Barry Levinson Interview – SLEEPERS 30th Anniversary
Do you remember the movie Sleepers from 1996? I was a young boy when I first saw that movie, and it had a big impact on me. It was adapted from Lorenzo Carcaterra’s memoir about a troubling time in his youth. He grew up in Hell’s Kitchen, New York with his three closest friends. One day the accidentally killed a man with a hot dog cart and were sentenced to spend in a year in a boy’s juvenile home/reform school. He details the sexual and physical abuse they endured at the hands of the guards. Fast forward to when they are adults, and that traumatic time has forever left an imprint and is the catalyst for an act of revenge.
Sleepers had an all-star cast with Brad Pitt, Jason Patrick, Billy Crudup, Ron Eldard, Robert De Niro, Minnie Driver, and Dustin Hoffman. Director Barry Levinson (Rain Man, Diner, Wag the Dog) looks back at the film for a new 4K release to celebrate its 30th anniversary.
It was a real honor to sit down with Levinson to talk about:
- Our fascination with true crime
- Working the incredibly talent, but troubled Brad Renfro
- Collaborating with John Williams
Here’s my interview
