From Flower Vase to Film Emperor in Hollywood

The movie title?

Gus was slightly surprised because contemporary movie titles are becoming more and more straightforward to adapt to the increasingly fast pace of life, trying to avoid making the audience think.

Only a very, very small portion of movies still put thought into the titles, directly resulting in:

No one cares.

Since the movie project was approved, this is the first time someone has asked Gus about the meaning of the movie title.

Although it's absurd, that's the reality.

Gus couldn't help but take another look at Anson, his thoughts also pulled back, "Alan Clarke, do you know this director?"

Anson shook his head, "Sorry, it seems I still have a lot of catching up to do."

Gus waved his hand repeatedly, "No, no, no, it's completely normal that you don't know him.

This British director is not widely known, and his works have very little exposure."

"You mentioned Wong Kar-wai last time, in 'Fallen Angels' there is a scene where a killer goes on a killing spree in a mahjong parlor.

That set of shots is impressive, filled with an explosive sense of perversity and bloodshed."

"That set of shots was inspired by this Alan Clarke."

Anson slightly raised his chin, looking somewhat surprised, because he really had never heard of Alan Clarke, let alone heard that his directorial style had influenced so many later directors.

Gus could sense the focus in Anson's eyes and couldn't help but become excited.

"In 1989, Alan Clarke shot a thirty-seven-minute short film, 'Elephant', the exploration and application of the Steadicam lens can be regarded as groundbreaking."

"In his movies, the camera often closely follows the protagonist, this protagonist can be anyone, in the short film 'Elephant', the protagonist is a murderer."

"At the beginning, the camera follows a man breaking into a building.

As the audience follows his impatient and hurried footsteps searching around, they slowly realize that he should be preparing to find someone, but after searching almost the entire building, he doesn't see anyone.

It's not until he finds the person he's looking for in the storage room that he pulls out a handgun and decisively shoots him, then turns around and flees."

"The camera cuts back to the crime scene, the quiet and silent picture maintains a calm, detached perspective.

We know this is a murder, but we don't know the relationship between the killer and the deceased, nor do we know the ins and outs of the matter."

"Violence is often impactful; and unreasonable violence is even more so."

Words are just words, but imagination can create images.

Anson looked up at Gus, whose eyes were sparkling with excitement, "Director, that shot... isn't 'The Bourne Identity' also of that kind?"

Gus:?

"I haven't seen the movie you mentioned."

Anson, "Ah..."

"The Bourne Identity" debuted during the summer season this year.

The camera that closely follows the protagonist throughout the entire film is generally described as "handheld shooting", but now it seems that it should be a typical Steadicam lens, closely attached to the protagonist's back and the back of their head in a handheld, follow-up shooting manner, producing a kind of misplaced first-person immediacy, creating an immersive and tense viewing experience.

After the movie was released, it received rave reviews and became a unique series in the global spy movie craze that swept the world since the millennium.

Image style and camera language undoubtedly played an important role.

With emotionally spreading movies like "Fallen Angels" in the front, and tension-filled movies like "The Bourne Identity" in the back, it seems that this director has indeed brought many influences.

Anson didn't continue to interrupt Gus, signaling for Gus to continue.

Gus didn't ask any more questions either, being in high spirits, he couldn't stop talking.

"In the next thirty minutes of the short film, all the segments are spliced together in the same way.

The camera keeps following the murderer, walking between different buildings and streets, and finally completing the next crime."

"We can smell the violence about to explode, but we don't know when, in what way, or targeting what object it will explode."

"This short film initially caused a lot of controversy.

Without words, Gus became more and more excited, speaking more and more vigorously—

This was the first time he had seen Gus like this.

"Showing violence is essentially opposing violence."

"We need to understand the background of this movie and the subject matter the director drew from—

The Troubles in Northern Ireland."

"The violence under ethnic integration, all these violence are without any reason, without interpersonal relationships, and without cause and effect, a pure opposition of position, venting those magnificent hatreds on helpless individuals, a pure hatred."

"The eighteen cases in the short film all come from real events that happened in Belfast.

The director adapted them based on police reports and created art, allowing people to look at the elephant in the room in a tragic way—

It has always been there, but everyone is pretending not to see or hear it.

Crimes have been happening, hatred has been spreading, destroying the social structure in a devastating way, but no one cares."

"So."

"Rather than saying that it is recreating crimes with a calm and objective technique, it is better to say that it is questioning the destruction that violence brings to us and society in a completely new way, destroying everything in an unannounced and unreasonable way."

"Whether it is in terms of audio-visual senses or moral level, it can create a powerful destructive force.

In essence, this is a work against violence and condemning violence, the director can be said to hate violence deeply."

"We need to pay attention, we need to listen."

"Otherwise, these violence will not stop."

"Heh.

Those people say that a movie that promotes violence may stimulate more crime; but the reality is that without movies, violence is already happening.

If more people are not allowed to see and hear, if the system does not face the problem and provide a solution, violence will continue to destroy the foundation of society."

Volubly, eloquently.

Towards the end, Gus simply couldn't stop.

At this time, it could be seen that Gus had obviously thought carefully about making this movie, with all kinds of thoughts about death, violence, and life.

A touch of understanding appeared in Anson's eyes.

"So, the director's work is also called 'Elephant', and the inspiration comes from this director Alan Clarke?"

Gus nodded, "Alan Clarke unfortunately passed away not long after filming that short film, so he had no way to defend his work, but we should look at Northern Ireland in these past years, everything is proving his foresight."

In fact, not only Anson, Gus was also very surprised by his performance.

Gus likes to discuss movies, often discussing with Matt Damon, Jesse Affleck, and others, but he rarely loses his composure.

Once the language gate is opened, he can no longer stop.

So, what is the reason?

Unconsciously, Gus looked at Anson again—

Anson is sincere.

When the other person is speaking, he always maintains a focused gaze into the other person's eyes, not only listening attentively, but also often revealing deep thought.

The depths of those deep blue eyes seem to be exploring and extending, unconsciously, the words continue incessantly.

Thus, the conversation becomes a pleasure.