Twitter & Facebook Q&A

Do you regret killing Tony Montana?

Tony Montana had to die. Too pure for this world.

Todd Hunter @Huzz4
What film themes and subjects are interesting you to pursue after Savages? 

Working on finishing Untold History of the United States for late fall Showtime. Most ambitious project of my life. #askoliverstone

Kyto Maya @KytoMaya
What pro´s and con´s do you find between filming with Digital and 35mm ?

Prefer film if well projected. Deeper colors, esp. blacks. But digital provides more consistency in theaters. #askoliverstone

Charles Gerian @AverageCharles
What inspired you to cast Taylor Kitsch as Chon?

Taylor a new leading man. Long term talent. See@FridayNightLights. #askoliverstone

Charles Gerian @AverageCharles
Who came up with the idea for the masks Ben and Chon wear? Very cool + different from the novel

These are "Santa Muerte" symbols. "St Death". Often confused with Virgin Mary. A cult in Mesoamerican world. #askoliverstone

Ruairí Hegarty @ruairihegarty
What has been your favourite film you have directed? 

No favorite film. It's like a marriage. I've had 19 wives, I'm a Mormon. #sakoliverstone

Troy Warr @TroyWarr
Is it hard to stop staring at Salma long enough to direct a movie? 

I know. She's a hot chili pepper in a blue dress. #askoliverstone

Gabriel Girard @Philopunk
How do you feel about NBK today? It's been in my top 5 of your work since I saw it for the first time. #askoliverstone

Natural Born Killers was early '90s. OJ Simpson all over the place. TV was turning really greedy. 

Anouar H. Smaine @AHSmaine
When u visited Algeria, what was the nature of ur conversation with The Algerian reps? Any movie plans? 

Met the woman who inspired and starred in Battle of Algiers, still a revolutionary soul. No movie plans. #askoliverstone

Michael Sherer @MysteryNovelist
SAVAGES is one of Winslow's bleaker books. There's no happy ending. What attracted you to it as movie material?

 A movie always differs from book. See for yourself. But no spoilers. #askoliverstone

K @ThatOneYeah
are you perfectionist?

Always felt perfection is a stalemate, that will kill off any practical application of reality. #askoliverstone

Megan Deese @mddeese
Was there anything really hard for u to direct on Savages?

Outside scenes with guns in the searing desert and canyons of SoCal and no shade for the actors #askoliverstone

Spinning Owls @SpinningOwls
Because #Savages is a literary adaptation, did the book play any role in the way it was shot?

@Savages book, by @DonWinslow - inspired me to see SoCal in paradise light. Mixed with cartel noir. #askoliverstone

“@claytownsend1:
Who broke your thumb in Dallas?”

 U know. It was your father horsing around late night sidewalk. #askoliverstone

From Facebook

What is the current status of the pinkville project. Will we see this film come to fruition. I promise to lobby you on here till i hear some kind of answer. (David C Ward )Mr. Stone. Is 'Pinkville' still a go? (James Jordan)
Pinkville - the story of the My Lai massacre and investigation by the military, fascinating basis for the film -- got derailed by recession of 2008. I would reconstruct it, but it would require star casting and a bit of repair to the damage caused. It's hard, but it's doable.

In the directors commentary for NBK's, you mentioned you were considering a sequel. Why didn't you pursue a Natural Born Killers 2? (Elliot Gemin)
I didn't pursue NBK2 because frankly early '90s culture disgusted me so much. It's hard to live in that world. Television turned worse, got even greedier. It was O.J. Simpson then, now it's every reality show, every horror story that makes the news. It's entertainment for the lowest common denominator. I think if I made NBK2 I'd probably have to cut my wrists and lie in a warm bath afterwards.

Do you think that Digital revolution, which has provided afforfable camera equipment, editing programs and social media networrks to showcase films is having a positive or negative effect on the quality of "independent" films being released? (Daniel Mooney )
Digital is easier to make, smaller crews. It's positive and negative. But I still prefer the look of film. What's good about digital is the consistency of projection.

Is Richard Boyle still around? If so, do you speak with him? Salvador is still, for me, among the best, most honest-feeling and honest-looking films ever. First of yours I saw and I remain very glad I did see it, in '85 (Alan E Kennedy)

Richard Boyle is alive and well. Working and married with a beautiful Filipino wife and child. His website and writings are here: http://www.teachersforachange.biz
And he's on Facebook http://facebook.com/rb92339

Would consider making a movie on the whole " iraq war and the osama bin laden capture'. (Saeed Farooq)
I did take a shot at the Afghani bombing of 2001 with "Jawbreaker" which I developed in the late decade, Gary Berntsein's book. But when Bush when into Iraq, it soured the whole mission. Though the Iraq War has given rise to some very good films, it seems the American public has very little interest in it.