>>> AND WE MOVE NOW FROM THAT INCREDIBLE STORY OF FRIENDSHIP AND GROWTH TO AN UNLIKELY PARTNERSHIP IN THE NEW FILM "TO DUST."

HAUNTED BY HER WIFE'S DEATH WONDERS WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR BODIES AFTER WE DIE, SO HE ENLISTS THE HELP OF A BIOLOGY PROFESSOR.

DIVING INTO THAT JOURNEY WITH BRODERICK AND ALSO WITH THE FILM'S DIRECTOR SEAN SNIDER.

>> THANK YOU BOTH.

SEAN, WHAT'S THIS MOVIE ABOUT?

>> TO DUST IS ABOUT A HASIDIC AND HE'S STRIVING FOR SPIRITUAL SOLACE BUT HIS GRIEF IS SPILLING OUTSIDE THE BOUNDARIES AND MANIFESTING ITSELF ABOUT NIGHTMARES ABOUT HIS WIFE'S DECOMPOSING CORPSE AND THIS NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH HER BODY.

THAT OBSESSION WITH DEATH AND THAT INQUIRY WHAT MIGHT BE SCIENCE IS VERY TABOO IN HIS COMMUNITY.

AND THAT SEARCH LANDS HIM AT A COMMUNITY COLLEGE WHERE HE MEET ALBERT PLAYED BY MATTHEW BRODERICK AS A BIT OF A BEWILDERED COLLEGE BIOLOGY AND THE TWO EMBARK ON THIS HOMESPUN WORLD OF FORENSIC RESEARCH AND ESSENTIALLY TRYING TO FIND PEACE AND GRIEVE IN A WAY THAT FINDS WHOLLY PERSONAL.

>> YOU'RE SITTING IN A CAFE AND HE DESCRIBES THIS TO YOU, AND WHAT LEAPS OUT I WANT TO PLAY A BIOLOGY TEACHER THAT IS GOING TO LOOK AT WHAT?

>> DEAD BODIES, YES.

IT'S AN UNUSUAL STORY, BUT IT'S VERY HUMAN.

THE DIALOGUE WAS REALLY FUNNY AND GOOD, I THOUGHT.

AND THE STORY WAS FASCINATING AND I MET WITH SEAN AND I JUST LIKED THE SCRIPT FROM THE TIME I READ IT.

>> THERE IS A BUDDY COMEDY THAT'S EVOLVING, AND I THINK AS THE AUDIENCE STARTS TO FIGURE THIS OUT, WAIT A MINUTE, THERE'S THIS OTHER STORY LINE HAPPENING.

YOU GUYS HAVE A REFERENCE TO HARDY BOYS.

>> YEAH, WE'RE KIND OF -- WE'RE SOLVING A MYSTERY.

THAT'S TRUE, YOU KNOW?

>> THERE'S MOMENTS I CALL IT HASIDIC SCIENTIFIC B HORROR BUDDY DRAMADY.

>> IS THERE AN OSCAR FOR THAT?

>> THEY PUT IT OUT BUT THEN IT GOT BACKLASH.

>> CONSOLIDATE IT.

>> LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT A CLIP, A LITTLE BIT OF SORT OF BUDDY COMEDY HERE.

>> LISTEN, I'M A PROFESSOR AND YOU ARE A RABBI AND I THINK YOU HAVE SERIOUSLY CROSSED THE STATED BOUNDARIES OF THE PROFESSOR-RABBI RELATIONSHIP.

>> I'M A JEW.

>> OH, NO [ BLEEP ].

>> AND I JUST CAN'T.

I CAN'T.

>> WHAT?

>> I STOLE THE PIG.

IT IS ONLY FAIR IF YOU KILL IT.

>> WHAT?

WHAT?

>> HE HAS TO KILL THE PIG.

>> I AM NOT HEARING THIS.

YOU AND ME WE'RE GOING TO PICK UP THIS PIG AND WE'RE GOING TO CARRY IT INTO YOUR JEW WAGON AND THEN YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE IT HOME.

AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS OR ANYTHING EVER AGAIN, OKAY?

KILLING A PIG IS NOT GOING TO BRING BACK YOUR WIFE.

>> IT WAS JUST A STRANGE RELATIONSHIP THAT DEVELOPS BECAUSE THEY'RE BOTH KIND OF IN SEARCH FOR SOMETHING.

IT'S MUCH MORE EXPLICIT WHAT THE INDIVIDUAL WHOSE WIFE IS DECEASED IS LOOKING FOR, BUT THERE'S A CURIOSITY THAT'S BEEN SPARKED.

>> HE SAYS HE NEEDS A SCIENTIST BECAUSE I GUESS HIS FAITH IS REACHING SOME LIMITS OR HE WANTS TO KNOW SCIENCE, ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING.

AND HE DOESN'T I GUESS REALIZE I'M BARELY A SCIENTIST.

I JUST TEACH, YOU KNOW.

BUT I GUESS I WAS.

I PROBABLY ORIGINALLY DID WANT TO DO MORE SCIENCE THAN JUST TEACHING PEOPLE.

SO IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALBERT, THE MAN I PLAYED, TO KIND OF GET IN THE FIELD AND SOLVE THE MYSTERY.

>> THERE'S A LOT OF MATERIAL IN HERE THAT I THINK WHEN THE FIRST TIME IF SOMEONE IS INTRODUCED TO IT THEY WOULD FIND GORY OR ICY, OR OH, MY GOD, AM I WATCHING THIS HAPPEN?

I THINK THERE'S A CERTAIN ALMOST UNIVERSAL ABSURDITY TO IT ALL, HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THIS TOPIC?

WE DON'T REALLY TALK ABOUT IT.

>> I THINK THE HUMAN CONDITION IS ABSURD, THAT WE LOVE ONLY TO LOSE AND WE LIVE ONLY TO DIE.

AND I THINK THAT AS A CULTURE, AS A SOCIETY AND OUR RESPECTIVE CULTURES THEREIN, WE DON'T HAVE VERY HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS WITH DEATH.

THE FUNERAL INDUSTRY DOES SO MUCH AND OUR FAITH DOES SO MUCH TO POLITICIZE OR FORESTALL OR EMBALM OR SAY THIS CASKET IS GOING TO PRESERVE THIS BODY FOREVER, AND IT'S ALL ABOUT SHYING AWAY FROM THE HARSH EXISTENTIAL REALITY AND BIOLOGICAL REALITY OF WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR BODIES.

AND I'M INCREDIBLY SQUEAMISH AND I THINK YOU'RE INCREDIBLY SQUEAMISH, TOO, AND THIS COMES FROM MY OWN GRIEF.

I LOST MY MOM TEN YEARS AGO.

I HAD THESE THOUGHTS, AND WE ALL HAVE THESE THOUGHTS AND WE THIND AND THEN WE FEEL EMBARRASSED OR ASHAMED.

AND IF YOU CAN AIR THESE THOUGHTS AND IF YOU CAN AIR THEM BY CASTING THEM THROUGH SOME LENS OF HUMOR AS WELL, IT'S THE SUGAR THAT HELPS SWALLOW THE MEDICINE, THAT NOT ONLY DO WE -- SHOULD ONE HAVE PERMISSION TO LOOK AT THESE THINGS WITHOUT FEELING OSTRACIZED, BUT THAT IF ONE WERE TO ENGAGE WITH IT, THERE'S ACTUALLY A SPIRITUAL BEAUTY TO THE WAY A BODY RETURNS TO THE EARTH UNENCUMBERED.

>> YOU'VE GOT KIDS THAT ARE OLD ENOUGH.U MUST HAVE HAD CONVERSAS WITH ABOUT -- >> YOU MEAN LIKE WHAT TO DO WITH ME?

NO, LIKE SEAN, LIKE MOST PEOPLE I KIND OF AVOID IT I GUESS.

I'VE BEEN WORKING IN NEW MEXICO AND THERE'S AN AD ON THE FREEWAY THAT SAYS DEATH IS COMING, PLAN FOR IT.

DIAL 1-800 -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS.

IT SAYS DEATH IS COMING.

SO THEN I DON'T KNOW WHY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS, BUT, YOU KNOW, AN IRISH WAKE, YOU SPEND SOME TIME WITH THE ACTUAL BODY.

YOU KNOW, AND A LOT OF RELIGIONS AND CULTURES HAVE THAT, BECAUSE IT'S THE WAY YOU KIND OF KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENED.

SO SOMEBODY IS JUST -- A BODY IS JUST WHISKED AWAY AS IF IT JUST FLOATED OFF.

>> OR THERE'S ALMOST A STERILIZATION, LIKE IT'S EMBALMED PERFECTLY, DRESSED IN THIS HERMETICALLY SEALED THING AND IT'S A VERY STRANGE -- >> I KNOW.

AND I THINK THE FAMILY AND LOVED ONES, THEY MISS AN IMPORTANT STEP IN A WAY, PAINFUL AS IT MIGHT BE.

THERE IS PROBABLY SOMETHING GOOD ABOUT REALLY SORT OF FACING WHAT'S HAPPENED.

>> I KNOW IN THE HINDU TRADITION THERE'S A VERY PHYSICAL CONNECTION.IN THIS MOVIE AND THS TRADITION, BATHING THAT BODY, AND JUST TOUCHING THAT PERSON.

AND YOUR CO-STAR ACTUALLY IS, WHAT, PART OF A TEAM OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE DONE THIS?

>> FOR AT LEAST 15 YEARS HAS BEEN AND CONTINUES TO BE A MEMBER OF THE -- WHICH I BELIEVE IS A HOLY BROTHER HOOD OF THE JEWISH BURIAL SOCIETY.

AND THERE'S MEN WHO BATHE AND RITUALLY PREPARE MALE BODIES AND A GROUP OF FEMALES WHO PREPARE FEMALE BODIES.

AND THEY DO THIS FOR THEIR AND HE DESCRIBES IT AS NOT MORBID BUT A SPIRITUALLY UP LIFTING ACT, SO MUCH SO WHILE EVEN THOUGH HE'S BECOME AN ACTOR, HE CONTINUES TO DO THIS.

AND HE LIKENS IT TO PRAYER.

>> DID THAT COME UP WHILE YOU GUYS WERE IN ADJACENT TRAILERS TO ONE ANOTHER?

>> I MEAN IT'S CLEARLY A SERIOUS MATTER.

>> YOU ASSUME WITH GOESA THIS WOULD COME UP THE FIRST TIME WE SPOKE ABILITY THIS TOPIC.

AND I HAD TO HAVE A FRIEND PUT ME THROUGH A NEW YORKER ARTICLE --E KNOWS EVERYTHING ABT THIS SUBJECT.

>> SO DID THIS CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO NOT AVOID THIS TOPIC IN YOUR OWN LIFE?

>> IT MADE ME THINK ABOUT IT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, AS MUCH AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT, THE MOVIE IS REALLY A HUMAN STORY ABOUT THIS GUY TRYING TO GET OVER HIS NIGHTMARES.

>> YEAH.

>> AND AT THE SAME TIME WE TRY NOT TO SHY AWAY FROM IT.

>> NO, WE DON'T SHY AWAY FOR IT, BUT IT'S NOT -- IT'S NOT LIKE KINKY OR SOMETHING.

IT'S NOT LIKE COOL, A DEAD BODY STUFF.

>> THERE'S EVEN A SCENE OUTSIDE OF THE BODY FARM THAT'S, YOU KNOW, IT JUST KIND OF IS THAT COMIC RELIEF ALMOST WHERE YOU'RE TALKING TO THE SECURITY GUARD.

YOU'RE TRYING TO EXPLAIN THERE'S NOTHING WEIRD GOING ON HERE.

IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK.

>> YEAH, IT'S A LOVELY LITTLE SCENE, YEAH.

SHE'S GOING TO ARREST US FOR LOOKING OR PEEKING OVER THE FENCE.

IT'S A REAL THING AT A BODY FARM WHERE THEY PUT A BODY IN A CAR OR A LAKE TO SEE HAULG IT TAKES FOR WHAT TO HAPPEN.

THEY NATURALLY DON'T LET PEOPLE COME TO GAWK AT IT BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY RESPECTFUL BECAUSE THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, HUMAN BEINGS.THEY DON'T LIKE TO MAKE F THAT.SO THEY GUARD IT CAREFULLY.

AND THE GUARD WHO CATCHES US, THOUGH, FINDS OUT THE PAIN THAT GAZA IS IN, AND SHE'S LOST HER SON TO CANCER, YEAH.

SO SHE IMMEDIATELY IDENTIFIES WITH HIM AND LETS US GO.

>> WELL, HOW DOES SHE DIE?

>> HUH?

>> HIS WIFE?

>> OH, SHE DIED OF CANCER.

>> [ BLEEP ] CANCER.

>> YEAH.

TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE DISEASE.

>> TOOK MY MAMA, MY HUSBAND AND MY YOUNGEST DUVELL.

>> OH, THAT'S [ BLEEP ] HORRIBLE.

>> [ BLEEP ] CANCER.

>> [ BLEEP ] CANCER.

SO THAT'S WHAT THIS IS.

HE'S IN BAD SHAPE, AND I WAS TRYING TO HELP HIM OUT, TRYING TO HELP A FRIEND OUT.

WE'VE BEEN TRAVELING A VERY, VERY LONG WAY.

>> BUT I CAN'T LET YOU INTO THE GROUNDS.

>> NO, NO ABSOLUTELY.

THAT WOULD BE A MISTAKE.

>> BUT IF YOU GENTLEMEN CAN HIGH TAIL IT THE [ BLEEP ] OUT OF HERE, I THINK I CAN TURN A BLIND EYE.

WHAT'S YOUR FRIENDS NAME?

>> SMOOL.

>> WHEN AGING MYSELF -- >> AND ME.

>> AND FERRIS BUELLER OBVIOUSLY, BUT YOU GO THROUGH GLORY, THE PRODUCERS AND HAVE THESE DIFFERENT CROSS CUTS.

WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR NOW WHEN YOU GET A SCRIPT?

>> YOU KNOW, I'VE NEVER KNOWN REALLY WHAT TO LOOK FOR EXCEPT SOMETHING THAT I LIKE READING, IT STARTS WITH THAT.

HOPEFULLY A LITTLE BIT IT STRETCHES ME IN SOME WAY.

I LIKE TO THINK I'M NOT DOING AND THEN YOU MEET SEAN ORABLE.

WHOEVER IS DIRECTING IT AND THEN YOU SEE HOW YOU CONNECT TO EACH OTHER.

>> AND IT'S EITHER GOING TO BE THE PEOPLE YOU'RE GOING TO BE AROUND FOR A TIME DIGGING INTO THIS.

>> RIGHT, AND I JUST KIND OF GO WITH MY GUT.

I LIKED SEAN >> THERE WAS A GUY THERE LIKED THE SCRIPTS WHEN I READ IT.

AND I THOUGHT IT WAS AN INTERESTING STORY.

I WANTED TO WORK WITH GAZA WHICH WAS MAGNIFICENT.

SO I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD THING TO DO.

>> WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO REMEMBER?

IS THERE A SCENE -- HOW DO YOU HAVE MEPRIES OF THINGS YOU WORKED ON OVER TIME?

IS THERE A SPECIFIC SHOOT DAY OR A PERSON OR A LINE?

>> I REMEMBER SHOOTING ALL NIGHT ON A LITTLE LAKE IN STATEN ISLAND WITH A ROW BOAT FOR SOME THAT WAS A VERY KIND OF BEAUTIFUL YET UNCOMFORTABLE NIGHT.

>> THE BOAT, WAS IT GOING TO BE FACING FORWARDS OR BACKWARDS, ROLLING IT THE RIGHT WAY?

>> THEY REHEARSED IT TO BE ROWING THE BOAT BACKWARDS, AND I GOT THERE AND I WAS LIKE, SEAN, I'M NOT A BIG YACHTSMAN, BUT I KNOW CENTRAL PARK YOU DON'T ROW THAT WAY.

>> BUT THERE WERE DECISIONS MADE IN THE PHOTOGRAPHY AND DIRECTION OF THE BOAT AND POSITIONS.

AND I'M SITTING HERE WE'RE ONE AND A HALF WEEKS INTO PRODUCTION SAYING WHAT DECISION DO I HAVE TO MAKE OR CALL RELATED TO THE INTENSITY OF THE PERFORMANCES.

AND EVERYBODY HAD A DIFFERENT NEED, BUT I THINK WE CREATED A BEAUTIFUL SCENE.

>> WE WERE INSIDE A RAISED PIT AS A GRAVEYARD IN A JEWISH CEMETERY, JUST ON THE EDGE.

>> OH, WOW.

>> RELOCATION ONTO THAT MEADOW AND THERE WAS A GUY.

>> HE WAS MAKING SURE WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING NONKOSHER OR WHATEVER WORD ONE SHOULD USE.

BUT THERE WE WERE.

>> AS CLOSE TO GRAVE DIGGING AS I'VE EVER BEEN.

THAT WAS ODD, AND THERE WAS FAKE RAIN POURING ON US.

SO IT WAS A FRANKENSTEIN MOVIE AND AN INDEPENDENCE FILM.

>> AND THE INSANE THING ABOUT >> WHICH INSANE THING.

>> THE FILM WE WERE DOING THESE THINGS.

THEY TELL YOU A FILM AT THIS BUDGET LEVEL SHOULD BE SHOT IN A HOUSE WITH TWO EXERS, AND WE WERE UNDERFUNDED AND UNDERSTAFFED AND UNDERSCHEDULED, AND THERE WAS NO-NO DAY -- I THINK ABOUT THE LUXURY OF PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT SO WE WERE FIVE DAYS INTO THAT SCENE.

AND I'M LIKE WE WERE FIVE SCENES INTO THAT DAY WHERE WE WERE SHOOTING.

AND THERE WAS NO DAY WHERE AT A MINIMUM THERE WAS A KEY SET PIECE.

AND YOU HAD 80% OF A DIALOGUE AND YOU'RE SPEAKING THESE LONG -- >> ARE YOU THINKING AT THAT POINT FIRST TIME ROOKIE DIRECTOR?

>> FOE, I NEVER THOUGHT THAT EXCEPT SOMETIMES.

THE ONLY THING WAS SOMETIMES IS THE TIME CRUSH IS HARD.

BUT I'VE DONE THAT BEFORE.

AND IT ALSO BRINGS AN ENERGY TO THE STUFF IN A WAY THAT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN.

IT'S SOMETIMES GOOD.

I MEAN, YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO GET EVERY PIECE OF COVERAGE YOU MIGHT WANT.

YOU HAVE TO BE A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBLE AND IMPROVISATIONAL IN A WAY, AND THAT'S NOT A BAD THING.

>> THIS WHOLE IDEA THAT CREATIVITY THRIVES WHEN ITS GIVEN LIMITS, AND IT WAS VERY HUMBLING.

BUT THAT'S THE BEAUTY ABOUT ALL ART FORM, BUT FILM IN PARTICULAR GOES THROUGH SO MANY PHASES AND HAS SO MANY PRACTICAL LIMITATIONS.SO IT'S MADE IN THED WITH GUT INSTINCT AND LOVE AND CERTAINLY HAPPY ACCIDENTS.

>> GOOD ACCIDENTS, ABSOLUTELY.

THAT'S WHY HE DIDN'T LIKE TOO MUCH, YOU KNOW, DIGITAL OR IF YOU HAVE TOO MUCH CONTROL OVER THE FRAME, NOTHING GREAT WILL HAPPEN.

IF YOU'RE NOT ON THE LOCATION HE USED TO SAY, WHERE A SIREN OR AMBULANCE GOES BY AND ACTORS HEAR IT, THAT MIGHT BE A REALLY GOOD ACCIDENT THAT WON'T HAPPEN IF EVERYTHING'S IN A ROOM WITH A GREEN SCREEN AND PERFECT.

>> SEAN SNIDER, MATTHEW BRODERICK, THANK YOU BOTH.