Studio just released first official movie still
No doubt it looks like your typical Fincher shot: low angle, greenish light and notice the lightbulb.
Now wait for the October 3, 2014 release... Meanwhile a very nice Christmas gift anyway.
Saturday, 28 December 2013
Sunday, 15 December 2013
Friday, 13 December 2013
Monday, 9 December 2013
Yeah, it does at first glance kinda look like a bizarre mashup of FIGHT CLUB 2 and THE HANGOVER. It does also look a little like it was directed by Fincher. But wasn't. Isn't. Any of that. — It's not Cornelius.
What it is, actually, is a new Verizon commercial, directed by Matthijs Van Heijningen, and sure does have some original FIGHT CLUB make-up on Norton, which suits him incredibly well. If you are not in dire need of a new phone right now, use this only as an appetizer — we can still hope Norton will reprise his once-in-a-lifetime character some time soon.
If you feel lucky, try spelling the director's name right. Then head over to The Mill, who have some additional info.
Thursday, 5 December 2013
Friday, 29 November 2013
Trying to make connections between arts and Fincher's visuals.
Hope you don't mind me posting this since it's not major news, but the other day I came across this amazing photograph. Taken in 1956 by American photographer Roy DeCarava, I was struck by the beautiful black & white and lightning which immediatly made me think of Fincher's visuals.
Don't you think? Now, which music video could it be related to ?
Hope you don't mind me posting this since it's not major news, but the other day I came across this amazing photograph. Taken in 1956 by American photographer Roy DeCarava, I was struck by the beautiful black & white and lightning which immediatly made me think of Fincher's visuals.
Don't you think? Now, which music video could it be related to ?
Thursday, 28 November 2013
Chuck Palahniuk confirms a graphic novel sequel on its way.
Fight Club cult writer revealed the plot in a recent Hustler Magazine interview : both Marla and Jack (now called Cornelius) are living the 'midlife bulshit' until Tyler resurfaces to 'terrorize their lives'.
I don't see Fincher back to directing Pitt and Norton any time soon, but who knows?
Read it all here.
Fight Club cult writer revealed the plot in a recent Hustler Magazine interview : both Marla and Jack (now called Cornelius) are living the 'midlife bulshit' until Tyler resurfaces to 'terrorize their lives'.
I don't see Fincher back to directing Pitt and Norton any time soon, but who knows?
Read it all here.
Tuesday, 19 November 2013
I am not a beautiful and unique snowflake. All the more I appreciate David Fincher's nerve and courtesy, some two odd years ago, to devote two hours of his busy schedule — amidst the nitty gritty of "Dragon Tattoo" post-production — to sit down for an in-depth conversation with me.
Be truthful
Fincher
This courtesy I will forever appreciate more than Fincher will ever know — for the opportunity to sit down and pick my favorite director's brain one on one; for the resulting interview, which I have no qualms admitting is the most substantial piece I have been able to put forth through this blog. And also for this: Unlocking Fincher's secret.
Yeah, strike that last sentence, I'm just messing with your heads. But as the title for this entry implies, Fincher has given me an imperative that I have found extremely helpful, and its depth of meaning (or potential interpretation) has only grown on me.
Be truthful
In the interview, Fincher and I talked about his directorial process and decision-making, his obsessive perfectionism, his instinct for story, and the then upcoming "Dragon Tattoo" and "House of Cards". Aside from these very topical things, however, Fincher would also share anecdotes that were meant to remain within the confines of a personal conversation — and not necessarily intended for the blogosphere.
In other words, it is hard for me to express the degree of gratitude I feel for such an open and vulnerable conversation, and especially for Fincher's stature in granting me the full discernment of what I would decide to include in my public retelling of our meeting.
Last things last, upon departing I asked Fincher to sign my Fight Club DVD I had brought along, and that he did.
Fincher
Given the context, this dedication clearly stands as an appeal not to distort or sensationalize the contents of our conversation. Meanwhile, having re-watched several of Fincher's movies, I personally have come to see another meaning in these words — a motto that seems to express Fincher's ethic as a storyteller.
By the time Fincher came aboard "Se7en", the screenplay had supposedly been over-developed to a generic, run-of-the-mill thriller, sporting a climactic show-down and a triumphant protagonist, saving his beloved from the hands of the evil killer [true or not, I picked up this origin story from the internet; so well... it's gotta be true]. In a fortunate turn of events, then, Fincher was sent the wrong, namely the very edgy first draft of the screenplay by Andrew Kevin Walker, which had him hooked.
"I know that I am true to the things I am interested in," Fincher says in our conversation. "I like stories to unfold in certain kinds of ways, and I don't like shorthand, and I don't like to be told who's evil. I don't want to know who the villain is, I don't want to know who the hero is."
