The Auteurs has an interview up with Goodbye Solo director Ramin Bahrani (part one and part two).
Who knew that Bahrani is planning on directing a Western? Who knew that “the facts don’t really matter”? Who knew that Bahrani isn’t a big fan of the neo-realist label?
Okay, that last one is actually a bit of a surprise. I did enjoy Man Push Cart, and can appreciate drawing a thematic line between it, Fitzcarraldo, and assorted Herzog references. But I am having a hard time squaring the pretty straightforward new realism of Bahrani’s three films with his insistence here that he really isn’t that interested in new realism. I had a hard time with his last two films, and this must be why. I don’t quite understand where he is coming from as a filmmaker.
That being said, shooting a western on 35mm is something that makes sense to me. He mentioned the possibility of shooting on “2 perf.” This more cost effective way of shooting in 35mm is the stock that gave Leone’s films their flat, washed out tone. Seems like quite a Herzog-like change of pace from Chop Shop and the general direction of DV filmmaking.