Interview with John Lee Hancock

AS: When were you approached to direct and how long did it take to work on the screenplay?

JLH: I’m not great with dates but when Ron Howard dropped
out as director, Dick Cook at Disney contacted me to
ascertain interest. I told him to give me a few days
to consider it. As much as it was already obvious
that the press was all over Disney on this one, I
couldn’t say no - I’m from Texas and The Alamo is my
favorite story of all time.

My interview with John Lee Hancock, director of The Alamo (2004), took place in late March of 2006.

AS: When were you approached to direct and how long did it take to work on the screenplay?

JLH: I’m not great with dates but when Ron Howard dropped
out as director, Dick Cook at Disney contacted me to
ascertain interest. I told him to give me a few days
to consider it. As much as it was already obvious
that the press was all over Disney on this one, I
couldn’t say no - I’m from Texas and The Alamo is my
favorite story of all time.

I began immediately working on a new draft of the
script which I turned around in fairly short order and
handed in. Based on that script Disney gave the
go-ahead. I continued to rewrite the script in little
bits, based on where we were in the shooting schedule
and actor’s strengths and weaknesses.

AS:What were the differences in the previous scripts?

JLH: Every prior script - Les Bohem’s, John Sayles and
Stephen Gaghan’s - was distinct. Les and John’s
scripts, while well written, were both a bit “Jeff
Long” for my taste. Gaghan’s draft hit more of the
personal complications existing within the characters
and served, emotionally, as a template for what I did.
There were several things that I came up with, ideas
that I knew would be controversial, but which, as a
director, I felt would deepen the drama. Crockett’s
“duet” on the rooftop and his execution come to mind.

AS: What was your focus to make your film different from previous Alamo movies?

JLH: I love these characters, especially Crockett, but felt
that in many of the movies they were almost comic book
superheroes. To my thinking, the fact that they were
flesh and blood, men with lives, families, faults,
etc. made their actions even more heroic.

AS: What were some of the toughest scenes that were shot?

JLH: From a strictly physical standpoint, the final assault
was the toughest. Months spent organizing from
dramatic and military perspectives, and six or seven
consecutive weeks of freezing cold nights. You go to
work at 2 or 3 in the afternoon, shoot, go home at
dawn, prep for two hours, sleep for four, get dressed
and do it all over again.

But, I have to say, it was also the most fun thing to
film.

AS: How were the working conditions?

JLH: Tough weather, tough logistics, tough film. That said
I honestly felt like everyone was there because they
wanted to be there. All the actors (don’t like to
call them extras) worked so very hard to bring reality
to the story. They inspired me every day.

Also, on a professional level, the crew, producers,
everyone was top notch, pros all. All the historians
that assisted, most especially Hardin and Huffines,
gave me a lot to think about and were fine gentlemen,
even when we disagreed.

AS: What were the obstacles you faced during filming ?

JLH: For all the tough conditions I’d have to say the
toughest was the barrage of negative press before we
ever started shooting. I foolishly thought that it
would die down. It never did so I just had to let it
go and make the movie.

AS: What was the biggest reward you got from making the movie?

JLH: Honestly just the process of working on the film. I’d
made that movie a thousand times in my backyard so
being able to do it for real was about as great an
experience as one could hope for.

AS: Any great memories or stories you remember from the set?

JLH : My first day with Billy Bob on the set was memorable.
It was a little scene of Davy waking up after the
first night of cannon fire. We shot it in just a
couple of hours and afterward I asked Billy if he was
okay with how I worked and if he thought we’d had a
good day. He smiled and said, “John Lee, I used to
work in a sawmill. A good day was when you came home
with both thumbs. This was a great day!”

AS: Many are wondering, will be get a Director’s Cut?

JLH: Your mouth to Mickey’s ear. Hopefully. I left all
the film and cuts in a fine position to jump back in
and do a longer cut. I’m satisfied with the film that
hit the marketplace but would love to lock a longer
version just to please myself and give you guys
something to argue about.

Hope this is okay, Wade.

John Lee Hancock

I want to thank John Lee Hancock for taking the time out of his busy schedule to take part in the interview!

~Wade