Todd Haynes on Evolving Filmmaking: From Experimental Narratives to Genre Interrogation
At Berlin’s Hebbel am Ufer theatre, during a Berlinale event, acclaimed filmmaker Todd Haynes delivered an in-depth talk that traced teh evolution of his cinematic craft—from his early experimental works like Superstar and Safe to the critically acclaimed Carol. Speaking to an audience that spans industry insiders to film enthusiasts across the United States, Haynes revisited key career moments, highlighting how themes of illness, identity, and cultural commentary have shaped his storied journey.
Setting the tone for the evening, a clip from his 1995 film, Safe, starring Julianne Moore, was showcased. Haynes described this early work as pivotal in defining his creative voice. Reflecting on his formative years, he explained:
“I would like to preface this by saying that I think three films inaugurated my career, and all three of them dealt with illness and pathology. They are Superstar, Poison and Safe, and each film approaches those themes in very different ways”
Todd Haynes
Haynes’ approach, which interweaves layered narratives and aesthetic innovation, resonates with recent shifts in American cinema that embrace unconventional storytelling methods.Much like how films today challenge customary genres, his early works remain influential in how modern filmmakers explore complex social issues.
Discussing his controversial 1987 project, superstar: The Karen Carpenter, Haynes recalled how he employed Barbie dolls to reframe the legacy of singer Karen Carpenter, using The Carpenters’ music as a narrative backdrop. He noted the cultural assumptions of the era by remarking,
“People would write off The Carpenters as it was the early 1970s and rock and roll was still the vital form of music. Everyone thought they were just happy, a little meaningless, corny American brother-sister team. It was an opportunity to look back at that time with so many layers and so much weight of the culture, not just the way we look back at that time of the Vietnam War and Nixon, but also who Karen was and what she represented.”
Todd Haynes
He further explained his creative decision:
“This idea of using Barbie dolls and having this almost superficial, faux-innocent approach to something was my way of replicating the thought that they’re two dimensional, that you think this is going to be a joke, and actually, there’s so much to everything.”
Todd Haynes
Continuing, Haynes observed,
“You think it’s going to be the joke in the movie, but there’s so much more to it. That’s how the movie surprised the audiences and me, in the audiences who came to it.”
Todd Haynes
Despite its creative ingenuity, the film faced removal from circulation because of copyright violations—the use of The Carpenters’ music and unapproved imagery of Barbie.Haynes noted,
“Of course, the film ultimately got banned and it remains banned today because we did not get the clearances. Also, the same with Mattel, I got patents to the Barbie body parts from Mattel to show me that they owned Barbie’s body. Ultimately what women already struggled with, in dealing with somebody else owning their bodies, is what’s being played out in so many different ways.”
Todd Haynes
This conflict between artistic vision and commercial interests mirrors contemporary debates in the U.S. over intellectual property and creative freedom. American filmmakers continue to navigate similar challenges as they balance originality with the demands of a market driven by mass consumerism.
Haynes also delved into the impact of his early influences and the dual movements of experimental filmmaking alongside genre cinema during the 1980s. His encounter with the work of director David Lynch played a crucial role in shaping his experimental narrative style. He recalled,
“What was influencing me at that time was David Lynch and the ironic way he was inserting himself into genre. Simultaneously occurring, I was just trying to get a film of mine shown anywhere. but people would say, ‘We don’t understand what you’re doing hear. What is the story? What is the tone? The tonal question was one thing, the narrative question was another. And this was something that forged the creative alliance that Christine [Vachon] and I found in each other. We met in college and started working to produce what we called ‘experimental narrative’ and it was in this sort of spirit that we embarked on.”
Todd Haynes
This hybrid approach not only broadened the scope of his storytelling but also paved the way for collaborative breakthroughs in an industry that thrives on innovation. Reflecting on recent trends in the American film landscape, many autonomous filmmakers are now embracing a similar experimental ethos to explore complex social narratives and disrupt conventional film genres.
Transitioning to his 2015 film Carol, starring Cate Blanchett, Haynes emphasized the film’s role as an interrogation of romance films and established power dynamics within relationships. he stated,
“To me, Carol was my first attempt to really examine the love story and try to understand how great love stories operate. It meant so much to me — about who is looking and who is the desiring half, who is the more amorous part of the love story and who is playing the vulnerable part.”
Todd Haynes
For American audiences, the careful dissection of gender roles and intimacy in Carol resonates with ongoing cultural dialogues about representation and the shifting portrayal of relationships in today’s films.in recent years, similar in-depth narrative analyses have driven discussions in Hollywood, encouraging greater authenticity in cinematic storytelling.
In offering advice to emerging filmmakers, Haynes stressed the importance of remaining perpetually curious and open to learning. He counseled,
“For the practice of filmmaking, I guess it is about always feeling like you are a student of the medium and that even the things that you feel you’ve achieved or explored deeply, there’s going to be another place to turn to that will strip you naked once again, make you scared, make you curious and make you lean in to what other filmmakers are doing.”
Todd Haynes
Haynes also recounted a transformative experience with actor Mark Ruffalo, who presented him with an early draft of the screenplay for Dark Waters. “Mark Ruffalo came to me with early draft of Dark waters, which was just so utterly unlike the kind of movies that I’ve been associated with, the sort of exposé of a lawyer taking down and challenging criminal practices on a farm,” he explained. This unexpected collaboration not only pushed him beyond his comfort zone but also opened up a new creative chapter, as he added,
“There are always going to be other pockets of desire and inspiration that aren’t necessarily the thing that people attach to you and the very fact that he came to me led us down a whole other fantastic path.”
Todd Haynes
This narrative of reinvention and openness to new ideas mirrors broader shifts in U.S. cinema, were boundary-pushing projects continue to redefine storytelling. as digital platforms and emerging technologies further disrupt traditional models, filmmakers like Haynes serve as guiding lights for a new generation eager to explore and challenge established norms.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which films did Todd Haynes identify as inaugurating his career?
- Todd Haynes explained that his career was inaugurated by three films—Superstar, Poison, and safe—each dealing with themes of illness and pathology in distinct ways.
- How did Todd Haynes use Barbie dolls in his project ”superstar: The Karen Carpenter”?
- He used Barbie dolls in a superficial, faux-innocent manner to reframe the legacy of Karen Carpenter. This creative choice served to challenge cultural assumptions by suggesting that what appears to be a joke can contain much deeper meaning.
- What are some key elements of Todd Haynes’ filmmaking approach?
- His style interweaves layered narratives with aesthetic innovation, blending experimental storytelling with a focus on cultural commentary, identity, and social issues.
- How did director David Lynch influence Todd Haynes?
- Haynes recalled that David Lynch’s ironic approach to genre was influential, shaping his experimental narrative style and inspiring him to explore themes beyond conventional storytelling.
- What does Todd Haynes say about his film Carol?
- He described Carol as his first attempt to deeply examine the dynamics of a love story—exploring who is looking,who desires,and who is vulnerable—thus interrogating conventional romantic genres.
- What advice does Todd Haynes offer to emerging filmmakers?
- Haynes advises filmmakers to remain perpetually curious, consider themselves lifelong students of the medium, and continuously embrace new challenges and creative collaborations.
- How did a collaboration with Mark Ruffalo impact Haynes’ creative journey?
- Receiving an early draft of the Dark Waters screenplay from Mark Ruffalo pushed him out of his comfort zone and opened up a whole new creative chapter, underscoring the importance of unexpected collaborations.
