PRISONERS : Postscripts

[jo]

Excerpts from a Variety article featuring Jake Gyllenhaal's career choices --

variety.com/2014/film/news/jake-gyllenhaal-nightcrawler-southpaw-everest-1201294229/

Gyllenhaal did similar research with L.A. police when he prepared for “End of Watch,” and he playfully sparred with director Denis Villeneuve before settling on his character’s haircut and twitch for “Prisoners.” Hugh Jackman, his co-star in that film, describes Gyllenhaal as an actor who relies on his instincts. “There’s one key scene in the car where I’ve just gotten out of a liquor store,” Jackman says. “Most of that was ad-libbed. We kind of got the scene, and Jake looked and me and said, ‘I’m on the verge of something. Come on — let’s go for more.’ The next take is the one that’s in the movie.”

Was Hugh's hammer scene also partly adlibbed? I remember Hugh saying that he thought he had already done well after filming the scene ( without the hammer) but Denis Villeneuve wanted more.

Jo

[jo]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMbF21yu7pk

A film buff who is deeply analytical gives a long summary of his understanding of the full and deep message of the film and the role of each character in the delivery of that message. The film analysis is more than half an hour long and is very provocative but also persuasive.

If one is not aware that the analyst is a film fan ( who has done other incisive analyses of other movies), one would think that he is simply a man of faith, who looks at this movie from the prism of religion and a deep understanding of humankind.

SPOILER: Click to show

His analysis of the character of Keller as one who has gone through a journey of ultimate redemption is very provocative, if not definitive. He posits that Keller started as a man with deep faith in God and is sustained by his deep love for his family, and because of that love he gets lost in the process, but finally finds redemption at the end ( the red whistle is the final symbol of his redemption as it portends that his daughter has been saved and that he himself will be saved by it, once Loki finds him). His conclusion is that Keller does find final redemption. Also, while his actions were morally questionable, they also serve as catalysts that lead to ultimately getting his daughter saved. Loki is also said to find final closure only when ( not if) he finally finds and saves Keller. Ultimately, the analyst finds the connection between Keller and Loki through God!

It's worthwhile to watch the clip; it is fascinating as food for thought. The analyst also points to many symbols in the movie (probably intended by the screenwriter, the director, the cinematographer, and the film scorer). Quite a few feedback responses think that the film was robbed of Oscar honors.


Jo

[jo]

At the screening for AMPAS members in New York --





At the Q&A --




No Keller Dover in this photo






The movie could have been promoted more heavily for Oscar glory, as it was a first class thriller, with an exciting cast delivering outstanding performances, and a storyline which resonated with the crime-weary public. Outstanding Roger Deakins cinematography and very good helming skills from Denis Villeneuve.


Jo

[jo]

http://instagram.com/p/56OzYWqQiy

[mamaleh]

Curious random item: When PRISONERS comes up on my Comcast/Xfinity cable guide screen, for some reason the billing has been switched. It used to read "Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal." Now Jake's name is listed first. It's silly, but it irks me slightly, and I wonder why the change--and whether this happens on all cable systems.

Ellen

[njr]

Aug 3, 2015 9:39:42 GMT -5 mamaleh said:

Curious random item: When PRISONERS comes up on my Comcast/Xfinity cable guide screen, for some reason the billing has been switched. It used to read "Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal." Now Jake's name is listed first. It's silly, but it irks me slightly, and I wonder why the change--and whether this happens on all cable systems.

Ellen

You will be happy to know that DirecTV has Hugh listed first! LOL!

Nancy

[mamaleh]

Comcast staff must have a thing for Jake, hmmm?

Thanks for the info about DirecTV, Nancy.

Ellen

[jo]

Many post-viewings of this film ( usually on TV and DVD/Blu/Ray) are very positive in reactions, with many regretting not having seen it on the big screen.

