Key Takeaways
- "The New Yorker at 100" documents a century of the magazine's history, directed by Marshall Curry.
- Executive Producer Judd Apatow focused on capturing The New Yorker's quality and humanity.
- The film portrays The New Yorker's dedicated journalists, aiming to counter negative media perceptions.
- The magazine's fact-checking and editing process is described as obsessively meticulous.
- Filmmakers hope the documentary inspires younger viewers to consider journalism as a career.
Deep Dive
- The documentary "The New Yorker at 100" covers a century of the magazine's history.
- Director Marshall Curry and executive producer Judd Apatow had access to the magazine's editorial process.
- The film condensed a century of journalism and cultural impact, utilizing a "tasting menu" approach for selecting events and figures.
- Judd Apatow humorously recounted discovering The New Yorker in his early 40s while working on a film.
- Marshall Curry had a lifelong, casual appreciation for the magazine, stemming from his parents' subscription and his own in his 20s.
- Apatow cited impactful reviews by David Denby that influenced his filmmaking.
- Judd Apatow appreciated the film's inclusion of "Bruce," the office manager, recognizing him as a key problem-solver.
- Director Marshall Curry cited the documentary's scope and lack of a conventional narrative arc as primary challenges.
- The magazine's fact-checking and editing processes are compared to an intense audit, known for their meticulousness.
- Four of the five New Yorker editors throughout its history have been non-native New Yorkers, highlighting an outsider's perspective.
- Founder Harold Ross, a high school graduate from a Colorado mining town, exemplified this crucial "settler" perspective.
- This "settler" viewpoint, reflecting E.B. White's concept of New Yorks, fuels the magazine's passion and identity.
- The New Yorker's fact-checking and editing are described as obsessive, likened to monks preserving knowledge.
- Director Marshall Curry compared the magazine's dedication to "Jiro Dreams of Sushi," focusing on a high-quality, unique product.
- Unreleased documentary footage and interviews may enter The New Yorker's archive, pending a decision from Netflix.
- The film's structure mirrors The New Yorker's evolution, incorporating diverse elements like cartoons, politics, and celebrity profiles.
- Filmmakers aimed for a dynamic, contemporary account, distinct from a dry historical overview.
- Music supervisor Kella Fasana suggested Matt Berninger of The National record Taylor Swift's "Welcome to New York" for the closing, which Swift quickly approved for the end credits.