Carlos Reviriego
September 15, 2014 (May 8, 2020)
TAI Escuela Universitaria de Artes
Interview with David Fincher at the TAI University School of Arts (Madrid), hosted by Carlos Reviriego.
In English, with Spanish subtitles.
Questions:
0:00:33 – What did the book ‘Gone Girl‘ is based on had that made you want to film a movie about it?
0:02:33 – Talk about your first years in the movie industry.
0:06:38 – You once said ‘No one hates Alien3 more than me’. Can you talk about it?
0:09:31 – David Lynch was here last year, and he said that the most important advice was to always fight for the final cut of your film. Do you think the same?
0:15:03 – Some critics think that ‘Fight Club‘ and movies on your filmography celebrate violence and anarchy. What do you have to say about it?
0:18:39 – Do you see yourself as a perfectionist?
0:22:17 – What’s more important, talent or hard work?
0:25:40 – What changes with digital cinema?
0:28:09 – How do you work with the Cinematographer and the Art Department?
0:34:31 – Can you talk about your work for TV and House of Cards?
0:36:37 – How do you feel about Amy’s character in Gone Girl?
0:37:53 – Do you get involved in the writing process?
0:39:08 – Why do you tend to use green and yellow colours in your cinema?
0:41:12 – Do you see a certain similarity between Brad Pitt’s character in ‘Twelve Monkeys‘ and ‘Seven‘?
0:43:02 – What do you look for in an actor?
0:48:38 – Is it more complicated to do fiction or documentary?
Encuentro con David Fincher en la Escuela Universitaria de Artes TAI (Madrid), conducido por Carlos Reviriego.
En inglés, con subtítulos en español.
Preguntas:
0:00:33 – ¿Qué te atrajo de la obra literaria en la que se inspira ‘Gone Girl‘?
0:02:33 – Háblanos de tus comienzos
0:06:38 – Una vez dijiste que nadie odió Alien3 más que tu. ¿Puedes hablar sobre ello?
0:09:31 – David Lynch estuvo aquí el año pasado y dijo que lo más importante era tener el corte final de la película. ¿Opinas lo mismo?
0:15:03 – Algunos críticos opinan que ‘Fight Club‘ y otras de tus películas ensalzan la violencia y el caos. ¿Qué tienes que decir al respecto?
0:18:39 – ¿Te consideras un perfeccionista?
0:22:17 – ¿Qué es más importante, el talento o el trabajo duro?
0:25:40 – ¿Qué añade la conversión al digital del cine a tu obra?
0:28:09 – Tu estética tiene una firma o un sello personal. ¿Cómo trabajas con el Director de Fotografía?
0:34:31 – ¿Puedes hablar sobre tu participación en televisión y en House of Cards?
0:36:37 – ¿Qué piensas del personaje de Amy en Gone Girl?
0:37:53 – ¿Cómo te involucras en el proceso de escritura del guión?
0:39:08 – ¿Por qué tu cine tiene cierta tendencia a usar verdes y amarillos?
0:41:12 – ¿Crees que hay cierta similitud entre la forma de actuar del personaje de Brad Pitt en ‘Twelve Monkeys‘ y ‘Seven‘, que fueron rodadas en la misma época?
0:43:02 – ¿Qué buscas de un actor a la hora de trabajar con él?
0:48:38 – ¿Es más complicado rodar ficción o documental?
Magaly Briand / TAI (2014)
The Fincher Analyst 
Hi Leonard
Best interview I’ve seen with Fincher, and I now like him as much (if not more) than his movies… which says a lot.
One thing I found interesting was the comment on Tyler being a representation of the Nietzschean Übermensch, and that he thought it was clear that he not support Tyler’s views. Since the Übermensch is a concept from Nietzche’s 1883 book “Also Sprach Zarathustra”, it’s intriguing to note that a song by this name was used in my 2010 LGAT (and is used in all LGATs… we’ll certainly those that were influenced heavily by Lifespring…) to generate strong emotions in participants (and elevate the authority status of the trainer).
