‘Die Hard,’ ‘8 Mile’ and ‘Alice in Wonderland’: Here Are the Films That Inspired This Year’s Tribeca Filmmakers
Jody Lipes (“Ballet 422”): “The Charlie Rose Show.” Allan King’s “A Married Couple.” All of Frederick Wiseman’s work, the Maysles’ films “Running Fence” and “Salesman,” Barbara Kopple’s “Harlan County U.S.A.,” James Gray’s “We Own The Night,” “The Yards,” and “Little Odessa.” Just watched “Tootsie” again, really strong picture. Not many others can match Hoffman’s run during this period…”Lenny,” “All the President’s Men,” “Marathon Man,” “Straight Time,” “Agatha,” “Kramer vs Kramer,” “Death of a Salesman,” “Ishtar,” “Rain Man.” That filmography is for all time.
Christopher Denham (“Preservation”): I have a weak stomach. My wife is a doctor so she finds it funny that I actually pass out when I get my blood drawn. I physically can’t stand gore on screen. I can’t stand blood and guts. Not for any puritanical/moral high-ground reason. I just don’t want to black out. Therefore, the movies I gravitate towards, the movies I want to make, are more about the power of suggestion. What you don’t see is scarier than what you do. Categorization is always kind of arbitrary, but people have called “Preservation” a “psychological thriller”. To me, psychological thriller basically means “a horror movie without the blood.” John Carpenter called “Halloween” a jack in the box. You know it’s coming. You just don’t know when. We tried to do the same thing with “Preservation.” How can we sustain the tension? How unbearable can it be? I heard this interview with Joyce Carol Oates. She said the power of storytelling is the power of dread…
Tyler Measom (“An Honest Liar”): I have always been, and will continue to be inspired by my absolute favorite film, “Network” (1976). The dialogue, pacing and shot placement are well ahead of its time. The wonderful political documentary “War Room” (1993) made me not only a hopeful documentarian, but a Democrat. When making “An Honest Liar,” we studied the art of non-fiction storytelling by re-watching such works as “Man on Wire,” “Bill Cunningham New York,” “The Imposter,” “F is for Fake,” and “Marjoe,” among others.
Susanna Fogel (“Life Partners”): I love Nicole Holofcener’s films for their constant duality of humor and emotion and their focus on very real, if flawed, dynamics between funny people. I also love the work of a French director named Cedric Klapisch, whose films (“L’Auberge Espagnole,” “Russian Dolls,” etc.) combine total naturalism with a fun, poppy style that makes them as widely accessible as they are smart. I love how his films sneak up on you: it’s only after two hours of having fun as a viewer that you suddenly realize you are also feeling something truly profound. I aspire to be a filmmaker like that, whose work makes people laugh, feel and think without trying too hard.
Ivan Kavanagh (“The Canal”): Probably too many to mention, but the films I find myself returning to again and again, over the years, for inspiration, are “The Shining” (Kubrick), “Rosemary’s Baby” (Polanski), “Fire Walk With Me” (Lynch), “After Hours” (Scorsese), “Winter Light” (Bergman), “The Ascent” (Shepitko) and “Don’t Look Now” (Roeg). I love all types of films and genres, but some of most vivid memories of watching films as a child are of horror films. I’ve always felt that the genre has often been unfairly dismissed and neglected. For me, horror films, at their very best, have always (from the silent era to the present) allowed filmmakers the possibility of pushing the boundaries of cinema (both in sound and in picture) and to experiment. I find the genre incredibly liberating as a filmmaker, as literally anything is possible.
Antonio Santini (“Mala Mala”): Right now, I Ulrich Seidl’s movies. I love “Paradise Love” and “Models.” It’s like how did he make them to feel so real? Also “Import/Export.” He inspires me, his cross of documentary and narrative. It’s very new. I’m inspired by TV. “Laguna Beach,” “The Hills,” cartoons I watched when I was young. All those things were so genius. I like how everyone gets so mad about Sofia Coppola, I’m inspired by the anger she causes in people. Harmony Korine is also an amazing creature who manifests his interior very interestingly in his movies. I’m inspired by movies in context with their creators. I think it enhances the experience.
Brin Hill (“In Your Eyes”): “Mean Streets” and “The Conformist” are my two favorites. Spike Lee was a huge influence early (both his work and as a personal mentor). David O Russell’s recent stuff is pushing me to think differently. I always love James Gray’s work. I like pictures that makes you feel something, some kind of real emotion, and I really like characters who want to break free of their socialization and still make you laugh a little along the way. For “In Your Eyes,” I didn’t worry about matching tone when I looked for inspiration: Checked out some Soderbergh – “Traffic,” “Contagion,” “Sex, Lies and Videotapes,” “Girlfriend Experience.” Looked at some Pete Berg – especially the intimacy of the camerawork in “Friday Night Lights.” And it might seem odd, but the immediacy matched with the look & feel of “8 Mile” was super helpful and influential as well.
Sam Cullman (“Art and Craft”): “Caddyshack” was my first experience at the movies. I was just about four at the time (my parents didn’t believe in “age-appropriate”). It was the Baby Ruth scene that hooked me to the communal experience of cinema. I’ll never forget the collective anticipation (Jaws music!), the gasp (Hazmat suits!), and then the flat-out eruption of laughter when Bill Murray figures it all out.
Hans Petter Moland (“In Order of Disappearance”): “101 Dalmatians” is the first film I saw, first moving images. I was seven. I misunderstood the drama a bit. Having grown up on a farm I didn’t understand why the sexy lady with the fancy car couldn’t get some of those puppies for a fur coat. There were so many of them!
