Listen to Me Marlon is a 2015 British documentary film written, directed and edited by Stevan Riley about the movie star and iconic actor Marlon Brando.[4][5]

Listen to Me Marlon
U.S. theatrical release poster
Directed byStevan Riley
Written byStevan Riley
Peter Ettedgui
Produced byJohn Battsek
R. J. Cutler
George Chignell
StarringMarlon Brando
Edited byStevan Riley
Music byStefan Wesołowski
Production
companies
Passion Pictures
Cutler Productions
Distributed byShowtime Films[1]
Release date
Running time
95 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom[2]
LanguageEnglish
Box officeUS$516,337[3]

Release

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On July 29, 2015, Listen to Me Marlon was released theatrically in the United States; screening in over 140 cities during a ten-week run. The film was nominated for a Gotham Award.[6]

Reception

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Box office

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Listen to Me Marlon grossed £47,869[7] (US$70,558) in the United Kingdom and $445,779 in other territories, for a total worldwide gross of $516,337.[8]

Critical response

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Upon its premiere in 2015, the film received positive reviews from critics. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 96% based on 102 reviews, with an average rating of 8.0/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Listen to Me Marlon offers a fascinating look at the inner life of a Hollywood icon, told in his own words."[9]

The Village Voice called it "a masterpiece"[10] and David Edelstein lists it as "the greatest, most searching documentary of an actor ever put on film."[11] According to Vanity Fair, it "is a compelling documentary about Marlon Brando compiled entirely from private audio tapes the actor recorded at home, in business meetings, during hypnosis, in therapy, and during press interviews."[12]

Variety writes Brando's "complexity is limned as well as a documentary possibly could manage... Made with the full cooperation of the Brando estate, the pic is a superbly crafted collage whose soundtrack is as complexly textured as the curation and editing of visual elements."[13] As Rolling Stone summed it up: "You want Brando Confidential? Fine, you've got it."[14]

Accolades

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References

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  1. ^ Review: 'Listen to Me Marlon' Explores Brando's Life of Contention-New York Times
  2. ^ Screen International. Retrieved November 16, 2019
  3. ^ "Listen to Me Marlon". Box office Mojo. July 29, 2015. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  4. ^ SHOWTIME
  5. ^ Listen to Me Marlon | Behind the Scenes | SHOWTIME Marlon Brando Documentary on official YouTube channel
  6. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (October 22, 2015). "'Diary Of A Teenage Girl' Leads Gotham Independent Film Award Nominations – Full List". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
  7. ^ "BFI: Weekend 01-03 January 2016 UK box office report". British Film Institute. January 2016. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  8. ^ "Listen to Me Marlon". Box office Mojo. July 29, 2015. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  9. ^ "Listen to Me Marlon". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  10. ^ Marsh, Calum (March 18, 2015). "The New Directors/New Films Series Offers the Year's Best". The Village Voice. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
  11. ^ Edelstein, David (July 25, 2015). "Listen to Me Marlon Is a Searching Documentary in Brando's Own Words". New York. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
  12. ^ Miller, Julie "A Sundance Filmmaker Attempts to Explain Marlon Brando in the Enigmatic Icon's Own Words", Vanity Fair. 23 January 2015
  13. ^ Harvey, Dennis "Sundance Film Reviews: Listen to Me Marlon", Variety. 31 January 2015
  14. ^ "25 Must-See Movies at Sundance 2015: No.1 - Listen to Me Marlon", Rolling Stone. January 2015.
  15. ^ "15 DOCUMENTARY FEATURES ADVANCE IN 2015 OSCAR® RACE | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". oscars.org. Retrieved October 25, 2018.
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