The Auteurs #61: David Fincher

One of the premier directors working in Hollywood, David Fincher is a filmmaker that doesn’t play by the rules despite the fact that many of his films are by many prominent film studios in Hollywood. While a lot of his work feature amazing technical feats, much of his body of work dabble into dark subject matters with elements of suspense and terror. Often tagged as being difficult for his methods as well as struggling to live up to many expectations that Hollywood craves for. Fincher is one of the few in the Hollywood system that maintains a level of control as well as be independent in a money-driven industry.

Born on August 28, 1962 in Denver Colorado, David Andrew Leo Fincher was the son of journalist Howard Kelly “Jack” Fincher and mental health nurse Clare Mae Boettecher. Fincher’s father was an editor for Life magazine as he moved the family to San Anselmo, California two years after David’s birth where one of the Finchers’ new neighbor was an aspiring filmmaker in George Lucas. At the age of eight-years old, Fincher received his first 8mm camera as he had just seen Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid which was a monumental moment for the young boy. It was in this moment that Fincher’s interest in film would have him stage plays in high school while working for local TV news stations as a production assistant.

In 1983 while working for Industrial Light and Magic as an assistant cameraman and matte photographer for such films as Return of the Jedi and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Fincher met another aspiring filmmaker in Dominic Sena as well as music video director Nigel Dick where they would create a production company with video director Greg Gold and producers Steve Golin and Sigurjon Sighvatsson called Propaganda Films. The company would be an outlet for filmmakers in the world of music videos and commercials to hone their craft as filmmakers. Fincher, Sena, and Dick would be among those who would use Propaganda as a training tool as well as other filmmakers such Alex Proyas, Michael Bay, Michel Gondry, Stephane Sednaoui, Spike Jonze, Gore Verbinski, Zack Snyder, and many others until it formally closed in 2002 by the time most of these filmmakers were making films.


From 1983 to 1985, Fincher spend much of his time directing commercials before finally getting to chance with the then-popular 80s pop-rock artist Rick Springfield for a series of music videos that were quite popular in the age of MTV. In 1986, Fincher scored his first real hit directing the video for the Jermaine Stewart song We Don’t Have to Take Our Clothes Off as it helped the song become a major hit. The video would have Fincher work with many acts such as the Motels, the Hooters, Loverboy, Eddie Money, Patty Smyth, the Outfield, and Foreigner where he had a distinctive look in his videos that were slick and filled with gorgeous photography as well as whatever tools to create something that felt new. It was at this point that Fincher was in demand as the videos he made for artists and acts such as Sting, Madonna, Paula Abdul, Don Henley, Steve Winwood, Jody Watley, Aerosmith, Billy Idol, and George Michael were coming to him to get their videos made.

Alien 3

Due to his success with music videos as well as be popular with the hot artists of the time, Hollywood came calling to have him involved with projects for him to helm. It was 20th Century Fox that approached with Fincher with a film that seemed to be a surefire hit and a pathway for Fincher’s filmmaker career to start with a bang. It would be in the form of a long-gestating third film of the Alien franchise which had been in development hell as well as dealing with many script issues for nearly five years since the release of James Cameron’s 1986 film Aliens. Fincher came in at a time when the project was once again about to be shelved as he read the many drafts of the script that had been in the works that included contributions from William Gibson, Eric Red, David Twohy, and Vincent Ward with Ward and Renny Harlin in the running to helm the film.

By the time Fincher came in, the film’s producers in filmmaker Walter Hill and David Giler had been trying to write the script based on the many other ideas as Rex Pickett had come in to do re-writes on the many ideas that had been written by script doctor Larry Ferguson whose ideas were not well-received by Hill, Giler, and the film’s star Sigourney Weaver. With Pickett out of the picture despite his contribution as he would not get any credit under the rules of the Writer’s Guild of America. Production was finally underway in January of 1991 at Pinewood Studios in London as the cast would include Charles Dance, Charles S. Dutton, Paul McGann, Pete Postlethwaite, and Lance Henriksen briefly reprising his role as the damaged android Bishop and as its designer. For many of Fincher’s peers, they all thought he had made it but for Fincher. The project would become a nightmare as the film’s original cinematographer Jordan Cronenweth was forced to leave the shoot after two weeks as he had contracted Parkinson’s disease which would eventually claim his life in 1996.

Replaced with the British cinematographer Alex Thomson, things began to be troubling as the production was unable to get Stan Winston though Winston did give 20th Century Fox the services of Tom Woodruff Jr. and Alec Gills in designing the aliens. Yet, Fincher found himself at odds with the executives of 20th Century Fox who would fire him several times during the tumultuous shoot as Fincher would also get at odds with Hill and Giler for not being more supportive in trying to get the film finished. By the time the film reached into post-production with editor Terry Rawlings, Fincher was already aware of what the studio wanted but felt it wasn’t good enough. Eventually, Fincher was forced out of the production for good as the film finally was released in May of 1992. Though it made nearly $160 million in the box office worldwide, the film was considered a major commercial disappointment as it only made around $55 million in the U.S. which was similar to its budget. The critical response was mixed as much of it was negative in comparison to its predecessors.

More than a decade after its theatrical release, 20th Century Fox released a box set of the franchise that included an assembled cut of the film that featured nearly forty minutes of footage that never made it to the final cut. Yet, Fincher wanted no involvement with its release despite the warmer reception the assembled version got with fans and critics. For Fincher, making the film was a horrific experience as he later stated in interviews several years later while admitting that he hates the film and often doesn’t include it when it comes to the body of work he would cultivate in the years to come.

Se7en

The disappointing experience of Alien 3 forced Fincher to retreat to the world of music videos as he would helm videos for Michael Jackson, Madonna, and the Rolling Stones. Along with work for Propaganda, Fincher was hoping not to make another film until he received the draft of a script by Andrew Kevin Walker about a serious of mysterious murders based on the seven deadly sins where two detectives try to solve its mystery. The script was intriguing for Fincher although it was an earlier draft that Walker hadn’t polished yet Fincher was intrigued about being involved as a producer with someone else directing it. Yet, New Line Cinema who had the rights to have the script made offered Fincher the chance to direct with a modest $33 million budget as Brad Pitt wanted to take part in the film with the condition that Walker’s original ending was intact.

With both Fincher and Pitt getting what they wanted as the latter would play the role of the young detective David Mills while the producers got Morgan Freeman to star as the veteran detective William Somerset. With a cast that was to include Pitt’s then-girlfriend Gwyneth Paltrow as Mills’ wife plus R. Lee Ermey, John C. McGinley, Richard Roundtree, and Kevin Spacey as the mysterious John Doe. The film would be shot largely in Los Angeles as it would be set largely on rainy days where Fincher would be given the services of famed cinematographer Darius Khondji to shoot the film and Arthur Max to do the set designs as he would be one of Fincher’s first of a series of recurring collaborators. Fincher would often have Walker on set for advice on the narrative as it would help him get through the shoot much easier as opposed to the chaos of the last film he made in which he had to work with an unfinished script that was in constant need of re-writes.

