Moviegoing Memories is a series of short interviews with filmmakers about going to the movies. Stephen Frears’s The Lost King is MUBI GO's Film of the Week in the United Kingdom and Ireland for October 7, 2022.
NOTEBOOK: How would you describe your movie in the least amount of words?
STEPHEN FREARS: It’s just a very good story. It’s of course a ridiculous story, because finding a king in a car park is ridiculous. But it’s also a human drama.
NOTEBOOK: Where and what is your favorite movie theater? Why is it your favorite?
FREARS: Curzon Mayfair is where I go most now, but I used to go to the Gate a lot.
NOTEBOOK: What is the most memorable movie screening of your life? Why is it memorable?
FREARS: When I was a teenager I remember going with my parents to see North by Northwest (1959) and I’d never seen anything like it in my life. It was a long time ago. And I remember going to see Pinocchio (1940) when I was four years old, and I was taken out of the cinema as I was so scared.
NOTEBOOK: If you could choose one classic film to watch on the big screen, what would it be and why?
FREARS: I wouldn’t begin to know how to answer! Too many to choose from. I grew up on films, that’s what you did.
The Lost King is out in UK cinemas now.