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The Latest from DiCaprio's THE BEACH
Hey folks, recently I've been pointed at what I consider to be one of the best (non-Star Wars) film fan sites for a film not yet in theaters. It seems that 'leo-mania' has produced a website in Thailand that... well, it just goes them extra nine yards ya know? Below you'll find a buncha pictures, plus a statement from DiCaprio he gave just a couple o' days ago about working on THE BEACH. But for ALOT MORE on this film, go check out http://www.thaistudents.com/thebeach/index.html for tons more!!!
I am acting, here in Thailand, in a film called The Beach. It is about
backpackers who look for utopia on a Thai island.
The location in the book where the story's utopia is set, is in a national park, so
we have remained true to the book. Phi Phi
Ley Island seems the most perfect location
that the book's author, Alex Garland, could
have imagined. A small island encompasses a
wall of rock, with an idyllic world inside.
In the film, the interesting thing about my
character, Richard, is he is a backpacker in
the true sense of the word. A rugged
individualist. He is not looking for luxury. He
is truly looking for adventure. The great thing
about real backpackers, who come to foreign
countries, is they go to more isolated places,
and improve the commerce of the people who
live there. I think the release of a film like this
will encourage young people to see the beauty
of Thailand, and encourage more young
backpackers to come here. This film will also encourage more people to explore
the countryside of Thailand, and some of the isolated villages that wouldn't
normally earn money from tourism.
Personally, I find the Thai people to be extremely friendly and polite, and very
welcoming to foreigners. Back home in America, Thailand is certainly the hot
spot for young people to go, one of the most interesting places to go. They say,
"Before you die, you have to go there." I told a lot of my friends I was coming
here, and they were very interested too.
I also want to say a few things about what is going on, concerning the
environmental issues of our shooting in Thailand, and would like to tell my side
of the story, and put the record straight. For example, I would never, by any
means, intentionally go forth with a project that I believed would damage the
environment of any country, or the image of Thailand.
I just want to say two points: I know that the company took three tons of
garbage off the island, and I believe that whenever we leave the island, it is going
to be better off than it was before.
From what I see with my own eyes, everything is OK. I have seen nothing that
had been destroyed or damaged in any way. I cannot tell you the reasons why
people have been saying the opposite. It is beyond me.
I've seen Fox taking meticulous care, and their utmost respect for the island. If I
had seen any evidence that anything was being done wrong, I wouldn't be happy.
I wouldn't endorse this project. The environment, and environmental issues, are
the first and foremost charitable concerns I have focused on, and I consider
myself an environmentalist. And I want to do a lot more for this cause in the
future. I would never be part of a situation that would cause harm to an island,
or waterfall, or any place.
From what I've been told about Fox's filming on Phi Phi Ley Island, people have
approved it. We had about 20 environmentalists come and study it, and said it
was 100 percent fine. So it is not just my personal opinion.
Thank you very much for your time.
Leonardo DiCaprio.
February 5, 1999: Statement by Leonardo DiCaprio, Phi Phi Ley Island, Thailand.
Danny Boyle (director), Virginie Ledoyen (Francoise), Leonardo
Dicaprio (Richard) and Guillaume Canet (Etienne)
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+ Expand All
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Don't ever post pictures of Leonardo again. I feel gay looking at those pictures you bastard
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If you've read the surreal and absorbing novel of the same name, you should know that Dicaprio is an amicable choice for the character of Richard (based on his previous work in films like GILBERT GRAPE, BASKETBALL DIARIES, and THIS BOYS LIFE). It's refreshing to know that the writer/director team of Danny Boyle and John Hodge are behind this project (who made SHALLOW GRAVE, TRAINSPOTTING, and the reprehensible A LIFELESS ORDINARY). I'm hoping that Danny boy doesn't tone down the permiscuous sex or unbridled drug usage that takes place on a regular basis during the course of the novel. Props to Leo for not taking the sell out route and doing shitty Hollywood films like Ben Affleck. Leo did TITANIC because he wanted to work with one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, and for that, I comend him.
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Oh, please! All these pix (and others they print in Tiger Beat, etc.) aren't for YOU, they're intended for pubescent 15-year-old girls. They furiously surf these fan sites digging up as many Leo pin-ups as they can, getting all moist and giggly. There's nothing gay about it. Face it, DiCaprio has been forever placed in the Hollywood firmament by the rabid female pre-teens of the world. I don't know a single gay guy who would blink twice at Leo (they're much more into David Duchovny these days). When you guys say "I look at these pictures and feel gay" I wonder what on earth you're using as a basis of comparison. Maybe you two should dial into MTV's Loveline. They'd "straigten" you out in no time. Heh-heh.
