There is no filmmaker on this earth that I’m more eager to see make another movie than Shane Carruth. Primer, Carruth’s first film, is a truly astounding piece of work that I happily claim as one of my favorites of all time*. It’s been six years now since Primer, and Carruth is long overdue for a follow up that simply hasn’t manifested.
There have been hints here and there that we’d be seeing something soon- Rian Johnson tweeted in September of last year that “Shane is alive and well and has a mind-blowing sci-fi script. Let’s all pray to the movie-gods that he gets it made soon.” Yesterday a website (pictured) was discovered that bore the title of Shane’s next script, A Topiary, though there was nothing to be found aside from the single page, and some alt-text (The Chorus is Warming Up). It also seems the website has been up and unchanged for awhile.
What’s most interesting is that The Playlist has revealed they have the script for A Topiary and seem at a loss at how to appropriately summarize or catalog it. I have no interest in spoiling the script for myself and you, but what can be safely communicated is that there is a prologue of sorts that is a quickly paced 30 minutes followed by the main story about ten small boys. From there it starts to sound appropriately conceptual…
“The boys are in possession of a mysterious black box called a “Maker,” which in turn creates mysterious white discs called “funnels.”…”
There is more, and The Playlist even reaches the point of calling it an “abstract arthouse take on Pokemon,” but this is sure to be the kind of film that simply must be seen and won’t easily boil down to a digestible synopsis. Also complicating the matter is that the film has been looking for funding for some time. Carruth has told Cinematical that the project has accumulated “powerful allies” but I don’t get the feeling that he’s got the money to start shooting yet.
It’s my hope that more news emerges soon, and that it’s all positive for the project.
*In fact, the short film that I produced as the culmination of my film degree is a direct descendant of Primer, and features both a character and a location named after Carruth.
20 comments
GREAT news. 'Primer' is the best film about time travel ever made. As recently as last week I was wondering if Carruth would make another film.
No, Back to the Future is. Or BTTF 2. Primer was mind-fuckingly good, but it doesn't have hoverboards.
I look forward to this being overhyped in the near future. Primer is top notch, though, I will give you that.
I found PRIMER for like, 2.99 at Blockbuster and nearly pissed myself in joy.RAVEL.MOVIE.EVER. Yes, even better than Back To The Future. BEST.EVER. Whatever this is, bring it on.
"MAKER" Doesn't that remind anyone else of TRANSMETROPOLITAN?
Am I the only person who was lost during Primer? I consider myself a relatively smart person, but I was utterly confused both times I watched the film. It was well-made, if only I could figure out what the heck was going on.
I think I may need to rewatch Primer. When it came out, it just left me cold. It felt like SF for people with Aspergers.
Primer was more interested in spouting its wanky science at the audience rather than creating interesting characters. Shane had his chance six years ago when people were buying the snake oil he was selling, but he tried to play the independent artist angle and now the heats gone. No movies from him are coming any time soon unless they're self funded.
I vaguely remember 'Primer', but I have not seen it. I should probably fix this.
Primer? I remember a lot of people mumbling or talking too fast in that movie.
Ah! #9's one of those audience members who requires important plot points to be yelled by one character into the face of another character. "FOR GOD'S SAKE! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!!! WE'RE RACING EACH OTHER AROUND A TIME-LOOP!!11!one!!!!"
Yeah, Primer was kind of a wank-fest. Interesting but not all that great.
Primer was fantastic, see it a few times before writing it off! The characters are a bit cold but it's the most intricately crafted story I've ever seen.
Primer? Watching it is like "witnessing someone pulldown their pants and take a shit in front of you while reading from a Physics textbook. You're baffled, somewhat intrigued at first, but after awhile you're confused at what the hell is going on, why it even happened…and? It really, really stinks."
the last time i was this excited about a sophomore effort was Southland Tales…and we all know how that turned out.
That said…I've got my fingers crossed.
Primer sucked
Primer is intelligent, baffling cinema. I'll gladly watch whatever Carruth does next, even if "abstract arthouse Pokemon" sounds like something I'd run the other way to avoid.
Primer is pretentious and incomprehensible bullshit.
Incomprehensible because you don't understand it?
Let's hope they'll use a boom mic this time instead of doing it Dogma/von Trier style. Maybe we'll actually hear what anyone is saying.
The great thing about "Primer" is that even if you are confused by of all the time hopping and the multiple Abe's and Aaron's, the movie is just so compelling and the characters so cool that it doesn't matter. I enjoyed it more than almost any other sci-fi movie I've ever seen.
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