The B-Side: A Film Stage Podcast

Ep. 145 – Kevin Costner: Part II (feat. Chadd Harbold)

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Episode notes

Welcome to The B-Side, from The Film Stage. Here we talk about movie stars! Not the movies that made them famous or kept them famous, but the ones that they made in between. Today we return to discuss a living legend with a big, new, ambitious project. Perhaps his most ambitious project yet! Our subject is Kevin Costner, the great American filmmaker whose new film Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 is now available to rent or buy on VOD. Sadly, Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2 has been postponed to a later time in order to allow for a wider audience to discover Chapter 1. Our B-Sides this time around include No Way Out, Revenge, The Upside of Anger, and Let Him Go. Filmmaker Chadd Harbold joins us. His new film Crumb Catcher, directed by Chris Skotchdopole and produced by Harbold, is now in theaters. We discuss Costner’s origin story, his brilliance at self-mythology, his humble egotism, and the incredible run of success from 1987 through 1992. There’s the story of how Costner wanted to direct Revenge but lost out thanks to producer Ray Stark. There’s Madonna’s infamous reaction to Costner’s use of the word “neat” after one of her shows in Madonna: Truth or Dare (“Anybody who says my show is neat has to go.” Also, watch Warren Beatty age in real time). There’s the incredible chemistry between Costner and Diane Lane in Let Him Go (and Man of Steel for that matter). Costner is a relic of another time. He represents an ambition that does not really exist anymore in Hollywood. Celebrated and criticized in equal measure over these past four decades, here is an artist still striving for individuality and greatness. Be sure to give us a follow on Twitter and Facebook at @TFSBSide. Also enter our giveaways, get access to our private Slack channel, and support new episodes by becoming a Patreon contributor.