It may be a vacuum caused by the glut of overexposed inane celebrity socialites and reality-TV stars choking today’s pop cultural pipeline but filmmaker Derik Murray senses there’s a growing hunger for Hollywood’s nostalgic past. In fact the founder and creative force behind Network Entertainment is such an advocate of yesterday’s fame that he’s created a bit of a cottage industry with a growing series of documentary movies about pop idols that passed away before their time.
“When you have someone that’s highly talented and fate takes over and they leave us at such an early age there’s no question that creates this mystique that further amplifies who they were” says Murray from his Vancouver office. “I think quite frankly the talent and the uniqueness and character that got them to that point in time — that’s what you hold on to.”
Informally called the “I Am” series Murray has recently produced biographical features about legendary stunt daredevil Evel Knievel and martial arts master Bruce Lee. Making its broadcast première on HBO Canada this Saturday Murray’s latest tribute is dedicated to one of cinema’s most indelible idols — Steve McQueen.
The straight-shooting star behind such early action classics as Bullitt and The Great Escape may have died somewhat suddenly in 1980 but the charismatic thespian’s legacy is everlasting. Murray’s I Am Steve McQueen investigates everything from the actor’s early life tweaking tanks in the military to his final days living in relative solitude. It’s his work however that continues to be remembered by critics and adored by fans to this very day.
“A lot of guys played certain characters but Steve McQueen that’s who he was” says Murray about his film’s famous subject. “One thing that became loud and clear if you look at where Steve came from and how he was able to put his life together and create a career and success to the point where he was the highest paid movie star in 1974 — no matter where you begin dream big and be yourself.”
McQueen wasn’t just straight up about his acting either. Known as much for his love of vehicles as his on-screen roles it was often said the Indiana-born talent was never really sure if he was an actor who raced or a race-car driver who acted. The film especially highlights this aspect of McQueen’s life and his obsession with speed — which the actor tried to utilize in his movie productions as much as he could.
“There’s no question that cars or motorcycles if he could write that into the script and push that through that was something he was passionate about” says Murray. It is a characteristic that Murray shares with McQueen. Having raced cars himself when he was younger Murray understands what may have motivated the King of Cool.
“When you race you can’t think of anything else. If you think of anything else except precisely everything that’s in front of you at that moment — you’re out of the race” says Murray. “I think for Steve it was (those) times that anything that he was conflicted about or the pressures or his upbringing — he could just get behind that wheel focus and go.”
It’s hard to fathom that an actor who carefully controlled his own destiny would have any built-up stress to release. To put McQueen’s level of fame into context his status then was on par with today’s Brad Pitt or Ryan Gosling. Which raises the question — are there any actors in Hollywood that measure up to McQueen’s artistic autonomy? Murray doubts it.
“When an individual breaks through (today) and becomes a star of consequence there’s such a big machine around them that it’s hard to penetrate who they are” says Murray. “This guy was himself whether he was on-screen or whether you spent time with him. At the end of the day when he said ‘I live for myself and answer to nobody’ that imparted the idea of independence or authenticity or freedom. I think we would all like a little more of that back in our lives.”