For the post-production, Fincher was able to get the services of the famed music composer Howard Shore to do the score while he worked with two of his collaborators in the art of music videos in cinematographer Harris Savides and editor Angus Wall in creating a title sequence. The title sequence would create something that was offbeat but also played into the world of the killer as it would accompanied by a remixed version of the Nine Inch Nails song Closer. Fincher also wanted to create something that didn’t play by the conventions as he had to fight tooth-and-nail for the film’s original ending to be intact that involved a mysterious box that would play into the ultimate sin. Another person that was involved in the post-production is sound designer Ren Klyce who would help create a lot of mixes for the sound as he would become one of many recurring collaborators for Fincher throughout his career.

The film made its premiere in late September of 1995 as it drew excellent reviews from the critics while being a surprising hit in the box office thanks in some part to Brad Pitt’s emergence as a film star. The film would eventually gross more than a $100 million in the U.S. while its total tally worldwide was more than $327 million. The film would give screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker a nomination for Best Screenplay at the British Academy Awards while editor Richard Francis-Bruce received the film’s sole Oscar nod for Best Editor. The film would win three MTV Movie Awards for Best Film, Most Desirable Male for Pitt, and Best Villain to Spacey.

The Game

The success of Se7en gave Fincher some clout as well as renewed confidence as a filmmaker as his personal life marked some changes as his marriage to Donya Fiorentino fell apart in 1995 despite having a daughter in Phelix around that time. Yet, Fincher would rebound when he married Cean Chaffin in 1996 who would become one of his producers as she would help handle some of business aspects of the industry as well as film executives. For their first collaboration, the two took on a project Fincher had interest in helming around the time his filmmaking career was starting. The script had been in the hands of Propaganda for some time as it revolved around a wealthy investment banker who is given an invitation by his brother to play a game that would blur the ideas of reality and fiction where it would eventually become thrilling and deadly.

Brad Pitt was initially going to star in the film but was unable to due to scheduling reasons as Michael Douglas was eventually cast in the lead role of Nicholas Van Orton though he had some reservations considering that the film was to be funded by the European-based company Polygram Films. Jodie Foster was approached to play Nicholas’ daughter but she was unable to take part due to another project she was attached to as her part was re-written to become Nicholas’ brother Conrad where Jeff Bridges was approached only for Sean Penn to be eventually cast. Deborah Kara Unger was given the supporting role of the waitress Christine who becomes an unlikely participant in the game. The supporting cast would also include an array of character actors and cult figures such as Carroll Baker, James Rebhorn, and Armin Mueller-Stahl to be in the film.

Fincher would bring in Harris Savides to shoot the film as it would be largely shot in San Francisco where Fincher resided in as he felt shooting the film in San Francisco instead of Los Angeles would be cheaper. Fincher gathered many of the same collaborators from his previous film while getting James Haygood to do the editing of the film. While much of the film was set and shot in and around San Francisco, Fincher would shoot the film on weekends as it was difficult to shoot around the city during the weekdays where everyone is working. The shoot would last for 100 days as Fincher also got to shoot in a soundstage for a sequence where Michael Douglas is riding in a cab that is about to crash into San Francisco Bay.

The film was released in late September of 1997 where it got some excellent reviews from critics as a high-octane thriller. Though it did make more than a $100 million worldwide, the film was considered a commercial disappointment making only $48 million in the U.S. The disappointing commercial reaction would be something Fincher would endure constantly where even though studios liked what he was able to do. It always came short when it came down to money. Still, the film would eventually become a hit on home video where as it would get a special DVD/Blu-Ray release from the Criterion Collection in 2012.

Fight Club

A month before the release of The Game, Fincher was offered the chance to helm the film version of Chuck Palahniuk’s 1996 novel about an everyman who lashes out against his environment as he and another man form a fight club to express their discontent. While Fincher would accept the job to helm the film though it would be under the supervision of 20th Century Fox whom he had a troubled history with. Fincher was able to get more control this time around as he was protected by producers and Fox 2000 executive Laura Ziskin despite the fact that the film contained a lot of anti-corporate messages and themes that made many in 20th Century Fox uneasy. When Fincher was able to get Brad Pitt on board as the character Tyler Durden with Pitt receiving a $17.5 million salary, the studio felt a little bit easy though not by much.

For the role of the film’s un-named protagonist, studios wanted Matt Damon or Sean Penn but Fincher was able to get Edward Norton for the role while Helena Bonham Carter was cast as Marla against the wishes of the studio. With Meat Loaf and Jared Leto taking on small supporting parts, Fincher spent much of the first half of 1998 doing pre-production where Pitt and Norton went to take lessons in boxing, tae kwon do, grappling, and soap making while Fincher would work with screenwriter Jim Uhls on the script with Andrew Kevin Walker providing some assistance. The film was initially budgeted at $23 million, it would increase once filming began as it escalated into $50 million which made one of the film’s executive producers in Arnon Milchan uneasy until he saw the dailies.

Having felt bad about the way Jordan Cronenweth was dismissed from the production of Alien 3, Fincher asked Jordan’s son Jeff to shoot the film as he would become a recurring collaborator of Fincher for years to come. Fincher also hired visual effects artist Kevin Tod Haug, who had done some visual effects work on The Game, to create some effects as it would play into the film’s eerie look as well as the elements of surrealism. The work on the visuals took a long time as the 138-day shoot ended in December of 1998 as its budget would increase more due to the fact that Fincher shot a lot of footage. By the time post-production began, Fincher found himself at odds with the executives of 20th Century Fox over the marketing which some believed hurt the film’s commercial potential. Adding to the troubles while Fincher, editor James Haygood, and sound designer Ren Klyce were working doing post-production was trying to market a film that was extremely violent as Fincher eventually had ideas to market it but 20th Century Fox didn’t like it.

The film finally made its premiere at the Venice Film Festival in Italy on September 10, 1999 where it shocked audiences and critics leading up to its North American theatrical release later that month. The film polarized audiences and critics yet it was a film that a lot of people talked about as it was extremely controversial upon its release. Despite the buzz over its premise, the film received mixed reviews from critics while its box office take in America was poor as it only grossed $37 million against its final $63 million budget. Though the film would gross a total of more than a $100 million worldwide, the film was considered a failure until it was released a year later on home video and the newly-emerged DVD where it became a massive hit in the home video market. The film would eventually have a cultural impact and become a lauded cult film as it would help Fincher’s reputation as Hollywood’s prince of darkness.

