James Gray’s 'Paper Tiger' trades 35mm film stock for sound design to capture 1980s tension

James Gray is releasing a film that examines the financial pressures of 1980s New York, and he spent the bulk of his extra budget on the audio mix rather than visual effects. The movie, titled Paper Tiger, hits theaters on November 13. It stars Miles Teller as Irwin Pearl, an engineer, and Scarlett Johansson as his wife. The plot follows Pearl as he joins his brother, played by Adam Driver, in a business venture that entangles the family with the Russian mob. A fatal illness in the household raises the stakes further.

Gray stated that he treats the sound mix as the only area where he consistently goes over budget. He aims to reach viewers on a subconscious level through specific audio cues. He cited the use of guttural animal noises and trombone in Raging Bull as an influence. He also referenced the use of clocks and fog horns in Rosemary’s Baby. He and his sound designer watch the film without sound to identify where these elements can be added. He noted that the tracks include gongs and tiger roars that are not literal representations of the action.

The director shot the film on 35-millimeter film using tungsten lights to replicate the lighting conditions of 1986. He described this process as a headache but said it achieved the desired look. He adjusted the costumes to avoid looking like a parody. He limited the size of the shoulder pads on Johansson’s outfits. He also preserved the New York accents of the cast, noting that people spoke with thicker accents during that era.

Gray said he used a classical narrative structure to allow for subtext. He believes that many modern films reveal their themes too early. He prefers films that hide their message. He described his approach as similar to a Ringo Starr style of playing music, where the focus is on doing what is right for the piece rather than overplaying. He said he did not want to impose a massively ornate visual style.

The film is set in Queens and Brooklyn. It deals with themes of love and the difficulty of maintaining relationships under pressure. Gray said he drew on his own past for the story. He recalled feeling that his parents might not make it during his teenage years. He said he wanted to capture the terror of his household with a heightened sense of realism. He added that he put himself into the work to communicate that experience.

The movie is currently in release. Gray said he does not view the film as a downer despite its dark subject matter. He said he wants the movie to play about how difficult it is to love somebody. He said he started with that notion and then used elements from his own past to build the narrative. He said he is a movie buff who brings meticulousness to every aspect of filmmaking.