Here's another succinct review --




This is really one of two/three film portrayals by Hugh Jackman that should have been recognized, at least for a nomination ( Yeah, it went up against Matthew McConaughey smiley-rolleyes010)! The other one or two would be for The Prestige.

[jo]

Photos by Wilson Webb

[foxie]

It is a movie u cant forget I have some jerk who parks a white truck in front of my house and it gives me the creeps everytime I see it!!!!

[jo]

Unfortunately, it was the movie that the OSCAR/AMPAS forgot

Except for a nomination in cinematography for Roger Deakins ( one of his 13 Oscar nods).

[jo]

The ending is controversial - do you favor the open ending or would you rather see how that final scene unfolded?


I think the way the scene ended was how the screenwriter really wanted it to end. Aaron Guzikowski's script actually ended that way. On the other hand, it was said that another scene was filmed ( but dropped for the final feature) but was not chosen in favor of the open-ended finale.

Personally, I think the open-ended end of story was more artistically-satisfying. The movie is such a thriller and that ending raises even more questions to add to the suspense! It also raises these thought-provoking issues :

*Will Loki actually rescue Keller Dover...or will ignoring him serve his sense of justice for what Keller did to Alex? Or as a detective, will he rescue him because it is his duty to do that?

*If Keller is rescued, will he face charges of battery and assault as well as kidnapping against Alex? Will he be convicted for it and face a life in prison ( maybe not permanently, as Alex survived the assault)? Or will mercy of the court allow him to be convicted but his sentence is suspended?

*Will seeing her father again help Anna recover fully from the trauma? If Keller was not rescued, will Anna find it much longer to survive the traumatic experience. Also, how will his wife and older son handle his permanent disappearance if he was never rescued?



All points for debate

Some say that a movie is truly outstanding when one leaves the cinema still thinking very thoughtfully about it. While others want the full storyline to show an ending, either way? One possibility is Loki may look for Keller, finds him, but the long wait and the loss of blood may lead to his death before he is found... Leaving the ending the way the movie ends still raises the possibility that he is still alive.


Or if he is found, will there be a sequel -- the trial of one Keller Dover!

If that happens, how will Loki testify ??

How will survivalist Keller live in prison as he awaits trial...and how will he defend his actions?

But that is another story


Jo

[jo]

Btw, if ever there is an excellent candidate for a film noir version, PRISONERS would be a very good one!

And also DECEPTION...and maybe even THE FOUNTAIN

All to join LOGAN for an artistic noir version!


Jo

[jo]

Sorry, Warner Bros -- but many of Hugh's commendable film projects were either produced/distributed or just distributed by your studio -- such as PRISONERS, THE FOUNTAIN, THE PRESTIGE, and even PAN. But you seem not be making a big mark in these movies's promotion and publicity campaigns ( box office or Oscar level). I wonder if some of these movies, especially PRISONERS/PRESTIGE/THE FOUNTAIN and even PAN would have been received better if the studio distributor had been FOX?

Jo

[jo]

An insightful look-back from TheWrap.com -- interview with screenwriter Aaron Guzokowski --

www.thewrap.com/prisoners-writer-aaron-guzikowski-on-the-kidnapping-thrillers-twisted-road-to-theaters/

‘Prisoners’ Screenwriter on the Hugh Jackman-Jake Gyllenhaal Thriller’s Twisted Road to Theaters

Aaron Guzikowski’s kidnapping movie was poised to star Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale and Leonardo DiCaprio at various points

Jeff Sneider | September 20, 2013 @ 7:17 AM


When Aaron Guzikowski’s “Prisoners” script was first sent around Hollywood, the most common complaint from agents was the project’s lack of commercial viability. A bleak kidnapping thriller is a tough sell to studios, especially one without a neat little bow wrapped around the ending.

But by 2009, Guzikowski’s dream began to come true: Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale attached themselves to star, while Bryan Singer circled the director’s chair. However, months later, the heat had cooled, and though the script was voted to the Black List, the project still hadn’t sold and Guzikowski continued working his day job stuffing envelopes at a New York advertising firm.

Then he got The Call, the one every writer dreams of getting. Alcon Entertainment bought the script sans talent attachments. “Prisoners” was finally happening. As his manager, Adam Kolbrenner of Madhouse Entertainment, recalled in a recent blog post, Alcon founders Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosovo called with producer Kira Davis and told him “this episode of ‘Entourage’ will come to an end now.”

Director Antoine Fuqua came and went, as did superstar Leonardo DiCaprio, who was attached for about six months before bowing out. The project gained new momentum once French-Canadian director Denis Villeneuve came on board following an Oscar nomination for his movie “Incendies.”

With Villeneuve committed, an all-star cast and crew of past Oscar winners and nominees lined up en masse. Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal signed on to play the two leads, bolstered by a supporting cast that includes Terrence Howard, Viola Davis, Maria Bello, Melissa Leo and Paul Dano as the primary suspect in the disappearance of two young girls. Editor Joel Cox and cinematographer Roger Deakins, who has been nominated for 10 Oscars, highlight the below-the-line talent.


Warner Bros. will finally release “Prisoners” on Friday, and Guzikowski spoke with TheWrap in advance of its opening.


TheWrap: I found the film to be gripping and haunting … where did the idea originate from?

Aaron Guzikowski: I set out to write something scary and thrilling, and what scares me most is not being able to find something you deeply love or need to survive, as well as the feeling of being lost. Then I used those fears to motivate a dramatic thriller that is occasionally a horror movie. “Silence of the Lambs” and “Se7en” are two of my touchstones as far as being amazing thrillers. It was a lofty goal I always had in terms of trying to construct something character-driven with big surprises. It started to evolve as I worked on it.


What was the biggest challenge for you in writing the script?

Constantly putting myself in the mindset of these parents. I didn’t have kids back then. I had to put myself in Keller’s mindset or one of the others parents and try to process what that experience is like and what decisions they’d make. The plotting was difficult in a different sort of way, and the writing was sort of like a maze unto itself. I tried not to overtly plot the whole thing out, because I wanted to see where each character went.


Were you ever worried that because of the nature of the material, it would never get made?

The whole time I was writing it, I was convinced it was too dark and would never get bought, let alone get made. It still had to have a soul, but that’s what the story was. Alcon was always great about that. They didn’t try to make it something it wasn’t. Everyone embraced that it was gonna be a tightening-of-the-noose kind of movie. I was convinced, as much as I loved it, that it was so dark there was no way in hell it was going to get made as a studio movie.


How did the script change over the course of the development process?

Originally, the story was more focused on Keller. The detective character was in the story but it was a much smaller part. As I developed the script, it evolved and the movie became more of a two-hander.


The movie runs 2.5 hours, but is there anything from the script that didn’t make the final cut?I heard there was more with Dylan Minnette‘s character, who is introduced hunting deer with his father (Jackman).

There were scenes we had to lose. There was more stuff with the two older kids. It wasn’t so much that Keller’s son (Minette) shot a gun later, but in the original script, the two older kids are actually the ones who find Paul Dano at the end, because they’re trying to get away from their parents and crumbling home life. There just wasn’t time for it all.


I understand Jake Gyllenhaal came up with a whole backstory for his character. Can you talk about that?

He did. Detective Loki grew up in a boys home and didn’t really have a family. He’s a prisoner of his own past with his own demons, and I wanted to create an air of mystery about him so the audience would question what his motivations are. We don’t see where he lives because I wanted to keep his origins mysterious. But Jake came up with the idea of the tattoos and the freemason ring and the facial tics. All of that further accentuated that mysteriousness, where you’re never quite sure what his story is. You get a good sense of him as a person but the question always lingers.


What about Paul Dano, who is so creepy in this role, and yet he barely says anything?

Dano doesn’t get to talk much, it’s more in his mannerisms and aura. He did an amazing job. On the page, it doesn’t seem like there’s a lot to work with, but he brought it to life and gave him a soul and a life. All of the actors did an amazing job. When they locked down the cast it was incredible.


How do you interpret the ending?
I like keeping the end ambiguous for myself. We flirted with extending that scene to give audiences more closure but I like a little bit of mystery. In most movies, everything needs to be tidily wrapped up and I like that you’re not quite sure at the end of this one, even if you assume that [redacted] hears what he hears.


What about the character names? Any symbolism there?

The sound of them conjures up ideas and concepts. The girls are named Joy (Kyle Drew Simmons) and Grace (Bello), so there’s an obvious interpretation of that, but I didn’t set out to design a metaphorical meaning to it all. I just like the pentameter of certain names, and how there’s a lyrical quality to how they sound. They feel like they fit the characters. I was aware of the symbolic nature but I wouldn’t say there’s a real design to it.


What were some of your inspirations for this movie?

“Silence of the Lambs” was a huge influence. I’m also influenced by high-end horror movies like “The Exorcist” and thrillers like “Se7en” and “The Sixth Sense.” Kidnapping is part of the story but I never looked at “Prisoners” as a kidnapping movie like “Ransom.” It’s about the parents and what they’re driven to as a result of it.


I’m sure you’ll be offered a lot of high-profile studio assignments after this. Any idea what’s next for you?
Right now I’m swallowed up by the process of this TV show (“The Red Road”) which will air in February (on the Sundance Channel). There’s a lot of things I’d love to do, but I want to do another original. I like making stuff up from scratch.


The movie got some great reviews at the Toronto International Film Festival. How was that experience? 
I had never experienced anything quite like that. All the craziness that goes on festival-wise was exciting. I had a ton of fun being there with Denis and the cast.


Any final thoughts?

I’m just so pleased with Denis’ work. He made a great piece of art with this movie.

I think the writer was not aware that the script was first offered to Hugh Jackman. It was while Hugh was doing A STEADY RAIN on Broadway in 2009 that he was supposed to have shared with theatre staff at the Schoenfeld that his next project would be PRISONERS. There was also news then that the movie would be filmed in Connecticut ( it was actually eventually filmed mostly in Georgia). Then the news came that Hugh was no longer attached to the project...until he picked it up again sometime in late 2012. Hugh filmed REAL STEEL, started his Back to Broadway series ( from San Francisco to Toronto to New York), filmed LES MISERABLES, before he eventually came back to the PRISONERS project.

Btw, the article writer is Jeff Sneider who broke the news of the possible casting of Hugh Jackman in the Enzo Ferrari biopic sometime last year. He also has his own website now called THE TRACKING BOARD.


Jo

[jo]

Some gorgeous still photography for PRISONERS --

www.wilsonwebb.com/new-gallery-3/


Among them --
















Check out the rest from the link.

[mamaleh]

Striking photos, indeed.

Ellen

[jo]

More --




When Wolverine...er Keller goes bersefk --





Waiting at the police station -- I am really impressed with the acting moment that follows, when he identifies the bloodied socks and starts to shake and tear up...






Uh-oh...

[jo]

I cannot place this scene -- you have to expand the frame to be able to see the details.




Caption: In the studio as HJ as Keller Dover looks for loved ones in PRISONERS.


Presumably the photographer is referring to a sound stage ( the studio) where other filming takes place.

But I cannot remember any such scene from the movie itself --

Keller Dover is shown with blood on the righthand side of his face.

And presumably Anna is that little girl sitting on the floor?