This was certainly Fincher's recipe for approaching "Se7en"; but it seems equally apparent in "Zodiac" and "The Social Network".
Brad Pitt's character provides the perfect description of a clichéd psychopathic killer in "Se7en": "C'mon, he's insane. (...) Right now he's probably dancing around in his grandma's panties, yeah, rubbing himself in peanut butter."
In stark contrast to the severe and depraved nature of his crimes, John Doe is portrayed as a calm and methodical intellectual. In addition to the movie's gut-wrenching twist-ending, I believe it is this that elevates it beyond the general fare of the genre: The narrative refuses said shorthand, and it is obviously determined not to establish a conventional good-vs-evil constellation and moral verdict, as most narratives do.
As far in as the third act, immediately preceding the film's cathartic und shattering resolve, "Se7en" provides a stage for a prolonged dialogue of the opposing factions. While Doe, by record of his crimes, is distinctly the "bad guy", the film nonetheless keeps spinning an engaging discourse, attempting to blur the lines between Doe's twisted ethics and David Mill's temper — challenging the audience not to rely on preconceived categories of judgement by the narrator, but to morally evaluate the characters, their rhetoric and actions for themselves: "It's more comfortable for you to label me insane," the villain muses appropriately. "[However] I doubt I enjoyed my work any more than Detective Mills would enjoy some time alone with me in a room without windows."
In the film's final moment, Detective Mills (and the audience with him) feels emotionally compelled — and ethically justified — to cross the line and take justice into his own hands — thus exposing the very fragility of our moral categories and imperatives.
I believe to see this same virtue of truthfulness in Fincher's narrative approach to "Zodiac"; where Fincher knowingly and obsessively chases all clues and circumstancial evidence of the "Zodiac killer" case, only to conclude that sometimes truth can only be attained subjectively, while remaining objectively elusive; and in "The Social Network", where the director embraces each character's viewpoint as equally valid, allowing an overarching "truth" of the fictionalized account to arise from the sum of its parts — and not by force of its imposed narrative structure.
With the most recent resurgence of media outlets parroting the ever-lame Fincher-is-shooting-so-and-so-many-takes theme, I was reminded of my interpretation of Fincher's process: I believe that against all the pressing necessities of tight shooting schedules, swing sets, release dates etc., Fincher is after truthfulness — especially so in the performances of his actors, whom are the primary mediums to empathically relay the narrative to us.
Fincher has said before that he was interested in 'microfractally exploring' the nuances of each character. A sophisticated ideal that demands time, patience and an uncompromising determination. Truthfulness — in this specific context — is attained through exhausting the actors' pretense and self-perception, preconceived notions, and easy answers.
If you bought everything I wrote up to this point, well, here's the bummer: It's all just my interpretation.
But whether Fincher's words reveal a deeper wisdom and principle of his methods, here, or whether I am just wildly reading into the random first utterance that popped into his head that day — I do believe the imperative to "be truthful" provides a useful template and guiding question when creating and refining (cinematic) narrative; and that at least it concurs with certain aspects of Fincher's craft that elevates his films above many others.
So truthfully: I wanted to share these thoughts with you because all of it means something to me — and may mean something to some of you as well.
Saturday, 26 October 2013
Friday, 25 October 2013
To be perfectly frank: I am not the least bit surprised that Fincher continues to do what he does — shooting each scene with as many takes as he sees fit to get the performances he envisions. What I am more than annoyed by at this point is the media trying to spin a story out of this every damn time.
Is there seriously nothing else to report than Fincher doing a shitload of takes? He has explained his process before, and with some good sense. And even if his process were absolutely ridiculous and non-sensical — as long as he keeps delivering work on a level of mastery beyond most other productions, I couldn't care less.
Fincher is exacting. He is after memorable and authentic performances, and if he has found his surefire way of arriving at these performances by exhausting the actors' self-awareness and pretense? Way to go!
Come on people, I really wish you'd find new insights to report. I'm going to be a prick and say this is just lazy reporting.
Cheers to Pavlov, and pardon my rant.
Wednesday, 23 October 2013
Tuesday, 15 October 2013
Wednesday, 9 October 2013
So I saw the Metallica movie last night, "Through The Never", certainly the loudest movie I have ever seen. Dude, what a ball-breaker. And as little sense as the superfluous plot of this thing is making, here's something else I cannot make sense of right now: You'll find "Angus Wall" and "David Fincher" in the special thanks credits. Anybody know why? I'd really love to know.
