NEWSLETTER

INTERVIEW BY DAVID FEINBERG

Images courtesy of Anthony Dod Mantle

Anthony Dod Mantle, BSC, DFF, is an English-born cinematographer who has lived in Denmark for more than 20 years. He recently won an Academy Award for his work on Slumdog Millionaire, a movie he shot in Mumbai, India. The fact that he was recognized with cinema’s foremost mainstream award is unexpected for a few reasons. First, Slumdog Millionaire was the only film in almost a decade to win a cinematography Oscar that was not set decades in the past, replete with splendid period detail, nostalgic costumes, monumental set design, and meticulously reconstructed hairstyles. Second, it’s also not really a film at all—almost two-thirds of the movie were shot on high-definition video. In fact, Dod Mantle is a pioneer of the fluid handheld video aesthetic of the Danish school of Dogme films, in which his collaborations with directors Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg were shot utilizing only available light. He also employed video to great effect in Harmony Korine’s Julien Donkey-Boy and summoned truly striking visuals for Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later. It’s easy to take for granted now, but just ten years ago making a serious, artistically minded “film” on video was, for the cinema establishment, akin to entering a three-legged pit bull in the Westminster dog show.

We should mention that Mr. Dod Mantle does know his way around a film camera or two (that’s why he gets those letters after his name, like a knight or something) and that his most recent collaboration with Lars von Trier, Antichrist, made headlines and upset stomachs at its Cannes Film Festival premiere. We caught up with Anthony at home in Copenhagen while he was between projects, redoing his floors, and waiting for an order of Thai food to arrive.

Vice: First off, congratulations. You’ve had quite a year, what with Slumdog Millionaire and all the awards and accolades for that film.
Anthony Dod Mantle: It has been quite a year. I’ve been tramping around the world triggering metal detectors in airports from picking up strange awards for all sorts of odd accolades. I really have been intending for some time to get back to work, and now I’m just about to embark on my second film with Kevin Macdonald, whom I did The Last King of Scotland with.

That sounds good. And you’ve been testing the metal detectors of the world, which is doing a service to all of us.
[laughs] Yeah, it’s keeping us all safe.

It’s been a couple of years since you actually shot Slumdog Millionaire. What did you do after that wrapped?
I did Antichrist. We shot that quite quickly and now it’s really going through the mill.

It has been getting some strong reactions. You’ve worked with a number of filmmakers who have created very provocative work, including Lars von Trier, of course. Is it fun to get those kinds of reactions when you challenge audiences?
Yeah, absolutely. I think that there are different ways of challenging people, and I think Antichrist caught us all, even perhaps Lars himself, but certainly those of us who made it, with our pants down. When I read the script I thought it was a bit odd and knew it would be quite demanding. And for the audience, yeah, it doesn’t hold you by the hand. With that said, von Trier is one of those kinds of people who’s actually gotten more and more complicated over the years that I’ve known him. But whether it’s him or it’s Harmony Korine in America, or Thomas Vinterberg or Gus Van Sant, I think it’s good to occasionally challenge cinema audiences with something other than happy endings and car chases. You owe something back—you owe the audience something demanding because they get enough of that other stuff.

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Comments

Anonymous, on Sep 28, 2009 wrote: the fourth still looks like some interracial blair witch project scene
Anonymous, on Sep 28, 2009 wrote: as someone that’s worked on productions before i could go my entire life without ever seeing one of those motorola walkies ever again.
Anonymous, on Sep 28, 2009 wrote: i dont like movies that are so gory they actually make your stomach flip. thats just a sign that you took it too far
Anonymous, on Sep 28, 2009 wrote: did anyone actually puke during the cannes screening of antichrist?
Anonymous, on Sep 28, 2009 wrote: i cannot fucking wait to see antichrist.
	Taylor, on Sep 28, 2009 wrote: SDM is a great film from almost every technical angle you could take. I’m getting more and more into this style of shooting. The from-the-hip feel. I can’t remember any shots that used a steadycam or tripod. Of course, I could be wrong but it seemed to all be handheld shots. I used to be more into the Kubrick aesthetic where everything is framed perfectly. Not that I hate that now but I think the two styles make for two totally different feelings. When you see Kubrick and P.T. Anderson’s films with these majestic static shots you feel like you’re watching it. When you see something like SDM or most of the war films of late you feel like you are right there in the middle of it.
Anonymous, on Sep 28, 2009 wrote: slumdog was shot incredibly. i’d also like to give props to the editor. excellent job. i was hoping for a non-happy ending, but what are you going to do?
Anonymous, on Sep 28, 2009 wrote: i think i blocked julien donkey boy from my memory. i don’t remember much of it. i was probably really high when i watched it because i know i was in college but also because i remember it being disturbing (like all korine films).
Anonymous, on Sep 28, 2009 wrote: adm single-handedly made two films that otherwise would have been average very good films.
	DabblesInPacifism, on Sep 28, 2009 wrote: It seems like all cinematographers begin as still photographers and work their way up to film.
Anonymous, on Sep 28, 2009 wrote: Julian Donkey-Boy was stunning visually. I wasn’t huge on the film itself but the way it was shot blew me away.
Anonymous, on Sep 28, 2009 wrote: Slumdog Millionaire had incredible cinematography. That’s what made the film worth a shit for me.
	anonymouse, on Sep 15, 2009 wrote: even though it doesn’t take full-on film geekness to love cinematography these guys still don’t get enough love.
Anonymous, on Sep 15, 2009 wrote: Great article, intro and questions. The interviewer rocks.
Anonymous, on Sep 14, 2009 wrote: an interview with an academy award winning cinematographer?! good job vice.
	thedon, on Sep 10, 2009 wrote: Slumdog, last king of scotland, and 28 days later? what a career