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I think the people of Thailand have every reason to be suspect of Leo's film, and his assertion that he is environmentally conscious. Lest we forget, this is the very same studio that ended up shooting "Titanic" in Baha, Mexico because the Mexican government was the only entity in the Western Hemisphere that didn't mind seeing over 40 acres of prime beachfront be forever decimated. Not to mention 20 million gallons of clorinated water that is dumped back into the ocean every time the tanks are emptied. And as far as Leo's assertion that the film will help spark tourism, and that "Thailand is certainly the hot spot for young people to go": yeah, if you've got some deep pockets. Most of my friends and I can barely afford to take a road trip, let alone jet out to some tropical oasis. I doubt if the "average" person can afford such luxuries as those enjoyed by Leo and his buds. So much for the incredible boost in tourism. And, judging by one of the earlier posts, if this film follows the same path as the novel, I don't know that the good people of Thailand would want to have bragging rights to a bunch of Americans in a sex-n-drug induced orgy on their native soil.
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I know I'm beating a dead horse, but I think doing THE BEACH was a big mistake by DiCaprio. Nothing against Danny Boyle or his story, which I admit that I know little about, but Leo's career would've been MUCH better served if he had done AMERICAN PSYCHO instead. DiCaprio (who still may become the Marlon Brando of his time) and Oliver Stone (who turned this project down perhaps because of Leo's rejection) would have made this film into a classic. I think Leo's range as an actor is truly extensive and if you're familiar with the story in AMERICAN PSYCHO, then you'll know what I mean when I say that he would have chilled audiences to the bone, pulling a total 180 on the teeny-bobber chicks that fell in love with his TITANIC persona.
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I read the script for this film about a month ago, and I almost fell asleep. I thought that it was going to be an adventure story about three people in search of a mystical island. It's not. They find the island in the first half hour. Once they're there, nothing happens. They play around and smoke pot. Trust me, this one will not be worth it unless you're especially hot for Leo.
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I had no idea just how many homophobes troll around this site. Yikes boys. Do a couple pictures of Leo pose that much of a threat to your manhood? Whatever the case I read the novel and loved it. Yes, they do indeed discover the beach early on and I wondered what was going to happen next. What does happen is very good stuff and I can't think of anyone better than Boyle and McDonald to pull it off. My one complaint: DiCaprio! He is totally wrong for this part. I like him fine, but Ewan McGregor is the obvious choice. i actually thought they wanted him, but maybe there were time problems what with SW and such. I'm holding my breath.
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i loved boyle's previous films, especially trainspotting, but i wonder what he can do with such a boring novel. i expect some beautiful locations, but thats it.
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i loved boyle's previous films, especially trainspotting, but i wonder what he can do with such a boring novel. i expect some beautiful locations, but thats it.
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Personally, I think anything Boyle and company do has real potential. I even liked the quirky thing they did last with MacGregor and Diaz. It was highly entertaining if you have half a sense of humor, which apparently many people don't. As for Leo doing Richard--no problem for me. The guy is an actor and he has talent, and no amount of recent amnesia on the part of some of the idiots posting here can change that. Whatever he does in his private life is his business. Whatever negative crap he has to put up with now has a simple name--"backlash". As for whether this will do blockbuster biz--who can say? I'm betting DiCaprio hopes it puts more than a few miles between him and most of the adoring teenyboppers, though.
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No kidding, this is a smart move for Leo. When I see pcitures of Leo, I don't see anything but a young, nice guy, who might just be a little freaked out by the titanic degree of fame he's achieved in so little time. To those of you who've only seen the American side of it, you have no idea how popular this kid is! Last Spring, I was down in Mexico working on a Doc., and there were pics and posters of him everywhere! Leo and The Virgin, Leo and Jesus - The Beatles were nothin' compared to ol' Leo. How would you feel? If I were him, I'd jump at the chance for a nice pleasant shoot in Thailand for some loony genius like Boyle. As for his environmental concerns, they're admirable, if perhaps brought on from catching flak over the debacle of Fox's mega-tank. Also, I can think of no reason why anyone would find these pictures "gay" and then need to waste their time posting homophobic bile on the internet unless they have some SERIOUS SEXUAL "ISSUES" - Check yo' head.
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Even though Leo may do a good job on this film......i still think the role belonged to EWAN.....Danny Boyle, Andrew McDonald, and John Hodges really "dicked" him out of this one. Little did they know though, that in a few months after not being given the part, EWAN would become the next Obi-Wan!!!! So it turns out that they got "dicked" just because he is going to be more popular than EWAN.....i remember reading an article about what happened to him and the "threesome," and recall that he said that he will never work with those guys again....i say "GREAT"!!!!! Maybe they'll get through that jelousy stage....
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I for one am looking forward to this movie because I read the book and found it incredibly interesting (and I'm not freaked out or threatened by a picture of some guy with his shirt off). Also, did you ever notice how the most conservative "straight" guys always have the most vivid pictures in their heads of what gays do to each other? Makes one think, does it not?
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You have to admit, he's pretty hot. And so's Ewan, for that matter. You shouldn't ignore those feelings. That will make you insane. And besides, it doesn't mean your a homosexual. And homosexuality is not an insult (even for heterosexual men), or a punchline to a joke. Only to those neo-cavemen, the embodiment of all ignorance in our society, some of whom obviously come to this site. It's comforting to think that in the not so distant future, these people will be cast aside for a more open-minded way of life for all. At least, I hope so. Oh, and just so you know, I'm not gay. Even if I do have a bit of a crush on Ewan McGregor. I don't even know why we're talking about this. Pictures of Leo looking hot disturb people, apparently. Only in America.
