To craft the visual mood of ‘Disclaimer,’ Alfonso Cuarón turned to his ‘alchemist’

As I delve into the captivating narrative of Alfonso Cuarón and Emmanuel Lubezki’s professional journey, I am struck by their unyielding dedication to cinematic excellence. Their partnership, forged through trials and tribulations, is a testament to the power of collaboration and creative tension.

When Emmanuel Lubezki, often called Chivo, a renowned Mexican cinematographer, initially went through the script for “Disclaimer” penned by his long-time friend and director Alfonso Cuarón, he was captivated by the detailed depictions of how the visual ambiance subtly shifts as the narrative unfolds.

For the first time, the detail in the lighting script is truly remarkable, as Lubezki, aged 59, expresses during our conversation in English. Alfonso meticulously paints the color of dawn, the sun’s position, and the way light penetrates the kitchen – it was all so eloquently penned.

For over 40 years, Cuarón and Lubezki’s friendship has been marked by both inspiring and challenging moments. Through the power of cinema, they have collaboratively brought to life breathtaking visuals – from pulse-racing images in a dystopian setting, to poetic journeys across southern Mexico, and even space voyages.

62-year-old Cuarón describes their connection as “intuitively connected.” They share an unspoken understanding of the components within the scene, and they are equally devoted to creating images where the style takes a back seat to the authenticity of their communication.

Cuarón notes that while many cinematographers create stunning work, there’s something missing – a sense of organically flowing cinematic expression. However, for Chivo, the aesthetics are not just standalone elements; they are deeply intertwined with the language of cinema itself. This understanding is profound and almost spiritual in its depth for him.

As a cinephile, I’m excited to share that this coming Friday marks the reunion of those two Academy Award-winning legends for the first time since our favorite space odyssey “Gravity” in 2013! Their cinematic journey together dates back to the 80s, and I can hardly wait to see them work their magic again.

According to Cuaron, the partnership with Chivo kicks off as soon as an idea arises, and it persists throughout the entire writing phase as we brainstorm more ideas together. This conversation took place during a video call in Spanish, while he was at the Toronto International Film Festival, where “Disclaimer” was screened last month.

The story unfolds around Catherine Ravenscroft (portrayed by Cate Blanchett), an esteemed documentary filmmaker whose past, which she thought was buried, resurfaces, causing trouble through a newly released book and the actions of Stephen Brigstocke (Kevin Kline), who is seeking revenge. The younger version of Catherine is depicted by Leila George in this series.

Kevin Kline as Stephen Brigstocke in “Disclaimer.” (Apple)

Cate Blanchett as Catherine Ravenscroft in “Disclaimer.” (Apple)

Alejandro Cuarón received a copy of Renée Knight’s 2015 novel, which serves as the basis for the series, around a decade ago, before its publication as an advance reading copy (or galley proof). This manuscript captivated him due to its thematic depth, but what truly mesmerized him was the innovative use of narration in varying grammatical persons to convey multiple viewpoints.

Initially, Cuarón found it challenging to transform the original content into a standard movie format. It wasn’t until after creating his semi-autobiographical film “Roma” that he figured out how to adapt it. Years later, he looked back at miniseries like Ingmar Bergman’s 1973 series “Scenes From a Marriage,” Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s 1980 series “Berlin Alexanderplatz,” and Bruno Dumont’s 2014 film “Li’l Quinquin,” which was released as a four-part miniseries, for inspiration. Each of these acclaimed directors told a lengthy story while maintaining the unity of their unique artistic voice in multiple episodes.

Lubezki recalls Cuarón explaining to him that “Disclaimer” would exist in episodic form.

According to Lubezki, Alfonso had expressed concerns about a film potentially being released as a series instead of in theaters. However, Lubezki himself was indifferent to this and even more eager to work on the project after missing out on ‘Roma.’ He shared that not being able to be part of ‘Roma’ left him quite disappointed.

