Killers of the Flower Moon: Martin Scorsese’s surprising inspiration

Killers of the Flower Moon: Martin Scorsese’s surprising inspiration



Martin Scorsese, the inspiration of youth

Martin Scorsese’s new film and new masterpiece comes out in theaters on October 18th The Assassins of the Flower Moon. A Dante’s work, a sum, a great American tragedy that takes place in 3:26. An impressive duration therefore, and a slower and more patient pace than what the public is used to. Recently, Christopher Nolan himself has gone all out Oppenheimer, with exactly 3 hours for its big biographical drama. When asked about this in the Times of HindustanMartin Scorsese explained that he just wanted to hear no criticism of the length of his new film.

People say it’s 3 hours, but honestly you can sit in front of the TV and watch something for 5 hours. And then, many people go to see shows for 3.5 hours. There are real actors on stage, you can’t get up and walk around. We give him respect. Give respect to the cinema.

Filming Killers of the Flower Moon
Filming of Killers of the Flower Moon ©Paramount Pictures

Already in 2019 Martin Scorsese with The Irish offered a film of 3:29. The director therefore takes all the time necessary and, to demonstrate that there is nothing capricious or original, refers to a young contemporary director whose inspiration he takes. So it is in the columns of Irish weather who stated:

I really like the style and pace of good horror films like “Midsommar” and “Beau Is Afraid” by Ari Aster. The pace of these films refers to Val Lewton’s B series, to “La Féline” or “Vaudou” by Jacques Tourneur. Just go a little slower. A little more calmly. I definitely wanted to leave scenes that were not used in the narrative (for Killers of the Flower Moon, ed.), scenes about the Osage culture – with customs, such as the names given to children, funerals and weddings – so that we can understand a little more who they were.

A question of pace as much as duration

Interestingly, the Jacques Tourneur films mentioned are both short films The feline AS Voodoo both are approx 1h10. In the case of Ari Aster, the second and third films are respectively 2h27 AND 2h59.

Mid summer
Midsommar ©A24

Martin Scorsese therefore wants to underline that the pace of the story is perhaps more important than the “pure” duration of the film. In fact, Mid summer it never seems long, whereas a film is enjoyable John Wick: Chapter 4 (2h49) may seem very long. Rhythm, number of dramatic “moments” that punctuate the story, nervous editing… So many ways of leading a story and which determine a different feeling for each film, without necessarily any connection with its duration.

Source: Cine Serie

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