April 10, 2003
I know this is long, but this is a very interesting article on Adam Sandler, who's movie with JACK opens tomorrow.
POWER JOKER
By ANTHONY BREZNICAN
------------------------------------------------------------------------
April 10, 2003 -- HE'S become a top box-office draw by playing infantile men prone to tantrums.
It's that childlike behavior that makes it hard to believe Adam Sandler is a workaholic and one of Hollywood's most powerful movie moguls.
"I was in his office 12 hours a day, and he was either working with me, or working on editing something else, or working on one of his other projects," said David Dorfman, screenwriter of "Anger Management," which opens tomorrow and co-stars Sandler and Jack Nicholson. "He worked non-stop."
Sandler, who never gives print interviews, joked to Associated Press Television News about why he wanted to work with three-time Oscar-winner Nicholson: "I said to myself, 'This poor fellow needs a gig.' "
Sandler has the freedom to do as he pleases, thanks to a string of successes at the box office - from 1995's "Billy Madison," a low-budget film which grossed $25 million, through "The Waterboy" and "Big Daddy," which each collected more than $160 million.
Described by Dorfman as a "benevolent mogul," the 36-year-old comic uses his clout to help his friends - guiding pet projects of fellow "Saturday Night Live" alums Rob Schneider, David Spade and Dana Carvey through the studio system.
"I don't really know why he did it, you'd have to ask him," said Carvey, of the help Sandler gave him in making "The Master of Disguise."
"I guess I was nice to him on 'Saturday Night Live' - thank God."
Under the umbrella of his Happy Madison production company, Sandler also produced Spade's "Joe Dirt" and the upcoming "Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star," as well as Schneider's "Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo," a $65 million hit.
Although Sandler's 2000 comedy "Little Nicky" was a step backward - underperforming with a $39 million gross - he still persuaded Sony Pictures to gamble on "Eight Crazy Nights" a cartoon partially inspired by a line in "The Hanukkah Song," a skit he'd developed for "SNL."
Dorfman joked that the studio probably would have made "a Kabuki play" if Sandler had wanted.
"If nothing else they respect box office," he said.
Sandler also used his influence to get Sony's support for last year's "Punch-Drunk Love," an arty, esoteric comedy-drama about a repressed man who falls in love despite his horrible bouts of rage.
The movie earned only about $18 million, but the film attracted a highbrow audience that had previously sneered at Sandler.
"It's in a more acceptable form, where critics can appreciate him, finally," Schneider said.
"These people were [saying] six months ago 'moron,' 'idiot,' 'idiot savant,' at best."
When film critic Roger Ebert, who had despised all of Sandler's previous films, crossed paths with the comic at a party, he praised him for "Punch-Drunk Love."
"I will have to tell my parents, so they can watch your show again," Sandler reportedly responded. "They had to stop watching your show because it made them say bad words."
Carvey describes Sandler's production company as a "big family" - the Web site features Sandler and co-workers playing basketball and romping on the company's new motor cart.
From composer to editor to production designer, Sandler surrounds himself with buddies, onscreen and off.
A few longtime friends regularly play goofy character roles in his films, and occasionally even his fianc�e, Jackie Titone, turns up in a bit part, playing a waitress in "Big Daddy" and an angel in "Little Nicky."
"Almost everybody he works with, he's had a relationship with since college or at least for many, many years," Dorfman said. "He likes to work with his friends."
Asked his reason for devoting so much time to producing, Sandler said, "Control. Not trusting anyone else. Fear of people. I don't like to be touched. As a producer I can guarantee that none of that stuff will happen."
- Associated Press
|
POWER JOKER
By ANTHONY BREZNICAN
------------------------------------------------------------------------
April 10, 2003 -- HE'S become a top box-office draw by playing infantile men prone to tantrums.
It's that childlike behavior that makes it hard to believe Adam Sandler is a workaholic and one of Hollywood's most powerful movie moguls.
"I was in his office 12 hours a day, and he was either working with me, or working on editing something else, or working on one of his other projects," said David Dorfman, screenwriter of "Anger Management," which opens tomorrow and co-stars Sandler and Jack Nicholson. "He worked non-stop."
Sandler, who never gives print interviews, joked to Associated Press Television News about why he wanted to work with three-time Oscar-winner Nicholson: "I said to myself, 'This poor fellow needs a gig.' "
Sandler has the freedom to do as he pleases, thanks to a string of successes at the box office - from 1995's "Billy Madison," a low-budget film which grossed $25 million, through "The Waterboy" and "Big Daddy," which each collected more than $160 million.
Described by Dorfman as a "benevolent mogul," the 36-year-old comic uses his clout to help his friends - guiding pet projects of fellow "Saturday Night Live" alums Rob Schneider, David Spade and Dana Carvey through the studio system.
"I don't really know why he did it, you'd have to ask him," said Carvey, of the help Sandler gave him in making "The Master of Disguise."
"I guess I was nice to him on 'Saturday Night Live' - thank God."
Under the umbrella of his Happy Madison production company, Sandler also produced Spade's "Joe Dirt" and the upcoming "Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star," as well as Schneider's "Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo," a $65 million hit.
Although Sandler's 2000 comedy "Little Nicky" was a step backward - underperforming with a $39 million gross - he still persuaded Sony Pictures to gamble on "Eight Crazy Nights" a cartoon partially inspired by a line in "The Hanukkah Song," a skit he'd developed for "SNL."
Dorfman joked that the studio probably would have made "a Kabuki play" if Sandler had wanted.
"If nothing else they respect box office," he said.
Sandler also used his influence to get Sony's support for last year's "Punch-Drunk Love," an arty, esoteric comedy-drama about a repressed man who falls in love despite his horrible bouts of rage.
The movie earned only about $18 million, but the film attracted a highbrow audience that had previously sneered at Sandler.
"It's in a more acceptable form, where critics can appreciate him, finally," Schneider said.
"These people were [saying] six months ago 'moron,' 'idiot,' 'idiot savant,' at best."
When film critic Roger Ebert, who had despised all of Sandler's previous films, crossed paths with the comic at a party, he praised him for "Punch-Drunk Love."
"I will have to tell my parents, so they can watch your show again," Sandler reportedly responded. "They had to stop watching your show because it made them say bad words."
Carvey describes Sandler's production company as a "big family" - the Web site features Sandler and co-workers playing basketball and romping on the company's new motor cart.
From composer to editor to production designer, Sandler surrounds himself with buddies, onscreen and off.
A few longtime friends regularly play goofy character roles in his films, and occasionally even his fianc�e, Jackie Titone, turns up in a bit part, playing a waitress in "Big Daddy" and an angel in "Little Nicky."
"Almost everybody he works with, he's had a relationship with since college or at least for many, many years," Dorfman said. "He likes to work with his friends."
Asked his reason for devoting so much time to producing, Sandler said, "Control. Not trusting anyone else. Fear of people. I don't like to be touched. As a producer I can guarantee that none of that stuff will happen."
- Associated Press
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