Louis Leterrier is a young Paris-born director who is best known for "The Transporter" and "Unleashed" (alternate title: "Danny the Dog"). In anticipation of the October 11, 2005, release of "Unleashed" on DVD, I asked Leterrier some questions about that movie, along with some related topics, such as DVD as a medium, and his favorite filmmakers. What follows is an edited transcript of the Q&A.
IR: "Unleashed" has an interesting mix of action and drama. As a director, do you approach dramatic scenes differently from action scenes?
LL: When directing such a film, you have to become a little schizophrenic. It's the same for the actors. You switch from one personality (a tender, attentive one for the drama) to the other (a tough, intense one for the fights) from one day to the next. It's difficult at first, but then you get used to it. But a good action film combines both universes; you import drama in the fights and a certain tempo in the dialogue scenes, slowly erasing the frontiers between them.
IR: What do you feel most proud of about "Unleashed"? Do you have any favorite scenes?
LL: I'm very proud of the balance of the genres. It's a difficult exercise. Therefore, I don't have a favorite scene. They work as a whole, and not separately.
IR: Is there anything about "Unleashed" you would do differently if you could do it all over again?
LL: My nickname as a director in France is Mr. Plus. I always want to improve everything, so don't get me started.
IR: The story in "Unleashed" has elements that seem implausible to me, yet the film works. Did you have any doubts about being able to pull off a story like this?
LL: Yes, very much. So I didn't listen to too many criticisms about the story when making the film because I didn't want to bastardize Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen's screenplay. You cannot pick apart a screenplay like this one before shooting it, trying to make sense of it. You have to shoot the film; it's a big gamble, but it's been done before. Then, you just expect that audiences will be able to suspend their disbelief and accept the story.
IR: The movie called "Unleashed" in the United States is titled "Danny the Dog" in some other countries. Do you know why that was done?
LL: The US distributor tested the title "Danny the Dog" and the results didn't come out very good. The people they tested thought it sounded too much like "Felix the Cat," too much like a cartoon. There was another good option: "The Stray." But "Unleashed" sounded bigger.
IR: There will be two DVD versions of "Unleashed," one rated R, the other not rated. Can you tell me the difference between the two versions?
LL: The film's overly violent to convey the message by accentuating the contrasts between Danny's human and dog life so we had to trim down some of the fights for the theaters (not to get X-rated). The sound design's also emphasized on the DVD.
IR: How do you feel about DVD, as a medium, offering viewers different versions of films, for example, director's cuts?
LL: I love it. It gives a second life to the film. As a filmmaker, I try to give as much to the audience and sometimes the movie theater isn't enough. (It's essential. I can't really appreciate a film if I don't see it in a real theater.) I keep on improving my craft by watching bonus features on DVD's, listening to audio commentaries from directors.
IR: There seems to be an ever-narrowing time window between theatrical release and DVD release. Has this affected the way you think about upcoming projects?
LL: It's getting ridiculous. Theatrical releases are now almost considered like a promotional tool to sell DVD's. You cannot call yourself a film lover and just watch film on DVD (I'm not mentioning horrible bootleg and downloaded copies). That said, it's too expensive to see a film in a theater. America should do what we've done in France, and what saved movie theaters. Four years ago, they introduced movie cards: You pay $20 a month and then you can see as many films as many times as you wish.
IR: What movies and filmmakers have influenced you most?
LL: My favorite filmmakers are Steven Spielberg (of course...), the Coen brothers, Sam Raimi, Quentin Tarantino, Ridley Scott, Spike Lee, Martin Scorsese, David Fincher, etc... In France I love Gaspard Noé, Jacques Audiard and, of course, Luc Besson. In Asia, Tsui Hark, John Woo and Chan-Wook Park. I feel very close to Park. Both "Oldboy" and "Unleashed" were being shot at the same time on opposite sides of the world, and yet there are similarities in style in both. "Oldboy," by the way, is one of my favorite films ever, and I would love to do a film that beautiful and powerful.
IR: Are there any projects you are particularly excited about currently or would like to do in the future?
LL: Surprise, surprise. The future's looking very exciting!
