The Pale Blue Eye - Flicks (2023)

Detective Landor, one of our cadets, hanged himself last night. That's a matter for the coroner. I'm afraid that's not the end of it. His heart was carved from his chest. Set in a dark, cold, and very eerie world, Christian Bale plays a detective in the 1830s and he's aided by young Edgar Allan Poe, played by Harry Melling. It's all done in a real environment and working under those conditions can be a challenge, but I suggested it also helped them develop their characters. Yeah, I think you're completely right. When it's there, it's there. You know, you're not having to sort of invent anything. By everyone, every single department, just building that world for us so that when we step onto set, our job is made as easy as possible. Christian, the odd thing about that period of time is that it was remarkably formal. I mean, you know, you think of it as being rough, so you're kind of picturing them talking roughly or what have you, but everybody had a certain formality to them. The thing was that in the 1830s in America, there was no defined accent at that point, you know? For me very much with Landor, he doesn't want people to think that he's intelligent, particularly. And that doesn't mean he walks around acting like an oaf, but just he wants people to open up more to him, and he finds that pretending to know less than he actually does helps him in his life as a detective. Exactly, yeah. And this gentleman, Edgar Allan Poe, is the complete opposite of that. He likes to perform and show off his intelligence, and he wants everyone to know that. When did you feel like it went click and I've got this guy? Scott and I discussed this for probably the better part of a decade. I think he preferred it if I was somewhat older. It was more just getting there, getting into the cold, getting into the clothing, finding that, because Landor really just has, you know, one set of clothes. That's always really helpful. And then just being, sitting around on the locations, and then we discover it as we do it. You know, Scott's very precise, and very articulate, and can describe very well exactly what he's looking for, but nothing compares to just getting it on its feet. And we didn't really rehearse it at all. We just shot it, shot the rehearsals. So, you know, just a lot of, it's always just the time spent by yourself just dwelling on it that gradually seeps in. Exactly, yeah. Until you feel that you got it. Thank you both very much. I appreciate your going there. I realize it's a bit nerdy. And as you say, we're all three nerds, so. No, we love nerdy. Flix with Patrick Stoner explores the craft and culture of filmmaking that enhance our communities for television stations and websites around the country.