“Great musical film snimesh not without great musicians” – Kommersant

Premiere movie

On the screens out “Ricky and Flash” – Musical comedy with Meryl Streep in the role of rocker with the experience that after many years spent in a whirlwind of bohemian life, returns in the long-abandoned house and meets with his family. The hostess took place there a black friend of husband and adult children heroine immersed in their problems. Tightened the skin and hung with trinkets hippie, Streep gives edakogo Mick Jagger in a skirt (however, skirt, or rather a dress, she wears only in the final). Her musical range – from the steep rock ‘n’ roll to a gentle lyricism. With director Jonathan Demme the film, whose track record “Silence of the Lambs” and “Philadelphia”, spoke in Venice ANDREW block.

– You have filmed several documentaries about musicians, and now the game. What does music mean in your life?

– If you think of my life as a movie, music – is its soundtrack. I belong to radiopokoleniyu, which was formed when the TV is not yet filled the life. I always listened to the radio and literally immersed in music. When I became a filmmaker, I wanted to gather all the best musicians on the set. To implement this vision seemed more important than a beautiful script, the actors even more important, and little things like the weather that prevents shoot, do not have any value for me.

– Why has not done in years past, the great musical movies?

– To make a film, you have to be in the right place at the right time. As I was at the time close to the Talking Heads, c them, we become friends. Or Robert Altman when he filmed “Nashville” heyday of country music. The problem is that it is impossible to make a big film music without great musicians. And still it is necessary that the operator also subtly understand and feel the music as Declan Quinn, with whom we have worked for “Ricky and Flash.”

– Do not you think that this movie can be seen as a political film about America? The fact that conservatives and liberals can unite together in the interests of the country, they teamed up in the film in the final dance …

– I did not remove it, and not thinking at work, but I like this interpretation, thank you! After all, it is democracy that exist in society pluralism, tolerance, when every voice discernible in the general chorus. Though my political preferences are clear, I work not only for the liberal public. Incidentally, Meryl Streep liked that Ricky hates Republicans support Obama, it in a sense conservative. But it is also associated with the liberal era of rock music, and there is no contradiction. All of this is ambiguous and can not be reduced to a scheme “right-left”. Now, many Americans are tired of Obama, but not so long ago, sometimes the same people were dissatisfied with Bush.

– This is also a film about family, disintegrated, but still tightly bound inside …

– If you dig deeper, we see that every family on the verge of disintegration and tries to resist. If it is not – we are not a family. People are different, it is difficult to each other, but they still tend to be together – husbands, wives, parents, children. This is – something universal, almost animal, family, even today resembles a primitive tribe.

– You have worked with many stars. What is different about Meryl Streep? You do it or she chose you? You led her to the playground or? ..

– I understand that you want to ask. The project was originally developed by Meryl, and only then she chose me. This unique actress takes full responsibility, it is constantly looking for opportunities, how to make a character more real and true. No, I, as the director, did not tell her how she should look and speak text, she knew herself. But I allowed myself to clarify some things: how to hold a guitar or a microphone to fully fit into the ensemble of great musicians. Meryl hours trained, you know, she is always seeking perfection. Every time it looked like a musician getting better and better. Still, he asked: “Jonathan, what do you want me to see more of? What is missing?” Streep – a genius, she is not just a great American, it is a beautiful versatile man with a big heart. And what struck me – how she sang and played with the whole team. All our “gang” was in love with Meryl, Meryl and in love with the “gang”.

– In recent years, you are shooting mostly sitcoms or documentaries. Why?

– At some point I decided that I would not do more studio movies. They always invested too much money and too much politics. I prefer spontaneous cinema – from the “new wave” to “Dogma.” However, as you know, for independent film underpaid. Once I discovered that in my account the bank has no money. And then I was offered a wonderful script, it was called “Ricky and Flash.” And here I am back – in a movie studio, but not in the establishment. So, it’s time. I took a deep breath and dove in. Life is full of surprises!

– Some people say that the film will be too politically correct.

– What do you mean?

– Well, one of the sons of Ricky – Gay, the new companion of her ex-husband – a black woman …

– So it’s a world in which I live and which I love. In this world, gay men are just as important as those who call themselves straight. If you look in the picture, you can find even the presence of transgender people. Hairstyles for heroes perform one such famous man, he was a favorite of the whole crew.

– Venice showed the film “The Danish Girl” – on the men who underwent the first in the history of a sex change operation. Have you seen this picture?

– Not yet, but heard a lot about it. There were, for example, the debate about who should play such a role. Some believe that the actors have to be identical to their characters, while others welcome a sensational experience: in a movie character played white black actor. I’m not sure that necessarily transgender people must play their own kind: on the contrary, when the actor plays the role of a man quite unlike him, the more evident professional skills.

– You head the jury at Venice search competition “Horizons”. What do you expect from the new movie?

– I want to feel strong emotions, excitement, even shock. I can not, of course, give the name, but these films were. You know what movie I think the most boring? In which there are no other characters, except for white heterosexual males.