David Cronenberg: Drifting Toward the Mainstream

September 11, 2007 by Erin
Filed under: Movie News

If you had told me ten years ago that David Cronenberg would become one of my favourite Canadian filmmakers, I would have thought that you were crazy. Although I have always watched his films with almost morbid fascination, I have to admit that I have had a love-hate relationship with some of them.

In spite of the rocky start of our relationship in film, David Cronenberg’s Eastern Promises was on my list of “must-see” films at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival. I thoroughly enjoyed Cronenberg’s last collaboration with Viggo Mortensen, A History of Violence, and I had high expectations for their new project together.

I had an opportunity to watch Eastern Promises during an early morning press screening last weekend. I cannot tell you how glad I was to have dragged myself out of bed and over to the theatre. Eastern Promises has been one of my highlights at the Festival.

Eastern Promises examines the collision of the worlds of Nikolai (Mortensen), a ruthless soldier in a London-based Russian crime family and Anna (Naomi Watts), an innocent midwife who finds herself suddenly connected to them. During the course of a difficult delivery which results in the death of a patient, Anna finds the late mother’s diary, which is written in Russian. Not wanting the newborn orphan to fall into the hands of a foster home, she embarks upon a search for the orphan’s family, only to discover that the mother, a drug-addicted prostitute, was connected to the Russian mob. Unfortunately, she makes the discovery only after she has enlisted the assistance of none other than the mob itself.

Every element of this film operates in harmony to create a superb piece of cinematic art. Mortensen and Watts deliver stunning performances in their lead roles. Mortensen, in particular, presents an award-calibre portrayal of the complex, multi-faceted Nikolai. Even as the end credits roll, the audience is not quite certain of his character’s origins or his destination. Vincent Cassel and Armin Mueller-Stahl round out the carefully selected cast.

Under Cronenberg’s masterful direction, Eastern Promises unfolds from under a cloak of suspense and drama. Every character is driven by complex motives and the audience is never quite certain who they can trust.

And, since no Cronenberg film would be complete without one scene designed to make the audience blush, there is a nude fight scene that I guarantee will leave you squirming in your seat. I could barely look Viggo Mortensen in the eye when I attended the press conference shortly after the screening. (Fortunately, though, his physique was much better than that of Ken Davitian, whose nude fight scene in last year’s Borat almost burned my contact lenses onto my corneas.)

It was interesting to sit down afterward with Cronenberg, Watts, Mortensen, Cassel and screenwriter Steve Knight, as well as moderator Henri Behar, to discuss their new film.

First, I do not think that I could truly describe the experience of interviewing this panel without first telling you a bit about Viggo Mortensen. He attended the press conference sporting a dark Colonel Sanders moustache and beard combination. I know that he is about to start filming Appaloosa in New Mexico with Ed Harris and Renee Zellweger, and I sincerely hope that he was grooming himself in preparation for that role (and if not that at least some role). Otherwise, I might have been tempted to grab an electric razor and remove those farcical follicles from his face.

After getting over the shock of Mortensen’s new facial hair, I then looked down to realize that he was sporting a Montreal Canadiens t-shirt under his blazer. Viggo – you are in Toronto – were you not aware that wearing that t-shirt in this city is a capital offence? I am surprised that he was able to escape alive from the conference room.

In all seriousness, the press conference for the film was light, but very informative. Inevitably, the questions turned to the nude fight scene.

“I was paid a great deal of money”, said Mortensen, laughing.

“When we started to explore that, to my surprise, I found that Viggo does not have any genitals, so we had to actually CG in genitals to make it look realistic”, Cronenberg said, laughing.

“I had to give up some of my salary”, noted Mortensen.

“The CG was very expensive”, nodded Cronenberg.

So, David Cronenberg actually has a sense of humour. That same light tone continued later in press conference, when one journalist commented upon the fact that Eastern Promises seemed much more hopeful and optimistic that some of Cronenberg’s other films.

“I certainly tried to make the movie as depressing as possible, but somehow the bright light of hope managed to shine through anyway”, he joked.

Surprisingly enough, Cronenberg then went on to say that he disagreed that many of his prior films tended to be dark or depressing. He told us that he felt that filmmaking was an inherently optimistic venture, and that some degree of that optimism was reflected in all of his films.

I am not sure that I can agree with that assessment, Mr. Cronenberg, but I will say this – after watching Eastern Promises, I am optimistic that you have created a film that will bring Canadian cinema to the forefront of the world stage.