Here at BermanBraun we have many sister and brother sites, but it is not often that the content overlaps. However, our men's site Mandatory posted an interview today with Vin Diesel on the set of Fast and Furious 6. Reading it, I obtained a newfound respect for Diesel and the Fast and Furious franchise, which I wanted to share with the world of Screened.
I've often wondered (as I think we all have) how and why these movies are so damned successful. It is pretty uncommon for a series to yield six movies, let alone six movies that keep breaking the box office. Reading Diesel's thoughts, I now get that one of the reasons for that success is the films' helmers know who their audience is and how to appeal to it - in a way that many other films can't accomplish. I appreciate everyone involved for that. In fact, it kind of makes me want to see Fast and Furious 6 and all the ones I have missed.
Here is an excerpt from the Mandatory interview, with Diesel's thoughts on the new movie and the impact of social media:
"The whole game is online. There's no rhyme or reason. I think that the voice of the audience is louder and clearer than it's ever been, because of people's abilities to voice their opinions online, and people like me who listen, then go to the studio and say 'this is what they're saying.'"
Whether he's listening to his one-man Mori poll, or following his own instincts, Vin Diesel is absolutely clear in what he wants to achieve with this sixth outing as ex-con street racer Dominic Toretto. Having stepped away for number 2, he returned to the fold last time around, and now his pleasure in being heard by the studio is evident...
"I didn't do the second one (in the series)," he remembers. It felt like they were treating the sequel in the old-fashioned way, just exploiting the brand.
"One of the things I appreciate is they now approach it as a trilogy. When I came on to produce the fourth one, the question was, can we treat 4, 5 and 6, as a trilogy – films that speak to each other? I was always excited that, if you're going to do a sequel, you should approach it like Francis Ford Coppola, expand the story, one movie affects the next, and I think that's why it's successful.
"In the same way they're now thinking about the future of the franchise and whether they should immediately shoot 7, or wait until 8 and 9 are mapped out. So this is the third installment of the 2nd trilogy."
"Having stepped away for number 4, he returned to the fold last time around, and now his pleasure in being heard by the studio is evident..."
Not sure if you mean 2 or 3 since he wasn't in either of those and was in Fast & Furious (4)
Yea it is really surprising that the Fast Franchise is actually kind of loved unironically. It took till seeing Tokyo Drift for me to get into them and now Fast 6 is one of my most anticipated movies. THEY KILL A PLANE BETTER THEN JON McCLANE!
for more Fast love I'd recomment the V-Day Screened Pupcast, because when only one of your castmates likes romance films your goin to talk about Fast and Furious eventually. It's a love story....right!?! Also shout outs to litrock and his look at the fast franchise in totality.
If only they didnt have Paul fucking Walker.
God that guy drives me crazy. I'll never be able to tell my friends that the part of me that wanted to see these films is growing, all the more so with The Rock being involved. They know my disdain of Walker....
God damn it.
@MrMazz: Good catch. That was from the original interview. I'm having them fix it. :)
@MrMazz:
Vin Diesel actually appeared at the end of Part 3 in a very small cameo, in case you forgot about that.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing part 6.
I've liked Vin Diesel since he came on the scene. I remember being baked as hell the first time I saw Pitch Black, and I thought it was the greatest thing ever. Funny enough, I STILL think it's the greatest thing ever, and I'm stone cold sober. Now we have a new Fast movie this year (which if the trailer is any indication looks AWESOME), and we have a new Riddick movie in September...FINALLY!
I would die to play a D&D session with Vin.