Editing Road to Perdition (section)

==Production==
===Development===
When [[Max Allan Collins]] wrote the graphic novel ''[[Road to Perdition (comics)|Road to Perdition]]'', his book agent saw potential in the story as a film adaptation and showed it to a film agent.<ref name="Facts">{{cite news |author=Singh, Arune |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=1240 |title=Just The Facts Ma'am: Max Collins Talks 'Road To Perdition' |work=[[Comic Book Resources]] |date=2002-06-16 |access-date=2007-06-06 |archive-date=18 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018104447/http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=1240 |url-status=dead }}</ref> By 1999, the novel had reached Dean Zanuck, who was the vice president of development at the company owned by his father, producer [[Richard D. Zanuck]]. The novel was sent to the elder Zanuck in Morocco, who was there producing ''[[Rules of Engagement (film)|Rules of Engagement]]'' (2000). The Zanucks agreed on the story's prospect and sent it to director-producer [[Steven Spielberg]]. Shortly afterward, Spielberg set up the project at his studio [[DreamWorks Pictures|DreamWorks]], though he did not pursue the film's direction due to his full slate.<ref name="Killer">{{cite magazine |author=Jeff Jensen |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,320333,00.html |title=Killer Instinct |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |date=2002-07-19 |access-date=2007-06-06 |archive-date=13 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413144011/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,320333,00.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Sam Mendes sought a new project after completing ''[[American Beauty (1999 film)|American Beauty]]'' (1999) and explored prospects including ''[[A Beautiful Mind (film)|A Beautiful Mind]]'', ''[[K-PAX (film)|K-PAX]]'', ''[[The Shipping News (film)|The Shipping News]]'',<ref name="Power">{{cite news|author=Wloszczyna, Susan |url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/2002/2002-07-12-perdition.htm |title=Power trio hits the 'Road'|work=[[USA Today]]|date=2002-07-12|access-date=2007-06-06}}</ref> and ''[[The Lookout (2007 film)|The Lookout]]''. DreamWorks sent Mendes ''Road to Perdition'' as a prospect, and Mendes was attracted to the story, considering it "narratively very simple, but thematically very complex".<ref name="Killer"/> Mendes specified one theme being the parents' world is inaccessible to their children. Mendes considered the story's theme to be about how children deal with violence, and whether exposure to violence would render children violent themselves. Mendes described the script as having "no moral absolutes", a factor that appealed to the director.<ref name="Rumblings">{{cite news |author=Stax|url=http://movies.ign.com/articles/317/317759p1.html |title=Rumblings on 'The Road to Perdition'|work=[[IGN]] |date=2002-01-24|access-date=2007-06-06}}</ref>

=== Writing ===
Spielberg first contacted screenwriter [[David Self]] to adapt the story into a feature film.<ref name="Killer"/> Self wrote an initial draft that remained close to the source material and retained most of its dialogue. The screenplay was then rewritten by uncredited writers, distancing the script from the graphic novel but leaving the core elements of the story intact.<ref name="Facts"/> Some of the harsher aspects of the story were toned down as the script became more streamlined. For example, in some early drafts of the screenplay, Sullivan became an [[alcoholic]], but this element was ultimately absent from the final version.<ref name="Killer"/>

The story is deeply informed by the ''[[Lone Wolf and Cub]]'' [[manga]] series. Novelist Max Allan Collins acknowledged the influence of ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' on his graphic novel ''Road to Perdition'' in an interview with the BBC, declaring that "''Road To Perdition'' is 'an unabashed homage' to ''Lone Wolf and Cub''".<ref>Allan Collins, Max. Interviewed by Daniel Etherington,{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/collective/A832808 |title=Graphic Novel: 'Road To Perdition' |access-date=2008-06-22}}. ''BBC Collective''. 2002-09-19.</ref>

Some characters' names were slightly changed from their original versions in the graphic novel: the surname of the real-life gangsters [[John Patrick Looney|John Looney]] and his son Connor were changed to Rooney, and the surname of Tom Hanks' character and his family was streamlined from the original O'Sullivan to simply Sullivan. One significant addition to the script was the creation of Maguire to provide a persistent element of pursuit to the Sullivans' departure from the old world.<ref name="Facts" />

Hanks and cinematographer [[Conrad Hall]] requested Mendes to limit violence in the film to meaningful acts rather than gratuitous carnage. Hanks' character, Michael Sullivan, is known as "The Angel of Death" and invokes fear in those around him, but his infamy is downplayed in the film.<ref name="Rumblings"/> Mendes, who described the graphic novel as "much more pulpy", sought to reduce the graphic novel's background to its essence, seeking the "nonverbal simplicity" of films like ''[[Once Upon a Time in America]]'' (1984), ''[[Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid]]'' (1973),<ref name="Killer"/> and films by [[Akira Kurosawa]] that lack dialogue.<ref name="Self"/> Duplicate language in characters' confrontations in ''Road to Perdition'' was trimmed to the absolute minimum.<ref name="Paul">{{cite news |author=Lyman, Rick |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2002/sep/15/features.review |title=So, as Paul said to Tom ...|work=[[The Guardian]] |date=2002-09-15 |access-date=2010-04-24 |location=London}}</ref> Mendes described ''Road to Perdition'' as a "poetic, elegiac story, in which the pictures tell the true story".<ref name="Power"/> An example of one such unspoken scene in the film was the piano duet between Rooney and Michael Sr., intended to convey their relationship without words.<ref name="Paul"/> In the final 20 minutes of ''Road to Perdition'', the script was written to have only six lines of dialogue.<ref name="Power"/>

