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JOHN
PHILLIP LAW
HOLLYWOOD CALIFORNIA
ACTOR
3-02-2004 |
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John
Phillip Law is and actor who has little to do with funding, but our
editor and field writer felt his story as a world renown actor was compelling
and we have published his story for one of our first newsletters. BY: Li
lou- field writer.
JOHN PHILLIP LAW
John
Phillip Law, was born on September 7th in California.
Son
of an actress and a deputy Sheriff, John grew up on Hollywood studio, back
lots and is second generation graduate of Hollywood High.
John Phillip Law went on to study engineering and
psychology. His first
training at the neighborhood Playhouse, sent him on a show business
odyssey.
This
specific screen actor made his Broadway debut, but his best recalled, is as the blind angel in “Barbarella” in 1967.
After played the amoral character Robin Stone in "The
Love Machine" (1971), he has been concentrating his career overseas
for the last 25 years, appeared contrary numerous illustrious European
as well as U.S. Actors, including Alan Arkin, Claudia Cardinale, Bo Derek,
Jane Fonda, Ava Gardner, Mel Gibson, Richard Harris, Charlton Heston, Burt
Lancaster, Sophia Loren, Groucho Marx, Sam Neil, Anthony Quinn, George
Raft, Rod Steiger and Ugo Tognazzi. He's worked for such renowned
producers and director's as Robert Wise, Otto Preminger, Carlo Ponti,
Franco Rossi, Dino De Laurentiis, Roger Vadim, George Cosmatos, and Dennis
Hopper.
John Phillip Law has done more than 60 films including
"The Golden Voyage of Sinbad" (1973), "Attack Force Z"
(1981) and "Alienator" (1990), CQ (2001) directed by Roman
Coppola, in 24 different countries.
Being multi lingual, you never really know in what part
of the world, John Phillip Law will be shooting next. But, “Stardust”
with Alberto Sordi and Monica Vitti, will be the most Popular Italian
Movie of the past 20 years by, the Italian People.
INTERVIEW :
Li Lou: You have
worked in US Films, in Latin American films, European films, Chinese film
too, the Philippines as well as Australian films. You’ve basically traveled
the world making films.
Can you tell us the reasons how you got so many parts
in so many films around the world and how you were so fortunate?
JPhillip Law : When I
decided do it, then, I used the ticket to ride. And when I’ve got offers
in others country and others parts in the world, and another opportunity
to expend my own possibilities, my own knowledge, I took full advantage of
working in almost 25 countries now. My choice was to see the world. When
people speak of me, they say, I am an international actor, and because, I
really am. I probably have done only about quarter in America, and the
other quarter in all of the rest of the world and a lot in Italy
especially because, I love this country too, very munch. I started there
too.
Li Lou: Your background is relatively impressive when one
sees the number of films which you have been a part of. After all
these years of achievements, how do you see your life as actor today?
JPhillip Law : On going !
Li Lou: What advice would you give an actor
starting in the business in today’s market?
JPhillip Law : Acting is a very difficult art
form. Not like a composing or painting. An actor, have the partner to feel
good, the director has to be a good health and help, it’s has to be
sunning and not raining. There are a million things, to work all together,
it’s a lot of collaborate effort and to make some magic on film. That is
very important. So, for actor, I suggest to everyone who wants to be an
actor is to do some theatre.
Li Lou: Like you did on Tartuffe by Moliere,
Marco Millions by Eugene O’Neill, After The Fall, by Arthur Miller in
New York, Broadway?
John Phillip Law: Yes, and because, you learn
respect for your craft, and because your self confident, and go on, every
way, and cause this is a good background for anyone. So, the first to do
is go get involved in a local play, get up there and find people to learn to work with,
other actors and that kind of situation. It’s gives you trust the words, and
lets you be and try to say the words, and it gives a
certain security about your worth in it. I known lot motion actors; I worked
for years and years and TV and movie, and they are terrified if they have
to do theatre….Sometimes the director will be helpful and sometimes they
won’t.
They just want you to do the job, because time is a
sanction, and some directors don’t have time to teach acting, so in the
theatre, you have an audience every night and you can perform and
learn about yourself. You can find out
what’s funny about what isn’t, when people laugh, when they
don’t, and that’s where the only way you learn, you need to know yourself
and what it is gives you in a straight, cause this job is not easy.
Li Lou: You
have work with numerous directors. Have you directed film or TV, or do you
want to direct a film?
JPhillip Law: I am not trying to direct and if you
want another truth, acting is much more fun. Directing is a lot of work. I
have done, and direct a second unit several times. One film, a friend of mine,
who is the director, let me direct a second unit because we did a film
with Anthony Queen. It was fun. I know, for you to be a director, you need to
be a psychologist.
