Stillman Interview in The A.V. Club
AVC: What do you make of the varying political interpretations of your films? Some have read them as being deeply conservative.
WS: I don’t know. I try to stay away from any characterization of the films, because it just gets in the way of other people enjoying them. I try not to delve into why people might dislike or like them, and it’s one reason why I’ll really think hard about doing any more commentary tracks. I sort of like the idea that you make the film and people can do with it whatever they want. You want them to like it and get something out of it, but I don’t really like commenting on the films. Peter Becker, who worked on the Criterion DVD of Metropolitan, told me, “You know, we don’t have to do a commentary track.” That’s an interesting thought, that maybe it’s better not to do them. They can just get in people’s way, and hurt you if there’s too much visible thought or analysis.
By the way, there’s a publication, I think it’s called First Of The Month, that did a rebuttal to the conservative interpretation of the films. It was pretty funny. I’m glad people can approach the films from any ideological point of view. ~The A.V. Club
Via Ryan McMaken at LRC Blog.
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