CLOSE ENCOUNTERS

“We must go to Mars and I know how to do it!” he exclaimed. For what seemed like an eternity, I allowed him to rant, knowing that any interruption might break what fragile cooperation I’d been given to interview the second person to walk on the Moon. The passion Buzz Aldrin had for sending an astronaut to Mars caught me off-guard. As he spelled out in precise detail his plan, piercing blue eyes bore into me, pinning me to my chair inches away from him. If I looked away, I feared he’d grab me by the collar and shake me into submission. He delivered a compelling pitch, but seemed unconcerned with the enormous cost involved to build way stations and supply tons of fuel for the long mission.

We had been invited to his modest condo in Laguna to talk about Star Trek (under the guise of ‘great accomplishments in space history’), but I’d been told Buzz was no big fan of the TV show. As we set up, there was no telling this was the home of a hero, save for a few pieces of memorabilia. I was curious to hear what it was like to walk on the moon, who inspired him, and if shows like Trek inspire others to join the space program. Aldrin was more interested in discussing the faults of the space program than about himself or Star Trek. Eventually, I plucked out a few useful soundbites for my needs. Sadly, the meat of the interview remains on the cutting room floor, regardless of his fascinating insights.

Wally Schirra was the polar opposite of Aldrin. Full of laughter and whimsy, he admired Star Trek and Roddenberry’s clever use of ‘beaming up’ crew members from the planet surface to the Enterprise. I admire Schirra as one of the original Mercury 7 astronauts chosen to boldly go where none had gone before. Wally also provided one of my favorite stories as an interviewer. He told me that when he got the chance to fly to the Moon, he brought along special artifacts to leave behind. Not a flag. Not a plaque. Chicken bones. Yes, Chicken bones. Wally figured if the Russians ever landed on the Moon and ‘discovered’ the bones, they’d be dumbfounded; foolishly thinking life existed before Man arrived. And you thought astronauts didn’t have a sense of humor.

The Real Deal

"I have no doubt that there are some cases where a person has feigned some mental disorder and gotten the jury to believe it."

I recently interviewed Judge Roger Boren. Doesn't ring a bell? He was one of the key law enforcement figures who helped solve the Hillside Strangler Case in the late 1970's. I'm sitting in his chambers in downtown Los Angeles to discuss convicted killer Kenneth Bianchi's failed use of the insanity defense.

"I asked Dr. Martin Orne to come in-- one of the foremost experts in the world in hypnosis. His examination of him ended with the conclusion that he was faking the hypnosis and faking being a multiple personality."

Whenever I conclude an interview, I ask if there are photos or footage I can borrow for our documentaries. Thankfully, I've enlisted Roger's trust --Boren pointing out that other filmmakers have not been so lucky-- because out of hiding comes a very special box. I'm allowed to rifle through all of the contents. But it takes a moment to don on me that these are actual case files with photos. The real deal. Having been exposed to so much CSI-type TV, it took me a moment to realize what I'm looking at--Polaroids of the crime scenes with the Hillside Strangler’s female victims, often nude. Nausea comes over me as I try to gracefully put away the contents. The images would haunt me for many days.

FIRST GERE

"People think oh fine, you take your clothes off and you go out. It’s not that easy to make it something that’s just not, a burlesque turn..to make it meaningful, ... that’s really admirable."

Dateline: Zagreb. Post-War Croatia. I’ve been given the green light to fly 16 hours for 30 precious minutes of face time with a major movie star--Richard Gere. I’m in a luxury hotel suite deciding what would make the most impressive backdrop for his on-camera interview. But why am I knee deep in Eastern Europe? Because Gere’s filming a story nearby that deals with the Bosnia conflict. I’ve no clue how cooperative this busy actor will be since the local paparazzi are hounding him and rumors are flying about a sordid affair with a female co-star.
Moments after we’ve properly lit the scene, Gere whisks in with his entourage: a high-end Italian makeup artist and hair stylist , a protective British publicist and an imposing Yugoslav bodyguard. After a brief exchange Richard disappears with his coiffeurs. I’m left chatting up the hulking bouncer. He fits the James Bond villain mold—all muscle and menace in a black pinstripe suit.
Gere returns a short time later wearing a blue denim shirt and jeans. Surprisingly casual. As we review the questions, I’m thrown off balance by his charm, easy-going manner, and lack of ego. He’s a regular guy. In fact, off camera we talk about our kids. Couple of dads swapping family stories. He shares his frustration for not being able to show his young son some of his best movies due to their explicit nature. “Officer and a Gentleman” No. “American Gigolo.” Afraid not.
Just before we launch into my questions, I make a point of thanking him for his humanitarian efforts and helping the Dalai Llama. Perhaps that helped, because the short window I planned for becomes a breezy hour of candid, revealing conversation. He freely talks about working on the film, including the difficulty of shooting nude scenes with Debra Winger (see above quote).

"The sexual burden was really on her during the movie and, and it’s not easy doing that,
she was always struggling to make it as powerful and as true as she could-- that’s really admirable."

Gere lets his guard down, revealing that at the time he was still trying to prove himself as an actor. He also admits how wrong he was about filming the climactic 'Lift Us Up Where We Belong" scene.

"We can’t shoot that scene, it’s never gonna work, never. It’s totally hokey. I’m gonna get pissed off shooting it.. and I picked up Debra and I took her out and I said okay, we’re done with that, it’s never going to be in the film (Laughter). What do I know?"

It also helps learning that making the film was one of the highlights of Gere's career. In comparison, this interview is one of mine.