A Sort of Frankenstein Experiment: Hagai Levi on Remaking Scenes from a Marriage | Interviews


Gender roles and definitions of partnerships have changed significantly in the half-century since the original. How important was it to you to make the story contemporary, and, without spoiling things, how you endeavored to do that?

It was a big question. For Americans sometimes, the answer is because it’s in Swedish. That wasn’t good enough for me. I needed a good reason to give myself to do this now. It was ultimately to modernize it but that still wasn’t enough. So I had the idea of the gender swap and felt like this was a good reason. It’s also, for me, a very interesting experiment in gender. I didn’t change much when I swapped but, then again, it changes everything, you know? So I think a lot of it has to do with how much can you feel empathy for the woman? I remembered originally that you didn’t feel any empathy for the man, he was just an asshole, the villain, and Bergman didn’t care about me not liking him. When swapping it, I had to make sure—that was most of my work—that you feel for her. And that is the modern idea about the fact that she’s doing what she’s doing, but you feel that he deserves it somehow.

Viewers are going to want to take sides. What would you say to them?

I can’t put on the screen a villain. It’s something I don’t know how to do. I’ve never done it, so maybe it’s a problem with me. So it’s hard. It’s obvious that he’s the victim, so you feel for him, and it’s harder to feel for her. But I have to say that I’m so much with her. I like her so much. I understand exactly what she’s doing and how it’s bigger than her. She had to do what she had to do in order to come back to her senses, so to speak, after five years. So I think what I try to do is that you can not actually pick a side. Of course, you will personally, but it won’t be easy.

How much did you refer back to the source material? How common was on set and with the actors?

It was common in rehearsal. It was less common in shooting. When I started writing, I never watched it again. I felt I didn’t want to see it. I have a script and it’s not right. Especially Oscar, he really liked to watch it again and again to take whatever he could from there and get inspiration. Sometimes they said it felt to me like a sort of Frankenstein experiment, where I’m changing the rules but keeping the original story. It’s sometimes created very weird moments. To understand why I did that, we would go back to the original. But once we started shooting, it was quite rare. I didn’t allow it.

You can view the original article HERE.

‘Too Hot to Handle’ Star Kayla Richart Says She’s Moving on From Seb Melrose
‘Too Hot to Handle’ Star Kayla Richart Says She’s Moving on From Seb Melrose
Kim Kardashian Shows Off Long Legs in Revealing Skirt on ‘All’s Fair’ Set
Kim Kardashian Shows Off Long Legs in Revealing Skirt on ‘All’s Fair’ Set
Original ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Host Chuck Woolery Dead at 83
Original ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Host Chuck Woolery Dead at 83
‘Wicked’ Moviegoers Dress Up in Outfits Inspired by Characters
‘Wicked’ Moviegoers Dress Up in Outfits Inspired by Characters
Love Actually Filmmaker Says He’ll Never Direct Again
Love Actually Filmmaker Says He’ll Never Direct Again
Ted Danson Stars in Lovely, Moving “A Man on the Inside” | TV/Streaming
Ted Danson Stars in Lovely, Moving “A Man on the Inside” | TV/Streaming
Every ‘Karate Kid’ Actor Who Came Back for ‘Cobra Kai’
Every ‘Karate Kid’ Actor Who Came Back for ‘Cobra Kai’
The Finale Sets Up a Wild Season 2
The Finale Sets Up a Wild Season 2
SZA confirms new album will release “before the year is over”
SZA confirms new album will release “before the year is over”
Sex Pistols’ Glen Matlock on being asked to play bass for “boring” Oasis and why he never found Johnny Rotten’s lyrics “sincere”
Sex Pistols’ Glen Matlock on being asked to play bass for “boring” Oasis and why he never found Johnny Rotten’s lyrics “sincere”
Sean Ono Lennon says he started making music to “fill the void” after John Lennon’s death
Sean Ono Lennon says he started making music to “fill the void” after John Lennon’s death
Watch Jon McClure recreate ‘Love Actually’ cards sequence in Reverend and the Makers Christmas Number One bid
Watch Jon McClure recreate ‘Love Actually’ cards sequence in Reverend and the Makers Christmas Number One bid
Wemby scores 25 in return as Spurs sink Warriors
Wemby scores 25 in return as Spurs sink Warriors
Nuggets use strong 2nd half to dominate Lakers
Nuggets use strong 2nd half to dominate Lakers
Pacers’ Haliburton after loss to Bucks: ‘I’ve got to be better’
Pacers’ Haliburton after loss to Bucks: ‘I’ve got to be better’
49ers’ Purdy, Bosa out vs. Packers due to injuries
49ers’ Purdy, Bosa out vs. Packers due to injuries
John Candy’s Last Movie Was in Michael Moore’s Only Fiction Film
John Candy’s Last Movie Was in Michael Moore’s Only Fiction Film
10 Best Big-Budget Sequels Coming in 2025
10 Best Big-Budget Sequels Coming in 2025
TV Shows Doing Nostalgia Right (Without Making It Cringe)
TV Shows Doing Nostalgia Right (Without Making It Cringe)
‘Arcane’ Poster With AI Enhancements Slammed By Fans and Removed by Netflix
‘Arcane’ Poster With AI Enhancements Slammed By Fans and Removed by Netflix
Editor’s Pick: Orveda Bio-Tech Emulsion
Editor’s Pick: Orveda Bio-Tech Emulsion
Inside The Alexis Bittar Dinner at The St. Regis
Inside The Alexis Bittar Dinner at The St. Regis
New CEO’s at Saint Laurent & Balenciaga, Massive Editor Exits, & More Moves To Peruse!
New CEO’s at Saint Laurent & Balenciaga, Massive Editor Exits, & More Moves To Peruse!
Hearst Layoffs Backlash, Bergdorf Goodman’s Holiday Windows
Hearst Layoffs Backlash, Bergdorf Goodman’s Holiday Windows