Environment Archive

  • In his latest film, The Way Back, COLIN FARRELL plays a Russian criminal who escapes from a Siberian Gulag during the Second World War. Inspired by a true story, the film is director Peter Weir’s first since 2003’s Master and Commander. Here Farrell talks about criminal tattoos, practising patience, and the challenges of filming in freezing conditions. MMM: What was the appeal of playing Valka? Farrell: I’d probably say the most exciting prospect of working...

    Colin Farrell – The Way Back

    In his latest film, The Way Back, COLIN FARRELL plays a Russian criminal who escapes from a Siberian Gulag during the Second World War. Inspired by a true story, the film is director Peter Weir’s first since 2003’s Master and Commander. Here Farrell talks about criminal tattoos, practising patience, and the challenges of filming in freezing conditions. MMM: What was the appeal of playing Valka? Farrell: I’d probably say the most exciting prospect of working...

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  • SAOIRSE RONAN stars in director Peter Weir’s latest film The Way Back, the story of a group of men who escape from a Siberian Gulag in 1940. Ronan chats about running on ice, Polish accents, and food poisoning on location. MMM: You joined the rest of the cast after they’d started filming, just as your character Irena joins the Gulag escapees part way through their journey. What was that like for you as an actress?...

    Saoirse Ronan – The Way Back

    SAOIRSE RONAN stars in director Peter Weir’s latest film The Way Back, the story of a group of men who escape from a Siberian Gulag in 1940. Ronan chats about running on ice, Polish accents, and food poisoning on location. MMM: You joined the rest of the cast after they’d started filming, just as your character Irena joins the Gulag escapees part way through their journey. What was that like for you as an actress?...

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  • Director ANDREW THOMPSON is used to filming in hostile environments, but that was no preparation for the risks involved in making his feature-length documentary MUGABE AND THE WHITE AFRICAN in Zimbabwe. The film follows Mike Campbell, a 74-year-old farmer who dares to take Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe to an international court over the country’s ‘Land Reform’ policy. Set against the backdrop of the 2008 presidential elections, Mugabe and the White African is a powerful tale...

    Andrew Thompson – Mugabe and the White African

    Director ANDREW THOMPSON is used to filming in hostile environments, but that was no preparation for the risks involved in making his feature-length documentary MUGABE AND THE WHITE AFRICAN in Zimbabwe. The film follows Mike Campbell, a 74-year-old farmer who dares to take Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe to an international court over the country’s ‘Land Reform’ policy. Set against the backdrop of the 2008 presidential elections, Mugabe and the White African is a powerful tale...

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  • Thirty-five years ago when BOB LARBEY’s latest sitcom with writing partner John Esmonde hit the small screen, he had no idea that over three decades later it would still hold such a fond place in the nation’s heart.   That sitcom, which became a British TV comedy classic, was THE GOOD LIFE. Starring Richard Briers as 40-year-old Tom Good and Felicity Kendal as his wife Barbara, the series follows the pair as they pack in...

    Bob Larbey (writer) – The Good Life

    Thirty-five years ago when BOB LARBEY’s latest sitcom with writing partner John Esmonde hit the small screen, he had no idea that over three decades later it would still hold such a fond place in the nation’s heart.   That sitcom, which became a British TV comedy classic, was THE GOOD LIFE. Starring Richard Briers as 40-year-old Tom Good and Felicity Kendal as his wife Barbara, the series follows the pair as they pack in...

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  • In her latest feature documentary Dirty Oil, director LESLIE IWERKS goes behind the scenes of Canada’s oil sands industry to uncover the impact of Alberta’s ‘black gold rush’ on its residents. Narrated by Canadian actress Neve Campbell, Dirty Oil premieres in the UK on 15th March, before opening throughout the UK on the 19th March. MMM: How did you get involved with Dirty Oil? Iwerks: First of all, it’s a story that hasn’t really been...

    Leslie Iwerks (director) – Dirty Oil

    In her latest feature documentary Dirty Oil, director LESLIE IWERKS goes behind the scenes of Canada’s oil sands industry to uncover the impact of Alberta’s ‘black gold rush’ on its residents. Narrated by Canadian actress Neve Campbell, Dirty Oil premieres in the UK on 15th March, before opening throughout the UK on the 19th March. MMM: How did you get involved with Dirty Oil? Iwerks: First of all, it’s a story that hasn’t really been...

