Thelma Schoonmaker on sculpting 'Silence' and editing Powell
The legendary editor is sitting in the Midtown Manhattan office where she cut Scorsese's latest, his deeply felt spiritual epic about Jesuit priests in feudal Japan.
The struggle to form and shape "Silence" is still fresh for the 77-year-old three-time Oscar winner, probably the most famous editor in film.
(On Jan. 27, the American Cinema Editors will present her with a lifetime achievement honor.) Questions still linger over the thousands of decisions that led to the final cut, one — like most — reluctantly relinquished rather than absolutely completed.
"Silence," which opened nationwide Jan. 13, is her 20the Scorsese feature as editor.
Since 1980's "Raging Bull," they've been inseparable: one of cinema's great duos.
Scorsese taught the initially untrained Schoonmaker before they became mutual collaborators.
He'd had some experiences where the editor did not want the director in the editing room.
Schoonmaker speaks of editing like sculpture: countless massages that subtly shape a film and its actors' performances.
Without knowing it, Michael taught Marty how to be a filmmaker and then Marty repaid that great gift by bringing him back to the world, which was a beautiful thing to watch.
