kp: How did you feel about Eyes Wide Shut?
kg: I loved 'Eyes Wide Shut', although I think it was an unfinished film. Kubrick was so famous for editing and changing right up to the last moment. '2001', and 'The Shining' both had scenes cut by Kubrick AFTER their opening weekends. So, when he died before the post-production process was finished, it meant that we probably didn't get close to what would have been his final version. But it still had more ideas; visually, thematically, etc. than just about any 5 other films made that year put together.

kp: I think of people like Kubrick and Scorsese and Robert Altman and John Cassavettes as superheroes--like they don't exist on the same plane as the rest of us. But then, I also think Space Camp is a good movie.
kg: You may be right. There is a short list of geniuses who operate on their own level. They re-define an art form, instead of just doing well at it. Van Gogh, Beethoven, The Beatles, Frank Lloyd Wright. I don't think one can aspire to that. That's beyond just talent or hard work in the regular sense. If you're blessed (or cursed - a lot of these were not happy people) enough to be one of them, then that's who you are.

But all the film-makers I grew up on in the 70s and 80s influenced me; Scorsese, Fellini, Truffaut, Bob Fosse, Sidney Lumet, Alan Pakula, Nick Roeg, just to name a few. As for film-makers now, I'm less 'influenced', since my way of seeing the world is more formed and my own, but I admire Paul Thomas Anderson, Wes Anderson, Alexander Payne, The Cohen Brothers and a number of others.

kp: Okay, now tell me your guilty pleasures. What's the movie that you watch every time it comes on TV, that won't be on AFI's 100 Greatest list.
kg: Believe it or not you're the second person to ask me that this week! I don't have a great answer, because A) There's not much I can imagine being ashamed of watching, and B) There are very few movies I watch "every time it comes on TV."

The only ones I go back to are ones I love, and I don't see any of them as guilty pleasures--even if someone else might. I've certainly enjoyed my share of dopey, sleazy, or socially unredeeming movies ­ from "Die Hard" to "Grand Prix" to "Behind the Green Door" to "Animal House", but I can't think of any that fill me with shame to admit, or any I've gone back to see repeatedly again.

kp: Any general advice for me in regard to film festivals?
kg: God, I've had so many great times at festivals. The chance to see so much interesting work by different people is always exciting. I often like smaller festivals better - less press, less pressure, less competitive vibe. Sundance has become a market instead of a festival. Telluride is really nice. I had a great time at Aspen. Montreal is maybe the most interesting North American festival - they get so many films from all over the world - things you'd never see otherwise. Toronto has great audiences, and is really well run.

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