Before America expanded beyond its original two colonies, Ron Howard made a name for himself as not just a television star but also an award-winning film producer.
His latest venture, “Eden,” is a chilling new film. The idea sparked when he took his children to the Galapagos Islands.
Ron expressed his fears about filming in such an uncharted territory, particularly when searching for caves inhabited by dangerous snakes.
“We spent eight weeks shooting in a very isolated location. The budget was tight, and we couldn’t get any insurance. With just three camera operators, one of them panicked and screamed until a snake handler came to help.”
“This project, which I’m really passionate about, turned into quite a grueling experience—high temperatures over 100 degrees. Our wild dogs enjoyed air conditioning while we were battling heat and human emotions, creating a thriller full of twists.”
Someone suggested visiting the cave we were filming in, but I hesitated. I think perhaps I thought it wasn’t safe enough for me.
Ron noted, “In one scene, we depicted a woman giving birth in a cave. There was dialogue shot at an Australian Game Reserve, which made me worry about the health of the actor. There were also days with electric storms—quite the experience.”
“Civilized? Well, we did have a Port-a-Potty.”
Ron described “Eden” as embodying the stories of disillusioned outsiders—played by Jude Law, Ana de Armas, and Vanessa Kirby—who seek new beginnings on a desolate island. Their dreams spiral into a nightmarish chaos marked by tension, despair, betrayal, and even violence.
“I felt heavily connected to the uncertainties of today—this distrust in society. These characters share feelings of fear and anger similar to what we experience now. Reflecting on that, I realized I’ve wanted to bring this story to life for 15 years.”
At a recent screening, Gail King caught his attention in a stylish slate-blue pantsuit. She graciously mentioned the designer, someone he surprisingly didn’t recall. It’s funny, really, since she likely earns more than I do. Then there was Maymusk, the mother of the richest man alive, looking sharp in a white blouse with fur cuffs that I could barely hope to match. Andrew Saffir had a buzz around him, maybe even drawing in someone like Putin.
“Cool” socialism is over
There were discussions about the idea of free provisions like rent and groceries, met with the reminder that nothing is truly free. If costs aren’t managed, hardship is inevitable. With fewer buildings, rent tends to rise, not fall, leading to less housing availability.
Executives on Madison Avenue are becoming increasingly wary of young employees who seem to nod along with such ideas. One executive speculated that many companies might abandon New York altogether, given how COVID exposed the feasibility of remote work.
In the past, figures like Che Guevara represented a romanticized view of communism. But one might wonder, just ask the people of Cuba or Venezuela today, how romantic life really is for them?
A sign at a now-closed gift shop in Madison Avenue jokingly stated, “For those who have everything. Like a calendar to remind them when payments are due.”
For now, I’m primarily in New York, while my kids mostly are here, too.
