Cool News
Weekly Recap of the week that was...
Here you folks go....
TAKEN FROM VARIETY AND HOLLYWOOD REPORTER VIA REUTERS
CASTING
* Martin Sheen and Andrew Keegan ("Party of Five") join O (modern-day
adaptation of OTHELLO) for director Tim Blake Nelson.
* Saverio Guerra ("Becker," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer") joins BLUE
STREAK.
* Ewen Bremner (TRAINSPOTTING), Chloe Sevigny (LAST DAYS OF DISCO) and
German director Werner Herzog will star in JULIEN for writer/director
Harmony Korine. Cary Woods is producing and the pic is being shot in
New York on digital video.
* Reese Witherspoon and Samantha Mathis join AMERICAN PSYCHO.
* Angie Dickinson and Huey Lewis join DUETS with Gwyneth Paltrow. They
will respectively play Paltrow's grandmother and father.
* Denis Leary will star in THE EDDIE KLEP STORY, the 1940s story of the
first white baseball player to play in the Negro Leagues.
* Brittany Murphy (CLUELESS, "King of the Hill") will star as Janis
Joplin in the biopic PIECE OF MY HEART for Paramount and director Gary
Fleder (KISS THE GIRLS).
* Kevin Spacey and Danny DeVito will star in a screen version of they
Roger Rueff play HOSPITALITY SUITE about three salesmen at an industrial
lubricants convention in Kansas. Peter Facinelli also stars with John
Swanbeck directing.
* Matt Dillon will star in the drama PONY RIDES for director Bruce
Beresford (upcoming DOUBLE JEOPARDY) about a young male prostitute who
must take over the family business servicing rich women.
* Owen Wilson (ARMAGEDDON, RUSHMORE co-writer) will join Jackie Chan in
the Tony Dey-directed SHANGHAI NOON.
* David Arquette (SCREAM) will portray Darby Crash, lead singer of 70s
band the Germs in WHAT WE DO IS SECRET for writer/director Rodger
Grossman.
* Bai Ling (RED CORNER) joins Fox 2000's ANNA AND THE KING.
* Bruce Willis will star in the indie mob spoof THE WHOLE NINE YARDS for
director Johnathan Lynn (MY COUSIN VINNY). Shooting begins in May on
this story about a mobster who enters a witness protection program and
moves to the 'burbs. His neighbors discover that he is wanted by the
mob and then are pulled in to the life of organized crime.
* Nicolas Cage is in talks to star in the adaptation of Sebastian
Junger's THE PERFECT STORM for Warner Bros. and director Wolfgang
Petersen (AIR FORCE ONE). Cage's Saturn Films is also producing SHADOW
OF THE VAMPIRE with John Malkovich starring and Elias Merhige (BEGOTTEN)
directing the Steven Kate (AMERICAN GOTHIC) script. The story takes
place during the making of the 1922 film NOSFERATU.
* Julia Roberts is in final talks to star in ERIN BROCKOVICH for
director Steven Soderbergh.
* Martin Lawrence may star in both THIS MEANS WAR where two best friends
fall in love with the same girl, as well as BIG MOMMA'S HOUSE in which
Lawrence would play an undercover cop and a master of disguise.
* Woody Allen may star in the black comedy PICKING UP THE PIECES for
possible director Alfonso Arau (LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE). Allen would
play a butcher who enters the witness protection program and poses as a
cowboy all the while trying to cover up the murder of his wife.
* Jeffrey Wright joins DETOX.
* Penelope Cruz will play the female lead in ALL THE PRETTY HORSES.
* Whoopi Goldberg is in talks to join Brendan Fraser in MONKEY BONE.
* Uma Thurman and Tim Roth are in talks to star opposite Gerard
Depardieu in the Roland Joffe-directed VATEL written by Tom Stoppard
about a 48 hour look into the preparation of a feast for Louis XIV by
chef Vatel.
* Wesley Snipes will produce and star in the action thriller ART OF WAR.
Stanley Tong (MR MAGOO) may direct.
DIRECTOR/WRITER ATTACHMENTS
* Director Mike Figgis (LEAVING LAS VEGAS) is directing MISS JULIE, an
adaptation of August Stindberg's 1888 Swedish play. Safron Burrows
(CIRCLE OF FRIENDS), Peter Mullan (MY NAME IS JOE) and Maria
Doyle-Kennedy (THE COMMTIMENTS) all star in the pic. Shooting begins
March 8 in London. Figgis will follow MISS JULIE with an adaptation of
Alberto Morovia's novel 1934.
* Jim Fishman has written TRENCHFOOT for Def Pictures about two Jamaican
brothers who witness the murder of their parents. One grows up to be a
musician while the other becomes an organized crime figure who seeks
revenge.
* The comedy HONKY, written by Phil Teg and Aaron Pugliese & Andrew
Michael Winer, has been picked up by New Regency. It's about two black
producers who try to fail their "Soul Train" type of show called "Boogie
Fever" by hiring a white host who can't dance.
* Mike Werb and Mike Colleary (FACE/OFF) will write TOP TEN based on a
manuscript by Ryne Douglas Pearson (SIMPLE SIMON which became MERCURY
RISING). It centers on a serial killer, ranked #10 on the FBI's most
wanted list, who begins to kill off other criminals on the list so he
can be #1. Little does he know that #5 is an undercover agent.
* Allison Anders will direct THINGS UNDER THE SUN, written by Anders and
Kurt Voss, about a female rock singer who tries to escape the memories
of a gang rape and becomes an alcoholic wreck. Shooting may begin this
summer.
* Madonna will produce and possibly direct THE FIRES, based on the novel
by Rene Steinke, about a girl in her early 20's who tries to escape
childhood demons by setting fires in her town.