Friday, 4 October 2013
Wednesday, 25 September 2013
+++ UPDATED AGAIN: 2013/10/05 ...with even more set photos! +++
...is being seen doing a lot of crazy things in and around Cape Girardeau. I, too, believe this man to be director David Fincher on the set of his new film "Gone Girl", and here, my friends, courtesy of the one and only Robert Paulson, is a few new set photos of all of that. — Thank you, Bob, you're just awesome!
http://www.semissourian.com/gallery/16927
http://www.semissourian.com/gallery/16918
Update: http://www.semissourian.com/gallery/17042
Update II: http://www.semissourian.com/gallery/17066
Tuesday, 24 September 2013
Monday, 23 September 2013
David Fincher's sort-of-TV series "House of Cards" took to this year's Emmy Awards with a total of 9 nominations — now scoring Best Cinematography (single camera), Best Casting and Best Director against Boardwalk Empire, Breaking Bad, Downtown Abbey and Homeland.
So Fincher is busy directing "Gone Girl" and couldn't be there to pick up the award. But that's just fine by me... ;)
Congratulations to the show and its team!
Thursday, 19 September 2013
All hail Tumblr! Here's a few shots of David Fincher on his "Gone Girl" set — and then some snapshots of pretty girls of whom nobody knows who they are and what they are up to.
So yeah, hard to tell how well kept and updated this thing will be, but for now, follow the "Gone Girl" production process on: http://gonefinchergirl.tumblr.com/
If, looking back, they will ask me who provided that awesome link, I'll say: "His name was Robert Paulson, his name was Robert Paulson, his name was..." — Thanks, Bob!
Wednesday, 18 September 2013
Monday, 16 September 2013
Apparently David Fincher's new film "Gone Girl" starting filming in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, yesterday, for it's first leg of production; five weeks, that is, as producer Cean Chaffin estimates. And since five weeks simply doesn't sound like a Fincher movie yet, we can all assume filming will move on to interiors and sound-stages in L.A. for... well, much longer.
While the news report claims the film will be released "some time next year", which would be awesome, IMDB's official info still lists the film as a 2015 release. We will see. Except Fincher delivers this one with five weeks shooting and five weeks post — we could see this film Christmas 2013. Yeah right...
Thanks for breaking this story!
http://www.kansascity.com/.../gone-girl-movie-filming-scenes.html
Wednesday, 28 August 2013
Wednesday, 31 July 2013
The Hollywood Reporter has a scoop on Fincher's editor Angus Wall
According to THR, it seems longtime Fincher colleague Angus Wall is finally getting his chance to direct his first feature. Empire is the title and set to be an action thriller written by Ben Ripley, the man behind Source Code.
Not much more information at this point, only the promise of a movie in the style of Safe House and The Usual Suspects. Sounds promising enough to you?
Let us all wish to Wall the same success as Scorsese, the Coen brothers., etc, who all started in the cutting room before making it behind the camera. Wall had probably his share of advice from Fincher, so if he can go beyond his mentor's visuals and influences, he may surprise us.
Read full story here
According to THR, it seems longtime Fincher colleague Angus Wall is finally getting his chance to direct his first feature. Empire is the title and set to be an action thriller written by Ben Ripley, the man behind Source Code.
Not much more information at this point, only the promise of a movie in the style of Safe House and The Usual Suspects. Sounds promising enough to you?
Let us all wish to Wall the same success as Scorsese, the Coen brothers., etc, who all started in the cutting room before making it behind the camera. Wall had probably his share of advice from Fincher, so if he can go beyond his mentor's visuals and influences, he may surprise us.
Read full story here
Sunday, 21 July 2013
...is how you inspire awe in your crew: Know your shit. And know how to communicate it. Most of you will have come across this excerpt on the FIGHT CLUB making of. I don't have to tell you this is a must have. But to jog your memory of awesome:
Here's David Fincher discussing some of his set ups on FIGHT CLUB.
Here's David Fincher discussing some of his set ups on FIGHT CLUB.
Learn from the master. This is fabulous.
Everyone say: Thanks, Phil!
Friday, 19 July 2013
With Fincher's music video for Justin Timberlake's "Suit and Tie" and the pilot episodes for "House of Cards" both sweeping nominations for best direction this week, it seems 2013 will be quite the Fincher year. Only without 20,000 Leagues, which has been declared dead... and probably without more Fincher Dragon Tattoos.
http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/david-fincher-racks-up...
http://www.movieweb.com/news/the-girl-who-played-with-fire...
Friday, 12 July 2013
Let's just say this news item is about as conclusive as what really happened to the lead character in the story: We simply don't know. But reports are coming in that "Gone Girl" may be David Fincher's next film, that photo-op artist Ben Affleck scored the male lead role, and production has already been greenlit.
If so, it should be a matter of days before we'll read all about it. For now, I'll reserve some scepticism.
http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/...ben-affleck-david-fincher-gone-girl
Tuesday, 9 July 2013
Mara and Fincher are just an amazing creative "couple": Watch this stunning new commercial, starring the girl with the downtown scent, captured by Fincher's custom made RED EPIC monochrome and directed by God himself. I'm blasphemizing again, sorry. But prepare for what's probably the best jam-packed visual minute you will see for a while...
