| When Daddy Day Care debuted
last spring, the critical response was not entirely favorable,
but it has since grossed over $100 million. Does that feel
like a vindication?
When it first came out, I would totally be living in a
cave if I thought it didn't get really bad reviews. And
that was tough. But I was really, really happy that it did
so well. I thought it was a really cute kids movie so I
thought it would find an audience. Then, after the first
weekend and going out with a few friends and watching it
with an audience, it validated what I thought we had. And
the fact that it then played throughout the summer despite
being up against huge, huge films... I was very happy.
All of your films - Next Friday, Dr. Dolittle 2
and now Daddy Day Care - have all had really strong legs,
far stronger than most summer movies these days.
I've been really lucky that way. I'm like the people's
man! (laughs) I'm like Keith Haring, making art for the
people.
Do you ever long for more critical recognition,
especially working in the genre of children's films, which
are not always given wide acclaim?
The few times I've allowed myself to go on Rotten Tomatoes,
I think I'm actually working in the right direction at this
point. If I start getting better reviews, my movies will
probably start not making a lot of money. (laughs) I have
only been directing a short time, and before that doing
music videos. So I've considered it an opportunity to really
learn how to make films. If you judge Martin Scorsese on
Boxcar Bertha, or Steven Spielberg on his TV work - not
that I'm in the same league (as them) or anything like that
- but I've had the opportunity to learn my craft. And if
I have to take a hit by Roger Ebert and the other guy who
isn't Gene Siskel, then shit, that is not a bad situation.
How did music videos help prepare you for features?
I trained myself while doing music videos, because all
the videos I did were like little stories. So I learned
a little bit on how to do coverage and things like that.
And just the amount of time it takes out of your life, and
the consistency of work. But I was lucky again, because
Next Friday was about a 28 day shoot,, and I was used to
doing about 3. (laughs). Literally, I'd be exhausted after
3 days. For the first few days of Next Friday, I was like,
"Action! Cut! Action! Cut!" And by the fourth
day, I was "Zzzzzzzzz...." But in each situation,
I've had to do more and more days. On Dr. Dolittle 2, it
was about 55 day due to the visual effects, and with this,
it was about 80 days because kids can only work six hours.
I think it was W.C. Fields who said, "Never
work with animals or children..."
I've done both of them. And throw in visual effects. It
is worse than trying to get Jay-Z to the set. (laughs) I've
always said the only movie I can make now is a talking animal
kid's film with visual effects, shot on water. Or Daddy
Day Care goes to the Artic.
But one of the things I'm really happy about is that the
film did find its audience and kids really did like it,
so I never really had to say, "You try getting eighteen
kids to all do the same thing at the same time!" So
I never had to make any excuses because it did so well.
Did Eddie Murphy come attached to this film, or
did you have to woo him to do it?
I had worked with Eddie before, and I had an intuition
that he would be really good doing this kind of film. Because
on Dr. Dolittle 2, there were small moments were it was
kind of a family thing. There was that side of Eddie that
he hadn't explored in a comedic way, so I thought there
was the opportunity for him to go there. And he did.
A lot of the bad reviews - and I took my share and I'm
sure I deserved most of them - but I thought Eddie took
some hard knocks from people who just expect him to be what
they want him to be. And that's my opinion, and I know opinions
are like assholes and everyone's got one, and no one thinks
theirs stinks. But I thought it was unfair. The same people
who were mad at him because he cursed so much during Delirious
(his 1986 concert special), now they are like, He was so
edgy then.
In terms of the DVD, your first film, Next Friday,
was done right at the crest of the boom. Have you found
now that you have to take the eventual DVD release into
consideration why you are making the movie, or even during
pre-production?
In my vanity, my main thing I always worry about is the
director's commentary. I can get even with everyone. (laughs)
On this one, I originally planned on doing a director's
commentary, but after watching it I realized how out of
place it really would have been. Like, who really cares
what lens I'm using when you're showing it to a bunch of
kids? Who gives a shit? But I thought Sony did a really
terrific job on this one. And I think maybe when people
see it, they will understand better what sort of context
that they should have originally reviewed the movie in.
Because it is obviously for kids, and I think the special
features are really sweet.
Well, most critics are old and crabby. And they
don't have kids.
That's what I'm saying. No, I'm totally kidding. I'll let
you say it. (laughs) But if you have to choose one - really
great reviews or really great box office - I'll take either.
It is when you don't have either that you get upset. That's
the great thing about Next Friday, it still has this culty
kind of thing and the kids think I'm cool.
Have you found the ability to showcase things like
deleted scenes or alternate cuts has made the job of editing
the film any easier?
In different situations. With a film that was a little
different texturally, you fight a little harder. There are
arguments with the studio on every film. At the time when
you are making your argument and being told no, you are
as passionate about it as if you were making fucking Citizen
Kane. "No, the rooster MUST speak!" (laughs) Then
it gets even more absurd when you go "Well, then, I'm
going to put it in MY cut on the DVD!"
So I think if it was something more personal I might fight
harder to have deleted scenes put back it. On this kind
of a film, a big studio film, where there are so many cooks,
you go in knowing there are going to be certain kind of
compromises you are going to have to make. Deleted scenes
are nice if you can put them in, but I never think that,
Oh, that will validate my ideas.
What is so much fun about DVD is that you can go
back and watch a featurette or whatever and see how, in
the moment, something that now seems absurd was at the time
absolutely, incredibly important.
You are exactly right. I am making a joke here, but I would
hate to be someone who doesn't have the passion for making
the rooster talk. But I would also like to be the kind of
guy who realizes, six months later, that it didn't change
the world.
Why do you think that the studios tend to favor
pan & scan for children's titles on DVD?
That is a shame. I think they go pan & scan because
they think kids don't care. And it is unfair. They should
at least give the filmmaker the respect to present it in
the way it was shot. Especially some of the older stuff.
If you want to talk about The Sound of Music being primarily
a children's film, it was shot to be seen in widescreen.
You've now done two family films back-to-back.
Are you going to continue to work in the genre or would
you like to branch out into different directions?
For me, it is a tough genre to stay into. It is good and
bad in some ways. It gives you some leniency in terms of
what is expected of you as a filmmaker. And I've enjoyed
that and learn from that. But for me, personally. I like
the idea of moving past it. Whether I end up doing it again
or next, I don't have a plan.
So, what is next for Steve Carr?
There is something I am looking at doing now that is much
more adult kind of material. I went from doing the nastiest
R-rated movie to two kids movie. I think the word Fuck is
calling me. (laughs) It needs me to represent for it!
Special thanks to Michel Schneider and all at Edelman
Public Relations and Columbia Tri-Star Home Entertainment.
All images copyright Sony Pictures. All rights reserved. |
