When we talk about prominent figures in the film industry, it all comes down to taste. If you are all about the acting you would probably think of names like Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson or Robert De Niro. If you are fond of science-fiction and iconic movies you'll probably mention Steven Spielberg. If you prefer psychological or criminal thrillers you'll go for the likes of Martin Scorsese. Or if you are attracted to mind-bending blockbusters you'll most likely bring up Cristopher Nolan. But rather than analyzing the great minds of the past and present, today we'll take a glimpse into the future of the seventh art, and the icon who is taking charge of the next generation: Damien Chazelle.
Chazelle was born in Providence, Rhode Island in 1985. Son of a Princeton University computer science teacher, and a History teacher at New Jersey college, he always received proper education and opportunities. In high school, Damien Chazelle met his two passions: filmmaking and music. He tried the music road for several years, but struggled to get in the jazz band at Princeton High School. He, later moved on, decided to study filmmaking at Harvard University, and graduated in 2007.
Soon after graduating college, he began working on his first project with one goal in his mind: combining music and film. In 2009 he released Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench, an independent black-and-white romantic musical film which he wrote and directed. Although the movie didn't have financial success, Chazelle's fast paced shot and his story telling for music was unprecedented, receiving great critiques and reviews. This launched him into his second project, and his first masterpiece.
Whiplash (2014)
Whiplash depicts the relationship between ambitious jazz drummer, Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller), and his abusive bandleader, Terrence Fletcher (J. K. Simmons), at the fictional Shaffer Conservatory. The movie revolves around Neiman's toxic obsession to achieve perfection in the competitive movie world. From the amazing score, to the great acting, to the perfect storytelling and pace, Whiplash is a must-watch movie. As for Chazelle, he achieved his dream of joining music and film in a masterpiece that was based on his harsh jazz teacher at Princeton High School. The film received an incredible amount of praise and recognition, getting nominated to 5 Academy Awards and obtaining 3 of them. The movie is energetic, captivating, and the importance of music throughout the story, make it an undebatable future classic. Yo can check it out on Netflix and Amazon's streaming services. This was Chazelle's launch into stardom and soon the cinematographic world would put an eye on the young director. With high expectations and pressure surrounding his name, Damien Chazelle crafted his third piece, and it didn't disappoint.
La La Land (2017)
La La Land was an instant classic, getting a 94 rating from Metacritic and 91% in Rotten Tomatoes. Having been fond of musicals during his time as a drummer, Chazelle first conceptualized the film alongside Justin Hurwitz while attending Harvard University together. The result was a near perfect romantic musical, that tells the account of Mia and Sebastian, and their struggle choosing between love and their respective dreams. Depicted as the perfect love story, the movie takes turns and twists regarding the characters' goals, that make for a captivating watch. The impactful story is also accompanied by a magnificent score, regarded as one of the best film soundtracks in history. It tied the record for most Oscar nominations with fourteen, and won a record-breaking seven awards. Between this recognitions was the Academy Award for Best Direction, making Chazelle the youngest ever winner at age 32. I personally consider La La Land as one of my favorite movies. The emotional love story portrayed by Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone's outstanding acting, the unbelievable camera-work, and the phenomenal soundtrack make the movie a runner for one of the best films of all time. If you haven't already, this breathtaking movie is at hand in Netflix and Amazon Prime.
Damien Chazelle's career continued with several features as a writer or director in the TV show The Eddy, and the 2019 movie First Landing, based on the life of Neil A. Armstrong, which was also nominated to 4 academy awards. At 35 years of age, Chazelle's career is just starting, and we're set to witness many great films and music in throughout the rest of his journey. His revival of classic musicals, his fast-paced cinematography, and his brilliant techniques of storytelling, mark the beginning of a new era in movies, as he is set to lead the next generation, and become one of the great minds in filmmaking history.
What do you think of Damien Chazelle's movies? What other iconic figures in the film industry do you like? Tell us in the comments below. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram and Twitter.
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