Charli XCX takes center stage at The Roxy Cinema this June. The artist just released her sixth album, brat. To celebrate, she’s programmed a special series – the brat collection. It features a diverse list of must-see films, mostly in 35MM! Roxy Cinema Director Illyse Singer interviewed Charli ahead of the film series and before she joins us LIVE on Monday, June 10th for a pre-film Q&A at the 7PM screening of PARTY MONSTER. (starring Macaulay Culkin, Seth Green & Chloe Sevigny) At the 2nd screening of PARTY MONSTER at 9:30PM, 3 lucky fans will have a chance to win a pair of ticket’s to Charli’s Brooklyn concert! (must be in attendance to win)
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What was your first cinematic experience? When did movies really make an impression on you?
I remember my gran took me to see the adventures of Pinocchio at Harlow cinema when I was really young. It was a live action version of Pinocchio and I just remember feeling really overwhelmed by the size of the screen and the amount of people on it. We actually left half way through because I got too scared. I think definitely pre teens and in my early teens movies would start to really make an impression on me. I’d watch movies and always fantasize about playing the role of the cool girl or the villain – probably because most of the time growing up I felt kind of like a loser.
What was your favorite movie growing up?
I went through phases. Obviously there was a big spice world phase – what a movie. I remember loving Sugar and Spice, this movie about a group of high school cheerleaders who rob a bank to get money to support their pregnant friend. Then drop dead gorgeous. Then I started dating goth boys and aspiring film directors so I got a bit more of the goth boy film nerd education, like ishi the killer and lost boys and akira and stuff. Then I went to art school and had a trash humpers phase… there were lots of phases and lots of movies.
Why did you choose the films in this series? What do they mean to you?
Well they all have a brat like energy to them. I’m not really inspired by other music when I make my albums. I’m more inspired by an atmosphere or a feeling or a persona. To me character and personality is the backbone to good music and artistry. If there’s no persona there’s just a song. It’s 2 dimensional, it’s flat. So all of these films in some way link to the world of brat. Whether it’s Suzanne Stone’s extreme desire for attention in To Die For or the story of rivalry and lust between musicians in The Velvet Goldmine, the Marie’s in daisies brat coded behavior or the biggest most ridiculous party of all time in Project X there are things in there that directly link to the energy of brat.
Does film play a role in your creation of music?
Absolutely. Film inspires world building and that’s so crucial for me and my work to provide a depth to each of the songs.
How involved are you in creating your music videos?
Very. I have a super specific vision and I choose to work with directors who I know will totally understand my perspective and be willing to spar with me back and forth to get the best end product possible. With the Von Dutch video I knew it had to be made with torso. If I couldn’t have done it with them I wouldn’t have done the video. The way they work with equipment, the rigs they use, the way they’re willing to move the camera and explore any possibility to make things as extreme as possible – that was super important to me. Von Dutch needed to feel like a full on action movie with me as the attacker and the camera as my opponent. I was in Paris and I met the torso guys and I started filming a load of stuff on my iPhone in my hotel room: me stomping on top of my phone, the phone upskirting me, me throwing the phone up in the air and it landing on the ground and me spitting into the camera… all this stuff that torso eventually figured out how to include in the video in an even more extreme way. We were referencing La Femme Nikita for camera movement and M3ghan for my movement haha. It was so brilliant shooting with them. They just totally got it.
And for 360, that was very much inspired by the energy of daisies. Just this idea of the world being shit so just be a brat. I love that concept. Obviously in daisies it’s coming from a much more political angle but there’s a punk ethos that still runs through the video. And I knew Aiden zamiri would be perfect for this because I just love how his work looks and he’s funny and understands humor in cinema. He understands why it’s great for me to be on a wobbling work out machine in no bra pouring red wine over myself… he just gets it.
Do you watch a lot of movies on tour?
I like watching movies at home or in the cinema or on the plane. But on tour I’m just mostly sleeping or eating or partying or being hungover.
Do you enjoy watching movies alone or in a theatre with a group?
I do have a group of friends who I normally go to the cinema with. They all in some way work in film or in a creative industry so sometimes I can’t quite handle the immediate debate as soon as we step out of the theatre because I like to digest films before I start talking about how I feel about them. But it’s fun to go in a group for sure.
Who is your favorite director?
The teen girl in me obviously love Sofia Coppola. Lick the star is still one of the coolest. I love Gregg Araki, Michael Haneke, Abel Ferrara, Sebastian Silva, Kristoffer Borgli, Hamaguchi and of course Gaspar is king.
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the brat collection at Roxy Cinema:
Based on the true story of Michael Alig, a Club Kid party organizer who bragged on television about killing his drug dealer and roommate.
After realizing that all world is spoiled, Marie and Marie are committed to be spoiled themselves. They rip off older men, feast in lavish meals and do all kinds of mischief. But what is all this leading to?
In 1984, British journalist Arthur Stuart investigates the career of 1970s glam superstar Brian Slade, who was heavily influenced in his early years by hard-living and rebellious American singer Curt Wild.
A 20-something, irresponsible party girl is bailed out of jail by her librarian godmother. To repay the loan, she starts working at the library and gradually turns her life around.
Suzanne Stone (Nicole Kidman) is a weather reporter at her small-town cable station, but she dreams of being a big-time news anchor. However, she feels that her middle-class husband (Matt Dillon) is holding her back, so she decides to have him murdered.
Three high-school seniors throw a birthday party to make a name for themselves. As the night progresses, things spiral out of control as word of the party spreads.
A Cross the Universe is a documentary following the French EDM duo Justice touring North America.
*Charli also wanted to include WILD CHILD, HUMAN TRAFFIC, MODULATIONS, BASIC INSTINCT, YANNICK, and INTIMATE CONFESSIONS OF A CHINESE COURTESAN. Due to rights challenges, we weren’t able to show these films but we agree with her that you should check them out!
