Very interesting stuff. And Yes, its not addressed always in the specific ways your talking about – at least not how the threatening to recut stuff – but it’s all alluded to (but as you say it was no blow-out and you can tell their relationships were as such).

In fact, at first i thought you were just regurgitating what was said exactly on the commentary tracks and making-of documentary which gives total credence to your story, i don’t doubt it for a second.

Everything you discussed is basically there in some form or another.

From what I heard from one of the film producers, the first script they made was almost un-produceable. It was full of car chase scenes, head on accidents and just all sorts of wild craziness. That’s why it went through re-writes for a year. Where Brooks and She (Polly Platt) would sit across from them, give them notes, and they would just quietly listen, without objecting and without promising to change anything. They, being Owen and Wes would just return a month later with many of the suggestions altered in the script. But she said it was actually a great move on Wes’ part because they felt like he was coming to it on his own terms and they felt Lucky that he made the changes instead of them being forced on him, or him being combative, or overly eager to please them.

To me it’s really incredible on a first feature they were given as much power as they where.. Mrs. Platt said that it all came from how much she believed in them, and the strength of the short. She just believed that Luke and Owen where movie stars and that Wes could direct… so the producing team gave him the freedom to not replace Luke and Owen etc. However it seems Brooks eventually lost some of that confidence, that or just believed in him self that much more.

She said there where conflicts with Brooks and Wes, not blow outs or fights even… but that Brooks at times would see the Dailies and threaten to go back and reshoot a scene, or direct a scene for Wes. She named the scene with Rocky in the wash room of the Hotel in particular.

Once the film wrapped, Brooks wouldn’t let editing begin until he was present… however his mother had just passed and his most recently film had bombed and it took about a year for them to get into the editing room and finish it.

At least this is what she told us all.. was wondering if any of that was in the DVD.. or if any kind of residue, can be seen in the way the gang talk about Brooks, or production.

All and all… I feel like criterion should pay you… I’ve been putting off buying Bottle Rocket for the day the Blue Ray collection starts… however….

Reading Rushmore is interesting too cause there’s all this unnecessary dialogue that Wes wrote but wisely cut out.

There’s not a ton, but like every 5th/6th line goes on a little too long and he either cut them out of editing or cut them on set which was smart.