October 14th: THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (David Fincher, 2008)

NOTE: This film will be projected in the high-definition Blu-ray format.

The life of a man who ages in reverse and his untimely connections with a woman he loves.

The short story written by The Great Gatsby author F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1922 was a dream project for many, and since the mid-1980s drew the interest and contributions of such Hollywood figures as Jack Nicholson, Steven Spielberg, Frank Oz, Tom Cruise, Ron Howard, Charlie Kaufman, Spike Jones, and John Travolta. 

A new adaptation written mostly by Eric Roth (Forrest Gump), made its way to David Fincher, fresh of his long, obsessive Zodiac production. While markedly different from the dark thrillers he had become known for, Fincher was drawn to the material after the recent death of his father, something that Roth had also experienced during his work.

Brought on board early was Fincher friend and collaborator Brad Pitt, who was instrumental in changing the setting of the story to New Orleans, where the actor had done extensive humanitarian reconstruction work following Hurricane Katrina. Pitt's involvement had hinged on him being able to play the title character at all stages of life, an insistence that was now possible with modern special effects techniques.

In addition to hours of make-up, Pitt's face was scanned by digital artists and combined with the bodies of smaller and older actors as well as animated figures to create the different looks of Benjamin. In addition, Pitt's own face was digitally de-aged for scenes where he is a teenager and in his 20s and 30s. This demanded precise photography on set with Pitt's stand-ins to be matched later by the effects team.

Joining Pitt in the cast are Cate Blanchett, Taraji P. Henson (Hustle & Flow), Jared Harris (Mad Men), Tilda Swinton, Elle Fanning, Julia Ormond (Legends Of The Fall), and Jason Flemyng (Snatch). Behind the camera was cinematographer Claudio Miranda, a longtime collaborator of Fincher's who began in the electrical department on Seven and had worked his way up since. Fincher desired a subdued visual palette, pointing to the paintings of Andrew Wyeth as a visual guide for his art and camera departments.

The production was on location in New Orleans for four months, followed by studio effects and interiors work in Los Angeles. Fincher enlisted the help of fellow director Tarsem (The Fall) to meet Brad Pitt in Asia for quick scenes of Benjamin's world travels, which were shot on film stock, as opposed to the digital camera used for the rest of the picture. The score was composed by the acclaimed French composer Alexandre Desplat.

After delays due to editing disputes with the studio, the film was released and made over $100 million at the U.S. box office. Reviews were mostly positive, and it received various critics awards and nominations. It was nominated for 13 Academy Awards including Picture, Director, Screenplay, Actor, and Supporting Actor (Henson). Oscars were won for its Art Direction, Makeup and Visual Effects.

Running time is approx. 2 hrs, 45 min.