Martin Scorsese, a maestro in the realm of filmmaking, has always infused a rhythmic musicality into his cinematic creations. During the press conference for the film, Scorsese opened up about how music influences the rhythm and pacing of his work, particularly in his latest masterpiece, Killers of the Flower Moon. He elaborated on how the essence of music, its pacing, and rhythm, are intricately woven into the fabric of his storytelling and visual presentation.
“Well, yeah. The way I like to make pictures, for the most part, I’ve learned, I’ve learned, or not intentionally, but I feel it is like the pacing of music. […] So for me, ultimately, a movie is more like, I’m trying to get to like the movie being a piece of music, is what I think I’ve been trying to do.”
-Martin Scorsese, Director of ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’-
A Living Rhythm in Cinema
Scorsese’s films live and breathe with a musical rhythm, becoming entities that one can coexist with, much like a symphony or a piece of music. He emphasizes the idea of living with a film, experiencing it repeatedly, discovering new nuances, and feeling its rhythm, much like revisiting a beloved piece of music.
“And so in a case like this, very often I leave, if the film is playing on TCM, let’s say, I take the sound off and I just watch. It’s living with me, I live with it. And if it’s a Hitchcock or it’s a Ford or a newer one, whatever, I’m looking and I can tell there’s a musical rhythm to the pacing of the camera, the edit.”
-Martin Scorsese, Director of ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’-
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Martin Scorsese on Crafting the Rhythmic Journey of Killers of the Flower Moon
In Killers of the Flower Moon, Scorsese meticulously crafts a rhythmic journey, driven by a musical undercurrent. He shares insights into the specific musical influences and choices that propelled the film’s narrative, creating a dangerous, fleshy, and sexy ambiance that resonates with the audience.
“And a lot of the music that kept pushing me was what Robbie Robinson had put together, particularly that bass note that he was playing when Ernest drops her off for the first time at her house, Molly’s house. She looks at him, she turns, and all of a sudden you hear bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum. I said, I wanted something dangerous and fleshy and sexy, but dangerous.”
-Martin Scorsese, Director of ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’-
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Scorsese’s profound understanding of music as an essential narrative force shapes the cinematic landscape of his latest film, allowing the film to resonate with a powerful rhythmic essence that captivates and immerses the audience in a symphony of storytelling.
Killer’s of the Flower Moon releases globally in theaters on October 20, 2023, and is set to debut on AppleTV+ afterward. Tickets are on sale now.
About Killers of the Flower Moon
Release Date: October 20, 2023, Global Theatrical Release, TBA for AppleTV+
Based on a David Grann’s Bestselling Book
Director/Screenplay/Producer: Martin Scorsese
Screenplay: Eric Roth and Scorsese
Producers: Dan Friedkin, Bradley Thomas
Production: Apple Studios
Distribution: Paramount Pictures
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Jesse Plemons, Lily Gladstone
Synopsis
At the turn of the 20th century, oil brought a fortune to the Osage Nation, who became some of the richest people in the world overnight. The wealth of these Native Americans immediately attracted white interlopers, who manipulated, extorted and stole as much Osage money as they could before resorting to murder.
Based on a true story and told through the improbable romance of Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Mollie Kyle (Lily Gladstone), “Killers of the Flower Moon” is an epic western crime saga, where real love crosses paths with unspeakable betrayal. Also starring Robert De Niro and Jesse Plemons, “Killers of the Flower Moon” is directed by Academy Award winner Martin Scorsese from a screenplay by Eric Roth and Scorsese, based on David Grann’s bestselling book.
Are you excited to watch Killers of the Flower Moon? What are your expectations from this Scorsese film and what elements of the soul of cinema do you think will be present? Have you noticed the musical rhythm to Scorsese’s films? Share your thoughts with us on social media!
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