As I delve into the world of Udayan Prasad Singh, I can’t help but be awestruck by his incredible journey. A man who started his career in the vibrant and dynamic world of commercials and music videos, he then ventured into the realm of feature films with a passion that could only be matched by a true auteur. His first film, The Cell, is a testament to his raw talent and unyielding vision, even if it may have been a bit ahead of its time.
Tarsem Singh spent 20 years pondering why he created the movie “The Fall“, and it was his childhood friends who eventually helped him find the answer. After moving with his family to Iran when he was just three, Tarsem and his brother were sent to a boarding school in the Himalayas. For nine months out of each year, Tarsem was immersed in the breathtaking beauty of the mountain range and natural surroundings. During the three winter months when he returned to Iran, he would spend most of his time watching television, mainly American films dubbed into Persian, a language he wasn’t yet fluent in. Now, he speaks it fluently and passionately. Since he didn’t understand what the actors were saying, and the movies lacked laugh tracks, he was unsure about the tone. However, there was a rhythm to the storytelling that resonated with him, which he would often attempt to replicate when retelling these films to his classmates, albeit not always perfectly.
Singh remarks, “I’d return and share my tales, shaping them as I saw fit.” He would regale us with stories about Get Smart, finding the character to be an incredibly cool spy who had a phone hidden in his shoe. His companions at the time were puzzled, thinking, ‘This was meant to be a comedy, you fool.’ Years later, his friends commented, “Your stories are similar to The Fall, because they were strangely different and bizarrely off-kilter like it.
In 2006, Singh’s critically acclaimed film that started streaming in 4K on MUBI last Friday, is deliberately adventurous with its genre exploration. With roots traced back to the 1981 Bulgarian movie “Yo Ho Ho“, it unfolds in a Los Angeles hospital of the 1920s, revolving around an unusual friendship between two patients. The eight-year-old Catinca Untaru portrays Alexandria, a young Romanian immigrant dealing with a broken arm and mourning her father, while Lee Pace, prior to his “Pushing Daisies” fame, plays Roy, a stuntman recovering from a mishap and a heart-wrenching breakup. From their first encounter, Alexandria forms an emotional bond with Roy, perceiving him as a paternal figure, while Roy, contemplating suicide, uses his charm to persuade Alexandria into stealing the morphine he needs. To convince her, he spins a yarn about a band of outlaws traversing the globe to combat a villainous governor, with characters mirroring people Alexandria encounters in the hospital. The narrative seamlessly blends reality and fantasy, as Roy’s tale and Alexandria’s fantasies intertwine into an enchanting story that explores the themes of myth-creation, misinterpretation, and creativity as a two-way process.
Initially, when the movie debuted at TIFF, critics showed mixed opinions; Roger Ebert stood firm as its advocate, but there were harsh criticisms as well. The film didn’t find distribution for two years by Roadside Pictures for a limited cinema release. After its initial physical media release, it seemed to vanish from public sight. It wasn’t available for streaming or digital rental, making second-hand DVDs and Blu-rays quite costly online, often selling for hundreds of dollars. Pirated copies circulated among film enthusiasts. When MUBI announced in July that they had acquired a 4K remaster of the movie, it felt like the film was resurrected from oblivion.
In this vividly portrayed, meticulously crafted adaptation, The Fall seems to resonate strongly on the screen. (MUBI has announced that a physical version of the film will be available in 2025.) The making of The Fall spanned four years, with unique production quirks that have since been widely discussed by its loyal fans. Scenes and narrative progressions were often improvised, such as when Alexandria gives Roy just three morphine pills, an idea born from Untaru misinterpreting the letter “E” in “morphine” as the number three; this scene later features Roy and Alexandria debating their differing cultural interpretations of the term “Indian.” Singh acknowledges Pace’s role in developing the film’s central theme on the interchangeable roles of storyteller and listener, and he shares a wealth of stories and behind-the-scenes insights.
As a devoted cinephile, I’ve been fielding questions about our 4K restoration project for The Fall. The curiosity and demand for this film have been growing steadily since its initial release, with many asking why it hasn’t been more widely available. Truth be told, I’ve had my own struggles in the past trying to get people to appreciate this masterpiece. It took another two years of tireless work before we could screen it in around 10-12 theaters, ensuring that it left a lasting impression on audiences and didn’t fade into obscurity as just another forgotten digital release.