Just Fincher being Fincher.
Thanks, Phil, for providing the link!
Several places around the web report that David Fincher has laid his eyes on yet another British television landmark — potentially pairing with HBO and screenwriter Rian Johnson for a US-remake of "Utopia".
Says Wikipedia: "The story follows a small group of people who find themselves in possession of the manuscript sequel of a cult graphic novel called "The Utopia Experiments" which is rumoured to have predicted the worst disasters of the last century. This leads them to be targeted by an organisation known as 'The Network', which they must avoid to survive. Using the manuscript, they must uncover the meaning hidden in its pages before the disasters depicted become reality."
Check out this trailer that reveals absolutely not much about the series:
But looks like an interesting prospect, nonetheless, don't you think?
Wednesday, 26 June 2013
Mid-September's Emmy Awards may seem still a shot away but buzz for the "House of Cards" cast is already swelling up. Have a look at these Q&As with Peter Russo alias Corey Stoll, and the fantastic Claire Underwood — aka Forrest Gump's girlfriend.
http://www.etonline.com/... Corey Stoll profile
http://www.deadline.com/2013/06/emmys-qa-corey-stoll/
http://www.deadline.com/2013/06/emmys-qa-robin-wright-house-of-cards/
Tuesday, 18 June 2013
No wait, it's actually Kevin Spacey and Alien 3. Not in context though. Spacey says, “If I could do everything with David Fincher, I would,” which much parallels my personal obsession — I think every movie should be a Fincher movie.
But in addition, Spacey talks a little about his passion for stage acting and some about the second season for "House of Cards".
Oh, and there's that: Video proof that almost everybody seems to have had fun on the set of Alien³ — except Fincher of course.
http://variety.com/2013/...
http://www.dreadcentral.com/...-alien-3
Friday, 31 May 2013
From 'no more than 25 crew members allowed on set' to custom made equip: Director of photography Eigil Bryld, costume designer Tom Broecker, and composer Jeff Beal talk Fincher's craft behind the scenes of "House of Cards" in this must-read IndieWire piece.
Getting us ready for season two, it seems. And of course hyping the series' Emmy buzz!
http://blogs.indiewire.com/...
Wednesday, 29 May 2013
Personally, I couldn't care less for another as-bottled-as-unnecessary fragrance, no matter what pretty face they afford for the advertising. And btw: They are expecting sales in excess of $120 million for this one. How's that for working jobs you hate so you can buy shit you don't need?
But at any rate, I do like Rooney Mara, and more so I like that David Fincher seems to take the helm at shooting the TV commercials for Rooney's new gig. That may just mean a new Fincher commercial as soon as the next couple of weeks... Don't you just smell the sweet scent of awesome?
Friday, 19 April 2013
Sound on Sight revisits Fincher's iconic serial killer retreat, John Doe's apartment in "Se7en", in a holistic analysis of the camera work, sound design, set dressing — and just about everything else that made this sequence unbearably creepy.
Production design for this movie is nothing short of breathtaking, and Doe's notebooks, for instance, should more than attest to that. They were handwritten with ad lib serial killer blah by Fincher's design team, adding layer by layer to the film's texture and eerie depth.
Quite worth another visit:
http://www.soundonsight.org/...
Tuesday, 2 April 2013
AFP reports that Australia's gouvernement pledged a $ 22 million one-off grant to Fincher mega production.
In a joint statement Prime Minister and Arts Minister said that casting decision and location were yet to be confirmed.
The securing of this film is a huge coup for the Australian film industry and for the near 1,000 local businesses that will be providing goods and services for the film.
Disney has yet to confirm the information which would be major news for all Fincher fans out there.
Read full press release here.
Tuesday, 26 March 2013
A tribute to opening sequences where Fincher's visuals are not forgotten
Watch here and enjoy:
THE FILM before THE FILM from ntsdpz on Vimeo.
Wednesday, 20 March 2013
Friday, 15 March 2013
Thursday, 7 March 2013
Pre-order now +++ David Fincher's "House of Cards" coming to DVD / BluRay! +++ Artwork may be preliminary, release date (UK) is June 10th 2013. +++ Loving it already — uhm, and might just watch it again in the meantime, to shorten the wait.
Big thanks, Robert Paulson, for the hint.
This is it:
http://www.amazon.com/House-Cards...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/House-Cards-...
