Soderbergh Planning to Retire From Filmmaking [UPDATE: Retirement over]
03-11-11, 04:09 PM
#1
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Soderbergh Planning to Retire From Filmmaking [UPDATE: Retirement over]
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/new...mmaking-166667
Crazy. This guy has a lot of great movies still in him, I think.
"It's just time," the Oscar-winning director of "Traffic" and "Erin Brockovich" says, adding that his upcoming movies with Matt Damon and George Clooney will be his last two films.
Steven Soderbergh says he's done with Hollywood.
The Oscar-winning filmmaker -- whose credits include Traffic, Erin Brockovich and Ocean's Eleven and its two sequels -- said in an interview with Studio 360's Kurt Andersen that after he shoots his next two films he's planning to retire from filmmaking.
"When you reach the point where you're like if I have to get into a van to do anther scout I'm just going to shoot myself, it's time to let somebody else who's still excited about getting in the van, get in the van," he said in the interview that airs on Studio 360 Friday night. "And so it's just time. For the last three years, I've been turning down everything that comes my way, so you're not going to have Steven Soderbergh to kick around anymore," he quipped.
Andersen played a clip from a previous interview he conducted with Damon, star of Soderbergh's upcoming Haywire, who said the director had told him he was planning to retire to possibly become a painter or photographer.
"It's just a sense of having been there before," Soderbergh said. "The making of any art is problem solving, and as you work at it, you're able to eliminate the versions that aren't any good faster, but at a certain point the salves sort of become the same. And when I started feeling like I've done this shot before, I've dpne a scene that’s about this before, that's when I started thinking seriously about a shift. But also I don't want to leave you know, when you see those athletes hang on one or two seasons too long, it's kind of sad."
Soderbergh said he's got two more movies to shoot -- Liberace, starring Matt Damon and Michael Douglas, and Man From U.N.C.L.E., starring George Clooney -- and then he's going to call it quits.
"That's a great way to sort of step off," he said.
On the same episode, Andersen interviews Roger Waters of Pink Floyd and Todd Robbins who plays Teller on Penn and Teller.
Steven Soderbergh says he's done with Hollywood.
The Oscar-winning filmmaker -- whose credits include Traffic, Erin Brockovich and Ocean's Eleven and its two sequels -- said in an interview with Studio 360's Kurt Andersen that after he shoots his next two films he's planning to retire from filmmaking.
"When you reach the point where you're like if I have to get into a van to do anther scout I'm just going to shoot myself, it's time to let somebody else who's still excited about getting in the van, get in the van," he said in the interview that airs on Studio 360 Friday night. "And so it's just time. For the last three years, I've been turning down everything that comes my way, so you're not going to have Steven Soderbergh to kick around anymore," he quipped.
Andersen played a clip from a previous interview he conducted with Damon, star of Soderbergh's upcoming Haywire, who said the director had told him he was planning to retire to possibly become a painter or photographer.
"It's just a sense of having been there before," Soderbergh said. "The making of any art is problem solving, and as you work at it, you're able to eliminate the versions that aren't any good faster, but at a certain point the salves sort of become the same. And when I started feeling like I've done this shot before, I've dpne a scene that’s about this before, that's when I started thinking seriously about a shift. But also I don't want to leave you know, when you see those athletes hang on one or two seasons too long, it's kind of sad."
Soderbergh said he's got two more movies to shoot -- Liberace, starring Matt Damon and Michael Douglas, and Man From U.N.C.L.E., starring George Clooney -- and then he's going to call it quits.
"That's a great way to sort of step off," he said.
On the same episode, Andersen interviews Roger Waters of Pink Floyd and Todd Robbins who plays Teller on Penn and Teller.
03-11-11, 04:18 PM
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re: Soderbergh Planning to Retire From Filmmaking [UPDATE: Retirement over]
Sounds like he just needs a break, which happens to a lot of hard-working artists, especially if they go through a period of feeling under-appreciated (see: Che). I'm very skeptical of his assertion that he's done for good.
03-11-11, 04:19 PM
#4
re: Soderbergh Planning to Retire From Filmmaking [UPDATE: Retirement over]
Yeah, he most definitely has some more great movies left to make but I do think it's more of an issue with the financing of films and the stupid melding of marketing statisticians and studio execs using theoretical models on things that have too many variables.
He wanted to do that Cleopatra 3D rock movie but no one wanted to make it and then recently Sony pulled the production of Moneyball the day before principle shooting was to occur.
It is great though that he's got two films practically in the can and two ready to shoot.
He wanted to do that Cleopatra 3D rock movie but no one wanted to make it and then recently Sony pulled the production of Moneyball the day before principle shooting was to occur.
It is great though that he's got two films practically in the can and two ready to shoot.
03-11-11, 04:20 PM
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re: Soderbergh Planning to Retire From Filmmaking [UPDATE: Retirement over]
Good for him.
I watched 'The Informant' again in last few weeks and appreciated it even more. Man he's done a lot of good work.
