Click here to listen to the interview (16:16)

Based on Between A Rock and A Hard Place, the book Aron Ralston wrote about his ordeal of being trapped in a slot canyon by a massive boulder pinning his hand, 127 HOURS was conceived by director/co-screenwriter Danny Boyle as a spiritual journey of a man forced to confront the solitary existence he had chosen for himself. When I spoke to Boyle on Ocober 15, 2010, he explained about why that subtext is the crux of bringing the story of a man trapped alone in a remote canyon to vibrant cinematic life.

A modest man despite his Oscar(tm) for SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, Boyle was effusive in his praise for his star, James Franco, while gently but firmly deflecting any praise aimed at himself for the visual impact he contributed to the film. We started the conversation, though, with my curiousity about why he would want to accept the position of Artistic Director of the 2012 London Olympics.