Wednesday, 6 March 2013
Sunday, 3 March 2013
Man, I would love to see 20,000 Leagues confirmed sooner than soon. The prospect sounds fantastic, and I am eager to see Fincher work from another A.K. Walker script, 70% CGI and on blockbuster terrain. As news are a little slow this week, and Disney still haven't publicly greenlit the production, let me provide you with a number of small here-and-there Fincher clips that I have bookmarked recently.
This is just a teaser to spur your imagination of what Fincher visuals to expect from 20,000 Leagues...
And as for the rest... just play and find out. Enjoy:
Tuesday, 26 February 2013
Sounds like an unfair match, pitching Fincher's Social Network against the Hobbit's Unexpected Journey? Well, not if you are out to examine the subtleties of artistic use of digital technology.
WhatCulture brings you this opinion-piece on Fincher's visionary genius — their words, for once; not mine — and Jackson's digital ignorance. Won't spoil the read for you, as it certainly is an interesting take. Nonetheless, personally I feel there's a lot interpreted into these examples. I do indeed subscribe to the notion that Fincher is a genius ... but for different reasons.
Thanks, Andrew, for this great find:
http://whatculture.com/film/...
... and: this great bonus find:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/...
Thursday, 21 February 2013
Sound On Sight chips in a little Fincher film school for yall, learning and sharing their lessons from Fincher's commentary on 'Zodiac'.
"The work of David Fincher is often defined by the outpouring of information and data, and the ways in which they invade the physical space of his characters and their worlds. Not only does this information serve as the common narrative drive in films such as Seven, The Social Network, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but it routinely acts as a mirror into our own digital driven world of screens, monitors, names, dates, and codes. The auteur has made nine films since 1992, but few speak to the visceral complexity of his 2007 film Zodiac."
Sounds like a cool angle? — Which is why there's more:
http://www.soundonsight.org/...-david-finchers-zodiac/
Sunday, 17 February 2013
This Tuesday, February 19, make sure to tune in to the 80sonVEVO You Tube page. They are hosting a 'curated takeover' by THE GOLDEN AGE OF MUSIC VIDEO — and will be playing ten David Fincher clips from the 1980s.
Crowned by his sweeping MTV victory in 1990, the 80s were Fincher's break-through decade, and we should look forward to a fine selection of his early work.
To further whet your appetite, check out these two snippets:
"When David Fincher ruled MTV" — Fantastic!
Now don't forget to bookmark this for Tuesday:
http://youtube.com/80sOnVEVO
Friday, 15 February 2013
+++ UPDATED 02/26/2013 +++
News popping up all around that Brad Pitt might no longer be aboard. However, if the Aussie deal works out Fincher's "Leagues" will be biggest production ever down under.
News popping up all around that Brad Pitt might no longer be aboard. However, if the Aussie deal works out Fincher's "Leagues" will be biggest production ever down under.
So this item suggests that The Walt Disney Company must be in their final decision-making stage concerning Fincher's ever more likely next: THR reports that Disney has received a substantial incentive offer if their production of "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea: Captain Nemo" relocates to Australia this year.
With a slight over-examination of words this can be taken to read that Fincher may soon move around the globe and start shooting his next feature film as soon as this summer.
"Leagues" really isn't just any other project: It's got some of Fincher's finest collaborators throughout his career already attached and promises to allow for him to stride new terrain — tackling a veritable mainstream audience family blockbuster.
Long as Justin Timberlake won't write the score, count me in!
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com...
http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/movies/can-we-bag-brad-20130215-2egqx.html
Thursday, 14 February 2013
Thursday, 7 February 2013
Friday, 1 February 2013
Fincher says Francis Underwood's direct addressing of the audience in House of Cards gives the viewer 'private time with Machiavelli'. Well, National Public Radio (NPR) now gives fanatics some private time with Spacey and Fincher. A just-under-40-minutes audio interview you should definitely listen to... before or after your inevitable netflix marathon.
February 1st, it is, finally, and hopefully most of you will have a chance to see Fincher's "House of Cards" from the respective comforts of your cozy, flatscreened, Netflix-serviced homes. Meanwhile, fanatics world-wide are awaiting a Disney statement concerning "20,000 Leagues".
And even moreso when they read this: Screenwriter Scott Z. Burns, who cranked out an earlier draft of a screenplay for Fincher, has nothing but the finest things to say about the project, and his colleague writer and, of course, "Se7en"-scribe Andrew Kevin Walker.
Come on, Disney. I promise I'll watch 'Star Wars VII' also, if you give us a Fincher family-feature.
http://collider.com/scott-z-burns-20000-leagues-under-the-sea-interview/
Tuesday, 29 January 2013
As a true Fincher fanatic, of course you will call in sick February 1st to watch 13 hours of 'House of Cards' — and then enjoy the weekend to watch 'em all over again.
In order to instigate you to such a rebellious act, make sure to check out this fine selection of HOC and Fincher related links.
