Interview:
Walter Hill,
writer/director,
Austin Film Festival 2017 Awardee
Walter Hill’s long and distinguished career as a filmmaker dates back to 1972 with his first produced screenplays, Hickey & Boggs and The Getaway. After penning the screenplays for The Thief Who Came to Dinner and two Paul Newman thrillers, The Mackintosh Man and The Drowning Pool, Hill transitioned into directing with the 1975 Charles Bronson/James Coburn drama Hard Times. He followed his directorial debut with 1978’s The Driver, which served as an inspiration for Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver, and 1979’s The Warriors, which put Hill on the map as one of Hollywood’s preeminent action directors. In 1983, Hill directed the defining buddy action comedy of the decade, 48 Hrs., which introduced rising Saturday Night Live sensation Eddie Murphy to film audiences. Hill also directed the thrillers Southern Comfort, Extreme Prejudice, Red Heat, Johnny Handsome, Another 48 Hrs., Trespass, Last Man Standing, Undisputed, Bullet to the Head, and this year’s The Assignment. He also directed the westerns The Long Riders, Geronimo: An American Legend, and Will Bill; the Richard Pryor 1985 remake of the comedy Brewster’s Millions; the music-driven dramas Streets of Fire and Crossroads; and the sci-fi chiller Supernova. He also won an Emmy for directing an episode of the HBO western series Deadwood. As a producer, Hill has helped oversee the Alien franchise from its inception. Walter Hill is the Recipient of the Austin Film Festival’s 2017 Extraordinary Contribution to Film Award. A Conversation with Walter Hill, moderated by Shane Black, will be held 1:30 p.m. Oct. 27 at InterContinental Stephen F Austin. Walter Hill also will present a retrospective screening of The Warriors at 3 p.m. Oct. 27 at the Paramount Theatre. He will also participate in A Conversation with the 2017 AFF Awardees at 10:45 a.m. Oct. 28 at the InterContinental Stephen F Austin. He also will participate in the panel Once Upon a Time in the West with screenwriter Scott Frank at 4:30 p.m. Oct. 28 at the Central Presbyterian Church. Aired: Oct. 19, 2017 Web site: http://www.austinfilmfestival.com/ |
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