As a cinephile with over three decades of cinematic exploration under my belt, I must admit that Alfonso Cuarón’s latest endeavor, “Disclaimer,” has left me utterly spellbound. The Mexican auteur, renowned for his masterful works such as “Gravity” and “Roma,” ventures into uncharted territory with this psychological thriller, and the result is nothing short of extraordinary.
When Alfonso Cuarón proposed adapting Renee Knight’s 2015 novel “Disclaimer” into a lengthy psychological thriller for Apple, he made it plain that there was one point on which he was certain: “I have no experience in television production.
He feels that it’s already past the point for him to begin learning, reflecting on the first proposal as he readies to present “Disclaimer” at the Toronto Film Festival, having previously made an impressive premiere at Venice. Instead, Cuarón explains that he and actors Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, and Sacha Baron Cohen decided to tackle it in a manner similar to how they would handle a regular film.
He references several cinematic precedents for his ambitious, complex project, which is characterized by its expansive nature and rich narrative; examples include “Reds,” “1900,” “Fanny and Alexander,” “Once Upon a Time in America,” and even “Twin Peaks.” These films served as his inspiration. A number of these movies are set in the past, utilizing historical backdrops marked by wars and revolutions to account for their epic runtime.
“Paraphrase
As a cinephile, one key point that truly resonated with me was understanding the way we interpret stories and craft our own tales derived from those narratives. In fact, I pondered this during my recent talk at EbMaster’s Toronto Film Festival studio, co-presented by J.Crew and SharkNinja. The essence of storytelling, needless to say, is essential in fiction, but it’s crucial to recognize that we find ourselves in a time where narratives are becoming increasingly dominant…This trend can be observed not only in the realm of fiction but also in our political sphere, where stories are shaping events more frequently.
To support his argument, Cuarón brings up a quote by Christiane Amanpour during a scene where she presents an award to Catherine: “Be cautious about stories and structure; they have the ability to guide us towards truth, but they can also serve as a potent tool for manipulation.” It’s not difficult to understand how this could pertain to a wide range of topics, such as the emergence of authoritarianism and political radicalization, or even the risks posed by deep-fake videos.
Director Cuarón, renowned for his Oscar-winning films “Roma” and “Gravity,” has assembled an elite cast of actors primarily recognized for their work in cinema. Having worked with Blanchett on the festival circuit and through collaborations with fellow directors Guillermo del Toro and Alejandro G. Iñárritu on projects like “Nightmare Alley” and “Babel,” he was familiar with her talents.
Cuaron playfully mentions that they talked about laundry, when asked if he sought advice from his friends regarding collaborating with Blanchett.
After that came Kline, a prominent figure of the ’80s and ’90s, who hasn’t been seen much in significant films lately. As Cuarón points out, “One of the flaws of cinema is how overlooked he has been for the past few decades.” For Stephen, the director was keen on finding someone unconventional. When Blanchett suggested Kline, Cuarón recalled the wide range of performances the actor delivered in varied projects like “Sophie’s Choice,” “The Big Chill,” and “A Fish Called Wanda.
Regarding Baron Cohen, the famous actor from “Borat”, it’s known that he has been friends with Cuarón for quite some time. They often discussed collaborating on projects and exchanged various ideas, all of which were centered around comedy. However, when Cuarón sent him this particular idea, Baron Cohen expressed some hesitation because it didn’t align with his usual genre of work.
In “Disclaimer,” Alfonso Cuarón reunited with his long-time collaborator Emmanuel “Chivo” Lubezki, who was busy with other projects during the filming of “Roma.” However, they decided to bring on board another skilled cinematographer, Bruno Delbonnel, known for his work with the Coen Brothers and Wes Anderson. Although “Disclaimer” features the long, flowing shots typical of Cuarón’s previous works, these are primarily used in scenes involving Blanchett. To portray Stephen’s plotting and scheming, Cuarón opted for a closer framing and employed quick cuts instead of extended shots. As he puts it, “It’s a lot of cuts.
Similar to “Y Tu Mamá También,” Cuarón’s recent work also employs voiceover to delve into the characters’ motives and inner thoughts, while subtly providing commentary on the action. However, in this instance, the narration style takes unexpected twists – Stephen’s narrative carries a Machiavellian tone, whereas Catherine’s shifts between second-person perspective and an omniscient third-person narrative stance.
In Cuaron’s words, “Every distinct voice offers a unique perspective.” He explained that the way we engage in dialogue can vary significantly depending on the tone and tense of the story being shared.
At the Venice Film Festival, my series “Disclaimer” was shown alongside Luca Guadagnino’s “Queer” and Halina Reijn’s “Babygirl,” often being categorized as part of a new wave of bold, sexually explicit films and shows. To be clear, I, Cuarón, am not shy about eroticism, but I’m uncertain if “Disclaimer” truly signifies a groundbreaking shift in on-screen sexual frankness. The opening scene, for instance, depicts a couple engaging passionately in sex within a train compartment. However, while I appreciate the label of innovation, I remain skeptical about whether our work is indeed ushering in a new era of candor on screen.
“We have had amazing works that deal with eroticism since silent cinema,” he says.
Cuarón states that eroticism is a fundamental aspect of being human. As such, when it serves to depict authentic human experiences, he believes it should not only be utilized but also appreciated.
Completing the series proved to be a tougher challenge than Cuarón anticipated, as it took him over a year to film, primarily due to COVID-related restrictions and delays. He openly acknowledges that this was an exhausting experience for the actors, who gave up other opportunities to see the project through and had to stay immersed in their roles longer than they initially planned.
He admits his mistake was underestimating the time needed for shooting, as he’s not the quickest filmmaker when it comes to shooting scenes, and this particular one took an unexpectedly long duration of approximately five and a half hours.
Having made his version of a “Reds” or “Fanny and Alexander,” what’s next for Cuarón?
“I would love to do some 90-minutes kind of film,” he says.
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2024-09-09 17:47