Listen to Me Marlon is a 2015 British documentary film written, directed and edited by Stevan Riley about the movie star and iconic actor Marlon Brando.[4][5]
| Listen to Me Marlon | |
|---|---|
U.S. theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Stevan Riley |
| Written by | Stevan Riley Peter Ettedgui |
| Produced by | John Battsek R. J. Cutler George Chignell |
| Starring | Marlon Brando |
| Edited by | Stevan Riley |
| Music by | Stefan Wesołowski |
Production companies | Passion Pictures Cutler Productions |
| Distributed by | Showtime Films[1] |
Release date |
|
Running time | 95 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom[2] |
| Language | English |
| Box office | US$516,337[3] |
Release
editOn July 29, 2015, Listen to Me Marlon was released theatrically in the United States; screening in over 140 cities during a ten-week run. The film was nominated for a Gotham Award.[6]
Reception
editBox office
editListen to Me Marlon grossed £47,869[7] (US$70,558) in the United Kingdom and $445,779 in other territories, for a total worldwide gross of $516,337.[8]
Critical response
editUpon its premiere in 2015, the film received positive reviews from critics. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 96% based on 102 reviews, with an average rating of 8.0/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Listen to Me Marlon offers a fascinating look at the inner life of a Hollywood icon, told in his own words."[9]
The Village Voice called it "a masterpiece"[10] and David Edelstein lists it as "the greatest, most searching documentary of an actor ever put on film."[11] According to Vanity Fair, it "is a compelling documentary about Marlon Brando compiled entirely from private audio tapes the actor recorded at home, in business meetings, during hypnosis, in therapy, and during press interviews."[12]
Variety writes Brando's "complexity is limned as well as a documentary possibly could manage... Made with the full cooperation of the Brando estate, the pic is a superbly crafted collage whose soundtrack is as complexly textured as the curation and editing of visual elements."[13] As Rolling Stone summed it up: "You want Brando Confidential? Fine, you've got it."[14]
Accolades
edit- Winner – Best Documentary at The 2015 San Francisco Film Critics Circle Awards
- Winner – IDA Creative Recognition Award for Best Writing
- Winner – 2015 Peabody Award
- Winner – Best Film Founders Prize at the Traverse City Film Festival 2015
- Nominated – Best Documentary BAFTA
- Nominated – Best Documentary by The Phoenix Critics’ Circle
- Nominated – Best Feature IDA Award
- Nominated – Best Documentary at the 25th Gotham Independent Film Awards
- Nominated – World Cinema Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival 2015
- Nominated – Documentary Feature at the Montclair Film Festival 2015
- Nominated – Best Documentary at the 2015 Detroit Film Critics Society Awards
- Included in The National Board of Review’s Top 5 Documentaries of 2015
- Shortlisted as one of the 15 Documentary films being considered for an Academy Award[15]
References
edit- ^ Review: 'Listen to Me Marlon' Explores Brando's Life of Contention-New York Times
- ^ Screen International. Retrieved November 16, 2019
- ^ "Listen to Me Marlon". Box office Mojo. July 29, 2015. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
- ^ SHOWTIME
- ^ Listen to Me Marlon | Behind the Scenes | SHOWTIME Marlon Brando Documentary on official YouTube channel
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (October 22, 2015). "'Diary Of A Teenage Girl' Leads Gotham Independent Film Award Nominations – Full List". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
- ^ "BFI: Weekend 01-03 January 2016 UK box office report". British Film Institute. January 2016. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
- ^ "Listen to Me Marlon". Box office Mojo. July 29, 2015. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
- ^ "Listen to Me Marlon". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
- ^ Marsh, Calum (March 18, 2015). "The New Directors/New Films Series Offers the Year's Best". The Village Voice. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
- ^ Edelstein, David (July 25, 2015). "Listen to Me Marlon Is a Searching Documentary in Brando's Own Words". New York. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
- ^ Miller, Julie "A Sundance Filmmaker Attempts to Explain Marlon Brando in the Enigmatic Icon's Own Words", Vanity Fair. 23 January 2015
- ^ Harvey, Dennis "Sundance Film Reviews: Listen to Me Marlon", Variety. 31 January 2015
- ^ "25 Must-See Movies at Sundance 2015: No.1 - Listen to Me Marlon", Rolling Stone. January 2015.
- ^ "15 DOCUMENTARY FEATURES ADVANCE IN 2015 OSCAR® RACE | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". oscars.org. Retrieved October 25, 2018.