Max Allan Collins originally wanted to write the adapted screenplay but was not given the opportunity.<ref name="Facts"/> Collins chose to stay out of the scripting process out of respect for the different writing styles for a different medium, though he served as a consultant. Collins praised the addition of Maguire and considered the minimalist use of dialogue to be appropriate.<ref name="Future">{{cite news|author=Singh, Arune|url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=1446|title=COLLINS' 'ROAD' TO THE FUTURE|work=[[Comic Book Resources]]|date=2002-08-07|access-date=2007-06-06|archive-date=24 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924141224/http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=1446|url-status=dead}}</ref> The author also applauded the film's version of Rooney as "more overtly a father figure" to Sullivan.<ref name="Facts"/>

Collins opposed the profanity in the script, as the vulgar language did not fit his vision of the 1930s.<ref name="Future" /> Collins also contested the path of Sullivan's son in the film. In the graphic novel, the son kills once; in the film, Michael does not kill anyone. Collins also disagreed with the film's narration technique. In the novel, the son narrates the story as an adult, becoming a priest, while in the film, Michael narrates while still a young boy.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=Duerson, Adam |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,321309~1~0~howroadtoperdition,00.html |title='Road' Warrior |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |date=2002-07-17 |access-date=2007-06-07 |archive-date=20 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220232214/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,321309~1~0~howroadtoperdition,00.html |url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Casting===
Tom Hanks was sent a copy of the graphic novel by [[Steven Spielberg]] while he was filming ''[[Cast Away]]''. Initially too busy to make sense of the story, Hanks later received David Self's adapted screenplay, which he became attached to. Hanks, a father to four children, described Michael Sullivan's role, "I just got this guy. If you're a man, and you've got offspring ... emotionally, it's devastating."<ref name="Killer"/>

Tyler Hoechlin was chosen from over 2,000 candidates to portray Michael Sullivan's son.<ref name="Killer" /> The actor was 13 years old while filming. In scenes in which Hoechlin's character assists his father as a getaway driver, Hoechlin is trained by a driving instructor.<ref name="Circa"/>

Paul Newman was unanimously the first choice for the role of John Rooney.<ref name="Power"/> The actor prepared by requesting [[Frank McCourt]], the Irish-American author of ''[[Angela's Ashes]]'', to record a tape of his voice.<ref name="Killer"/>

David Self, who created the Maguire character, explained, "He gets so jaded from exposure to this world, he steps over the line from being the storyteller to being the story maker."<ref name="Self">{{cite news | author=Teofilo, Anthony | title=On the Road to Perdition | url=http://www.asitecalledfred.com/perdition/2.html | work=ASiteCalledFred | access-date=2010-04-24 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100515235952/http://www.asitecalledfred.com/perdition/2.html | archive-date=2010-05-15 }}</ref> To capture the "seedy countenance" of the character, Jude Law was given a sallow skin tone that reflected the wear from working in a darkroom. Law's teeth also received a lower gumline and had a rotted look.<ref name="Circa"/> Law was also given a weak, thinning hairline. Maguire's apartment also displays a collection of photographs of dead bodies, some of them actual police stills from the 1930s.<ref name="Fathers"/>

Stanley Tucci was selective about roles in gangster films, believing that Hollywood stereotyped [[Italian-American]]s as gangsters. However, attracted by the prospect of working with Mendes, the actor accepted the role of Nitti, a real-life Mob boss from Chicago.<ref>{{cite news|author=O'Connor, Clint|title=Out of Season|work=[[The Plain Dealer]] | date=2002-07-07}}</ref>

[[Anthony LaPaglia]] was cast as Al Capone and filmed a single scene, which was omitted from the final cut,<ref>{{cite web | title=Capone chats with Max Allan Collins about why he isn't in ROAD TO PERDITION!!! | url=http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=12122 | work=[[Ain't It Cool News]] | date=2002-04-26 | access-date=2007-06-06}}</ref> and can be found in the DVD's deleted scenes.<ref>{{cite news | author=Woodward, Tom | url=http://www.dvdactive.com/reviews/dvd/road-to-perdition-dts-edition.html | title=Road to Perdition: DTS Edition | work=DVDActive.com | access-date=2007-06-12 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120328074814/http://www.dvdactive.com/reviews/dvd/road-to-perdition-dts-edition.html | archive-date=2012-03-28 | url-status=dead }}</ref> Mendes believed that Capone was more menacing as an unseen presence. Actor [[Alfred Molina]] was approached to portray Capone, but Molina was forced to turn the role down due to scheduling conflicts with ''[[Frida (2002 film)|Frida]]'' (2002).<ref>{{cite news|author=Henerson, Evan|title=The Understudy|work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=2002-01-15}}</ref>

