Harmony Korine sometimes comes across as nervous or downright bizarre in his interviews with the press, but he was refreshingly candid in this interview with Monica Castillo about his new film Spring Breakers. She asked him about the technical side of the film, working with James Franco and Selena Gomez, and just what he’s hoping people take away from it. Spoiler: if you came out of the theater feeling like you dropped acid, that was probably intentional.
Check below the break for trailers and detailed show notes.
Let’s Get Reel #6: Harmony Korine Goes On “Spring Breakers”
Download MP3 ♦ Subscribe via iTunes
Please send all feedback to letsgetreel@filmgeekradio.com. Thanks!
SHOW NOTES:
About Our Guest:
Harmony Korine is a filmmaker and author whose movies are often characterized by their non-linear, experimental form and shocking content. He first earned acclaim as the screenwriter of Larry Clark’s controversial film Kids in 1994. He has directed the films Gummo, Julien Donkey-Boy, Mister Lonely, Trash Humpers and Spring Breakers, among others. In 1998, he published the novel “A Crack Up At The Race Riots.”
View Harmony Korine’s Wikipedia page.
View Harmony Korine’s IMDB page.
Miscellaneous:
- Check out the Cinema Fix episode on Spring Breakers for a more in-depth exploration of the film.
The Episode:
- 0:26 – Introduction and clip
- 2:52 – What attracted you to the spring break phenomenon?
- 4:10 – You chose to film at St. Pete Beach in Tampa. Of all the beaches in Florida, why did you choose to film there?
- 5:10 – Your use of lighting blew my mind. It’s very saturated and there are several bright hues. How did you achieve that effect?
- 6:35 – You don’t tell the story entirely linearly. Did you make that decision at the beginning or in post-production?
- 7:40 – Did you always know that Britney Spears song would be featured?
- 8:15 – How did you get James Franco and Selena Gomez to join the project?
- 9:52 – Did you have to cut anything to get an R rating?
- 10:39 – There’s a lot of humor in the movie. How did you find the balance between comedy and the darker subject matter?
- 11:37 – How did you maintain control on set with all this chaos happening around you?
- 12:12 – How long was the shoot and what was it like to work with your wife?
- 13:14 – There are lots of repeated lines and motifs. Why did you choose to do that?
- 14:00 – Your film covers a lot of heavy themes but neither celebrates nor condemns the behavior. Were you trying to reflect culture back at the audience rather than comment on it?
- 16:04 – Are you looking to do more “popsploitation” movies?
- 16:45 – A lot of people who see this film will be unfamiliar with your previous work. What are you hoping they take away from the movie?
- 17:33 – What was the biggest challenge in making this movie?
- 18:25 – Show close
TRAILERS:
