The 20 Best Horror Movies on the Criterion Channel – slantmagazine

On screen, there often appear to be dark thoughts running underneath Kyle MacLachlans all-American handsomeness, which might partially explain why he evolved into a great character actor rather than a star. The actor followed his film debut in David Lynchs Dune with the starring role as the directors tormented avatar in Blue Velvet, and since then hes gone on to fashion an unforgettable gallery of earnest, secretive heroes and authority figures who wield passive aggression and condescension like a fine blade.

As MacLachlan graduated from playing underdogs to big dogs on TV and in film, his often untapped sense of humor has come to the fore. In 2000s Hamlet and, now, Tesla, Michael Almereyda has proven particularly aware of this humor, allowing MacLachlan to create haunting portraits of ambitious men who mask their alienation with a double-edged sword of doublespeak that serves as a parody of modern corporate euphemism. In and of itself, this insinuation would be amusing, yet MacLachlan also imbues Claudius and Thomas Edison, respectively, with a pathos that complicates the capitalist themes of each film. These men arent simple monsters, but also victims, as well as perpetrators, of the materialist illusions that plague many of us.

Talking to MacLachlan via phone last week, we covered, among other topics, his collaborations with Almereyda and his TV work, particularly his startling series of nesting performances in Lynchs monumental Twin Peaks: The Return. Throughout our conversation, the actor displayed a charming humility, speaking of valuing collaboration with filmmakers and writers like Almereyda and Lynch who have an intimate, crystallized vision as well as an urge to utilize the happy accidents that can bring a scene to life. In essence, MacLachlan has elevated go with the flow to an art form, perhaps validating the notion of karma.

How has this strange year been for you? Youre based in New York, right?

We were based in New York. We were there for the first two weeks of March, and then my son had spring break and we left and went on a little family skiing adventure. In the midst of that, everything accelerated and got real serious real fast. We didnt have to return to New York for our sons school until April and we looked at each other and said, Lets just stay in Los Angeles. It seemed like the better move to make at the time and thats what we did. I have a house there, and its much, much easier to isolate and be quarantined there.

To segue into Tesla, which I like quite a bit, I was wondering if this was consciously an act of getting the band back together for you, Michael, and Ethan Hawke after Hamlet.

[laughs] It was. Michael has been chasing this for such a long time, working through this material. Over the years wed run into each other in New York and talk about the great experience we had on Hamlet and Id run into Ethan and wed say, Yeah, we gotta do something again. Michael began to rope this project together, and Im sure he felt like he had horses tied to his limbs all running in opposite directions while hes trying to make this thing happen. Ethans busy, I was busy, and so it was a matter of finding the time. Finally it came together like pop! Michael had some financing, and explained to us how this was like a wing and prayer, a shoestring production. It wasthere was no money. It was crazy, but you know that going in. It was like when I first started, and there can be a lot of fun in that.

I love how the shoestring budget is utilized in both Hamlet and Tesla. I love the conscious artifice.

Yeah, thank you. You cant help but look at the projected screens and be like Okay, all right. I get it. Its representational. That idea extended to even the stuff that wasnt projected. The first scene is the roller-skating scene in the house, right? That was originally written as an ice-skating scene with hundreds of extras, and youre seeing New York at that time in open air, and thats got to all come out: scratch, scratch, scratch. What can we do thats contained thats still interesting? Thats the brilliance of independent filmmaking. You find something, you make it work, and sometimes you even make it better.

I harp on this a lot in my reviews but often think that such representational devices are more beautiful and stimulating than, say, expensive establishing shots.

It says a lot, I think. Theres a certain claustrophobia to this style, theres a mystery to it, and you have beautiful Eve Hewson providing that great look back. Shes just so stunning and enigmatic. If wed been caught up in this big ice skating rink it wouldnt have had any of that intimacy. So, yeah, I agree.

Were there any major differences between your collaboration with Michael and Ethan in Tesla from the work you all did together in Hamlet, or did you all snap back into a rhythm?

