The Conversation

For “Voyeur” July, we’re talking one-on-one about The Conversation (1974) through the lenses of surveillance and seclusion, Gene Hackman and Walter Murch, Catholic guilt and cool jazz. From its bird’s eye opening to the obliterative final shots, we get into the nuts and bolts of Francis Ford Coppola’s “personal” post-Godfather film and what it means to watch, fixate, deduce, mishear, and, despite everything, to long to be seen.

Some stuff we reference: Walter Murch’s “Rule of Six” for editors, Koraljka Suton’s piece for Cinephilia & Beyond, and this terrific 1974 interview with Coppola and Brian de Palma for Filmmakers Newsletter.

The Bright Wall/Dark Room Podcast is co-hosted by Veronica Fitzpatrick and Chad Perman and produced and edited by Eli Sands. Our theme music is composed by Chad.

Find all 100+ issues of Bright Wall/Dark Room, including this month’s lookie-look issue, at brightwalldarkroom.com. Please subscribe, rate, and give us a quick review. We’re on Twitter @BWDR and @TheBWDRPodcast, and you’re welcome to show support via our Patreon. We welcome listener feedback and sponsorship inquiries at [email protected].