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  • Inspired by writer ERIC SCHLOSSER’s Fast Food Nation, new documentary Food, Inc lifts the veil on the food industry. Film journalist Jan Gilbert caught up with Schlosser during his recent trip to London where he chatted about veggie libel laws, the huge cost of legal bills, and Polish hog factories.         MMM: How much of an issue was finding funding to make Food, Inc Schlosser: Funding was a difficulty because we really...

    Eric Schlosser (writer, producer) – Food, Inc

    Inspired by writer ERIC SCHLOSSER’s Fast Food Nation, new documentary Food, Inc lifts the veil on the food industry. Film journalist Jan Gilbert caught up with Schlosser during his recent trip to London where he chatted about veggie libel laws, the huge cost of legal bills, and Polish hog factories.         MMM: How much of an issue was finding funding to make Food, Inc Schlosser: Funding was a difficulty because we really...

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  • SAM WORTHINGTON (Terminator Salvation) and ZOE SALDANA (Star Trek) talk about seeing their avatars for the first time, keeping up with writer-director James Cameron, and rehearsing in rainforests. MMM: What was it like seeing the Avatar versions of yourselves for the first time? Saldana: It blew my mind. Jim would always incorporate us in the process of the results that we would get from Weta [effects specialists] and all the other companies we were working...

    Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana (actors) – Avatar

    SAM WORTHINGTON (Terminator Salvation) and ZOE SALDANA (Star Trek) talk about seeing their avatars for the first time, keeping up with writer-director James Cameron, and rehearsing in rainforests. MMM: What was it like seeing the Avatar versions of yourselves for the first time? Saldana: It blew my mind. Jim would always incorporate us in the process of the results that we would get from Weta [effects specialists] and all the other companies we were working...

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  • JAMES CAMERON chats about the politics of Avatar,his deep sea inspirations, and reuniting with Aliens star Sigourney Weaver. Now Avatar’s finally out there, how do you feel? Cameron: So relieved! We can hold our heads high that we got the picture done on time by the skin of our teeth. It’s been a very lengthy process. It’s really just a huge relief to let people see it and stop talking about it. You worked with...

    James Cameron (writer-director) – Avatar

    JAMES CAMERON chats about the politics of Avatar,his deep sea inspirations, and reuniting with Aliens star Sigourney Weaver. Now Avatar’s finally out there, how do you feel? Cameron: So relieved! We can hold our heads high that we got the picture done on time by the skin of our teeth. It’s been a very lengthy process. It’s really just a huge relief to let people see it and stop talking about it. You worked with...

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  • SIGOURNEY WEAVER chats about teaming up with James Cameron for the first time since Aliens, youthful avatars, and the changing face of acting. MMM: What was it like seeing the Avatar version of yourself for the first time? Weaver: We all had renderings of our Avatars when we were doing our performance capture and for me Grace had such a haunting face. I think because her human life is so guarded and armoured that the...

    Sigourney Weaver (actress) – Avatar

    SIGOURNEY WEAVER chats about teaming up with James Cameron for the first time since Aliens, youthful avatars, and the changing face of acting. MMM: What was it like seeing the Avatar version of yourself for the first time? Weaver: We all had renderings of our Avatars when we were doing our performance capture and for me Grace had such a haunting face. I think because her human life is so guarded and armoured that the...

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  • BEN BURTT, Oscar-winning sound and character voice designer for Star Wars and ET, chats about finding inspiration in sonograms, songs from Hello, Dolly!, and enjoying the luxury of time working on Pixar animation WALLE. MMM: Legend has it that you use almost everything that comes into your life eventually as part of the sounds that you create, even sounds you heard while your wife was pregnant… Burtt: [Laughs] I’ve always found when you’re trying to...

    Ben Burtt (sound & character voice designer) – WALLE

    BEN BURTT, Oscar-winning sound and character voice designer for Star Wars and ET, chats about finding inspiration in sonograms, songs from Hello, Dolly!, and enjoying the luxury of time working on Pixar animation WALLE. MMM: Legend has it that you use almost everything that comes into your life eventually as part of the sounds that you create, even sounds you heard while your wife was pregnant… Burtt: [Laughs] I’ve always found when you’re trying to...

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