Interview: Max von Sydow on ‘Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close’

Last updated on: January 20, 2012 at 1:54 pm by Rebecca Cusey

Interview: Max von Sydow on ‘Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close’ 2012-01-20T13:54:33-06:00 Rebecca Cusey

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.

On September 11, 2011, actor Max von Sydow and his wife were visiting his native Sweden from their home in France. “We were driving along a wonderful highway in the south and all of a sudden the mobile phone rings. It is our son, in France, calling, he said, ‘You have to come home. You have to come home. You have to drive back. There’s a war. There’s a war going on. They are attacking America. They are bombing New York.’”

Like the rest of the world, he reacted in horror. Unlike most of the world, his long career in acting had brought him to New York regularly. “The next day and for quite a while after that day, we were all New Yorkers,” he told me, “I think everybody identified with all these people who were attacked indirectly and directly. And of course, it’s something that is still going on. Of course people are still bombing.”

Von Sydow plays The Renter in the 9/11 movie “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close,” a man so scarred by his past he does not speak, but who still befriends a preteen boy struggling to come to terms with losing his father in the attacks.

“[The Renter] had a shock when he was young,” explains von Sydow, “He had a family, he had a girlfriend. He was very much in love. He lived in Germany, Dresden. During the war, there was an Allied attack on Dresden, they sort of burned up the entire city. A terrifying attack. Everything was down. It was almost like a Hiroshima. He was there and was the witness of all this and he saw his family and his girlfriend die.”

How does a survivor of the Twentieth Century’s worst conflict relate to the Twenty-First Century’s newest struggle?

“We’ve been here for – I don’t know how many-millions of years,” he mused, “And there are still people who are planning to attack another country. It’s very sad. Apparently, we never learn. We should look back now and then. Our politicians should look back every now and then. And learn from that. And understand that nobody deserves this. It’s intellectual and emotional stupidity. All of us, we deserve to survive.”

Ultimately, though, he thinks “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” transcends the hurt with something greater: “I think it is trying to tell something about hope. Something positive. Of course, it’s about pain, but mainly, it’s a film about hope. About love. This poor little boy who loves his father so much and mourns him so much….unfortunately he doesn’t find what he wants, but he finds something else. He finds his mother. He finds her love.”

“Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” is playing nationwide.

Featured

Interviews

Uncategorized

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Max von Sydow

Previous Post

January 20, 2012

In 'Haywire,' Kicks and Punches Hit Home

Next Post

January 20, 2012 'Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close' Is Not the 9/11 Movie We Need

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Becky's Picks Children's Movies DVD releases Entertainment News Faith on Film Featured Hunger Games In Theaters Interviews Life, Etc. Mixed Nuts Movie Reviews Poliflix Scroogewatch slider Television Uncategorized

Select a Month 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 April 2011 March 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

I am the first man, created from dust and given dominion over all creation. Who am I?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Enoch Adam Abel Noah