THE STORYTELLER
MAKING MOVIES MATTER
Receiving the Thalberg, Zaentz gave us a glimpse into his sentiment for moviemaking,
“Passion is the immeasurable, indescribable factor that separates movie from movie. Passion moves freely across borders, speaks every language and flourishes in every culture. The movement of passion is the most gratifying satisfaction in any moviemaker’s life.”
 ZaentzThe legacy sits on his mantlepiece. |
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 Amadeus_edited.jpg |
 One Flew posterThere's a story behind every story, the one that concerns this movie has to do with Kirk Douglas. |
COMMENT:
Defending one's turf and fighting for what one believes in can be a tough sport. Saul Zaentz was once a professional gambler in his younger days, but even though he changed professions and industries, I think he always remained a gambler at heart. Always betting on the greatest odds. He did is best each time, and when he hit the slot, it was always a jackpot.
Zaentz: Passion Personified
Like a boxing heavyweight champion of the world, his title is daunting and towers well over the crowded roster of Hollywood producers. Zaentz received the Best Picture Oscar for three films, two of them directed by Miloš Forman—One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) and Amadeus (1984)—as well as for The English Patient (1996), directed by Anthony Minghella.
SAUL ZAENTZ
Films produced: 10
Best Picture Oscar wins: 3
Oscar wins for films produced: 22
Oscar nominations for films produced: 34
What's most unique about Zaentz's journey as a movie producer is that he hadn't made a movie until he had turned 50.
Saul Zaentz was a very successful music producer at Fantasy Records, and one artist relationship in particular caused him much disgrace: Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) frontman, John Fogerty. Much litigation followed for years. It got a lot of attention and Zaentz got a new reputation, nicknamed: Mr. Greed.
In Hollywood, this cannot be such a bad title to carry. Familiarity with ongoing litigation and the ability to follow-through relentlessly is also looked at as a strength. Zaentz would continue this even as a movie producer; as the owner of the rights to J.J.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, unleashing a flurry of lawsuits in the UK over businesses that used his trademark "Hobbit" without proper licensing. He also was in lawsuits with several of the studios regarding creative accounting practices over his film's final revenue sharing, which he felt cheated of.
Regardless of all this background noise, what stands unchallenged is Zaentz's ability to produce original, classic movies.
TIME article: Saul Zaentz: What Does a Producer Do, Anyway? By Richard Corliss Jan. 09, 2014
Film School Rejects: 6 Filmmaking Tips From Producing Titan Saul Zaentz By Scott Beggs on May 16, 2014