Panic Room

Wanting to do something that was less hectic and more accessible, Fincher was given a script by David Koepp that explored the idea of panic rooms as it was about a mother and daughter who bought a new house only to deal with burglars as they hide in a panic room. The simplicity of the premise was something Fincher wanted as it would be another studio picture under Columbia Pictures who gave him creative control. Since Fincher’s last film revolved largely around men, the fact that the script had a female lead was something totally different but also welcoming. With Koepp also serving as producer and allowing many of Fincher’s collaborators to be on board, the film was to star Nicole Kidman in the leading role with Hayden Panettiere as Kidman’s daughter while the trio of Forest Whitaker, Jared Leto, and Dwight Yoakam were cast as the burglars.

Production began in January of 2001 where two weeks into the shooting, Kidman got injured on set as she was forced out of the production as the injury was serious. Production was halted as Columbia scrambled to find another actress to replace Kidman as Jodie Foster was eventually cast but the production had another setback when the film’s cinematographer Darius Khondji left the production due to creative issues with Fincher. Conrad Hall Jr. would join the set though Khondji’s work would be credited as another casting change was made when Panettiere left the production before Kidman’s injury as then-newcomer Kristen Stewart was cast as Foster’s daughter. Kidman would later make a voice cameo in the film as the girlfriend of the protagonist’s ex-husband as the production was then troubled once again five weeks into the shoot when Foster learned she was pregnant. Aware of what was happening, Foster asked Fincher and co-producer Cean Chaffin to not rush the production.

Though shooting was halted and restarted in November as it was finished, problems emerge where Columbia screened a rough cut of the film for a test screening as it didn’t do well. Wanting to avoid re-shoots, Fincher and editors James Haygood and Angus Wall spent time trying to go over some of the takes that had been filmed. Another problem that became some concern was that the studio wanted Fincher to tone down some of the violence and language for a PG-13 rating instead of a R rating but Fincher refused as he also wasn’t fond of the marketing as he felt the film was different than his previous works. Fincher would get what he wanted as he was able to have the film finished for its late March 2002 release.

The film’s release on March of 2002 was greeted with excellent reviews as well as being a major box office hit making more than $96 million in the U.S. against its $48 million budget while making an additional $100 million around the world. The film’s success was a relief for Fincher who was getting some attention for not just being a master of suspense and dark stories but also dealing with some of the troubled aspects that went on in making films. Fincher decided to take a break from films as he spent much of his time away from the world of filmmaking as well as mourn the passing of his father in April of 2003.

Zodiac

After some time away from the world of film, Fincher returned to the world of film as he was approached to helm a script about the famed Zodiac killer who had been killing people in the late 1960s/early 1970s around the Bay Area in California. Fincher grew up knowing about the infamous killings that wreaked havoc around San Francisco and parts of California as he met with screenwriter James Vanderbilt who had been writing a script about the murders. While Fincher was being offered to helm an adaptation of James Ellroy’s The Black Dahlia, Fincher’s plans for that project were too ambitious as he focused on the Zodiac project with Vanderbilt and producer Bradley J. Fischer as the three spent eighteen months conducting their own investigation into the killings as they interviewed witnesses, people relating to the suspects, survivors, and others that knew about what happened. It was around this time that Fincher was beginning to cast the film as he cast Jake Gyllenhaal as cartoonist Robert Graysmith who would begin his own investigation of the murders in the 1970s while Mark Ruffalo was cast as detective David Toschi.

Gyllenhaal and Ruffalo would meet their real-life counterparts while Fincher would work on casting as well as be interested in the emergence of digital filmmaking as he reunited with old collaborator Harris Savides for the production. Having used the Thomson Viper on a few commercials he made in the early 2000s, Fincher decided to use it for the shoot while also using 35mm film for high-speed camera for slow-motion effects. With the cast that would include Anthony Edwards, Brian Cox, Elias Koteas, John Carroll Lynch, Chloe Sevigny, and Robert Downey Jr. as the journalist Paul Avery who covered the killings in the 1960s. The production finally began in September of 2005 in San Francisco as it would be a long one not just because of the large ensemble cast but also Fincher’s insistence on perfection. Not everyone liked Fincher’s approach to multiple takes as Gyllenhaal had a big issue with it as tension brewed between the two.

The 115-day shoot ended in February of 2006 as Fincher worked on some of the visual effects to recreate parts of San Francisco during that period as well as some of the moments of violence. The post-production work took nearly a year as Fincher worked with collaborators in editor Angus Wall and sound designer Ren Klyce on many of the visuals and sound. For the soundtrack, Fincher brought in David Shire to score the film as he loved Shire’s score work in the 70s as he felt it was appropriate for the film. By late 2006, Fincher brought in a cut to the executives of Warner Brothers and Paramount who both shared duties in releasing the film as it’s running time was over three hours. The executives at Paramount wasn’t happy with the cut as they hoped to release the film in December of 2006 for Oscar consideration. While Fincher had final cut privileges, the director did feel the film wasn’t ready as he was trying to find the right cut of the film as it was later pushed for a March 2007 release.

The film would make its premiere in March of 2007 where it did modestly well in the American box office making more than $33 million against its $65 million budget yet it would recoup its losses through a worldwide release which took in more than $51 million. The film’s release date in the U.S. came at a bad time though Paramount was surprised that it did do OK despite its competition. Fincher would spend more time on the film as he would present an extended cut that featured five more minutes of material that didn’t make it to the film’s theatrical release as Paramount submitted it for Oscar contention in 2007 with its home video release coming in January of 2008 where it garnered rave reviews as well as do well in the home video market. The film would eventually land in several top ten critics’ list as it helped establish Fincher more as a director that can bring in the goods.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

While developing the project that would be Zodiac, Fincher was approached about helming a film that was very different from his other work as it was based on a short story F. Scott Fitzgerald about the extraordinary of a life of a man who aged backwards as he would witness many events throughout the 19th Century. The project was something that went through many developments since the mid-1980s as Fincher’s acceptance of the project was big as Paramount would distribute the film in the U.S. with Warner Brothers releasing it internationally. With the backing of Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall as producers with Fincher’s wife Cean Chaffin and the script to be written by Eric Roth with Robin Swicord providing ideas from her own previous drafts of her own script. The film would mark a reunion between Fincher and Brad Pitt since 1999’s Fight Club as Pitt would star as the titular character. In 2005, Cate Blanchett was cast as Pitt’s love-interest Daisy while the rest of the ensemble would include Tilda Swinton, Julia Ormond, Taraji P. Henson, Jared Harris, Jason Flemyng, and Fincher regular Elias Koteas.

