WASHINGTON – Richard Linklater just won Best Director at the Golden Globes for “Boyhood,” which also took Best Picture: Drama.
Fans know that Linklater is no stranger to greatness — from “Dazed and Confused” (1993) to the “Before Sunrise” trilogy (1995-2013) — but does Linklater himself even realize the level of genius displayed in his own “Boyhood” masterpiece?
To steal a phrase from another ’90s comedy: he’s so money and he doesn’t even know it.
About two-thirds the way through the movie, there’s a scene where Ethan Hawke’s character gives a birthday gift to his son, Mason. It’s a custom-made compilation album featuring the solo efforts of Paul McCartney, George Harrison, John Lennon and Ringo Starr, essentially “reuniting” the Beatles in an album he calls The Black Album.
On the surface, the scene serves as a touching father-son moment. But if you take a step back and examine its place in the movie, you’ll find something much greater: the four Beatles themes directly foreshadow Mason’s trajectory for the rest of the movie.
Linklater had this Beatles epiphany during a one-on-one interview with WTOP’s Jason Fraley:
“That’s beautiful,” Linklater laughs upon the realization.
Hear the full one-on-one interview by clicking the audio below:
You can read also Jason’s review of “Boyhood” here.
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