大象传媒

Todd Field began his career as a jazz musician and as an actor; he has appeared in over forty films, including Kubrick鈥檚 鈥淓yes Wide Shut鈥� and Woody Allen鈥檚 鈥淩adio Days鈥�. He then went on to direct two full-length award-winning films, 鈥淚n the Bedroom鈥� - about grief and revenge in a close-knit family - and 鈥淟ittle Children鈥�, starring Kate Winslet. Both were nominated for multiple Oscars. This week his third feature film 鈥淭ar鈥� opens in Britain. Cate Blanchett stars as Lydia Tar, the conductor of a major German orchestra; the film is an exploration of the darker side of the classical music world, the power of the conductor, and of abusive power more generally 鈥� it鈥檚 also a celebration of some really wonderful music.

In conversation with Michael Berkeley, Todd Field talks about how he started writing 鈥淭ar鈥� by interviewing classical musicians, and particularly women working in the industry. He looks back on his 鈥渇ree-range鈥� childhood in Oregon, and tells how his wife financed his ambition to become a film director by buying a truck, going round flea-markets, and starting an interior-design shop. He reveals the struggle to release his award-winning film 鈥淚n the Bedroom鈥� after Harvey Weinstein bought it and demanded more and more cuts. Field won the fight and retained the film he believed in, but it took six months and a fiendishly clever strategy invented by his friend Tom Cruise.

Todd Field started out as a jazz musician in a big band, and his choices include two tracks by Sarah Vaughan, whom he met backstage at a concert in Oregon. Other choices include Mahler鈥檚 Symphony No 5; Elgar鈥檚 Cello Concerto; and Gorecki鈥檚 second string quartet, which played constantly in his head while making 鈥淭ar鈥�.

A Loftus Media production for 大象传媒 Radio 3
Produced by Elizabeth Burke