With the script updated to be set in the 20th Century in New Orleans, the film would be the first production set in the city since Hurricane Katrina ravaged the city in 2005. Fincher would get the services of Claudio Miranda who did some shooting on Zodiac as he would fill in for Harris Savides who was unavailable at the time. Shooting began in November of 2006 around the time Fincher was still finishing up the editing of Zodiac as it was shot in and around New Orleans with additional shooting set in Los Angeles and its various soundstages. The film was to be Fincher’s most expensive film to date with a budget of $167 million as it was largely due to the visual effects. The production was quite smooth as it would help the city of New Orleans as the shoot would last 150 days yet much of the time was on the visual effects and the makeup for Pitt to look like an old man and later a young man.

While the production was finished in November of 2007, plans for its release in March of 2008 was pushed to November of 2008 and eventually in late December in time for Oscar consideration. Needing help in the editing, Fincher brought in Kirk Baxter to help Angus Wall in the editing while Fincher would receive the services of composer Alexandre Desplat to write music for the film. The film was finally finished in time for its Christmas 2008 release where it was well-received with critics while doing modestly well in the U.S. making more than $127 million while making more than $200 million worldwide. The film would be given several Oscar nominations including Best Director for Fincher as well as acting nominations for Pitt and Henson while winning three Oscars for its art direction, visual effects, and makeup.

The Social Network

Having achieved a major level of success as well as some clout in Hollywood, Fincher wanted to do something different that wasn’t as ambitious as his previous two films. It was around this time Fincher met with the famed TV writer Aaron Sorkin who had been involved in film writing screenplay on several projects. Sorkin had received a manuscript by Ben Mezrich about the founding of the social network platform that is Facebook as it revealed a lot into how it was founded and all of the things that went on behind the scenes. Sorkin sees it as a story that is very complex that carried many of the classic tropes that is expected in the creation of invention as it involves betrayal, jealousy, and greed. Around the time Sorkin was adapting the script and interviewing those who knew about the formation of Facebook. He also heard about two lawsuits that were happening around the same time as he decided to put that into the script as he contacted Fincher who agreed to make a film about the founding of Facebook. The two would get additional help from producer Scott Rudin who would get funding for the film as Fincher gathered many of his collaborators for the film as well as go to Laray Mayfield to aid in the casting.

The cast would largely consist of young actors who aren’t as well-established with the mainstream as Jesse Eisenberg is cast as Mark Zuckerberg, Andrew Garfield as Eduardo Saverin, pop singer Justin Timberlake as Sean Parker, and several other small roles from Armie Hammer, Max Minghella, Rooney Mara, Brenda Song, and Rashida Jones. Shooting began in October of 2009 as Jeff Cronenweth would shoot the film as he would become Fincher’s regular cinematographer through this point as it was shot largely around Cambridge, Massachusetts near Harvard as they were unable to shoot the film at Harvard. For the character of the Winklevoss twins which was played by Armie Hammer, Josh Pence would play the double as visual effects would come in to create a facial double as they used split-screen technology and digital effects for Hammer’s face to on Pence’s body.

By the time reached post-production where Fincher worked on the film with editors Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall and sound designer Ren Klyce. Fincher knew he needed something different for the score as he and Sorkin tried other music for the film’s opening credit scenes. Fincher called upon Nine Inch Nails mastermind Trent Reznor for help as Fincher had a history working with Reznor dating back to using NIN’s music for the opening credits of Se7en as well as directing the NIN video Only in 2005. Reznor and longtime NIN collaborator Atticus Ross would create an electronic-based score that was very different as Reznor and Ross used different instruments to create some of the pieces. Even a demented remake of Edvard Grieg’s In the Hall of the Mountain King as it would play in the Henley Regatta scene.

The film made its premiere at the New York Film Festival in late September 2010 as it drew phenomenal reviews ahead of its theatrical release a week later as it became a major box office hit grossing more than $97 million in the U.S. against its $40 million budget as well as an additional $128 million worldwide. The film would be listed as one of the year’s best films as it won Best Film and Best Director for Fincher at both the New York and Los Angeles film critics circle as the accolades would pile up. The film would receive eight Oscar nominations including Best Picture and a Best Director for Fincher as it would win three Oscars for its score, editing, and Sorkin’s adapted screenplay giving Fincher his biggest success to date.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

The success of The Social Network gave Fincher complete freedom as Sony wanted to repeat its success by giving Fincher the chance to helm a Hollywood remake of Stieg Larsson’s novel The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo which was a best-seller that had a very successful film version in 2009 in its native Sweden. Producer Scott Rudin wanted to make a version for American audiences as he asked Steve Zailian to write the script that had been going on for quite some time. With Fincher now taking part of the project, it seemed like a win-win for Sony as Fincher would bring in many of his collaborators for the project. The project was to be budgeted at $90 million and to be shot in Stockholm, Sweden with some of it shot in Zurich, Switzerland, and Oslo, Norway.

For the lead role of Lisbeth Salander, many actresses wanted to play the role as Fincher eventually chose Rooney Mara who had a small but crucial role in The Social Network as Fincher fought for her to get the role as Sony wanted a bigger name. Daniel Craig would be cast as Mikael Blomkvist as the cast would include Christopher Plummer, Robin Wright, Stellan Skarsgard, Joely Richardson, Steven Berkoff, and Yorick van Wageningen. Shooting began in September of 2010 as Fincher reveled in shooting in Sweden as well as create something that was quite dark as well as be quite graphic at times. With Mara dying her hair and sporting all sorts of things for the look of the character, it was something that was quite extreme from mainstream fare as it was exactly what Fincher wanted.

For the film’s music, Fincher as the duo of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross to come up with an array of different pieces ranging from ambient to dark electronic as the two would also re-create two cover songs in Led Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song with Yeah Yeah Yeahs vocalist Karen O and Bryan Ferry’s Is Your Love Strong Enough? that is performed by another Reznor/Ross project in How to Destroy Angels that features Reznor’s wife Mariqueen Maandig-Reznor on vocals. The film was marketed in a very unique way as Fincher and Rudin were hoping to create a franchise of sorts that would be targeted towards adults with plans doing the follow-ups of Larsson’s trilogy of stories just as the film versions in Sweden had done with great success.

The film made its premiere the Christmas 2011 release where it did receive excellent reviews but despite grossing more than $100 million in the U.S. box office and more than $130 million internationally. The film was considered a commercial disappointment as plans for its follow-ups were on hold. While the film would garner five Oscar nominations for its score, cinematography, sound editing, and a Best Actress nomination for Rooney Mara plus a Best Editing win for Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall. In 2015, Sony announced plans to reboot the series from a book that wasn’t written by Larsson as Fincher, Mara, and Craig were out of the picture as plans for that film are in the works as of late 2016.

