Rumours: A Hilarious Deep Dive into the Making of This Wild Genre-Bending Flick!
The Inspiration Behind Rumours: Group Projects Gone Wrong (Globally!)
Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, and Galen Johnson— the filmmaking trio behind the wildly inventive new movie Rumours— recently spilled the beans about their latest creation during an interview. They talked everything: the inspiration for the plot, that bizarre giant brain prop, and how they assembled that truly amazing all-star cast.
So, what's Rumours all about? Seven world leaders convene for that high-stakes G7 summit to hammer out a crisis statement—then everything goes totally sideways. The leaders are lost in a spooky forest. This premise sounds straightforward; it is far more interesting and more profound upon investigation; which shows the surprisingly hilarious depths of these political interactions.
The filmmakers explain what inspired this craziness: "It's my fault for writing much of it," says Evan Johnson, "but the idea came from the three of us sitting around in a room together over the years, observing our own group dynamic and how frustrating and difficult it is to get something done as a group." They then highlight the often-amusing reality of observing these international summits, emphasizing that very important dynamic—these larger meetings and their impact— adding yet another layer onto their overall intentions!
That Giant Brain: Styrofoam, Latex, and a Little Bit of Fire Hazard!
The movie's showstopper prop? That gigantic brain. Galen Johnson reveals its surprisingly low-tech construction: "A styrofoam base and then some latex and then some flammable material on top so we can light it on fire." Guy Maddin adds, with a chuckle, "Yeah. It's got an unbelievable carbon footprint. Giant brain sized. Horrible. Sorry. It's really tempting to touch it. If you were in person with it, you would not be able to resist."
The All-Star Cast: How Cate Blanchett Assembled a Dream Team
Rumours boasts a truly insane cast: Cate Blanchett, Rolado Ravello, Charles Dance (of Game of Thrones fame) and many others. Guy Maddin explains how this came together, saying that casting efforts really picked up speed once they managed to convince those involved in their early negotiations: "They just started once we got Roy Dupuis first, the part was written for him, the Canadian prime minister. Then when Cate Blanchett came on the cast, we got our wishlist checked off. It was amazing. You get what you get when Cate is attached to your project."
Evan Johnson chimes in, emphasizing how much of an ease it became once those earlier negotiations began in earnest: "There's nothing more fun. That's the best part of the process is having Cate and then looking around the world and then being like, and you're going to be in our movie, you're going to be in our movie, and everybody does it."
Genre-Bending Genius: A Hilarious, Unpredictable Ride
Rumours is…a lot of things. How do they describe their unique cinematic style? Guy Maddin sums it up perfectly: "It depends on who it is. If it's my accountant brother-in-law, it's a movie about the G7 and if it's someone who might be more inclined to like horror or something like that, I'll say it's about reanimated bog mummies or something, because it's a number of genres gently massaged together with an insouciant carelessness."
Evan Johnson adds some interesting comments on those unexpected shifts between styles and genres: "It's a soap opera, but we've had to admit it's a comedy. We've even been forced to admit that it's a satire." Guy Maddin, surprisingly, claims he was shocked when people started laughing. Their unexpected ability to surprise viewers in multiple points throughout their entire viewing experience was a well-planned artistic technique, highlighting unexpected plot and thematic choices.
Conclusion: Get Ready to Witness the Comedy Chaos of Rumours!
Rumours sounds completely bananas – those elements from multiple genres blended so expertly and a bizarre yet ultimately memorable production that managed to combine many plot and cinematic devices from various angles, shows surprising expertise and immense creativity. And Maddin, Johnson, and Johnson have successfully constructed those comedic moments cleverly hidden within its serious-toned aspects, highlighting the absurd reality surrounding world politics, especially within its key locations – resulting in an unforgettable cinematic ride full of those intense and surprisingly nuanced cinematic choices. Prepare to be surprised! This really will create another critically successful venture for everyone involved and audiences alike. If you enjoy political satires, dark humor, or just plain crazy movies, Rumours (hitting theaters October 18th) is absolutely something you shouldn't miss!