We pretty much snapped back I feel. Hamlet was funny because it was one my first independent experiences. Ive done a lot of independent stuff, but this was really New York independent. With Hamlet, everyone was sitting in a green room together, which was like a very small banquet room. So Im sitting there and theres Sam Shepard just walking by, you know, writing something. Liev Shreiber is over there, practicing his Shakespeare. Julia Stiles is sitting nearby. This doesnt exist on a big movie, where everyone retreats to their trailers when youre done. This was something special and we were all there for the same reason, trying to get the shot before the light goes, or before they kick us off the location, you know. Were all together fighting for the dream of this director. And Tesla was similar. We were in a room adjacent to where we were filming with black curtains between each of the dressing areas, an army cot, and a rolling rack with our costume on it, and that was it.

Theres a striking similarity between Claudiuss relationship with Hamlet and Edisons relationship with Tesla.

Yes, I think so too, on a number of different levels. I played Claudius as very forward-moving, in the world, creative, robust, smart, lets-get-it-done, and Hamlet of course is suffering from inaction. And thats Edison too. Hes a bull, forward-moving, and what he does either works or fails. And if it fails, he picks it up and keeps pushing forward. Tesla is a little stuck. Hes brilliant, his mind isnt stuck, hes a visionary, but he isnt able to get the mechanics right to progress.

I think theres a clear capitalist theme in Tesla, but that said, it doesnt come at that theme in an easy way. Theres admiration for Edison, whos a different kind of creative from Tesla.

I agree. Michael made the intentional choice not to create a villain and I was really happy about that. Lets see the person and maybe understandmaybe he was misdiagnosed. Theres no doubt that he was a shrewd businessman, a great leader of men who thrust himself forward, and he was pig-headed and a brute, but theres also another side of him that I discovered. It was really Michael who gave me books to read, such as a diary that Edison wrote one summer, and its just flights of fancy, really, with beautiful penmanship. It showed a softer side of him, and hes very intuitive as well. I thought we could put a little of that side in this film, which was also Michaels intention.

Hearing you talk about Edisons sensitivity, I think of the Morse code scene, which is a beautiful moment. The movie is called Tesla and Edison gets the most romantic scene.

[laughs] I think he does too. I thought that was lovely, and many of these moments were based on writings that Michael had gleaned from his research. It was an interesting way for Edison to communicate: unexpected, intimate.

Youve had such a vast career, which lends itself to rhymes. For instance, theres similarities between your role in Tesla and the character you recently played in Capone, where youre another ambiguous figure of authority. In each case, you quickly achieve nuance.

Thank you. With Capone it was easy, you basically just react to Tom Hardy. [both laugh] Hes so good, so powerful, and he gave an amazing interpretation of Capone. But I guess thats part of my effort: Youre looking for the unexpected, and you want to be sure that your choices are supported by the text and the character.

Youve worked with many distinctive filmmakers: David Lynch, Mike Figgis, Michael Almereyda, Steven Soderbergh. Is there such thing as an ideal working method for you? Do you think of your work in those terms? Or do you go with the flow?

Go with the flow is how I like to operate. These guys are super-smart and great directors. Theyve thought through the story, theyve rolled it into their hands, softened the edges, and so theyre really familiar with their material. My job to come in, having done the work, and have a full quiver of arrows as to the character. But I love to leave room for the magic that occurs, hopefully, when a relationship is happening in front of a camera. Because of my past work with Michael and Ethan, with Hamlet, that was really possible in Tesla. Ethans that kind of actor too. He really enjoys the unexpected. I find that to be a common thread with Michael and David Lynch. The unexpected is cherished. You cant chase after it, it just sort of has to happen, but you welcome it and let it expand. I work best in an environment that is supportive, that is fun, where theres joy and excitement in the discovery, from everybody. And less so in a combative, authoritative dynamic.

It occurs to me that youve been a part of five TV shows that have had a significant impact on pop culture: Twin Peaks, Sex and the City, Desperate Housewives, Portlandia, and How I Met Your Mother.

Yeah, all me really. All because of me. [both laugh]

Is there a major difference in method between working on TV and cinema, or is it once again a matter of doing the work?

Pretty much just doing the work, and I will say this: Theres no real master plan. Some of those assignments have been generated really because the creators of those shows were affected by my work with David Lynch. For Sex and the City, I think I was supposed to be on for just a couple of episodes and they extended it, which I was grateful for. It was a great show, the writing was so cool, and I love working in New York City and with Kristin Davis, who was great. The same thing happened with Desperate Housewives, I went to Marc Cherry and asked if there was any way they could keep me around for a little while, and they did a change in the writing and suddenly I was there for six years. I really enjoyed it, you know, and its fun to take a character and watch him go through different stuff. And, to be honest, its nice to have consistency in a job, as there are family considerations. I wasnt exactly sure what Portlandia was supposed to be, but I was like, You guys are super-smart, and it sounds like a lot of fun, what the heck. How I Met Your Mother was the first time Id ever done the half hour, four-camera format, and I loved it. I came into a very high-level functioning show, and that was also a lot of fun.

