This week, David Cronenberg's polarizing "Cosmopolis" hits DVD and Blu-ray. Based on the Don DeLillo novel of the same name, it follows a young financial titan (Robert Pattinson) who cruises around in his super-stretch limo while he encounters various friends and lovers and comes under fire from a deranged assassin (played memorably by Paul Giamatti). After making a string of decidedly more commercial (or at the very least palpable) films, it's Cronenberg back in his very weird sweet spot full of bizarre sex, equally bizarre violence, and very long monologues delivered with aplomb by Pattinson.
We recently chatted with Cronenberg about "Cosmopolis," and you may have already seen his clarification and elaboration on this comments regarding Christopher Nolan's 'Dark Knight' movies. Well, here's the rest of our chat with the director, who teased his novel may be arriving this year, his thoughts on working with Robert Pattinson and what's in store with his next film, "Map To The Stars."
David Cronenberg is writing a novel that may come out in 2013.
With the year winding down, we wanted to ask the director about the movies he liked this year, but he shared that he simply hasn't had time to catch up. And it's not must making his own films that's keeping him busy. "I am actually writing a novel right now and I've got to finish it in the next five days. So that has cut down on my movie-watching time, frankly," he shared.
Fans of the director likely already know this is a project he's been talking about for a while now, but it may be coming within the next twelve months. "Three years ago is when it should have come out. And because I did two movies back to back I haven't had a chance to write it, which is why I have this deadline," Cronenberg told us, though he declined to say what it's about. "And honestly I'm so inexperienced with the publishing business, I'm not sure when it's going to come out. I think they want it for 2013 but it's possible that it takes longer than that and it could be a 2014 novel. I haven't finished it, either. So there's that. I should be writing it instead of talking to you. You're really screwing me up."
Howard Shore was instrumental in reaching out to Metric to do the score for "Cosmopolis."
Among the many unique touches within Cronenberg's dizzying "Comopolis," was a score that included music from Canadian rock group Metric. And the director credits composer Howard Shore, who also worked on the film, for getting the band involved. "He is very collaborative and very inventive. When he mentioned Metric and thought that their music would be a really good fit, I thought it would go well with the movie," Cronenberg said. "And I really depend on Howard and that collaboration because he really does know so many people in the business and his tastes are very broad and he really does have an appreciation for all types of music. You can always really depend on him to bring in really interesting elements into your score. And he did."
David Cronenberg says Robert Pattinson surprises him as an actor, just like Viggo Mortensen.
Many wondered if how "Twilight" star Robert Pattinson and director David Cronenberg would mesh, particularly on a project as talky as "Cosmpolis," which requires a confident and compelling leading man. But as it turns out, Cronenberg had a great time working with the young actor and has nothing but praise for the rising star.
"I really think he's a terrific actor. He's extremely inventive. He surprised me every day on 'Cosmopolis' with the nuances and things that he did which were unexpected. Of course I was very familiar with the dialogue and yet he would surprise me," Cronenberg enthused. "And I thought, this is a guy who I would like to work with some more, which is how I felt with Viggo Mortensen. When you find an actor who surprises you everyday, you figure, he could do it some more with a completely different role in a completely different movie."
David Cronenberg is excited to make "Map To The Stars" his first film shot in the United States.
While it's still coming together, should it all work out, Cronenberg will get to work in May on "Map To The Stars," a new film that will reunite him with Pattinson and Mortensen, and also feature Rachel Weisz. And believe it or not, for the first time in the four-decade-plus-long career of the director, he will be shooting in the United States.
"It's kind of a satire on Hollywood. It's very typical of Bruce Wagner's writing. And it's sort of a condensed essence of Bruce. And while it's satirical, it's also very powerful, emotionally, and insightful and funny," he explained about the movie. "And it would be the first time I've ever shot a foot of film in the United States. It's strange, just because of the way the co-production deals work, that even though I've had movies that are set in the U.S. like 'Cosmopolis' or 'The Dead Zone,' I've never shot in the United States. This would be the first time. And I'm really excited about it.
"Cosmopolis" is out on DVD and Blu-ray this week.