Song Exploder Key Change: Rian Johnson on Wagner's 'Das Rheingold'
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Dec 10, 2025 Rian Johnson, the acclaimed director behind films like Brick and Star Wars: The Last Jedi, dives into the profound influence of Wagner's Das Rheingold on his creative journey. He recalls the overture's powerful opening chord and how it disrupted his writing process, forcing him to prioritize emotional depth over cleverness. Reflecting on his solitary experience at the opera in Paris, Rian connects these themes to his work on The Last Jedi and his latest film, Wake Up Dead Man, highlighting how opera shapes his storytelling.
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Overture That Broke His Next Script
- Rian Johnson saw Das Rheingold alone in Paris and the overture felt like "the birth of everything."
- The emotional impact made his clever sci‑fi idea feel hollow and stalled his writing for years.
Clever Ideas Need Emotional Cores
- The experience revealed that technical cleverness can't substitute for emotional resonance.
- Johnson realized he needed an emotional core, not just a clever premise, to motivate a story.
Marry Plot Tricks To Character Wants
- Do ensure clever mechanics serve a character's emotional stakes, not replace them.
- Make sure audience cares about what a character wants so plot cleverness matters.
