Francis. Ford. Coppola. This is a man who deserves multiple punctuation when typing out his name. The Godfather director has just released the trailer for his second film of the decade, simply titled Tetro. The movie is his first self-directed and self-written film since 1974’s The Conversation, a throwback to his independently produced features. BlackBook quotes him saying, “What the studios want now are ‘risk-free’ films, but with any sort of art, you have to take risks. Not taking risks in art is like not having sex and then expecting there to be children. ” Copolla’s insight is limitless. The film is not autobiographical, though the inspiration comes from his family. “Our families form the basis of our original view of life: I think most people are caught up in issues, experiences, and memories of their families, and I am no exception.”
The film, set in Argentina, revolves around the “creative differences” within an artistic Italian family and the rivalry between writer Tetro (Vincent Gallo) and his younger brother, Bennie. With its careful attention to lighting and sharp dialogue (“You know what love is in a family like ours? It’s a quick stab in the heart”), Coppolla shows no signs of slowing down at the ripe age of 70. Basically, this translates into everything we love: objects erupting into flames, bitter battles between (presumably) starving artists, and a bleak, minimal usage of color. We also enjoy sunny afternoons.
Tetro will be out in theaters June 11. Your thoughts?