The icon that inspired Winona Ryder’s entire career: “I just wanted to do what she was doing”
Within the wave of weird 1980s cinema, there is perhaps no one more influential than Winona Ryder after the actor became synonymous with the rise of gothic horror and unconventional female characters.
Whether through her performances in Heathers or Beetlejuice, Ryder was the ultimate ‘it girl’ of her generation. Her dark intensity and slightly moody look made her the perfect star for misfit auteurs like Tim Burton, Francis Ford Coppola, and Wim Wenders to cast in their movies.
Ryder’s career hasn’t been without bumps in the road, with the actor experiencing an unprecedented rise to fame and being met with creepy levels of public scrutiny and infatuation, being grossly sexualised from a young age and having to deal with inappropriate comments from journalists and producers.
However, in spite of this attention, Ryder always remained dedicated to her craft and focused on her undying love for film. She reiterated this during her highly anticipated Criterion closet tour, proclaiming her love for the medium and the work of one fellow actor who most inspired her.
The Criterion closet has become an honour bestowed only on cinephiles with utmost taste and passion. The likes of Sean Baker, Denis Villeneuve, and Francis Ford Coppola have all toured the iconic cupboard and scour for their favourite films, reeling off facts and insights into the work as they go.
With the rise of Letterboxd and the Criterion social media content, new ways of sharing cinema and discovering new filmmakers have swept across the internet, making the medium more accessible through in-depth discussions and quick videos as artists share their thoughts on the work that has most inspired them.
During Ryder’s browse, the actor described how her early love for film was sparked by her mother’s career as a projectionist, allowing her to have access to films she wouldn’t otherwise see. This allowed her to watch the work of John Cassavetes at a young age, and his work had a huge impact on her career, particularly the stellar performances of the legendary Gena Rowlands.
Rowlands has starred in films like Love Streams, Opening Night and A Woman Under the Influence, becoming known for her emotional intensity and unflinching portrayal of complex and often mentally ill characters, often highlighting social issues relating to class and restrictive gender roles. Her performances are often hard to watch, with a brutal and inescapable humanity that leaves you completely shattered, forcing your eye towards uncomfortable and lesser-seen stories about people who typically weren’t seen on the silver screen.
When describing her love for Rowland, Ryder recalled watching one of her performances, saying, “I just wanted to do what she was doing”. Her work is uncompromising and brutally honest, inspiring many performers over the years and earning her a reputation as one of the all-time greats. Without Rowlands, there would be no Ryder, and cinema would be a much darker place without either.