Gone Girl

A year after the release of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo as well as developing a TV series that would become House of Cards starring Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright, Kate Mara, Corey Stoll, and many others that made its premiere in 2013 through Netflix. Fincher was approached to direct an adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s bestseller about a man who has been accused of killing his wife after she had disappeared where he is the center of a media circus. Flynn chose to adapt her own book into a script as she consulted with Fincher about many ideas for the narrative as the film was supposed to star Reese Witherspoon who backed out due to scheduling conflicts as she would be involved with the film as a producer.

British actress Rosamund Pike would be cast as Amy Dunne while Ben Affleck would play her husband Nick as the cast would also include Carrie Coon, filmmaker Tyler Perry, Kim Dickens, Patrick Fugit, model Emily Ratajkowski, and Neil Patrick Harris as a former boyfriend of Amy. Fincher gathered many of his collaborators for the film as it would be a slightly smaller film that Fincher’s previous film with a $61 million budget. While Fincher would shoot some of the film in Los Angeles, much of it was shot in Cape Girardeau, Missouri for a five-week shoot beginning in September of 2013. It was a production that was less hectic than some of Fincher’s other films as it reveled not just on suspense but also elements of humor as it had satire relating to the media coverage of Amy’s disappearance.

The direction would have Fincher provide many different ideas of what had happened as he brought in Flynn to help with the narrative as it relate to the many twists and reveals over what had happened. Especially as Fincher added some dark humor and moments that were quite disturbing as he asked the duo of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross to create music that played to its dark tone. The film would also have Fincher create something that is very accessible as the film would appeal to a wide audience as much of his film often appealed to males and film buffs as this film leaned toward women. Notably as it was marketed as a romantic film gone absolutely wrong as it would prove to be crucial to the film’s commercial success.

The film made its premiere in late September of 2014 as the opening film of the New York Film Festival as it was released to North American theaters a week later. The film would be a major box office success as it grossed nearly $130 million in the U.S. while grossing a total of $369 million worldwide. The film would receive rave reviews as it helped boost the film’s box office as it was praised for its cast, look, music, Fincher’s direction, and script while Rosamund Pike would receive the film’s lone Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

With 10 films under his belt and being one of the few in Hollywood who can create films on his own terms with star power or just by his name alone. David Fincher is a filmmaker that definitely exudes a sense of excitement no matter how dark much of his work is. While there hasn’t been anything definitive into what he’ll do next, Fincher does manage to create something that is often a cut above a lot of films whether they’re suspense films or dream-like dramas with heavy stakes. With cinema often playing safe for a mass audience, safe is the last thing David Fincher is as he’s all about not playing by the rules.

Related: 15 Essential Videos by David Fincher

© thevoid99 2016

Panic Room

Directed by David Fincher and written by David Koepp, Panic Room is the story of a woman and her daughter who hide inside a secret room where robbers have invaded their new home. The film is a thriller in which a woman has to outsmart and hide from a trio of burglars who want something to steal as well as take care of her diabetes-stricken daughter. Starring Jodie Foster, Kristen Stewart, Jared Leto, Dwight Yoakam, and Forest Whittaker. Panic Room is a chilling yet engaging film from David Fincher.

What happens when a woman and her daughter buy a new home only to be invaded by burglars who are there to rob the house because of a safe they believe is in there? That is pretty much the premise of the film as it is a simple home invasion story where a woman and her daughter are forced to hide in a panic room after a trio of burglars broke into their home. David Koepp’s screenplay follows the recently-divorced Meg Altman (Jodie Foster) and her daughter Sarah (Kristen Stewart) as they try to find a new home unaware that it was the home of a reclusive millionaire who had created a panic room with cameras due to his paranoia. Once the two move in, their night of terror would begin with the trio of robbers who had hoped that no one was in the house but once they see Meg and Sarah who would lock themselves in the panic room. All hell breaks loose where things become very tense not just for Meg and Sarah but also for the burglars.

Leading the trio is Junior (Jared Leto) who knows about the house as he brings two men with great skill as one of them in Burnham (Forest Whitaker) is a skilled safecracker with a conscience as he immediately learns who is in the house as he is reluctant to do anything but knows he needs the money. The wildcard of the team is Raoul (Dwight Yoakam) who is new as Junior brought him in as he is someone that just wants the money by any means necessary. Adding to the tension of being inside the panic room is the fact that Sarah is diabetic as she is in need of an insulin shot or else she could die which only make things more tense. All of which play into a game of wits between the burglars and Meg.

David Fincher’s direction is definitely stylish for not just the fact that much of the film is set inside a townhouse around New York City but also for the tense atmosphere of the house once it is invaded. While Fincher would use medium shots and close-ups to create an intimacy into the compositions and the sense of claustrophobia that looms throughout the film. It is his approach to tracking and long shots that are the most interesting parts such as a sequence, with the aid of visual effects, where the burglars arrive into the home and it is this single take that follows every aspect of the house for the burglars to try to get in from the outside. It sets the tone for what is to come while the usage of video cameras surveying every aspect of the house show what Meg and Sarah are watching but don’t exactly hear what the burglars are saying.

Fincher’s direction also maintains that air of suspense as it play into the moments where the burglars try to break their way or even find a way for Meg and Sarah to leave the panic room. It has this air of ingenuity into who can outsmart who as it would intensify the suspense as well as the fact that things start to unravel among the burglars where Raoul would go into great extremes to get things done with Burnham being the most reasonable one. Even as Sarah’s condition becomes a plot device that would amp up the suspense yet it is effective where the burglars try to figure out what to do where one could care less about Sarah yet Burnham is the one that is concerned. A showdown does occur with Meg’s husband Stephen (Patrick Bauchau) coming into the third act where he finds himself in serious trouble prompting Meg to be the one to step up and fight for herself and her daughter. Overall, Fincher creates a gripping yet mesmerizing about a mother and daughter dealing a home invasion from burglars.

Cinematographers Darius Khondji and Conrad W. Hall do brilliant work with the film‘s cinematography from the few bits that are shot in the daytime exteriors to the usage of low-key lights and shadows to play into the suspense as well as the way the scenes inside the panic room are lit. Editors James Haygood and Angus Wall do excellent work with the editing from the way it plays up the suspense and drama as it relies on some slow-motion cuts for stylistic reasons while being very straightforward. Production designer Arthur Max, with set decorators Jon Danniels and Garrett Lewis and art directors Keith Neely and James E. Tocci, does amazing work with the look of the house in many of its interiors of the house in the way the rooms look like as well as the panic room itself as it is one of the highlights of the film. Costume designer Michael Kaplan does nice work with the costumes as it is mostly casual in the clothes that the characters wear.

