MW

22 BuxoFnce
Cover
"SPHERE" OF INFLUENCE
Having a Ball With Dustin Hoffman
in a meeting—but he'd like you to go in," Dustin Hoffman's
He's
assistant infomis BOXOFFICE with a slightiy puzzled tone in
her voice. Sure, it's not the normal etiquette, but Hoffman soon
makes it evident he's not one to stand on formalities. We're at Hoffman's
Brentwood, Calif.-based Punch Productions offices, named for the
famed oft-battered puppet. ("I always thought that I was like Punch,"
explains Hoffman. "I've got a big nose, bad posture. Got whacked
around when I was in school.")
"Are you comfy-wumfy?" Hoffman queries as BOXOFFICE settles
onto a couch. It's becoming more and more apparent that this isn't going
to be your typical celebrity interview. Actor Adrien Brody, the person
whose meeting is being interloped, is introduced.
"Now he 's who you should be interviewing,"
says Hoffman. As it turns out.
that is exactiy what happens, as the young
star of the upcoming Terrence Malickhelmed
"The Thin Red Line" is invited to
stay and take part in the proceedings.
The intended topic at hand is the Hoffman
starrer "Sphere," Warner's sci-fi
thriller based on Michael Crichton's novel
about a team of scientists investigating a
spacecraft that's been submerged underwater
for hundreds of years. Keeping on
this subject, however, turns out to be nearly
impossible. Hoffman's mile-a-minutc
mind juggles multitudinous subjects, philosophies,
book recommendations, and
even hangover remedies with Tesla-caliber
simultaneity, while BOXOFnCE and
Brody race to keep up. ("I have to take
notes!" Brody cries at one point.) We leam
of Hoffman's past employment as a psychiatric
hospital attendant (his job was to
hold people down while they received
shock treatment); we hear tell of his children and their exploits in acting,
writing, music and painting; we're enlightened with scientific and
esoteric musings; we're paternally admonished for not having read this
book or seen that movie; and we're told a few unforgettably twisted
jokes, all frequently punctuated with that quick, quirky Hoffman smile.
An actor with one of the most renowned and diverse character
repertoires in film history, Hoffman seems to be a culmination of his
character studies, demonstrating a passion for analysis, an unquenchable
thirst for knowledge and a mentor-like desire to share his knowledge
with others. This unique interview scenario affords the opportunity to view
the two-ti me Oscar winner in one ofhis most astounding roles—him.self
The conversation begins before the tape recorder's even rolling.
Hoffman is recoiling as he is offered a copy of BOXOFFICE's "Mad
City" article. Before a single question can be asked, Hoffman's olTand
running on the subject of the business side of filmmaking.
HOFFMAN: It's alarming. It's not the first movie that didn't do well.
But it's alarming because when I was his age | indicating Brody], it was
a different business. Less of a business. Adricn's 24. So when I was 24,
that was '61
.
I'm (i). In 1%I, there was no such thing as Number 1, 2, 3 at
by Christine James
the boxoffice. The public knows it now. [Before it was] never in the
papers, what the grosses were. Only studio heads talked about those
things. It was the inside. There's no inside anymore. ["Sphere" director
Barry Levinson said], "When my mother in Boca Raton, Florida knows
what something grossed, there's no inside." So if it's 1, 2, 3, and you
don't make 1 , 2, 3, you don't make 4, you don't make 5. It's the first
weekend. That didn't exist. That never existed before. If you don't open
the first weekend, you're gone.
BRODY: The problem for me is [choosing caieer-making roles or
interesting roles].
HOFTMAN: Here's the mb. Now you have a stronger puU than you
had when I was your age. Now it's deciding
between a career and a life of your work.
BOXOFnCE: Yet you made some very
interesting choices that would not necessarily
have been career-makers, but
that's what they turned out to be. For
example, who would have thought a film
like "Midnight Cowboy" would become
such a success?
HOFFMAN: People called me up, including
['The Graduate" director] Mike
Nichols, and .said "You're crazy. He's not
an attractive guy, and it's a supporting role.
You can't do it." You have to go after what
brought you into it to begin with.
BOXOFHCE: Is that what you're
doing with your production company?
HOFFMAN: One of the reasons I want
10 produce now is, as 1 get older now and I
see material, I say "Oop, too old to play that.
Oop, can't do that." So, it hurts to realize
that as you get older it becomes narrow. I
could play older, I could play younger Now
I can only play older! [laughs] I can't play
younger. The parts narrow. Having a company that produces material
you can no longer act in because you're too old is saying, "Don't tell
me 1 can't do this movie!" [laughs] That's the philosophy, [laughs]
BOXOFFICE: Though you of all people should know the powers
of prosthetic makeup. I remember a quote of yours about how you
wanted your tombstone to read...
HOFFMAN: "1 knew this was going to happen."
BRODY: That's good! Lighten the mood every time someone
comes to visit.
HOFFMAN: He knows. His re.spon.se is an actor's response. Because
that's what we're put here for. To give you a kick.
BRODY: Still invoke a reaction, even when you die. You want the
right reaction. "Let's not visit Mom, let's visit Dustin!"
BOXOFFICE: In "Sphere," you play a psychologist. Was it your
predilection for examining people's minds and motivations that
drew you to the project?
HOFFMAN: No, not initially. Barry Levinson is the one director
that I've done the most movies with. I've done four movies with him
("Rain Man," "Sleepers," "Wag the Dog" and "Sphere"]. If he's directing,
I
automatically say "Is there a part for me?" Arthur Miller once