Legendary Filmmaker Haskell Wexler Talks Truth Justice and Making Documentaries with Culver City News

To meet legendary Haskell Wexler is to meet Charles Dickens, Mahatma Gandhi, and Dr. Martin Luther King simultaneously. With the heart of Dr. King, spiritual depth of Gandhi, coupled with the writing and social critic talents of Dickens, no wonder his name is certain to be etched in the minds of the grand keepers of the world of cinematography. As expected, when I arrived he was on the phone, giving diligent attention to what seemed to be an editing issue. Will and Nick, who are a part of his award winning production team, greeted me warmly at the door. Shortly afterwards, we began the interview. His mood was whimsical and his spirit shone so brightly that one might wonder how he could possibly be 91. The question came up as to whether this legendary cameraman producer, director and cinematographer had an insider’s view into the lives of the suffering and politically downtrodden. Haskell in his way expressed that his mom raised him to be an honorable and trustworthy person and because of this, he would get a star on the fridge for upholding his mom’s teachings. This upbringing would take him all over the world into black communities, Hispanic communities and the general community of the seemingly little people who have voices loud enough to be heard. How did Wexler come to be? Haskell, a veteran, has seen war and been exposed to the inner workings of the government while he toured in the United States Merchant Marines in World War II. After attending the University of California, Berkeley, the icon made the decision to become a filmmaker. The 1967 interview of Wexler moderated by Roger Ebert shattered the previously held myth that men knew nothing of what it meant to multi-task. With a consistent focus on how some critical laws apply to some and not others, Wexler had become a legend in the area of not only multi-tasking, but brilliantly applied the skill to his making of quality films. This knowledge eventually led to the making of many documentaries including “The Living City” of which he won an Academy Award.

A native of Chicago, Haskell had the ability to capture an audience. He is  gifted at knowing how to project hurt, guilt, shame, and the viral effect of social in differences onto a screen. In documented cases, minorities are not given the same treatment as their European counterparts, why? Why are women treated, unequal to men? Why is it that veterans come home to a country that does not give them the basic support needed to transition from military to civilian life? These questions had to be answered by someone who had been in the trenches and Wexler had the ability to get those questions answered. Not all of them perhaps, but certainly enough of them, so that the people of not only the Chicago community, but communities for social change worldwide, thought him honest enough to tell their story, sincerely. Eventually those same people would help to shape a career that has spanned over 40 years. So how did we compare Haskell to Gandhi? One would think that a man that has seen just as many tears as smiles might lack compassion, be aroused to anger, or become numb to emotion, not this legend. The morals and do the right thing attitude instilled by his mother are evermore present. He fights for truth, justice, and social change with the vigor of a 20 year old. Oh, and please do not try to play the man for not having a lack of strength and energy, have you ever been on a film shoot with him? With the 2012 “Four Days in Chicago” under his belt of famous stories, one would hope there he might be a clone for future makers of film. The movie opened the door for the development of lifelong friendships and strong alliances. With the mental coolness of a silver fox, Haskell admits that Independent films are the new media. In his documentary, “Medium Cool” which his brother Jerold head of Jupiter Corp, a major holder of air rights over the Illinois Central RR tracks, produced, the docu-specialist turned local mayhem into social controversy. He used a TV news cameraman, a soundman, an uptown white widow, in addition to her young son. Although the characters were purely fictitious, Wexler, way ahead of Facebook plugged his characters into actual events that were happening all over Chicago during that time. Whenever Haskell visits, notables of the Chicago area get to have their moment of fame. He includes them as a piece of an interactive visual seen through his eyes. Wexler has strong feelings for the safety and security of the citizens that make up the fabric of America. While interviewing I asked, at any time while filming had he ever been afraid for his life, he said, “I’m not afraid of what they will do to my body, it’s here, (pointing to his head) that I would be concerned about.”

Haskell Wexler believes in the power of music and its ability to go straight to the heart. Music can cross cultures, and has the power to heal. Wexler is a man that is a remarkable keeper of time. He has an uncanny talent of calling out history while it is in the making. Haskell explained how in matters of civil and public unrest, there are people who are reactive not because they are insane, angry and hostile, but because things are not right. For all intent and purposes our government tries to cover up truth by layering reality in the guise of wars and economic instability. Murder is murder even when labeled as war games designed to make the public more politically correct.

Amongst the list of projects filmed by Wexler are, “In the Heat of The Night” with acclaimed actor, Sidney Poitier. The cinematographer influenced how studio productions would forever use lighting techniques when working with various types of skin tones, particularly ones of a darker hue. Other documentaries like, Mike Nichols, “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf”,  Elia Kazan’s, “America America”, “The Thomas Crown Affair”and Joseph Strick’s, “The Savage Eye” established him as one of the most acclaimed cinematographers in the industry. His filming technique used in “Medium Cool” is to date one of the most requested methods of study by aspiring film students.

When asked the final question about what he would be doing in the next ten years Haskell  replied, “trying to stay alive”. With modern day technology, his quick mind for learning and an inner drive for exploring while exposing the many facets of social unrest, staying alive for another ten years may be a dream that could very well come true.

For more information on Haskell Wexler, go to www.fourdaysinchicago.com.