===Filming===
Mendes sought to produce a [[period film]] that avoided gangster genre clichés. Mendes chose to film ''Road to Perdition'' on location in Chicago, IL, including downtown at the University Club of Chicago, the [[Chicago]] neighborhood of [[Pullman, Chicago|Pullman]], the [[Charles G. Dawes House]] in [[Evanston, Illinois]], as well as the far west Chicago suburb of [[Geneva, Illinois|Geneva]], [[Illinois]]. [[General Jones Armory]], the state's largest location mainstay, which houses units of the [[Illinois National Guard]], was provided to the studio by the Illinois State Film Commission. Sets were built inside the armory, including the interiors of the Sullivan family's home and the Rooney mansion. The availability of an inside location provided the crew complete control over the lighting environment, which was established with the rigging of [[scaffolding]]s.<ref name="Triggers">{{cite news|author=Zone, Ray |url=http://www.theasc.com/magazine/aug02/perdition/index.html |title=Emotional Triggers|work=[[American Cinematographer]] |date=August 2002 |access-date=2007-06-06}}</ref>
{{Quote box|width=40%|Atmospherically, the landscape is a violent and magnificent canvas on which is told a mythic story of a father and son in the last period of lawlessness in American history.|Sam Mendes<ref name="Triggers" />}}
Mendes collaborated with costume designer Albert Wolsky, production designer [[Dennis Gassner]], and cinematographer [[Conrad Hall]] to design the film's style. Wolsky designed costumes that were "very controlled, with soft outlines and very soft silhouettes." Gassner built sets that could capture the cold look of the era. Mendes sought a muted palette for the film, having dark backgrounds and sets with dark, muted greens and grays. Mendes filmed ''Road to Perdition'' using the [[Super 35]] format.<ref name="Triggers"/>

The director filmed exterior scenes in Illinois in the winter and the spring of 2001, using real weather conditions such as snow, rain, and mud for the scenes. Mendes considered the usage of bleak weather conditions and the intended coldness of Gassner's exterior locations to define the characters' emotional states. Pullman became a key location to reflect this theme, having several settings, including the town's historic Florence Hotel, easily redressed by the crew for the film.<ref name="Triggers" /> Filming concluded in June 2001.<ref name="Killer" />

===Cinematography===
[[File:Perdition cinematography.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Cinematographer Conrad Hall set up atmospheric lighting similar to that found in the paintings of [[Edward Hopper]]]] To establish the lighting of scenes in ''Road to Perdition'', Mendes drew from the paintings of [[Edward Hopper]] as a source of inspiration, particularly Hopper's ''New York Movie'' (1939). Mendes and cinematographer [[Conrad Hall]] sought to convey similar atmospheric lighting for the film's scenes, applying a "less is more" mantra.<ref>{{cite news |author=Ray Zone |url=http://www.theasc.com/magazine/aug02/perdition/sidebar1.html |title=A Master of Mood |work=[[American Cinematographer]] |access-date=2007-06-06}}</ref> Hall also shot at wide apertures that retained one point in the [[depth of field]] sharply focused. Hall considered the technique to provide an emotional dimension to the scenes. The cinematographer also used unconventional techniques and materials to create unique lighting effects. One of Hall's methods was to use black silk in daylight exterior scenes to filter the light enough to create an in-shade look.<ref name="Triggers" />

Hall purposely distanced the camera from Hanks' character, Michael Sullivan Sr., at the beginning of the film to establish the perspective of Sullivan's son, who is unaware of his father's true nature.<ref name="Killer" /> Hanks's character was filmed as partially obscured and seen through doorways, and his entrances and exits took place in shadows. A wide lens was used to maintain a distance from the character.<ref name="Triggers" />

Shots in the film were drawn directly from panels in the graphic novel, illustrated by Richard Piers Rayner. An instance of the direct influence is the scene in which Michael Jr. looks up at the Chicago skyline from the vehicle, with the skyline reflected in the vehicle's glass.<ref name="Self"/>

A seamless 40-second driving scene, in which Michael Sullivan and his son travel into Chicago from the countryside, was aided by visual effects. The live-action part of the scene was filmed at [[LaSalle Street]], and due to the lack of scenery for part of the drive down LaSalle Street, the background of Balbo Drive was included with the use of visual effects.<ref>{{cite news |author=Heuring, David |url=http://www.theasc.com/magazine/aug02/perdition/sidebar2.html |title=Effecting a Key Transition |work=[[American Cinematographer]] |access-date=2007-06-06}}</ref>

===Music===
{{Main|Road to Perdition (soundtrack)}}