You don’t come across many career reversals like his. With the irresistible success of Joker in 2019the film-loving planet had to start reckoning with the name of Todd Phillips, its director, which no one expected in the context of a superhero franchise. Much less in the adult, dark, more realistic re-reading of the genre, which Warner, the owner of the DC Comics catalog, tried to oppose. The Marvel Multiverse. Before Jokerthe director, born Todd Bunzl in 1970 in New York to a middle-class Jewish home, was best known for his “greasy” comedies, including the trilogy Very bad trip (2009-2013), whose school record is no longer so redolent of Hollywood sanctity. Todd Phillips laughs at the dichotomy: “I don’t see that much of a difference. (between before and after Joker)Sincere. If you look carefully Very bad tripit was already a dark comedy. »
I came to London to promote Joker: madness for twoTodd Phillips appears all smiles, already in place in the video conference window, against a monochrome background displaying the title in large letters. We wonder about the choice of the expression “folie à deux” – in French in the text – borrowed from 19th century psychiatry.e century. “With Scott Silver, the screenwriter I’m working with, we started writing the movie with no idea for a title other than ‘Joker 2.’ While doing research, I came across this concept that denotes a common delusion. The French part adds a romantic touch. » Arthur Fleck’s descent into hell, Joaquin Phoenix’s version of the Joker (miserable, schizo and emaciated), is joined by a love duet with an underworld singer, Lee, played by Lady Gaga.
If the previous film drew heavily from the 1970s (Taxi And Waltz of the dollsFROM Martin Scorsese), which Phillips says he targeted “realistic bob”dates back to the 1950s and 1960s, taking the form of a musical comedy. The songs, a mix of 1960s standards (“Songs that Arthur’s mother used to listen to when he was a child”), Phillips insisted that the actors perform them live on set. “It doesn’t have the same impact to hear Joaquin Phoenix sing For once in my life instead of Frank Sinatrahe explained. Suddenly, we really believe in the emotional truth of the song. We don’t necessarily feel that way about Sinatra, even though Sinatra is a much better singer! »
“Corruption in Entertainment”
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