Cruise and McQuarrie Films
Cruise and McQuarrie are two guys who totally understand the theatrical experience and know the best way for it to survive is to just make great movies.
And I think that's why they work so well together.
At the heart of their collaboration is a continuous process of storytelling and adventure. McQuarrie is candid about his philosophy of creating "mass entertainment", a sentiment echoed by Cruise.
They're making emotional and accessible movies that resonate with a wide audience, rather than exclusive cinematic experiences.
And I think that's pretty awesome.
When they steer toward practical filmmaking, the pair shares anecdotes about their resourcefulness and problem-solving skills, such as staging a compelling car chase with limited resources for Reacher and landing a helicopter in London's Trafalgar Square for Edge of Tomorrow.
These stories highlight their commitment to pushing boundaries and questioning perceived limitations, exemplified by the daring A400 aircraft sequence in Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, where Tom hangs off a plane taking off in the film's opening scene.
Cruise and McQuarrie say that each film is a learning experience, with lessons from previous projects influencing not only action sequences but also narrative structure and character development.
And their work together gives them a shorthand, so they can problem solve with each other and actually work quickly because they know each other so well.
A key aspect of their process is understanding and engaging the audience, aiming to draw viewers into the characters' world. They acknowledge the unpredictable nature of audience reactions and stress the importance of clear and effective communication.
They have distinct things they want people to feel, so they are working hard to figure out how to get people into the theaters and how to get them to come back.
In order to explain this, they talk about the underwater sequence from Final Reckoning, which is pretty astounding. It's suspenseful and full of tension. And the dynamic elements of it keep you on the edge of your seat.
What I loved the most about this video was in that moment, Cruise underscores their focus on their intentions as filmmakers.
Summing It Up
All in all, this was an eye-opening interview with these two guys. It made me appreciate their collaboration and look forward to everything else they get to do together.
Let me know what you think in the comments.