During the production of this extended film, neither Cuarón nor Lubezki entertained the thought of it being a TV show. In fact, Cuarón initially penned a screenplay exceeding 300 pages, which he subsequently segmented into chapters according to the shifting dramatic arcs within the storyline.

According to Lubezki, it was a singular vision of one director. He was the one who oversaw every chapter – or as he’d rather not be called it, ‘episodes’. The sheer scale of the project nearly drained him, as it was an immense task.

In the movie ‘Disclaimer,’ as Cuarón describes, there are four main storylines. These include three voiceovers – one using ‘I’ (first person), another using ‘you’ (second person), and a third using ‘he/she’ (third person). Additionally, there is a narrative that unfolds within the book featured in the story itself. Cuarón instructed Chivo to ensure each of these narratives had its distinct visual style.

In this story, we experience Kline’s character’s perspective as he embarks on a vengeful journey targeting Catherine, whom he believes is responsible for his hardships – the loss of his family and his deteriorating job. The narrative immerses us in his world, from the meals he eats in his progressively dirty kitchen to the photos he finds hidden in his late wife’s handbag, stashed under a wardrobe. On the other hand, Blanchett’s character is portrayed using a more detached perspective, as if we are observing her objectively from afar, like a clinical examination.

In a conversation, Cuarón mentions that the method of storytelling known as second-person narrative is scarcely found in movies and books. Instead, most stories are told either from the first person or third person perspective. He recalls encountering this unique narrative style on screen for the first time in the 1974 French film “The Man Who Sleeps,” which was jointly directed by Bernard Queysanne and Georges Perec, who also wrote the novel it was based on.

In a different perspective, when Daniel Gimenez Cacho narrates in Cuarón’s “Y Tu Mamá Tambien”, he speaks from a third-person point of view, discussing the characters who are the two friends with the audience.

According to Cuarón, the stories in his previous films tend to be straightforward, easy-to-follow, and not heavily reliant on dialogue. In contrast, ‘Disclaimer’ is filled with dramatic twists and turns. It’s like a complex mechanism where dialogue plays a significant part in driving the narrative forward.

That’s why Cuaron considered it crucial for his script to emphasize the visual aspects of the drama, a detail that left Lubezki astonished when he initially read the adaptation.

Recognizing that this task would be tremendously challenging, Lubezki grew concerned about the heavy responsibilities associated with the project. Fortunately, they were in sync, and Cuarón concurred that it would be wise to bring on an additional cinematographer for support.

Lubezki replied, “I suggested Bruno Delbonnel for the role.” Upon hearing this, Alfonso also mentioned that he had considered Bruno as well.

In the making of “Amélie,” Delbonnel was primarily responsible for capturing the sequences narrated in the third person, focusing on characters like Catherine’s husband, Robert (played by Sacha Baron Cohen). These scenes, particularly those following his discovery of a secret, were filmed using a handheld camera and even incorporating zooms to portray Robert’s anxiety vividly and in real-time.

Instead, Lubezki and Cuarón opted to portray Blanchett’s narrative continuously in real-time. This meant extended shots with minimal extra footage, allowing Blanchett’s actions to guide the movement of Lubezki’s camera, creating a dance-like sequence.

As a devoted admirer, I can’t help but express that a significant part of our journey was learning to dance with Cate. In my opinion, Blanchett’s and Lubezki’s input on “Disclaimer” were essential in sculpting this masterpiece. Interestingly enough, they are fellow executive producers on this remarkable project.

According to Cuaron, being credited as an executive producer isn’t merely an award for him; instead, working alongside Chivo is a continuous partnership, encompassing more than just visual aspects. It extends beyond the frame, implying a deeper collaboration.

Cuarón and Lubezki formed a friendship while regularly attending the same art-house cinema, the CUC (Centro Universitario Cultural), located in the southern part of Mexico City. On weekends, they would watch films by renowned international filmmakers like Ingmar Bergman, Akira Kurosawa, or Federico Fellini on screen.

