Karyn Kusama, Director of "Destroyer"

Bullseye with Jesse Thorn

NPR

Society & Culture

4.7 • 2.7K Ratings

🗓️ 11 January 2019

⏱️ 33 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Jesse talks to Karyn Kusama, one of the most unique voices in film right now. She just directed the new film "Destroyer," it's a dark crime drama, told in mostly flashbacks. Karyn discusses why it's important to portray complex female characters in film and media. She also talks at length about "Jennifer's Body," which she directed in 2009. It was very funny and very scary. She'll tell us about the look book she drew inspiration from, and why she thinks the film struggled to find an audience when it was first released. Plus, how she finds pleasure in horror movies. And, sure, a lot of people find pleasure in horror films, but Karyn's answer will still surprise you.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Bullseye with Jesse Thorn is a production of MaximumFun.org and is distributed by NPR.
0:12.3	I'm Jesse Thorn, this is Bullseye.
0:21.7	Karin Kusama just directed this movie, it is called Destroyer.
0:25.8	We'll talk a little bit more about the movie, particularly in just a minute, but Karin
0:30.6	is a really unique voice in film right now.
0:33.9	Her debut was the critically acclaimed drama Girl Fight movie about a female boxer at
0:39.2	Kusama based on her own time.
0:41.7	Then, she established herself as an mature of genre films.
0:46.1	In 2005, she directed the science fiction film, Eon Flux, the horror movies, the invitation
0:51.6	and Jennifer's body came after that.
0:54.5	And now there is Destroyer, a dark and complex crime drama told largely in Flashback.
1:00.4	It stars Nicole Kidman, who plays Aaron Bell, an LAPD detective.
1:05.0	As a young cop, Bell was placed undercover with a gang in the California desert.
1:09.1	Things didn't end well, in the case she was on, he's never put to rest.
1:14.2	When the leader of that gang re-emerges over a decade later, Bell reopens the case.
1:20.4	Her dance character is haunted by her memory of the past, and it's put a strain on her
1:24.3	relationship with her daughter Shelby.
1:26.9	Who has started acting out?
1:28.9	She drinks, she skip school, she has a fake ID.
1:31.8	In this clip, Aaron is sitting in a Chinese restaurant with her daughter.
1:35.3	Things get very heavy.
1:36.3	I'm not good.
	...

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