Here is a letter I received from Sean Bury about five years ago when he was about 60 years old. I don't have his email address any more:
Dear Stephen and Judith,
Thank you so much for taking the trouble to write to me. . . And thank you for making such an effort in compiling kind thoughts of people who were touched by "Friends".
I was such a lucky lad way back then, in my someone else ago days. You see, I have been more and more drawn to that period in my life just recently and in particular . . to the filming of "Friends", From people of a similar age to myself . . all sharing an awakening that the film seemed to touch at that moment in their lives. . . Indeed it was brought to my attention by a "Friend" of my own that it would seem to hold a nostalgic moment for so many.
Having been in the "business" since the tender age of 8, I realised from an early age that a production, be it Theatre, Radio or Film, is created very much by a team of people. Upon which it's success or failure depends, as much on timing, as anything else, "Friends" was of it's time, And it reminds those of us who care to remember that life was different then, simpler.. . I am not sure, but I am sure of the very fond memories during it's making and being part of all those who made "friends".
The film had such good luck to have Elton John and Bernie Taupin writing a few songs literally weeks prior to their meteoric rise to fame. . . With the wonderful craftsman Paul Buckmaster and his haunting orchestration to the theme.
As you say. . your question is dealing with the fictional lives of the characters Paul and Michelle. I had played with the idea of making the final sequence years later, but each time I started the creative process over 10 years ago now, I could not help thinking that some things are best left incomplete. . . My reasoning is that life as much as we would like it to be, is not very neat and tidy. I did not feel the risk was worth offending the memories of those who remembered Friends.
Paul and Michelle . . the follow on was made partly due to the fact that Friends had had such a huge commercial success in Asia and the far east notably Japan, it made sense to make a follow up. I was in discussions with Lewis to make another film straight after P&M . . "Seven nights in Japan". . . But I had already decided that my career in acting was not where my heart lay. So when he phoned me a few years later to ask me if I wanted a small role in a bond movie just as a bit of fun. . . I replied yes, but on one condition, my brother who had been classically trained as an actor at the "Bristol Old Vic" had not shared the same fortune of roles that I had. . and certainly no where near the good fortunes of the chap he shared his digs with there. . . Young chap called Jeremy Irons. . .wonder whatever happened to him ?. Would he (Lewis Gilbert) be willing to give my brother a job as well. . of course he said. . . So you see, at the tender age of 8 I made a film called "Beware of the dog" and my brother was in that with me, as well as "The Spy who loved me". . . . Some 13 years. . the span of my career as an actor!
Kind regards. Sean Bury.
Ps. . my dear friend is slowly wringing a book out of me (she is very patient) she is a bollywood film producer. .. and threatening to engage me as an Irish Guru in one of her up and coming productions if I do not hurry up the writing ! Paul wearing a turban and repeating mantras all day? Who knows. . . This is a strange world we all live in now, so very very far from the one Paul and Michelle lived in.
Dear Stephen and Judith,
Thank you so much for taking the trouble to write to me. . . And thank you for making such an effort in compiling kind thoughts of people who were touched by "Friends".
I was such a lucky lad way back then, in my someone else ago days. You see, I have been more and more drawn to that period in my life just recently and in particular . . to the filming of "Friends", From people of a similar age to myself . . all sharing an awakening that the film seemed to touch at that moment in their lives. . . Indeed it was brought to my attention by a "Friend" of my own that it would seem to hold a nostalgic moment for so many.
Having been in the "business" since the tender age of 8, I realised from an early age that a production, be it Theatre, Radio or Film, is created very much by a team of people. Upon which it's success or failure depends, as much on timing, as anything else, "Friends" was of it's time, And it reminds those of us who care to remember that life was different then, simpler.. . I am not sure, but I am sure of the very fond memories during it's making and being part of all those who made "friends".
The film had such good luck to have Elton John and Bernie Taupin writing a few songs literally weeks prior to their meteoric rise to fame. . . With the wonderful craftsman Paul Buckmaster and his haunting orchestration to the theme.
As you say. . your question is dealing with the fictional lives of the characters Paul and Michelle. I had played with the idea of making the final sequence years later, but each time I started the creative process over 10 years ago now, I could not help thinking that some things are best left incomplete. . . My reasoning is that life as much as we would like it to be, is not very neat and tidy. I did not feel the risk was worth offending the memories of those who remembered Friends.
Paul and Michelle . . the follow on was made partly due to the fact that Friends had had such a huge commercial success in Asia and the far east notably Japan, it made sense to make a follow up. I was in discussions with Lewis to make another film straight after P&M . . "Seven nights in Japan". . . But I had already decided that my career in acting was not where my heart lay. So when he phoned me a few years later to ask me if I wanted a small role in a bond movie just as a bit of fun. . . I replied yes, but on one condition, my brother who had been classically trained as an actor at the "Bristol Old Vic" had not shared the same fortune of roles that I had. . and certainly no where near the good fortunes of the chap he shared his digs with there. . . Young chap called Jeremy Irons. . .wonder whatever happened to him ?. Would he (Lewis Gilbert) be willing to give my brother a job as well. . of course he said. . . So you see, at the tender age of 8 I made a film called "Beware of the dog" and my brother was in that with me, as well as "The Spy who loved me". . . . Some 13 years. . the span of my career as an actor!
Kind regards. Sean Bury.
Ps. . my dear friend is slowly wringing a book out of me (she is very patient) she is a bollywood film producer. .. and threatening to engage me as an Irish Guru in one of her up and coming productions if I do not hurry up the writing ! Paul wearing a turban and repeating mantras all day? Who knows. . . This is a strange world we all live in now, so very very far from the one Paul and Michelle lived in.