《浩瀚的夜晚》:如何以嶄新的風格講述一個復古科幻故事
《浩瀚的夜晚》(The Vast of Night)并不羞于模仿《陰陽魔界》(The Twilight Zone)。事實上,這部電影的構思與羅德?瑟林系列劇中的其中一集非常相似,向觀眾表明他們正在轉向“悖論劇場”。
但是,盡管這類模仿在該部電影(上周五于亞馬遜Prime Video上線)中隨處可見,但導演安德魯?帕特森認為,這部電影(他的處女作)是以一種略微不同的方式講述了一個熟悉的故事。
帕特森告訴《財富》雜志:“我很喜歡使用影劇院這一媒介。”他指出,詹姆斯?蒙塔古和克雷格?W?桑格的劇本感覺很像舞臺劇和廣播劇,還帶有現代播客的元素。
故事發生在20世紀50年代新墨西哥州的一個小鎮,一個年輕的電話接線員費伊(由希艾拉?邁克考米克飾演)和電臺DJ埃弗雷特(由杰克?霍洛維茨飾演)調查在他們小鎮發現的一個奇怪音頻。這個故事基本上是實時展開的,雖然它向《第三類接觸》(Close Encounters of the Third Kind)或《X檔案》(The X-Files)影迷們所熟悉的飛碟故事致敬,但帕特森不加避諱地談及的《總統班底》(All the President’s Men)和《十二宮》(Zodiac)等電影的影響也很明顯。
霍洛維茲說:“作為演員,我們一直認為這更像是一部理查德?林克萊特式的電影。”他被劇本“驚人的節奏”和“音樂”特質所吸引。“這更像是生活片斷,更加實時,更加——實際情況如何?”
該項目豐富多彩的劇本和對話并不是吸引演員的唯一特質。邁克考米克的角色讓她想起了她的妹妹,她說這個角色太好了,不能錯過。
邁克考米克說:“能夠遇到像費伊這種角色的機會并不多。”她指出,她是一個“細膩而真實的女性角色……在整部電影中有著如此美妙的弧線,一開始,她做事猶豫不決,遇到任何事情都拿不定主意,她也很膽小,無法自如地處理各種事情,但在電影結尾,她掌控一切,鎮定自然,對埃弗雷特發號施令,她是這場冒險的帶頭人。”
帕特森說,制片團隊努力讓這部電影具有真正20世紀50年代的品質,這一點在人物的手表和眼鏡等最小細節以及在屏幕上看到的技術都清晰可見。霍洛維茲說,不拍電影時,他在酒店房間里擺弄卷軸式磁帶錄音機。邁克考米克在YouTube上查閱了那個時代的視頻,她用一個電話總機反復練習,直到她學會了在以前的視頻中看到的手腕急速擺動動作。
她說:“我想讓它……看起來很真實,而不是一個21世紀的女演員在笨手笨腳模仿這項不可思議的技術。”
這部電影的部分氛圍是在晚上拍攝營造的。但這也帶來了挑戰。帕特森說:“晚上拍攝時,必須照亮一切。找到合適的開機時間很難。”他指出,拍攝團隊必須在日出日落間快速完成拍攝,最終拍攝了17天。“我們必須隨時重新安置或移動拍攝點,即使只移動10到15英尺的距離,我們因此浪費了很多時間。”
霍洛維茲在拍攝一個重要的電臺場景時,時間就有些緊張。
他說:“大約拍攝了六次,鏡頭最后定格在我的身上。”他還說,他比以往更擔心犯錯。“這種不可思議的遠景鏡頭定格在我的身上,其實很簡單。我只需要站在那里,抽著煙,然后拿起電話。他們卻花了6個小時照亮整條街,但在凌晨5點完成這些工作,壓力確實相當大。”
這部電影的許多場景都需要長時間對話,其中包括一段與一位電臺來電者(在屏幕上看不到)的對話,觀眾看到的畫面基本上都會出現其中一個或兩個主角。在電影開始約半個小時,觀眾已經看到了整個小鎮的全貌。此時,在一個特別長的鏡頭里,場景發生了轉變。帕特森說,這是“電影中有意安排的一個瞬間”,是為了突出主角是如何被小鎮中的其他人孤立,同時也讓節奏發生了變化。
“我們知道觀眾已習慣了現在的節奏。”他說。“每件事最終都會被觀眾記錄并追蹤,如果不能提前作出改變,電影也就失去了吸引力。”
“我們知道我們需要選擇一些不同于以往的外景拍攝地,我們需要以一種振奮而激動人心的方式來做這件事情。”
這部電影拍攝于2016年秋季,帕特森花了幾年時間制作,才讓這部電影在電影節上映。這部電影于5月15日周末在指定的汽車電影院播放,也已于亞馬遜Prime Video上線,這是針對當下新冠疫情制定的放映策略。
霍洛維茲和邁克考米克都對影片的推廣方式感到樂觀。霍洛維茲說:“我們本來并不打算在汽車電影院放映這部電影,現在看來,這個想法很愚蠢。”他還說,這部電影在流媒體也有很多觀眾,而且很多人一直在關注。
邁克考米克也是這種看法。她曾經有機會在加州的一家汽車電影院觀看這部電影。她說,通過車載收音機收聽音頻,會讓電影中的某些場景更加真實。
她說:“汽車電影院的這種氛圍和觀看方式,確實讓人感受到這部電影的奇思妙想、懷舊感和時間感。”
同時,帕特森承認,這部電影無法在“無數銀幕”放映,這讓人“有點沮喪”。
“但與此同時,隨著越來越多的電影被調整上映院線,上映日期不斷改變,我想我們的電影可能會比預想更受關注。”他說。“這也是我們的一線希望。”(財富中文網)
譯者:Biz
《浩瀚的夜晚》(The Vast of Night)并不羞于模仿《陰陽魔界》(The Twilight Zone)。事實上,這部電影的構思與羅德?瑟林系列劇中的其中一集非常相似,向觀眾表明他們正在轉向“悖論劇場”。
但是,盡管這類模仿在該部電影(上周五于亞馬遜Prime Video上線)中隨處可見,但導演安德魯?帕特森認為,這部電影(他的處女作)是以一種略微不同的方式講述了一個熟悉的故事。
帕特森告訴《財富》雜志:“我很喜歡使用影劇院這一媒介。”他指出,詹姆斯?蒙塔古和克雷格?W?桑格的劇本感覺很像舞臺劇和廣播劇,還帶有現代播客的元素。
故事發生在20世紀50年代新墨西哥州的一個小鎮,一個年輕的電話接線員費伊(由希艾拉?邁克考米克飾演)和電臺DJ埃弗雷特(由杰克?霍洛維茨飾演)調查在他們小鎮發現的一個奇怪音頻。這個故事基本上是實時展開的,雖然它向《第三類接觸》(Close Encounters of the Third Kind)或《X檔案》(The X-Files)影迷們所熟悉的飛碟故事致敬,但帕特森不加避諱地談及的《總統班底》(All the President’s Men)和《十二宮》(Zodiac)等電影的影響也很明顯。
霍洛維茲說:“作為演員,我們一直認為這更像是一部理查德?林克萊特式的電影。”他被劇本“驚人的節奏”和“音樂”特質所吸引。“這更像是生活片斷,更加實時,更加——實際情況如何?”
