b5media.com

Advertise with us

Enjoying this blog? Check out the rest of the Entertainment Channel Subscribe to this Feed

Film Gecko

Exclusive: Interview with Daniel Davila, Director of "Harrison Montgomery"

by Jane Boursaw on August 15th, 2008

Harrison Montgomery is one of those films that makes you believe in magic again — the magic that ordinary people can have in our lives, if we just take the time to notice.

It takes place in San Francisco’s poverty-stricken Tenderloin district, where would-be artist Ricardo Papa (Octavio Gomez Berrios) is trying to make ends meet as a petty drug dealer. On the run from his boss and on the outs with his girlfriend, Ricardo takes up residence in the dilapidated Hotel Boyd, where he meets the fearless 13-year-old Lattie Flemming (Krista Ott). Lattie’s mother, Margo (Melora Walters), is trapped in an abusive relationship that puts both her and Lattie in danger. Another resident of the Hotel Boyd is Harrison Montgomery (Martin Landau, also executive producer on the film), a septuagenarian who’s been chronicling the phrases of “Wheel of Fortune” and waiting for his final purpose to be revealed to him.  

I caught up with director Daniel Davila:  

Jane: Hey, Daniel, thanks for calling. I just watched Harrison Montgomery, and it blew me away. It’s such a powerful story about humanity, karma, and faith. How did the film come to be made?

More after the jump, including a trailer and video clip of Daniel Davila…

Daniel: We got the script, and it just had this gentle, natural pulse to it that delivered with the magic at the end. The challenge was to take that structure, make it accessible to a larger audience, and craft it in a way that fit with my voice. To do that, we went through an extensive three- to four-year rewrite process with one of the producers. Karim Ahmad did the first pass and laid the foundation. Then I did the final work to give it the voice and details to extract the essence and themes that were buried in the original story. We wanted to make an uplifting film that encourages people to see the magic that’s possible in the people around them.

Jane: Did someone have experience with that area of San Francisco? Because it seems so real, like you’re eavesdropping on peoples’ lives.

Daniel: Thanks for saying that. Yes and no is the answer to that question. The no is that nobody involved had ever lived in the Tenderloin. The yes is that the Tenderloin is so central in San Francisco that it’s impossible not to come into contact with it. I always had a fascination with it, because the people there are in such unique circumstances, and there was always such a raw truth to everything that you don’t see in more polite parts of the city. We may all be going through the same things, but in the safer parts of town, we tend to hide them behind the every-day responsibilities we have.

Jane: Right. So, there’s more desperation in people who are in more challenging situations.

Daniel: That’s well put.

Jane: One of the things I love about the film is that it’s inspiring, but not in an in-your-face kind of way. It’s more subtle, not Hollywood-ized. You have this gifted artist who’s stuck in this life, and you’re thinking there’s so much more out there for him, but how is he going to get there? And how are the rest of the people going to get out of this situation so they can be the people they’re supposed to be. Was that a central message for you in making the film?

Daniel: Very much so. I’ve always been attracted to stories that put personal transformation front and center. I think most people, at some point in their life, have this perception that their transformation is right around the corner, which can lead to a lot of dissatisfaction. So, any opportunity to demonstrate in story telling how you can seize your destiny and move forward… It’s really easy to get sidetracked and kind of lost. I think a lot of people do, so that was critical in the story, because it’s universal.

Jane: And there are other things going on, too. A lot of interactions where you have these people sort of thrown together.

Daniel: The central message is for people to open their hearts, and then all kinds of things happen. In the contemporary world, particularly in an urban world, that’s a challenge. We tend to close off, and that leads to missed opportunities for one’s self and for one’s relationships.

Jane: Right, and when you’re in a desperate situation, it’s really hard to think of anything but just trying to survive. Opening your heart is at the bottom of the priority list.

Daniel: That’s true, and it’s a paradox, because so many people get caught up in the flight, and maybe the right thing to do is to stop and address it head on instead of running from it.

Jane: The ending scene…I’m just biting my nails off wondering how it’s going to turn out. I half expected Harrison to jump, but then he gets covered up in money and disappears. What was your thinking there?

Daniel: The idea is that this person was put here with an open heart, and now he’s being called back to the spirit that sort of delivered him to this earth. His purpose was to touch peoples’ lives, and once that’s done, he can return to where he came from.

Jane: Right, because he’s not suicidal…

Daniel: No. He’s just been waiting for years to explore his final purpose and once he discovers it, he returns to the flow from which he came.

Jane: How did Martin Landau get involved with the film? He’s also the executive producer.

Daniel: Our casting director in Los Angeles had gotten the script to him through his manager, and he liked the material. That’s the thing that makes all the difference in the movie business. You have to have a piece of material that speaks to somebody, and I think it spoke to him. He’s a really generous spirit, and somebody who loves working in movies and likes to be around people who are still excited about the process.

Jane: I was looking at his IMDB page, and he’s like, 77, and has eight films in the works. That’s amazing. And Octavio Gomez Berrios, the artist character, he seems like a truly gifted, up-and-coming actor, too, although I see he’s been working in the business for eight years or so. I look forward to seeing what he does next.

Daniel: Yeah, me, too. I agree with that assessment, and I think it’s a matter of people getting to see his work. He’s very talented.

Jane: Krista Ott, as well. She’s one of those where you look at her and go, wow, she’s going somewhere. She’s got that spark. I’ll look forward to seeing what she does, too.

Daniel: Yeah, me, too. She certainly has a spark.

Jane: What’s the release info? Will the film be in theaters, or opening in New York and L.A. at some point?

Daniel: We’re negotiating our distribution deal. We’re not exactly sure yet, but a scenario like that is most likely. I’ll let you know as soon as that becomes clear.

Jane: Anything else you’d like to add before I let you go?

Daniel: I just want to acknowledge the contribution of Karim Ahmad, who was the other writer. He was really instrumental in getting the script to a point where we were able to make it. And, frankly, the entire team…you know, you don’t make a movie for under a million dollars that looks like this one without something going seriously right. It’s really the team that did it, and I’m really grateful to them.

Jane: Sounds good. Thanks so much for your time. I’ll spread the word about Harrison Montgomery.

Daniel: Thanks for your appreciation of the film. It means a lot to me.

Watch the trailer:

<\/param><\/param><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""/>

Interview with Daniel Davila at the HBO New York International Latino Film Festival:

<\/param><\/param><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""/>

Images: Harrison Montgomery, Momentum Cinema, 2008

POSTED IN: Celebrity Pictures, Coming Soon to Theaters, Drama, Film Genres, Film Industry, Independent, Interviews, Movie Stars, Personalities, Posters & Production Stills, Thriller

1 opinion for Exclusive: Interview with Daniel Davila, Director of "Harrison Montgomery"

  • Chris Troianni
    Nov 4, 2008 at 11:37 am

    Martin Landau has go to be one of the best-kept secrets in Hollywood. Too bad throughout so much of his career, he never got the chance to get up and bat nearly as much as should have had. Shame on Hollywood. And too bad for the rest of us. At least he’s getting a bit of recognition, now. You go for it, Martin!

Have an opinion? Leave a comment: