Writer Director Richard Kelly Discusses Making Donnie Darko
This week has been a bumper week for us as continuing our lucky streak of easing into the festive season on a high note – last year I ended on a high note chatting with Quentin Tarantino and this year-round, we end with chatting with Writer-Director Richard Kelly about his modern cult classic masterpiece Donnie Darko.
I must admit watching Donnie Darko for the first time there were elements that hit me right where they should but there were many that didn't - it felt like a very sophisticated but overly engineered cult film. As much as I appreciated Jake Gyllenhaal's nuanced performance balanced between a troubled teen and outright headcase I couldn't quite engage with his damaged character or familial darkness at the time.
However through a friend who loved Donnie Darko I re-watched it and we had many discussions about the film, through those sessions I grew to love the film and began to fully appreciate the intricate layering of it complect. There are so many cultural, literary, film, musical and tonal references tied into the weave of the tale that it is truly astonishing - it is like a painting with each brushstroke perfectly placed and made from a material that mixes and combines with other rich constituent parts to reveal a portrait of humanity in the throes of existential crises and offers an alternative picture to the 80s suburbia offered up by Hollywood - but it reaches past that, tapping into a much larger sadness and darkness.
I say modern cult classic as, well, not to labour the point, but there are precious few good cult films that can be found for our viewing pleasure (in proportion to the number of films released a year) and even fewer that have been made in the last 15 years and still even fewer hailing from the United States that have anything near Donnie Darko's cult factor.
Perhaps unsurprising as increasingly film producers/studios test film concept to the nth degree before committing to finance to a potentially risky proposition - it is after all Showbusiness and film marketeers have become more savvy and quick to label a film as "cult" when it doesn't have a wider demographic appeal.
So Donnie Darko is something of an enduring anomaly and possibly the last great American cult film, in the truest sense of the definition.
A 26-year-old Kelly describing Donnie Darko as "Maybe Catcher in the Rye as told by Philip K. Dick," may seem a little arrogant but it is a most apt sentiment.
I would love to write more about the film, the brilliant performances from an outstanding cast (which merits its own discussion), the importance of ambient tone and how Kelly creates an unsettling tone of dread or trepidation and explore its meaning but I don't have the time required to do it justice and more importantly, the meaning and symbolism of Donnie Darko doesn't need to be analysed and dissected, it always felt like a personal experience to me and I appreciate it thus.
The whole week I had been buzzing about chatting with Richard Kelly as there is so much I wanted to converse with him about, ultimately I didn't get to chat about everything I would have like to, or in as much depth. But happy for the time he could give to chat with us. And I'm already looking forward to re-watching the restored Donnie Darko as well as eagerly anticipating Richard Kelly's upcoming fourth feature film.
A couple of weeks back I was fortunate to crack an invite to the FDA's Autumn/Winter Preview Event, this is where the Film Distributors Association give us a taste of upcoming releases and what we can expect from the Autumn/Winter period.
To be honest I have missed the last couple of FDA events but was determined to make it this time around as the countdown master and presenter, not just another pretender, the real contender for film schedule mender and part time centaur sporting a new chevelure while he renders a verdict on upcoming films and that guy off the telly - Alex Zane (who you may know from such films as: Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo & Ibiza Undead amongst his many, many other endeavours ) was hosting. And he is always incredibly entertaining. I thought a post would make nice catch up of releases coming up for the rest of the year and early next year.
The evening was as surprising as it was fun, we were greeted with refreshments and exhibition of film art from the Autumn/Winter release schedule as well as a nostalgic display of vintage cinema paraphernalia including usher's uniforms, chairs and signs on loan from The Cinema Museum.
I have as yet unfortunately not had the chance to see Derek Cianfrance's The
Light Between Oceans. But jumped at the chance to sit in on a discussion about
the making of the film with the Director behind the moving and visionary, or
should that be, “retro-visionary”? films like Blue Valentine and The Place
Beyond the Pines - as, well to steal a sentiment from leading man
Michael Fassbender - they don't make them like they used to.
Derek Cianfrance's films are beautifully shot and the humanity portrayed
brings gravitas to his tales. They take a long weighty view, looking past
the immediate and instant to the longer repercussions and consequences of
events and decisions.
I was keen to possibly gain some insight into Derek Cianfrance's
vision, his thought processes and decision making when it comes to choosing
material and bringing his stories to life, and how those decisions differ from
more conventional directors. Especially pertinent as
The Light Between Oceans is the first novel that Cianfrance has
adapted. I was also hoping to explore common elements from across his work.
Besides who would not want to hear first hand from
engaging top tier talent like Michael Fassbender and
Alicia Vikander who is exceeding her Rising Star promise
bringing challenging, intense and complex personalities to life on screen -
about their experiences and approach to bringing M L Stedman's best
selling novel and Derek Cianfrance's vision to life.
I have to say it was quite an experience sitting in the
discussion, particularly listening to Michael Fassbender who seems to
be able to communicate complex emotions and scenarios very clearly with an
easy charm. It is very clear that this guy could excel at anything he chooses
and that the performing arts are a better place with his contribution.
Triple 9 Cast and Director John Hillcoat discuss the making of Triple 9
A while back I was introduced to John Hillcoat's Triple 9 when we were treated to a preview of the first 9 minutes of the film. It was absolutely riveting - as we were flung headfirst along with Atticus Ross ' pulsating electro soundtrack into a tense bank heist carried off with military precision that goes awry and ends with tension and bullet-ridden shoot-out on the highways of Atlanta. For the full length of the clip, I was completely absorbed and on the edge of my seat. In all fairness, any half-decent heist film with intelligent action (of which there are far too few) is going to be compelling viewing for me but with the level of intensity being put out by Hillcoat's ensemble cast the film was raised up a level.
I really didn't need to see the first 9 minutes to convince me that I wanted to see Triple 9 - I am always keen to see any film made by the man behind such films as: the dystopian nightmare The Road starring Viggo Mortensen, the Southern Americana crime tale Lawless with Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeouf, Guy Pearce & Gary Oldman and the dusty Proposition with Ray Winstone & Guy Pearce to name a few.
If you have seen any of these films there are immediate similarities that may stick out in your memory. They all have an omnipresent sense of impending dread, are filled with a bleak claustrophobic darkness and they all have outstanding casts delivering powerful performances telling extreme stories that are firmly anchored in reality. The same is very true of John Hillcoat's latest film Triple 9.
When an invite to a screening landed on my desk I was whole heartedly in for partaking of what promised to be an intense and gritty Neo-noir crime tale.
When a crew of dirty cops is blackmailed by the Russian mob to execute a virtually impossible heist, they realise the only way to pull it off is to manufacture a 'triple 9', U.S police code for 'officer down'. The chaos that ensues when a police officer is shot in the line of duty is just the diversion they'll need to do the job, but whether they have the guts to kill one of their own is another matter.
Their plan is turned upside down when the attack is unexpectedly foiled, triggering a breakneck, action packed finale fuelled with betrayal, greed and revenge.
I had hoped to end last year with what I would consider a proverbial bang discussing a my cinematic highlight of 2015, instead I'm kicking off 2016 with that bang of a standard that will hopefully continue throughout the year.
There are many reasons as to why it was my cinematic event of the year if you read The Establishing Shot you'll probably be aware that I am all about the immersive experience and it's unlikely that I'll have as great viewing of a film for a very long time, if ever.
For better or worse I often struggle to appropriately articulate some of what I consider highlight or milestone experiences - words don't fail me rather I feel that these experiences are somewhat diminished when curating them for a broader audience. I have been fortunate to enjoy a number of extremely exceptional experiences that I have kept to/for myself as I have felt that in the end - they mean more to me personally than they would as just another blog post on the web. The irony being that was one of the reasons I started The Establishing Shot in the first place (add something here about moving over the festive season and losing a laptop with the original draft of this post).
Towards the end of last year I was extraordinarily fortunate along with a handful of others to see Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight as it was meant to be seen in all it's gloriousness. That staggering experience was a highlight of 2015 for me and further turned into a milestone memory when I got to chat with Quentin Tarantino about the making of The Hateful Eight.
To be fair it seemed Legend was on the back foot with me from the get go. I am most definitely not a fan of straight up East End gangster films, especially if they are set in the 50/60s. The reality of post war trauma seems to bleed into every aspect of creativity and tales of this time seem mired in the bleak kitchen sink social realism that had become the mainstay sensibility of the day.
Sadly, this still proliferates the British gangster genre. And for me at least, it always seems that in an effort to show “how it really was/is” the entertainment value of the film is smothered, stuffed uncomfortably into a cement laden barrel and then dumped in the Thames. Don't even get me started on the authentically dark camera work and more often than not dank locations.
Add to that, that I am by no means a fan or have any interest in The Kray Twins. Ronnie and Reggie sound like wholly unlikeable chaps, again to be fair I have limited knowledge of the subject matter.
All that combined under the film's tagline: “The notorious true story of The Kray Twins” should have spelt cinematic disaster for me.
Legend
Legend tells the story of two twins, Reggie and Ronald Kray and how they became two of the most notorious gangsters in history.
Director: Brian Helgeland Writer: Brian Helgeland, John Pearson Stars: Tom Hardy, Tom Hardy, Emily Browning, Taron Egerton, Paul Bettany, Aneurin Barnard, David Thewlis, Christopher Eccleston, Chazz Palminteri
I don’t know what the truth is but I thought to find something in the middle of all of that would be the truest thing I could do and I was interested in humanising them in a way.” - Legend Director, Brian Helgeland
Marvel's latest big screen Summer blockbuster Ant-Man is still winning over audiences in the UK cinemas and is currently riding high in the UK box office but a couple of weeks ago I was fortunate to attend the European press conference for the release of Marvel's Ant-Man and had the opportunity to ask the lead cast as well as director Peyton Reed some burning questions about Ant-Man as well as hear some interesting bits from the Ant-Man team.
The Ant-Man European Press Conference was a grand affair held at London's Corinthia Hotel and in contrast to the small theme of Ant-Man it was rather big. Attending the press conference were most of Ant-Man's lead cast; Scott Lang / Ant-Man himself Paul Rudd, Mr. Michael Douglas who plays Dr. Hank Pym and Michael Peña who takes the role of a close associate of Scott Lang, Luis. The chat was moderated by the people's champion and all round film buff Empire's Chris Hewitt.
Further below I have outlined some of the interesting bits from the conference, which sadly does not convey the camaraderie, humour or quick fire wit on display on the day, so I will add videos from the conference as soon as they are uploaded.
I guess I should frame Ant-Man a little. Boom tish! Ant-Man is a lot of fun with big laughs but it wasn't my favourite Marvel film. I think, whilst different elements will most certainly engage and entertain different audience segments - so everyone will have some fun. I did however feel it was largely aimed at a much younger audience than myself. Much of the film whilst fun while it happens on screen was instantly forgettable for me, with novelty and conventionality overriding depth or meaning and the film feels a little piecemeal to me. But there is a story in there that has the hallmarks of Marvel's sparkling ingenuity.
Having said that - I felt exactly the same way whilst watching Guardians of the Galaxy a lot of fun but before the end of the film most of it was lost in a swirl of spectacle and explosions. Bear in mind Guardians of the Galaxy was a mega success across the board so if you enjoyed it - you'll enjoy Ant-Man. Also Probably worth bearing in mind that within the Guardians of the Galaxy comics story arc the film covers the start and in my opinion the weakest part of the larger story, it gets a lot better.
I thought I was able to easily manage my expectations of Ant-Man the film mainly as I was not really a reader of the Scott Lang era The Astonishing Ant-Man comics. But I am a huge *fan*, which is possibly not the right word if you know Hank Pym's turbulent history, let's say, I am very fascinated by Henry or Hank Pym as he is most well known. Along with many other wonderful characters he was a small part of my childhood and there is no doubt that he is certainly one of the most complex characters in the Marvel Universe.
In that regard many may acclaim and hold Alan Moore's The Watchmen as the tipping point in mainstream comics where it become acceptable for the good guys to also be afflicted by personal adult issues - but Hank Pym was there first. And I was really hoping that some of that came through into the Ant-Man.
My introduction to Hank Pym was in what I thought would be a quirky once off story, that became an ongoing strip in Tales to Astonish, the same title that later brought us the return of The Incredible Hulk and Namor the Sub-Mariner. And Hank Pym's adventures were of the weird, wonderful, astounding and unexpected kind. Along with his partner The Wasp they kicked ass and scienced their way out of some tricky situations.
Their adventures were always steeped in Science Fiction and in this respect the Ant-Man film plot does indeed capture the essence of those early comics.
Before seeing the film my approach was that - even if Hank Pym's presence isn't the focus it's OK after all it doesn't really matter who wears the suit it's a symbol – as long as someone is wearing it.
But after leaving the cinema I felt more strongly about the whole - anyone can wear the suit thing. For me in Ant-Man's case it really is the man in the suit that matters which made me remember why I wasn't that interested in the Scott Lang era Ant-Man comics.
Hank Pym was a brilliant man who built something and because of events in his life wanted to do good, sadly tragedy and fragmentation follows him. I was hoping that this would come through in the film. A little bit of it does but not enough - and this is all the more frustrating as director Peyton Reed made it clear that this element of Ant-Man is something that he was interested in as well. If you read on further below Reed makes it clear that if all the stars align and Ant-Man returns in a sequel the door may be open to expanding on Hank Pym's story and character. If so and all the signs are correct I'm guessing that we can expect some early Ant-Man with enough political intrigue and action to rival the brilliant X-Men: First Class/X-Men: Days of Future Past.
... Also it wasn't lost on me that Hank Pym in the comics is such a complicated character and we had a very complicated man playing that character, we had Michael that has an amazing career playing characters with a lot of grey area, and really we just wanted to deepen that character.” - Ant-Man Director, Peyton Reed
There is poetry in the tale of an ordinary man whose problems seem to big and insurmountable that sometimes putting on a suit that makes you small is the only way to overcome them. But Scott Lang comes across as just another victim of circumstance thrust by others into doing what he does, he doesn't seem to be a man of conviction, whilst occasionally cracking a joke. For me the hero by chance thing really doesn't work and I think may be the reason I wasn't so taken with the Scott Lang's Ant-Man comics in the first place. Even the new, new Irredeemable Ant-ManEric O'Grady who is a plain old bad egg has a fantastic universe and characters around him- making him entertaining.
Again this may all be a non issue for anyone who has not read a Hank Pym comic and will be swept away with the new Ant-Man.
I was fortunate to get an early look at some Ant-Man footage a while back and really enjoyed what I saw, granted the cuts I saw were all about the action which is something that Ant-Man does really well. However I did struggle with some of the characters motivations, rational and actions. The performers really aren't given enough time or substance to bring weight to their larger than life personalities. In previous Marvel films sleight of hand and dazzling us with something of a greater distraction minimised the effect these holes but not so much with Ant-Man.
The Establishing Shot: MARVEL'S ANT-MAN FINAL TRAILER - 17 JULY 15
Another highlight of the film I must mention is the introduction of the Quantum Universe or the Microverse as I know it - anyone who loves Science Fiction will be mesmerised or at least smitten by these scenes but – why, oh why were they so short?
Also it would have been absolutely brilliant if The Micronauts (The Avengers of the Microverse) made an appearance in the Quantum Universe. There is more than enough reason for another visit to the Quantum Universe but either spotting The Micronauts or even having them help Scott would have blown the bloody doors of the cinema and I would have tried to book my seat for Ant-Man 2 then and there. Or dare I say it? How awesome would would it have been if Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange was involved in Scott's return?
I was fortunate to get an early look at some Ant-Man footage a while back which I loved, granted what I saw was all about the action and that is something that Ant-Man does really well. But I did struggle with some of the characters motivations, dialogue and rationale, the performers really aren't given enough time or substance to bring weight to their larger than life personalities. In this respect it is worth reading further below to hear the cast talk about how they built their character's personalities.
Before we get to the good stuff further below I should mention the story of Marvel's Ant-Man does not start with the cinematic release - there are in fact two tiny sets of prequel comics that set events in the film up.
The first is Ant-Man Prelude a little two parter that introduces Cold War era Hank Pym to us and his first mission, in which he dons the Ant-Man suit and heads to Berlin, this mission is referenced a number of times in the opening scene of Ant-Man in the explosive discussion between; Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), Howard Stark (John Slattery), Martin Donovan (Mitchell Carson) and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) which takes place at S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters. Ant-Man Prelude also introduces another mysterious character who will presumably play a bigger role in Ant-Man's story when they return, whether they are friend or foe is anyone's guess at the moment.
The second is a smaller story: Ant-Man Scott Lang Small Time which brings us to contemporary times and tells the story of how the Robin Hood like Scott Lang gets a little to carried away and ends up in San Quentin prison about to have his skull cracked which is where Scott Lang's cinematic adventure starts.
THE ESTABLISHING SHOT: MARVEL'S ANT-MAN UK TRAILER - 17 JULY 15
Enough waffling, here is the good stuff - The key questions I had lined up to gain some insight into Ant-Man's background were:
Where is Evangeline Lilly?
What was important to convey or bring to life with Ant-Man?
How did Paul Rudd get involved in Ant-Man and what drew him to the project. Leading into could he tell us a little bit about the early production history of Ant-Man?
Can you tell us a little bit about Edgar Wright's involvement in Ant-Man and did you guys collaborate at all after he moved on?
What drew Peyton Reed to the story of Ant-Man?
What happened with Peyton Reed's involvement in the Fantastic Four?
Henry or Hank Pym as he is now known has a complicated history with dark periods. I am curious about why that was not brought to the fore, he seemed to be more of a conventional character can you tell us a little bit about your thinking behind that?
Can you tell us a little bit about how Ant-Man fits into the Marvel Universe moving forward?
Can reed tell your favourite comics or favourite comic stories?
Our movie happens to have the structure and feel of a heist movie and I think that’s one of the things that Marvel’s really done well. Sometimes you’ll talk to Kevin Feige and he’s like, we don’t make superhero movies, we make genre movies. And I think that’s been a very smart thing.” - Peyton Reed
Sadly many of the burning questions I was hoping to get some insight into were not addressed, specifically what drew: Peyton Reed and Paul Rudd to Ant-Man and a frank discussion on the early production history and decisions which lead to the film we now have.
Fortunately I was spared some of the onus when the very first question from the floor addressed the Edgar Wright question.Other topics we managed to touch on at a high level included;
Paul Rudd on the pressure of Ant-Man leading into a new era in Marvel films
Peyton Reed on Edgar Wright's part in bringing Ant-Man to life
Michael Peña, Paul Rudd & Michael Douglas discuss the influences on their roles in Ant-Man
Paul Rudd on creating Scott Lang aka Ant-Man
Michael Douglas, Paul Rudd & Michael Peña discuss comics and their early cultural influences
Paul Rudd on getting into shape for the role of Ant-Man
Peyton Reed discusses whether the sub genre heist element of Ant-Man signals a change in the direction in Marvel films
Michael Douglas on the experience of making Ant-Man
Peyton Reed addresses the tone of Ant-Man
Michael Douglas & Michael Peña on the possibility of wearing the Ant-Man suit in an upcoming Marvel film
An acknowledgement of Evangeline Lily's absence
Peyton Reed further hints at possible elements that might be explored in Ant-Man 2 and confirms Paul Rudd will appear as Ant-Man in Marvel's upcoming Captain America: Civil War
Paul Rudd on his participation in Captain America: Civil War
Earlier this week I headed back to Old Street to see the launch of the marvellous Marvel UK The Antsibition or Willard Wigan's micro art Ant-Man Exhibition.
A little while back I received a little invitation to a pop up gallery in Old Street Tube Station, where to celebrate the release of Marvel’s Ant-Man into UK cinemas on the 17th July 2015 Marvel presents The Antsibition in partnership with IMAX 3D.
Marvel UK have teamed up with IMAX and renowned micro-artist Willard Wigan to host a small exhibition or Antsibition of Willard Wigan's micro-sculptures and unveil a specially made Ant-Man sculpture.
The “Ant” sized gallery will be open to the public from 14th to 17th 20th July 2015 at Old Street Station in London, and will give visitors a unique chance to experience the tiny world of Ant-Man up close as miniature magic is bought to the gallery which measures just 4.5m by 3.2m.
I had actually heard of Willard Wigan's sculptures but did not connect the dots till I was actually at the exhibition and realised Willard Wigan was the same micro-artist who has created a buzz with his tiny sculptures, is the same Willard Wiganof the nine camels through an eye of the needle fame and actually holds the Guinness Records title of the worlds smallest sculptures.
All photos from my visit can be viewed on our Flickr Channel.
This weekend to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the release of Dario Argento's art horror surrealist cult classic film Profondo Rosso’s or Deep Red as it is known in English speaking parts of the world the Barbican will be playing host to what is sure to be one of the most memorable horror or more accurately Giallo related events to play out in London in recent times - when horror maestro Claudio Simonetti brings his band Goblin to play the score of Profondo Rosso live.
Not only am I incredibly excited about this musical event itself as Claudio Simonetti's Goblin perform one of the most iconic horror soundtracks LIVE as the film is screened in the acoustically renowned Hall B of the Barbican (the home of the London Symphony Orchestra) but I was extremely privileged to chat with Mr. Simonetti about his work and creating the sound of many of the foremost cult classic horror films of the last four decades with the band Goblin.
As well as being effortlessly cool in the way Italians can be, he was surprisingly candid and gracious with his time so we were able to have a decent conversation about a range of subjects, that when pulled together paint a high level picture of the passionate career of a man doing what he loves for the last 40 years whilst letting his music reach into our souls and play with our emotions like they are, well a synthesizer.
Claudio Simonetti's GOBLIN 21st Feb 2015 Barbican London
Profondo rosso (Deep Red)
A musician witnesses the murder of a famous psychic, and then teams up with a fiesty reporter to find the killer while evading attempts on their lives by the unseen killer bent on keeping a dark secret buried.
Director: Dario Argento Writers: Dario Argento, Bernardino Zapponi Stars: David Hemmings, Daria Nicolodi, Gabriele Lavia Claudio Simonetti's Goblin performing Profondo Rosso Live at The Barbican: Saturday 21 February 2015
After posting my interview with Claudio Simonetti a friend, a big John Carpenter fan asked me about Claudio Simonetti and it occurred to me that possibly not everyone is as big fan of Simonetti as me and has listened to his and Goblin's music. So I thought I would add a short bio to introduce the man and his music.
"Claudio Simonetti … is a Brazil-born Italian composer who has specialized in the scores for Italian and American horror films since the 1970s." - From Wiki
Following in his father's footsteps a successful and popular composer and TV personality Claudio studied composition and piano at the Conservatore Saint Cecilia in Rome, eventually it was experimental rock that captured his ear as he chased his dream and he went on to form various bands including Oliver which went on to become Goblin.
Fame came to the band when they did the soundtrack for arguably Italy's greatest/notorious horror director (he did after all invent the Giallo genre) Dario Argento for his film Profondo Rosso (Deep Red). It was at this time the band officially became known as Goblin.
Dario Argento's Profondo Rosso (Deep Red) went on become a huge commercial success internationally and won critical acclaim. For many Profondo Rosso would define Dario Argento's style for them.
But the real surprise was Goblin's soundtrack which - recorded in ten days went on to sell over a million copies in the first ten months and stayed in the Italian charts for 52 weeks it attained No.1 on the charts in both the LP and singles categories making Profondo Rosso one of the highest selling horror film soundtracks ever made. It has subsequently gone on to sell over four million copies as well as influence cinematic sound across multiple genres.
The sound of Profondo Rosso is a fusion of Giorgio Gaslini's jazz, blues funk and Goblin's own intriguing surreal symphonic rock Baroque hybrid created with Claudio Simonetti's Minimoog synthesizer, bass, drums, guitars, harpsichords, a church organ and creepy vocal lullabies. This seminal sound would later be expanded and solidified with Goblin's defining and quintessential soundtrack for Dario Argento's Suspira (my personal favourite).
... by the time we recorded Suspiria I think our sound is unique and that was the sound that made Goblin famous started coming through because we invented something.”
- Claudio Simonetti
This description of Goblin's sound from the now sadly defunct Cherry Red Records can not be improved upon:
Goblin's genius lies in skilfully combining elements of progressive psychedelia with jazz-rock, Eastern European folk music and the Baroque. Their music often displays an eerie fairy tale quality that underscores tensions within a film to great effect.”
History has proclaimed that Profondo Rosso is the absolutely essential sound of Dario Argento, Goblin and Italian horror film.
Goblin and Claudio Simonetti went on to define the sound for many of Dario Argento's films before parting ways and separately continuing their careers. Claudio went on to work with other acclaimed cult directors like; George A. Romero, Bruno Corbucci, Lucio Fulci, Ruggero Deodato, Lamberto Bava, Sergio Martino, Umberto Lenzi, Menahem Golan and Enzo G. Castellari on the true apocalyptic cult classic Warriors of Wasteland or The New Warriors (another personal favourite of mine) continued to create progressive rock, dabble in Disco during its heyday as well form the heavy metal band Daemonia.
Goblin and Simonetti reunited briefly to score the soundtrack for Dario Argento's Sleepless. Goblin continued touring in various forms and Daemonia later became Claudio Simonetti's Goblin.
In my chat with Mr. Claudio Simonetti goes into a little more detail about Goblin's history.
Other topics we managed to touch on at a high level included;
- The enduring appeal of Goblin's sound
- Goblin's history before working in film
- The true genesis of Goblin as a band
- Fail at an attempt to define the music of Goblin
- Simonetti and Goblin's working process
- Creating the iconic Goblin sound for Suspiria & the legendary lost Suspiria recordings
- His ongoing collaboration with Dario Argento
- Addresses the similarities between the sound of Deep Red, Tubular Bells & Halloween
- On meeting John Carpenter
- Working with George Romero
- On being "soundcast" for horror
- His body of work & still being inspired by film
- His thoughts on new horror soundtracks
- Zack Snyder's Dawn of the Dead remake & the recent work of Guillermo del Toro
Simonetti also let us know what we can expect from the live performance and screening of Deep Red at the Barbican. For a bonus point I managed to discover Claudio Simonetti's favourite horror films.
You know when we started in the 70s we didn't have a title for the music, now we have Gothic, Heavy Metal and many different titles for the music, even Prog didn't exist in the 70s. Prog was invented later. We just played Rock.”
- Claudio Simonetti
I say our chat but Claudio did most of the talking so it is unsurprising that he was flagging a bit towards the end of our chat, as was I, despite that he was happy to give me a fair amount of time - even so - sadly I didn't manage to chat about the actual content of any of the films he has scored and the part that play in the psychology behind his music or indeed where he goes and how he creates the hypnotising and transcendental music that stares into our souls, scares, lulls and moves us or to my shame the rumoured 3D remake of Suspiria.
As with many of Dario Argento's film, in Profondo Rosso the lead protagonist is the proverbial fish out of water as David Hemmings plays Marcus Daly an English pianist and music teacher who whilst working in Turin stumbles onto a murder and goes down a dark and increasingly terrifying path as this every man sets about to uncover the killer - a mysterious figure wearing black leather gloves, played by director Dario Argento himself. Whilst Goblin's soundtrack gently lulls us down the same disturbing path.
Deep Red starring David Hemmings as Marcus Daly
Horror aficionados may each may have a favourite Dario Argento film but many agree Profondo Rosso is the prime example of Argento's twisted genius and "showcases the technical bravado and ... shock tactics that made Argento famous".
A surreal masterpiece from Dario Argento with a pounding score from cult prog rockers Goblin, Deep Red will leave you battered and breathless!
Gorgeously shot with an incredible soundtrack merging to create different ambient tones that juxtapose against each other adding unique personality to the characters, places and times they live in. I'm not going to bang on about the performances but it was a real joy to see." - From Arrow Films
Continuing on from Part One of an evening with Andy Serkis, in which I gush about the wonderfulness of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and can be found over here!
Whilst my head was buzzing from the celluloid high that I haven't had in awhile from a film. Empire's Don Jolin popped onto the stage for a chat with Mr Andy Serkis.
If you have read my review of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes you know that I loved it not only as an incredible piece of entertainment but as an insightful and intelligent metaphor of exploration of the human condition. So far the remakes of The Planet of The Apes films have been extraordinary films doing both justice to Pierre Boulle's original tale as well as forging a place for themselves in the modern zeitgeist.
Much of what makes The Planet of The Apes films as magic as they are is - the authenticity of the simian characters. Their credibility on screen a combination of astounding effects making their computer generated avatars incredibly lifelike. As well as the emotive performances behind the Apes giving them individual personality, emotion and life - so much so that you forget that you are watching computer generated imagery.
And nowhere is bringing these avatars to life more profoundly or poignantly manifested than in the immeasurable talent of Mr Andy Serkis.
