I’m a big fan of James Gray’s movies, particularly The Lost City of Z, Ad Astra, The Yards and Little Odessa. As a director and screenwriter, he creates rich and complex characters, and is a master story teller.
He also works with amazing actors – Tim Roth, Venessa Redgrave, Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard, Isabella Rossellini, Charlie Hunnam, Sienna Miller, Mark Wahlberg, Joaquin Phoenix, Charlize Theron, Ellen Burstyn, Faye Dunaway, Jeremy Renner, Eva Mendes, Robert Duvall,and raft of others, many of whom show up in a number of his films.
So it was a treat to listen to his hour-long free wheeling conversation with podcaster Brody Herrick on Titans as Teens. He’s open, unpretentious, and has some interesting takes on everything from cave paintings to having final cut on a movie.
He and Brody talk about his early school days in the Bronx, his thoughts on Shakespeare, Superhero movies, the evolution of film as a medium, the dangers of being quoted, working with actors, how how COVID will affect the stories film makers will want to tell.
You can hear the episode, or grab the full transcript here.