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| Scene from Woodshock |
In case you didn't know, A24 is one of the great purveyors of modern cinema. Since 2013, the studio has found a way to innovate independent cinema by turning each release into an event. As a result, A24 A-to-Z will be an ongoing series that looks at every release from the studio by analyzing its production history, release, criticisms, and any awards attention that it might've received. Join me on a quest to explore the modern heroes of cinema by exploring every hit and miss that comes with that magnificent logo. They may not all be great, but they more than make A24 what it is and what it will hopefully continue to be for ears to come.
Released: September 22, 2017
Release Number: 55
Directed By: Kate Mulleavy, Laura Mulleavy
Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Joe Cole, Pilou Asbaek
Plot: A haunted young woman spirals in the wake of profound loss, torn between her fractured emotional state and the reality-altering effects of a potent cannabinoid drug.
With the summer over for A24, it was time to shift from one sibling duo of directors to another. While the previous film, Good Time found The Safdie Brothers taking on a low budget crime drama, Kate and Laura Mulleavy were planning something quite different with their pal Kirsten Dunst. Woodshock has gained the reputation as a movie where Dunst gets high in nature. It's also considered to be among the studio's least acclaimed work, making it a misnomer for the incredible class of 2017. While the film is not quite either thing, serving more as an existential drama about a woman's life falling apart, it definitely plays into it in ways that were purposefully meant to be unconventional, creating a textural experience for the audience. It may be far from the most well-executed film that A24 has released, but it's not without a fairly interesting backstory.
To begin, Kate and Laura's first career was not in film. They were sisters who made a name for themselves in the fashion industry, specifically with their company Rodarte. Among their many achievements has been costume design for the 2010 Best Picture nominee Black Swan, which helped to give the duo exposure. As their career had gone on, they formed an interest in creating a film that was tied into the Redwood Forest: a nearby location to their childhood home. The idea of the trees being cut down traumatized them, as they believed that the environment was something that was often taken for granted and held a lot more essence than the digital age was giving it credit for. Basically, how can something that helps humanity survive be so overlooked? This was the ounce of an idea that would lead to Woodshock, which paralleled the Redwood Forest scenario by focusing on a woman going through an existential crisis.
The film also stemmed from the Mulleavy's history with James Joyce. In the renowned book "Ulysses," it was noted that female character Molly Bloom's whole story was told in eight sentences. Joyce himself would claim that female characters' lives were presented as a rambling flow and lacked form. It was like a stream of consciousness thing that attracted the sisters to a less formed narrative. They also wanted the film to play more in a texture than something resembling conventions. For a debut film, they kept it secret from almost everyone except for their friend of almost 20 years, Kirsten Dunst. They formed the character around her which would help give the film a grounded quality overall. The script was first written and completed in 2011, but it would be a few more years before the sisters got to prove themselves as filmmakers.
Filming began June 29, 2015. The majority of the film was shot entirely in camera, save for one shot in which the house was thought to be levitating. The most notable of shooting took place in Eureka, California where they shot predominantly in the woods. Among the film's most memorable scenes is one in which Dunst is lifted into the trees. This was done using a harness that lifted her 100 feet into the air. The actress would claim that because of her unique experience, she had a glimpse at the trees that very few people had. She considers it the most incredible thing that she's done in her entire life, and considers the film to be some of the hardest work that she's ever done for any film ever, even more than the depression-based film Melancholia. The score by Pete Raeburn was meant to represent Dunst's character's connection to nature, and how it incorporated natural themes as well as surreal and meditative qualities.
The film screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2015 where A24 would pick up its distribution rights. The film would have its world premiere that year at the Venice Film Festival before eventually being planned for a September 2017 release date. The film wasn't necessarily a box office hit, though it performed well in limited release, playing at most 39 theaters. It had a limited run that eventually saw it transition to video on demand. Its underwhelming turnout didn't translate to reviews too well either, as critics aggregate website had Woodshock's approval rating at 24%. Nathalie Atkinson of Globe and Mail reflected most people's opinion when suggesting that "A baffling and unnecessary third-act coup de théâtre abruptly crashes a comedown from the elaborate high." Robert Kojder of Flickering Myth even compared the Mulleavy Sisters to fellow fashionista-turned-director Tom Ford (Nocturnal Animals) by claiming that "Visuals should always service the story, which is why Tom Ford (another fashion designer turned director) has found success, and that's the lesson that the Mulleavy's should take away from their misfire of a feature debut." Joe Reid of Decider was one of the few who actually liked the film's unique approach and mentioned "It's not quite the trippy mindbender it wants to be, but if you're in the right mood to surrender yourself to it, Woodshock will probably give you a bit of a buzz." The film was the only post-August 2017 film from the studio to not receive even one award nomination, according to IMDb.
While it was as ambitious and weird as everything else that A24 had released, Woodshock was something even rarer: a misstep. Despite having what should've been a memorable performance by Dunst and a hook in fashion designers-turned-directors' debut feature, it ended up being isolating to audiences, finding a niche audience that didn't turn out for the film. If nothing else, it was an interesting failure, but joined the ranks of films like Sea of Trees as ones that are likely to be forgotten. With that said, what followed was almost exclusively films that not only would receive major attention, but would put A24 into some of the strongest Oscar contention of the year. Up first was a film whose title was inspired by Disney World while ironically depicting something less-than-happy. It was a story about a lower class family trying to make it while living at a motel up the street from the happiest place on earth. It was director Sean Baker's biggest hit to date, and one that puts him on a path towards great potential.
Up Next: The Florida Project (2017)
With the summer over for A24, it was time to shift from one sibling duo of directors to another. While the previous film, Good Time found The Safdie Brothers taking on a low budget crime drama, Kate and Laura Mulleavy were planning something quite different with their pal Kirsten Dunst. Woodshock has gained the reputation as a movie where Dunst gets high in nature. It's also considered to be among the studio's least acclaimed work, making it a misnomer for the incredible class of 2017. While the film is not quite either thing, serving more as an existential drama about a woman's life falling apart, it definitely plays into it in ways that were purposefully meant to be unconventional, creating a textural experience for the audience. It may be far from the most well-executed film that A24 has released, but it's not without a fairly interesting backstory.
To begin, Kate and Laura's first career was not in film. They were sisters who made a name for themselves in the fashion industry, specifically with their company Rodarte. Among their many achievements has been costume design for the 2010 Best Picture nominee Black Swan, which helped to give the duo exposure. As their career had gone on, they formed an interest in creating a film that was tied into the Redwood Forest: a nearby location to their childhood home. The idea of the trees being cut down traumatized them, as they believed that the environment was something that was often taken for granted and held a lot more essence than the digital age was giving it credit for. Basically, how can something that helps humanity survive be so overlooked? This was the ounce of an idea that would lead to Woodshock, which paralleled the Redwood Forest scenario by focusing on a woman going through an existential crisis.
The film also stemmed from the Mulleavy's history with James Joyce. In the renowned book "Ulysses," it was noted that female character Molly Bloom's whole story was told in eight sentences. Joyce himself would claim that female characters' lives were presented as a rambling flow and lacked form. It was like a stream of consciousness thing that attracted the sisters to a less formed narrative. They also wanted the film to play more in a texture than something resembling conventions. For a debut film, they kept it secret from almost everyone except for their friend of almost 20 years, Kirsten Dunst. They formed the character around her which would help give the film a grounded quality overall. The script was first written and completed in 2011, but it would be a few more years before the sisters got to prove themselves as filmmakers.
Filming began June 29, 2015. The majority of the film was shot entirely in camera, save for one shot in which the house was thought to be levitating. The most notable of shooting took place in Eureka, California where they shot predominantly in the woods. Among the film's most memorable scenes is one in which Dunst is lifted into the trees. This was done using a harness that lifted her 100 feet into the air. The actress would claim that because of her unique experience, she had a glimpse at the trees that very few people had. She considers it the most incredible thing that she's done in her entire life, and considers the film to be some of the hardest work that she's ever done for any film ever, even more than the depression-based film Melancholia. The score by Pete Raeburn was meant to represent Dunst's character's connection to nature, and how it incorporated natural themes as well as surreal and meditative qualities.
The film screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2015 where A24 would pick up its distribution rights. The film would have its world premiere that year at the Venice Film Festival before eventually being planned for a September 2017 release date. The film wasn't necessarily a box office hit, though it performed well in limited release, playing at most 39 theaters. It had a limited run that eventually saw it transition to video on demand. Its underwhelming turnout didn't translate to reviews too well either, as critics aggregate website had Woodshock's approval rating at 24%. Nathalie Atkinson of Globe and Mail reflected most people's opinion when suggesting that "A baffling and unnecessary third-act coup de théâtre abruptly crashes a comedown from the elaborate high." Robert Kojder of Flickering Myth even compared the Mulleavy Sisters to fellow fashionista-turned-director Tom Ford (Nocturnal Animals) by claiming that "Visuals should always service the story, which is why Tom Ford (another fashion designer turned director) has found success, and that's the lesson that the Mulleavy's should take away from their misfire of a feature debut." Joe Reid of Decider was one of the few who actually liked the film's unique approach and mentioned "It's not quite the trippy mindbender it wants to be, but if you're in the right mood to surrender yourself to it, Woodshock will probably give you a bit of a buzz." The film was the only post-August 2017 film from the studio to not receive even one award nomination, according to IMDb.
While it was as ambitious and weird as everything else that A24 had released, Woodshock was something even rarer: a misstep. Despite having what should've been a memorable performance by Dunst and a hook in fashion designers-turned-directors' debut feature, it ended up being isolating to audiences, finding a niche audience that didn't turn out for the film. If nothing else, it was an interesting failure, but joined the ranks of films like Sea of Trees as ones that are likely to be forgotten. With that said, what followed was almost exclusively films that not only would receive major attention, but would put A24 into some of the strongest Oscar contention of the year. Up first was a film whose title was inspired by Disney World while ironically depicting something less-than-happy. It was a story about a lower class family trying to make it while living at a motel up the street from the happiest place on earth. It was director Sean Baker's biggest hit to date, and one that puts him on a path towards great potential.
Up Next: The Florida Project (2017)
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