If you thought you likedHereditary, just wait til you hearMartin Scorsesetalk about it. Fresh off his phenomenally well-received premiere ofThe Irishman, the legendary filmmaker sat down for a 40-minute talk at New York Film Festival to celebrate four notable films and break down some of his favorite scenes and cinematic elements.
In addition toAri Aster’s 2018 horror breakout, Scorses turned the spotlight onJoanna Hogg’s directorial debutArchipelagoand two films fromHugo Haas,BaitandStrange Fascination.In a Q&A moderated NYFF directorKent Jones, Scorsese highlighted what struck him most about the films, digging into the details of specific scenes.
Speaking ofArchipelago, Scorsese said, “She’s amazing, Hogg… I just didn’t know her. I didn’t realize who made the picture. I had no idea if it was a man, woman, whatever. And it’s so great you can see films that way and not know who did it, and then find out. So you can look at it as art in and of itself, for itself. " Watch what he had to say in the video below.
When it came toHereditary, the director had no shortage of praise. After taking a look at the film’s pivotal dinner scene, Scorsese heaped praise on the film’s family dynamics and the outstanding performances from the cast.
“That’s a remarkable film…The restraint in the frame is extraordinary. Again there’s one cut, one camera move when she stands up that’s quite something. The restraint in the frame is extraordinary. About the whole movie. I try to watch films, it’s very hard sometimes to be able to find the time, and when you do, something that stands out is amazing. This did. I was really electrified by the dynamic, which you see, that’s expressed in this scene. Now the story… I’ve forgotten some of it I’m sorry, but what I didn’t forget was the family, the three of them. That’s what’s important in terms of this filmmaker. And these actors, they’re astounding. Toni Colette, I mean, she’s…. [shakes head].”
Scorsese compared the film to horror classics likeThe HauntingandThe Innocentsin terms of rich family trauma and emotional impact, highlighting how you could remove the horror elements and the film’s emotional storyline would still work. He continued,
“By the way, if you haven’t seen this thing, it is a horror picture and there are sequences later… but the real thing is the sequences where she goes into his room and it intercuts with him in flames… the intercutting and how it’s done. It’s just wonderful filmmaking. Disturbing, there’s no doubt, it’s a horror film in that way. But it’s more than that. It reminds of the best of horror films.”
(H/TThe Playlist)
For more on Scorsese andThe Irishman, check out the links below.
