The Playlist tips us off to a Fincher retrospective over at the Art of the Title. Probably my favorites would be The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Panic Room, although I’d never really noticed Zodiac’s until today and it’s so pretty and creepy at the same time.
When asked whether Fincher ever does as the script dictates, Insert Title Here, he answers:
Almost never. For Panic Room, the sequence takes a trip up the island of Manhattan through quick shots of buildings to get the idea of, “You’re downtown, you’re midtown, you’re traversing the park, you’re moving to the west side: here’s where the story takes place.” This was the same idea as the title sequence to West Side Story, so we had to do something a little different.
The piece puts them together in a montage and then looks individually at each film. But you’ll all probably want to know what’s going on with House of Cards and the Dragon Tattoo sequel. His answer:
Well, trying to figure out a sequel to Dragon Tattoo. We’ve got to be able to make it our own thing. And I’m trying to get House of Cards rolling — that’s what Neil Kellerhouse and I are working on now.
Is this your first foray into TV? What led you to that series?
Yeah. I just really liked the story. I liked the characters. It’s an interesting look at politics.At what stage is that?
Well I shot the first two episodes, and we’re sound mixing in the next couple of weeks and then finishing. James Foley has directed two and Joel Schumacher directed two, and now Charles McDougall has directed two. It’s up and running so that’s a fulltime job.
Do you want to do more TV?
I like television. There’s something amazing about having to put on a show. You have an idea for a scene, you talk it out, it gets hammered out in rough form, you do a rehearsal, you look at it and figure out what’s working, you go away for an hour, and then — bang! — you’re shooting. There’s no navel-gazing at all. Anytime you’re sitting there scratching your chin, you’re taking time away from shooting. It’s a very different discipline. It’s exciting.
Click to watch the Art of the Title do Fincher.