Brief Summary
This video explores the concept of originality in art, arguing that true artistry lies not in creating something entirely new, but in interpreting existing ideas through a unique personal lens. It uses examples from acclaimed directors like Cuarón, Schrader, Park, Leone, Blomkamp, and Tarantino to illustrate how personal experiences, emotions, and styles can transform familiar stories and genres into something uniquely impactful. The key takeaway is that interpretation, rather than pure invention, is what makes art resonate.
- Originality in art is about interpretation, not just invention.
- Personal experiences and emotions are crucial for transforming stories.
- Style and unique vision can redefine genres.
The great art of interpretation
The video starts by questioning the pursuit of absolute originality in art, suggesting that every story has already been told in some form. The presenter reflects on an earlier belief that true artistry meant creating something entirely new and bold. However, they realised that the key isn't inventing new stories, but interpreting existing ones in a unique way. The example of Beethoven's "Für Elise" is used to illustrate that even if the melody feels inevitable, its emotional weight depends on the composer's individual interpretation.
Cuarón & Gravity: Reinterpreting a feeling
Alfonso Cuarón's film Gravity is presented as an example of reinterpreting a feeling. Cuarón, facing financial difficulties, needed to create a commercially viable project. He channelled his feelings of being lost and disconnected into the story of an astronaut lost in space. The film became a survival thriller, using the literal story of being lost in space to convey the feeling of being in the void.
Paul Schrader & Taxi Driver: Metaphor as therapy
Paul Schrader's approach to writing, described as a form of therapy, involves using personal problems as raw material and finding metaphors to express them. Schrader encourages writers to identify their biggest personal problem and then find a metaphor for it. Taxi Driver is given as an example, where Schrader's own feelings of isolation and disconnection are expressed through the character of Travis Bickle, a taxi driver surrounded by people but utterly alone. The story becomes a way of talking about the problem without directly addressing it.
Park Chan-wook & Oldboy: The power of adaptation
Park Chan-wook's Oldboy is used to demonstrate how a story can be reinterpreted through a unique lens. The film, based on a Japanese manga inspired by The Count of Monte Cristo, takes the premise of a man imprisoned for years and flips the central question. Instead of focusing on why he was locked up, Park explores why he was released. This shift transforms the story into a modern Greek tragedy, infused with themes of taboo, guilt, and emotional punishment, elements not present in the original manga.
Sergio Leone & Fistful of Dollars: Reinventing the Western
Sergio Leone's A Fistful of Dollars exemplifies how a filmmaker can redefine a genre. Leone reimagined Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo, creating the "spaghetti western". He transformed the genre by slowing the pacing, using music and silence to build tension, and framing shots in a distinctive style. Leone's westerns portrayed heroes as dangerous and sexy, and the West as a gritty, lawless place where survival trumps virtue, thus creating an entirely new cinematic language.
Neill Blomkamp & District 9: Lived experience as sci-fi
Neill Blomkamp's District 9 illustrates the power of personal experience in transforming a familiar genre. Blomkamp, growing up in apartheid-era Johannesburg, used his experiences of segregation to create a science fiction film about aliens forced into slums. The film wasn't just about aliens; it was a commentary on the feelings of living in a segregated society. By interpreting his lived experience through the lens of science fiction, Blomkamp created a powerful and universally resonant film. The video contrasts District 9 with Blomkamp's later films, which, despite bigger budgets and more visual effects, lacked the same impact because they were concept-driven rather than rooted in personal experience.
Tarantino & Reservoir Dogs: Style as Originality
Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs is presented as an example of how a unique style can create originality. While heist films existed before, Reservoir Dogs had a distinct aesthetic that set it apart. Tarantino acknowledges taking inspiration from the Hong Kong movie City on Fire, but emphasises that Reservoir Dogs is a very different film. The video concludes by reiterating that true artistry lies in making something that only you could have made, by bringing your unique perspective and style to the story.
