Jerry Bruckheimer (Detroit, 1943) has gone from demon to angel as quickly as the boomers took over power. The father of the modern blockbuster was singled out in the 80s as directly responsible for the infantilization of the film industry because of movies like Flashdance, Top Gun, or Beverly Hills Cop. Then came The Rock, Armageddon, or Pirates of the Caribbean. And so on until, years later, nostalgia turned everything that used to be harmful into gold. Now, with F1, by Joseph Kosinski, about to land on the Apple+ platform, the producer of producers reflects on the future of cinemas, AI, and the strenuous and inexplicable mystery of being a star.
It has always been said that cinema and the automobile were born at the same time on an assembly line... Is there an explanation for your fascination with cars from Days of Thunder to F1?
It's in my DNA. I grew up in Detroit, the car capital.
It is rare these days to see a film aimed at the general public that is not a sequel or part of a franchise. This is not the case with F1. Is Hollywood running out of ideas?
I don't know, I can only speak for myself, and all I can say is that this business doesn't make sense without taking risks. In this case, very few believed in the movie. Formula 1 fans in Europe were convinced that we didn't understand anything. Also, in the United States, it is not a very recognizable sport or brand. But then things started to fall into place. Initially, Apple+ instead of releasing it on its platform immediately, kept it in theaters and it became one of the few productions that survived the months of July and August in IMAX, which is the best way to watch and enjoy it.
You mentioned movie theaters, a big issue today. Do you miss the time when there was no competition with streaming?
When I was a child, my mother would drop me off at the movies on a Saturday when I was 10 or 11 years old, and I would watch two movies and a short film. I wouldn't trade that experience for anything, and I would like to pass it on to the new generations. That's why I make movies like Top Gun Maverick or F1 now. And despite the bad omens, you see that people respond. Not all is lost. If the experience is worth it, theaters will continue to fill up.
Your name is associated with High Concept cinema, which was the flagship of blockbusters in the 80s...
Yes, and it's a very simple idea. It's about being able to describe a movie in a single line. It's very simple.
In fact, some have blamed you for that simplicity. Even that type of cinema has been pointed out as the great betrayal of the New Hollywood of the 70s, with Coppola, Scorsese, or Bob Raphelson. Do you think that's fair?
No. It was a time when we were lucky. The business conditions were different. Movies, both good and bad, had more opportunities. Now, you can bring in a lot of people the first weekend, but if the movie doesn't work, it's over. Social media works perfectly, and there's no way to deceive the audience with marketing campaigns. In the 80s, some advertising executives would tell me clearly: "We fooled them." They knew when something wasn't good, but they knew how to do their job. That's not possible today.
You worked with Paul Schrader on American Gigolo and Schrader is one of those who thinks that the time of movie theaters is over.
Streaming has put a kitchen in every home. Now you only go to the movies or a restaurant if the menu is extraordinary, if the experience is worth it. Before, you fed yourself in movie theaters. Now it's not like that. To go out, you have to be sure, whether by your friends or whoever, that you're going to enjoy it. It's not worth lamenting the reality.
You have worked with Tom Cruise, Eddie Murphy, Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt... What makes a star?
First, they have to be a good actor. Second, they have to be good-looking. And third... There's no explanation for the third. They have to have an inexplicable magic. It happens, and that's it.
What do the young Tom Cruise from Top Gun and the veteran Tom Cruise from Top Gun Maverick have in common?
Their knowledge of the job. Tom is special. Over time, he has developed a unique wisdom in all aspects of his craft. He knows everything about everything, from marketing to scriptwriting to every production process. He's a better producer than I will ever be. And he's also the best actor and the best stuntman. He can do everyone's job on set better than them. When you make a movie with him, you better have the best people around you because he detects them immediately.
Would you say that Javier Bardem is part of that group of stars?
Without a doubt. He is a brilliant actor, one of the best. Plus, he's very handsome. And not only that. He is undoubtedly the most charming, funny, and positive of the entire Star system. Pure charisma. He doesn't always play characters you love, but those are decisions he makes.
By the way, they are all men... Is Hollywood sexist?
There are certainly more male stars than female stars, but that is slowly changing. There are more female directors and actresses.
Is AI a threat or an opportunity?
It's simply a tool. I can't see the future, but it will come sooner than we think that in Silicon Valley, a movie will be created with completely digital characters based on real actors. Which means that the only certainty is that there will be all kinds of lawsuits.
Are you concerned about the conservative drift in your country? How do you think it will affect liberal Hollywood?
As long as we make movies and TV shows that people want to watch, there won't be a problem. Political discussions only go as far as money reaches. Liberal and conservative films will be made, and I assure you that both will stop being made as soon as people stop paying for them.
Why have you never made a superhero movie? Do you believe their time has passed?
Any form of entertainment for children, instead of them being out on the streets, is great for everyone. There is a large part of the audience that loves them, and we all want theaters to be filled. Nothing more to say about that.