1960's classic "The Absent-Minded Professor".

    Funny-man Robin Williams takes on the lead role of the comedy.

    Williams joined the film's co-stars for the premiere, bringing his usual brand of self-styled mayhem to the proceedings. Following his energetic embrace of actor Tim Robbins, Williams entertained reporters with a quick ramble through his memories of school science.

    The Chairman of Disney, Micheal Eisner also at the premiere, said he didn't want Disney boxed into the family movie category of film houses, pointing out that the company happens to makes them well.

    In "Flubber", Williams plays Professor Phillip Brainard, a man so lost in thought that he appears, at times, not to pay attention.

    He's even forgotten two dates to marry his sweetheart Sara, played by Marcia Gay Harden. But that's because he's got a lot on his mind.

    He's working with his high voltage, over amorous, flying robot assistant WEEBO on an idea for a substance that's not only a revolutionary new source of energy, but may well be the salvation of his financially troubled Medfield College.

    It all comes together on the afternoon of his third attempt at a wedding, when the professor creates a miraculous goo that, when applied to any object: cars, bowling balls, even people, enables them to fly through the air. The stuff defies gravity and looks like rubber, but Brainard calls it Flubber.

    In 1961, "The Absent-Minded Professor", starring Fred MacMurray, was the most popular film of the year. The new film retains some elements of the original, but strikes out in new directions as well.

    It also stars "Star Trek's" Wil Wheaton, who plays Bennett Hoenicker, the spoiled son of Chester Hoenicker, an evil fnancier who is bankrolling Medfield College. Christopher McDonald also co-stars as Wilson Croft.

    But the real star of the film is the Flubber itself. Of course, it wasn't on the set with the actors, but was added in later using the latest in computer technology at George Lucas' Industrial Light and Magic.

    When Flubber is added to a variety of objects in the film, it makes them fly. This posed a challenge for filmmakers when it came time to launch a 1963 Thunderbird automobile. In the film Williams appears to be flying the car. In reality, Williams was strapped into a seat, minus the car around him, and then spun around to give the effect of aerial aerobatics. The other elements of the scene were later added using computer imagery.

    Mayfield said Williams created some problems with his talent to create his character and work around the fact that the Flubber effects were added later.

    "When he did the stretch (miming stretching Flubber between his hands) and placed it...We had to figure out. How do we do that? How do you create that effect?" For a scene in which Williams uses Flubber to help him win a basketball game, the actor was hoisted into the air by a complex series of wires and ratchets. But the Williams is not a first time flyer, he did similar stunts when he played Peter Pan in Steven Spielberg's "Hook." The film is directed by Les Mayfield, who previously directed "Encino Man" and "Miracle on 34th Street," and was written and produced by John Hughes, who was responsible for such hits as "The Breakfast Club," "Home Alone," "Sixteen Candles" and "Pretty in Pink."
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