Visual effects supervisor Kevin Tod Haug does fantastic work with the visual effects from the way some of the camera movements around the house occur to some of the scenes involving gas and fire is presented. Sound designer Ren Klyce does superb as it play into the suspense with its usage of sound in all of the aspects of the house from sparse yet low-key textures to moments that are loud. The film’s music by Howard Shore is wonderful for its orchestral-based score that play into the suspense and drama with its string arrangements and bombastic percussions to create that swell of terror.

The casting by Laray Mayfield is terrific as it feature some notable small roles from Ann Magnuson as real estates dealer Lydia Lynch, Ian Buchanan as a man giving Meg and Sarah a tour of the house, Paul Schulze and Mel Rodriguez as a couple of police officers who show up late in the film, Patrick Bauchau as Meg’s ex-husband Stephen, and the voice of Nicole Kidman as Stephen’s new girlfriend. Jared Leto is superb as Junior as the leader of the three as the one who has a tip about the house as the presence of Meg and Sarah ruin the plans as he tries to figure out what to do while also being evasive about certain things at the house. Dwight Yoakam is excellent as Raoul as a burglar who is all about getting the money by any means necessary as he spends much of the film wearing a ski mask which makes him very menacing as it’s a very dark performance from Yoakam.

Forest Whitaker is brilliant as Burnham as a burglar who takes the job for money as he is skilled with a lot of what happens but doesn’t want to harm Meg and Sarah where he becomes conflicted into what is happening where he tries to do what is right and the job. Kristen Stewart is amazing as Sarah as a young girl who is just a typical young girl that finds herself being terrorized as she stays in the panic room with her mother as she starts to get sicker due to her diabetes. Finally, there’s Jodie Foster in a phenomenal performance as Meg Altman as a woman who tries to protect her daughter anyway she can while having to outwit the burglars as it’s a performance that is just engaging to watch as it is one of her defining performances.

Panic Room is a sensational film from David Fincher that features great performances from Jodie Foster, Kristen Stewart, and Forest Whitaker. Armed with a strong supporting cast, a simple yet effective premise, gorgeous visuals, and a chilling music score. The film isn’t just one of Fincher’s most accessible films but also a fine example of suspense when it is just simple and to the point. In the end, Panic Room is an incredible film from David Fincher.

David Fincher Films: Alien 3 - Se7en - The Game - Fight Club - Zodiac - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - The Social Network - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011 film) - Gone Girl

Related: 15 Essential Music Videos by David Fincher - The Auteurs #61: David Fincher

© thevoid99 2016

The Game

Directed by David Fincher and written by John Brancato and Michael Ferris (w/ additional work by Andrew Kevin Walker and Larry Gross), The Game is the story of a wealthy investment banker who is invited to play a game that blurs reality and fiction as it becomes dangerous and thrilling. The film is about a man being forced to confront his own fears as well as his own life through a deadly game. Starring Michael Douglas, Sean Penn, James Rebhorn, Deborah Kara Unger, Carroll Baker, and Armin Mueller-Stahl. The Game is an exhilarating and sprawling film from David Fincher.

The film follows the life of a wealthy but cold investment banker who is given a mysterious birthday present from his estranged younger brother which is an invitation to play a game where reality and fiction blur. It’s a film where a man is forced to confront aspects of his own life as well as memories about his father’s death where he has no idea if the game he is playing is real or just some sick joke. The film’s screenplay by John Brancato and Michael Ferris doesn’t just establish the life of its protagonist Nicholas Van Horton (Michael Douglas) who is wealthy but very lonely as he lives in a mansion with a longtime family maid as he is more content with making money and being powerful. When he is invited to lunch by his younger brother Conrad (Sean Penn) who would give him this mysterious invitation. Nicholas doesn’t think about what his brother gave him until he takes a chance where he’s interviewed and examined and then the game starts in a mysterious way.

In the course of the film, Nicholas would wonder what is going on as aspects of his life begin to fall apart from a TV reporter that he watches who suddenly talks to him to other odd things. Along the way, he meets a waitress named Christine (Deborah Kara Unger) who has no idea what is going on as she becomes part of the game for some strange reason. Even as his house has been vandalized and other things start to make no sense as Conrad would claim that the company who handles the game has gone out of control. There is a structure to the script as much of the second act is about the game while the third is Nicholas trying to find out more about this company and expose them to see if he’s still playing or something else has happened.

David Fincher’s direction is definitely stylish in terms of the moods and compositions he creates as it play into a man taking part into the world of the unknown. Shot largely on location in San Francisco, the film plays into this world that mixes the corporate business side with a wild side as Nicholas is not familiar with the latter. Fincher’s meticulous compositions in the usage of the medium shots and close-up play into that sense of cold and unforgiving world that Nicholas lives in as Fincher presents Nicholas in a somewhat detached way. Once the game begins, the direction becomes more intimate and eerie as well as having some bits of dark humor. The lines of reality and fantasy would blur where Fincher doesn’t try to make anything distinctive only for the fact that a game is being played. At the same time, it is about the sense of the unknown where San Francisco is a character in the film where Fincher uses some wide shots to establish some of its landmarks.

The direction also has Fincher use some flashbacks shown in 8mm film as it play into the guilt and loss that Nicholas is carrying which adds to his loner persona. Yet, he realizes that he will have to depend on those who are willing to help him such as Christine. Still, there is that blur of who is playing what and are any of them in on the game or have no clue that they’re in a game. The film’s climax definitely ups the ante in terms of its intensity where Nicholas tries to decipher what is real and what is fantasy as well as face some of his own fears that had been looming into his life. Overall, Fincher creates a thrilling yet provocative film about a man playing a game of death where he is forced to confront his own fears and flaws about himself.

Cinematographer Harris Savides does brilliant work with the film‘s cinematography from the usage of filters and lights for some of the interior scenes as well as the scenes set at night while creating a cold look for some of the exteriors set at night. Editor James Haygood does excellent work with the editing as it has some nice rhythmic cutting to play into the suspense and action as well as some of the darkly comic moments in the film. Production designer James Beecroft, with art directors James J. Murakami and Steve Saklad and set decorator Jackie Carr, does fantastic work with the look of the interior at Nicholas‘ home as well as the look of the office where the people of the game work and the hotel rooms in San Francisco‘s finest hotels. Costume designer Michael Kaplan does nice work with the costumes from the expensive suits that Nicholas wears early in the film to the more casual look he would sport later on as well as the clothes of the other characters.

