Spring Break
Auster encourages writers
Chris Sannino
Issue date: 2/29/08 Section: Arts & Entertainment
Novelist, poet, screenwriter, and director Paul Auster visited Drexel while in Philadelphia promoting his newest movie "The Inner Life of Martin Frost," greeting a full house at the Ritz 5 Theater Feb. 20 for a screening of his self-directed feature film.
Auster, a native of Newark, N.J., has authored several screenplays, non-fiction works, and novels, including "The New York Trilogy" and "The Brooklyn Follies." His latest work is entitled "Man in the Dark," and is set to release in September 2008. Drexel film and video Professor, Zhenya Kiperman, met Auster while hosting the Golden Age of Cinema Film Festival and was able to bring him to our campus for some time while he was in the city.
"Just keep writing," Auster said when asked for advice for today's young writers. "Keep writing and understand that the world owes you nothing."
No doubt a passionate storyteller, Auster's talent as a fiction writer shines in his latest film which places us in the mind of writer Martin Frost (David Thewlis) who, after working for three years on a novel, borrows a friend's house in the country for some over-due repose. Upon arrival, not only does he immediately begin to develop an idea for a new book, but the next morning he awakes to find the attractive Claire Martin (Irene Jacob) in bed next to him. After claiming to be the niece of the homeowners, the two agree to share the space and begin to fall in love.
Martin soon learns that Claire is not his friend's niece at all and, though she refuses to reveal her actual motive for visiting the house, the two continue their romance. Then, as Martin nears the end of his new book, Claire becomes increasingly sick. It is at this point that he begins to question whether she is even a real person or some sort of muse sent to him from the heavens. The story continues to take mystical turns causing Martin to question his perceptions of reality. Meanwhile, the local plumber, played by Michael Imperioli of "The Sopranos," brings a lighthearted feel to the plot as he deals with his own muse played by Sophia Auster, Paul Auster's daughter.
His prior film credits include "Lulu on the Bridge" and "Smoke," in which Auster drew a parallel to his latest film pointing out that both works revolve around storytelling. While "The Inner Life of Martin Frost" explored the whimsical power of storytelling, "Smoke" looked more into the sentiment of our own day-to-day prose.
"A novel is a continuous narration told in the third dimension … a screen play is more two dimensional and the script is a bit of a jigsaw puzzle where you're piecing thoughts and dialogue together to make it fit," Auster said. He added that he currently has no plans for a next movie.
While on campus, DUTV taped an interview with Auster, which will air March 14 at 8 p.m.
Auster, a native of Newark, N.J., has authored several screenplays, non-fiction works, and novels, including "The New York Trilogy" and "The Brooklyn Follies." His latest work is entitled "Man in the Dark," and is set to release in September 2008. Drexel film and video Professor, Zhenya Kiperman, met Auster while hosting the Golden Age of Cinema Film Festival and was able to bring him to our campus for some time while he was in the city.
"Just keep writing," Auster said when asked for advice for today's young writers. "Keep writing and understand that the world owes you nothing."
No doubt a passionate storyteller, Auster's talent as a fiction writer shines in his latest film which places us in the mind of writer Martin Frost (David Thewlis) who, after working for three years on a novel, borrows a friend's house in the country for some over-due repose. Upon arrival, not only does he immediately begin to develop an idea for a new book, but the next morning he awakes to find the attractive Claire Martin (Irene Jacob) in bed next to him. After claiming to be the niece of the homeowners, the two agree to share the space and begin to fall in love.
Martin soon learns that Claire is not his friend's niece at all and, though she refuses to reveal her actual motive for visiting the house, the two continue their romance. Then, as Martin nears the end of his new book, Claire becomes increasingly sick. It is at this point that he begins to question whether she is even a real person or some sort of muse sent to him from the heavens. The story continues to take mystical turns causing Martin to question his perceptions of reality. Meanwhile, the local plumber, played by Michael Imperioli of "The Sopranos," brings a lighthearted feel to the plot as he deals with his own muse played by Sophia Auster, Paul Auster's daughter.
His prior film credits include "Lulu on the Bridge" and "Smoke," in which Auster drew a parallel to his latest film pointing out that both works revolve around storytelling. While "The Inner Life of Martin Frost" explored the whimsical power of storytelling, "Smoke" looked more into the sentiment of our own day-to-day prose.
"A novel is a continuous narration told in the third dimension … a screen play is more two dimensional and the script is a bit of a jigsaw puzzle where you're piecing thoughts and dialogue together to make it fit," Auster said. He added that he currently has no plans for a next movie.
While on campus, DUTV taped an interview with Auster, which will air March 14 at 8 p.m.
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