While I don’t follow the movie industry too closely, I do live in Hollywood, and I’d heard stories through the grapevine about director David O’ Russell and some on set antics. I’m not one to make assumptions about people until I’ve met them myself but, needless to say, I had a bit of nervous anticipation about taping a Guest DJ Project set with him – mostly excitement because I love all of his movies, particularly his latest “Silver Linings Playbook”, which he also wrote and is nominated for oodles of awards. In fact, it made history by being the first movie in 31 years to receive nominations in all acting categories for the Academy Awards! It’s also nominated for the Best Picture Oscar.
When he arrived at the studio, I was won over by his seemingly boundless energy and enthusiasm. It was immediately clear that his love for moviemaking couldn’t be separated from his love of music – they were closely weaved together, so much so that a song his dad sang to his mother around the house, one of his earliest childhood memories, appears in Silver Linings.
This Guest DJ set is a really interesting insight into the relationship between music and film (very fitting since KCRW was just at Sundance over the weekend!) and into the man himself.
David O. Russell by KCRW’s Guest DJ Project
Also, I have to mention that David decided to donate to KCRW on the spot, offering host Anne Litt a$5,000 donation check at the end. (Not really, it was scribbled on a piece of paper, but it was a nice gesture. )
RR