Leonardo DiCaprio: Thrilled to death

Leonardo DiCaprio as Teddy Daniels in Shutter Island. Photo / Supplied

Much baggage and expectation accompanies a Martin Scorsese release, and his latest, Shutter Island, is unlikely to disappoint.

Based on the gripping novel by Denis Lehane (Mystic River), the dark, psychological thriller set in a 1950s mental asylum stars Leonardo DiCaprio, marking his fourth collaboration with the legendary director. This twisty, disturbing ride full of psychotic turns, and lurid, grisly images, is supported by impressive performances delivered by Sir Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, Mark Ruffalo, Emily Mortimer, and Max Von Sydow.

Enhancing the oppressive paranoiac era at the height of the Cold War, the backdrop, a remote island off the coast of Massachusetts, serves as a sort of fortress, while an escalating hurricane bears down on DiCaprio and Ruffalo. They play detectives investigating the mysterious disappearance of one of the patients.

DiCaprio has, intentionally or not, all but eradicated any memories we once had of that Titanic heartthrob. Now at the age of 35, his work of late, which includes Revolutionary Road, The Departed, Blood Diamond, and Body of Lies, reveals to us that he gravitates towards difficult roles full of overwhelming obstacles. This one, in which he portrays a war veteran turned US marshall, is arguably the best work yet for this three-time Academy Award nominee.

"Oh, it was a light and breezy experience," DiCaprio jokes, sitting next to his fellow actors in a Manhattan hotel. "No, seriously, it's not a conscious decision to do those types of roles but you can't help what you're emotionally moved by." He smiles, and glances at Scorsese sitting next to him. "This was definitely one of the more difficult and challenging roles I've ever done."

As an A-list movie star, DiCaprio has the pick of scripts and could choose more effortless roles shot in more harmonious locations. (The movie was shot mainly in and around Boston harbour). Clearly, he enjoys testing himself. Aside from the emotionally gruelling aspect, a great deal of time was spent wet and cold. Evidently, he's in sync with the "no pain, no gain" principle.

"When I did This Boy's Life, with Robert De Niro, it was directed by Michael Caton-Jones, and he taught me a valuable lesson. I was sort of a wild child who didn't know how to conduct himself on a set and didn't obey rules. When it came to it, he said, to me, 'Look, I know this may suck right now, you may not want to go there, but pain is temporary, film is forever. Whatever you do right now is burned into celluloid for all time and for thousands of years to come. So just have that pressure on you for the scene.' That mantra stuck with me... Whether this was a hard film to do, absolutely." He smiles. "But you learn a tremendous amount every day. To me, that's a lot of fun. A different type of fun."

As far as nailing the authenticity of the role, DiCaprio says, "Obviously mental illness was thematic in this movie and we were surrounded by it every day shooting on an island in the dilapidated walls of an old mental institution. That helped a lot. I also watched a lot of documentaries on the different forms of treatment done in those days and what people went through," he says. "And as far as the emotional depths of the character, it was like a giant jigsaw puzzle."

With such an over-the-top dramatic piece such as this, he was in danger of over-acting. However, Scorsese's directorial knack for "keeping it real"' ensured DiCaprio's more emotionally turbulent scenes remained in check.

Scorsese agrees this is DiCaprio's finest hour. "I think it is. He was very brave and I kept pushing him.

"We were dealing with his raw, primal emotions. It's amazing how it came together. It's exciting."

The movie harks back to a past era of detective genres. Says DiCaprio, "I thought it was very much a throwback to Vertigo, Out of the Past, or Laura, where at first glance it was very much a thriller genre piece with twists and turns that worked on lots of different layers. But there's more to it."

Speaking of layered performances, Sir Ben Kingsley's portrayal of the psychiatrist who heads the asylum, is convincingly ambiguous, keeping audiences questioning, is he or isn't he the bad guy? Says Kingsley, who prefers to be called Sir Ben, "Most people who have seen the movie aren't sure one way or the other about my character. People have asked how I subtly managed my performance to be in one scene good, and in one scene bad. But I didn't do anything. It's about where Marty puts his camera, what lens he uses, and how he lights the scenes, and that utterly transforms anyone in front of him. At the risk of sounding terribly boring, all I had to do was give a consistent performance. Hands-on-heart, that was all I had to do." For some, it is Michelle Williams, playing DiCaprio's wife, who plays out the most terrifying storyline of all. She is not present at this afternoon's press conference to comment.

In capturing the gothic feel and look of the movie, the Oscar-winning director explains, "I was reading Kafka all the way through, as well as The Stranger (Albert Camus). Shooting Shutter Island, it got darker and darker and more emotionally intense than any of us expected. That was the real surprise for both Leo and I making the movie."

Clearly, the Scorsese-DiCaprio team is a replica in many ways of the Scorsese- DeNiro collaboration which began in the 70s and includes the classics: Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and Goodfellas.

Scorsese has worked with many high calibre actors over the years but it is DiCaprio who has become his second muse. He says, "This the fourth picture together for Leo and I. I think by the second one, The Aviator, there was a scene where he was stuck in the screening room for 12 days and nights alone, talking to himself. I felt we were finding things and I knew it was a collaboration that was worth pursuing. We pretty much agree on pretty much what we want to do. I also know that if I ask for something I seem to get it, and get more," says Scorsese.

DiCaprio shrugs his shoulders and smiles when asked about the inner workings of their relationship and why he likes to work with the revered auteur. "Well, you know, for me it's simple. He's Martin Scorsese. He's the consummate director of my time.

"This type of relationship was forged with another actor, in his work with De Niro. That relationship made some of the most memorable, powerful films in cinema history. Marty will be there subtly steering the ship, but at the end of the day, he allows you to sit in your character's shoes and make those choices. That is empowering as an actor."

A difficult movie to talk about without revealing the unexpected twists and turns, which, of course, is the point of a thriller, Shutter Island is a well-crafted, at times terrifying, visually gothic-inspired journey that doesn't let up from the opening scene to the end credits. For those who enjoy a hard-boiled suspense, it's time to sit back and enjoy the ride.

Lowdown

Who: Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese
What: Actor-director pairing who have worked together before on Gangs of New York, The Aviator and The Departed
Latest: Shutter Island opens next Thursday