Oliver Stone thought Robert Downey Jr. was ‘ruining’ Natural Born Killers with ‘slapstick bulls**t’
As a cinephile who has witnessed the evolution of cinema over several decades, I can confidently say that Natural Born Killers is one of those groundbreaking films that leaves an indelible mark on the industry. Having grown up during the 90s, I vividly remember the cultural impact this film had at the time, and it’s fascinating to revisit its significance three decades later.
This week celebrated the 30th anniversary since the debut of Natural Born Killers, a romantic crime-action movie that was both directed and co-written by Oliver Stone.
Preparing for the upcoming milestone, Stone shared with Esquire his experiences in creating the 1994 movie where Juliette Lewis and Woody Harrelson portrayed a murderous duo that gained notoriety through media coverage.
As a lifestyle expert, I find myself often reflecting on behind-the-scenes stories that shape our favorite films, and in the case of “The Sandlot,” it wasn’t Babe Ruth or Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez who initially caused a stir during production. Instead, it was one of the supporting actors whose actions caught the director’s ire for potentially disrupting the film’s overall tone.
In the closing scene, the director remembered that moment when Robert Downey Jr. thought up the humorous idea of soaking one corner of his white dress shirt with pretend blood and casually dragging it out from the open zipper of his trousers, creating an effect resembling a bloody appendage.
Stone gently admonished Downey, saying, “Really? That’s excessive! You’re pushing it too hard, Robert.” This conversation occurred when Downey was 27 and openly grappling with his addiction issues.
At that time of filming, the 47-year-old Stone reprimanded the actor even more severely, following his Oscar nomination for Chaplin the year prior.
The triple Oscar winner exclaimed, “You’re spoiling my movie! I can’t stand this silly concept,” and followed up with, “‘This isn’t… This isn’t a farce filled with silliness.'”
As it turned out, on this specific day of filming, Downey Jr. was abstaining from alcohol, and he reluctantly unzipped his shirt and pulled it back on.
While engaging in this activity, an inspiration struck me on the spot: “Hold up, hold up, just a moment. Allow me to take another look at that intriguing object,” I suggested to the esteemed Less Than Zero actor.
Stone instructed Downey Jr., “Move it back by a little over a centimeter.” Upon hearing this, Downey Jr. swiftly responded and followed the guidance given by the director, who then confirmed, “Alright, let’s proceed.”
And the rest, as they say, is moviemaking history.
In this film, Stone served as the director, collaborating with David Veloz and Richard Rutkowski on the script, while the underlying idea came from a unique story by Quentin Tarantino.
In the movie, Downey portrayed the role of sensationalistic TV journalist Wayne Gale. While covering the violent spree committed by the characters played by Lewis and Harrelson, he pursued the story of the century. However, in a surprising turn of events, he himself became the headline in the film’s shocking climax.
As a committed admirer, I’d like to share Robert Downey Jr.’s candid confession about his past struggles. Over the years, his battles with substance abuse during his early acting days have been extensively documented. He admitted that the only moments he was truly alert during filming were between the commands of ‘action’ and ‘cut.’
But still, after all these years, he has the foresight to see the film ‘has got something that still bears reexamination’ even after three decades since its release.
In simpler terms, Robert Downey Jr. stated that among directors, Oliver Stone stands out as one who expresses social commentary particularly effectively in movies, with perhaps only Christopher Nolan and a handful of others being comparable.
‘Oliver Stone has never made a movie that wasn’t saying something. Never.’
Natural Born Killers served as a satire of the violence-obsessed media of the 1990s.
The main cast of Harrelson, Lewis, and Downey Jr., were joined by Tommy Lee Jones and Tom Sizemore.
Additionally, it showcases a variety of talented actors including Rodney Dangerfield, Evan Handler, Steven Wright, Edie McClurg, Sean Stone, Russell Means, Lanny Flaherty, Balthazar Getty, Richard Lineback, Kirk Baltz, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Joe Grifasi, Everett Quinton, Marshall Bell, Peter Crombie, Grand L. Bush, Dale Dye, Louis Lombardi, Corey Everson, O-Lan Jones, and Jared Harris.
1994 saw the release of the controversial film “Natural Born Killers,” coinciding with the rise of 24-hour news in America. Despite mixed reviews, it proved to be a commercial hit, earning $110 million at the box office on a production budget of $34 million.
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2024-08-31 05:26