July 6, 1999: Hollywood Film Producer - Stephen Simon

Art Bell sits down with film producer Stephen Simon, the creative force behind two beloved movies: Somewhere in Time and What Dreams May Come. Simon recounts how reading Richard Matheson's novel Bid Time Return inspired him to enter the film industry, how he secretly delivered the script to Christopher Reeve's home after agents refused to pass it along, and how Jane Seymour arrived at her audition dressed in full 1912 period costume, instantly winning the role.

Simon traces his 20-year journey to bring What Dreams May Come to the screen, explaining how advances in visual effects technology and shifting cultural consciousness finally made the film possible. He describes the innovative LADAR process used to create the painted afterlife world, Robin Williams' immediate commitment to the project, and the creative decisions around depicting suicide and the afterlife without imposing any single religious framework.

The conversation grows personal when Simon shares the story of Amanda Weber, a 17-year-old terminal cancer patient whose fear dissolved after watching the film in her final days. Art and Simon discuss the responsibilities of Hollywood filmmakers, the difference between freedom of expression and accountability, and Simon's vision for Metaphilmix, a consciously spiritual film company dedicated to producing movies that explore what it means to be human.