Click 'em all:
Hitflix interview w/ David Fincher
'House of Cards' gets second season — but w/ or w/o Fincher is the question
Digital Spy Q&A w/ David Fincher
Digital Spy Q&A w/ Robin Wright
Digital Spy Q&A w/ Kate Mara
And this really deserves to be a separate news item, as it's big, and it's freaking awesome: Looks like we will finally get a new David Fincher music video!!!
The last, if memory serves me right, was NIN's "Only", a truly fantastic clip — but published a whopping 8 years ago in 2005.
This project circles Jay Z and Justin Timberlake. But who cares: It's Fincher behind the camera that makes this fanatic material!
So check these out as well:
Fincher music video casting notice
'Suit and Tie' production news
Wednesday, 23 January 2013
+++ UPDATE 1/24/2013 +++
Do yourself a favor and check out the American Cinematographer article Simon has linked to in the comments.
Do yourself a favor and check out the American Cinematographer article Simon has linked to in the comments.
I won't deny, sometimes it takes a couple of you to drop me the same link over and over again until I finally get around to posting it. Forgive my silly little life outside the Fincher blog. But now that I finally get around to it, let me say: The reason it took so long has absolutely zero to do with the fantasticness of the content.
Don't look this up, 'fantasticness' is indeed a word. But so are some of the Fincher terms he's dropping throughout his interview segments, which I have never heard or read anywhere, and which always make me think in another life, Fincher would have made a splendid and perspicacious journalist. (Yeah, and I need a f**king dictionary even for that!)
There are some laugh-out-loud Fincher quotes in this, and even better: There are some really cool observations on the peculiarities of this production and Fincher's executive producer collaboration with the directors of the series.
A brilliant read — thanks to all, who have sent this in.
And to wrap things up appropriately, The Playlist has a nice photo gallery for "House of Cards", with some candy-sweet shots of pure Robin Wright fantasticness.
http://www.dga.org/.../House-of-Cards.aspx
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/...
With a good dozen potential nexts already on his slate, Fincher is adding yet another candidate: Gillian Flynn's mystery thriller 'Gone Girl'.
Any potentially-next Fincher is good news. And likewise within days we should be hearing a Mouse-House decision on Fincher's "20,000 Leagues" project, which, with all talent and Fincher trustees already involved, still counts among my most highly anticipated. And who knows, maybe Fincher's interest in 'Gone Girl' is a way of playing a strong hand against Disney, upping scheduling pressures and all. Either way, I hope we'll have definitive Fincher production green-lit soon. Good early 2013 news that would be.
Thanks to everyone mailing me on this!
Two reports on 'Gone Girl':
http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=36270http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118064952/
Monday, 21 January 2013
Let me give the floor entirely to Simon here, prefaced only by saying: Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us.
»Here is my take on last Thursday night, for what it's worth (spoiler alert, etc)
The opening scene of Fincher's 'House of Cards' sets the tone for what's to follow ~ opens on blackness, the black of night, dog barks in the distance, car screeches: all in classic Fincher/Klyce tonalities. Francis Underwood's next door neighbour's dog has been done in a hit and run, it's the middle of the night and Frank is first out of his Washington DC townhouse and immediately assesses that the dog is beyond saving. He proceeeds to kill the dog with his bare hands, whilst addressing the camera directly in the first of his many 'asides' to the viewer. He winningly explains to us the difference between 'useful' and 'useless' pain. Within seconds he's equally convincing in his consolation of his neighbour who's just arrived on the scene, and promises that he'll trace the 'killer' car in question. And I'm thinking 'this aint gonna be your daddy's West Wing!'
And so it proves, over the course of the following 110 minutes (and presumably 26 hours) as there is a delicious sense of a compulsive and elegant inevitability to Frank's unfolding Machiavellian machinations, once they have been set in motion. Everything stems from a promise denied and a sociopath scorned; playing it, as he does, with that silken Southern charm Kevin Spacey almost convinces you that all his atrocious actions are simply a fitting response to an impoliteness on the part of others. He was given a false promise of position and so now people must face the consequences of such....rudeness. Over the course of one long dope-fuelled night alone in his townhouse, FU (geddit?) seemingly plans out in his head his entire plan of attack, and the entire plot of the next 26 hours of must-see-TV.
In terms of performance, it may have been because I was front row, dead centre, in front of a huge silver screen (a spot I strenuously avoid normally, but this is just where I ended up on the night), but Spacey gives a truly monumental central performance (hence the poster artwork). I can't imagine how it'll be once reduced to a 40 inch plasma, but I would assume it will still have the capacity to mesmerise and captivate. The 'trick' of using the asides direct to camera is established right from the opening dead dog scene, and for this viewer it was seamlessly done. Spacey would be well used to this kind of stuff from his Shakespearean endeavours, and although it is used sparingly, it truly does draw you further into the action at hand, rendering you on more intimate terms with the villainous deeds.
