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Good morning consumers. This is please consume, the film newsletter that will never pay full price for Peacock.

MARTY!!!

Arguably the greatest living filmmaker has a new film in theatres this week, Killers of the Flower Moon.

We are not sure how many more opportunities we are going to get to talk about this beautiful man. So let’s get into it.

Tyler, you have the floor…

After Hours (1985)

Written by Tyler Clark

As we continue our journey through Martin Scorsese's career, let's make a quick pit stop at one of his wildest and, sadly, forgotten films. This film played a pivotal role in bringing him back into favor with the industry and was the first step in realizing his passion project.

Today, we're discussing After Hours!

The Big Fix!

When delving into the production of this film, you truly get a sense of the understandable desperation that surrounded it.

Last year, Martin Scorsese had an insightful conversation with Fran Lebowitz about the film, during which he candidly discussed his career's circumstances.

After The King of Comedy became the biggest flop of its year, and production on The Last Temptation of Christ faced challenges, Scorsese returned to New York City, which was still in a state of "healing" after the turbulent 1970s.

In a bold move, Scorsese acquired a screenplay called "Lies" by a young writer named Joseph Minion (whom long-time readers might recognize as the screenwriter of Vampire's Kiss). The film was optioned by Griffin Dunne's production company.

Originally, the film was slated to be directed by the then-first-time filmmaker, Tim Burton. However, when Scorsese expressed interest in the project, Burton stepped down, paving the way for his subsequent work.

From there, they were off to the races, completing the shooting in just 45 days!

Fast Track that Sh!t

Yes, you read it right – 45 days. That's not a lot of time to shoot a movie, especially one that heavily relies on outdoor and nighttime scenes. At that time, Scorsese's films typically took around 100 days to shoot, so he had to keep it tightly organized.

Luckily, he was working with the right people.

People like star Griffin Dunne, who transitioned from the stage to film, bringing with him the experience needed to nail a take. Additionally, the film featured long-time pros like John Heard and Teri Garr.

Not to mention sketch comedy legends such as Catherine O'Hara and Tommy Chong. All of these individuals saw Scorsese's vision and were eager to bring it to life.

This collaboration infused the film with a palpable energy. Every actor in the film delivered robust, aggressive performances, coming in hot and staying committed.

Scorsese recognized this energy while editing the film alongside his long-time collaborator, Thelma Schoonmaker. He used this energy and tightened the beats to create a breakneck pace unlike any other. Did all that energy pay off?

Magical Surrealism

This film is absolutely wild!

From start to finish, it's a unique work that blends elements of classic fairy tales like "Hansel and Gretel" or "Jack and the Beanstalk" with the gritty reality of 1980s New York. It also incorporates screwball comedy hijinks reminiscent of "Arsenic and Old Lace" or "It Happened One Night."

All these elements combine to create a mishmash of paranoia that leads to a world that resembles ours but reads as some kind of purgatory. Every character in this world possesses a zany quality, except for Griffin Dunne's Paul, leaving you wondering if it's actually he who is insane while the rest of the world rejects his presence.

Today’s Scene