Richard Kelly: The Movieline Interview

You've got a pretty vocal group of film critics who've championed your work in the past, like Manohla Dargis, Amy Taubin, Nathan Lee. Do you read any of your reviews?

Some of them. I try not to get too mired in reading everything that's written about the films because I think that ends up driving you completely insane, probably. It's great just to know there are people out there who understand what I'm trying to do. If anything, I kind of rely on my close friends and family and making them happy. I don't just want to make art that I want to see, I want to make art that my peers appreciate. I try to make movies that are a lot to digest in the first viewing, that leave your head spinning when you leave the theater, and it can take a little bit for all the pieces to coalesce in your mind. I do appreciate anyone who writes about movies being a little thoughtful about it, that they spend a day or two thinking about the film before they put pen to paper or start typing on their computer. I think one of the things in new media is that people have a tendency to try to be the first one to write about something, and that creates a culture of instant judgment that might benefit from a little more thought and digestion.

You're very plugged in to new media, though. Southland Tales had an elaborate website before the film had even started. You've got a Twitter with lots of followers.

In a way, I kind of fear the internet. [Laughs] You can either fight the internet and ignore it, or you can somehow use it to establish your voice and who you are. It's an inevitable thing. I find Twitter to be amusing, kind of ridiculous but kind of great at the same time. You don't take yourself too seriously, but you can let people know what you're doing, and it's fun to read other directors' Twitter feeds. It seems to be something that directors tend to gravitate towards.

Do you feel a kinship with some of those directors? For example, did any of them give you feedback when you were editing The Box?

I have a lot of director friends who I showed an early cut of The Box to when I was trying to figure out what to cut out. It's a long process. I found that with a lot of my friends who are directors, there's a mutual respect for each other. We understand the difficulties and the struggles involved in doing what we do. It's a never an issue of competition, I think we're really happy when someone makes a great film.

Who are we talking about?

Kevin Smith is obviously a close friend. Eli Roth. I'm good friends with Edgar Wright...when he's in LA, he's become a good friend. I've actually become good friends with Quentin [Tarantino] recently, John August...there's a whole group of people who I really respect and they tend to have great perspectives on the process.

You know, my last question is about something I always notice when I read profiles of you, and I saw it in the recent New York Times profile, too: They always go on and on about your looks like they can't believe you're not this skinny geek. "He works out!" "He's actually good-looking!" How did you somehow become one of the most objectified directors in Hollywood?

[Laughs] I don't know! I try to take care of myself. I do my best. Exercise is something that keeps me sane and keeps my head clear. If anything, I've been joking that I'd love for Steve Jobs or Bill Gates to invent a machine that transmits my thoughts right onto the computer so I could write my screenplays while I'm at the gym exercising. I don't think that invention's going to happen anytime soon, though, so I'm stuck.

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