At the third festival we attended in Saudi Arabia, I encountered Efe Cakarel from MUBI. He enthusiastically expressed his admiration for the movie. I responded by offering to facilitate its distribution, stating that as long as streaming platforms eventually fade, I wanted it to be accessible on Apple or similar platforms. I didn’t care where viewers obtained the film, but I was concerned about it being downloaded from shady sites in China and Russia. When MUBI emerged, it was a perfect fit because I could tell they genuinely appreciated the movie. However, the 4K version we initially had proved elusive, leaving us with corrupted materials. Consequently, we produced another version. There was a specific shot of Catinca that was out of focus which I struggled to exclude but ultimately included. Now, whenever I see it on the big screen, I wince. She’s barely moving, lying in bed, and her eyes are soft – an image I never wish to recall. Amazingly, viewers hardly seem to notice or react to this shot. All I can think is, “It’s vast and overwhelming, yet delicate,” and it infuriates me.
Have you ever considered watching the movie on a different streaming platform prior to our deal with MUBI? (To be honest, I’m not very tech-savvy. [Laughs.] If it wasn’t for porn and chess, I wouldn’t have even discovered the Internet. I only watch content through Apple TV. I mentioned this to my lawyer recently, “I want people to be able to purchase it if they wish.” She replied, “Oh, you mean streaming?” And I responded, “Whatever that entails, just do it.” She suggested contacting Criterion. They didn’t exactly say no, but they never responded from any of the channels I contacted.)
You mentioned that the ability to purchase MUBI’s film digitally was significant to you. Are there plans for a physical release as well?
In the updated version, two previously removed scenes have been reintroduced. Can you explain why these scenes were initially omitted, and why they were brought back?
After receiving feedback from Toronto, I was advised to make minor adjustments to the film as it wasn’t the version critics had seen earlier. One scene in particular should not have been altered. In a moment of impulse, I decided to cut two scenes, as I needed to shorten the movie by about 90 seconds. I have been an atheist since my preteen years, and the character of the priest is the one Alexandria throws oranges at in reality, later becoming the antagonist. There was a scene that helped clarify who the true author of the story is: the narrator or the listener. Roy starts to portray the priest as a villain, but Alexandria objects, saying, “Wait! The priest is a good guy!” To which Roy replies, “Uh…yes.” The priest carries a stick and approaches the child, with Roy explaining, “The stick was for…a snake!” The priest then shouts, “Darwin!” as that’s his arch-nemesis, evolution. [Laughs.] I always appreciated this scene and when I initially removed it, I thought, “Let’s get rid of it.” However, on this occasion, I reconsidered and decided that the scene should be included once more.
As a cinephile, I could do without the prolonged scene capturing the breathtaking Himalayan vistas. We managed to secure a massive crane for the shoot, but it felt overly indulgent and time-consuming, so I decided to trim it down – snap, snap, hurry up! Nico Soultanakis and I had penned a shooting script, which was all I intended to do. However, Dan Gilroy intervened with an insightful suggestion. He proposed a more commercial approach, citing Alfred Hitchcock’s philosophy: “You can have a dull conversation as long as in the beginning, you cut under the table and there’s a bomb.” His idea was that Roy, the protagonist, is on a suicide mission. Introducing this earlier would create more empathy from the audience. I initially refused, preferring to maintain the film’s meandering quality – after all, trying to extract something from a five-year-old can be as challenging as pulling hen’s teeth! So, I argued, the movie should appear aimless at first, only for viewers to later realize it has a purpose. Dan acknowledged my point, but he had raised an intriguing thought. Regarding that lengthy crane shot, I contemplated removing it to expedite Roy’s agenda, but given the audience expects something unconventional from this film, I decided against it.
Regarding that stunning overhead shot, I’ve been curious about that particular scene. Can you tell me more about the intricate camera movements involved in capturing it? I believe there was a large crane involved, as it was filmed in an inhospitable location like the Himalayas. You mentioned that there was a 360-degree turn followed by an 180-degree shot, leading down into the greens. It seems you went to great lengths to capture this beautiful landscape, even bringing the largest crane available for the job. The dialogue about the Mystic inviting Luigi to ‘greener pastures’ was written on location, and it leads us to a lush valley in Bali that looks like paradise.
The movie begins with a “Los Angeles, A Long Time Ago,” which sets the scene for the story as told from a child’s perspective in their later years. Initially, I tried using an old person narrator to convey this sense of reminiscence, but it came across as tacky and lost the audience before the movie even started. Instead, I chose to use “once upon a time” to indicate that the story is being remembered, rather than having a voiceover or an old woman speaking at the beginning. Although I considered titling it “Hollywood, A Long Time Ago,” I ultimately decided against it, questioning whether it would be effective due to language barriers. This title is a compromise aimed at helping the audience understand that the story is being told from the perspective of a little girl in the past.
