Mosfilm Interview with Malcolm McDowell 8/22/04 for Mirror Wars

Malcolm McDowell : “I Am m Workaholic”
Lada Akimova

One of the most famous actors in Hollywood gave an exclusive interview during a shooting break. Malcolm McDowell has come to Russia for a second time. He came here for the first time in 1990 when he played the leading role in the film Assassin of the Tsar directed by Karen Shakhnazarov. This time Malcolm plays one of the leading roles in the picture of Vasily Chiginsky “Mirror Wars: SU-XX” which is being shot at Mosfilm in stage 10.
"My character is a former CIA-agent. He is not too good, yet not too bad, but very cynical. The script is interesting and unusual enough. The film is not so simple as Hollywood pictures. There are very many different layers in it. I am very glad to come back to Russia again," Malcolm explains.

You visited our country for the first time fourteen years ago. What, in your opinion, has changed since then?

MM: This is a different country. Surprising changes have taken place here. The whole of Moscow has been built up as if anew and wherever you look, there is some sort of action - new houses are being built everywhere. All of this looks very attractive. The studio has changed. The first time, having stayed here only an hour, I expected to see a whole pack of wild dogs (laughs). Everything has changed considerably, it has become very beautiful. I have heard, that a lot of films are being shot at the studio now, and my dear friend Karen Shakhnazarov is the big chief. Maybe, more films will be made. That would be very nice. There is new shooting equipment, new lighting equipment – with such equipment it is possible to shoot like in Hollywood. However I liked how it was done last time (for the filming of the picture “Assassin of the Tsar”) when the lamps were suspended on cords. And all film unit members made good use of their ingenuity. Probably, one could say that today everything works more professionally. But I do not know, how it would be possible to make the film the “Assassin of the Tsar” even more professionally. This film is among the favorites in my career. I like it very much. It seems to me, that it has been underestimated because when people see it they are greatly impressed. I had an opportunity to make sure of it. The film was shown at Lincoln Center in New York and I saw first hand that the audience liked it a lot. The camera work is just fantastic.

Your fans are interested to know what you do in your spare time.

MM: I have no spare time. I am a workaholic. I am traveling all the time, working in cinema or working at the theatre. I have a small son who is only six months old, he is my hobby at the present moment.

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