The first time director Jane Campion read the controversial 1995 novel, In The Cut, it made a major impression.
"I still say today I don't think I've read anything as amazing," Campion, 49, told reporters while in town for the Toronto International Film Festival last month.
It got her attention, she says, because of the way it talks about the sexual relationship between the two main characters, because it is a modern genre piece, and has a real modern woman in it. The woman isn't a dope, she is smart, and she loves poetry. "So I was pretty startled," Campion says.
Later, when friend and collaborator Nicole Kidman -- they worked together on Portrait Of A Lady -- optioned the film rights to the best- seller, Campion eventually came around to the idea that the movie would be right for her to direct. The Australian-based filmmaker has made her name on films featuring strong women characters (The Piano, Holy Smoke).
Opening in Toronto theatres Friday, the erotic thriller about a lonely writing professor (Meg Ryan) who becomes involved with a brash but sexy detective (Mark Ruffalo) reminded Campion of the 1971 classic Klute.
"You can't believe, really, that so many years have gone by and there haven't been more really interesting, fabulous, complex, cross-genre-type films like that," Campion tells The Sun. "I think they're quite hard to do, basically, is why not. Get really good stories matched with a good director who's actually really interested in that depth of character."
Sex and violence are plentiful In The Cut, too, although not in a gratuitous way.
Campion, whose pre-film studies were in anthropology and painting, said shooting the graphic sex scenes wasn't a great experience for either Ryan or Ruffalo, who both appear naked in the movie.
On the other hand, she's very matter-of-fact about the whole thing.
"I'm sorry, I'm really relaxed about it," Campion tells The Sun. "If they didn't trust me, then they were just not going to do it. No matter what you say up front. And I respect that. So what am I going to do? Force somebody? No.
"To me, it's all about what your relationship is while you're making the film and how good you are with your word during that time."
Campion completely understood why Kidman backed out of In The Cut's lead role of Frannie Avery, since she had just split from husband Tom Cruise.
"Well, you know, it could have been good," Campion says. "Nicole is a wonderful actor and she's gorgeous and she's great and she's funny and she's a friend. But when I'm working, I stand for the story. And I want the best for the film. I want someone who really wanted to be Frannie. Who wasn't afraid it. So if there was any fear or concern or worry, I don't want it really."
Ryan won Campion over after a lengthy audition with Ruffalo, who was cast while Kidman was still on board.
"There's always competition for good parts," Campion says. "However, it was asking a lot because we weren't pretending that there wasn't nudity involved in the story. There was.
"But I think we took the high road and thought that this is a big story. The nudity and the lovemaking in it, it's consensual, it's interesting, it's erotic. And in the end, I respect it, so let's hope other people do too."
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