Sam Mendes Articles
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Up until 2012, the nature of director Sam Mendes’ filmography suggested nothing in the way of his ability to handle a blockbuster action franchise like James Bond. Even his 2005 war drama, JARHEAD, lavished more attention on the psychological underpinnings of his characters rather than the destructive violence of armed conflict. Indeed, the only thing…
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**This essay was originally published on November 9th, 2012, immediately following the film’s release** As long as I can remember, I’ve been a James Bond fan. It started with the GOLDENEYE video game for the Nintendo 64, then expanded outward as I started watching all the films in the series. I make a concerted effort…
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In 2008, Sam Mendes teamed up with Hollywood heavyweight producer Scott Rudin and directed REVOLUTIONARY ROAD, a 1950’s-set chamber drama about a rotting marriage stifled by a normal existence in the suburbs. It’s familiar ground that Mendes had already tread in 1999’s AMERICAN BEAUTY, but this time his vision is more stark. More realistic. More…
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Notable Festivals: Edinburgh, Sao Paulo, Melbourne Following the harrowing chamber drama of 2008’s REVOLUTIONARY ROAD, it’s understandable that director Sam Mendes would want to tackle something a little bit more light-hearted. In his quickest turnaround of a project to date, Mendes returned to screens just a year later with AWAY WE GO, a heartfelt comedy…
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Every director worth his salt seems, at one point or another, to tackle a war film. Often, the particular war or setting chosen serves as a compelling prism with which to gaze into a given director’s own psyche and mentality about the nature of conflict. In 2005, Sam Mendes followed up his masterful 2002 effort…
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Notable Festivals: Venice (In Competition) Academy Award Wins: Best Cinematography 2002’s ROAD TO PERDITION was the first film by Sam Mendes that I ever saw. As I wrote previously, I remembered being captivated by the imagery on display during the theatrical trailer, and sought it out on DVD once it was available. Having seen it…
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Notable Festivals: Toronto Academy Award Wins: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Original Screenplay Some directors share their development with the public over the course of a lifetime. More rare, however, is the director who arrives on the scene fully formed, seemingly coming out of nowhere. Sam Mendes is just such a…