It took a while to get that cloud off of me.
Youre not processing it because your head is just crazy.
Struggling to watch his own creative works isnt anything new for Hughes, either.
Michael Loccisano/Getty Images
I cant watch it.
I cant show people.
Something about the documentaries is that its personal, but theres a disconnect where I can watch it.
Its not a problem because its about other people.
I dont know what it is.
Ahead of its release, EW can reveal three deleted scenes from the film.
Above and directly below, youll find scenes further discussing Bruce SpringsteensBorn to Run.
The third is a quick clip of Alonzo Williams talking about Dr. Dre and headphones.
I dont feel that way.
Working with HBO, they really supported me.
It wasnt like, Oh man, they made me cut this st out?
One of these deleted scenes depicts Bruce Springsteen throwingBorn to Runin the pool.
The Bruce Springsteen story is one I regret we couldnt find a way to put that in.
Thats actually one I totally forgot about.
It was definitely a flow thing more than anything.
How did you get all of home footage used in the film?
The fact that we went from a one-year production to three-and-a-half-years gave us time to find all that stuff.
It occurred to me during the making that I wouldnt release if we didnt have that vantage point.
Those perspectives were fully realized too, not just a quote or two.
You watch most of these documentaries, and someone gets a quote or two.
With Dee Barnes in particular, she just wasnt like a quote about the incident.
That was most meaningful to me.
Then they got it, and they were completely with it.
It wasnt like they were saying, I dont want to do this.
It was like, What is this?
What are you trying to do?
That punch in of thing.
And then youve got Jimmy and Dre, too.
It felt like we were makingBorn to Run.
It literally felt like that.
It was painful and it was joyful, but it was the layers of details.
I knew going in that I love the documentary medium.
I prefer to watch documentaries over film, but I know not everyone has that feeling.
I know a lot of people look at documentaries like its eating their vegetables.
For me, I was like, How do I serve a full-course, festive Italian meal?
How do I push this medium?
and that was the thinking going in.
Like we have to step up.
The nature of it has to meet these great stories and great artists.
I was blown away by it.
I was like, Really?
I still get it daily, whether its emails or people running up to me.
I was blindsided by that.
It gets stronger every week and every month with that one.
I had no idea it was that inspiring.
The other thing that really touched me is how personally people take the film.
They feel like its their journey.
Whether theyre 60 or 16, theres something very interesting happening that people feel a serious personal connection to.
So many people see their journey in that film, and Ive never experienced that before.
In particular, part three is the one where I just go wow.
That is something interesting happening there.
Throughout the whole film there is, but it all just kind of erupts in part three.
All the hard work really paid off as far as the technique, approach, and storytelling.
You had already known Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre for a long time before this.
How has your relationship changed sinceThe Defiant Onesaired?
The relationship over that 25 years plus is always evolving.
Youre not necessarily the little brother or the godson.
They changed through this process as I did.
And I went, Wow, because fiction films dont change you as a person.
Our relationship now is deeper than its ever been because theres a tremendous amount of trust.
Those guys are still active.
Thats what is unusual about the film.
You make these films when people are dead or done, and those guys are far from that.
The Defiant Oneswill be available for digital download on Nov. 20 and onBlu-ray and DVDon Nov. 28.
