“Suddenly Something Clicked” – With Walter Murch

Episode 125 – Walter Murch: Editing, Perception, and the Twisted Rope of Cinema

PRESS RELEASE HERE

It’s hard to believe, but The Filmumentaries Podcast has reached its 125th episode — and, with it, the fifth anniversary of the show. What started as a passion project to shine a light on behind-the-scenes artists has grown into something I’m incredibly proud of, thanks in large part to the generous support and enthusiasm of listeners like you. To mark this milestone, I’m thrilled to welcome back one of my most frequent and most requested guests: the legendary Walter Murch.

Walter needs little introduction. He’s a film editor, sound designer, director, and author whose influence spans across six decades and some of cinema’s most groundbreaking works. From Apocalypse Now to The English Patient, his ability to move between the practical and the philosophical, the technical and the intuitive, has set him apart as one of the true deep thinkers in film.

In this conversation, we focus on his new book Suddenly Something Clicked, which is being published by Faber & Faber on 8th May 2025. I’m very grateful to the team at Faber for kindly sending me a preview copy.

The book is described by Walter as a “twisted rope” of theory, practice, and history — and it certainly lives up to that. One moment he’s describing the physicality of using a Moviola, the next he’s diving into neuroscience, the grammar of dreams, and the editing instincts wired into our biology.

Our conversation mirrors that style — covering a huge range of topics: from how children today seem to absorb film grammar instinctively, to the metaphorical use of sound design, to the unique experience of physically handling film versus the digital environment we now work in. Walter shares his thoughts on AI in filmmaking, and how spontaneity — that ineffable spark of human creativity — is something machines still struggle to replicate.

We also discuss the idea of cinematic language as something akin to a dream-state, and how editing — especially in the hands of someone like Walter — is not just about rhythm and continuity, but about shaping perception itself. As he puts it, good editing leads the audience into a sustained state of déjà vu: surprised by what happens, yet somehow knowing it had to happen that way.

As a live editor myself, working in fast-turnaround TV, I found many parallels in his approach — particularly his thoughts on instinctive editing, the physicality of tools, and the importance of creating space for ideas to percolate.

This episode, more than most, encapsulates what I love about making this podcast. It’s about discovery, about conversation, and about learning from the people who shape the films we love in ways we don’t always see.

If you’ve been with me from the beginning or just discovered the podcast, thank you for listening. Here’s to the next 125.

You can pre-order “Suddenly Something Clicked” now at Faber’s store.