One of the most rewarding things about falling in love with a film is then falling in love with all of the things that inspired its creation. What are the books, plays, music, and paintings that fueled this work of art I’m taking in? The inspirations of those that inspire you can often lead you into a world of wonder––an essence of discovery that is deeply meaningful.
After watching the Quay Brothers’ 1985 short animation masterpiece Street of Crocodiles in film class, I became fascinated by both them as filmmakers and Bruno Schulz. Schulz was the Polish writer on whose short story “The Street of Crocodiles” was the Quay Brothers’ film based. Falling in love with Schulz’s words led me to a deeper appreciation for Franz Kafka, which led me to Orson Welles’ adaptation of The Trial, and so on and so forth. And so it went with each passing Quay Brothers film I watched. Their stop-motion animation and sense of design expanded my sense of creativity. Their inspirations expanded my palette as an intellectual. Truly a gift that keeps on giving.
The brothers have adapted Schulz once more, four decades later, with Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass, which is based on the 1937 novel of the same name and their first feature in two decades. Ahead of KimStim’s theatrical release beginning this Friday at NYC’s Film Forum, I was lucky enough to have the Quay Brothers answer interview questions via email about their new film and their body of work overall. As expected, their responses are detailed, passionate, and ambitious, and delivered in beautifully ornate form.
Read the interview below or here.
Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass opens in theaters on Friday, August 29. Learn more here.