Father Geek here with Tamsin and her forty second Downunder column... Coolness abides in the land downunder, and this week's weekly report unscores that that wonderfully...
DOWNUNDER REPORT: 42
STRAW DOGS
Australian director John Polson (SWIMFAN), is currently in pre-production with FEAR ALONE, the re-make of the spectacular Sam Peckinpah film, STRAW DOGS. Damn, this was such a good film the first time round. Why, oh why do they have to remake it? Polson told, the Australian newspaper, The Age, "It's Panic Room set in the countryside", Polson told The Age from Sydney. "I don't mind saying, much as I like STRAW DOGS, this is going to be more commercial. It will be violent, but not for the hell of it. In the modern-day version, the theme is that you can't escape your demons - you've got to stop running and fight occasionally." Polson became involved with the project after his agent sent him the script. He discussed it with actor Edward Norton, who has an off-screen role as one of the film's producers. "We talked for two hours about everything except the movie; then I gave him my pitch and they offered me the job", says Polson. No casting decisions have been made, but Polson hints at "a huge chance" Australians could take leading roles. "Guy Pearce would be at the top, or near the top, of the list of people to go to for the lead male role," he says, while "Naomi Watts would be up there" for the female lead, as is another Australian actress, Radha Mitchell. "These aren't people who are top of the list because of me," he says. "They were probably on top before I came along."
Polson is currently promoting SWIMFAN, starring Erika Christiansen (TRAFFIC).
ROUNDABOUT
Australian actress Rachel Griffiths (SIX FEET UNDER) is receiving high accolades for her short film, ROUNDABOUT and was recently awarded Best Short at the Melbourne International Film Festival. Rachel is also currently starring in the Australian drama series, AFTER THE DELUGE.
THE RESISTABLE RISE OF ARTURO Ui
Aussie Jacqui McKenzie is about to star with Al Pacino, Chaz Palminteri and Steve Buscemi in the off-broadway New York stage production of the Brecht play. Mckenzie is most known in Australia for her raw, honest and intense roles in such films as ROMPER STOMPER and ANGEL BABY, but has recently performed in a number of Hollywood films including THE DIVINE SECRETS OF THE YA-YA SISTERHOOD and DEEP BLUE SEA.
SCRUBS
Aussie Men at Work lead singer, Colin Hay, can be seen as a guest star on the season premiere of NBC's SCRUBS.
TWO TOWERS
For an article on the post production effects house, Weta Digital working on the effects for the TWO TOWERS, check out the New Zealand Herald at the following link:
Just Click Here To See It All
MOST POPULAR FEATURE AND MOST POPULAR DOCUMENTARY AT THE 51st MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
10 MOST POPULAR FEATURE FILMS
- 1. SAMSARA (Pan Nalin, India/Germany/Italy/France)
- 2. AUSTRALIAN RULES (Paul Goldman, Australia)
- 3. Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN (Alfonso Cuarn, Mexico/USA)
- 4. THE TRACKER (Rolf de Heer, Australia)
- 5. DONNIE DARKO (Richard Kelly, USA)
- 6. BARAN (Majid Majidi, Iran)
- 7. RED SATIN (Raja Amari, Tunisia)
- 8. CHIHWASEON (Im Kwon-Taek, South Korea)
- 9. SWING (Tony Gatlif, France)
- 10. BLOODY SUNDAY (Paul Greengrass, UK/Ireland)
PETER PAN
Director P.J. Hogan gas signed French actress Ludivine Sagnier to play the role of Tinkerbell in his upcoming production of PETER PAN. Sagnier will join Jeremy Sumpter as Peter Pan and Jason Isaacs as Captain Hook.
THE NIGHT WE CALLED IT A DAY
Australian director, Paul Goldman (AUSTRALIAN RULES) has confirmed that Dennis Hopper has signed on to play Frank Sinatra in THE NIGHT WE CALLED IT A DAY. Melanie Griffith will also star alongside Australians Joel Edgerton and Rose Byrne. Jim Broadbent is in negotiations to play Sinatra's manager. Production will commence October 19th.
PAY THE GIRL
Aussie Nicole Kidman is in talks to play a Hollywood madam in the film PAY THE GIRL. Kidman will first be seen as feminist author Virginia Woolf in THE HOURS where she has being 'tared by the ugly brush' of Oscar-winning make-up artist Peter Frampton in order to look more like the so-called unglamourous Woolf.
FINDING NEMO
Starring Geoffrey Rush, Eric Bana, Barry Humphries, Willem Defoe, Ellen DeGeneres and Albert Brooks, the digital feature FINDING NEMO follows the story of a clownfish Nemo who is removed from his home on the Great Barrier Reef and dropped into a dentist's fishtank in Sydney.
TORONTO FILM FESTIVAL
Five Australian features have been selected to screen at the Toronto Film Festival including Craig Lahiff's BLACK AND WHITE, David Caesar's DIRTY DEEDS, Bill Bennett's THE NUGGET, Rachel Perkins' ONE NIGHT THE MOON and Phillip Noyce's RABBIT PROOF FENCE. Phil Noyce's US funded feature THE QUIET AMERICAN has also been selected to screen.
LA BOHEME
Australian post production and effects facility Animal Logic has joined with Aussie director Baz Luhrmann to create a promotional spot for his upcoming theatrical production of LA BOHEME. Check out the Animal Logic site for the full story:
Full story @ This Site
Email Downunder news and reviews to Tamsin@aintiticoolmail.com
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