# The Twentieth Century (2019)

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/gibop-4683696/the-twentieth-century-2019-2
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/gibop-4683696/the-twentieth-century-2019-2.md
Podcast: [gibop](https://stenobird.com/podcast/gibop-4683696)
Published: 2026-04-27T17:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/chill-phil/episodes/The-Twentieth-Century-2019-e3dqult
Audio file: https://anchor.fm/s/6157478c/podcast/play/114178173/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-0-18%2F4707b388-fa28-bbc6-1fb5-08dc58548f74.mp3
Processing state: processed
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/gibop-4683696/episodes/the-twentieth-century-2019-2
Duration seconds: 5428

## Resource

Director Matthew Rankin and actor Dan Beirne provide a behind-the-scenes commentary on the surrealist Canadian film 'The Twentieth Century'. They explore the production's experimental approach to casting, set design, and historical myth-making.

## Highlights
- Main idea: The film utilizes a 'school play' approach to casting, prioritizing spiritual fit over gender or ethnic binaries
- Practical takeaway: Shooting in chronological sequence helped the lead actor manage the heavy workload of appearing in nearly every scene
- Failure mode: Overly complex costume pieces, like a specific medallion, can create significant continuity challenges for the crew
- Creative insight: The production embraced 'raw and impure' aesthetics, intentionally abandoning cinematic gloss for a more visceral texture
- Historical context: Many elements of the film, including specific character inspirations, are rooted in the real-life eccentricities of Mackenzie King

## Topics

Canadian Cinema, Surrealism, Film Production, Mackenzie King, Experimental Filmmaking, Costume Design, Cinematography, Historical Drama

## Chapters
- 1:00 — Setting the Tone: The creators discuss the unusual decision to shoot the film's opening scene first and the historical basis for the character of Charlotte.
- 8:00 — The Art of the Set: A look at the highly stylized set design and the technical challenges of executing complex tracking shots.
- 21:00 — Experimental Casting: The discussion of 'intergender casting' and the philosophy of casting for character essence rather than physical stereotypes.
- 41:00 — Surrealist Elements: Exploring the use of mirrors, rollerblades, and the integration of absurd visual motifs into the narrative.
- 55:00 — Sound and Atmosphere: How radical, metaphoric sound design serves to bridge the gap between reality and surrealism.
- 1:08:00 — Cinematography and Chaos: The difficulties of filming without large monitors and the 'daredevil' nature of the cinematography.
- 1:21:00 — Identity and Reflection: Reflecting on the film's themes of identity through the use of mirrors and the physical toll of the production.

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## Transcript

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