Film: Interview
Year of production: 2003
UK Release date: 9th May 2011 (part of The Theo Van Gogh Collection)
Distributor: Network
Certificate: 15
Running time: 89 mins
Director: Theo van Gogh
Starring: Katja Schuurman, Pierre Bokma, Theo Maassen, Ellen Ten Damme, Michiel de Jong
Genre: Drama
Format: DVD
Country of Production: Netherlands
Language: Dutch
Review by: Sarah Hill
2003’s Interview is the last film within The Theo Van Gogh Collection. Whilst many may be more familiar with the 2007 remake starring Sienna Miller and Steve Buscemi, the Dutch original clearly exhibits van Gogh’s auteurist characteristics – dramatic two-handers between a man and a woman who engage in verbal battles – to such an extent that it becomes almost self-referential. Interview is also perhaps the most naturalistic of the three films in this collection, largely due to the fact that it was filmed over five nights in the real-life apartment of its star, Katja Shuurman.
On the night the government collapses, serious political journalist Pierre Peters (Pierre Bokma) is sent to interview the Netherlands’ biggest female soap opera star, much to his chagrin. However, Katja (Katja Schuurman) soon dispels all of his preconceptions about film female stars as the pair engage in an intense battle of wits.
Both of are in procession of enormous secrets and each one is determined to find out what the other is hiding...
It has to be said that Interview begins on a very comical note. As cynical journalist Pierre Peders greets Katja from her car, she appears to embody all his preconceived notions regarding female actresses: pretty but vacant - all “air, sawdust and silicon.” So ditzy, in fact, that she accidently leaves the handbrake off and has to react quickly to prevent the car from rolling away (this was allegedly a real error made by actress Katja Schuurman during filming that van Gogh decided to leave in the final edit). However, appearances can be deceptive and once the interview begins, Katja proves just how smart she really is. Van Gogh cuts steadily between equal close-ups of the pair, as they sit opposite each other, face-to-face, awarding them equal status, as Katja watches Pierre with narrowed eyes, all the time trying to find out as much about him as he knows about her.
It is obvious that Katja is highly astute. She knows exactly what kind of role is expected of her and – as she lounges in deliberately seductive poses - she proves that she knows just how to perform this role. It seems that this idea of performance is the strongest thread which runs through all of the films in the collection. However, in behaving in this manner, she is also clearly mocking the role that the media has forced her into. She claims that men like women to wear fishnet stockings and heels because it means that the woman “has trouble walking and she is imprisoned in those nets,” and in making this assertion, she is reflecting on the inherently patriarchal structure of the film industry and the objectification of women in cinema.
In addition to interesting characters, another fascinating feature of the film is the fact that, unlike the other films in The Theo Van Gogh Collection, it is very kinetic. It’s certainly a lot less claustrophobic, but this does not mean that the film lacks intensity. Van Gogh indulges in a three-camera set up to capture everything in the mise-en-scène, as Katja strides from room to room in an electrifying performance that fizzes and sparks as if she is constantly close to erupting. Indeed, there is even often a punch bag hanging from the ceiling, which is visible in many of the wide shots, as a sign of the verbal sparring that is taking place between the characters, as they continuously try to break each other down in an attempt to force the other person to reveal their dark secret.
As the verbal sparring escalates, so does the tension. Pierre and Katja communicate via a series of quick-fire responses, which, at times, display slightly sinister sexual undertones, as their faces are almost pressed against together, with Kajta even going as far as to frantically kiss Pierre. However, it is never clear what the characters’ true feelings towards one another are because they are adept performers who are accustomed to getting what they want.
They continue to tease each other, with Katja going as far as to ask: “Is this some kind of word game?” It is because this is what van Gogh does best. He keeps the viewer guessing until the end; it’s never entirely clear who is ultimately going to win until the final minutes of the film and only then is the viewer allowed to breathe. The serene and soulful sound of Dusty Springfield singing ‘See All Her Faces’, which accompanies the closing credits, is the perfect antidote to the tension within the film, whilst simultaneously paying tribute to all that has preceded this moment by acknowledging that there are many more aspects to Katja, and also to Pierre, than first though.
Interview is certainly the most accomplished film in The Theo Van Gogh Collection. It contains excellent performances from its protagonists, with Pierre Bokma’s calm manner providing the perfect contrast to Katja Shuurman’s frenzied emotional state. The film has great pace, which is sometimes lacking in the other films, and it utilises van Gogh’s key themes most fully. Completed only a year before Theo van Gogh died, it is a reminder that European cinema lost a superb filmmaker. SH
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