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Ten years after “ Whiplash ” took the film world by storm, Damien Chazelle’s breakthrough feature is returning to theaters nationwide Friday.
In 2014, “Whiplash" was the ultimate indie movie Cinderella story — a Sundance discovery made by a 20-something that that would go on to become both a box office hit and an awards darling: It won three Oscars, including for J.K. Simmons ’ portrayal of a semi-sadistic and ever quotable jazz ensemble instructor; launched Chazelle’s directing career into the A-list stratosphere; and established Miles Teller as a next generation movie star. Now, audiences will get another chance to experience it on the big screen.
Chazelle, Teller and Simmons spoke to The Associated Press recently about the re-release, their memories of the 20-day shoot (including when Teller accidentally broke his co-star's rib) and making something with staying power. Remarks have been edited for clarity and brevity.
CHAZELLE: It’s very cool, a little surreal. It doesn’t feel like 10 years. It’s fun to have a moment like this to relive it a little bit.
SIMMONS: It’s sobering to know that I’m 10 years older. It’s kind of shocking and kind of awesome that the movie actually holds up. I just saw it a few days ago in Toronto: That’s a good piece of cinema.
TELLER: This is the first time I’ve ever had a movie re-released. I’m still fairly young into my career, but it’s an incredible movie. The one thing that’s frustrating for me is that people just yell out at me all the time, “ not my tempo.” So that’s stuck around well.
SIMMONS: Maybe if you get the tempo right, that won’t be a problem.
TELLER: Maybe there is no right.
CHAZELLE: Yeah, why are you complaining?
TELLER: Only because they never say it when I do something good. It's usually if I’m playing in a charity golf tournament and I hit a bad shot, they say, “not my tempo!”
SIMMONS: I don’t tend to sit around and watch my movies time after time. When it was released, I watched it probably four times all the way through, which is three more times than usual. It’s just an amazing film to be in an audience for. I think it was Jason Reitman who asked for a show of hands who hasn’t seen the movie before, and at least a third of the audience — and these are movie people — hadn’t seen it.
TELLER: I’m bummed I couldn’t be at that one because I remember when we were at Sundance and at the Eccles Theater and everybody’s seeing it for the first time, and I just remember looking around and seeing all these silhouetted heads kind of bob to the music. You could just feel such a charge in the room. It plays so well in a theater, especially for people who haven’t seen it before.
SIMMONS: I couldn’t be there for that one because I was doing one of my several failed sitcoms. We keep having the same experience, but we’re not always able to share it in the same room at the same time.
CHAZELLE: Back when we released it, I have this memory of it always being either Miles or J.K. (at events and Q&As). I think someone commented how they must really hate each other.
SIMMONS: I mean, I wouldn’t say “hate” that’s not exactly the word I choose. That’s a joke...
TELLER: For a movie to start at Sundance, then go all the way to the Oscars? It just continued to show and really be celebrated. And now this? I love these guys. It was it was so much fun. It really was. It was a lot of work, but I had a ton of fun making it.
SIMMONS: It was an insane amount of work as limited budget indie films tend to be, especially for Miles. I actually had a day and a half off during the shoot. But I mean it was grueling as hell and one of the most thrilling creative experiences I’ve ever had.
SIMMONS: You had to bring it up.
TELLER: You’ve been milking that story for 10 years! I said, “Get a stunt double.” You said, “I’m fine.”
SIMMONS: I’ve since realized apparently, I’m just a fragile old fart because I’ve broken my ribs twice since then, too. Or maybe you just broke them so badly that they keep re-breaking. I don’t know! Stuff happens when you’re going quickly and when actors like me are dumb enough to go, "No, go ahead, tackle me to a wooden stage floor.” But, no, I didn’t get a day off after that.
TELLER: You powered through.
SIMMONS: Fortunately I was done with all the major screaming in the movie.
SIMMONS: I guess the “not my tempo” thing, too, which is weird because it’s like, “What do you mean?”
But it’s amazing to be part of something, especially something that started out as little. If you’re doing a Spider-Man movie or a big Tom Cruise movie, you expect to get that kind of response on the street from people because it’s iconic and they have the big marketing budget behind it and you know billions of people are going to see it. Something like this that started out as just a labor of love and a wonderful experience, and then it turns into something that becomes iconic? There are memes all over and it continues to have this this life. It is part of the culture now. It’s extra rewarding.
TELLER: Sometimes my wife will yell out “for the final father effing time” if she feels like I’m not moving at a good pace.
SIMMONS: Thank you, Keleigh! My god, what a great line.