Today on Art of the Cut, we’re talking with multi-Oscar winner, Walter Murch, ACE. I interviewed Walter in person just before his appearance at the 2024 ACE Eddie Awards to receive his Career Achievement Award - an award which was presented by his long-time friend and collaborator, George Lucas.

Murch's career is filled with cinematic cultural touchstones.

He was nominated for an Oscar for sound and won BAFTAS for both sound and editing on The Conversation. He was nominated for a BAFTA and an Oscar for editing Julia. For Apocalypse Now, he was nominated for an Oscar for Editing, BAFTAs for editing AND sound, an ACE Eddie … and won the Oscar for sound. In 1991 he was nominated for Oscars for both The Godfather Part II AND Ghost, and was nominated for an ACE Eddie for Ghost. For The English Patient he was nominated for a BAFTA for sound, and won a BAFTA for editing, not to mention winning an ACE Eddie and TWO Oscars for sound AND editing. He was nominated for an ACE Eddie for The Talented Mr. Ripley. He was nominated for two BAFTAs - for sound and editing - and for an ACE Eddie and an Oscar for “Cold Mountain.” He was nominated for an Emmy for “Hemingway and Gelhorn,” for which he ALSO won an ACE Eddie.

On top of all of this, he has been writing a book on filmmaking - actually two volumes! - with the first volume releasing later this year, focusing on editing and sound, and the second volume coming next year. Most of the following interview focuses on the thoughts and concepts outlined in that book, which is called “Suddenly Something Clicked.”

This very special episode happens to be the 10th anniversary episode of Art of the Cut! 10 years... nearly 500 interviews.

There is a TON of great visual content in the accompanying blog. Please listen to the podcast and follow along with the transcript at borisfx.com/blog/aotc. Many photos of Murch at the Moviola, clips from the films we discuss and more.

Oscar-winner Lee Smith, ACE discusses editing "Empire of Light"

Art of the CutBy Steve Hullfish, ACEJan 19, 2023