Visual effects supervisor Kevin Haug does terrific work with some of the minimal visual effects as it mostly relates to the film‘s climax it play into that blur of reality and fantasy. Sound designer Ren Klyce does amazing work with the sound work as it has many layers into the locations that Nicholas encounters as well as in the phone conversations he has. The film’s music by Howard Shore is superb for its haunting yet bombastic score as its orchestral flourishes swell into the drama and suspense while music supervisor Dawn Soler creates a fun soundtrack that features elements of jazz, classical, and contemporary music.

The casting by Don Phillips is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Spike Jonze as a EMT, Linda Manz as Christine’s roommate, Yuji Okumoto as the Nikko hotel manager, Tommy Flanagan as a solicitor/taxi driver, Mark Boone Junior as a shady private detective following Nicholas, and Charles Martinet as Nicholas and Conrad’s father in the flashback scenes. Anna Katarina is wonderful as Nicholas’ ex-wife Elizabeth who only appears briefly late in the film as someone who has moved on but is starting to see that Nicholas is having some revelations about himself. Carroll Baker is terrific as Nicholas’ maid Ilsa as a woman who has been taking of Nicholas’ home yet knows a lot about Nicholas’ father once he starts to ask her about him. Peter Donat is superb as Nicholas’ attorney Samuel Sutherland as someone who watches over and handles some of Nicholas’ business as he becomes evasive later in the film. Armin Mueller-Stahl is excellent as Anson Baer as a businessman that Nicholas tries to buy out only to be just as eccentric and mysterious as he is fun to watch.

James Rebhorn is fantastic as Jim Feingold as a man who is an analyst for the company that creates the game as he is this eccentric yet fun guy that brings so much joy into his performance. Deborah Kara Unger is amazing as Christine as a waitress whom Nicholas meets during his game as she becomes this unlikely player that becomes part of the game as she tries to figure out what is going on. Sean Penn is brilliant as Conrad as Nicholas’ estranged younger brother who would introduce his brother to the game saying it will change his life only to find himself owing money to the company that created the game. Finally, there’s Michael Douglas in an incredible performance as Nicholas Van Orton as a wealthy investment banker who is quite cold and distant where he is given the thrill of a lifetime where Douglas gives a performance that is exhilarating as a man who encounters fear and danger as it is one of his great performances.

The Game is a phenomenal film from David Fincher that features a sensational performance from Michael Douglas. Along with a great supporting cast, eerie visuals, a chilling music score, and a crafty screenplay that blur the lines between reality and fiction. It’s a film that isn’t just a smart and engaging thriller but also a study of fear and control. In the end, The Game is a spectacular film from David Fincher.

David Fincher Films: Alien 3 - Se7en - Fight Club - Panic Room - Zodiac - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - The Social Network - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011 film) - Gone Girl

Related: 15 Essential Music Videos by David Fincher - The Auteurs #61: David Fincher

© thevoid99 2016

Se7en

Directed by David Fincher and written by Andrew Kevin Walker, Se7en is the story of a soon-to-be-retired detective who teams up with a young detective to investigate a series of mysterious killings based on the seven deadly sins. The film is a suspense-thriller that explores the seven deadly sins as two men try to catch its killer. Starring Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, Gwyneth Paltrow, John C. McGinley, R. Lee Ermey, Richard Roundtree, and Kevin Spacey. Se7en is an eerie and haunting film from David Fincher.

The film follows two detectives taking part in a week-long case involving a series of mysterious murders based on the seven deadly sins as it becomes more deadly and complex. That is the simple premise of the film as it explores not just the idea of sin but what two different detectives are dealing with as one is about to retire while the other has just arrived from another city. Andrew Kevin Walker’s screenplay has this amazing structure as it is told in the span of a week where Detective Lieutenant William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) spends his last days devoted to this case with the help of his new yet short-tempered partner Detective David Mills (Brad Pitt) who has transferred himself from another city with his wife Tracy (Gwyneth Paltrow). In the course of the week, the two delve into mysterious murders as it gets more intricate with each sin that follows where it also becomes more gruesome.

One of the aspects of the script that is engaging is the partnership between Somerset and Mills as it starts off with two men in very different places as the former is uncertain in working with someone that is young and kind of cynical while the latter isn’t sure about working with some old man who probably hasn’t done a lot of action and knows too much. Still, their relationship does gradually develop as Somerset gets to know Mills and meet Tracy where she would bring a warm side to Somerset as she would tell him a secret that her husband doesn’t know yet. During the search of the killer, the two detectives try to figure out what is going on as it leads to that last day where both men are on the same page but there is still that surprise that would lead to the basis of the mystery and the man who committed them.

David Fincher’s direction is definitely dark as it makes no bones that this isn’t some conventional thriller as much of the film takes place during rainy days. While much of the film is shot in Los Angeles with the exception of its climax that is shot near Lancaster, California, the film is set into something that looks and feels like any other American city where it’s kind of seedy and chaotic as these murders only just make things worse. Fincher’s usage of hand-held cameras for some of the chases and action-based scenes are quite engaging yet it is his approach to how he build up the suspense and sense of danger that is entrancing from the usage of the wide and medium shots to capture the crime scenes to the extreme close-ups of every attention to detail of the bodies and such in the crime scenes.

Fincher would also use some intricate tracking shots with the hand-held cameras and steadicam to capture some of the action such as a sequence in a massage parlor where some of the most gruesome acts of murder have occurred. By the time the film reaches its third act as its killer is unveiled, something interesting happens as it relates to the killer and the theme of the seven deadly sins. The climax is interesting as it is all about control as well as what some will do as Fincher presents it with a lot of style from the usage of helicopter-based shots to what is happening in the ground. Even as it lead to moments that are very shocking with some moral implications as it says a lot about the dark aspects of humanity. Overall, Fincher creates a intoxicating yet unsettling film about two detectives taking on a murder case based on the seven deadly sins.

Cinematographer Darius Khondji does brilliant work with the film‘s cinematography with its usage of low-key lights and moods to play into the film‘s eerie tone for many of the interiors and exteriors along with the sunny but chilling climax as it include some additional work from Harris Savides who also shoots the film‘s opening title sequence. Editor Richard Francis-Bruce does excellent work with the editing with some jump-cuts for some of the high-octane action moments along with some unique rhythms to play into the suspense. Production designer Arthur Max, with set decorator Clay A. Griffith and art director Gary Wissner, does fantastic work with the look of the apartment homes that the detectives live in as well as the police precinct offices and the mysterious apartment of the killer. Costume designer Michael Kaplan does nice work with the costumes as it is mostly casual from the clothes the detectives wear as well as the mysterious look of the killer.