According to Cuarón, it was common for us to cross paths there since it was also a popular spot for teenagers to go out and celebrate on the very same night. Often enough, I found myself engaged in long conversations with Chivo at these parties, discussing the films we had recently watched. We were like the movie enthusiasts huddled in a corner of the room.

Lubezki recalls Cuarón often socializing outside the CUC. “Frequently, after leaving the theater, I’d see Cuarón surrounded by charming women discussing topics like the application of color in Antonioni’s films,” he shares. To the younger Lubezki, Cuarón was a beacon of culture and knowledge.

During his time at the Cinematographic Studies University Center (CUEC), Cuarón had already been a student when Lubezki was accepted into the highly competitive film school. At that juncture, Lubezki had already dabbled in still photography, and his innate talent for thinking creatively left an impression on Cuarón, who frequently shot projects for fellow students at that time.

In that instant, as I watched the first exercise on Super 8 film stock, I found myself questioning my own path. Here was Chivo, clearly demonstrating the skills of a true cinematographer, and already in this early project, he was breaking all the established rules that we had learned.

Currently, Emmanuel Lubezki’s persistent interest in light significantly shapes his interactions with the world. As Guillermo del Toro puts it, “Even in a restaurant setting with just a small table lamp or candle, he unconsciously begins to manipulate the light.” Indications of Lubezki’s deep-seated passion were noticeable to del Toro from as early as when he would work alongside him as a second assistant director.

Cuarón stated that Chivo was arguably the most lackluster second assistant director in history due to his apparent disregard for the role of an assistant director, as he put it, ‘he didn’t give a hoot.’ Instead, his main interest lay in manipulating the lighting.

In simpler terms, they both recall that as they grew older, the intensity of their disagreements during their work on the Mexican horror anthology series “La Hora Marcada” in the late 80s has generally softened. They never viewed it as creating television per se, but rather consider it an essential learning ground where they honed their professional skills.

Lubezki notes that when we collaborate and he senses issues or potential improvements, there can sometimes be a Mexican-style dynamic where he might say something like, ‘Hey, let’s go,’ in an attempt to create the best movie imaginable.

When there’s a disagreement, if he says to me, “You’re not going to like it,” I know I won’t be fond of it. Similarly, when I tell him, “That won’t work,” he understands that it won’t succeed. It’s not just about technical aspects, but creatively, it won’t pan out. At this point, we stop and explore alternative solutions instead.

In their shared recollections, arguably the most disputed collaboration between them was the sci-fi thriller “Children of Men.” Cuarón remembers threatening to film a scene inside a vehicle using green screen if Lubezki couldn’t find a way to do it uninterrupted. On the other hand, Lubezki recalls another challenging long take in the movie which included tanks and a gunfight; fake blood splattered on the camera lens, yet he chose to keep filming, disregarding Cuarón’s instructions. Lubezki’s daring decision proved successful as the final outcome was electrifying. As Lubezki puts it, “That’s one of the shots I was fortunate that I was near the camera and we didn’t halt filming.

To describe the creative tension between him and Cuarón during their collaborations, Lubezki likens it to a tale Peter O’Toole once told. O’Toole had sent a leather jacket for cleaning, but when he got it back, there was an apologetic note attached. The cleaners couldn’t make the jacket completely spotless. “We are saddened to return work that is not perfect,” the note said.

Therein lies the Mexican duo’s artistic ethos.

Lubezki expresses a sense of unease in producing work that isn’t flawless, acknowledging the struggle this presents since achieving perfection might be unattainable. However, he emphasizes the importance of persisting in striving for excellence despite these challenges.

Pursuing the impossible, these two companions frequently reach dazzling heights of film greatness jointly.

Chivo, as Cuarón describes him, is a master of transformation – he pushes both artistic and technical boundaries.

According to Lubezki, Alfonso holds a significant role as his film mentor. He goes on to say that Alfonso is not only crucial in his life but also one of the exceptional directors thriving today.

Instead of sparking renewed affection, the disclaimer merely offered a fresh chance for them to express their deep-seated love on camera.

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2024-10-11 13:32