PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA, THE: INSIDE MEDIA: KENNETH BRANAGH AS INSPECTOR KURT WALLANDER (NY) {LONG VERSION}
Summary
One in a series of evenings and special screenings presented as part of The Paley Center for Media's Inside Media events. Held at the Paley Center in New York, this evening honors "Wallander," a mini-series based on Henning Mankell's crime novels about Kurt Wallander, a world-weary detective inspector in Ystad, Sweden. Pat Mitchell, president and CEO of The Paley Center for Media, offers opening comments before introducing Rebecca Eaton, executive producer for "Masterpiece Mystery!" and "Wallander." Eaton then introduces the "Wallander" episode "One Step Behind," which is screened in its entirety. (For episode synopsis and credits, see "Wallander: One Step Behind," ACCNUM 100538.)
After the screening, curator Ron Simon introduces the evening's moderator, Lisa Schwarzbaum, film critic for Entertainment Weekly. Schwarzbaum introduces the panelists: Eaton, and executive producer Kenneth Branagh, who plays Wallander.
The panelists touch on such topics as: how Branagh discovered "Scandinavian crime fiction" and why he was inspired to star as Wallander; if Branagh watched either of the previous filmed incarnations of Wallander; how the film's moody ambience was established and why producers insisted that the story be shot in Sweden; the ways in which the troubled character of Wallander compares to other "in pain" detectives chronicled on BBC series, such as Sherlock Holmes, Eddie Fitzgerald from "Cracker," and Jane Tennison from "Prime Suspect"; the manner in which Branagh made himself appear "seedy" in the title role; why producers wanted characters with British accents rather than Swedish accents in a story based in and around Scandinavia; the effect of Ingmar Bergman on Branagh and the production; and ways in which the screenplay differs from the novel on which it's based.
Questions from the audience then lead to a discussion of the following topics: the intended effect of "Wallander's" numerous silent sequences; the role of cinematography to emphasize an attention to detail; Branagh's ability to switch between acting and directing; if Branagh took umbrage with any of the direction he was given in "Wallander"; how the BBC became involved with Henning Mankell's works; if the series has helped the Wallander character gain popularity around the world; and how Branagh can juggle Shakespearean roles with "popular" culture, as when he undertakes his new directing project for the big screen, "Thor."
Details
- NETWORK: N/A
- DATE: May 6, 2009 6:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 2:17:53
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:94143
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Pat Mitchell … Host
- Ron Simon … Host
- Lisa Schwarzbaum … Moderator
- Kenneth Branagh … Panelist
- Rebecca Eaton … Panelist
- Ingmar Bergman
- Henning Mankell
- William Shakespeare