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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 20, 1985)
September 20 through 26 BAl 1 o — Movie directors help Spielberg with TV anthology By BOB THOMAS Staff Writer LOS ANGELES — The 1985-86 season may not bring a second Golden Age of Television, but there is hope for improvement when these figures are directing series: Steven Spielberg, Clint Eastwood, William Friedkin, Martin Scorsese and Michael Crichton. Directors who normally work on $20 million productions have lately been turning out TV seg ments on $500, 000 budgets and five-day sched ules. Money isn't the reason; they are paid nor mal salaries for television. Then why are big names working for the small screen? "I did it because Steven called me," said Peter Hyams ("2010"), referring to Steven Spielberg, who has created Amazing Stories" for NBC. "He told me, 'I'd really like you to do this.' I'm such an admirer of his, almost to the point of being awe struck, that I couldn't refuse. He is trying to make a difference in television, trying to make it better, and I feel he should be supported." Others who have answered Spielberg's call: Clint Eastwood, Martin Scorsese ("Taxi Driver," "Raging Bull"), Paul Bartel ("Eating Raoul," "Lust in the Dust"), Bob Clark ("Porky's"), Irvin Kershner ("The Empire Strikes Back," "Never Say Never Again") and Joan Darling ("First Love"). Spiel berg also has written episodes and directed for the series. Eastwood is not the only actor to join Spiel berg's TV crew. Burt Reynolds is scheduled to di rect a segment of "Amazing Stories," as well as an "Alfred Hitchcock" episode. Timothy Hutton, the Academy Award winner from "Ordinary People," will direct an episode from a story idea he submitted. "Grandpa's Ghost" will mark Hutton's directorial debut out side the music video field. Hutton directed the Cars' hit music video, "Drive." "Amazing Stories" is not the only new series to attract feature directors. NBC's "Alfred Hitchcock" has hired Richard Pearce ("Country"), Michael Crichton ("Wesfworld"), John Milius ("The Wind and the Lion") and John Byrum ("Heart Beats"). "The onthological formats of some of the new shows is conducive to attracting these directors," said Chris Crowe,, executive producer of "Alfred Hitchcock." "What appeals to them is the chance to put their own stamp on a smaller film. Natu rally, we can't pay them what they're worth. But they enjoy making a picture in five days ... with out being in view of the critics, as they always are in major productions." Crowe observes: "Many of the directors were hiring enjoy returning to the early days of their careers. It's like going back to their roots. 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