Kindest Cut (eBook)

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

Around September, while in China, I heard from Howard, Sam Raimi was going to be directing Spider-Man 2. I sent a message to Sam letting him know I was in China, but I’d be back in Los Angeles in September, and I would love to meet with him about trying for a second time to work together.

After The Gift and possibly seeing what I can do with hair when it came to making characters, I was told Sam wanted me contacted as soon he knew he was going to be directing Spiderman. After I met with Lois Burwell, the head of the makeup department, I was told she can’t hire me because of a makeup woman who had bitter feelings for me after I took over doing Bill Murray’s hair on What About Bob. Her name is not worth mentioning. She knows she’s a horrible human already. Because it was Sam’s directorial debut on Spiderman, and I’m assuming the Studio not knowing how he’d deliver or how successful the Spiderman Franchise would become, Sam didn’t have the power to fight for me.

Long story short, I didn’t get the job. With the success of Spider-Man, Sam must have proven he could more than deliver as a director, so it seemed the studio was letting him hire whomever he wanted. To my delight, it was no one from the original makeup and hair team. When I heard back from Sam about setting up a meeting when I returned. I felt hopeful about once again joining forces with a director I liked and knew how much he appreciated my work. With almost six months left of filming on Kill Bill, we still had the Los Angeles and Mexico portion to film. The day after I returned from Tokyo a meeting was set up with Sam at his office on the Sony studios lot. I arrived early like I usually did with any meeting I had at a studio lot because I always loved walking around. As well as through the wide alleyways with giant stages on either side, thinking of the movies filmed there. Plus, I never knew who I’d run into that I know. Or see someone I don’t but wanted to meet. Like Adam Sandler.

Adam stopped by the Kill Bill set on our first day of filming at a hospital in Altadena. Jonathan Loughran apparently a good friend of Adam’s was cast to play a hospital patient who was going to be killed by nurse Elle Driver/Daryl. I thought Jonathan was a very nice guy. But did not get much of an actor vibe. It seems he’s a lucky man to be cast in so many of Adam’s films. As nice as Jonathan was to me and to everyone else, I saw him encounter, I thought, ‘he may not be much of an actor, but good for him for seeming grateful to be working and looking like he was happy to be in the film business.’ I’ve always loved meeting and working with actors like you, Jonathan. Makes life on film sets so much more pleasant. I could see why Adam must love having Jonathan around. I thought it sweet of Adam to stop by and be so supportive of his friend. I couldn’t tell if Adam and Quentin already knew one another or had just known of one another. Mostly because of the way Adam seemed so shy. When Adam and I were introduced, as he was shaking my hand I felt the exact opposite type of energy that I got from Oprah. Adams energy seemed genuine. And when he smiled at me even as brief as it was, and he kind of looked down afterward I thought, ‘this is a nice man who seems grateful for where he’s gotten in life.’ Since then, I’ve tried to see more of your films Adam. And am happy for the success you’ve achieved. I continue to wish you well. I love keeping people I’ve met in my thoughts of well wishes and prayers because of the feeling I’ve gotten from them. I wish no one ill. It’s not worth the time or energy it takes. But I do wish those well who I felt like they deserve positive thoughts sent their way.

Every time I’ve seen Adam on the Sony lot, driving around in his golf cart, his Happy Madison production offices are there, Adam gives me one of those Adam Sandler seemingly shy smiles and waves. I don’t know if it’s because he remembers meeting me or if he’s just being friendly. Either way, it always made me feel good to see how you seem to take the time to be friendly and once again confirm my first thought of you, ‘he’s a nice man.’ Thank you, Adam. I enjoyed your work in the film Uncut Gems. I thought you were brilliant.

During my meeting with Sam, I was told the job was mine. There’d be no interviews or meetings with head makeup people deciding my fate. This time, Sam was asking me who I’d like to work with. That felt good. Usually, it’s the head of the makeup department that puts a team together. I felt I deserved that after all the horrible, I was going to write interesting, but horrible describes it much more accurately, experiences I’ve had to endure with so many makeup women. You all know who you are.

