Dann chats with 'Scott Pilgrim' star Michael Cera, director Edgar Wright

It's Cera vs. Wright!Michael Cera is the star of the new frenetic action movie/romance "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World." Edgar Wright directed it, along with two earlier comedies "Hot Fuzz" and "Shaun of the Dead."I sat down with both at Chicago's Peninsula Hotel for a brief chat.DG. Mr. Wright, what led you to decide to treat the numerous action scenes in "Scott Pilgrim" as if they were musical numbers?EW. In the books, when Scott Pilgrim destroys opponents, they explode into coins, just like in a video game. The only way I could think of to make that work in a film was to play it like a musical. In the same way in musicals where people break into songs or dance, here they break into fights.A big fight scene in a Hong Kong action film is like a dance number. I used that as a cue for a way to structure the film. A lot of recent action films, particularly the Bourne films, are going for this rough-and-tumble realism. This is much more choreographed and stylized. Choreographing this with actors is more like learning ballet than it is a rough-and-tumble fist fight."DG. Mr. Cera, did you ever imagine you'd be a super action hero in a movie one day?MC. No, I never thought about it. It wasn't something that I ever dreamed about or anything. Besides, this movie is a lot more than that.DG. What was the best thing about working with your director?MC. It was really nice that he knew exactly what he wanted. And he helped us see it more clearly. He would show us. Every day, I got more and more of a sense about what we were making. You could put your faith in his hands. You knew he wasn't going to put something in the film that wasn't perfectly right.DG. Mr. Wright, what was the best thing about working with Mr. Cera?EW. What he just said! Michael has such a great attitude and it filters down to everyone on the set. He's not in any way a diva and he creates a mood among the other actors. It really felt like a nice family among the actors. Everyone gets along like a house on fire, and I think that's because of Michael.DG. Mr. Cera, was that your own hair in the movie or did you wear a wig?MC. It's all my own hair. But my sideburns were little wigs.DG. What's the best part about being an actor?EW. (Interrupting) The chicks!MC. The chicks?EW. (Laughing) I'm now putting words in his mouth!MC. It's nice to travel and meet new people. It's really nice to go and create this little world. Then you go on to something else. And then it's gone. But it lives on! When I watch the movie, I remember everything I was doing the day we shot each scene.DG. "Scott Pilgrim" uses a lot of visuals from video games. What was your favorite video game growing up?EW. There used to be a British game called Night Lore. You'd change into a werewolf in the game. Then you had to work harder to control yourself.DG. I hear you're putting together the final segment in your trilogy with Simon Pegg following "Hot Fuzz" and "Shaun."EW. It's called "The World's End." We haven't written it yet. But we have a story idea.DG. What is it?EW. (Silence. He grins.)Lights Camera AuctionIt's not exactly a movie gig, but it's for a good cause. Join me tonight as I do my best impression of an auctioneer at a special fundraiser for the Staff Sgt. Jacob L. Frazier Scholarship Fund and the Illinois Military Family Relief Fund.At press time, some of the items to be auctioned include tickets to the Sept. 27 Bears vs. Packers game; a football signed by Dick Butkus, Mike Singletary and Brian Urlacher; an NHL puck signed by Patrick Kane; jerseys autographed by Ernie Banks and Jonathan Toews, plus other sports memorabilia in both live and silent auctions.The live auction ramps up around 7:15 p.m. today at the Oak Club of Genoa, 11770 Ellwood Green Rd., Genoa. Proceeds go to the scholarship fund, named after Jacob Frazier, a St. Charles native killed while serving in Afghanistan on March 29, 2003. He received the Purple Heart, Bronze Star and the Illinois Military Medal for Valor.The fundraiser is sponsored by the Central High School Booster Club in Burlington, Ill. Frazier attended the school. You can get more information about him, plus a photo, at freedomremembered.com.If you can't come to the auction, but still want to give to the fund, let me know at dgire@dailyherald.com.Film noir fest startsThe Music Box Theatre in Chicago today begins a weeklong festival of classic film noir works shown in their original 35 mm format. Tonight (5:15 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.) is Robert Parrish's 1951 thriller "Cry Danger," which is not available on DVD. Other titles include "Gun Crazy," "Nightmare Alley," "Drive a Crooked Road" and "Sudden Fear." Tickets cost $10 ($12 for a double feature). Go to musicboxtheatre.com for a list of films and showings. <div class="infoBox"><h1>More Coverage</h1><div class="infoBoxContent"><div class="infoArea"><h2>Stories</h2><ul class="links"><li><a href="/story/?id=399752">Dann's review of 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World' <span class="date">[8/12/10]</span></a></li></ul></div></div></div>