"IN THE FILM, TERRORISTS ARE OBSESSED w/IDEA THAT THEIR ACTIONS ARE INSTANTLY VISIBLE LIVE"
In that interview with Le Point's Philippe Guedj yesterday, De Palma discussed the roots of his cynicism towards politics, leading into a discussion of Domino, which he said is less concerned with politics, but was "a new opportunity to explore a visual narrative." Here is a Google-assisted translation of the excerpt:
You have not told us where this pessimistic view of politics comes from.I was in my twenties during the 1960s, the assassinations of JFK, Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy. These last two were killed in 1968 and, with our stagnation in Vietnam, I think that my idealism disappeared forever at that time. Kennedy's death fascinates me, I had to read 27 different books behind the scenes of his murder and it always fascinated me. Since Vietnam, I have never believed in the justifications of our elected for these wars led by America and based on lies. When I do Casualties Of War or Redacted, they are metaphors about how we violate those countries where we go to war. I watch on TV these wars, the thousands of refugees they provoke and I feel helpless to stop that, like the heroes of my films. And I am angry to see that this is where my tax dollars go to.
But ... are not the wars against Al Qaeda then the Islamic State inevitable since they themselves are declaring war on us?
No, but ... pfff ... how was the Islamic State born? How long have we been [making a mess] in the Middle East?
Are you going to discuss this topic in your next movie Domino?
Domino is not my project, I did not write the script. This is the story of revenge of a cop duo against terrorists who killed another cop. But the whole political aspect will be very little exploited, the film was more for me a new opportunity to explore a visual narrative. In the fim, terrorists are obsessed with the idea that their actions are instantly visible live on the Internet or on TV.
Domino, could it be to Brian De Palma what Frenzy was to Hitchcock, that of the unexpected big comeback?
(laughs!) Only in the sense that, like Hitchcock on Frenzy, I had all the trouble in the world to finance this film. I have never had such a horrible experience, a large part of the team was not paid by the Danish producers, the film is finished and ready to go out, but I have no idea of its future, it's in the hands of the producers. This was my first experience in Denmark and most likely my last.