On my drive back to the set of Kill Bill, yes, I felt a bit guilty, leaving Quentin’s set without telling him I was leaving to meet with another director about another job. Something I had never done. Pitching for work, while already working. Quentin seemed so passionate about making his films and working with his crew, I felt like I was two-timing him. But it was Sam; I loved working with Sam. But not as much as I did you, Quentin.

I was feeling good when I pulled back into my parking spot at the stages where we were filming ‘The Bride versus Elle Driver interior trailer fight scene.’ That feeling quickly faded when I walked on set and saw Harvey Weinstein who was visiting our set that day. Watching Harvey walk around seeming to ignore crew members infuriated me. It made me wonder how Quentin who seems to have the opposite approach, work with this seemingly villainous man. Did he not see the way Harvey came across? I hoped it wasn’t Quentin knew but turned a blind eye in order to get his movies made.

I would very much like to get the scripts I’ve written turned into films. But I can’t imagine, and I’m not implying Quentin has or accusing anyone of doing this, selling my soul to someone who for whatever reason, to me, felt like the devil in order to get my films made. I’d rather put my trust in God if my movies are to get made, it will happen.

There was a woman walking around with Harvey, who looked as though she was trying to come across just as important. By not smiling or making eye contact with anyone from the crew it seemed as though she felt as if she was accomplishing that goal. She gave off an air that she was disgusted to be there. I wondered if that was a prerequisite when working with Harvey. Treating crew people like they are insignificant, because Harvey and his team are the ‘real film makers,’ who get deals done.

The trailer set was built over a cement pit that looked like something auto mechanics use to work on cars. Allowing Quentin to shoot the fight scene between Uma and Daryl from all angles even underneath. To get to the trailer we had to walk on a narrow ramp over this pit. The first time I walked on it I was impressed after seeing how many cameras and camera crew were set up down there. As I watched this woman follow Harvey over the ramp, her arms wrapped close to her chest that made it look as if she was afraid to touch anything or anyone, while looking down at the crew in the pit as if they were snakes, I couldn’t help but think, ‘how dare you come onto our set and act that way.’ Possibly because of the number of times I have seen that same look on more producers and movie execs than I care to remember. People who it seems the only way they know how to justify their jobs is by pretending to act important and treat people working for them as if they are unimportant. Every time I see someone acting this way, I want to go up to them and say you’re making a film that hopefully will be entertaining to audiences; not curing cancer. As well as think, ‘thank you, God, for reminding me how NOT to treat people.’

I’m very aware I’ve belabored this point throughout my book. But it’s because of the countless times I’ve felt the need to ask myself, ‘Why is it most studio executives, producers and majority of people who work on studio lots, seem to feel the need to treat crew members and people who don’t work in the film business like they are an insignificant part of film making.’ You can’t make a movie without a crew. Even if it’s a small one. And you can’t make money off a film if an audience doesn’t want to buy tickets to see it.

I’ve actually felt hurt and embarrassment for the people who have sometimes lined up all day to watch us filming in their area and saw how some producers ignore them. Or act like people are a bother. I want to say to these types of movie snobs, ‘it’s those people lining up all day, hoping to be a part of the action or to see a movie star, that pay for your child’s private school or the mortgage on your home in Beverly Hills…or your Mercedes-Benz lease.’ I find it incredulous how some movie people seem to think they are better than most people because they have a producer title. Or their name is on an end film credit. I find this kind of behavior the most disgusting part of filmmaking. Okay Emanuel, enough.

On a lighter note, while I was watching this woman walk the plank, I couldn’t help but think, ‘wouldn’t it be funny if she fell into the pit, like Dorothy falling into the pigsty in an opening scene of The Wizard of Oz…but instead of Bert Lahr saving her, the film crew did nothing.’ Okay, that’s mean. Sorry.

Some of the best memories I have from working on a Quentin Tarantino film was experiencing how much fun Quentin makes his sets to be on. And the extent he goes to make sure everyone else is...