Past Fest hit overdrive Tuesday evening with an electrical anniversary screening of Jan de Bont’s iconic blockbuster Pace adopted by an epic 50-minute Q&A with the filmmaker and his stars Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock in a reunion 30 years within the making.

It was clear lengthy earlier than showtime that the occasion — a part of the American Cinematheque at Egyptian Theatre collection — can be particular. Reeves, Bullock and de Bont had by no means beforehand shared the identical stage to debate their work on the 1984 movie, which grew to become a shock hit after it grossed north of $350 million worldwide on a $30 million price range. It’s been greater than a decade since Reeves and Bullock had a public outing collectively although they usually have good issues to say about each other on discuss reveals or in magazines.

It was additionally a uncommon evening out for Bullock who has saved a low profile because the profitable launch of The Misplaced Metropolis in summer season 2022 and the loss of life of her companion Bryan Randall a yr later, in August 2023. The one current interview she’s completed was a joint chat with Reeves for journalist Kris Tapley and his Pace fan podcast, 50 MPH, to mark the milestone thirtieth anniversary. Tapley, credited the driving drive behind the Past Fest screening, helped kick off the occasion with a quick introduction. “I can’t watch for the power on this room tonight,” Tapley teased after noting the dimensions of the group.

All 516 seats contained in the Egyptian had been occupied, a lot to the dismay of the handfuls caught exterior within the overflow line, a few of whom had been queued up within the Egyptian courtyard for hours hoping to snag a seat. Those that did get to look at the Twentieth Century Fox actioner made essentially the most of its 1 hour, 56-minute working time by erupting in boisterous applause at least half a dozen occasions after vital moments within the movie. Additionally they welcomed the trio to the stage with a standing ovation.

Even de Bont was impressed by what he noticed. Just a few questions into the Q&A, moderated by Jim Hemphill, the filmmaker took a quick detour to supply his personal cheers to his A-listers. “I’ve to say one factor earlier than we proceed,” he famous, “we met exterior simply seconds in the past once I noticed them for the primary time in 30 years. After I noticed the film right here [tonight], I’ve by no means been so pleased with these two actors. What they did for me — very often unnatural to them what they needed to do — is simply unbelievable. The connection that these two created collectively is totally wonderful. Seeing them again on the display screen tonight, it was so real looking. They had been completely good. All of the feelings had been proper, all of the laughing was proper, all of the smiling, the little smooching. It was actually, actually cool. I needed to inform them how nice they each had been.”

Written by Graham Yost, Pace casts Reeves as Los Angeles police detective Jack Traven who finds himself on the heart of a hostage state of affairs when madman Howard Payne (Dennis Hopper) rigs a Los Angeles bus with explosives. The catch? If the bus drops under 50 miles per hour, it can explode, forcing Traven to determine save the passengers and keep away from tragedy. After the bus driver is by chance shot, Bullock’s Annie Porter, an unexpecting bus passenger, jumps into the motive force’s seat to handle the chaotic state of affairs.

The full of life Q&A coated the behind-the-scenes inventive course of, the chemistry between Reeves and Bullock, who street the success of Pace to turn into two of Hollywood’s most bankable and beloved stars, de Bont’s in digital camera method to motion — “I needed it to all to be on actual roads, actual pace, actual quick and actual harmful” — and, after all, the query everybody has requested for years: What a few Pace 3? Under are highlights from the dialog.

De Bont on when he knew one thing particular was taking place throughout manufacturing:
“I knew we had one thing very early on, and for the time being I noticed Keanu and Sandra working as a crew and doing many of the stunts themselves, which was so nice. The reactions they’ve are based mostly on actual reactions as a result of that they had to reply to what they had been doing, and that makes it so nice and so relatable. Additionally, the truth that there are a variety of enjoyable strains within the film and that it’s principally nonstop. That is actual motion. There’s no CGI, nothing. It’s all actual.”

De Bont on how he bought the gig to make his directorial debut:
“I discovered this [script] principally [in a pile] of those that had been by no means made that will by no means be made at Paramount. I believed there have been so many prospects within the film that I may actually see this as precisely the kind of film that I needed to make. It’s the place the whole lot occurs nonstop and individuals are tied collectively. They’re actually shut collectively on a regular basis and need to relate to one another. I felt like I may do a variety of issues for actual…as a result of I didn’t wish to do issues in a studio and movie it on levels. I needed all of it to be on actual roads, actual pace, actual quick and actual harmful. When the bus goes on two wheels, it goes on two wheels. When it goes on the off ramp, sure, it hit all of the vehicles.”

Bullock stated she solely bought the job as a result of different actresses handed:
“I used to be the brand new child on the block and it was nerve wracking. I keep in mind arriving [to the audition]. I keep in mind the automotive I drove. I keep in mind what I used to be occupied with. I keep in mind the door. I walked in and I keep in mind the room was form of darkish. I used to be glad to be there. I used to be excited. I didn’t assume I’d be getting the job however the one motive I bought this job was as a result of I used to be fought for — that’s the one factor. Nicely, different individuals turned it down and there have been different individuals forward of me. I’ve met them. One, two and three couldn’t do it [to de Bont] and you then noticed me at midnight room.”

