R.J. Cutler has joined the conversation. Following the release of the Netflix documentary “Martha” on October 30, Martha Stewart criticized the director for employing unflattering camera angles and omitting significant aspects of her life. However, Cutler remains unfazed by the 83-year-old’s critique.
“It wasn’t unexpected that she might envision a different film than the one I created, naturally,” the 62-year-old stated on the Wednesday episode of “The Town with Matthew Belloni” podcast. “She provided her feedback, and she was displeased that I didn’t implement the changes she desired. But this is part of the filmmaking process.”
Cutler added, “It requires immense courage on her side to trust me. I respect that. In return, I share the film with her and engage in discussions about it. If she has ideas that I believe are beneficial and will enhance the film I’m producing, I’m open to good ideas from anyone. Believe me.”
He also humorously mentioned his fantasy of “publishing the text messages she sent me,” noting, “I can assure you that Martha expressed herself thoroughly in her text messages.” Despite her critical feedback, the filmmaker empathized with her concerns.
“It’s extremely challenging to be the subject of such a film and view it with any degree of objectivity,” Cutler explained. “This is a process I comprehend, and you must be empathetic to the subject. However, that doesn’t mean she controls the movie.”
Cutler stated that Stewart “understood the process, and we engaged in it. Martha would have preferred a different response from me to that process, but I didn’t provide it.” He claimed that Martha was not pleased with “how the film evolved over time.”
“I must say, the subjectivity of being Martha Stewart in this context, the vulnerability you experience, must be met with empathy and support. That doesn’t necessitate changes to the film. And that’s what I did. Martha felt the entire film should have a different score, but the score is exceptional.”
Cutler’s remarks came on the same day Stewart expressed interest in making a second film. “Yeah, the documentary is fine. It omitted a lot, so I’m going to discuss with them the possibility of a version 2,” she said during a Wednesday appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”
“There’s much more to my life. I’ve lived a long time, and I just thought maybe we’ve left out some things, so. Good stuff,” Stewart added. Fallon, 50, inquired if she enjoyed “the process” of filming.
“No, I didn’t like it,” she responded. “I don’t enjoy going to psychiatrists and discussing your feelings and all that. And the director was so focused on delving deep.” Fallon replied, “Yes, but that’s what we want to see,” to which Stewart quipped, “I know, but that came out. So good stuff came out. He got some juice.”
The TV personality made these comments after revealing her true feelings about the doc during an interview with The New York Times. “Those final scenes with me looking like a lonely old lady walking hunched over in the garden? I told him to remove those. And he refused,” Stewart confessed. “But again, he [R.J.] doesn’t even mention why — that I can endure that and still work seven days a week.”
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