This exact entrance music was used in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia to signal Tom Cruise’s entrance to “Seduce and Destroy” (also 1999).
John
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haven’t posted in a while… But I still visit this blog often. Thanks for all the great work!!! Anyway, I recently noticed that Youtube is remastering some older music videos to HD qulaity… and some of Fincher’s classics were included.
Cradle of Love – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCZuYS-9qaw
L.A. Woman – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ef3mFZzGM4M
and…
Judith – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTgKRCXybSM
I didn’t check for more but if you guys notice some more, let us all know 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi! Glad to hear that you are still around:
I was aware of the Billy Idol upgrades, not the A Perfect Circle one, so thanks. Fortunately, they are maintaining the original links, so I don’t have to edit the Music Videos section.
I’m a little ambivalent about these. They are certainly an upgrade from the previous versions with appalling quality but still up-reses from SD sources. I know that it would be very expensive and, in some cases, almost impossible, to use original 35mm negatives, or reproduce VFX shots finished in SD.
Still waiting for the 4K version of George Michael’s “Freedom! 90” sitting in a vault…
LikeLike
Am I the only one who feels that the questions aren’t good enough?
I like to believe that Fincher is a very sophisticated person. Considering that he has mentioned that he is self educated, I would really like to find out what and how he likes to study but also his interests besides his profession. There are few occasions that he talks about inspiration and then he only stays at the surface… I cherish his Charlie Rose interviews.
LikeLike
I think the questions are more than adequate for this type of interview and situation.
But I totally get the type of interview with Fincher that you are craving. Because I’ve been waiting for that kind of interview, for a long time, too.
LikeLike
Yeah, I guess you are right, but -at the end- I can’t see this interview as the academic type. Most of these questions are similar to questions he has answered again and again (I can’t stand it when he is asked about perfectionism, the digital format or… Allien3).
To tell you the truth, every time that I see Fincher’s little or none publicity time being wasted to subjects that have been covered before (and/or in Cameron Beyl’s “Director’s Series” of course) I feel sorry for the man (and for people like you and me)… mainly because I’m afraid of the possibility that he thinks as much of himself as the level of the questions he has to answer. I can’t count the times he answers better questions than those he is being asked.
Anyway, sorry to babble like that.
Thank you so much for this post and the work you have put to make this website.
LikeLike
You are not babbling at all and I mostly agree with you.
The thing with this kind of meeting is that they are what they are, a superficial introduction to the works of the guest and, don’t forget it, also a promotional event (in this case, for Gone Girl). They are tangentially academic. And they can’t rely on other similar events and past interviews as we do. They are not really for you and me. In my case, I always enjoy listening to the man speak, even about the same old topics. There are always some new tidbits and intelligent viewpoints. But I do wish for much more.
I don’t think Fincher enjoys these. He tackles them as his promotional duty. But I also know for a fact that Fincher wouldn’t particularly enjoy a much deeper interview. He can be much harder on himself than on other people.
LikeLike
Exactly! I couldn’t agree with you more.
When I think of his most revealing interviews I think of the one in NYFF for Social Network, for his BAFTA award and his commentaries and some magazine interviews. What I find in common in all these is that the questions are well put and that he is in an environment that he is, in a sense, appreciated.
As you say, he doesn’t like at all promoting his work this way, but why would you say that he wouldn’t enjoy a deeper interview? Are you talking about his craft or about a more personal kind of interview?
LikeLike
Maybe about a more personal interview. In some of them, there are hints of his discomfort of having his thoughts recorded for posterity. During one he even joked about the future possibility of him having to hire someone to steal and get rid of the tapes.
A couple of years ago, he did a 2-hour interview for a famous podcast. He asked for it to be shelved with the promise of doing it again. A 2nd take that hasn’t happened yet.
He might enjoy more an in-depth one about his craft. I sure would!
LikeLike