I promised myself that I would talk to you for at least 10 minutes before springing any Twin Peaks questions. I know youve been Twin Peaksd to death.

[laughs] Not at all. Theres a lot to talk about. Its complicated.

I particularly adore The Return, which Ive seen several times from start to finish. One of the more startling differences between the original Twin Peaks and The Return of course is that the latter requires you to give at least four different performances. And you toggle between them beautifully, not showing your work at all. Did you get the whole script at once?

No. After speaking with David sort of secretly in New York, we met together, not on the phone but in person, I didnt see anything for a while. Later, when I visited him in Los Angeles, he would hand me like one of the hoursthere werent really episodes, he called them hoursand Id read through it by myself basically on lockdown. He didnt want anything to get out anywhere, which I understand. And I began to put pieces together in terms of what he was asking me to do. I was thrilled and excited about the challenge but also, not frightened exactly, but it was a lot of responsibility.

If these characters dont work, especially the dark character, Mr. C., if he doesnt scare the pants off of you the show isnt going to work. Id never really done anything like that character before, but I felt that Id gotten to a point in my career where I could. I dont think I couldve played it 15 years earlier. And I knew that David would be there to help me if I stumbled, and we could probably kick it together. As the character began to form, and it really was kind of piecemealfinding the look, finding the voice, finding the dialogue, which gratefully was minimal. Gradually, it began to make sense to me.

The contrast between Mr. C and Dougie is especially disturbing.

Yeah, Im much more of a Dougie. With him I felt like, Oh, yeah, Ive got this, but as I got into it I found him even more difficult to play than Mr. C. I watched Peter Sellers in Being There and some early Buster Keaton just for the blankness, trying to figure out how my face would work. As Dougie, Im basically a baby in all situations. You have to play as if you dont know cause and effect. I made David laugh a lot, there were a lot of funny moments on the set. Something would just strike me and it would be entertaining to him, which I appreciated.

I thought you and David pulled off a good trick over the course of the show. At first youre waiting for the real Agent Cooper to arrive, but by the end Im missing Dougie.

Yeah, I think youre right. And theres also the recognition of once Cooper came back then Dougie was gone. Cant we have both maybe?

So it sounds like that David didnt tell you from day one that youre playing like four or five people.

No, it was a continuous discovery. Wed read a couple of these hours, and, as we got closer to filming, the bible was given to me. It was a three-ring binder and quite thick as you can imagine, and I read through the entire thing. I tried to keep this entire world in my head and how it was turning and spinning. You just kind of absorb it, and you get a sense of what David is asking for. Day one comes, and were up in Seattle for the first portion of shooting, which was about six weeks. I wasnt in that first part much to be honest, though I remember were outside the sheriffs station that first day and I walk up to Andy and into the building as Mr. C. and it felt weird.

Playing that character youre like an imposter in your own home town.

Kinda. And youre carrying this massive secret. You want to say, Hey, everybody, its me! Mr. C wasnt the most comfortable body to inhabit. I didnt mind it, but it was tiring.

Mr. C has some pretty taboo-pushing scenes.

Oh yeah. Some of that stuff was very, very challenging. I know what youre talking about and everybody was wonderful. For that show I was asked to do some things Ive never had to do in my career.

Youve had a number of projects with huge afterlives: Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks, The Hidden, Showgirls, to name a few. Do you notice cycles in terms of what your fans approach you about?

It varies with whom Im speaking of course. I recently did an interview and we talked about The Doors and that experience, and its kind of fun. This isnt stuff that I typically think about much, but then something is brought up and you reminisce and revisit. I tend to look forward, but its nice to look back on something that I mightve thought at the time couldve been my last job. You never know whats going to happen, but Ive accumulated this great body of work. For the most part, Im really proud of everything Ive done and been involved with. Im looking forward to more.

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The 20 Best Horror Movies on the Criterion Channel - slantmagazine

Reviewed and Recommended by Erik Baquero