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Who is that girl in the pic? She looks like a cross between Natalie Portman and Rachel Leigh Cook! Which is funny, since Rachel Leigh Cook is a cross between Natalie Portman and Winona Ryder. "Yeah, whatever, Wes." :)
Anyway, she's cute. Don't recognise the name though... French film star maybe...? -
I could be wrong, of course, and I didn't see the article the above poster did... but I was under the impression from other sources (no, I can't name any... just other stuff I read) that Ewan was still very chummy with his frequent collaborators and didn't feel 'dicked' out of The Beach. I thought he DID/DOES still want to work with 'his team' in the future. And Boyle getting DiCaprio, Fox putting up the twenty, is certainly a good career move for Boyle. I haven't read the book, so I don't know who is more 'right' for the part, but I like DiCaprio. Anyway. Can anyone confirm/deny this Ewan and Boyle 'break-up'?
Sorta off-subject, but I'm just delighted Burton and Elfman worked out whatever happenned between them a few years back. THAT'S a partnership to treasure. -
Mr. Snipes, that girl is the reason I'm getting my ass to the theatre for this one. That's Virginie Ledoyen. She's beautiful and talented. It'll be interesting to see how she translates to big budget filmmaking. Check her out in Claude Chabrol's "Le Ceremonie" starring the incomparable Isabelle Huppert (mmmmmn!) and her star making turn in "Le Fille Seulle(sp?) a.k.a. "A Single Girl."
And stop all the gay bashing you fuckin' idiots! -
I checked out Virginie's homepage, and must say that I am looking forwards to seeing her on the big screen. As for the casting of Leo, I heard a bit of his spoken dialouge on Access Hollywood, and did it ever suck! It seems like he isn't even attempting to stay true to the book and use an English accent! Also, I heard somewhere that he apparently "buffed up" for the role, but I think I could kick is ass(I'm 5'9'' and 150 lbs!)
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Check out the second site on this page. Lots of (calm down, they're not porn) pics of Virginie. She really looks like a French Natalie Portman. But way sexier. Makes sense though, given that she's several years older than Portman. Virginie is a woman and Portman is but a girl. :)
http://us.imdb.com/NUrls?MSC+Ledoyen,+Virginie -
I'd just like to set some things straight about the people on this talk back who've been slagging off the film already. Firstly its certainly not a drugs and sex orgy. As far as drugs go, there's lots and lots of weed but that's to do with one of the main plot facets. You're making out that they're all depraved junkies, but how many people do you know that smoke weed? Probably about 2 in 5 (if you're sheltered). What sex scenes that are in the book are only really referred to and one of the best things about Garland's novel is the delicate and restrained way this issue is handled. Then there's the person that posted saying he nearly fell asleep reading the script; they find the beach within the first half hour / 45 minutes. Well clearly as its based on a novel, you can hardly blame Hodge's script for this. The problem is in the way the book/project has been glibbly described in the press and all that, that is the quest to find the beach isn't the point of the book, that's the pot-boiler/airport novel bit, its about the relationships on the beach and the fucking up of Richard's mind. Lastly, I don't know much about the Ewan MacGregor thing, but again I can hardly see why that "dicked" guy was implicating Hodge in his deposition, or even really Boyle and MacDonald if you consider the quartet's history together, this is mere speculation (perhaps even sneering cynicism) but don't you think it's more likey to be due to studio insistence? Oh, and I read an interview with MacGregor and he said that although (and this was only a month or two ago) he still felt really shitty about not getting to do The Beach, he would do anything to work with Boyle again.
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I dont want to spoil the flick for any peeps out there but some aspects of the book just make it SO filmable its untrue.
If Richard's recurring dreams and all the Vietnam/Apocalypse Now stuff goes in it could be an absolutely mad film. Dont think it will break Leo away from the teenybopper parade though.
Expect a lot of middle class tut-tutting when its released though.
The Beach is on a drug plantation for Gods sake.... -
What's the matter with you guys? There is no dispute that Leo is a great actor (see latest Movieline where it comments on Leo's skill & the amnesia people are suffering re his acting credentials post-Titanic).
Leo will make a great Richard - who in the film is American. As the author said, nationality doesn't matter. In the book Richard was English & Sal was American & this has been reversed in the film & Alex Garland does not care.
wait until you see the finished product! -
Leonardo DiCaprio is an awesome person, i mean he actually controlled personally if everything was alright...he is an awesome person and an awesome actor...i loved the movie specially for his presence in the movie and DID U KNOW THAT HE ACTUALLY IMPROVISED THE PART WHEN HE SAID " I WILL NOT DIE TODAY!!!!" IN THE MOVIE (WHEN HE KILLS THE BABY SHARK AND HE TELLS THE FELLOWS HOW HE MANAGED TO DO IT.
wow i luv him -
hey are you still there???????
or you closed ur account?? -
dude,,,,hey are you still there???????
or you closed ur account??
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