Paul Schrader on Revisiting Transcendental Style in Film | TIFF 2017 

9:01 is where he starts talking

His book on Transcendental Style is really enlightening and a great source of inspiration.

Absolutely amazing interviewer

i could not stop thinking about stalker as i listened to this

Kinda disagree about Tarkovsky, who I believe to be the most accomplished director at pulling the viewer into a mystical state. Stalker and Solaris can truly change your consciousness.

Brilliant.

Sound is too low, specially in the interview.

I respect Schrader a lot, but he sounds like he is playing a game of catch up on modern slow cinema. So much has been written about it in the last 10 or so years that I can't see him adding any fresh insights. And he always seems to choose the most milquetoast examples of this style to highlight its greatness like Silent Light and Ida. Good films to be sure, but compared to Satantango and the work of Pedro Costa they are decidedly minor entries. It's debatable whether Ida is actually an example of that style. As for Bergman, Schrader could have answered that question more simply: Bergman was a traditional dramatist who drew heavily from literature and theatre, that's why he doesn't fit.

the interviewer's great-- not scared to disagree, has opinions of his own, this feels like a real conversation and not just someone kissing his ass.

If Paul Schader had a better respiratory system I could listen to him talk forever

Schader is friggin' GOLD!!! I LOVE him! He makes the ineffable accessible! Extremely subtle and precise, his love of and profound knowledge of the cinema elevates everyone around him. I am like number 700.

Thank you for uploading this, magnificent.

What a great lecture... Thank you for uploading this

You will learn more about film and/or writing and/or art and/or spirituality by watching his films and listening to his commentary tracks and lectures and interviews than you will in TEN LIFETIMES IN FILM SCHOOL. Hey, don't steal that. It'll will make a great title. Unless you're Paul S. Then I'd be honored!

Does anyone know where to find a list of the films he discusses? Especially interested in the 132 minute long dumpling film in nine shots. Google has nothing on it.

Would like to have heard Schrader’s thoughts about Bergman and Kieslowski’s Dekalog, in particular.

His Man& a Room Films: Taxi Driver American Gigolo Light Sleeper The Walker His John Wick films: Dog Eat Dog............................:)

I disagree with him re: Oz Perkins. He's confusing technique with style. He assumes that because he recognizes 'slow' cinema, it must be an attempt at transcendence, but in fact what Perkins is doing (rather successfully) is building suspense. He's drawing out the tension in his scenes to near the breaking point.

The sound level is very low, and I had a headache listening let alone taking in the content. I like a lot of Schrader's films including ' American Gigolo ' ' The Canyons ' and ' Light Sleeper. ' As for his three I have reservations and as I am against torture and executions I find it in both Dreyer and slightly less sadistic in Bresson. The old woman plunging to her death in ' Day of Wrath ' is appallingly graphic as if Dreyer enjoyed the scene. He may not have but the scene remains. And why cannot Joan of Arc be left alone for a very long time. It always ends with the burning however discreet, and I know of only one obscure film that shows her ending the film alive. Michele Morgan played her. ' Destinies ' I think was the title. To return to Dreyer- few greater films than ' Gertrud. ' Thank you Schrader for what I did hear. I have to admit I am no purist and define spirituality at anyone's peril!!! Last night I watched Virginia Mayo as a false missionary in Allan Dwan's beautifully filmed ' Pearl of the South Pacific. ' I slept peacefully and grateful that cinema itself is a wide church that embraces all genres.

This book was his major contribution to cinema, period.

This Christian/calvinist-trained man has NEVER been nominated for an Academy Award. Good for him!

He's still never made a film in transcendental style according to his own definition. First Reformed just as transcendental as Silence is.

had to crank up the volume to 130% to listen to this

Great interview!

54:00 I hate when Mom and Dad fight

Transcendendence!

1:05:56 say it like it is Paul!

Death to all official introductions that last longer than 2 minutes.

Great talk; the intros were excruciating, though.

Tremendous lecture and interview on film outside of the narrative imperitive. Its not that he is the highest authority on these themes but that because of his commercial work, he is able to bring the discussion to wider reknown. It is unfortunate that age or .... has robbed PS of a good speaking voice and presenting skill, nonetheless his charm and intelligence win the day. Thanks TIFF.

That intro TIFF as always occurring with little feathers blessing

Paul Muad'Dib Schrader.

Wax on, Wax off!

01:05:00 hahaha

i wonder if paul denino would be in or outside the circle

eally enjoy his films... the last one that I saw was "First Reformed" with Ethan Hawke but also "Affliction", "Cat People", "American Gigolo" and off course "Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters" that I reviewed on my video blog and if you guys could like to check it out @lfko

1:03:15

41:30 very true

56:00

i would say true detective is a sort of Transcendental tv

In general but especially when the guy asked Schrader about possible evidence of Transcendental style or approach in recent TV, I couldn't help but think of Nicholas Winding Refn and Too Old To Die Young. I can't say that it absolutely does or does not fit into the discussion at hand or even tangentially similar, as I'm still in my own process of working out what or how I feel about these rather nuanced though very specific elements and methods. But I'd be interested in hearing Paul Schrader's thoughts on that particularly unique series. It does contain so many common genre traits and assumed conventions of the crime/thriller/drama, BUT then right from the very opening & throughout each episode Refn seems so controlled and frustratingly particular in his pacing, editing, momentum or lack there of in delivering his narrative story. Truly a polarizing and controversial limited series in which those who've seen it seem to either flow with the unique frequency immediately, are fascinated and eventually it's languid trancelike energy brings you in close, or others who just reject it's "acquired taste" aesthetic & pacing as pretentious BS and a colossal waste of time. I'm pretty fascinated with it yet perplexed & honestly not sure how I totally feel on the whole, but I respect and admire the uncompromising nature and absolute dedication towards an unconventional ritual/ceremony underneath a surface of more common genre appeal. Patriot is another one of a kind TV series with a unique tone & approach, also on Amazon Prime.

so much breathing noise. is he going to drop dead on stage?

@1:23:35

This is philosophical crap. Filmmakers AFTER they get the response from the film then claim that it was intentional and take credit for whatever. Do this test. Write it down what we are suppose to feel BEFORE we see the film then see if it matches. That I would give credit for. It's like talking about symbolism.

I was actually surprised that he knows Bresson and Tarkovsky.