John Malkovich: ‘I’ve never seen Fellini’s Casanova “- Vasco Journal

John Malkovich plays the most seductive of all time ‘Casanova Variations’ by Michael Sturminger, presented in competition in the Official Selection Zinemaldia. The story of the famous conquistador Giacomo Casanova is told in two ways: through fiction and through theatrical performances that reveal the story of his adventures, passions and, above all, his fear of death.

“Michael and I had previously worked on an opera that enjoyed and through this experience, we decided to do a second project, originally only as a play,” said Malkovich at a news conference, accompanied for much of the film crew, including the director.

The film is thus an evolution of the play “The Giacomo Variations” which Malkovich and Sturminger represented worldwide, and recreating the late famous seducer, who wonders about the meaning of life.

‘Casanova variations’, the Austrian director joins film, theater and opera , showing the performance of a theatrical and operatic work today and fusing it with a parallel story time and jumping between present and past.

“We try to follow the story of Casanova in different layers,” explained Sturminger , noting that the film allows more complex than the piece of theater. “We have the complexity of offering different layers are overlapped on each other,” he said.

Malkovich plays both himself, even with his own name, as a character, depending on when a tape which music plays a major role, with arias by Mozart and Lorenzo da Ponte.

“I had some doubts about the structure of the story,” admitted the actor, recalling how his person had already served reference in “Being John Malkovich” tape. But I knew I could work well with Sturminger said.

“As for the structure of the film, we were four years a play around the world and I really wanted to combine everything experience around that work, “said Sturminger, author of both movies and operas.

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Glamour in the Kursaal

Introducing ‘Casanova Variations’ with the entire team of the film. / J. Usoz

Good reception

On the preparation of the character, Malkovich said he had not influenced the interpretation of Marcello Mastroianni as Casanova in “The Night of Varennes”, the Italian Ettore Scola.

Y that no thought of the interpretation of the character did Donald Sutherland in the version of Federico Fellini.

“I never saw the Fellini’s Casanova” admitted, admitting that besides their name Sutherland was shuffled to star the film, as well as Antonio Banderas.

“I think when I play a role, interpret what I have in front of me. If the character is someone seducer is what I do,” said the actor, for whom Casanova has nothing seductive.

“I’ve played a Casanova and Valmont and Lord Rochester, a notorious rake English and not very seductive encounter because they are so tragic,” he said.

The film was well received at the festival of San Sebastian, which has been screened in the official competition section, but Malkovich said the review does not care.

“I do not care about critics not because I care about the things I can not control, “he said.