I’m against the idea of dubbing this film, as it would have been profitable at first but ultimately goes against my beliefs. Absolutely, no amount of money could convince me to allow dubbing for this movie. The dialogue remains unchanged because it embodies the struggle and nuances of a character who is trying hard to communicate despite language barriers – that’s the essence of the film. I can’t trust dubbing to preserve these elements.
Did you manage to contact any of the cast members from the movie since its streaming release, or have you maintained communication with them beforehand?
Back in 2008, when discussing Alexandria’s interpretation of Roy’s fate, I mused, “Perhaps he survived after she departed, or even pulled off those daring stunts for eternity. The story suggests he did, and I hope the DVD release will spark curiosity among viewers to scrutinize each scene closely to decide whether it’s really Roy.” Looking back, I wish I hadn’t used the phrase “scrutinize each scene closely” [laughs]. Instead, I’d say, if you’re an optimist, he managed to escape alive. But if you lean towards pessimism, well, you might think otherwise. Buster Keaton was known for his stunts, so it’s questionable whether that’s Roy in 90% of the scenes. The truth could lie anywhere – maybe he killed himself after she left, or perhaps he’s still out there doing stunts. To comfort her, his mother said, “Now he does stunts,” and that helped the girl move on with life, preferring action films over art-house ones because she believes he performs those death-defying feats. In my view, the film leaves it up to the viewers’ interpretation: Whatever you choose to believe, just don’t get too caught up in trying to find clues – I’m not certain if it’s really Roy [laughs].
[Laughs.] Well, I apparently froze an image that looks a lot like Lee Pace’s face, but there’s a chance it might just be my mind playing tricks on me.
Can you let me know if he captured footage for that scene?
I won’t be able to tell you that. When I rewatch it, I feel like I played it four times too many. However, there’s something on my side – the camera I used was hand-cranked, so it’s hard to get a clear view between frames. I shouldn’t have mentioned “freezing the frame.” Just look at it, and whatever state you’re in when you do, that’s what transpired.
Reflecting on The Fall being a movie you could only create at that specific point in your life, would you approach its production differently if you were to remake it today?
Initially, the main antagonist in our film was a character named Walt, who suffered from hypochondria. However, during a heartbroken conversation with Nico, an idea emerged: instead of having a traditional villain, we should create one who is not inherently evil but becomes so due to Roy’s actions. That antagonist turned out to be Sinclair, a movie star known for his goodness, whom Roy manipulates. I informed Sean Gilder that he would no longer be the central character. He accepted it graciously. As time progressed, several aspects changed. Reflecting on this experience, I might present the film differently in 10 or 20 years to gain critical acclaim. At that time, if I were to assemble the movie again, I believe it would resemble “My Dinner with Andre.” Many criticized my decisions, asking why I spent so much money on such a project. My response was simple: what else is money for? [Laughs] Some labeled it as indulgent, but when it benefits them, they call it the work of an auteur. I can only say that it was indulgent, but I needed to exorcise this demon from my mind.
Have you updated us on the progress of the 4K version of your debut film, The Cell? If so, when and where will it be premiered for the first time? The screening is scheduled for October 3 at Beyond Fest in Los Angeles.
What was your reaction upon revisiting it? I’ve been discussing with Paul Laufer, my cameraman from back then and former college professor, about making improvements. He had already finished the HD version, but Warner Bros chose to release the standard definition version on Blu-ray instead. Last year, he showed me his 4K version, and I exclaimed, “Oh my God, it doesn’t even look like that!” Amazingly, a few months ago, I received a call from Arrow Films. I connected them with Paul, and if there’s anyone who can exhaust you with technical details, it’s him. They had an in-depth conversation. They might also release some behind-the-scenes content soon.
In a different tone, let me rephrase: My initial interview about the film was both astonishingly funny and dreadful. Viewing the movie, approximately three months back, left me thinking, “They’ve given me quite a lot for a debut film.” I was accustomed to having full control over every frame in my commercials and music videos. However, there was some adjustment needed during this film production, which was reasonable. Then, when they altered one shot in the trailer, I decided, “That’s it.
2023’s well-reviewed drama Dear Jassi was Singh’s first Indian film, about the real-life murder of Jaswinder Kaur Sidhu. Her family members ordered her killing after they learned of her secret marriage.
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2024-09-28 16:55