Taylor Hackford

"There’s a whole audience you’re missing.” On this episode of More Than a Movie , we met with the producer of La Bamba , Academy Award winning filmmaker Taylor Hackford, and explored how a white kid from Santa Barbara ended up becoming the driving force behind a film about a Mexican-American rock star. We talked everything from obtaining life rights to casting Lou Diamond Phillips, and what it truly means to be an ally in Hollywood. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joey celebrates the end of his cancer treatments and Alan celebrates passing his flight exam. Then they turn to director Taylor Hackford. In addition to helming the iconic feature hits, An Officer and a Gentleman (1982), Against All Odds (1984), Ray (2004), and the cult thriller The Devil's Advocate (1997), Taylor Hackford has directed the films Dolores Claiborne (1995), Everybody's All American (1988), and Proof of Life (2000). Taylor developed and produced La Bamba, the most successful Latin-themed feature film in history. Mr. Hackford has been an active member of the Directors Guild of America for over 40 years, including twice as elected President of the DGA, beginning in 2009.

Director Taylor Hackford discusses his new film, The Comedian, with fellow director David O. Russell. The film stars Robert De Niro as Jackie Burke, a comedian on the downside of his career whose efforts at reinvention are stymied because his fans only want to see him as the television character he once played. After an incident with an audience members gets him sentenced to community service, he finds inspiration in the daughter of a sleazy Florida real estate mogul.