Edward Norton issued his first public statement on the behind-the-scenes drama of The Incredible Hulk. Read Entertainment Weekly's article by clicking on the link to this post above, but here is Mr. Norton's statement:
"Like so many people I've loved the story of The Hulk since I was a kid, so it was thrilling when Marvel asked me to write and help produce an altogether new screen incarnation, as well as play Bruce Banner. I grew up reading Marvel Comics and always loved the mythic dimension and contemporary themes in the stories, and I’m proud of the script I wrote. In every phase of production, including the editing, working with Louis Leterrier has been wonderful...I've never had a better partner, and the collaboration with all the rest of the creative team has been terrific. Every good movie gets forged through collaboration, and different ideas among people who are all committed and respect the validity of each other's opinions is the heart of filmmaking. Regrettably, our healthy process, which is and should be a private matter, was misrepresented publicly as a 'dispute,' seized on by people looking for a good story, and has been distorted to such a degree that it risks distracting from the film itself, which Marvel, Universal and I refuse to let happen. It has always been my firm conviction that films should speak for themselves and that knowing too much about how they are made diminishes the magic of watching them. All of us believe The Incredible Hulk will excite old fans and create new ones and be a huge hit...our focus has always been to deliver the Hulk that people have been waiting for and keep the worldwide love affair with the big green guy going strong.''
In large part I agree with the guy, although obviously I love knowing what goes on with the making of a movie because I write this blog and read about the entertainment industry almost compulsively. For me, knowing the backstage struggles often makes the end result even more magical.
For instance, recently EW ran an article about the making of The Graduate. Anne Bancroft was often hung over or bed-ridden with crippling menstrual cramps. But I'd never have guessed that when watching the film. Her Mrs. Robinson is complex, sexy, provocative...an absolutely iconic role. Knowing the difficulties Ms. Bancroft deal with makes me even more impressed with her work.
Other times, knowing backstage drama can produce disappointment. One of my all-time favorite directors is Billy Wilder, and one of my all-time favorite actresses is Marilyn Monroe. Natuarally, I love Some Like it Hot and The Seven Year Itch. But knowing that Ms. Monroe struggled with her lines and miscarried a baby during filming on Some Like it Hot, as she began the steady decline that resulted in her untimely death, is terribly sad, and I can never watch it without thinking of those things. I suppose there is no way you can create a film with all the scores of people needed to collaborate on it, and maintain complete secrecy.
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