Ladies and Gentlemen… Craig Detweiler.

Last updated on: October 28, 2012 at 5:16 pm by Jeffrey Overstreet

Ladies and Gentlemen… Craig Detweiler. 2012-10-28T17:16:54-06:00 Jeffrey Overstreet

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I interviewed screenwriter/film-instructor Craig Detweiler at Biola several months ago in L.A., before any trailers for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe had even been shown. (The trailer debuted above Detweiler’s head on a big screen at the Biola Media Conference.)

That interview was published today at Christianity Today Movies.

Here’s a clip:

Do you see “good, beautiful, complex, redemptive” films being made today?

Detweiler: Almost every class I teach here ends with David Gordon Green’s film George Washington, which came out in 2000. It asks, “What is possible?” It dares to suggest that there could be a new George Washington born as a poor black kid in the southern United States, faced with an epic crisis as a young man—his own cherry tree—and rises to the occasion and becomes part of that great tradition of Georges, from George Washington all the way up to George Washington Carver to Geronimo to George Bush. He’s the next in line.

I end my classes with George Washington because of the profound hope in it. Here is one of the youngest filmmakers with one of the purest artistic visions, and [his movies are] already in the Criterion Collection. It doesn’t matter if nobody’s seen or heard it. It will stand the test of time, whether people discover it this year, in ten years, or in a hundred years—it doesn’t matter. It’s going to last.

What lessons would you most like to see Christian filmmakers learn?

Detweiler: We surely don’t need any more End Times films. We don’t need any more films that mean what they say and say what they mean. I think we have to discover the lost art of subtlety and subtext.

At Biola, we start our filmmakers with visual aesthetics. We let them know that film is not meant to be an illuminated Bible. This is an art form that is visual by design. It does not need words to convey the message. What I’d like us to do is figure out what lighting, sound, color, props, and set design say. I’d like us to discover the power of silent film, to discover how Dreyer’s The Passion of Joan of Arc worked and continues to work, how Sunrise continues to work, how The Last Laugh continues to work.

Looking back at 2005, those who measure a film’s importance by its box office success will point to the final Star Wars chapter, Revenge of the Sith. How important is that film to you and your students?

Detweiler: I wish I did care. I’m sad to say I don’t. And I think my students don’t care. Hard to believe.

Lots more at the link.

Previous Post

December 26, 2005

Munich: A movie that reflects Spielberg's belief in sin.

Next Post

December 29, 2005 Sufjan Stevens is my new hero.

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Blog Bloggers on "Through a Screen Darkly" Browser Coming Soon Endorsements Fiction Books Film Forum Film Reviews Inspirations Interviews Journal Kindlings Muse Movie buzz Music Reviews Non-Fiction Books radio Reviewers on "Through a Screen Darkly" The Auralia Thread Through a Screen Darkly Through a Screen Darkly - Bonus Materials Top 10 (or 20 or 100) lists Uncategorized

Select a Month June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 July 2003 May 2003 March 2003 September 1999

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What was the primary occupation in ancient Israel?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Fishing Shepherding Farming Carpentry