|
 It is his latest film, "Wild," which opens this week in U.S.
theaters, that has definitively opened the doors to Hollywood.
He was hired by its producer and star Reese Witherspoon, who
bought the rights to the best-selling memoir by Cheryl Strayed
and her 1,100-mile hike toward self-discovery.
His previous film "Dallas Buyers Club," made on a shoestring
budget of $5 million, led to the "Wild" gig and earned acting
Oscars for Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto. Witherspoon and
Laura Dern, who plays Cheryl's mother, are expected to earn
Oscar nominations.
Vallee spoke to Reuters about what to do now that he has broken
through and getting out of the way of his actors.
Q: Are you a director who can do a lot with limited
resources?
A: Maybe, yes, it happened with "Dallas." Although with
"Wild" we had a comfortable budget and shooting schedule. I can
manage and do a lot or what I have to do with whatever the
budget is.
Q: Why did you accept Reese Witherspoon's "Wild" offer so
quickly?
A: I responded to her passion for the project and my
reaction was the same as hers. When I read the script and then
when I read the book, I was like 'Oh my God, I’ve got to make
this film.'...I am happy she chose me.
Q: It is a book beloved by many. Did you feel that
responsibility?
A: You bet. That was my and everyone's concern ... to
honor Cheryl's words, and life and book. It was a moral
responsibility. She has such a passion for writing, for words,
for choosing meticulously her prose.
[to top of second column] |
The voiceover, the dialogues in the film, sometimes it is exactly
coming from the book.
Q: You are showing a Reese Witherspoon that people haven't
seen before.
A: She loved the fact that "Dallas" was a raw film, authentic
and dirty, and she felt that "Wild" should have this kind of
approach.
I try not to interfere...I didn't cut Reese and Laura’s great
performances. The shots are long.
I ask the crew to get out, and they feel free and they don't have to
hit a mark and feel the heat of the light. Just like in life.
Q: Now that you have broken through, what projects do you
want to do?
A: The same. I like character driven films. This is kind of
my niche. I am always looking for this kind of material and scripts.
I just finished shooting "Demolition" (with Jake Gyllenhaal and
Naomi Watts).
I think I will be spending more time here, but I want to go back to
Canada ... I have three films lined up now and after that I would
like to do the French Canadian one. So busy years coming.
(Editing by Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Ken Wills)
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
