Keith Carradine Reflects on ‘Choose Me’ Entering The Criterion Collection

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Half a century since Keith Carradine’s Academy Award win for the film masterpiece “Nashville,” this esteemed actor continues to thrive in the acting realm. His latest high-profile crime thriller, titled “Laws of Man,” is now accessible on digital platforms and on demand. Meanwhile, his past works remain in the limelight, such as “Choose Me” (1984), which will soon join the Criterion Collection. A recent interview with MovieWeb found Carradine discussing both his latest project, “Laws of Man,” and the lasting influence of “Choose Me,” directed by Alan Rudolph.

Carradine shared with us that he and Alan were thrilled by the news, and they both participated in an on-camera conversation for additional footage. It was quite enjoyable, he added. Moreover, he mentioned his satisfaction knowing that Criterion has taken an interest in their project, giving viewers another opportunity to revisit it.

During our initial collaboration, it was on the set of Nashville where we crossed paths, with him serving as the 2nd Assistant Director,” Carradine elucidated. “Throughout the filming of Nashville, he began to create movies at the start of his directing career, starting with Welcome to L.A., and when we worked together on Choose Me, he had already directed several films in between.

After securing the opportunity to create “Choose Me”, it was a delightful instance since we were essentially given freedom to act within a meager budget that Alan had been allocated. This scenario is reminiscent of what Phil Blattenberger and the team here accomplished – when you strive for an achievement with scarce means at your disposal, creativity becomes crucial. And indeed, creativity was vital in producing “Choose Me”.

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After directing “Choose Me”, filmmaker Rudolph ventured into a diverse range of movies, and during our comprehensive interview, Carradine continued to extol his virtues. Not only does he speak from experience – Carradine has featured in numerous films directed by Rudolph, such as “Trouble in Mind”, “The Moderns”, “Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle”, and “Welcome to L.A.”. In praise of Rudolph’s work, Carradine stated, “I believe what emerges from his mind has withstood the test of time. I think it resonates even more strongly today than when it was first released.

What I admire about Alan is his unique perspective on people. He has a knack for seeing the humor in our interactions, the incongruities between what we value and what truly matters, and the absurdity that often underlies these situations.

Carradine stated, “I believe there are many similarities between him and Kurt Vonnegut in their perspectives on life, as Alan sees it. You see, we were both avid admirers of Vonnegut, and he even adapted ‘Breakfast of Champions’ into a movie. I think this is one of the reasons why Alan and I developed such a strong friendship; we share this common bond.

It would be great if they have an opportunity to work together again in a future film. In the interim, their latest collaboration, “Laws of Man” starring Carradine, can be enjoyed on-demand and digitally via Saban Films.

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2025-02-10 08:01