Cannes 07 Interview (Mister Lonely)

[JulienDonkeyHumpers]

http://romainlevernexcessif.over-blog.c ... 67533.html

Don't think this is in the archive. It's in French but either way a quick translate brings back this:

Where does this fascination with Michael Jackson?
The reason I chose to talk about a Michael Jackson impersonator or even Madonna comes mainly from my admiration for these artists. For what they represent. In the film, they must be seen as very strong symbols of pop culture for 80-90 years. This is why I chose such as to entitle all chapters of the film with songs by Michael Jackson.

Why have you opted for the light?
I'm glad to hear you say that it is a comedy. Because I believe Mister Lonely as a comedy. Many find the second part of the film too much tragedy. In everyday life, we find humor everywhere. While writing the script, I was in a black hole. And oddly, I found humor in a situation that was not particularly conducive to laughter. The characters are funny, the concept is funny.

The choice of Werner Herzog has established itself immediately after his performance in Julien Donkey Boy ?
I love this man. For me it is one of the greatest filmmakers of our time. He has an obsessive nature that makes it hilarious and unique. I remain a fan of his work, including his first films in which he wore a look impressive on human space.

At the time of Gummo , one feels that his work has inspired you.
Of all the filmmakers that I often reference, Werner is undoubtedly the first on the list. I like his philosophy of life and the processes it uses to stage his stories. Men like him, artists like him, there are not many today. Dwarfs Started Small is probably one of my favorite movies in the world.

In Mister Lonely , you describe your characters adult like teenagers lost. This theme connects it to your previous film.
Actually, I do not consciously think about the themes that I wish to address when I write a screenplay. It all depends on the mood in which I am. My films have always revolved around a teenager, because I am a teenager. When I was 20, I was talking about it because I knew him well. On Mister Lonely , I'm not asked any questions. I just wanted to sign a funny movie that makes me laugh without worrying about what this might mean in my career. I understand that some scenes from the movie cause melancholy or sadness.

How did you convince Diego Luna and Samantha Morton to join your world?
I have often been amazed by the performance of Samantha in the movies. For Diego, was more complex. Initially, I wanted an actor who is playing the Mexican Michael Jackson impersonator. I was not looking likeness. I wanted someone who can play the twisted fan. Diego has in it a form of innocence. On the set, it looked like a child.

How did you shoot the scenes with the nuns who make parachute jumps?
I galley. Including one where one of the nuns flies through the air with a bicycle. We made ​​two taken to the scenes and we got hot because one of the parachutes almost did not open. It's scary because I had a bad conscience if an actor died during the shooting of my film. It was also the cameraman captures the action, and perhaps that has claimed the most attention. For the scene with the bike, we had no room for error. Moreover, we were treated to a test. We knew that if it did not work, there was no question that the actor redo the scene as a nun.

Spirituality is often in your films.
Yes, because I need to believe in something to feel alive.



Also got a Larry Clark interview but nothing too Korine related.