In our exclusive video interview below, Cronenberg talks at length about not only Cosmopolis, but also several of the most significant films from his prolific career.
From casting Twilight’s Robert Pattinson in Cosmopolis, to the controversy that continues to cling to Crash, and from The Fly’s actor-repelling make-up effects to Videodrome’s haphazard shoot, the director talks candidly and articulately, offering incredible insight into how his approach to moviemaking has developed over the years.
So settle in for an audience with Cronenberg, and get watching the video below:
“I don’t really know how accepted I am,” says Robert Pattinson as he sips on an enormous paper cup of Coke. “Nothing ever matters to me apart from the people with negative opinions. That’s literally it. That always drives me on to the next thing. It’s funny, you just focus on them and then the next movie. That’s the only thing you’re thinking about when it comes out.”
For someone with the world at his feet – he has the Twilight franchise behind him and David Cronenberg’s icy drama Cosmopolis as his next release – Pattinson gives a good impression of a man plagued with self-doubt. “I’ve never really taken myself seriously as an actor,” he says, fresh off a plane from Germany, where, he notes by the by, everybody seems to hate him.
Robert Pattinson and David Cronenberg will be doing an Q&A in London on June 1st
INFO
Cosmopolis Q&A with David Cronenberg and Robert Pattinson
Members’ priority booking now open!
Curzon Q&A: Cosmopolis (15) plus Q&A with David Cronenberg and Robert Pattinson Friday 1 June 6.30pm MAYFAIR
Members’ priority booking is now open. Any remaining tickets will go on general sale from Friday 25 May at 1.00pm. Click here for more information on how to become a Curzon member
Priority booking is available in person at Curzon Mayfair or by phoning 0330 500 1331.
What are we talking about? A new film adaptation of Don DeLillo’s 2003 novel Cosmopolis, following a young billionaire asset manager as he tries to make his way across Manhattan in a very swish limo, in order to get a haircut.
Elevator pitch Through limo glass, darkly: Cronenberg takes R-Patz for a spin through sex, wealth, and death.
Prime movers It’s directed and adapted by David Cronenberg.
The stars Taking the lead is Robert Pattinson, and the rest of the cast is top drawer too: Juliette Binoche, Samantha Morton, Paul Giamatti, Jay Baruchel and Kevin Durand all star.
The early buzzEmpire, when commenting on a new dark, glitteringly rapid-fire trailer, wrote, “Robert Pattinson is living every wide-eyed Apprentice’s dream in the new trailer for Cosmopolis – seemingly, at any rate. Admittedly, there are more of those Cronenbergian strains of sex, death and paranoia than you’d find around Sir Alan’s [sic] boardroom table.” The Hollywood Reporter says, “it falls upon David Cronenberg’s vehicle Cosmopolis, a nihilistic futuristic drama (is there any other kind?) with a lot of drug-fueled sex and craziness to showcase Pattinson’s acting chops. The film could be another chance for Rob to be just another pretty (if tortured) face … [but Pattinson] claims that Cosmopolis has given him ‘balls’.” Jolly good.
Insider knowledge R-Patz is quite the Cronenberg fan – and openly grateful to the director for giving him a chance in a “serious” flick. So much so, he conducted a 13-hour fashion shoot for French magazine Premiere in order to pay homage to Cronenberg’s work (including hanging out on a sofa with a stomach wound and staging a threesome with himself and a pregnant lady).
It’s great that … Judging by the trailers, it’s going to be a high-octane return to form for Cronenberg – and who knows what interesting impact it could have on the cine tastes of young, impressionable Twi-hards…
It’s a shame that … The most recent trailer proclaims: “Finally the first film about our new millennium” – which seems a little hubristic, to be honest, not to mention uncharitable towards the past 12 years of film.
Hit potentialCosmopolis is at Cannes, where ordinarily its reception might have a big impact – but it’s got R-Patz in it. It’ll do just fine, even if every critic hates it.
The poster is almost the same as the French one. The color of “COSMOPOLIS” is different and we can see the UK rating (15 Certificate).
Nothing new on the trailer – almost the same as the first teaser trailer, but now with the eOne (UK and North American distributor) tag in the beginning and the names of the rest of the cast in the end.
Cosmopolis will be released in cinemas in the UK on June 15th
In other BBFC decisions, the upcoming drama Cosmopolis, directed by David Cronenberg and starring Robert Pattinson, also gets a 15 certificate for “strong sex and language.” It is due in cinemas on June 15, 2012, and has a running time of 1 hour 49 minutes. Pattinson recently spoke about the film and his attempts to move on from associations with the Twilight franchise.
Bel Ami is now available to pre-order in the UK iTunes store and will be released 23rd July (the same date as the DVD). The standarad definition costs £9.99 and the HD version £13.99.
Click here or on the picture to open the details in iTunes and pre order.
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