The Establishing Shot: ANDY SERKIS DISCUSSES DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES AT THE HAM YARD HOTEL LONDON
Acouple of weeks ago I was extremely privileged to go along to a BAFTA screening of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes AND chat with Mr. Andy Serkis conducted by Empire's Dan Jolin.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Ten years after a pandemic disease, apes who have survived it are drawn into battle with a group of human survivors.
Director: Matt Reeves Writers: Mark Bomback, Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, Pierre Boulle Stars: Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Andy Serkis UK Release: On Blu-ray, DVD on 24th November 2014
I say extremely privileged as the evening turned out to be one of my most memorable in a while. The event was held at the Ham Yard Hotel, this was my first visit to the Ham Yard and WOW! What a hotel. Belying its very central London location The Ham Yard makes incredible use of its enormous double volume space to create an experience - not just another London boutique hotel. Any future hotels being developed in London Central would do well to take a leaf out of the Ham Yard's concept book. Their screening room doing justice to both the crisp, beautiful cinematography as well as the rumbling sound and Michael Giacchino's score which gives the whole film a backbone on which to stand.
This was my first viewing of the Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and I had been careful to stay away from anything that might be considered a spoiler as it was I had been looking forward to seeing it for ages, since Rupert Wyatt's absolutely marvellous Rise of the Planet of the Apes. I loved Rise of the Planet of the Apes it hit me right where it should and thankfully many others felt the same way as it won over the masses looking for blockbuster style fare, those looking for a film with substance and even the doubters wary of a another remake of Pierre Boulle's cautionary tale of a future society gone wrong.
Acouple of weeks ago I was fortunate to pop along to the FDA UK Cinema Showcase day where I got to watch a number of excellent films including; Yann Demange's outstanding '71 a gripping journey into the madness of war ,with its young lead Jack Jack O'Connell delivering on the promise of being one of Britain's most watchable performers.
Whilst not as immediately satisfying as say The Social Network I also enjoyed David Fincher's pitch black Hitchkokian satire Gone Girl and have been mulling it over since seeing it. But the highlight of the day for me was seeing Mike Leigh's absolutely astonishing and sublime Mr. Turner followed by an intimate QA session with the star of the film the treasure that is Mr Timothy Spall.
The Establishing Shot: TIMOTHY SPALL TALKS MR. TURNER
Last week Director Susanne Bier and Screenwriter Christopher Kyle were in London to preview their latest film Serena (as well as Bier's A Second Chance) to London Film Festival audiences and I was fortunate enough to be invited along to a roundtable chat with them - an opportunity I quickly snapped up and happily so, as it was a privilege to be in the company of such talented creators and as Serena has had as almost as much written about it as speculation on its history this only added to my eagerness to hear directly from the film-makers about the making of Serena.
I'm not going to sweeten it - I struggled a bit with Serena. There is no denying that it is very much its own film a throwback to dark noir and doesn't pander to any expectations that may arise from the casting of a Hollywood golden couple as its leads. But wait! Maybe I should rewind a bit - let me start earlier - possibly my feeling towards Serena has more to do with my only frame of reference for the works of Susanne Bier her 2006 Mads Mikkelsen starrer - After the Wedding (Efter brylluppet).
It is a remarkable and subtle piece of filmmaking wherein Bauer eschews technique to rely on her casts performances to tell an utterly compelling and original tale of; well optimism and hope - but even more surprising it that it is told in an unsentimental and realistic way. Something sadly lacking in modern film rosters. Even my wife who bears the brunt of my experimental cultish tastes was pleasantly surprised at how human and wonderful After the Wedding is.
Serena UK Quad Poster
This is possibly part of the reason as to why I struggled as much as I did with Serena as it heads in the other direction, completely the other direction, so much so it took me by surprise. Possibly I'm a little more forgiving than some as Serena is dark and as close to the real spirit of Film Noir that we have seen on screen in a long time. And I have a strong affinity with the genre. Possibly my feelings about Serena have much to do with the fact that I have been waiting for it – ever since I heard Darren Aronofsky was helming it, creating certain expectations. But then Susanne Bier sat down in the Directors seat and all that changed and I was very interested to see what she made of it. Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper coming on board in roles playing against type made Serena one of my most anticipated film of the year and this year.
In the run up to the much anticipated release of (the currently in post production) The Woman in Black: Angel of Death which continues the story of The Woman in Black story forty years on. Entertainment One and Hammer have announced it's HAMMERTIME! with a deal that will see Hammer's films getting a production boost and wider distribution.
The first thing that struck me when watching David Michôd's The Rover is the chilling bleak, edge of your seat atmosphere that pervades every aspect of the film - most noticeably the personalities of the characters that fit into Michôd's dystopian not too distant future. The Rover's world is void of empathy and filled with a dog eat dog mentality where brother turns against brother.
