Movie director returns to basics

By Milan Paurich | July 5, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

CHRIS COLUMBUS

In the annals of ‘local-boy-makes-good’ stories, the Champion native’s saga is one for the record books.

Chris Columbus, a 1976 Warren JFK High School alumnus, has enjoyed one of the most spectacular careers in modern Hollywood history since graduating from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts in 1980.

Columbus wrote “Gremlins” and “The Goonies” for Steven Spielberg; directed “Home Alone,” “Home Alone 2” and “Mrs. Doubtfire” for John Hughes; helped launch one of the most lucrative movie franchises of all time by helming the first two installments (“Sorcerer’s Stone” and “Chamber of Secrets”) of J.K. Rowlings’ “Harry Potter” megalith and, through his 1492 shingle at Twentieth Century Fox, produced Ben Stiller’s “Night at the Museum” blockbusters.

Columbus’ latest directorial outing, “I Love You, Beth Cooper,” marks a change of pace from his recent super-sized endeavors. A return to high school comedies — a genre he hasn’t tackled since his 1987 filmmaking debut, “Adventures in Babysitting” — “Beth Cooper” is a deliberate attempt by Columbus to return to the basics. In a recent interview, Columbus discussed his new film, his amazing Tinseltown track record and shared some personal observations on how he manages to stay grounded — and sane — in a frequently insane industry.

Q. Was it difficult getting back into the rhythm of a relatively small-scale film after gargantuan productions like the “Potter” movies and even 2005’s “Rent”?

A. To be perfectly honest, it only took a matter of days. In situations like this, the rhythm is sort of forced on you. You either deal with it or get crushed. In an odd way, there’s more pressure on something like “Beth Cooper” than on a “Potter” movie.

I felt I was getting a little soft as a director; spoiled, even. I’d been doing these movies with enormous budgets for so long, and I just wanted to go back to a place where I was 20 years ago. To re-create the sense of hunger — and the intensity — of making my first film. Working on a smaller budget, shooting very quickly and constantly being in a position where you have to keep moving to make your next shot requires thinking on your feet, and I love that. With the exception of Hayden Panettiere, most of the cast were first-timers and they were genuinely excited to be there, so everyone pitched in.

It really reinvigorated my passion for making movies because I felt so strongly about (“Simpsons” writer) Larry Doyle’s 2007 novel and screenplay. I also wanted to pay homage to John Hughes’ great 1980’s teen comedies like “Sixteen Candles” and “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” Although “Beth Cooper” isn’t set in the ’80s, I tried giving it a real ’80s kind of vibe.

Q. You’ve been quoted as saying that seeing “The Godfather” at age 15 inspired you to want to make movies, and that directors like Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg became sort of your spiritual godfathers. Do you hope to make your own “Schindler’s List,” “Raging Bull” or “Apocalypse Now” some day?

A. Wow; that’s a good question. I guess it all depends on whether I ever find the right script or not; something that I can truly be passionate about.

It’s a lot easier when the material is there. I don’t want to ever be accused of faking it. I still believe that comedy is the hardest thing to pull off as a director, though. You really do sweat every joke. With a big dramatic piece, you mostly just have to concentrate on the performances.

Q. A lot of directors (e.g., Barry Levinson or John Landis) experience a rash of box-office and critical smashes then, after a misstep or two, they’re seemingly written out of the Hollywood equation.

How have you managed to keep plugging away for twenty-plus years? What’s the difference between you and, say, Peter Bogdanovich?

A. I never stopped to analyze it: Maybe it really does boil down to luck.

One thing I do know is that the moviemaking experience on one of my sets is among the best that anyone will ever have. There’s no yelling or screaming, and I try to make every member of the cast and crew feel like they’re equally important.

Word travels fast in Hollywood. If you let ego get the best of you — and have a reputation for losing your cool or treating people like inferiors — then you’re dead in the water. Anyone who’s ever worked with me will tell you that I’m a very collaborative director.

That said, it truly blows my mind that giants of the industry like Peter (Bogdanovich) or Billy Friedkin can’t get work in this town. How is it that the director of “The Last Picture Show,” one of the greatest movies of all time, hasn’t made a studio film in more than 20 years?

Q. Have you ever regretted stepping down from the “Harry Potter” franchise and surrendering the director’s reins to other filmmakers?

A. After devoting basically 450 days of my life to “Potter” as director of the first two movies and producer on the third (“The Prisoner of Azkaban”), I knew that I had to step away. When I read book seven, I momentarily thought about coming back to finish what I started. But something’s working, so there’s really no need for me to jump back in. J.K. Rowlings and Harry are in very good hands.

There’s something to be said, though, about watching a world you helped create age before your eyes. Here’s a franchise that I helped create, a cast that I put together and sets that are still being utilized in ways that we originally discussed.

The worst part of stepping down was the separation anxiety that came from being away from the kids and the crew. But I eventually got over that (laughs).

Q. Steven Spielberg and John Hughes both served as mentors to you at the beginning of your career. Are you currently serving in a mentor-like capacity to any aspiring young writer-directors?

A. I’ve worked with a lot of talented writers over the years, and have really enjoyed the creative process. But people these days tend to move on after one successful picture. That sort of works against the whole concept of mentoring.

Q. You’ve been married to the same woman since 1983 and have four kids. How do you manage to stay so “normal” in such a surreal environment like Hollywood?

A. The only thing that can distort or wreck your personal and family life is not caring about them as much as you do about your work. I devote a tremendous amount of energy to both. Sure, it can be ridiculously exhausting at times, but they have to remain equal for me. While shooting a film, I fly back home to San Francisco every weekend to make sure that my kids don’t forget what I look like, or lose the focus of having two parents. Choosing not to live in Los Angeles has really helped me not fall into the usual showbiz trap. Nobody in San Francisco really cares about the movie business. There are a lot more important things in life than the weekend box-office figures.