Ben Wheatley’s latest creation is High-Rise. It is based on the novel written in 1975 by J.G. Ballard. The screenplay was adapted by Amy Jump. Jeremy Thomas owned the rights to it. He’s known for directing Crash and Sexy Beast.
I caught up with Ben as he stopped in town for a short premiere of the film before continuing on to the Tribeca Film Festival.
Thus far, the film has premiered at TIFF, then San Sebastian, Spain. From there, Zurich Switzerland, the London Film Festival and Fantastic Fest in Austin.
The film will be distributed through Magnolia.
“What attracted you to this story?”
“I read the novel when I was a teenager in ’75. At that time it was considered ‘prediction fiction’. I read it again just a few years ago and was fascinated by the predictions in the book that were coming true.”
In the novel, skyscrapers are erected to house the wealthy at the top, the middle-class below and the poor at the bottom.
The film demonstrates privilege vs poverty and the lack of compassion for the love of comfort. A power struggle eventually ensues before a great crescendo of violence attempts to re-establish humanity in its primitive form.
It stars Jeremy Irons, Tom Hiddleston, Sienna Miller and Luke Evans.
The film was shot in Northern Ireland for financing purposes and to utilize the Game Of Thrones crew already there.
I found it to have a post-apocalyptic feel to it.
(To be continued)
High-Rise / Teaser from Intermission Film on Vimeo.