Justin Kurzel On 'True History Of The Kelly Gang,' Reflecting On 'Assassin's Creed' & More [The Fourth Wall #17]

Heading into 2016, no director showed more promise than Justin Kurzel. After shocking audiences with his disturbing and intimate examination of the Snowtown Murders in 2011's "Snowtown," the filmmaker instantly became one of Australia's exciting new voices. This excitement only amplified following his striking adaptation of Shakespeare's "Macbeth" starring Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard. Personifying the playwright's own words of "sound and fury" with fire and blood, Kurzel created a visual mood poem that solidified his mastery over cinematic grammar. Kurzel's continued exploration of "outlaws" paired with "Macbeth's" astonishing visuals and primal action sequences positioned him nicely for a successful adaptation of the popular video game franchise "Assassin's Creed." Sadly (while I enjoyed and defend that film),  the film was met with harsh criticism. At the time, Kurzel was living in London and the failure of "Assassin's" paired with a detachment from Australia caused the filmmaker to feel a bit lost. It was during this period of soul searching and missing home that Kurzel found Peter Carey's novel, "True History of the Kelly Gang."

"True History," both the novel and Kurzel's film, tells the story of famed Australian bushranger turned legend Ned Kelly (George MacKay) and his gang as they oppose British rule and flee from the authorities during the 1870s. As opposed to more historical examinations of Kelly, "True History" is a fictitious interpretation told through the perspective of the infamous outlaw himself. It's precisely this lens that grabbed hold of Kurzel in a way the legend from his childhood hadn't before allowing him to return to his filmmaking roots.

During my conversation with director Justin Kurzel, we not only discuss his relationship with Ned Kelly but delve into his fascination with morally gray characters. We also discuss how Kurosawa, Béla Tarr, Gus Van Sant's "Elephant," and Scorsese's originally storyboards for "Raging Bull" helped shape his filmmaking sensibilities, how Ted Kotcheff's "Wake in Fright" influenced "True History," his experience making "Assassin's Creed," why "Joker" inspired him, and much more.