People who are “extremely online” will understand what it means to be the internet’s main character of the day/week. This week, it feels like Taika Waititi is one of the internet’s main characters. People have been climbing up his ass all week and I’m not entirely sure why. It definitely feels like there’s been a shift, in recent months, in how Taika is perceived. He went from art-house god to Marvel guy and Oscar-winning screenwriter, and currently people think the luster has worn off. He recently had some milquetoast stuff to say about the WGA strike and people climbed all over him for that. Currently, he’s on the new cover of the Hollywood Reporter, all to promote his latest directorial effort, Next Goal Wins. In the THR piece, he suggests that “no one” knows the name of the director of Casablanca. This has been all over Film Twitter for days.
Before he became a global acting-writing-directing star with an Oscar and a Marvel résumé, Waititi, a Maori-Jewish filmmaker from New Zealand, found community in the U.S. among Native American filmmakers like Harjo. “One of the things we all connected on was our disdain for how we appear onscreen in white productions,” says Waititi. “Indigenous characters, they’re always stoic. They’re always the people who talk to trees and play flutes on mountaintops. They’re never funny, they’re never normal. Nerd has not been a choice. Or dorky. Where are the dorky Natives?”
Waititi has managed to preserve the showmanship and silliness of his condo dance-off days, even as he has seen the stakes of his career raised. “I’m 47,” he says. “My God, take the pressure off. People are so obsessed with likes or leaving behind a legacy, being remembered. Here’s the thing: No one’s going to remember us. What’s the name of the director of Casablanca? Arguably one of the greatest films of all time. No one knows his name. How the f–k do I expect to be remembered? So who cares? Let’s just live, make some movies. They’ll be obsolete and irrelevant in 15 or 20 years. And so will I, and then I’ll die and someone else can do it. This whole idea of chasing, chasing, chasing this life. It’s like, do we have to actually work this hard? Maybe not.”
Waititi’s wit is a Trojan horse for exploring issues like antisemitism and colonialism. “Comedy is a great way of pulling people in and going, ‘Hey, we’re all friends. Get comfortable. You’re racist,’ ” he says. Humor with sociopolitical themes has its pitfalls, however. “People check themselves and they go, ‘Am I allowed to laugh at this?’ ” he says. “They have to google if they’re allowed to. And sometimes you shouldn’t laugh at some stuff. You’ve got to navigate it.” On Jojo Rabbit, some audiences felt uncomfortable with the idea of a Holocaust comedy. “People were really unsure if they should laugh until about 20 minutes into the film,” he says. “One issue they had was like, ‘Well, I wish I’d known that I was allowed to laugh.’ Another issue was, ‘I wish I’d known that he was Jewish before I went in.’”
So… I’ll admit it, I didn’t know who directed Casablanca either, off the top of my head. It was directed by Michael Curtiz. Which kind of proves Taika’s point – I’m a film buff and I’ve seen Casablanca a half-dozen times, and I didn’t know/remember the director’s name. Besides, I think his larger point is that unless you create some huge legacy as a filmmaker – a Spielberg, a Hitchcock, a Tarantino – most people aren’t going to remember you, so why are you killing yourself in the name of art? Why not spend more time with your family? Granted, Taika is coming across like a dude who is going through a midlife crisis, but that’s been true for several years now. Anyway!
michael curtiz. jewish hungarian who lived in abject poverty until theater school, then served in WWI until he was wounded and got noticed for directing red cross docs. he would likely have a hard time forgetting the name of the man who directed the-nazis-but-cute movie. https://t.co/CL2qD22qJN
— Chris Cabin (@Crabin) June 1, 2023
Taika Waititi spending the day getting kicked around film Twitter because he made the inarguable point that most people don’t know who directed CASABLANCA is why you never start a sentence with “Nobody” or “Everyone”
— Sam Adams (@SamuelAAdams) June 1, 2023
"Man, I can't wait for the strike to be over. As a WGA member, I can't wait for us to get the thing that we want" – @TaikaWaititi jokes about the #WritersStrike during his keynote speech at THR's #RaisingOurVoices event pic.twitter.com/FUh8NK2itl
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) May 31, 2023
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, cover courtesy of THR.
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- LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – MAY 31: New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi arrives at The Hollywood Reporter 2nd Annual ‘Raising Our Voices’ Event held at the Audrey Irmas Pavilion on May 31, 2023 in Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 780588373, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Taika Waititi, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon
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- LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – MAY 31: New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi arrives at The Hollywood Reporter 2nd Annual ‘Raising Our Voices’ Event held at the Audrey Irmas Pavilion on May 31, 2023 in Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 780588478, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Taika Waititi, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon
Taika is right but also: that’s how it should be. A great movie stands on its own.