Hmm... I wonder if this is the alternate scene that was shot -- presumably when he has been rescued ( and then brought up to the house of the old lady, where his family was waiting)? He is wearing the same jacket as in the scene where the old lady is pointing a gun at him in her kitchen ( which was followed by the scene where he was shot and told to go down the underground place). Interesting! I could be all wrong ... but

The stairs look like the entrance to the house of the old lady and Alex ( the Dovers house's entrance looked different). Did they toy with a different climax to the movie? I read the original script ( Black List) and it was quite faithful to the screen version we saw. Hmmm...


Btw, I have never seen how a soundstage is used for filming more intimate scenes like this. In the filmed version of Oklahoma!, they showed how a big stage was created for the scene featuring THE COWMAN AND THE FARMER.


Jo

[jo]

Singin' in the rain

[jo]

Will they compete against each other in this year's OSCARs?

Hugh for GREATEST SHOWMAN or LOGAN?

Jake for STRONGER?


Jo

[mamaleh]

Gorgeous photo, indeed. It looks as polished as an ad for premium vodka,

Ellen

[jo]

It looks like PRISONERS is currently available on cable, as there are quite a few mentions on social media and mainstream media. Here's a brief look-back on the movie that is now considered highly underrated when it was released --

www.joe.ie/movies-tv/one-better-psychological-thrillers-last-decade-tv-tonight-603702

One of the better psychological thrillers of the last decade is on TV tonight

By Rory Cashin

Denis Villeneuve's Prisoners teases out the age-old question, 'how far would you go to protect your family?'
That is the question being asked by Prisoners, which sees two families pushed to the absolute edge when two young girls suddenly go missing while playing outside their home.

The acting talent on display with the two families is hugely impressive - Hugh Jackman, Terrence Howard, Maria Bello, Viola Davis - which helps ground the movie as Jackman's character decides to take things further into the abyss when he feels that the police aren't doing enough to find his daughter.

On the other side of things, Jake Gyllenhaal plays the detective in charge of the case, who puts Paul Dano in his sights as his primary suspect, despite having no real evidence to go on.

These two connected but separate stories do eventually collide in violently surprising ways, and we go back to the question... How far would you go to protect your family?

Directed by Denis Villeneuve (Sicario, Arrival) with cinematographer Roger Deakins behind the lens, Prisoners might be one of the most visually arresting thriller since Se7en (it was even nominated for Best Cinematography at the Oscars that year, losing out to Gravity), and it is clear why they re-teamed for Blade Runner 2049.

Combined with a twisty-turny plot that will have you guessing constantly, and a slew of great performances for some actors at the top of their game, it is no wonder this film ended up on so many Top Ten lists come the end of 2014.

"In less talented hands, the story could lapse into the maudlin. But Villeneuve, director of the Oscar-nominated Incendies, seems to know just how far to go," wrote Jocelyn Noveck of the Associated Press in reviewing one of the most underrated thrillers in recent years.


Prisoners is on TV3 tonight at 9pm.

Hugh Jackman should have been nominated for his intense portrayal! Ironically, my most memorable scene from the movie was Keller Dover viewing the bloodied sock of his daughter with controlled grief. Very poignant scene!


Jo

[jo]

While he was promoting PRISONERS, Hugh Jackman received an award from the fairly famous SAN SEBASTIAN FILM FESTIVAL (Donostia) in the Basque ( northern) region of SPAIN.

www.20minutos.es/noticia/1931612/0/festival-cine/premio-donostia/hugh-jackman/

Please check the clip showing Hugh receiving the award and the words of acknowledgment from him. Too bad that the voiceover is in Spanish. But even in a silent mode, Hugh is equally charming!!

And part of his speech included this ( Google translation of text) --

The Australian actor has received this Friday the Donostia Prize of the 61st edition of the San Sebastian Film Festival.

"My wife (Debora-Lee Fuerness) won the Silver Shell in the 1990s. It's a festival that has a very special place in my heart," he says.

Jo

[hughmanity]

I agree.  That single tear gets me every time.

Feb 16, 2018 23:53:04 GMT -5 jo said:

My favorite acting moment from the movie!


Jo