Jane Campion on “The Power of the Dog”

The New Yorker Radio Hour

WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

Politics, Arts, News, Wnyc, Books, David, Storytelling, Society & Culture, Yorker, New, Remnick

4.2 • 6.2K Ratings

🗓️ 15 March 2022

⏱️ 31 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Jane Campion’s “The Power of the Dog” opens like a classic Western: cattle are herded across the sweeping plains of Montana, with imposing mountains in the distance. But the plot of the film, based on a 1967 novel by Thomas Savage, isn’t exactly a Western. It’s a family drama about two brothers who share in the ranching business but couldn’t be more different, and what happens when one of them brings his new wife and her teen-age son to live on the ranch. “The Power of the Dog” is nominated for twelve Academy Awards, the most of any film this year, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor. Campion talks with David Remnick about Benedict Cumberbatch’s starring performance; her experience working with Harvey Weinstein, and how #MeToo has changed the film industry; and why she’d really like to direct a comedy. Plus, Caetano Veloso, a living giant of Brazilian music, was recently profiled for The New Yorker by Jonathan Blitzer. The staff writer picks some key tracks from Veloso’s vast catalogue that illuminate his long career.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	This is The New Yorker Radio Hour, a co-production of WNYC Studios and The New Yorker.
0:08.8	This is the New Yorker Radio Hour. I'm David Remnick.
0:19.1	Jane Campion's film, The Power of the Dog, opens like a classic western.
0:23.6	This cattle being herded across the sweeping plains, imposing mountains in the distance,
0:31.6	were on a ranch in Montana.
0:34.6	Twenty-five years since our first run together.
0:40.7	1900 and nothing.
0:42.7	It's a long time.
0:45.3	Not too damn long.
0:49.7	So the plot of the film isn't exactly a Western.
0:56.1	It's an intense drama about two brothers, brothers who share the business, but seem to be opposites in almost every way.
0:57.8	It chronicles what happens when one of those brothers marries and brings his wife and her teenage
1:03.0	son to the family home.
1:05.2	Jane Campion is a true otour with a highly personal style, dreamlike, but often brutal.
1:12.7	She's found mainstream success telling very idiosyncratic stories.
1:17.7	The Power of the Dog is nominated for 12 Oscars, the most of any film this year, including
1:22.9	Best Picture and Best Director.
1:26.2	Jane?
1:27.3	Yes, hi, David. I spoke with Jane Campion last week.
1:32.1	Well, this film is adapted from a novel from 1967 by Thomas Savage. Why did this one hit
1:39.2	home to you? You must go through stacks and stacks of novels, all kinds of source material that might make up a film.
1:48.1	And you don't...
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from WNYC Studios and The New Yorker, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of WNYC Studios and The New Yorker and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.