‘The Breakdown’ With ‘Rebecca’ Director Ben Wheatley

With the arrival of Rebecca on Netflix, director Ben Wheatley appeared on the latest edition of The Breakdown series to discuss the film.

Wheatley kicked things off by explaining his interest in adapting Daphne du Maurier’s 1938 novel, which was made into a film by Alfred Hitchcock in 1940. “It was intriguing, I thought I knew what it was,” he says, realizing he was unaware of the twist. “And then I read the script and I was completely wrong. It was so bizarre. That was the first thing that made me think there was something interesting going on. If I misremembered it, then maybe there’s something in that that could be taken to a modern audience.”

Starring Lily James and Armie Hammer, the film is about a newly married woman becoming tangled in her husband’s past. “The love affair between the two main characters is the fuel that powers the whole film,” Wheatley says. He claims that casting Hammer as Maxim de Winter and James as Mrs. de Winter is what made it more realistic: “As a couple, you would root for them and you’d be seduced by them and their love.”

Elsewhere in the video, Wheatley discussed his admiration for the script and how old-fashioned it felt. “It’ll jump from genre to genre to genre,” he says. “It’s not ashamed about how beautiful it all looks…but it’s also not winky, like, ‘It’s all a joke, everything is sarcastic and post-modern.’ It doesn’t do any of that stuff, and I think that’s the refreshing thing about it. And that’s what I’m hoping the audience will take away. They’re going to go, ‘I remember movies were like this. They’re really great.’”

Find more episodes of The Breakdown and more videos on Rolling Stone‘s YouTube page.


Speak Your Mind

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Get in Touch

350FansLike
100FollowersFollow
281FollowersFollow
150FollowersFollow

Recommend for You

Oh hi there 👋
It’s nice to meet you.

Subscribe and receive our weekly newsletter packed with awesome articles that really matters to you!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

You might also like

Universal Music China Launches Magic Muses Soundtracks Label (EXCLUSIVE)

Universal Music Group’s China division on Thursday announced the launch of “Magic Muses,” its...

Bas karo workout videos: Farah Khan to other celebs

Mumbai: Some celebrities love to stay fit and share videos of their workout sessions...

90 Day Fiance: Loren Brovarnik Lands Role As An...

Instagram People probably know Loren Brovarnik best from social media and "90 Day Fiance: Pillow...

Norah Jones Sings Songs From Her New Album on...

Norah Jones is the latest artist to perform for NPR’s at-home Tiny Desk series....