The movie Denis Villeneuve calls “an instant new classic”
Modern cinema needs visionary filmmakers, especially considering the continued void of ingenuity in the mainstream. This is where the likes of Christopher Nolan, Robert Eggers, Ari Aster, Andrea Arnold and Denis Villeneuve come in, with the latter, particularly, dedicating himself to grand cinematic visions that challenge the scope of the modern medium and push the limits of what can technologically be done.
First rising to prominence in 2010 after receiving an Oscar nomination for his incredible war drama Incendies, Villeneuve soon joined the mainstream, directing Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal and Viola Davis in Prisoners three years later. A distinctive filmmaker with an ingenious new cinematic vision, later success came in the form of 2015’s Sicario, 2016’s Arrival and his 2017 sequel to Ridley Scott’s iconic Blade Runner.
Whilst he is known for several celebrated movies, many would consider Arrival his magnum opus, following the story of a linguist expert who works with the military upon the emergence of extraterrestrials. A classic of modern cinema, the film earned an Oscar for ‘Sound Editing’ but was deserving of wins for its nominations for ‘Best Picture’, ‘Best Director’ and ‘Best Adapted Screenplay’.
Yet, it’s easy to forget that Villeneuve himself is a lover and student of cinema, with many favourites of his own that he considers modern classics.
Villeneuve revealed one such favourite when in conversation with The New York Times in 2017. Asked which movie from 2007 was the best, the Coen brother’s No Country for Old Men or Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood, Villeneuve responds: “Strange question. I’m driven by the impact these movies had on me then, and still today. Time is the ultimate judge.”
Speaking about both films, he explained: “There are specific shots that went directly through my skull, like a bullet spreading particles of my brain on my walls. Like the shot of Daniel Day-Lewis baptising a baby with oil, making There Will Be Blood an instant new classic. I felt the same way watching the Coen brothers’ opus, No Country for Old Men. The image of the policeman’s boots making dark marks on the floor as he is being strangled by the nightmarish killer, portrayed by Javier Bardem, has haunted me since then.”
Although he doesn’t directly answer the question, it seems from his answer that he prefers Anderson flicks, calling it an “instant new classic”.
Later in the interview, he outlined such recent movies as A Prophet, Under the Skin, Dogville, Inception, Children of Men and Amores Perros as some of the best of the 21st century.
Take a look at the trailer for There Will Be Blood below.
