Interview: Filmmaker Paul Schrader Discusses Still Finding New Challenges with ‘Oh, Canada’

Paul Schrader has a singular point of view, that much is sure. Sometimes, people really enjoy his works. Other times, not so much. The same goes for his comments put out into social media. I, like most folks, can be hit or miss with Schrader. When he hits, obviously early on with his Martin Scorsese collaborations, or more recently with The Card Counter (reviewed here), they’re affecting works. Regardless, you always know you’re in his hands when a story of his is unspooling, and that’s an interesting comfort. Now on the festival circuit with a new film in Oh, Canada, the drama represents a grapple with aging that he’s never really examined before. It’s fueled the artists here in the back end of his career. Recently, we hopped on Zoom for a chat about the movie. Today, that discussion comes your way.

Below, you can hear my conversation with Schrader. Notoriously freely spoken, he didn’t disappoint, though I don’t think he said anything controversial. He certainly has a utilitarian view of actors in some cases, but for me, the most interesting tidbit was that he told me how he originally asked Bruce Springsteen to compose the film’s score. It didn’t work out, but imagine that? That really would have been something. The movie is still a very unique entry into his filmography, while making perfect sense as a work of his. I’ll have a review next month when it opens, but hot off of a screening at AFI Fest, he and I discussed the flick. Take a listen.

Here now is my interview with Oh, Canada filmmaker Paul Schrader. Enjoy:

Oh, Canada hits theaters on December 6th!