Makeup supervisor Jean Ann Black, along with special effects makeup artist Rob Bottin and supervising hair stylist/makeup artist Michael White, does amazing work with the look of the victims in the decayed state they‘re in as it play into the macabre tone of the film. Visual effects supervisor Greg Kimble does terrific work with some of the film‘s minimal visual effects as it involves bits of set dressing as well as in the film‘s opening title sequence. Sound designer Ren Klyce and sound editor Patrick Dodd do superb work with the film‘s sound as it has a lot of layers into the way some of the moments of action sound such as a chase scene as well as in the way police sirens and sparse moments are presented. The film’s music by Howard Shore is great as its orchestral-based score is filled with bombastic string arrangements to play into the suspense and drama as well as moments that are low-key through its somber pieces. The film’s music soundtrack is a mixture of music from Johann Sebastian Bach, Thelonious Monk, Haircut 100, Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker, Marvin Gaye, Gloria Lynne, the Statler Brothers, Gravity Kills, Nine Inch Nails, and David Bowie.

The casting by Kerry Barden, Billy Hopkins, and Suzanne Smith is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles from Michael Massee as a massage parlor manager, Leland Orser as a traumatized man at the massage parlor, Reg E. Cathey as the coroner, Mark Boone Junior as a greasy FBI agent friend of Somerset, Hawthorne James as a friend of Somerset who watches over the police library, Richard Schiff as John Doe’s attorney, Julie Araskog as the wife of one of the victims, and John C. McGinley in a terrific small role as a SWAT team leader. Richard Roundtree is superb as District Attorney Martin Talbot as a no-nonsense man who is trying to make sure the case doesn’t get out of control for the public. R. Lee Ermey is excellent as the police captain who is an old friend of Somerset as he tries to ensure things go well while making sure Somerset and Mills do their jobs. Gwyneth Paltrow is fantastic as Tracy as Mills’ wife who is trying to adjust to her new home as well as confide in Somerset of a secret and asking for his advice as she is the one person that humanizes both Mills and Somerset.

Kevin Spacey is incredible in his mysterious role as John Doe as a man who isn’t seen much in the film until the third act where he has this odd presence about him that is intriguing to watch as it is one of Spacey’s defining performances. Brad Pitt is amazing as Detective David Mills as this young detective who is new to town as he’s not keen on having Somerset as his partner as he is kind of cocky as well as be a prick yet Pitt makes him so engaging as well as have him be grounded once he realizes the seriousness of the case. Finally, there’s Morgan Freeman in a brilliant performance as Detective Lt. William Somerset as a man that has seen a lot as he’s about to retire until the complexity of the murder case as he tries to find many things while becoming frustrated with its brutality as he and Pitt have a great rapport as two men who are opposites yet find common ground in the way things have become.

Se7en is a phenomenal film from David Fincher that features sensational performances from Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, and Kevin Spacey. Along with a superb supporting cast, gorgeous yet eerie visuals, and a haunting music score and soundtrack. It’s a film that isn’t just a smart and intricate suspense-thriller but one that is filled with many layers that explore the dark aspects of humanity. In the end, Se7en is an astounding film from David Fincher.

David Fincher Films: Alien 3 - The Game - Fight Club - Panic Room - Zodiac - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - The Social Network - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011 film) - Gone Girl

Related: 15 Essential Videos by David Fincher - The Auteurs #61: David Fincher

© thevoid99 2016

Hitchcock/Truffaut

Based on the book by Francois Truffaut, Hitchcock/Truffaut is a documentary film about the interview with filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock by Truffaut where the two talked about Hitchcock’s own films during this eight-day interview that Truffaut would make into a book. Directed by Kent Jones and screenplay by Jones and Serge Toubiana, the film is about the meeting that took place that offices of Universal Studios in 1962 where several contemporary filmmakers talk about that meeting and what it meant for the world of cinema. The result is a mesmerizing film from Kent Jones.

In 1962, French filmmaker Francois Truffaut went to Hollywood with a translator to meet the famed British filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock following a series of corresponding letters where Truffaut praised the works of Hitchcock. The meeting that took eight days in the offices of Universal Studios where Truffaut would talk to Hitchcock about all of his films that would later become a book about Hitchcock and his work as a filmmaker. The film isn’t just about the meeting between the two filmmakers but also the book itself as it would be seen as something very influential to other filmmakers who would view cinema as a serious form of art and present Hitchcock as one of the great artists of the 20th Century.

The documentary would inter-cut not just footage from the many films of Hitchcock with some by Truffaut but also pictures of the meeting and interviews of filmmakers who were influenced by the book. From old-school masters such as Martin Scorsese, Paul Schrader, and Peter Bogdanovich to contemporary filmmakers like David Fincher, Wes Anderson, Richard Linklater, James Gray, Olivier Assayas, Arnaud Desplachin, and Kiyoshi Kurosawa, the filmmakers talk about the importance of Truffaut and several other French New Wave filmmakers who didn’t just cite Hitchcock as an influence but also talk about the depth of his work as a filmmaker as they felt audiences didn’t take his craft very seriously and only saw them as just suspenseful entertainment.

The film also features many audio tidbits of the meeting between Hitchcock and Truffaut as well as stories of a friendship that built where the two gave advice to each other about what to do with their respective films. Kent Jones also play into the different periods of Hitchcock’s career and how his work in silent films would do a lot for the films he would make in the emergence of sound. With the aid of editor Rachel Reichman in assembling some of the film footage and some rare footage of Hitchcock working on a film set. Kent showcases the artistry of what Hitchcock was doing with the filmmakers commenting on some of the things he was doing as well as provide discussions on some of his great films like Psycho and Vertigo.

With the aid of cinematographers Nick Bentgen, Daniel Cowen, Eric Gautier, Mihai Malaimare Jr., Lisa Rinzler, and Genta Tamaki as well as a team of sound mixers, many of the interviews are straightforward as it allows the filmmakers to showcase not just their love for Hitchcock and Truffaut but also delve into their reason into Hitchcock’s stature as a prominent artist. The American release features narration by Bob Balaban to discuss many of the aspects of the meeting between Hitchcock and Truffaut while the French release is narrated by Mathieu Almaric. The film’s music by Jeremiah Bornfield is superb for its mixture of orchestral music that play into the events of the meetings while music of the music soundtrack comes from the various films by Hitchcock and Truffaut.

Hitchcock/Truffaut is a remarkable film from Kent Jones. Not only is this a film that fans of cinema would want to see but it also displays something for casual audiences about the power of cinema and how a filmmaker wants to celebrate the work of another by showing the world of that man’s brilliance. In the end, Hitchcock/Truffaut is an incredible film from Kent Jones.

© thevoid99 2016