該項目豐富多彩的劇本和對話并不是吸引演員的唯一特質。邁克考米克的角色讓她想起了她的妹妹,她說這個角色太好了,不能錯過。
邁克考米克說:“能夠遇到像費伊這種角色的機會并不多。”她指出,她是一個“細膩而真實的女性角色……在整部電影中有著如此美妙的弧線,一開始,她做事猶豫不決,遇到任何事情都拿不定主意,她也很膽小,無法自如地處理各種事情,但在電影結尾,她掌控一切,鎮定自然,對埃弗雷特發號施令,她是這場冒險的帶頭人。”
帕特森說,制片團隊努力讓這部電影具有真正20世紀50年代的品質,這一點在人物的手表和眼鏡等最小細節以及在屏幕上看到的技術都清晰可見。霍洛維茲說,不拍電影時,他在酒店房間里擺弄卷軸式磁帶錄音機。邁克考米克在YouTube上查閱了那個時代的視頻,她用一個電話總機反復練習,直到她學會了在以前的視頻中看到的手腕急速擺動動作。
她說:“我想讓它……看起來很真實,而不是一個21世紀的女演員在笨手笨腳模仿這項不可思議的技術。”
這部電影的部分氛圍是在晚上拍攝營造的。但這也帶來了挑戰。帕特森說:“晚上拍攝時,必須照亮一切。找到合適的開機時間很難。”他指出,拍攝團隊必須在日出日落間快速完成拍攝,最終拍攝了17天。“我們必須隨時重新安置或移動拍攝點,即使只移動10到15英尺的距離,我們因此浪費了很多時間。”
霍洛維茲在拍攝一個重要的電臺場景時,時間就有些緊張。
他說:“大約拍攝了六次,鏡頭最后定格在我的身上。”他還說,他比以往更擔心犯錯。“這種不可思議的遠景鏡頭定格在我的身上,其實很簡單。我只需要站在那里,抽著煙,然后拿起電話。他們卻花了6個小時照亮整條街,但在凌晨5點完成這些工作,壓力確實相當大。”
這部電影的許多場景都需要長時間對話,其中包括一段與一位電臺來電者(在屏幕上看不到)的對話,觀眾看到的畫面基本上都會出現其中一個或兩個主角。在電影開始約半個小時,觀眾已經看到了整個小鎮的全貌。此時,在一個特別長的鏡頭里,場景發生了轉變。帕特森說,這是“電影中有意安排的一個瞬間”,是為了突出主角是如何被小鎮中的其他人孤立,同時也讓節奏發生了變化。
“我們知道觀眾已習慣了現在的節奏。”他說。“每件事最終都會被觀眾記錄并追蹤,如果不能提前作出改變,電影也就失去了吸引力。”
“我們知道我們需要選擇一些不同于以往的外景拍攝地,我們需要以一種振奮而激動人心的方式來做這件事情。”
這部電影拍攝于2016年秋季,帕特森花了幾年時間制作,才讓這部電影在電影節上映。這部電影于5月15日周末在指定的汽車電影院播放,也已于亞馬遜Prime Video上線,這是針對當下新冠疫情制定的放映策略。
霍洛維茲和邁克考米克都對影片的推廣方式感到樂觀。霍洛維茲說:“我們本來并不打算在汽車電影院放映這部電影,現在看來,這個想法很愚蠢。”他還說,這部電影在流媒體也有很多觀眾,而且很多人一直在關注。
邁克考米克也是這種看法。她曾經有機會在加州的一家汽車電影院觀看這部電影。她說,通過車載收音機收聽音頻,會讓電影中的某些場景更加真實。
她說:“汽車電影院的這種氛圍和觀看方式,確實讓人感受到這部電影的奇思妙想、懷舊感和時間感。”
同時,帕特森承認,這部電影無法在“無數銀幕”放映,這讓人“有點沮喪”。
“但與此同時,隨著越來越多的電影被調整上映院線,上映日期不斷改變,我想我們的電影可能會比預想更受關注。”他說。“這也是我們的一線希望。”(財富中文網)
譯者:Biz
The Vast of Night isn’t shy about referencing The Twilight Zone. In fact, the film is framed very similarly to an episode of the Rod Serling series, informing viewers that they’re being transported to the “Paradox Theater.”
But while such genre references are peppered throughout the movie—available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video on last Friday—director Andrew Patterson also saw the film, his feature debut, as an opportunity to tell a familiar tale a little differently.
“I was very much obsessed with getting to play with the medium of cinema,” Patterson tells Fortune, noting that the script by James Montague and Craig W. Sanger felt similar to stage and radio plays, with elements of a modern-day podcast.
The story, set in the 1950s, focuses on two teens—switchboard operator Fay (Sierra McCormick) and radio DJ Everett (Jake Horowitz)—as they investigate a strange audio frequency detected in their small New Mexico town. The tale essentially unfolds in real time, and while it pays homage to UFO stories familiar to fans of Close Encounters of the Third Kind or The X-Files, the influence of films like All the President’s Men and Zodiac—which Patterson is open about—is also clear.