Reeves on why he accepted the position after initially turning it down:
“I learn the second draft, and the following draft and I used to be like, oh yeah, OK…it may very well be enjoyable. I met this mad genius and I used to be like, oh fuck yeah, this can be a director. This can be a individual with a imaginative and prescient. That is somebody who has a ardour for this story. On the time, I assume what struck me was the cinematographer on Die Arduous. That he shot that, I used to be like, fuck yeah.”

Bullock truly bought a bus driver’s license for the movie (although she didn’t drive whereas filming):
“The enjoyable half was that I used to be on the helm of the bus however within the again there was somebody driving alongside the roof. Somebody was driving and I used to be being careened into no matter Jan felt I wanted to smash into. However by no means, by no means [was I actually driving]. I did get my Santa Monica bus driver’s license. I did! It’s not a straightforward car to maneuver.”

De Bont got here up with the concept to have the bus go airborne when he was behind the wheel:
“I used to be truly driving on the freeway once I found {that a} part was lacking. I believed it will be a incredible method to finish that half, or the excessive level of that freeway sequence. Then I began to speak to completely different stunt individuals and ask how can we try this? How briskly do we’ve to go two attain a sure distance? We took all that weight out of bus to make it as gentle as potential. We had a driver in who actually was form of not sitting on this chair, he was hanging within the chair as a result of the touchdown may very well be very dangerous for you. One bus was made particular for that stunt and once we truly had been able to shoot it, I used to be attempting to be very nice to the motive force, to the stuntman. I stated, ‘It’s actually vital that you just get an excellent pace, in any other case you gained’t make it.’ He stated, ‘Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, I can do it.’ The primary time we filmed it…he bought scared on the final second on the ramp and he began slowing down and sadly, he didn’t make it to the opposite aspect and he landed on seven cameras proper under all positioned to movie it coming over. That bus was destroyed. I stated, ‘Don’t inform the studio, don’t inform the studio.’”

Through the pivotal scene exiting the bus, Bullock credited Reeves for greater than his performing:
“I had this gown that was very gentle, and I had a physique go well with beneath. Once we began rehearsing, I observed that the rate of air would shoot the skirt over my head, the underside half. Keanu’s job was, for me an important factor, which was to place [his] fingers in a approach that the skirt doesn’t fly over my head. Not solely did you need to do the stunt to maintain me secure, he needed to preserve my integrity intact by retaining issues that didn’t must be seen on a 17-foot display screen hidden. That’s what I keep in mind of that day.”

Reeves and de Bont on the late Dennis Hopper, who performed the movie’s villain:
“He’s so charismatic and he’s so dedicated,” Reeves praised with de Bont leaping in to say, “And he’s additionally a bit nuts, too.” Reeves: “Yeah. And we are saying that he’s a bit nuts however he’s a complete fucking professional. He’s a complete professional. We had some ridiculous dialogue and it was simply superior.”

Bullock on working with Hopper:
“I used to be shocked at how — I don’t like this phrase — regular he was. I imply, he may’ve been bizarre to you guys, however he was very candy to me. He beloved his artwork. He beloved speaking about artwork, accumulating artwork, native artists. He was a person that simply couldn’t get sufficient of life. Life was taking place too quick and he simply needed increasingly and extra from it. I used to be within the firm of such extraordinary individuals at such an early time in my profession and I bought the whole lot. I bought the whole lot underneath one umbrella. To work with Dennis you needed to form of shake it off and step into the position, however there have been occasions if you form of needed to pause and his entire filmography would flash with earlier than your eyes.”

De Bont says the success of a movie like Pace delivers surprising challenges:
“When you make profitable motion pictures, it’s actually arduous to maintain going. The stress of taking these motion pictures is fairly massive as a result of it’s so intense, and there’s a lot motion taking place on a regular basis that as a director you might be fully exhausted for a very long time after the film is over. My life did change. You get extra initiatives, that’s what’s incredible, after all. However I additionally discover it actually arduous on myself to give you new concepts that I like. As a result of I really feel like once I direct, I really feel like I’m the viewers. What would I wish to see now if I used to be the viewers within the theater?”

On the opportunity of Pace 3:
“The geriatric model. It gained’t be quick,” Bullock quipped earlier than turning her consideration to de Bont. “All these items occurred as a result of the loopy man within the greenish jacket over there. He’s so comfortable and mild at the moment and I’m like, that’s not the person I keep in mind. However he’s the person who put the power and the concept collectively, knew what the viewers needed and demanded it from everybody and everybody stepped as much as play it. So what would that film be that will make Jan’s mind and brilliance glad? It might require loads from all people. I don’t know if we’re in an business anymore that’s prepared to tolerate it and be courageous sufficient to do it. Possibly I may very well be flawed. … If he can’t make [what’s in his brain] for the viewers, then he’s failed it felt like. I don’t know what we may do that will be ok for the viewers.”