Readers fell in love with Yann Martel’s novel “Life of Pi,” but to create a movie out of the literary fantasy seemed a dream. How could a ferocious Bengal tiger and a vulnerable young man survive on the high seas together? Somehow director Ang Lee and his team pulled it off. All the while, the story tells a spiritual journey that happens around the world and seemingly in and out of reality. The film been a commercial and critical success. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times called it "a miraculous achievement of storytelling and a landmark of visual mastery." Special effects and live action are blended seamlessly.
How did Lee navigate the complicated visual storytelling? Why did he want to make this film? Where does “Life of Pi” stand in his growing list of big-screen achievements?
Guest:
Ang Lee, Oscar nominee for Best Director for “Life of Pi;” Oscar-winning director of “Brokeback Mountain;” Lee’s other films with a slew of awards and nominations include “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and “Sense and Sensibility”