- Title: USA: FILM PREMIERE OF ROBER DE NIRO'S LATEST MOVIE " THE SCORE"
- Date: 1st August 2001
- Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) SCU (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) FRANK OZ SAYING: " He's genius, genius, that what he is, not unlike Bob (Robert de Niro) is. But he is genius in his extraordinary spontaneity and he is extraordinarily observant as an actor and as a human being and very bright but he is amazing in the moment, right in that moment and he is extraordinary."
- Embargoed: 16th August 2001 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA AND VARIOUS FILM LOCATIONS
- City:
- Country: USA
- Topics:
- Reuters ID: LVA3MD4PGSI0RAG3CFERWPBMEV96
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- Story Text: Director Frank Oz chose the premiere of his new movie 'The Score' to come clean on his on-set confrontations with Marlon Brando. The 'creative differences' occurred during the filming of the heist thriller which also stars Robert de Niro, Edward Norton and Angela Bassett.
So far 'The Score' has attracted far more attention for its on set arguments and clashing egos than for its creative merits. But with a cast including Marlon Brando, Robert De Niro, Edward Norton and Angela Basset, it looks set to be noticed a whole lot more when it opens in the US this weekend.
The film which cost nearly $70 million to make, began production in Montreal in May 2000 and that's when the off camera fireworks began.
Director, Frank Oz best know for providing the voice of Miss Piggy and Yoda, asked Brando to tone down his performance as an elderly homosexual crook. The confrontation led to a battle of wills of gargantuan proportions, culminating in Brando refusing to come to the set if Oz was present. Brando's co star Robert De Niro was forced to take on directing duties, while Oz watched from an off site monitor and sent instructions to De Niro via the assistant director.
Looking back Oz has acknowledged he was probably to blame, saying he was combative with Brando when he should have been more gentle.
Conflict aside, the film revolves around De Niro as an aging thief ready to leave his life of crime and settle down with his girlfriend (Angle Bassett), but first he must orchestrate one last heist.
His accomplice is young thief Edward Norton, who wants to make his mark on the world and possibly even take over from De Niro.
Norton himself challenged Oz's direction, making extensive script changes, especially in the scenes he shared with De Niro. But he says he relished the chance to work with such a master and claims the dynamics between his character, De Niro's and Brando's were not unlike those they had in real life.
The Score marks Frank Oz's first foray into directing drama. Already well known for his work on 'Bowfinger', "What about Bob?' and 'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels', he has been waiting for a opportunity to delve into drama. However his first time was anything but perfect.. with a stellar cast also came an abundance of egos and an unfinished script. Oz encouraged his cast to use the script as a guide only and to embellish their roles using their own unique styles. More than a year since production began and the film is poised for a nationwide release..and now the audience is left to decide if the clash of the titans makes for dynamic viewing or if the on set disputes will spell disaster.
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