Interview: ‘The Life of Chuck’ Filmmaker Mike Flanagan Chats About ‘All That Jazz’ and His Magnificent New Movie

Mike Flanagan and Stephen King just pair well together. Of course, up until now, it’s been in the works of horror. However, The Life of Chuck is a very different kind of work. Not only is it moving and uplifting, it showcases a whole new side of Flanagan. It’s a stunning achievement, so I was very eager to talk to him about it. Luckily, we were recently able to do just that. Previously, I spoke to cast members Matthew Lillard (here), Kate Siegel (here), and the duo of Chiwetel Ejiofor and Karen Gillan (here). Today, we wrap up our interviews with Flanagan himself.

In my rave review of the film (here), I had the following to say about his work:

Writer/director Mike Flanagan does the best work of his career here. Whenever a filmmaker goes in a new direction, I’m interested, so this already had my curiosity, even before it took the TIFF People’s Choice Award. He’s a veteran of many King works, though this is his first non-horror foray. This takes nothing away from those films, but this is his masterpiece. So much of the joy here is the surprise with which everything comes together, but Flanagan can make you cry in one instant, while making you howl with laughter the next. A quick moment involving All That Jazz is the hardest I’ve laughed this year. The score by The Newton Brothers perfectly blends with Flanagan’s filmmaking, really bringing out the emotions. The haunting nature of the work, the uplifting nature, and the mastery on display, it all puts Flanagan on a whole new level as an artist.

Below, you can see my chat with Flanagan. Immediately when I saw the scene involving All That Jazz, I knew I needed to ask him about it. His answer doesn’t disappoint, either. He’s genuinely touched by my affection for the flick, which is always nice to see. We didn’t have time for a long conversation, but I do think we made it count, so if you’re still somehow on the fence about seeing his movie, this should do it. The Life of Chuck is a masterpiece, plain and simple. It’s now playing in wide release, so go see it immediately!

Here now is my interview with The Life of Chuck filmmaker Mike Flanagan. Enjoy:

The Life of Chuck is now in theaters everywhere!