BUSTER PRODUCTION.
So impressed was Green by Imi’s work, he employed him on his next film, Fire Birds (Nicolas Cage, Tommy Lee Jones), where the latter used exactly the same kit. MODERN METHODS Cinematic technology has evolved significantly since 1988. So, with all the kit at his disposal in 2023, would Green do anything differently today? “Storage of rushes was a minor deal,” he explains. “The mantra was always keep them cool and dry – the raw film before it went in the camera, through to negatives and developed film. Shooting in Mexico meant keeping it in the local equivalent of mini refrigeration.” How about VFX and CGI? “I could use both today for what we shot in Mexico, or 1963 recreations of the train robbery, but I’d be in unknown territory because I wasn’t trained that way as a young director. I would relish using them today (for other projects), but I’m a traditionalist. I like real actors and locations.” Also, cost plays a part. “I got the very best of what was available at the time,” Green adds. “It cost a lot to shoot in Mexico, but then VFX is hugely expensive. CGI is cheaper, but still costly.” One modern method of filming Green would embrace is shooting on digital. “That would be an economical decision. Buster was shot on 35mm, but it is a luxury I wouldn’t have now,” he adds. “Film is largely not viable for today’s movie budgets.” Nevertheless, he believes ‘a lot of nonsense is talked about how things have improved over the years’ when it comes to advances in technology. “I’d say ‘changed’ is a more accurate word,” he goes on. “That doesn’t mean I don’t respect the changes, but I was more than happy with the way I executed the film. “Virtual and remote production do a very good job and there are situations where they are needed, but I can’t think of an instance in Buster where they would have been necessary or enhanced anything. Remote production can lose a lot – familiarity, contact and closeness.” “We were in the cinema for a short time, but it’s still one of the highest- grossing British movies of the eighties”
Production Fact File
LOCATION London, Acapulco and crime scene Mentmore Bridge (known as Bridego Bridge, later, Train Robbers’ Bridge)
35 YEARS ON Green with singer and actor Phil Collins, who plays the role of Buster Edwards in the film
ON-SET The film features the train from the real-life robbery
Never mind remote production, Green doesn’t like the way stand-ins are used in place of stars for reverse shots. “The star will do their lines and leave. Then for the lesser actor’s reverse, it will be shot over the shoulder of a stand-in. It’s demeaning, no matter how good you are; you have to look into the eyes of the other actor.” EXPRESS DELIVERY When Green made Buster , films had a theatrical release unless they were deemed poor quality – in which case they went straight to video. Today, the options are cinema or partnering with a streaming giant like Netflix or Amazon. Green acknowledges ‘streaming has changed the game exponentially’, but says cinema will never die. “If you look carefully at the marketplace, the likes of Netflix love a small theatrical release first, it gives the film buzz and credibility, nominations and momentum. If I was making Buster now, I’d want a streaming deal, but included would be a theatrical release first – even a small one. When films go straight to streaming, they need an enormous PR push. We were in the cinema for a short time, but it’s still one of the highest-grossing British movies of the eighties – helped by the press coverage. Then we went to VHS; the streaming service of its day. In 1988 or 1989, I remember getting an award for the biggest-selling VHS film of the year.” Fast forward to 2023; Green will be raising a glass to Buster ’s 35th from the comfort of his Malibu home, where he lives with none other than Jane Seymour (exclusive interview in the April edition, in case you missed it). Buster is available on Prime Video
ACCOLADES Two Hearts by Phil Collins received an Oscar nomination for best original song, Grammy for best song written specifically for a motion picture or TV, and Golden Globe for best original song GRAND HEIST Three behind-the-scenes shots with David Green and crew (below), plus Phil Collins as Buster Edwards (left)
69. MAY 2023
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