US Premiere of “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2” – 40th Santa Barbara International Film Festival

Quotes from the Panel:

Kevin Costner – Writer/Director/Producer/Actor

• Kevin started the panel by reflecting on the Western myth, saying “We were told, if we can get across that Atlantic Ocean, there was a place, it was like the Garden of Eden, and if you were mean enough and tough enough, you can make it yours. And that dream that brought people across the Atlantic was a nightmare for people who had been here for fifteen thousand years.”

• Speaking to the key role women played in the film, Kevin stated “I was always bothered that we didn’t have more women in our Westerns, because there was no Western without women.”

• Kevin also addressed the timeless quality of the film, noting “There’s salesmen in every century, there’s liars in every century. There’s heroism and there’s cowardice in every century. We shouldn’t be surprised that we’re not too different than these people.”

• Kevin also talked about the sheer beauty of the film, and movies in general, mentioning that “It’s the little things in life that catch us. Movies are about details you never ever forget.”

• In closing, Kevin shared “I’m a romantic about what we can be and what we are. I would also like to just say to you as we end the night, thank you for honoring film and filling this theater. I want to thank Roger, he brought film from around the world here. I just want to note, this is my home, this is where I make my home, and you made me feel like a giant tonight. Thank you!”

John Debney – Composer

• Talking about his inspirations for the film, John shared “I think that Horizon One and Two are truly the first films where I didn’t realize till midway through the process that I was being inspired by not only the incredible scenery and what Kevin put on screen, and not only the incredible acting, but I realized that the costumes were speaking to me. And that doesn’t happen often. I think it was the care that Kevin and Lisa took.”

• Talking about the approach of his work, John shared the focus of the main themes in the movie, saying “One of the things that Kevin and I spoke about early was the idea of a beautiful voice, the inner voice of these incredible women that just take over the screen. There is a Hayes theme, an Ellison Hayes theme that I quite enjoy whenever Kevin comes on the screen. And then there’s an overall noble theme that I hope exemplifies all sides – our Native Americans, our settlers – the incredible story of all these people. This cacophony of life that they brutally, steadfastly pushed on to try and create.”

• Addressing the blend between sound and music, John noted “We really worked very hard to try and get the right blend. And I notice every time I see both movies, I notice more things. And tonight, I really noticed during the wagon train, the fire. There’s music throughout, yet the effects play on top, and it’s just such a beautiful marriage. So I would say that it’s always a marriage between sound and music. And I think, guided by Kevin, both films exhibit real artistry in sound. And I couldn’t be more proud of it.”

• Discussing his love for Alfred Newman’s work, John stated “He was one of my heroes, and that score for How the West Was Won was a seminal score for me. I think Kevin might tell you it’s a seminal score for him too. I remember seeing it at the Cinerama Dome when I was seven or eight and I remember being so incredibly touched by the music. And the whole thing, but especially the music. So yes, maybe it is my love letter to those guys and ladies that created those great Westerns.

Lisa Lovaas – Costume Designer

• Talking about the inspiration for her work, Lisa explained “We did a lot of research, I did, and we shared together – Kevin is very knowledgeable about the West. And I think it was very important to stay true to what the White Mountain Apaches – what we see in the research and what we see in books and paintings. What they wore – and it was influenced by the Spanish. And we did a lot of the cottons. And I think what was really nice, filmically, was that the Apaches were in this cream color against the red rock. And I think it looked really beautiful on film and was accurate for those Apaches.”

• On Kevin’s distinctive scarf in the film, Lisa noted “We wanted to have a moment where you see that this character of Hayes, there’s something more to him than what you first see on screen. And maybe that scarf can give you a little hint of who we’ll see.

• Lisa also talked about the efforts to show the lives of the characters through their clothing, saying “We did try to make a point that anytime the wagon train was by water, we would put the effort into clotheslines and showing that they just had only one or two options. So they would try to wash and try to clean and try to respect what they were wearing, because it wasn’t like today, they had just a couple things so they would keep it nice and try to keep it clean.