Alicia Vitarelli interviews Steve Carell, Robert Zemeckis from 'Welcome to Marwen'
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The new film, "Welcome to Marwen" tells the story of Mark Hogancamp, a man from upstate New York who was nearly beaten to death outside a bar.
Actor Steve Carell and director Robert Zemeckis were here in Philadelphia to talk about creating this cinematic tribute to his amazing and artistic comeback.
"The closer you get to the story, the more it makes sense and the easier it is to understand," said Steve Carell, who plays Hogancamp in the film.
After the vicious attack, Hogancamp famously rebuilt his life and his mind through his art and built a small WWII-era Belgian town in his backyard, photographing the dolls' adventures.
There's so much imagination and fantasia in the storytelling that you almost forget that this is a real story.
"That's what the movie does," said Zemeckis. "It's the fantasia that's going on in Mark's mind's eye and that's what I wanted to do was to bring that to life."
To take on the role, Steve Carell spent time with Mark, getting to know him, his world and his dolls.
"He's gone through some really terrible times but he hasn't gotten bitter or lost that joy of life," said Carell.
For the film, Zemeckis, the creative mind behind hits like "Back to the Future" and "Forrest Gump," tapped into a new kind of technology.
"We used a new advanced generation performance capture," he said.
"To watch a movie and see yourself in doll form exponentially better looking than me but still it was kind of cool," joked Carell. Adding, "There's also a sense of magic to it going into this world of his imagination that comes to life. It's unlike anything I have been a part of that's for sure."
Steve Carell and Mark Hogancamp have become so close that Hogancamp even called the Hollywood A-listers for tips on getting recognized at the supermarket now that his story is on the big screen.
"Welcome to Marwen" is playing in theaters right now.
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