I bet after some years off he might get the itch to work again, and I would bet that film/his work would be better for the break.
I watched 'The Informant' again in last few weeks and appreciated it even more. Man he's done a lot of good work.
I bet after some years off he might get the itch to work again, and I would bet that film/his work would be better for the break.
03-11-11, 04:57 PM
#6
re: Soderbergh Planning to Retire From Filmmaking [UPDATE: Retirement over]
I've watched The Informant 2 or 3 times now and it seems to get better with each viewing. Hopefully Contagion turns out well. It should with that awesome cast.
03-11-11, 04:59 PM
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re: Soderbergh Planning to Retire From Filmmaking [UPDATE: Retirement over]
This makes me sad since i've always enjoyed the way he fights hollywood. Looking forward to the eventual reunion tour.
03-11-11, 05:04 PM
#9
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re: Soderbergh Planning to Retire From Filmmaking [UPDATE: Retirement over]
I hope he comes back to it in the future, because at this point he's one of the best directors working.
03-11-11, 06:18 PM
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re: Soderbergh Planning to Retire From Filmmaking [UPDATE: Retirement over]
Che was half an excellent movie, half a pointless one, but a pretty compelling experience nonetheless. Soderbergh is always doing something interesting, even if the end result can sometimes be disappointing. I wouldn't count him out yet though... if nothing else, I'd love to see him do another Elmore Leonard adaptation.
03-11-11, 06:52 PM
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re: Soderbergh Planning to Retire From Filmmaking [UPDATE: Retirement over]
I guess when the movie you WANT to make gets axed and taken over by the studio for some other director.. one might get a bit disillusioned with the whole business. But at this point, does anyone want to really see Moneyball?
03-11-11, 07:34 PM
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re: Soderbergh Planning to Retire From Filmmaking [UPDATE: Retirement over]
03-12-11, 12:16 AM
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DVD Talk Hero
re: Soderbergh Planning to Retire From Filmmaking [UPDATE: Retirement over]
Out of Sight is one of my favorite movies. Hopefully he just needs a break, can take some time off and then come back with a renewed energy.
Maybe in a couple of years Clooney can entice him back with one of his independent pet projects.
Maybe in a couple of years Clooney can entice him back with one of his independent pet projects.
03-12-11, 12:22 AM
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re: Soderbergh Planning to Retire From Filmmaking [UPDATE: Retirement over]
I'm waiting for him to do something as brilliant as Schizopolis again. Maybe a hiatus will do that. The Informer was close. Not quite there, but close.
03-12-11, 01:24 AM
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re: Soderbergh Planning to Retire From Filmmaking [UPDATE: Retirement over]
Eh, Soderbergh's said in the past that he will retire from directing shortly, how the industry has no place for him, blah blah blah and then goes on to make several more movies. He's not going anywhere.
Part of me wonders if the recent news that he was accused of knocking up a woman other than his wife is playing into this decision.
Part of me wonders if the recent news that he was accused of knocking up a woman other than his wife is playing into this decision.
03-12-11, 08:41 PM
#20
03-13-11, 03:02 AM
#21
re: Soderbergh Planning to Retire From Filmmaking [UPDATE: Retirement over]
I actually met Soderbergh a couple of years ago when Che played in Portland. He answered questions afterwards, he signed two of my DVDs and he just seemed like a regular guy. Some of the more interesting things:
-At one point he planned to make an 80 minute "middle" part of Che that would be about Guevara in the Congo.
-The last time he was in Portland, he and Gus Van Sant went for a drive and Van Sant said he was excited about a script that these two young actors wrote.
-I asked him how he makes films so quickly when other directors need 2-3 years between films. He just said, "I don't know what their problem is."
-At one point he planned to make an 80 minute "middle" part of Che that would be about Guevara in the Congo.
-The last time he was in Portland, he and Gus Van Sant went for a drive and Van Sant said he was excited about a script that these two young actors wrote.
-I asked him how he makes films so quickly when other directors need 2-3 years between films. He just said, "I don't know what their problem is."
03-13-11, 03:51 AM
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re: Soderbergh Planning to Retire From Filmmaking [UPDATE: Retirement over]
I've always thought he was one of the most interesting working directors, if not always the best. I still can't believe two great films like Kafka and King of the Hill have never even been released on DVD (not here, anyway).
03-13-11, 09:17 PM
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re: Soderbergh Planning to Retire From Filmmaking [UPDATE: Retirement over]
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/new...mmaking-166667Crazy. This guy has a lot of great movies still in him, I think.
"Steven Soderbergh says he's done with Hollywood."
I'd love to see him go uber-independent and start making low-budget flicks that he'd market/produce himself and cut out the Hollywood middle-man.
The guy is a force in film making. Lots of directors like to sit back and relax. Steven seems like he can't help but make movie after movie after movie. Inspiration is a godsend.
03-14-11, 10:19 AM
#25
re: Soderbergh Planning to Retire From Filmmaking [UPDATE: Retirement over]
When I saw OCEAN'S 11, I'd assumed he'd retired already.