You need to have incredible communications skills, with
other people. So, I have a lot of admiration and a lot of respect for good
directors. They know in their mind what they want to shoot or they don’t,
they have to find a way how to make it happen. So they are so busy, to
try a direct. But acting has to be having emotions, which cares? The
audience suppose to have an emotion, not the actor.
Li Lou: What relations do you have with
funding a film or TV show?
JPhillip Law : The only time I produce is when I
love the Producer or the Director and they don’t have any money. Then, I
take a peace of the action. I am an actor, I am not a producer. I have a
company yes, but they produce me.
Li Lou: You were associated as a producer
for films in 1999 Ray Harryhausen: Working with Dinosaurs and Mario Bava:
Maestro of the Macabre in 2000 for television, what was actual role on
these films?
JPhillip Law : Ray Harryhausen won an academy
award for special effects. And, Mario Bava, is one of the great directors
of certain kind of films. I did the biggest film he ever directed.
“Danger Diabolic”.
Li Lou: What was the most memorable
producer or Director you work directly with on these films and can you
tell us the most amazing event that occurred ?
JPhillip Law : Dino De Laurentis, producer of
“Danger Diabolic” and “High of Fidelity”, a film directed by
Franco Rossi. I remember, a friend of mine was working on the movie, and I
just walked around, and the director told us: Hey, we need a couple people.
Do you want to be in the movie? I said, yes, absolutely and I did it with a lot of fun. So, lots of opportunities
happened like that, and they propel you.
Li Lou: Was the financial experience for
you or the investors profitable, and precisely, what was financial risks?
JPhillip Law : My only financial is not to get
paid and it’s happened to me, several times. I did a part of a film as a
producer one time, and the contract was for 15 thousand dollars, and they
told me: You work now for a couple dollars and you will be paid…later,
and I never saw the money, nowhere. Even, the movie was in Cannes
Festival. They were so busy stilling my money….That what’s happened in
this industry. You know?
Li Lou: Or, What were the risks and rewards
during your life actor?
JPhillip Law: I had many risks, death
experiences, a lot. “The Red Baron” especially.
In that movie, I flied every day, and five air crashes happened, when we
shot that film. The circumstances were like a real war in several
areas on the movie. Even close to the office, the cables broke up …
Li Lou: What council would give a young
producer for getting funding?
JPhillip Law: Number one is, to have a good
story. If you don’t have a good story, I don’t care how many movie
star you’ve got or anything and forget it. That’s important. You need
a good writer, of course you have to have a good director, they know how
to get qualities of the actors, and the good cast. I didn’t mind working
with young or in experiment people, because I worked with so many great
professionals, Anthony Queen, Bert Lancaster and others, and working with
young people is also fun because I get a certain pleasure sharing, and I
have a lot of ideas, sometime they appreciate, sometime not, and shut up.
I do the best I can and, I just do my job!
Li Lou: The Coppola Family, Sofia Coppola
recently won two Golden Globes and one Oscar, for Lost in Translation.
Roman Coppola is one of the perfect example too, of the new age director.
He introduced you in his first movie, CQ on 2001. What was the best moment
did you have with him?
JPhillip Law : Roman Coppola is a wonderful man.
He is a complete gentleman, and he trusted me, and if I ask him for
another tape, and want to do it better, he gave it to me. A lot of
director says: No, that's fine, next scene. But he was gracious enough, and
I was respectful for that, and he let me do that. And I would work for
Roman, anytime, and anybody on that family. (Laugh)…
Li Lou: Mel Gibson is a complex guy. He just
directed “The Passion of the Christ”. This film is a meticulous
evocation about the Christ and the most violent story ever told, like
“The Entertainment” journal said. You acted with Mel Gibson, and your
role was A commando, in “Attack force Z” on 1981. What kind of
relation did you have with him, in the film?
JPhillip Law: He is a very nice guy. I had a
good sensitive about him. Good actor and in that period, he was just
emerging and he was busily becoming a big star, but on that particular
film, I was the big star, and we shared roles. But I had a good partner.
Li Lou: Do you want to see The Passion of
the Christ? Are you interested the movie, the story, believes too, or not?
JPhillip Law: I am very exciting about the whole
idea. I love real, historical, novels especially about this touching
subject: Religious.
For example, the Martine Scorcese movie: The Last
Temptation of Christ was wonderful movie.
I love that. I mean, you explore all of possibilities
for History. That’s what film, acting, and filmmaking is. We are
“Avant Garde”; we are out there, showing people possibilities. Good or
Bad. That the job of the artist. I take my odder of words to Mel Gibson
for having the courage and for his convictions. I am very Thrilled with
that idea. And every one will see this movie for the same reason. And they
will judge themselves. I want to see it with my own mind.
Li Lou: what projects are you working on
now?
JPhillip Law : Two next movies in Italy and in
Brazil, both until the end of summer….
Li Lou: So, on Going ! Thank you.
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