MovieChat Forums > Catch-22 (1970) Discussion > QUESTION ABOUT NICHOL'S DVD COMMENTARY?

QUESTION ABOUT NICHOL'S DVD COMMENTARY?

posted 20 years ago by mcintyro
5 replies | jump to latest

In the DVD commentary, Nichols says, Alan Arkin was not too thrilled about making the film and working with the other actors, although I must say Arkin does a commendable job. Nichols says, something like, "the only one (actor) Arkin liked working with was Martin."

My question is whether the Martin, in question, was Martin Sheen or Martin Balsam. Both are great actors and pros and excellent in the film. Also, Arkin has great chemistry with both. Does anybody know, which Martin he was referring to. Sheen, although quite cool when he was young, was never a jerk, e.g. Christopher Jones, so, in my opionion, it could be either one of the Martins.

[–] MisterKyle 20 years ago

I would assume Martin Sheen, because they had more scenes together.

[–] rac701 17 years ago

I'd have to go back and watch my DVD copy with the commentary track on to review the context of Mike Nichol's statement.

I think it's odd Nichols would remember Alan Arkin as "not too thrilled" about making the film, as I've read in several sources over the years that Arkin felt he was the perfect actor to play Yossarian, and had wanted to portray the character on film since the novel was first published.

As far as Nichols's recollections of the making of the film on the commentary track go, he is very foggy on a lot of the details and does not even seem to remember much of the experience, having to be prompted or reminded much of the time by his co-commentator Steven Soderbergh. Soderbergh exhibits much more knowledge about the film than Nichols does.

[–] rooprect 16 years ago

I just got through listening to the commentary... Nichol definitely mentions at least twice that Arkin wasn't pleased on the set. Arkin's main objection (according to Nichols) was that Nichols was too preoccupied with technical aspects, for example the planes in the background, and didn't give the actors much care. Nichols admits that this may have been the case.

Nichols also mentions several big arguments with Arkin (and others) about the mood of certain scenes. Overall it was a pretty tedious experience for everyone involved because filming was so slow that all the actors were going stir crazy. My guess is six months into it, no one was too thrilled to be there.

[–] ridge-m-1 10 years ago

I was also extremely disappointed with the commentary track. Soderbergh has a greater depth of knowledge of the film than the director.

Keep in mind that David Watkins DP, would only shoot during one hour of the day, the "golden time".

If only Criterion would release the film on Blu-ray so that us aficionados could view the picture properly, absent the huge movie screen of course.

[–] corgi37 10 years ago

Well to be fair, Nichols was pretty old when he did the commentary.