Page 13 - Irish Examiner USA

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Q: How did you come up John’s music but, in theory, it Elton first got back from track and there was a time DF: The beauty of what
with that sequence with could be about anybody. It’s America and he’s in his flat sit- when it was going to be in we’re doing is that it’s about IRISH
“Saturday Night’s Alright for about Elton and his journey but ting by the piano talking about there. It was around a sequence memory, not a biopic, and
Fighting” which felt like a 1940s I’d like to think there’s a univer- how they write songs. “Yeah, that was a suicide attempt. memory is fallible. If I try to
musical number. ? sality to the story that means it’s Bernie gave me these lyrics for There were two suicide remember what this jacket is EXAMINER I
DF: It said in the script that not specific to Elton and that’s this thing he’s called ‘Tiny attempts in Elton’s life and the like in 10 years time it would
Reggie is running down the why it’s not a biopic. It’s Elton’s Dancer.’” Elton goes to the scene was written as more com- look very different when
street and people are fighting recollections and memories of piano and reads the first lines ical and I didn’t feel that was describe it because the memory |
when they sing and dance. how he felt at the time and and plans how it's going to be right because I thought it was plays tricks. I talked to Julian
That’s what I had to go on. I what that song meant to him. “I and says he wants to do it as a quite a serious subject at the about doing it as Elton remem- June
also wanted it to be about a Want Love” wasn’t written ballad. It’s basically 1971 end of the day. “Someone bers it. We know the chicken 5th,
young man breaking free from until [much later (2001)] but I footage of Elton John writing Saved My Life Tonight” was man suit, but our version is larg-
the bonds of his parents and used it in a scene set in 1956 ‘Tiny Dancer.’ It’s an incredible Taron’s favorite song [but it did- er and heightened because it’s 2019
family life and seeing the out- because it fit the story. moment. That’s what I try to n’t make it into the film]. his recollection. So that’s what
side world. [It’s a] colorful and capture when Elton writes It’s an embarrassment of got Julian excited, we didn’t
imaginative world full of cultur- Q: What about the first ‘Your Song.’ He’s in his dressing riches, there are so many great have to be slavish. It’s so hard
al and musical influences. So the meeting between you, Taron, gown and complaining that songs and the hits keep coming. with a biopic because you
fairgrounds seemed like a good and Elton? there’s egg on a piece of paper, There are over 20 songs in the relentlessly try to get every
place to do that. It’s full of lights DF: The first time I was in a but then writes one of the great- film and maybe I put one too detail right and someone goes,
and color and magic. That gave room with Taron and Elton at est pop standards of all time. many. I even love “Nikita,” but “Yeah, wrong shoes.”
me a backdrop to work with the same time was during the It’s about giving talent con- I’m weird like that. So I said let's create a reality
these interesting and diverse rehearsal period. We had been text. You can look at the materi- of his memory. The other thing
people that caused Elton to see in rehearsal for about six or al, but even if you talk about Q: How much did Taron or I was proud of was I made a
it’s a wide world [out there]. eight weeks and Elton came Elton’s mom, for example — the screenwriter discuss the vow to say no to everything for
You can’t deny the energy [to] along to hear the opening num- she wanted to leave Elton’s script with Elton; there’s a lot of the first week. So everybody is
something like “On the Town” ber. So when he came in, there father and be an independent stuff about his feelings that only mad and then they come back
when you’ve got [Gene] Kelly was this incredible buzz and woman in 1958, but she could- Elton would know? with something really extraor-
and [Frank] Sinatra doing liter- excitement for everyone n’t get a mortgage, couldn’t DF: Lee Hall, who did the dinary. Which works until peo-
ally one of the first on-location involved. We were getting have a credit card, things that original draft of the screenplay, ple want to kill me. Julian Day is
musicals where they hit New absorbed in all things Elton. He we take for granted. iIn that is an old friend of Elton’s. They phenomenal and said, “If I
York and they’re bouncing had no idea we were getting kind of scenario, how does that worked on the musical “Billy could make a costume that
around. The excitement of that obsessed with him. Where did impact you as a person if you’re Elliot.” A lot of the old draft is even Elton John wish he wore,
is something I’ve always loved he grow up? What toys did he a woman trying to get out of a Lee sitting down with Elton and then I’ll have achieved what I
so I tried to create this continu- have? What kind of piano did he loveless marriage? That gives recording his thoughts. It’s a was trying to do.” The one
ous storytelling that’s about have? Where did he go to you some historical context for biopic, it’s about unpacking Elton saw was the orange devil
him coming of age. school? Who were his neigh- why people were the way they memories to understand who a thing and he said “I wish I worn
bors? Every department had to were in that period. It’s part of person is. Then Taron and that.”
