Steve James (Hoop Dreams, A Compassionate Spy)
Steve James, director of Hoop Dreams and A Compassionate Spy
The Dangerous Art of the Documentary · Double Elvis Productions, Tiller Russell
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Show Notes
Filmmaker Steve James burst onto the scene in 1994 with his iconic documentary, "Hoop Dreams", a film that is widely considered one of the great works of American nonfiction cinema. His latest film, "A Compassionate Spy", tells the incredible story of Manhattan Project scientist Ted Hall, who, fearing the post-war risk of a nuclear holocaust, shared classified nuclear secrets with the Soviets. In today's episode, Steve discusses with Tiller the lasting legacy of "Hoop Dreams" (2:30), why he's made films outside of the streamer system (5:15), why he chose to make "A Compassionate Spy" (10:35), trusting his gut instinct (17:50), the production plan for "A Compassionate Spy" (22:40), how Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" helped revitalize this time period for storytelling (34:40), and the shocking misconceptions he uncovered about WWII, Ted Hall, and the Military Industrial Complex (40:00).
Produced by: Jacob Miller
Executive Producer: Tiller Russell
Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk
Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions