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“My films are influenced by Kurosawa” Penn

Doris Morales/Translated by Vicente Castañar

[imagen]Arthur Penn’s movies reflect a strong personality; they also reflect a full meticulous filmmaker. His technique to transmit what he wants to express could be considered as and independent film.

In this film one can observe the disenchantment towards established society, one can also reflect upon American ideology and its ailings. Arthur Penn has filmed: Bonnie and Clyde (1967), probably his best known film; Alice’s restaurant, 1969; The Left Handed Gun, 1958; The Chase, 1966; Little big man, 1970, and other films. Penn, who is on of the great guests at the 5th Festival Internacional de Cine de Morelia, held a press conference about his work.

Arthur Penn was introduced by Daniela Michel, the festival’s director. Penn talked about his great influence, Akira Kurosawa, who he was fortunate enough to have met.

Fernanda Solórzano, the moderator, asked Penn to talk about the ways Kurosawa influenced him: “Kurosawa made time in his films more subjective, and that made me realize that he saw filming as an extension of himself.”

[imagen]About Francoise Truffau, a French filmmaker, Penn said: “I met Truffau in 1962 and we were friends for a while. He was very shy, very tender, but deep inside he exactly knew how his films should be like; to me, that was a revelation. The script writers for Bonnie and Clyde met Truffau, they showed him the script and he said it was too American, and that he couldn’t do it. Later on Warren Beatty bought the story and asked me to do it.”

Bonnie and Clyde is Penn’s most known film, it was made 50 years ago and in it star: Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway. Penn said: “I realized that the script included a deep love story, a social story because it is set during the Great Depression, and it focuses on these young gangsters that lived through an age that took away their homes, farms and they were lost, they didn’t know what to do.”

Bonnien and Clyde, is a classic icon from the 60s youth, due to its violence. It was nominated for best director at the Oscars and it is currently being shown in order to pay homage to this great film master, Arthur Penn. This movie is running at 19:30 hrs in sala 5 de Cinépolis Centro.

This film is Pulp Fiction’s, by Quentin Tarantino, predecessor; this film allowed Penn to be recognized as one of today’s film geniuses.