Oscar-winning filmmaker Jane Campion joins The Letterboxd Show for a very special episode, marking the 20th anniversary of one of Gemma Gracewood’s Four Favorites: In the Cut (2003). Campion’s erotic thriller stars height-of-her-fame box office darling Meg Ryan and pre-Hulk, pre-13 Going on 30 Mark Ruffalo as a literary professor and a detective, respectively, who dive headlong into a red-hot sexual romance, while a serial killer is on the loose in New York City.

In the Cut received an infamous CinemaScore ‘F’ grade on release, with many major critics panning the film. But the Letterboxd average rating has only grown over the years as the misunderstood noir masterpiece finds its audience at last. Now, with a new uncut director’s cut Blu-ray on the market, Gemma reads Campion some thirsty Letterboxd reviews and gets the goods from Jane about her favorite sex scenes, intimacy coordination, earning trust with actors, what it really means to win an Oscar, and why the structures of filmmaking need to change.

Credits: Recorded in New Zealand. Edited by Slim. Editorial producer: Brian Formo. Production manager: Sophie Shin. Special thanks to Stuart McKenzie. The Letterboxd Show and Weekend Watchlist are TAPEDECK productions.

The songs in this episode are from the soundtrack for In the Cut: Pink Martini’s cover of Que Sera Sera, and Betty Everett’s You’re No Good.

Lists & Links:

List of movies mentioned

In the Cut uncut director’s cut Blu-ray from Mill Creek Entertainment.

Reviews of In the Cut by Jeffrey Chen, Jaime Rebenal, Mia Vicino, Kanane and Sophie Shin.