Movie Talk with Michael Radford
id: 3DD-01-0013
format: HD
British film maker Michael Radford discusses his first film Another Time, Another Place 1983, saying it's the best film he has ever made - made totally from instinct. The film was selected to be shown at Directors Week during the Cannes film festival and got a 15 minute standing ovation. Radford became an over-night success and having made a European hit, he even received letters from his directing heroes Jean-Luc Godard and Bernado Bertolucci. Following this success, Radford and his producer Simon Perry wanted to buy the book rights to 1984 as it was 1983 and they wanted to bring the film out in the year of it's setting. They successfully acquired the rights and secured the film finance through investor Richard Branson. Radford says he and Perry made the film feeling 'like two students with a pot of gold.' The film starred John Hurt and Richard Burton, who Radford describes as wonderful actors. White Mischief 1987 a film that was critically panned on release and subsequently did poorly at the box office. Radford goes on to say it has since gained cult status with many wonderful aspects to it - one being that it was beautifully shot by cinematographer Roger Deakins. Radford didn't make another film for 7 years. Living in Italy, he was approached by the Italian actor Massimo Troisi and together they decided to make Il Postino 1994, Radford learnt Italian and embarked on filming Troisi whilst he was actually dying from a heart condition, filming him close up and using body doubles for any walking scenes. Radford remembers Troisi being only 41 years old at the time and him being 'a man of immense courage' who remarkably made it through the shoot and died on the very last day of filming. The movie was the highest grossing European film of all time. The Merchant of Venice 2004 starring Al Pacino and Jeremy Irons, Radford discusses the importance of the Shakespeare story and its modern themes. A project shot over 7 weeks in Venice, he's very fond of the film, thrilling to shoot. The last film discussed is Elsa & Fred 2014, starring Christopher Plummer and Shirley MacLaine. Radford talks of his wonderful cast and the favourable response from both critics and audiences .
Tags