How ‘The Brutalist’ Production Designer Made the Most of a Low Budget and Turned Budapest Into Philadelphia
variety.comMatt Minton mminton@variety.com Judy Becker’s portfolio of production design work on films like “American Hustle” and “Carol” prepared her to take on the unique challenge of shooting a period piece. “Carol” was shot in Cincinnati doubling for New York and “American Hustle” was shot in Boston and also meant to be New York, so she’s “used to looking for the right place in the wrong place.” But shooting overseas — in the case of Brady Corbet’s historical epic “The Brutalist,” doubling Hungary for Philadelphia in the 1940s — made for a completely different challenge.
The film follows an architect named László (Adrien Brody) who escapes the Holocaust and immigrates to the United States. After having his talent discovered by a wealthy client, played by Guy Pearce, László is commissioned to build a community center that includes a library, theater and chapel.
In exchange for his services, László’s wife, Erzsébet Tóth (Felicity Jones), is able to immigrate and join her husband. While most of the film was shot on location, Becker designed a practical center that László spends the film building and pouring his ambitions into.
She knew the structure would have large concrete forms but would otherwise be spare, inspired by brutalist style architecture.
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