Antoine Fuqua: Western is the purest form of cinema
The The Magnificent Seven is bouncing around the big screens again thanks to Antoine Fuqua . This remake of the classic eponymous western by John Sturges, which in turn is a remake of Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, gives everyone a familiar story with new shades and themes. The regular stars of Fuqua films - Ethan Hawke, Denzel Washington and Hayley Bennett - are complemented by an impressive cast of Chris Pratt, Peter Sarsgaard, Vincent d'Onofrio, Martin Sensmeyer and Lee Ben-hone. The new " Seven ", focusing on some of the main laws of the Western, expands the plot - it contains an important female line today. This suggests that Fukua wanted not only to pay tribute to his favorite genre,
 The director admitted that he was very nervous when starting this project. Remake of a remake - where to go next? But most of all, he was afraid of the power of the two previous films, which inspired more than one director and influenced the formation of cinema as a whole. “I was a little hesitant at first because of the legacy of Sturges and Kurosawa and what is behind their films. But when I started talking about the cast, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer was very supportive of me, proposing motley stars led by Denzel Washington . Then, of course, I was delighted and did not hesitate a bit. ”  For Fukua , brought up on westerns by his movie-obsessed grandmother, the main thing in previous films about " Seven " is their ideological component:“The most important thing that I believe in is what Kurosawa spoke about and what he continued to study in his work Sturges - people should unite against tyranny and arbitrariness. I love the images of strangers balancing on the brink, rude and far from perfect, but fighting for a just cause. They were fighting against something much larger than themselves. This idea is with me forever. ”  Fukua admitted that his film was significantly influenced by the opening scene of The Magnificent Seven John Sturges :“It features Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen they decide to take the Indian to the grave and burn it there, and the locals try to prevent this by arranging a firefight. This is a very important reference to racism, intolerance and bigotry. This episode amazed me. ” “I remember well how I watched the film Sturges with my grandmother (she loved him very much) and thought that I could also try to shoot something worthwhile and close to this tape, and at the same time just have some fun ",- added Antoine .  The opportunity to tell a diverse story - on the one hand, criminal, and on the other, inspiring noble deeds - served as the impetus for Fukua to work on the film. After deciding to take on the lead role of Denzel Washington , his star from Training Day and The Great Equalizer, the director shared his ideas with the actor:I just started drawing pictures for him - he's all in black rides the hill on a black horse. Denzel burst out laughing and soon signed the contract. ”. Antoine also invited another star of The Equalizer , Haley Bennett , to play the role of Emma Cullen - a daring widow who desperately hires Seven to protect the inhabitants of the small town.  Another constant colleague of the director, Ethan Hawke , himself expressed his desire to participate in the project, and in an interesting way:“We met in New York, and Ethan literally grabbed me by the scruff of his neck, pushed it against the wall and said: “I have to be in this film, I'm in business. I know that the cast already has Denzel , which means six more people are needed, and if you don't take me, consider our friendship to end! ”. In general, it was easy to agree. ”  Chris Pratt also had his own plans for participation in the film, which he managed to realize not only thanks to his love of westerns, but also to his mastery of pop singing:“We talked a lot, and one day he called me and sang “ Oh Shenandoah ” into the pipe. I liked it and I approved him for the role. ” Martin Sensmeyer and Lee Byung-hun impressed the director with their previous work. For example, Fukua was in awe of Lee Ben-hun in I Saw the Devil:“I thought they were just cowboys. There is no such thing as "Asian cowboy" or "black cowboy". You are who you are, and you don't have to flaunt it. You just have to be yourself. ”  In addition, Antoine had another goal to make a picture worthy of its predecessors and to have a good time with like-minded people. The project was intended to lay another stone in the foundation of the revival of the Western genre, which Fukua , as an avid cinephile, appreciates. “If you look at how the western genre has changed, you can see that John Ford's films were sweet and pure. And then, starting with The Searchers, these pictures became harsher and darker. Then the infamous Vietnam War broke out and the audience got the Wild Gang. The atmosphere in the cinema changed along with the situation in society, the western responded to current events. So why not do the same today, give the genre a chance to get a second wind? ”  According to the director, there is nothing more timeless than the western and its characters:“I don't understand why we forget certain genres, because the western was so great. This is part of the rich history of cinema and ourselves. And if we evolve, then the genre must also develop. Every time you watch a Western, you may find it reflects the problems of your time. It is perhaps the purest form of cinema that from an artistic point of view tells how things are in reality. "  “ The Magnificent Seven ” shows that we are still dealing with an eternal problem - people who terrorize the public, those who insult, humiliate and kill others on the street. The world still needs great men and women - from the military, social services or simply those trying to stop the atrocities. We should all be that way - responsible and courageous. And “we” here does not mean “Americans,” not at all! Everyone is obliged to unite around a common cause and help each other. So I think, and this is what my film is about ”,- summed up the director. The Topic of Article: Antoine Fuqua: Western is the purest form of cinema. |
