Federico is a writer and journalist who joined the MovieWeb family a few years ago, bringing in his years-long experience as a critic of all kinds of films, especially indies.
He’s had the fortune of being part of several initiatives on the site. He’s one of the hounds catching breaking news from the other side of the world, and always on the lookout for upcoming streaming releases (especially within the horror spectrum).
At the moment, Federico is focusing on writing articles for the News and Features team, but you can find his insight on lists that mostly focus on ’80s cinema, classic horror, and true crime. Before joining MovieWeb, he navigated as a blogger, and eventually, found himself becoming a film critic. You can read some of his reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.
Marina Zenovich, the director of the upcoming Chevy Chase documentary I’m Chevy Chase, and You’re Not, breaks her silence on the experience of making the movie with the infamous comedian and actor. Chase, who was once one of the biggest comedy stars in the world, is well-known for his problematic behavior on the sets of his productions. He has shown violent behavior towards directors and co-stars, and often looks down on basically everyone who interacts with him. Now, as Zenovich showcases Chase in the highly anticipated documentary, she says that he wasn’t easy to interview, and she was a victim of Chase’s notorious antics.
Speaking with Variety, Zenovich reveals that early on, Chase showed he would not have mercy on her. The director says that when she explained she was there to try and “figure” him out, the 82-year-old comedian said it wouldn’t be “easy” because she wasn’t “bright enough.” Although he followed up with a grin (a scene that’s in the documentary), this interaction was enough to let her know she was facing her most difficult subject to date (she has made documentaries about Roman Polanski, Robin Williams, and Lance Armstrong). Nevertheless, she ultimately found a “way in”:
“I’d never done an interview where someone was so rude to me. But I was so worried going into that first interview with him about how I was going to say to him, like, ‘Everyone thinks you’re an assh*le.’ I thought if I did, he would throw me out of his house. So the minute he said that to me, I had a way in.”
Zenovich eventually found the way in. I’m Chevy Chase, and You’re Not does feature a side of the comedy legend that not many people know about, and perhaps one that he has kept hidden throughout his career. She adds:
“I wanted to figure out who was the real person behind the conflicted, guarded and somewhat fragile man we see on camera. What was behind the surface of his slightly intimidating superstar bravado? Was there any self-awareness there? Having interviewed Chevy at length, I have to say that yes, it’s all there – and a whole lot of pain and heartache too.”
Producer P.G. Morgan also added: “There were a lot of unknowns going into the interviews. Chevy is incredibly quick-witted and always on, so you have to be able to go toe-to-toe with him. He’s a bit intimidating as well, and we had a lot of stuff that we wanted to talk to him about – the good stuff and the touchy stuff.”
The Chevy Chase Documentary Features Various Comedy Stars – Including Some From ‘SNL’
I’m Chevy Chase, and You’re Not premieres on January 1 on CNN, when comedy fans will finally enter the mind of one very controversial movie star whose erratic behavior has transcended his status as a comedy legend. Chase is today considered an icon, but unfortunately, his comedy chops are not what he’s mostly remembered for.
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The documentary features interviews with Saturday Night Live cast members like Dan Aykroyd and Martin Short, and even show creator Lorne Michaels makes an appearance. Nevertheless, others simply said no when asked to be interviewed. When asked about Chase’s co-stars who decided not to be part of the movie (such as Steve Martin), and whether they didn’t like him because of his problematic ways, Zenovich said:
“I can’t answer for them, but I think that the absences speak for themselves. Whether it’s scheduling, personal, or saving it for their own doc. In the end, I think we got the right mix of people. I was initially disappointed that we didn’t get more people from Community, but there are things people don’t want to talk about.”
Follow Followed Chevy Chase Birthname Cornelius Crane Chase Birthdate October 8, 1943 Birthplace Woodstock, New York, USA
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