From De Palma To Die Hard

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What does it feel like to walk onto your first film set and see Robert De Niro, Sean Connery, and a young Kevin Costner across the room? We sit down with character actor Don Harvey for a candid tour through a career that bridges classics, cult favorites, and the small on-set details that make them stick. From The Untouchables and Creepshow 2 to Casualties of War, Don shares how early shock turned into craft, how Brian De Palma shaped his sense of cinematic tension, and why some “horror” films like Carrie live comfortably in the mainstream canon.

The conversation turns kinetic when Bruce Willis enters the frame: Die Hard 2 and Hudson Hawk become a window into how action movies are built, with a hat tip to screenwriter Stephen E. de Souza. Don’s stories land where craft meets personality—like Thomas Jane shooting Vice barefoot in a three-piece suit and getting away with it because the camera rarely shows the floor. We zoom out to the power of scene partners, with vivid portraits of Liam Neeson’s generosity and Forrest Whitaker’s method intensity, and we spotlight Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai as a lean, inventive gem powered by RZA’s score.

We also swap origin stories. Our host traces a lifelong movie habit back to Back to the Future Part III and the electric memory of a theater’s glow, then shares a writer’s path forged in Pittsburgh—typing every script at George Romero’s own desk. Don contrasts Michael J. Fox’s effortless charm with Sean Penn’s deep immersion on Casualties of War, revealing how set dynamics shape performances and friendships alike. We close with a friendly canon skirmish—The Godfather or Goodfellas—and an open door to keep the conversation rolling.

If you love behind-the-scenes truth, actor craft, and film history that breathes, hit play, subscribe for more conversations like this, and tell us where you land: Godfather or Goodfellas? Share the show, leave a quick review, and join the debate.

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