Last week Nicole and I had a date with Dan Sultan, to hear about his favourite movies! ACMI has their Desert Island Discs session on a monthly basis, and I happened upon this line up that was too good to let pass by. Having been to one of these last year, when Clare Bowditch shared her films, I knew it was a unique window into an artist's world, in a setting where they talked away from their careers, and just shot the breeze about something we all love and are inspired by - film.
When Dan arrived, as the small group for the session hovered outside the studio waiting to be seated, he looked all nonchalant in his cap, and I barely recognised him - although those blue eyes are unmistakable.
The session was introduced and the interviewer was getting all film serious on Dan...and he just wanted to chat about some movies he picked!
His first pick, and nominated favourite, was La Bamba. The tale of Richie Valance - a movie he said he grow up on, as did I! Dan talked about how Richie came from a minority group and found his way through his ability to play a guitar - something he totally related to.
During the clip for the second of Dan's picks, Scarface, I had a "I've been there!" moment upon seeing the hotel a very, very young Al Pacino went into. The pan shot gave us a view of Miami's South Beach.
This was one of the violent films Dan had picked, and the interviewer was clearly a little uncomfortable about it. But Dan explained that the clip he chose was a scene in the movie when things for the main character just started to get real, and the feeling translated to the viewer - and that energy was why he had chosen it.
Next was The Big Lebowski, which Dan selected because it was it was by Coen brothers, and was a movie people had always told him he should see. So he saw it for this session. Then the interviewer reminded him that Fargo was a Coen brother's film, and he was bummed his didn't include it instead!
His only film selection with a women in the lead was Misery, of which he said scared the life out of him! To this day, he cannot see Kathy Bates as anyone but Annie in this movie - love those scary movies that stay with you like that!
Lastly, Dan's selection was Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas, with a very trippy and warped scene as the chosen clip. This selection draw some further explanation from Dan, as our interviewer probed.
At many points during the session, Dan spoke so candidly about things that music interviews just don't touch on. These evenings are so revealing in so many ways, about the person behind Dan Sultan, rather than just the musician. Such a special insight!
When Dan arrived, as the small group for the session hovered outside the studio waiting to be seated, he looked all nonchalant in his cap, and I barely recognised him - although those blue eyes are unmistakable.
His first pick, and nominated favourite, was La Bamba. The tale of Richie Valance - a movie he said he grow up on, as did I! Dan talked about how Richie came from a minority group and found his way through his ability to play a guitar - something he totally related to.
During the clip for the second of Dan's picks, Scarface, I had a "I've been there!" moment upon seeing the hotel a very, very young Al Pacino went into. The pan shot gave us a view of Miami's South Beach.
This was one of the violent films Dan had picked, and the interviewer was clearly a little uncomfortable about it. But Dan explained that the clip he chose was a scene in the movie when things for the main character just started to get real, and the feeling translated to the viewer - and that energy was why he had chosen it.
Next was The Big Lebowski, which Dan selected because it was it was by Coen brothers, and was a movie people had always told him he should see. So he saw it for this session. Then the interviewer reminded him that Fargo was a Coen brother's film, and he was bummed his didn't include it instead!
His only film selection with a women in the lead was Misery, of which he said scared the life out of him! To this day, he cannot see Kathy Bates as anyone but Annie in this movie - love those scary movies that stay with you like that!
Lastly, Dan's selection was Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas, with a very trippy and warped scene as the chosen clip. This selection draw some further explanation from Dan, as our interviewer probed.
At many points during the session, Dan spoke so candidly about things that music interviews just don't touch on. These evenings are so revealing in so many ways, about the person behind Dan Sultan, rather than just the musician. Such a special insight!
No comments:
Post a Comment