Crafting a masterpiece: Brady Corbet’s journey with “The Brutalist”
The art of filmmaking and architecture: A parallel universe
Writer-director Brady Corbet draws a fascinating parallel between the worlds of filmmaking and architecture. “There are so many similarities,” Corbet explains, reflecting on his latest film, The Brutalist. “Both fields involve working for a client, managing enormous infrastructure, and navigating countless compromises. Few art forms require as many ‘cooks in the kitchen’ as these.”
A story of resilience and artistic integrity
The Brutalist delves into the life of László Tóth, portrayed by Adrien Brody, a Hungarian Jewish architect who arrives in America after surviving Buchenwald. His journey intersects with Harrison Lee Van Buren, played by Guy Pearce, an industrialist who commissions Tóth to design a modern community center. Tóth’s unwavering commitment to his vision, despite immense personal and financial sacrifices, contrasts sharply with Van Buren’s power-driven motives.
“The relationship between a patron and an artist is a perverse one,” Corbet muses. “While there are ethical benefactors, they are rare. Generally, it’s about making you do more for less.”
From child actor to visionary director
Corbet’s intimate knowledge of the movie business stems from his early years as a child actor. Despite working with renowned directors like Michael Haneke and Gregg Araki, he never felt at ease on-screen. “I was self-conscious. I never knew if I had nailed it,” he admits.
Transitioning to directing in his 20s, Corbet helmed two independent features: 2015’s The Childhood of a Leader and 2018’s Vox Lux. These films, exploring the early life of a budding fascist and the career of a pop icon, respectively, showcased his burgeoning talent. However, The Brutalist marks a significant leap forward in his career.
A critical triumph and a technical marvel
Debuting at the Venice Film Festival, The Brutalist received critical acclaim, with some comparing its dark exploration of capitalism to There Will Be Blood. Acquired by A24, the film is poised for a major Oscar campaign. Regardless of its awards season fate, The Brutalist stands as one of the most audacious American independent films of recent decades.
Spanning three and a half hours, the film chronicles American power from its postwar zenith to the Reagan era. Shot in VistaVision, a large-format process from the 1950s, it can be projected in 70mm, evoking the grandeur of classic screen epics. Remarkably, the film was made for approximately $10 million, a fraction of a major studio film’s budget.
“We cut every corner to ensure every cent was on-screen,” Corbet reveals. “It was a Herculean effort, and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. It involved years of essentially working for free.”
Overcoming obstacles and staying true to the vision
Corbet’s seven-year struggle to secure financing for The Brutalist was fraught with setbacks. COVID-19 restrictions and the war in Ukraine disrupted plans to shoot in Europe, ultimately relocating the production to Hungary with postproduction in the U.K. to leverage tax incentives. This arduous process kept Corbet away from his family for 22 months.
“My next movie, I’ll probably shoot abroad,” Corbet says. “But postproduction has to be here. That’s nonnegotiable. Otherwise, I’ll never see my daughter grow up.”
Despite the challenges, Corbet never aspired to a larger budget for The Brutalist. “I never thought, ‘I wish I had $30 million more,'” he asserts. ”That kind of money comes with strings attached, inviting numerous opinions and notes from executives. What you get is something antiseptic that lacks a signature. It’s the difference between a bowl from Crate & Barrel and a wabisabi ceramic.”
A polarizing yet unmistakable vision
Much like the architectural style it references, The Brutalist may polarize audiences, but it remains unmistakably the film Corbet intended to create. His dedication to his vision, despite the myriad challenges, underscores the resilience and integrity that define his work.
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