Hollywood Dreams with Henry Jaglom and Tanna Frederick
April 21, 2008

Iconoclastic independent filmmaker Henry Jaglom has been making movies for more than 35 years, and like such past projects as New Year’s Day (1989), Venice/Venice (1992), Last Summer in the Hamptons (1995) and Festival in Cannes (2001), his latest movie, Hollywood Dreams (Rainbow Films/TLA, Street: May 6) is a loosely structured, dialogue-driven piece from the semi-autobiographical school of filmmaking. It concerns an aspiring actress from Mason City, Iowa--played by Tanna Frederick--who moves to Hollywood to pursue her dream. As this is a Henry Jaglom film, it’s no surprise that Frederick is also from Mason City, Iowa and traveled to Hollywood to do much of the same. The Jaglom/Frederick collaboration has already yielded a second film, the as-yet-to-be-released Irene in Time, and the pair is currently planning their third. I spoke with them on the phone last week and am unsurprised to report that we had a loose, extended phone chat that played a bit like the audio track on one of Jaglom’s films. 

VB: Mr. Jaglom and Ms. Frederick, hello! For starters, may I refer to you as Henry and Tanna?

TANNA FREDERICK: Of course!

HENRY JAGLOM: It’s going to turn out to be a more exciting form of interview than any of the others you’ve tried.

VB: Henry, I’ve been watching your films for many years now, while I’ve been reading a whole lot about you lately, Tanna. And, of course, I’ve seen Hollywood Dreams, so I’m sorta feeling like I’m familiar with both of you, but on different levels.

HENRY: I’m personally glad it’s on different levels. And it should be.

VB: I’m thinking about the classic director/leading lady relationships in the history of Hollywood—like the Marlena Dietrich/.Joseph von Sternberg collaborations and so on.

HENRY: I hope we’re a little looser than that. I think we’re closer to John Cassavetes and Gena Rowlands.

VB: You know, I was going to say that, but I didn’t know how you were going to feel about that. I know that there are many who like to quickly categorize you as a Cassavetes-like independent filmmaker.

HENRY: I think it’s accurate in a sense. I think I think there are a lot of wonderful examples of filmmakers who are inspired at different points by actresses and do some of their most interesting work as a result of that inspiration. Mia Farrow, for example, when she came into the orbit of Woody Allen—that applies here. I simply feel a kind of creative thrust which has been launched within me when I met Tanna.

TANNA: Whoooaaaaaaa! Keep going, Henry!

Check back later in the week for second installment of my three-part interview with Tanna Frederick and Henry Jaglom.

Posted by Laurence Lerman on April 21, 2008 | Comments (1)