And honestly, some of these modern auteur directors are so drunk on their own koolaid that they have no sense of restraint as artists and filmmakers.
I keep TCM on my favorite channel list. Michael Curtiz have directed some of the best films ever. His resume is amazing and I think I have watched most of his films.
I always pay attention to credits because those are the folks responsible for the visuals and dialog we see and hear on the screen.
Every classic film buff knows who Michael Curtiz is even if they don’t know every single film he directed. And when it comes to the classics, I admit most of us remember the onscreen performances first. Bogart and Bergman, not to mention Raines, will never die.
I keep cable solely for TCM and I absolutely know who directed it. meanwhile, I only know who this guy is from this site and I have no idea what he’s been in/made. I do know his girlfriend/wife from X factor.
Me, too, I’m a big credit reader–from the opening all the way through the AMPAS logo.
Jojo Rabbit isn’t remotely a “Nazis but cute” movie and I’m going to guess that that guy linked above not only hasn’t actually seen the movie, but doesn’t know Taika is Jewish. Bullshit gotcha attempt. Did he have the same commentary about the time Mel Brooks dressed as Hitler to sing in To Be or Not To Be? Or the whole “Springtime for Hitler” bit in The Producers?
People find him grating because his attitude is similar to that of Taylor Swift’s bf, that brand of lolz and sarcasm that would like to be so avantgarde but is infuriating in times dominated by bigotry and attacks to our fundamental rights, when there’s very little that can be found funny.
Like Matty, he’s the kind of guy to be super nasty and then go Oh if you get offended you’re mental!
Not gonna lie, it’s a little off putting that you’re comparing a Jewish man of color to someone who makes racist, antisemitic remarks though.
I really don’t think we can compare the two.
Waititi really seems to have a midlife crisis, but he did load to help Indigenous People.
Without him, and his name, we might never have gotten the jewel that is Reservation Dogs.
As a Métisse, I highly respect what he is doing.
This man has quite the ego.
Casablanca is a classic.
Can he say any of his movies will be watched in 60 years?
That was his point.
Yeah, but I think HeyKay’s point was, we’re still watching Casablanca over 60 years on.
Uh, that’s what he said.
I don’t like him. For a variety of reasons. That’s all I’ve got
I think he’s a genuine talent and is legitimately great at using comedy to attack serious issues, but I think he’s flawed like anybody else in the world, which gets exacerbated with fame and money. The internet just puts an insane amount of pressure on their favorites to be perfect.
This being said, it was not lost on me that his first marriage ended right as his fame shot up. That’s always a little revealing, IMO. I’m also somewhat critical of the low amount of female characters and how they’re portrayed in his films.
His comments about working and legacy are interesting considering he is married to a woman who is constantly Trying. So. Hard. She has a fine voice, she should enjoy her work. But the level of trying is beyond. His comments intrigue me because I wonder how that plays out between them.
I really like what he’s saying here. It’s a very freeing thought. It’s good to step out of the ratrace and pursue things because they make you happy instead of giving you accolades and financial gain.
I agree. We’ve seen him floundering over the last few years with his new level of success. I can’t imagine that jump from indie films to Marvel, but clearly he went a little nuts. This all sounds like he’s learned to let go. This is something I feel like I’ve learned myself over the pandemic years.
Agreed. Artistic legacies, inheritances, famous names–they come and go. And there are any number of folks who realize after a lifetime of scrabbling for these things that they are transitory and don’t really matter in the long run. I used to be incredibly envious of some celebrities/artists–my inner dialogue would invariably run “Damn, some people have every frickin’ thing.” But everything is not everything, and the question should be are these people actually happy. I love to write fiction and may never publish anything (outside of my full-time gig.) But the hours I’ve spent writing are some of the happiest of my life. And it’s always the most “successful” people who realize that success isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, either. Waititi has been big long enough to see the downside–and how that stuff can take over your life unless you know what else you value.
Michael Curtiz was an incredibly prolific director in many different genres, very influential, introduced new stars and worked with many of the top stars in Hollywood. He didn’t just direct Casablanca, he won an Oscar for it. He did create a huge legacy from silent movies on, but time goes forward.
