I talk to the director of one of the year's best films: Park Chan-wook! (The film is Decision to Leave)

A special podcast interview, plus the latest writing

Dear Last Thing I Saw Fans,

This week, a couple of things I’ve been working on for a while (well, relatively speaking) made their debuts in the material world. Cause for joy, etc. But first I should mention the latest podcast, which is just as grand: an interview with Park Chan-wook, the director of Decision to Leave, one of the year’s best films. Park is someone who has loomed large as a stylist since the days of Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance and Oldboy, but with this seductive thriller, he’s working on yet another level. See it and listen, or listen and see it! The stills for some reason do not begin to capture the visual dynamism of the movie.

I also published a couple of new articles: a piece about The African Desperate, directed by artist Martine Syms, who should be getting much more attention for this funny, formally spry satire of art school; and an interview with Quintessa Swindell, who has rocketed into film stardom with Black Adam and Master Gardener after mostly TV prominence.

I’ve also been recording more podcast goodies, so there’s plenty to look forward to. What better time than now to invest in The Last Thing I Saw and see the podcast factory’s production soar to new heights?

Thank you to all my supporters!

Your faithful host,

Nic

THE PODCAST

Director Park Chan-wook on Decision to Leave

Park Chan-wook directed Decision to Leave, a seductive (and funny) detective thriller which premiered at Cannes and screened in The New York Film Festival, and before that, made The Handmaiden, Oldboy, Thirst, and many more. I interviewed him during NYFF. This is that interview.

This episode is also available on Spotify, Soundcloud, and other podcast places.

For more information on the podcast’s opening and closing music by The Minarets (gratefully used with permission), follow the band on Instagram:

@theminaretsmusic

RECENT WRITING

For The New York Times, I wrote about The African Desperate and talked with artist Martine Syms about representing her experience in art schools in ways that differ from other efforts like Art School Confidential or Showing Up. I’ve had my eye on The African Desperate since watching it early this year—it’s really something. And funny. You can see for yourself here.

For W Magazine, I interviewed rising star Quintessa Swindell, once in Venice when Paul Schrader’s Master Gardener premiered, and again after Black Adam premiered in New York. Swindell is really a radiant presence on screen, and it was special catching them (Swindell uses they/them pronouns) at this special moment.

THIS CRITIC’S PICKS

Delectable selections for home viewing.

The Hidden (Criterion)

The Witch (HBO MAX)

Touch of Evil (Criterion)

Les rendez-vous d’Anna (Criterion)

Vortex (MUBI)

Visitors Interview Themselves (National Gallery of Art) - I was charmed by this project for the exhibition “The Double: Identity and Difference in Art since 1900”

THE END

Here I may end with a song.

ABOUT ME

Welcome to The Last Thing I Saw! I’m your host, Nicolas Rapold.

Besides hosting a podcast, I’m a writer and an editor. My features, interviews, festival dispatches, and reviews are published in The New York Times, Sight & Sound, Artforum, Filmmaker, and W Magazine (and appeared in dearly departed publications such as The Village Voice, Stop Smiling, The New York Sun, and The L Magazine).

I worked as editor-in-chief of Film Comment, where I was for 15 years. I assigned and edited both web and print editorial, hosted its podcast and talks and screenings, learned from brilliant writers, curated Film Comment Selects, and wrote a lot, including interviews with Spike Lee, Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche, and Frederick Wiseman. Film Comment was subsequently awarded the Film Heritage Award by the National Society of Film Critics (an honor historically awarded to the Museum of Modern Art and other institutions).

Feel free to get in touch re: writing, editing, moderating, programming, podcasting, etc.

nicolas.rapold@gmail.com