Our 2008 Directors Spring Edition is a time to celebrate directors but sadly this column celebrates the life of a noted filmmaker, Anthony Minghella, who unexpectedly passed away last week at the age of 54. While he is best known for his stellar feature work, such as The English Patient, which garnered nine Academy Awards–including the best picture and best director Oscars–Minghella had occasion to direct commercials and was a strong advocate of short format fare.
I spoke to him only once, shortly after he wrapped his first spot in many years, Guinness’ “Mustang” for Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, London, produced by Independent Media, Santa Monica. But for me that one conversation in 2005 left a lasting impression of him as a thoughtful, intelligent, accomplished yet completely unassuming artist.
During our talk, he spoke of the rapport he had developed with Independent Media executive producer Susanne Preissler and that part of the attraction of directing a select commercial or two was the chance to work with her. Now in remembering Minghella, Preissler related, “He was a man of great talent who was elegant, kind, honest, thoughtful, giving and truthful with himself and others. He didn’t need to do commercials but he valued them as an art form and respected the people in this industry. He wasn’t looking to get anything out of this business. For him, it was always about ‘what can I bring to the project.’ I feel fortunate to have been his friend.”
In my interview with him, Minghella offered both historical and contemporary perspectives on the importance of short films. The former stemmed from his role as chairman of the British Film Institute, which helped to restore the Mitchell & Kenyon Collection consisting of some 500 one-minute films shot around the turn of the 20th century. The films had been stored in barrels and were discovered in the early 1990s in Blackburn. Mitchell & Kenyon produced the films which were commissioned by traveling fairground operators for showing at local fairgrounds across the U.K. Crews would lens people in everyday life and then tell them that they could see the films at an upcoming fair. Indeed people would turn out for the fair just to see themselves.
Minghella was excited that this work would be shown on the BBC in the form of a series co-produced by the BBC and the British Film Institute. Minghella noted that the shorts were fascinating not only in terms of documenting life in the early 1900s, but also for serving as “a breeding ground” for filmmakers, affording them the opportunity to learn and hone their skills.
He then brought the importance of that dynamic to the present, citing the new forms starting to emerge in the advertising arena.
“You can have a ‘Diesel dreams’ DVD with 25 to 30 shorts about people in their [Diesel] jeans,” he related. “It’s a great way for young filmmakers to have their say, to create and express themselves through glamorous calling cards that at the same time can be exploited commercially. I like that alchemy, where talent can go out and play while contributing to the marketplace at large.”
“Se7en” Turns 30, Gets A Special Restoration From David Fincher For Its Re-Release
For David Fincher, seeing “Se7en” in 4K was an experience he can only describe as harrowing. That or a high school reunion.
“There are definitely moments that you go, ‘What was I thinking?’ Or ‘Why did I let this person have that hairdo’?” Fincher said in a recent interview with The Associated Press.
He’s OK with the film being a product of its time in most respects. But some things just could not stand in high-definition resolution.
“It was a little decrepit, to be honest,” said Fincher. “We needed to resuscitate it. There are things you can see in 4K HDR that you cannot see on a film print.”
Ever the perfectionist, he and a team got to work on a new restoration of the film for its 30th anniversary re-release. This weekend the restored “Se7en” will play on IMAX screens for the first time in the U.S. and Canada, and on Jan. 7, the 4K UHD home video version will be available as well.
The dark crime thriller written by Andrew Kevin Walker and starring Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman as a pair of detectives looking for a serial killer was somewhat of a career-reviver for Fincher, whose directorial debut “Alien 3” had not gone well. “Se7en” was not a sure thing: It was made for only $34 million (and only got that when Fincher managed to persuade studio execs to give up $3 million more). But it went on to earn more than $327 million, not accounting for inflation, and continues to influence the genre.
Fincher has over the years overseen several restorations of the film (including one for laser disc) but decided this needed to be the last. It’s why he insisted on an 8K scan that they could derive the 4K from. He wanted to ensure that it wouldn’t have to be repeated when screens get more... Read More