“As actors, we always thought of it as more of like a [Richard] Linklater movie,” says Horowitz, who was drawn to the “amazing rhythm” and “musical” qualities of the script. “It’s more a slice of life, it’s more real-time, it’s more—how would this actually happen?”
The project’s rich script and dialogue weren’t the only qualities that appealed to the actors. McCormick, whose character reminded her of her younger sister, says the role was too good to pass up.
“Characters like Fay for actresses just don’t come along all that often,” says McCormick, who notes that she is a “nuanced real kind of female character that…has this wonderful arc throughout the movie, where in the beginning she is more hesitant to assert herself in situations, she’s more timid, she’s more self-conscious maybe about taking charge in situations, and then by the end of the film, she’s taking charge, she’s asserting herself, she’s bossing Everett around, she’s leading this adventure.”
The production design team worked hard to give the film a true ’50s quality—Patterson says this is evident in the smallest details, such as characters’ watches and glasses, as well as the technology seen on-screen. When they weren't actively shooting the film, Horowitz says he played around with reel-to-reel tape recorders in his hotel room. McCormick, who looked up footage from the era on YouTube, had a switchboard to practice with, which she did repeatedly until she captured the quick flick-of-the-wrist movement she noticed in old videos.
“I wanted to make sure it…looked authentic, and it didn’t look like I was an actress from the 2000s fumbling through this crazy technology,” she says.
Part of the film’s atmosphere is established by the fact that it was shot at night. But this also presented challenges. “When you shoot at night, you have to light everything. There isn’t any available opportunity for you to just turn the camera on,” says Patterson, who notes that the team had to work quickly within the constraints of when the sun rose and set, eventually wrapping up the shoot after 17 days. “Anytime we had to pick up and relocate or move the shoot even just 10 or 15 feet, we lost a lot of time.”
That made for some tension when Horowitz shot a key radio station scene.
“They did it about six times, and it sort of ends on me,” he says, adding that he was more concerned than usual about making a mistake. “This incredible long shot was ending on me and it was pretty simple. I just have to stand there, smoke a cigarette, then pick up a phone. But the pressure of doing that at five in the morning, after they have spent six hours lighting this whole street, that was pretty intense.”
Many of the movie’s scenes involve long takes of dialogue—including one with a radio station caller who isn’t seen on-screen, and the viewer rarely gets to witness a moment without one or both of the main characters in the frame. The one time this changes is during a particularly long take about half an hour into the film, when the audience gets a sweeping view of what’s happening across the town. Patterson says this was an “intentional point in the movie” meant to highlight how the main characters were isolated from others in their town, while also allowing for a change in pace.
“We know that the viewer gets used to the pace and the rhythm of what you’re doing,” he says. “Everything eventually gets clocked and tracked by a viewer, and if you aren’t evolving ahead of them, your movie will stop being interesting. ”
“We knew we needed to change from the location we were at and we needed to do it in an invigorating, exciting way.”
The film was shot during the fall of 2016, with Patterson spending a couple of years on production before it could hit the film festival circuit. It’s coming out now on Amazon Prime Video, after playing at select drive-in theaters the weekend of May 15, a release strategy tied to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Horowitz and McCormick are both upbeat about how the film has rolled out to audiences. “The idea that we would not have released this in drive-ins now seems crazy,” says Horowitz, adding that there’s also a huge audience for the movie on the streaming side, with many people inside all the time.
McCormick agrees with both assessments. She also had a chance to catch the movie at a drive-in theater in California; hearing the audio through the car radio made certain scenes in the film feel even more true to the story, she says.
“The drive-in atmosphere and that sort of way of viewing just really lends itself to the whimsy of the film and the nostalgia and the time period,” she says.
Meanwhile, Patterson admits that it’s been a “little disheartening” that the movie didn’t get a chance to make it to “hundreds of screens.”
“But at the same time, with as many movies getting pulled and relocated and shifted around, and release dates getting moved around, I think we may get more attention than we would have otherwise,” he says. “So that’s the silver lining in our situation.”