Page 12 - Irish Examiner USA

artsexaminer
12

2019

5th,
June

|
EXAMINER

IRISH Director Dexter

Fletcher Taps Into

Elton John’s Life To

Make “Rocketman”

A Real-Life Musical

Fantasy

By Brad Balfour (who sounds uncannily like the Q: Who’s responsible for together. hospital.
hanks to director Dexter original), with Jamie Bell as opening that window to Elton’s DF: I have a great love of sil-
F l e t c h e r , Taupin. Titled after "Rocket heart, mind and soul? Q: The “Rocket Man” song houettes as well. We went to
T the telling of Elton John’s Man"John's 1972 hit, an Elton DF: Well, I suppose, I am. sequence in the movie encapsu- that space for something else
successesandtravailstransformsinto John biopic had been in devel- We all are; our connection to lates everything by taking a and I saw that huge glass win-
the mega-pop star’s redemption opment for almost two decades, Elton is profound. To do the song we know in real life and dow. I knew that at the right
songthroughthefilm“Rocketman.” it going through studios such as man a service you have to love launching it into the word of time of day I was going to get
This English Walt Disney Studios and Focus him, but to do that you have to fantasy. How did you come up some beautiful silhouettes. The
singer/songwriter/pianist/com Features, and had many direc- love him in a very real way and with the imagery in that scene? idea originally was that behind a
poser collaborated with lyricist tors and actors on board includ- not pull your punches. If we DF: That’s a contribution of lot of hospital screens, but once
Bernie Taupin on more than 30 ing Tom Hardy and Justin tried to sugarcoat it or make it screenwriter Lee Hall. The I saw that window with the sun
albums making him one of the Timberlake. After creative dif- self-serving then we’re not giv- image of him in the pool that’s behind it, it gave me the idea to
world'sbest-sellingmusicians.Hehas ferences halted an initial pro- ing what the real story is. What In the script I read; what makes create that balletic moment.
hadmorethan50Top40hits,seven duction in 2014, John took the we’re trying to do is look at the “Rocket Man” particularly
consecutive number-one albums in project to Paramount Pictures, emotional content of what it is. interesting is that it’s one of the Q: That’s an example of
the United States, 58 Billboard Top with Egerton and Fletcher sign- What was happening to him as few songs that crosses over something you can’t plan ahead
40 singles, 27 Top 10 singles — ing on in 2018. Premiering at a person? What was he going from the fantasy element of this for.
fourofwhichreachednumbertwo Cannes Film Festival, it’s through? Can you put the life that are out of control and DF: That’s very much how I
and nine which reached number received positive reviews and music and the drama together these out-of-body experiences work. There are storyboards of
one. Through it all, Sir Elton talk of Egerton as this year’s first and does it stand up? If we don’t into the reality of the perform- course, but often times I’ll go
Hercules John CBE consumed clearly worthy award con- have that then it would just be ance and then back again into somewhere and get taken up by
copious amounts of drugs and tender. a left turn that doesn’t ring true. something quite crazy and an idea for a location and use
alcohol,hadendlessnumbersofsex Sometimes actor Fletcher The challenge is keeping imaginative. that as a framing device. It’s
partners — appeared in Guy Ritchie's things on the rails. People ask It’s the very backbone of the important for me to find my
especially once he came out — “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking what was Bernie going through film in that he flies high, he locations as soon as possible and
and spent millions as one of the Barrels,” as well as many televi- at the time and I can’t deal with burns bright, and that comes at figure out what’s going to hap-
world’s greatest shop-aholics. But as sion roles as well as being a child that. I made a film called a cost. It’s one of the great pen.
oneofhissongistitled,“TheBitchIs actor in the film Bugsy Malone. “Rocketman” that’s about moments when you see him
Back,”andJohnfoundhislifepartner He made his directorial debut Elton John. Of course, Bernie is take that step behind that stage Q: Was there a point at
DavidFurnish,hadtwochildrenand with 2011’s Wild Bill (2011) and a key part of that and his lyric and you realize the story behind which you worried about get-
has conducted his long extended won acclaim for such indie fare writing is responsible for his the curtain is about someone ting too fantastical?
farewell tour. Born Reginald as 2013’s “Sunshine On Leith” relationship with Elton. But the who has hit rock bottom. DF: I worried about going
Kenneth Dwight on March 25th and 2016’s “Eddie the Eagle.” Bernie Taupin movie is differ- When he flies through the door too normal. Once those fantasy
1947,hewentfromshychildprodigy Fletcher replaced director ent from the Elton John movie and everything gets suspended sequences started happening, I
tooutrageousstardomandsurvived. Bryan Singer on the Queen and you have to get into the in time, there [he is] sinking into thought, “this is really exciting,
This biographical fantasy biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody, heart and mind of that. So it the depths. But “Rocket Man” this is really amazing, let's make
renders Elton’s life into a fabu- but due to DGA rules, he only was about being true to that becomes the musical spine of a whole film like this!” But
lous song & dance quasi-biopic received executive producer and not losing sight. That’s the the film because of how it cross- you’ve got to have a balance.
stringing together his song in credit. challenge of any filmmaker, to es from fantasy into reality, and And then you have a sequence
such a way to tell an emotional For a recent press event held keep it on the rails. So as ridicu- back to fantasy. which is fantasy and music
narrative as well as his truncat- at the Dolby Soho pop-up lous as I tried to make it sound, together but in a very pedestri-
ed life story. Directed by space, the 53-year-old I did do it, it’s my job to keep it Q: There’s a great sense of an or suburban setting. I just
Fletcher, written by Lee Hall, it Englishman conducted this on track and in the editing stagecraft in going from him wanted to keep a connective tis-
stars Taron Egerton as John Q&A. process everyone else brings it falling from into the pool to the sue between them.