Obviously there may have been a risk that Spacey's role and playing could dominate, but in Robin Wright you have an actor playing a character to match Frank's (her character, Claire, is the only one who refers to him as Francis) If he is the stone in this monumental couple, she is the steel. Yes, she has all the Lady Macbeth moves down to a tee, but there is heart there too. In her business dealings (she runs an enviromental charity) she is seen as quite ruthless, but gets across the need for toughness sometimes, and there is a beautifully played and written little scene in a coffee shop towards the end of episode 2 where the human cost of the treatment she has meted out to a long-time colleague is brought home to her. Wright plays the subtleties of that momentary human interaction as perfectly as she does the incendiary partner-in-crime stuff. You could simply never tire of watching her on screen.
In the opening two episodes Kate Mara as Zoe Barnes necessarily comes off as a more lightweight character - she is supposed to be this up-and-comer journalist, and less fully formed. She does look incredibly young, but fittingly so as she is supposed to represent the "TMZ, twitter twat" generation of hack. Mara does definitely get across a subtle sense of a kind of febrile bolshiness, as well as an undercurrent of the ruthlessness and tenacity that I sense is to come in future epsiodes. Her initial scenes with Spacey feel, quite fittingly, like a minnow circling a shark. They are deliciously queasy. Again, as with Spacey and Wright, Mara's character is beautifully written, with a beguiling mix of naivety, cynicism and greed. She want's the truth of the hot story, but she is also more than ready and willing for the celebrity that may come with it.
The supporting characters are a tasty feast of writing and playing too - like Doug Stamper, FU's appropriately named right hand man, his very own Al Neri, brilliantly played by Mike Kelly. He has the look of an Irish terrier who will do anything, or anyone, for his master. Corey Stoll's Peter Russo is a mess of a man, but Stoll plays it so that, through all the coke, hookers and booze, you never completely lose sight of the sliver of the decent man that lies beneath. Underwood's continual manipulation of him has you simultaneously thrilled and appalled. Another favourite of mine was Barnes' editor at the Washington Herald Tom Hammerschmidt (Beau Willimon has great fun assigning names that somehow align with peoples charactersitics ~ Underwood, Stamper, Hammerschidt, Goodwin, etc) As embodied by Boris McGiver the man is basically a brick wall with eyes. And a mouth. That's all he needs!
In terms of the visuals it is classic late-Fincher. Camera locked-down and dirty. This stabilisation process that he's developed is increasingly beguiling to me now. It shouldn't make that much of a difference, but as Angus Wall said re:'GDT', it really makes a difference when you view something that stable. You notice how jittery everything else is. It lends a certain air of authoritative resonance to the shots, and of course any deviation speaks volumes. There are the usual rock solid tilts, actors filling and moving within a frame, never the frame chasing the action. I don't know why this, and the rest, of Fincher's visual arsenal is so appealing to me; perhaps it is about an authority and a control that is reassuring. The director is in control, thus you the viewer are in control. I don't know. But I know it gets me very time, in precisely the same way the voice of my favourite singer reels me in, no matter the song.
Cinematographically, to my eyes, it was perfect Fincher ~ probably more 'Zodiac'-flavour than 'TSN' or 'GDT'. All quite pallid patinas - Congressional offices were greys, blues and creams, while the Herald offices were a forest of fluorescents. The Underwood townhouse is a tower of shadowed wood and golden walls. Kick-ass focus pulls abounded, and razor sharp shallow focus underscored key scenes. I felt that episode 2 became darker visually and thematically as Frank's plans begin to take shape, even though the episode begins in harsh Washington sunshine. As the episode progresses many of Spacey's most twisted exchanges play out in essentially silhouette. I recall some of the scenes between Frank and Zoe Barnes where Spacey would be addressing the camera as simply a midnight blue shadow. There was alot of midnight blue throughout actually. Yummy.
One of the particular visual pleasures for me was the contrast between Frank's realm, the Congressional offices, and Zoe's world of the newspaper offices. The warren of Congressional offices were often captured with a shallow depth of field, lots of rack focusing, often onto reflective surfaces (glass, marble) and mirror imaging; in other words - a visually slippery world, reflecting the nature of the people and relations within those walls. Shifting allegiances, shifting focus, double dealing, double imaging, etc. Whereas the Herald offices were a blank wash of flourescent whiteness ~ everything out in the open, seemingly clear and exposed. Light reaching evenly into every corner.
