Roger Donaldson: THE INTERVIEW

After 25 years of directing Hollywood blockbusters (No Way Out, Cocktail, Species), New Zealand-based Roger Donaldson delivers The World's Fastest Indian, an independent feature based on a documentary he'd made early in his career.

Both films focus on Burt Munro, a crusty New Zealander who comes to America to speed test his motorcycle on Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats.

MERIN: What's the difference between documentary and feature storytelling?

DONALDSON: Documentaries are hard to tell honestly. In fact, making a documentary convinced me to make dramatic films. It was in Chile after they overthrew Allende. There was fighting in the streets. I was with a group of guys sailing around Cape Horn on an adventure around Tierra del Fuego and the Straits of Magellan. Half these guys thought overthrowing this Communist was good, and half said he was democratically elected.

So, for three months, we had this divided crew on a boat. I didn't confront that in my documentary, and I've always regretted not embracing what was really happening-we were ready to throw each other overboard.

MERIN: Did you take liberties in Burt's feature?

DONALDSON: I used incidents I'd seen outside the documentary context-like when Burt fills cracks in his tires with black boot polish to fool the judges so they'll let him race. That Burt crashed his bike, burned himself and they wouldn't let him run because he hadn't registered was all true. But I added things-like Burt told me about the old Indian guy who helped him when he lost a wheel off his trailer, but what they talk about in the movie, that's me.

MERIN: What about Burt inspired you?

DONALDSON: There's something about his wanting to go fast that's Zen-like. It doesn't make much sense other than to say you've done it.

To me, that's the same as mountaineering and other pursuits that put you in contact with danger. You wonder why you do it. I think people-males maybe more than females-love to get in touch with their mortality, to confront how far they'll go before saying enough.

MERIN: Is there a signature theme in your films?

DONALDSON: I see my handwriting in both the documentary and this film.

It's hard to describe that handwriting, but the films have a common theme. I guess it's my interest in relationships.

When you make successful Hollywood films-like No Way Out and The Bounty, for me-that's what people think your interests are. And they are-I enjoy good thrillers, epic dramas. So, I got to direct Thirteen Days and The Recruit. But the movies I personally love, that I'd like to make more of, are like this one. When asked my favorite movie, I think of My Life as a Dog. It's a great story about what crap life can be, but you find humor in it. People have ups and downs. Grin and bear it. Nobody gets off scot-free. Everyone's story would make a great film if you find the humanity it-no matter who they are, what age, what sex.

MERIN: Your studio films have been successful, yet studios passed on World's Fastest Indian. How'd you get the film made?

DONALDSON: Coincidentally, when my wife was working in Tokyo and a Japanese film distributor asked her if I had any personal project they might finance, out came this script. They loved it, wanted to put money in it. Next came the independent filmmakers' nightmare roller coaster-an investor pulled out after a week of shooting. Then the New Zealand Film Commission and New Zealand Film Fund put some money in. Finally, my co-producer and I financed a third of it. So the movie's very personal-financially and creatively.

MERIN: The Bonneville Speedway scenes are spectacular. How were you able to capture the sense of speed on film?

DONALDSON: After years of directing action sequences, you know what works. But this was challenging. Speed has to be shown as relative to something else, but Bonneville's wide open. So, to create the feeling Burt's really going fast, and that you're with him on his bike, you have to find other ways to convey the sense of speed. We shot the racing sequences and stunts for real, and then worked with green screens.

MERIN: Anthony Hopkins is brilliant as Burt. How did you convince him to take the role?

DONALDSON: After we worked together on The Bounty, we were ready to kill each other. But we ran into each other several years ago, and decided to make another film together. We discussed a Hemingway project that hasn't transpired. But, as a result of getting together on Hemingway, I showed him this script. He said he'd love to do it. He ran with the character, found the heart and soul, subtlety and nuance and delivered my lines as though the character thought of them at the moment he's saying them. As a director, you're only as good as your cast.

Anthony's an awesome actor. I was lucky to have him in my film.