听 After working in television, British writer/director Dominic Savage made his big screen debut with Love + Hate. Using a cast of unknowns, he managed to coax "strong performances" for this critically acclaimed story of love across the racial divide. Unfortunately it didn't set the box office alight as UK moviegoers opted instead to watch the likes of Tom Cruise in M:I3, Confetti and Scary Movie 4...
The Passion
A behind-the-scenes featurette visits the Lancashire set and focuses on Savage's dogged pursuit of realism. He calls it a "naturalistic ethos" where he tries to get the actors to do the opposite of acting, ie "to be themselves". Grange Hill alumnus Tom Hudson reflects on how unnerving this was, especially during his audition for the part of Adam. He recalls, "I walked out of the audition thinking, 'I've just revealed my whole life to that man and I've only just met him!'" Meanwhile Nichola Burley (who plays Michelle) reflects on a scene where her onscreen father physically assaults her for dating an Asian boy. It was a frighteningly real experience and after Savage called cut she says, "I was shook up. I couldn't talk."
Caught In the Act
Savage expands on his methods and/or madness in his commentary with the cast. He says that he wanted to shoot the film chronologically to help the actors grow with their characters, but that wasn't always possible. And there were other reasons this didn't work. For instance, on the day that Samina Awan began shooting, her character Naseema was also starting her first day at work. But instead of being nervous, Awan remembers, "I kept being really smiley and you [Savage] kept telling me to stop it." Later, Savage discusses the problem of allowing actors to improvise. "It's hard to keep a sense of the story," he says. But in the end his risk-taking produced great results. "It was freeing but terrifying as well," says Hudson. "You really had to know how you [as the character] felt."
Although this DVD offers just a small set of extras, these are sharply focussed and afford plenty of insights into the process of collaboration between a director and his cast. For those who are worried that 鈥榬ealism' translates as 鈥榞ritty and depressing', you'll be surprised to find that Love + Hate boasts a credible streak of optimism that should be welcomed with open arms on the small screen.
EXTRA FEATURES
