LOS ANGELES: Tom Hanks recovered from the diagnosis of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that he and his wife Rita Wilson received in March, and with his newly recovered health, he is excited about the successful premiere of his new movie “Greyhound.” . “Hanks was kind enough to speak to Arab News about the film, its release, and the impact COVID-19 has had on the film industry and his own life.
Set during World War II, “Greyhound” tells the story of the American naval officer Ernest Krause, played by Hanks. He embarks on his first voyage as commander of the USS Keeling, known by his callsign “Greyhound”. Krouse and Keeling are responsible for escorting 37 ships in a dramatization of the real-life events known as The Battle of the Atlantic.
“The ships were filled with absolutely everything necessary to fight World War II, they were being attacked by German submarines, and if possible they would have sunk them all,” Hanks told us. “The war was going on and the Atlantic was a long battlefield, although very different from any other that existed.”
Despite the fact that the story is only inspired by true events, “Greyhound” puts historical precision and terminology front and center in a way that will appeal to both history buffs and war movie fans. With the focus on action and film in just over 80 minutes, the characters’ rhythms are few and far between. However, performances by Hanks and the rest of the cast keep the film from feeling like a historical re-enactment rather than a story.
Hanks did the double job on “Greyhound,” not only starring in the movie, but also wrote the script, making it one of the few movies the star has written.
“I didn’t want to do the job,” Hanks confided to us. “I expected someone else to do it, but no one else took it on. I had a feverish dream of desire to make it come true just so I could enjoy the vision of the film in my own head whether or not someone else would share it. ”
But after reading CS Forester’s 1955 novel “The Good Shepherd,” a book Hanks admitted he only read because he likes the cover, he knew he needed to see the story adapted.
“From the first page I started learning something I didn’t know,” he said. “I saw it communicated somehow through the eyes and experiences of a character and as soon as I made those two connections, I saw the possibility of a movie that would break the rules, which would be a type of movie that I had never seen before. “
After six years of preparation and production, the release of the film, along with the rest of the industry, was postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic. With theaters closed and some still to reopen, Hanks and the production team were forced to take a look at what they intended and what was realistic.
“We did it for a (movie) movie theater,” Hanks said. “The reality is that that doesn’t exist at the moment, so we had to ask ourselves the question: ‘What is the best option?'”
The answer, and where the public can log in to watch “Greyhound,” turned out to be Apple TV +. Not surprisingly, Hanks can take the change of plans in stride given what had already happened with COVID-19. He was one of the first public figures to detect the virus, becoming an unofficial face of the growing pandemic.
“There is no mystery here,” Hanks said in response to questions as to why he shared the news of his diagnosis. “We were not necessarily doing it to be altruistic. We were just saying, ‘Here’s the truth. This is what it is, we know nothing more than from the perspective of other people who criticize it, so we will include it in whatever we go through ‘because that is what it can do on social networks. “
The star joked: “On social media, people share the food they have night after night, so we did the same. It just turned out to be hospital food. “
Ultimately, Hanks is confident that despite not being in theaters, “Greyhound” on Apple TV + will provide viewers with an immersive experience. And while he accepts and embraces the streaming market, he believes there is no substitute for watching movies in theaters.
“I think when COVID-19 has run its course and history is made, whatever it is, theaters will come back into existence.”
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