When cinephiles are asked to name a Hollywood producer, one of the first names that invariably pops up is Jerry Bruckheimer.
There’s a good reason for that. Not only have his films grossed over $18 billion across the world, but the likes of “Top Gun,” “Beverly Hills Cop,” “Con Air,” “Armageddon,” “Black Hawk Down,” and “Pirates Of The Caribbean” have been pop culture phenomenons, too, while his career has now lasted for over 45 years.
I recently had the chance to speak to Jerry Bruckheimer about his latest film “12 Strong,” during which time I asked the producer the secret behind his longevity. And it turns out that there is a rather simple reason for his success.
“Just hard work. The harder you work the luckier you get. The more times at bat. We develop a lot of projects. We work in both mediums, television and film.”
“I love what I do. It’s not really work for me. I look forward every day to what I am doing. Not every day is great. Obviously, you are disappointed throughout.”
“But the real thrill for me is when I stand back in an auditorium and see the audience enjoy a movie. The fact that ‘12 Strong’ has had a strong audience response, with the laughter and the applause at the end, makes me feel pretty good.”
But even though some of Bruckheimer’s films have been much more successful than others, and some have been both box office and critical failures, the producer doesn’t have one favorite over another.
“I think I am proud of all of them. I am proud of the ones that didn’t work with audiences and the ones that did. They’re all your kids, and you hope they grow up to be strong and vibrant, and a lot of them have.”
You can judge for yourself where “12 Strong” ranks in Jerry Bruckheimer’s oeuvre when it is released on January 19.
