Interview Table of Contents:
NOTE: Higher res version of this interview can be downloaded/viewed here in Quicktime format

Credit the brilliant programming team at the Sitges Film Festival for playing both of the latest films from Nicolas Winding Refn this year in Bronson and Valhalla Rising (CID Interview). For film festival audiences that saw both, Nicolas Winding Refn if he wasn’t already, now firmly on their map for filmmakers they loved and couldn’t wait to see what they turned out next.
In Bronson, Nicolas Winding Refn turns a limited budget into a blessing and to his advantage in crafting pound for pound the best movie you will see this year! The combination of filmmaker and lead actor Tom Hardy as the title character couldn’t be a perfect pairing and in fact this is one of those Citizen Kane-like film productions where every single person involved gels (regardless of any friction) and all combine to create the perfect synergy that feeds into the singular vision of Nicolas Winding Refn. It marks a perfect end to what Refn considers his phase one as a filmmaker. 3D isn’t the only reason to come back to the movie theatre to experience something unique, as long as we have Nicolas Winding Refn making films, there will be that reason to get your ass off your couch and into the movie theater as his films remind us of just how majestic and magical the big screen can be in the dark of a theater full of strangers. This is indie cinema in all its glory, AMEN!
I should preface and offer some added context to the Pet Shop Boys It’s A Sin question in this part one of the interview. At Fantastic Fest if “chaos reigns” was the official slogan then It’s A Sin was the official song. The moment it played in the film and the very moment the song starts to merge in, everyone in the audience seemed to recognize it at the same moment and literally starting cheering and applauding. The audience was collectively in so much as saying, “oh hell yes this is the perfect song at the perfect moment… you nailed it!” Very few times have I been in the cinema when an audience celebrated a song perfectly fused into the film such as this… a magic moment among many during its run time.
Bronson is currently in limited release from Magnet (info) and more information can be found at its official website (www.magnetreleasing.com/bronson).
Magnet Release Schedule
Current Playing
West Hollywood, CA: Sunset 5
San Diego, CA: Ken Cinema
New York, NY: Angelika Film Center (6)
Philadelphia, PA: Ritz at the Bourse
Opening Soon
10/30/2009
San Francisco, CA: Lumiere Theatre 3
Denver, CO: Mayan Theatre
Chicago, IL: Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema
Cincinnati, OH: Esquire Theatre
Nashville, TN: Belcourt Theatre
11/5/2009
Winter Park, FL: Full Sail University
11/6/2009
Austin, TX: Arbor Cinemas at Great Hills
11/20/2009
Cambridge, MA: Kendall Square Cinema
Detroit, MI: Burton Theatre
Portland, OR: Fox Tower 10
12/12/2009
Rochester, NY: Dryden Theatre
12/19/2009
Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Cinematheque
1/8/2010
Keene, NH: Putnam Arts Lecture Hall
Cinema is Dope Coverage of Sitges Film Festival 2009:
::: BRONSON Interview with Nicolas Winding Refn – Part 1
::: The Valhalla Rising Interview with Nicolas Winding Refn at 42 Sitges Film Festival
::: The SPLICE Interview with Vincenzo Natali at 42 Sitges Film Festival
::: Is Independent Cinema Dead? – Vincenzo Natali, Director of Splice
::: Viggo Mortensen @ 42 Sitges Film Festival
::: CLIVE BARKER: Exclusive Interview Part Two at 42 Sitges Film Festival
::: CLIVE BARKER: Exclusive Interview Part One at 42 Sitges Film Festival
::: ENTER THE VOID: Exclusive Interview with Gaspar Noe at 42 Sitges Film Festival
::: Orphan at 42 Sitges Film Festival: Isabelle Fuhrman & Jaume Collet-Serra
::: Previewing Sitges Film Festival 2009 – Part Six
::: Previewing Sitges Film Festival 2009 – Part Five
::: Previewing Sitges Film Festival 2009 – Official Fantastic In Competition Selection
::: Previewing Sitges Film Festival 2009 – Noves Visions Lineup
::: Previewing Sitges Film Festival 2009 – Part Four
::: Previewing Sitges Film Festival 2009 – Part Three
::: Previewing Sitges Film Festival 2009 – Part Two
::: Previewing Sitges Film Festival 2009 – Part One
Sitges Film Festival 2009:
::: Official Site
::: Sitges Official Facebook Fan Page
::: Variety on Sitges ‘09
::: ‘Visage’, by Tsai Ming-liang, opens the Noves Visions category
::: Malcolm McDowell to receive the Grand Honorary Award at the opening, which will moved up to October 1st
::: [REC]2 to open Sitges 09
::: Alien is the inspiration for Sitges 09
::: The latest and most eagerly awaited genre films at Official Fantàstic Section
::: Animation, international variants of horror and 3D film
::: Sitges 09 will be recalling certain flashes from the 80’s