Dailies is a round-up of essential film writing, news bits, and other highlights from our colleagues across the Internet — and, occasionally, our own writers. If you’d like to submit a piece for consideration, get in touch with us in the comments below or on Twitter at @TheFilmStage.
Read Steven Soderbergh‘s extensive interview with the late Gordon Willis, published on his own site:
In one eight-year period, he photographed–among others–KLUTE, THE GODFATHER, THE PAPER CHASE, THE PARALLAX VIEW, THE GODFATHER PART TWO, ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN, ANNIE HALL, INTERIORS, and MANHATTAN. His influence will never wane; there simply isn’t anyone who’s any good who isn’t standing on his shoulders. I interviewed him for a documentary I made about his first feature, END OF THE ROAD, and used the opportunity to ask him about some other things as well…
Quentin Tarantino, who is co-writing a Django Unchained/Zorro comic book, loves The Rover:
Quentin Tarantino on David Michôd’s ‘The Rover.’ pic.twitter.com/pq5ZjQMMdd
— The Film Stage (@TheFilmStage) June 18, 2014
At The Dissolve, Tasha Robinson on how we’re losing all our strong female characters to Trinity Syndrome:
DeamWorks’ How To Train Your Dragon 2 considerably expands the world introduced in the first film, and that expansion includes a significant new presence: Valka, the long-lost mother of dragon-riding protagonist Hiccup, voiced by Cate Blanchett. The film devotes much of its sweet, sensitive middle act to introducing her, and building her up into a complicated, nuanced character. She’s mysterious and formidable, capable of taking Hiccup and his dragon partner Toothless out of the sky with casual ease. She’s knowledgable: Two decades of studying dragons means she knows Toothless’ anatomy better than he does. She’s wise. She’s principled. She’s joyous. She’s divided. She’s damaged. She’s vulnerable. She’s something female characters so often aren’t in action/adventure films with male protagonists: She’s interesting. Too bad the story gives her absolutely nothing to do.
Mike Judge says Office Space helped rid the world of “flair,” AV Club reports.
Watch Jennine Lanouette’s video essay refuting the notion that a character must be likable to be sympathetic: