Michael Douglas, who’s on the Karlovy Differ Movie Pageant to current a newly restored print of Miloš Forman’s traditional “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” spoke on the competition about his fears for democracy within the U.S. below the Trump administration. When requested at a press convention concerning the state of politics in his dwelling nation, the Oscar-winner mentioned the nation is presently “flirting with autocracy.”
“I take a look at it usually as the very fact of how treasured democracy is, of how susceptible it’s and the way it all the time needs to be protected,” he added. “I hope that what we’re combating proper now could be a reminder of all of the exhausting work the Czechs did in gaining their freedom and independence. Politics now appear to be for revenue. Cash has entered democracy as a revenue centre. Individuals are going into politics now to make cash. We maintained a perfect, an idealism within the U.S., which doesn’t exist now.”
The actor wrapped his remark by saying he prefers “not to enter an excessive amount of element” as “the information speaks for itself.” “I actually am frightened, I’m nervous, and I believe it’s all of our duty to look out for ourselves.”
The screening of the multiple-Oscar-winning movie happened half a decade after “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” performed in Karlovy Differ and honors the traditional’s relationship to the city and Forman’s dwelling nation. The director was a loyal supporter of the competition and, together with Douglas, “Cuckoo” producer Saul Zaentz and Danny DeVito, who additionally appeared within the movie, have been all recipients of the competition’s Crystal Globe for excellent creative contribution to world cinema. Douglas was joined within the spa city by Zaentz’s nephew, producer Paul Zaentz, and members of Forman’s household.
“The competition was simply starting once we first got here right here,” reminisced Douglas. “It was a brand new competition and Miloš felt it was necessary to his nation to be on the competition. I keep in mind we had fun, it’s an enthralling, charming city. It’s extremely uncommon to be supporting and honoring a film from 50 years in the past. It was a reminder for me of how particular that image was. It’s a deal with to come back again right here to the scene of the crime, the place Miloš was introduced up, with all of what he completed.”
The actor seemed again on the legendary 1976 Oscars Finest Image line up, which included Forman’s eventual winner alongside “Canine Day Afternoon,” “Jaws,” “Barry Lyndon” and “Nashville.” “I ask you, within the final 20 years, has there ever been anyplace close to that form of high quality of films there?”
Zaentz agreed, including that he wouldn’t remake the movie now, however is presently engaged on a sequence adaptation of Ken Kesey’s traditional from the standpoint of Chief Bromden. “We simply made an association with Kesey’s household, to probably do a tv sequence, however it’s based mostly on the ebook and the ebook was instructed via the eyes of Chief Bromden. On the finish of the primary sequence, the Jack Nicholson character would die. After which the second 12 months can be what occurs to the Chief after he escapes. That I’m pleased with, however by no means a remake of the film.”
The producer additionally talked about he’s engaged on an adaptation of an off-Broadway play, titled “Yard Desert,” and which trails 4 U.S border brokers in Arizona who meet a dying Mexican immigrant making an attempt to cross the border. “They notice these are actual individuals escaping horrible conditions who should be revered, not thrown into focus camps within the Everglades. We’re midway via with the price range and hoping to have the ability to movie it in October.”
Zaentz can also be engaged on a TV adaptation of one other considered one of his uncle’s Oscar-winning movies, “The English Affected person,” though he says the “stunning” script he presently has proper now “is simply too costly for the streamers.” “It’s based mostly on what was within the ebook that was not within the film. We’re rewriting it now.”
Whereas many of the press convention revolved across the 50-year-old movie and Douglas’ legendary profession, the actor additionally spoke about his current and future, most particularly his battle towards throat most cancers. “Stage 4 most cancers just isn’t a vacation, however there aren’t many selections, are there?,” he mentioned. “I went with this system, involving chemo and radiation, and was lucky. The surgical procedure would have meant not with the ability to discuss and eradicating a part of my jaw and that might have been limiting as an actor.”
“I’ve not labored since 2022 purposefully as a result of I spotted I needed to cease,” he added. “I had been working fairly exhausting for nearly 60 years, and I didn’t wish to be a kind of individuals who dropped useless on the set. I’ve no actual intentions of going again. I say I’m not retired as a result of if one thing particular got here up, I’d return, however in any other case, no.”
Douglas did say he has “one little unbiased film” he’s “making an attempt to get script out of,” however wrapped by stating that, “within the spirit of sustaining marriage,” he’s “pleased to play the spouse” to his long-time spouse Catherine Zeta-Jones for now.
