VIP Viewpoint | Kevin Costner names the directors who inspired him most: “I have a world view” @VIP_Viewpoint | Uploaded September 2024 | Updated October 2024, 8 hours ago.
Kevin Costner names the directors who inspired him most: “I have a world view”
One of the few people in Hollywood who has achieved equal success as a director and an actor is Kevin Costner. Perhaps his expertise in acting has contributed to his success as a director, and his rapport with performers has enabled him to be a potent director.
In 1981, he made his movie debut in the independent film Sizzle Beach, USA. He started gaining roles quickly, making his western debut in Silverado in 1985. Costner has often returned to this genre. In 1990, he made his directing debut with the epic western Dancing with Wolves, which took home the awards for "Best Picture" and "Best Director."
The majority of inexperienced filmmakers could only hope to win "Best Picture" and an Oscar for their debut feature. Apparently, Costner left a lasting impression on reviewers, as he went on to direct several films, including the three-part epic western series Horizon: An American Saga and the revisionist western Open Range.
It goes without saying that Costner has drawn inspiration from western filmmakers, especially John Ford. Possibly the most influential person in the history of American western films, the filmmaker is one of the most significant figures in the genre. He directed movies including Stagecoach, Fort Apache, and The Searchers, frequently collaborating with John Wayne.
"I guess I have always had a level of understanding of the genre, I had a high level of interest in it and how to portray it," he said in an interview with The Talks. The minute touches and intricacies found in a Western are distinctly American. Furthermore, I understand that no one has ever mistaken me for anything other than an American. I am an American, but I have a worldview.
He claimed that the two books by Ford that have most influenced him are The Searchers and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. The former film, which debuted later in Ford's career and starring Wayne and James Stewart, came out a few years earlier in 1956 and featured Wayne as a man who sets out to find his niece, Natalie Wood, who had gone missing. It should come as no surprise that Coster considers it to be so impactful because it is regarded as one of the best westerns ever made.
Furthermore, Costner expressed his admiration for George Stevens by saying, "As a filmmaker, he really influenced me." Stevens produced a number of important motion pictures, including The Greatest Story Ever Told, Gunga Din, A Place in the Sun, and The Diary of Anne Frank. Costner greatly admires the expansiveness with which he was able to convey so many epic stories.
Next is Jim Harrison, "the author of these incredible short stories, such as Revenge and Legends of the Fall." Some of his pieces, such as the western Legends of the Fall, were effectively adapted for the big screen and managed to deliver a powerful punch in a condensed amount of time.
Last but not least, Costner praised Lawrence Kasdan, saying that his "work helped me start in my career." For him, I completed it. So, in case you were wondering, I wasn't copying him; rather, I was honoring him. Costner has collaborated with the director on multiple occasions, most famously on his breakout feature Silverado. Cosner was also paired with Whitney Houston in the hugely popular movie The Bodyguard, directed by Kasdan. Costner obviously gained a lot of knowledge from working with him.
Kevin Costner names the directors who inspired him most: “I have a world view”
One of the few people in Hollywood who has achieved equal success as a director and an actor is Kevin Costner. Perhaps his expertise in acting has contributed to his success as a director, and his rapport with performers has enabled him to be a potent director.
In 1981, he made his movie debut in the independent film Sizzle Beach, USA. He started gaining roles quickly, making his western debut in Silverado in 1985. Costner has often returned to this genre. In 1990, he made his directing debut with the epic western Dancing with Wolves, which took home the awards for "Best Picture" and "Best Director."
The majority of inexperienced filmmakers could only hope to win "Best Picture" and an Oscar for their debut feature. Apparently, Costner left a lasting impression on reviewers, as he went on to direct several films, including the three-part epic western series Horizon: An American Saga and the revisionist western Open Range.
It goes without saying that Costner has drawn inspiration from western filmmakers, especially John Ford. Possibly the most influential person in the history of American western films, the filmmaker is one of the most significant figures in the genre. He directed movies including Stagecoach, Fort Apache, and The Searchers, frequently collaborating with John Wayne.
"I guess I have always had a level of understanding of the genre, I had a high level of interest in it and how to portray it," he said in an interview with The Talks. The minute touches and intricacies found in a Western are distinctly American. Furthermore, I understand that no one has ever mistaken me for anything other than an American. I am an American, but I have a worldview.
He claimed that the two books by Ford that have most influenced him are The Searchers and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. The former film, which debuted later in Ford's career and starring Wayne and James Stewart, came out a few years earlier in 1956 and featured Wayne as a man who sets out to find his niece, Natalie Wood, who had gone missing. It should come as no surprise that Coster considers it to be so impactful because it is regarded as one of the best westerns ever made.
Furthermore, Costner expressed his admiration for George Stevens by saying, "As a filmmaker, he really influenced me." Stevens produced a number of important motion pictures, including The Greatest Story Ever Told, Gunga Din, A Place in the Sun, and The Diary of Anne Frank. Costner greatly admires the expansiveness with which he was able to convey so many epic stories.
Next is Jim Harrison, "the author of these incredible short stories, such as Revenge and Legends of the Fall." Some of his pieces, such as the western Legends of the Fall, were effectively adapted for the big screen and managed to deliver a powerful punch in a condensed amount of time.
Last but not least, Costner praised Lawrence Kasdan, saying that his "work helped me start in my career." For him, I completed it. So, in case you were wondering, I wasn't copying him; rather, I was honoring him. Costner has collaborated with the director on multiple occasions, most famously on his breakout feature Silverado. Cosner was also paired with Whitney Houston in the hugely popular movie The Bodyguard, directed by Kasdan. Costner obviously gained a lot of knowledge from working with him.