As I mentioned earlier I had ended up in the front row, dead centre, about 15 - 20 feet away from the huge curved screen of the Odeon West End. I had been concerned that this would be too close and the image would be distorted to me but the RED Epic camera had rendered evrything in such pristine resolution that even at such proximity detail was astonishing, especially on the frequent close-ups. Like I said, monumental. Although, at that distance, I can't be certain what aspect ratio 'House Of Cards' is in. The trailers looked like scope, or 2:1 at least, but from the front row it was hard to judge.
The Q&A between the cast and crew afterwards was something of a wash-out, not much more than a succesion of 'you're the best', 'No, you're the best', 'No, but really you ARE the best', etc. No audience input at all really (apart from a couple of politicians in the house) It was done in 18 minutes, and the 'talent' were wrangled off to the after-party. So my hopes of getting to shake the hand of Mr. Fincher would have to wait til next time.
Sad man that I am though, I consoled myself with the fact that I got to meet Peter Mavromates, Fincher's post-production supervisor since god-knows-how-long. I noticed him standing around in the foyer, prior to the screening, and I thought he looked kind of lonely. So I went up, shook his hand and had a chat. I introduced myself by saying I recognised him from various DVD supplements and congratulated him on his work. I asked him if tonights screening was a 4K or 2K DCP (it was 2K) and if he'd been in to set it up. He had, which was kind of cool. He said that it was a great screen, a genuine old 'silver screen' which made it look better, although the slight curvature had caused some problems. He said the sound was a touch "hot" as it was a TV mix, but nothing too bad. It would sound best on your TV. Seemed genuinely enthused about the show and said he hoped I enjoyed it. I told him to have a good night and went inside. When I realised I was so close I began to wish for a 4K projection, but the image was beyond perfect.
Despite the disappointment of the non-Q&A I'm still glad I went to the show, despite having travelled a fair old distance in freezing conditions. I got the chance to see the world premiere of Fincher's 'House Of Cards', and the one and only opportunity to see what is essentially a new feature-length Fincher work in a way that it will never be seen again ~ in a cinema, on a kick-ass silver screen. The real test of whether the show works as a show though came at the end of the screening, when, I swear, I found myself unconsciously fumbling for a remote to flick to the next episode in the box set. I will be begging, borrowing and probably stealing, to play in the 'House Of Cards' come February first!«
Thanks again, Simon!
Saturday, 19 January 2013
It's one thing to say Fincher has come a long way, marveling at his accomplished craftsmanship and cult feature films — and because of his stellar mastery today, I believe it is worth to look more closely at this 'long way' he has come ...uhm, and how painful it must have been at times.
Thanks to Dustin for pointing us to this Fincher gem from the 80s: I can literally see Fincher suffering through every single frame. Do let me say, I like the way it is edited. But would I buy that? Nuh, not so much...
To view the clip, click the "commercials" tab at the bottom; Fincher's ad is the first one on the reel.
Friday, 18 January 2013
+++ UPDATED +++
Make sure to check out a first review of the Fincher episodes below.
January 17th was David Fincher's 'House of Cards' premiere in London, and with this very informative photo gallery you can get an impression of the very beautiful dresses and 'sharp grey suits' that were presented on the red carpet. If you know what I mean.
And while that is all very nice, I am hoping we will get a decent and in-depth review of the actual content of the film soon. Expectations, as usual of course for a Fincher film, are high as they could be.
And by the way. This is probably the first time I actually remember this: Today, January 18th 2013, is actually this blog's sixth birthday. Thank you all for dropping by and sharing my enthusiasm for one of the world's finest directors working today, and my very best thank you to all contributors for sharing their Fincher finds!
+++ UPDATE +++
The ever watchful Robert Paulson has pointed me to this review that popped up, on The Manipulated Living blog.
"House of Cards is everything I wanted it to be and more. Of course it’s a perfectly crafted, beautifully shot and phenomenally acted political thriller. Spacey is deliciously evil, a manipulative bastard you love to love as he addresses the camera, winks at you and gives you inside information. Kate Mara is fantastic - I’m sure more will happen as the series progresses, at the moment she is literally like the nicer American reporter sister of Lisbeth Salander from TGWTDT - a reporter but one who isn’t afraid to be in the ‘morally grey area,’ meeting Spacey in the shadows “a deep-throat moment”, and fucking politicians careers with her articles.
There are unexpected, great moments of humour - but it feels suitably dirty, corrupt, yellow: perfect Fincher territory. Lots of his usuals in the credits. Fincher has directed the first two episodes but from the Q&A afterwards it seems his ‘stamp’ is felt throughout - him being an exec producer as well. It’s still settling. It certainly feels like Dragon Tattoo. The fast talking political spew reminds me of West Wing. Spacey’s pieces to camera make me think of Ferris Bueller. But it works, and I really love it."
Go there for the full story, the lucky guy meeting Fincher and all.
Friday, 4 January 2013
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