Q: In your collaboration do that. And he was just saying, mining the historical realities. Elton became good friends on
with Taron Egerton, you have “Oh yeah, I remember that.” Being gay in the UK at that the set of “Kingsman: The Q: How much of Elton’s
to be in simpatico to make this There was a bit of childish time… It was de-criminalized in Golden Circle [Kingsman 2]” technical sound did you
movie to work. What was your excitement on Elton’s first day 1969, that’s only 50 years ago. [which Elton was in]. Elton was research for the movie?
first meeting like? with us. The next time I really You have to get into the mind- wowed by this guy. Things just DF: The beauty is that we
DF: He and I first worked remember being in a room with set of being a criminal for noth- aligned and when we started can use this modern technology
together on “Eddie the Eagle,” him was at Cannes. Everything ing more than how you feel. It’s the film, Elton spent time at to… Some of what Taron is
which was a really good collab- happened so fast. I was crying, not like, “Oh no, there are no Taron’s house and gave Taron doing is sung live, some of
orative experience. Great actors he was crying, Taron was cry- mobile phones then.” It’s some- a small heart-shaped diamond “Crocodile Rock,” Your Song”
search for truth in the moment ing. My wife was just shaking thing more meaningful that you and said, “This was the first dia- etc. But the beauty is in what
and Taron and I talked about her head in dismay. Elton gen- can have a discussion about. mond I ever bought.” It must you can do with sound mixing,
that a lot on “Eddie.” So when erously let us go do it, and we’re have been a really personal the music and instrumentation
“Rocketman” came along, [pro- not always free to do things the Q: Was this ever conceptual- item. No matter how rich you when you have Giles Martin
ducer] Matt Vaughn called me way we want or need. He ized as a play? how you think are, it’s the first thing you just say he’s going to pop over
and said “Taron as Elton.” I understood that it had to about it; ow would it change it? bought when you made it that to Abbey Road and re-record
already knew from that sen- become its own thing and it DF: I think that would be was really expensive. And that. You can layer it and build
tence alone that there was needed the freedom it had. You amazing if it could be re-imag- Taron wears it throughout the it and extract a bigger palette so
something exciting about that. need the freedom to go to dark- ined as something as glorious as rehab sequence. you can play with it.
Taron fell into the groove on er places and not worry [about] a Broadway show. That would So immediately there was The wonder of the musical is
that. We just hit the ground what would Elton think. He be extremely exciting. Who this strong personal connection that the projected image with
running because we knew each was actually fine with it, he said, wouldn’t want to see that? But that plays into Taron’s commit- music is as old as the cinema
other and wanted to work “It’s a masterpiece, I love it!” it wasn’t conceived for that. I ment to the role. It was a great itself. The music is what brings
together. I knew he had this You can’t get better than that. conceived it for the screen, it’s thing sitting down with Elton it together. When “Your Song”
incredible [timbre] to his voice. very much a big palette. I know the first time who said, “Ask me happens, it's really simple.
There was work to do on that Q: Elton lived through this I can get on a crane and go real- anything, what do you want to There’s a guy off-camera play-
because he said he was more of period, you were younger, and ly high to show 50 dancers know?” And we danced around ing piano and Taron’s singing.
a ballad singer and I had to Taron wasn’t alive. How did jumping around a fairground. I a few questions. We asked Then you bring in the strings
nudge him towards more this your memories fuse with like to use the cinematic ele- about what it was like at the and you feel the tingle on the
rock kind of vocalization. Elton Elton’s and transfer to Taron? ments. It would need to be re- Troubadour and we got into back of your neck. The audi-
set the ball running. He said DF: It’s about giving things conceived. the nitty gritty about one night ence feels how unifying music is
“don’t do an imitation of me, do historical context, helping with John Lennon. That’s for when the right note is hit at the
your take on my songs.” Taron understand things that Q: What Elton John song did the sequel. right time. It's hard to resist or
He was very clear about that today we take as a given. What you wish was in the movie for a deny. It’s the wonder of where
with the songs and said, “Do life might be like if you scrapped more fantastical view? Q: Costume designer Julian technology is moving that you
what you got to do.” We were those things. There’s a fantastic DF: “Someone Saved My Day did great work with get the gift of wonderful sound
doing a musical set to Elton documentary from 1971 when Life Tonight” is a great, great Elton… design. C