In 90 years, many other directors will be buried, too, including Spielberg. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pursue your passion while you’re still alive. I don’t get this, “nobody will remember me in 20 years, so why kill myself now.” Who asked him to kill himself working? If he wants to take it easy, that’s fine – he should live how he wants.
Curtiz is one of those directors who did a variety of different genres very well. And he was not an artist whose name was identified with a main masterpiece, like Welles with Citizen Kane. As well, directors like him are often critically underrated because their style is workmanlike and doesn’t have a distinct “vision.” Even when the auteur theory was at its height, guys like Curtiz never got the attention folks like Von Stroheim and Hitchcock did.
I really loved “What We Do In The Shadows,” and I especially liked his sweetly dorky character. Taika 2023 is such a tryhard. He and Rita grate on my nerves.
Still endeared by his chaotic energy. He’s been a little less extra lately, which makes it go down better.
I think he can be kind of insufferable at times. He was giving Lin Manuel vibes a bit for a while there.
That said… I’m dying for more Our Flag Means Death.
I love him. I also love he and Rita Ora as a couple.
He irritates me for no reason that I can really put my finger on. Florence Pugh does the same. But I’m in a minority!
I knew it was Michael Curtiz, but then I love old films (from the 1920’s on).
I’ve always liked him. I loved the first film of his that I saw. I think it was called Boy. It was terrific. And I love the sweater he’s wearing.
Boy was incredible and Taika would have to become eons more annoying/ problematic for me to stop loving him for putting that art into the world.
I’m a fan who has been extremely turned off by his antics in recent years, but I think the people criticizing him for these comments are finding fault with nothing. He’s just talking about learning not to be too hard on himself and to do his work without driving himself mad. How is ‘I’ve learned perspective’ a narcissistic message?
Off the of my head I can think of one older film in which Native Americans were depicted as Human Beings: Little Big Man.
Try Smoke Signals, as I commented just below.
No dorky or funny Natives? Guess he never saw Smoke Signals.
Forever love Smoke Signals. I’ll also forever love Reservation Dogs. It’s nice to feel seen and to see scenes that reflect your experiences. Yes, we can name a few exceptions, but that kind of proves his point. They’re exceptions.
I’m no Taika stan, but I don’t see any issues with the quotes excerpted here
Rita is extra, but I still see them as a good match. I loved when they were on the red carpet and he was re-arranging the folds of her cape on the floor. Just yes. He adores her.
I’d say pretty much everyone in film who actually gives two shits about being qualified for their job knows the craftsman of the perfect movie is Michael Curtiz. He directed Casablanca, Mildred Pierce, Robin Hood, White Christmas, multiple entries in the race for top greatest films ever, some say he’s the most versatile director ever. This is such a weird comment. Most people might not know Millard Fillmore but that doesn’t mean he’s obsolete. They have indelible places in history, Taika’s a future Trivial Pursuit clue. He seems to be reaching to put himself with the likes of Curtiz by saying he’ll be just as great and forgotten too with this. My goodness. What a name to pick.
You’re missing his point. The vast majority of the public do not remember who the director of possibly the most beloved film of all time is. That film being Casablanca. Of course people in the film industry and golden age film buffs do; but they aren’t the public at large. Casablanca is widely considered to be one of the best, if not the best, movies of all time. People reference it still. And yet most people don’t know who directed it and they aren’t aware of his career at large.
Taika is saying: if that is the case for someone like Michael Curtiz, who directed Casa-bloody-blanca, then why am I getting my knickers in a knot about my legacy; because there is no chance I will be remembered. I should just have fun and make what I want to make without getting too worked up about how I will be remembered and my legacy.
He is neither deriding Michael Curtiz nor likening himself to Curtiz. He’s using the greatness of the man to demonstrate how futile it would be for him to make a legacy for himself.
What will keep Taiki in my mind for the rest of my life is that he came up with the idea of Hitler as the boy’s imaginary friend in JoJo Rabbit. I was so astonished to learn that it wasn’t part of the book. The movie would have been grim and depressing without that!
I didn’t know who the director of Casablanca was and still won’t after I close this post and give myself a couple of minutes.
I intensely disliked the way he cheated on his wife with an assistant. He’s made a couple of awful tweets on Twitter, one that was racist and another that was fatphobic. But nothing about this is remotely problematic. The comments I’ve seen over on Twitter bashing him for an innocuous comment like this – or his writers strike comments (when he’s clearly supporting the strike) – then they’re telling on themselves frankly.