Film School Radio hosted by Mike Kaspar

Listen to Me Marlon, Director Stevan Riley

Listen to Me Marlon film poster I

Marlon Brando was one of the most acclaimed and influential actors of all time. He also was one of the most elusive and enigmatic. Featuring exclusive access to Brando’s previously unseen and unheard personal archive, including hundreds of hours of audio, Listen to Me Marlon sheds light on the artist and the man. Charting Brando’s exceptional career and extraordinary personal life with the actor himself as guide, the film explores his complexities, telling the story entirely in his own voice. No talking heads, no interviewees: just Brando on Brando. Unbeknownst to the public, Marlon Brando created a vast archive of personal audio materials over the course of his lifetime.  Now – for the first time – those audio recordings come to life in Listen To Me Marlon.  Charting his exceptional career as an actor and his extraordinary life away from the stage and screen, the film reveals the complexities and contradictions that were Marlon Brando by telling the story in his own words. Director Stevan Riley drops by to talk about how his unique approach allows us to dive into the inner space of Brando’s mind through the illuminating use of archival material. The result shows not how different he was from the rest of us but rather how similar.

For news and updates go to: sundance.org/projects/listen-to-me-marlon

Listen To Me Marlon opens in Los Angeles on Friday, July 31st at The Landmark followed by a national rollout.

“A masterpiece. Astonishing. Restores to Brando his rightful genius.  Director Stevan Riley approaches documentary form with the same ebullience and vigor that defines Brando’s acting, whipping his archival footage into a frenzy of sound and movement.  The result is electrifying.” – Calum Marsh, Village Voice

“The man, the Method and possibly the madness can all be seen – and heard – in Listen To Me Marlon, an intimate, impressionistic portrait of Marlon Brando partly told through his own words… Mr. Brando comes searchingly alive. The visuals – a seamless blend of moving and still material – are swell, but it’s that singular voice that carries this movie.” – Manohla Dargis, The New York Times

“Remarkable…An enthrallingly intimate look at the brilliant, troubled and always charismatic screen legend.” – Todd McCarthy, The Hollywood Reporter