Word: soderbergh
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They emerged as hot phenoms, at Cannes and in Hollywood, within a couple years of each other. Steven Soderbergh brought his first feature here in 1989. That's when sex, lies, and videotape proved itself a come-from-nowhere winner of the Cannes Palme d'Or in 1989, then a sizable commercial success, Quentin Tarantino showed Reservoir Dogs at Cannes in 1992, but that was the merest fanfare to his Pulp Fiction, a Palme d'Or triumph in 1994 and probably the defining movie - certainly the most vivid, film-wise comic epic - of its decade...
Since then, Soderbergh has won an Oscar (for directing Traffic), guided Julia Roberts to a statuette of her own (for Erin Brockovich) and launched an action-movie franchise (Ocean's), while Tarantino, a slower worker, created the vertiginous, voluminous Kill Bill. Today both gents were back on the Riviera, Soderbergh for the world premiere of his Che Guevara bio-pic, Tarantino to give a film "master class" - essentially a 2hr. interview, plus clip show, with the eminent French critic-historian Michel Ciment...
...this for Soderbergh: among all contemporary American directors, he has the most restless ambitions. His interests range far and wide, across different genres but, more important, different kinds of movies: the indie romantic comedy (sex, lies, and videotape), the all-star action spectacle (Ocean's) and the defiantly obscurantist conundrum (Schizopolis). His films can toady to an audience's prejudices (Erin Brockovich) or virtually say, "Don't watch me" (Bubble). He has the clout to get his projects off the ground and the work ethic to make them quickly: Che is his ninth feature this decade, not including shorter films...
...this problem. That's why they pack their program with American items from Oscar-winning directors. This year Clint Eastwood brings Changeling, starring Angelina Jolie, and Woody Allen has Vicky Christina Barcelona, with Oscar-winner Javier Bardem, Oscar-nominee Penelope Cruz and Woody's latest muse, Scarlett Johansson. Steven Soderbergh is presenting the 4-1.2-hr. Che, with Benicio del Toro as the sexy South American insurrectionist...
...Syriana with, who I trust with every bone of my body. Part of it is, you're economical. Tony shot about a nine hour day the first day. He knew exactly what he wanted. That makes everybody in the crew follow him. I do it. I learned from Soderbergh and the Coen brothers. I shoot what I need - one, two, three. Once I get it I move on. What happens is, everyone, is on their toes and they work quicker and harder...