Jane Campion’s new film The Power of the Dog first shapes up as a kind of Western family feud in the making. Two brothers, Phil and George Burbank, run things together peaceably, with Phil (played by Benedict Cumberbatch) the alpha male, and George (played by Jesse Plemons) more of a strong silent type. When George gets married and brings home his wife, Rose (Kirsten Dunst), and her son (Kodi Smit-McPhee). Phil gets all bent out of shape, and it becomes apparent that he’s keeping something secret in his private life, which the film slowly unravels.

Campion filmed The Power of the Dog in New Zealand with her cinematographer Ari Wegner, whose previous films include Zola and Lady Macbeth. I spoke with them together to learn about their collaborative process and how they get into the right state of mind for creating the breathtaking film in pre-production. It was a pleasure just to bask in the flow between Campion and Wegner, who at times completed each other’s thoughts.

The Power of the Dog opens in limited release on November 17 and is available on Netflix starting December 1.

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Opening music: “Monserrate” by The Minarets

Photo by Steve Snodgrass