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Southland Taleswhich has long maintained a cult following, is receiving high praise as it approaches its 20th anniversary.
Lou Taylor Pucci, who plays a role in the film, offered his thoughts on the film during a recent Reddit AMA. Southland Tales It marks the second film from director Richard Kelly – known for his directorial debut Donnie Darko – While the cast included Dwayne Johnson, Seann William Scott, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Mandy Moore, and Justin Timberlake.
Pucci noted that Kelly is “a genius in his own way,” but the director apparently expected the film to be more successful at the box office. “I thought Richard knew when he was making the movie that he was making a sci-fi classic, but apparently he and his producers didn’t think it would be a huge success at the box office,” Pucci said. “They put in a lot of [money] “in it.”
The actor added: “For them, it was very sad when it wasn’t well received. But I think Richard’s view of fascist America was quite insightful and worth watching again, if you have the time.”
While responding to a different question about the film, Bucci explained that the script has evolved significantly from the initial version he received.
“The first script I got didn’t involve time travel — or two Seann William Scotts,” said Bucci, known for features such as: evil dead And for such a series physical and Daredevil: Born again. “The third one did it. No one knew what was going on, but they all trusted Richard because of his success Donnie Darko. They got The Rock and Sarah Michelle Gellar in this movie, and we literally all got them, because[[Donnie Darko].”
Southland Tales It premiered at Cannes in 2006 before hitting theaters the following year. The dystopian film is set in Los Angeles and centers on an action star (Johnson) who hooks up with an adult actress (Gellar) amid the threat of a nuclear attack. After being booed at Cannes, the film collected only $375,000 at the global box office.
For a piece dedicated to the film’s 10th anniversary, Kelly spoke to Hollywood Reporter About the contentious critical response. Southland Tales It was marked by the director’s follow-up Donnie Darkothe 2001 thriller that helped establish Jake Gyllenhaal’s career and made Kelly an in-demand director.
“Southland Tales “It was a really aggressive and provocative film, even for Cannes. I think a lot of people will never accept the film for what it is,” Kelly said. The only feature Kelly has directed since then was in 2009 The boxStarring Cameron Diaz and James Marsden.
For her part, Gellar said THR In 2023 about Southland Tales“This movie was just too ambitious.” She also noted that she “fell asleep twice” during the film’s premiere at Cannes.
