When it comes to interviews, there aren’t many as good as conducting them, than venerable documentarian Errol Morris. So needless to say, interviewing him was something of an intimidating task. Though when we spoke to the filmmaker, for the release of his latest film, The Pigeon Tunnel, which looks across the life of the late spy novelist John le Carré – in his own words – we released, we had nothing to worry about.
Morris was in good spirits as he speaks about his subject, and bringing such a wonderful life to screen. He also talks about how tonally, and stylistically, his own cinematic language can be informed by his subjects, while he tells us what he truly believes to make a good interview. Notes have been taken.
Watch the full interview with Errol Morris here:
Synopsis
“The Pigeon Tunnel,” is a riveting portrait of the master of espionage fiction, John le Carré from Academy Award-winning Errol Morris. In “The Pigeon Tunnel,” Morris pulls back the curtain on the storied life and career of former British spy David Cornwell—better known as John le Carré, author of such classic espionage novels as “The Spy Who Came in from the Cold,” “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” and “The Constant Gardener.” Set against the turbulent backdrop of the Cold War leading into present day, the film spans six decades as le Carré delivers his final and most candid interview, punctuated with rare archival footage and dramatized vignettes. “The Pigeon Tunnel” is a deeply human and engaging exploration of le Carré’s extraordinary journey and the paper-thin membrane between fact and fiction.
The Pigeon Tunnel is out now