Michôd is no stranger to this type of world and the title of his brilliant 2010 debut feature Animal Kingdom even alludes to it. In an odd quirk or projection this is something I have been thinking about a lot recently - whilst watching a new TV show that takes place in a world where a chunk of the population simply disappears and those left behind deal with it in different ways - but ultimately everyone is angry, confused and the world forever tragically altered. Sadly the synchronicity with events rolling out in the Middle East and the effects seemingly bringing out the worst in many people. Highlights the condition of desensitization that people undergo after catastrophic events. This condition and its effects after the big one, the war to end all wars, Vietnam and the Gulf conflict are well documented and have changed the world as we knew it and this is something Michôd taps into.
The Establishing Shot: DAVID MICHÔD, GUY PEARCE & ROBERT PATTINSON TALK THE ROVER IN LONDON ROB PATTINSON HAVING A LAUGH
Whilst The Rover's world is its not to different from our own albeit a lot more broken and the effects have damaged man, further exacerbated by the unforgiving and barren setting of The Rover. The story Michôd tells is that of people pushed to the extremities of the human condition and whilst it is in essence a road or chase movie, for me it is more of a wild ride into the dark heart of man, that could have just as easily fit into a Western setting or sadly even contemporary times.
Being able to transport your audience to another world with enough credible hooks into our own is a hallmark of a great cinematic experience, it is also the hallmark of my favourite type of film – Film Noir. Which brings me to the second thing that struck me about The Rover – the performances. Like the great anti hero characters of noir Guy Pearce's Eric is broken, tough as nails and fiercely driven against the odds for his own reasons.
Last Saturday I went along to the Jameson Empire Done in 60 Seconds Global Final which as expected turned out to be a great evening celebrating the aspiring filmmakers whose 60 second films ran in the competition. The DISS competition culminated with David Smith being crowned the winner at the prestigious Jameson Empire awards the following evening for his incredibly entertaining Done in 60 Seconds version of There Will Be Blood.
Along with some other film type people I was fortunate to chat with some of the the Done in 60 Seconds judging panel specifically Edith Bowman, Alex Zane and the man in black himself - Ben Wheatley.
The chat was lighthearted with lots of laughs being generated by Alex Zane's sharp wit and Ben Wheatley's black & bone dry humour, whilst Edith Bowman kept it grounded and focussed. Ostensibly we chatted about the importance of initiatives like the Jameson Empire Done in 60 Seconds competition, their judging criteria, recent films they have enjoyed as well as the status of the film industry. But I couldn't resist sneaking in a couple of cheeky questions to the notoriously (albeit rightfully so) very reserved* Ben Wheatley about his much anticipated upcoming adaptation of J. G. Ballard's influential novel High Rise. I have met Ben a couple of times and is never too keen to talk specifics or details - so I was really quite chuffed at his frankness when discussing things at the roundtable. *Wheatley actually expands on his reserved approach towards the end of the chat.
Wheatley follows Steven Spielberg who adapted Ballard's Empire of the Sun and David Cronenberg who took on the controversial Crash. With a tale that seems tailor written for Wheatley's style. Things are going to get insane. From the book's synopsis:
The unnerving tale of life in a modern tower block running out of control. Within the concealing walls of an elegant forty-storey tower block, the affluent tenants are hell-bent on an orgy of destruction. Cocktail parties degenerate into marauding attacks on 'enemy' floors and the once-luxurious amenities become an arena for technological mayhem...In this classic visionary tale, human society slips into violent reverse as the inhabitants of the high-rise, driven by primal urges, recreate a world ruled by the laws of the jungle.
Film is kind of an art and shouldn't be analysed like that,”
- Ben Wheatley
JAMESON EMPIRE DONE IN 60 SECONDS JUDGE & CULT DIRECTOR MR. BEN WHEATLEY
For my third and final interview with the legends behind James Bond I chat with Mr. Vic Armstrong. Pretty much every film geek knows his name. But even if you aren't familiar with his name you have most certainly seen his work, as Vic Armstrong is possibly the world's greatest stuntman (if you don't believe look at the title of his autobiography . If you have ever seen Blade Runner, Return of the Jedi, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Live and Let Die, Raiders of the Lost Ark or Temple of Doom. You have seen Vic Armstrong in action as he was the guy doubling for the lead actor when the going got tough or the insurance premiums became too high.
As his name would indicate - of course there is a lot more to a legend like Vic Armstrong, his name is synonymous with Bond stunt work as well as high quality productions that require a man to do the impossible and creatively find away to defy death, not only does he double for A-listers but he has planned and over seen the stunt work for 100s of films - too many to list but you have seen them. He received an Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema BAFTA in 2002 and a Taurus Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008 (which is the Oscars of the stunt world). He is known for creating customised stunt devices & equipment that changes the way stunts are done.
As well as directing his own films; he is also assistant director or second location director on many films including; Gangs of New York, Mission Impossible 3, I Am Legend, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, The Amazing Spider-Man, Thor, Blade: Trinity, The League of Extraordinary Gentleman, The World is Not Enough, Tomorrow Never Dies and Die Another Day. Armstrong is now a full fledged director with 2 upcoming films scheduled for released. Also he still says bloody in casual conversation – the man is a living legend!
