The missing behind-the-scenes footage

Ron Howard's best work in 20 years.

——BBC

A first-class psychological thriller and a classic western.

——"Detroit Free Press" This western film is adapted from the novel "The Last Drive" by American writer Thomas Addison. Director Ron Howard is good at shooting grand dramatic films such as "Apollo 13", "Ransom" and "A Beautiful Mind". This film is Howard's first Western film, and it can be said that he has realized his long-cherished wish. In 1976, Howard collaborated with Western movie star John Wayne in "The Outlaw" and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. This made him always have a "western plot" in his mind. He commented on the script of this film: "I have always been a loyal fan of Western movies. Sometimes I will receive some Western scripts from people, but I usually throw them away after turning a few pages, because those The story is nothing new, but I didn’t feel familiar at all when I read this script. It is very original and does not have the disadvantages of plagiarizing the clichéd plots of classic westerns.” Tommy Lee Jones and Cate Blanchett. Both of the two major acting stars gave excellent performances in the film. Cate Blanchett, who plays Maggie, is even more eye-catching. She has a heroic appearance and extraordinary acting skills in the film. Evan Rachel Wood, a 15-year-old rising star who once played the heroine of "13", gave a remarkable performance in the film and showed her unlimited potential.

Emotion + Thriller

Redemption and forgiveness are the eternal themes of the movie, and the same is true for the emotional context of the characters in "Missing". Award-winning gold medal producer Brian Glazer said: "'Missing' tells the story of a broken family. By tracking a group of vicious kidnappers, the family learns tolerance and regains courage. The film's protagonists Jones and Mai The complex father-daughter relationship between Qi increases the tension of the plot. The conflicting two people have to fight side by side for the family, and finally resolve their differences. This exciting plot dynamic is the charm of the film. ”

Ron Howard, who won the Oscar for Best Director and Best Picture for "A Beautiful Mind", believes that "Missing" is known for its characters, and the imperfect protagonists show amazing courage in the face of terrible disasters. In addition to the story's human dimension and gripping plot, the allure of the feminine dimension in "The Missing" was irresistible to Howard. As the father of three daughters, Howard was very interested in the fate of the three female characters in the film's Midwestern setting. In his film career so far, Howard had never made a film that truly explored female characters, so he was drawn to the story. The female subject is deeply attractive.

Producer Daniel Ostrov said: "Whether you are a parent or a child, you will understand the characters in the film and relate to yourself. A woman who has worked hard to raise two daughters alone has once The men who abandoned their families to pursue their dreams and yearned to return years later are actually among us.”

The brutal kidnapping is the catalyst for the film’s story, and Maggie’s long-standing resentment towards Jones is always there. It is at a critical moment that threatens the success or failure of the rescue operation. This kind of unpredictable side effects undoubtedly intensifies the tension of the plot. In addition, the story of the film takes place in New Mexico in 1885, which means there are no telephones, no police, and no one to ask for help. The protagonists can only rely on each other to get out of the predicament, and the unique setting makes this thriller extraordinary.

About the Starring

Jones, played by Tommy Lee Jones, is a complex and stubborn character who is trying to face his past and family in his own way. "This character is unlike any character Tommy has played," Howard said. "His performance combines bravery, creativity and imagination. He portrays Jones as wandering between two worlds, but never being caught between them." Full acceptance of both worlds.”

Jones was able to track down his granddaughter’s whereabouts all thanks to his years of understanding of Apache culture. To perfect his performance, Tommy Lee Jones sought advice from real Apache elders. After months of study and research, he became an expert with a keen interest in Apache culture. Howard praised: "Tommy, who is immersed in enthusiasm and knowledge, is like Tom Hanks when filming "Apollo 13". His input is very valuable, and we are like having another technical consultant."< /p>

When talking about Cate Blanchett, who plays Maggie, producer Brian Grazer said: "Cate is an ideal candidate for this role, as a sexy, funny and superb acting woman. "As an actor, she has a rare inner strength that makes you believe that she can bravely stand up to evildoers." Howard believed that Blanchett's performance played a key role and was full of praise for her commitment and professionalism. To research the character, Blanchett read many first-hand accounts written by pioneer women. She said: "It was a journey into the wilderness, but it also gave birth to a kind of wisdom. Reading their diaries, I was fascinated by their The impact on optimism and female nature attracted Maggie. Due to childhood trauma and the hardship of daily life, Maggie has hidden many female emotions. In that environment, a strong body is more important than the love of a child.

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Original sound reproduction

Howard’s most daring attempt in “The Missing” was to use the language of the Apache tribe. For this purpose, Tommy Lee Jones and all the people who played Apache The Pache actors had to learn the Chiricahua language, and the language was taught by two Apache elders and a university professor who specializes in Native American languages, Jay Tavarre, who plays Caita in the film. Said: "The language of the Apache is one of the most difficult indigenous languages ??to learn. Not only is it difficult to master the pronunciation, but the deviation of the sound isolation position will directly cause semantic changes. "

The actors studied for 11 weeks before the film started and continued to improve during filming. Elbys Hugar, who has compiled two Chiricahua dictionaries, said : “This is a unique opportunity to showcase this language to young people, and most importantly, Chiricahua is an endangered language. When I was a museum director, I taught a class of 50 children, and when I asked who could speak any of the Apache languages, only two raised their hands. ”

About the shooting

Although before this film, cinematographer Salvatore Todino had only shot two movies, "Life Change" and "Sunday Challenge" , but director Howard is very optimistic about his photography style. Howard said: "The most suspenseful movies always make the audience feel the immersive and urgent atmosphere, and Salvatore's works are exactly the same. "

In addition to strictly complying with Howard's requirements, cinematographer Todino also tried innovative framing angles. He said: "Because "Missing" is also a thriller, I hope to break the rules with and a more disturbing approach to this Western. The movement and angle of the camera put the viewer in perspective, so I stayed away from the standard framing and didn't rely on over-the-shoulder shots. I believe that the shooting style should effectively highlight the emotions of the characters and the storyline. ”

With the help of a camera stabilizer and a handheld camera, Todino was free to capture the subtle changes in the actors’ performances, and Howard gave him enough room to play. Whenever Todino had an inspiration, Howard would recompose the shot. The scene was always going to be shot, and this strong creative atmosphere made Todino feel at ease.

During the filming of the film, the crew was tortured by the changeable and extreme weather of New Mexico. During the two-week filming of the important filming location of the film, although it was early spring, the usual ice storms and snowstorms suddenly disappeared. Instead, the temperature suddenly rose and the road suddenly became muddy. Sometimes in one afternoon. , the weather will change from snow, clouds to hail, and eventually it will be clear. During the filming of Zia Pueblo, winds exceeding 65 miles per hour came unexpectedly, and the cast and crew who were caught off guard could not escape the damage. It took Paish Zidin and Eric Schweik three hours to put on the mask each time.

·Before the filming started, many actors not only had to be proficient in riding, but also had to learn how to use 19 proficiently. Guns and bows of the century.

Val Kilmer, who plays a cameo in the film, lives on a farm near where the film was shot.

Sony Classical [USA] soundtrack published by EFilm [USA] digital intermediate ARRIcamera equipment provided by Casting Company, Thecasting Chapman and Leonard Studio Equipmentcranes and dollies Pacific Title [USA] titles Sony Music Soundtrax [USA] soundtrack published by Todd-AO Studios [USA] ] sound post-production