Unfiltered: The Mike Figgis Podcast

After Leaving Las Vegas became a surprise hit, Mike was a hot name in Hollywood. He talks to writer Josh Karp about the bizarre ritual of the Oscars ceremony, his brief entry into the Hollywood club, and why he ultimately decided not to pursue big budget studio movies.

More recollections of Leaving Las Vegas, this time focusing on the cast, the feel of the movie, and the three-week shoot. Mike talks to writer Josh Karp about what it was like working with Nicholas Cage, Elisabeth Shue and a dream list of actors in smaller parts, as well as battles to maintain the film’s iconic sound, and shooting a movie in a city that didn’t want them there. 

Mike talks about how bad experiences in the Hollywood studio system led to his decision to make Leaving Las Vegas. The film was made with a small budget and crew, from a book that he thought was unadaptable at first read.He talks to writer Josh Karp about what drove him to independent cinema and how the classic movie came together.

Mike continues his conversation with legendary editor and sound designer Walter Murch. They talk about Murch’s sound work on THX 1138 and Apocalypse Now, surround sound, editing in a foreign language, and some of the early movies that shaped him.Walter Murch’s new book is called Suddenly Something Clicked: The Languages of Film Editing and Sound Design.

Three-time Oscar winner Walter Murch (The Godfather Trilogy, Apocalypse Now, The English Patient) joins Mike Figgis to talk about a lifetime spent reinventing how films are cut, heard, and felt, from his early experiments in sound design to the insights behind his new book Suddenly Something Clicked.

In our third and final installment of Mike’s reflections from the set of Megalopolis, he talks to writer Josh Karp about what goes into editing a massive project like MEGADOC. He shares stories about how he learned to edit, his sometimes tense relationship with other editors on Hollywood projects, and insights on how the documentary industry has changed the craft.