* John Turtletaub (PHENOMENON) will produce/direct NATIONAL TREASURE for
Disney to open July 4 weekend 2000. Jim Kauf (RUSH HOUR) is writing the
script about a modern-day treasure hunt for a Revolutionary War secret
stash of money hidden by Franklin, Jefferson and Washington to help
finance the war.
* Francis Ford Coppola is in talks to direct 13 DAYS with Kevin Costner,
replacing Phil Alden Robinson.
HARRY NOTE: Fantastic news... Coppola is absolutely the most perfect human being to direct David Self's fantastic script, that lives on the planet.
* Don Roos (THE OPPOSITE OS SEX) is working on BOUNCE for Miramax and
Universal about a man who switches airline tickets with a stranger who
takes his flight. The plane crashes a kills everyone on board. The man
his overwhelm with guilt, finds the stranger's widow and falls in love
with her.
* Simon Wells (THE PRINCE OF EGYPT) is in talks to direct a sequel to
CASPER taking place eight years after the first movie ended.
* Alejandro Amenabar will write/direct the Gothic thriller THE OTHERS
for Miramax about a woman and her children isolated from the world while
her husband is off to war.
* Peter Hewitt (THE BORROWERS) will direct Ben Steiner's script WHATEVER
HAPPENED TO HAROLD SMITH? with Tom Courtenay, Michael Legge, Stephen
Fry, David Thewlis and Lulu.
* Ang Lee will direct a 19th century martial arts pic CROUCHING TIGER,
HIDDEN DRAGON with Michelle Yeoh committed to star.
* John Singleton will direct his own BABY BOY after SHAFT about a guy
who has two children by two different women in South Central L.A.
MISCELLANEOUS PRODUCTION TIDBITS
* Thanksgiving weekend will see the release of HOW THE GRINCH STOLE
CHRISTMAS starring Jim Carrey and directed by Ron Howard.
* The Taco Bell dog has inspired TACO DOG about the dognapping of a
spokesdog for a failing taco franchise.
* Producer Saul Zaentz and writer/director Anthony Minghella (THE
ENGLISH PATIENT) will reteam for a Minghella script about a suicidal man
who is convinced by the seven deadly sins to live life according to
their passions.
FROM TV TO FILM NEWS: Drew Barrymore is close to a deal to star in a
feature remake of "Charlie's Angels" for Columbia Pictures.
HARRY NOTE: The Poster for the above flick should be a classic wet t-shirt shot of Drew with perfect hair and I don't care if it takes a billion rolls of film... If yer gonna try to put her in the Farrah iconic role... she must be as iconic....
REMAKE NEWS OF THE WEEK: Director Joel Schumacher will remake the 1996
French thriller L'APPARTMENT (THE APARTMENT) for Paramount. Shooting
will begin this fall in New York.
Very long recap this week and a lot of it sounds cool. Coppola
directing 13 DAYS? Keep your fingers crossed. *** Nicolas Cage is
busy and Woody Allen seems to be in more talks to act than he is to
write or direct. *** A CHARLIE'S ANGELS was inevitable, but with Drew
Barrymore involved it's more interesting. *** Ang Lee, John Singleton,
Don Roos, Mike Figgis and Anthony Mighella seem to be ready for 2000
directing some intriguing projects. *** DETOX seems to never stop
casting. DUETS, O, BLUE STREAK and AMERICAN PSYCHO are starting to
round out. *** Glad to see Spacey and DeVito working together again.
*** Janis Joplin fans take note: PIECE OF MY HEART seems to finally be
getting off the ground.
I'll be listening to writer/director Kevin Smith speak at Virginia
Tech this Wednesday, so maybe I'll see some of you there. I'm looking
forward to it.
Have a good March. Spring is almost upon us.
Elston Gunn
elstongunn@hotmail.com
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That was funny, truck
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And considering that Anders is one of the least talented directors on the planet (start with GAS, FOOD, LODGING, and make your way to GRACE OF MY HEART. They all stink,) I'm sure it'll be worthless. As for HOSPITALITY SUITE, Bob Newhart has also joined that cast. Could be a funny little film.
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8mm notched the top spot in the weekend sweeps as far as $$, but it remains to be seen if the word of mouth on this flick can generate any legs for the film. Initial responses seem to indicate that except for the sensational material broached, it is unlikely to garner many viewers in the coming weeks. One is left to wonder "How many times in one film can a director have a gun (or knive) drop on the floor so that our hero and the bad guys can scramble and crawl to see who gets to the weapon first as it remains juussst ouuttt offf reeeaaaachh?"
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i liked 8mm better the first time around when it was called HARDCORE.cause any flick with Peter Boyle in his skivies is awwight.
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I was real excited to see a posting of Harmony Korine's next project. Harmony Korine is amazing. He has a great book out called A Crack Up at the Race Riots, and his last film Gummo was a stunning piece of originality.
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I'm more excited about Coppola doing 13 DAYS than anything else, and I have no doubt he'll do it. I was very let down months ago when I heard that Leo and Stone left AMERICAN PSYCHO, but I'm glad to hear that it's finally coming around. And if it stays anywhere close to the book, it should have a tremendously chilling effect on American audiences. DETOX, barring a terrible script, should be decent. I don't know about Bruce Willis' new one. I'd have to hear more. Personally, I think the best move for him AND David Fincher to make would be to team up for THE SKY IS FALLING. That project would be absolutely perfect for both of them.
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> Lovely sentence Harry, really.
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Mike D, DETOX will be more than decent. It will be a great action/suspence/thriller. The decent draft you are talking about was the first draft. Detox also has a really good supporting cast and that is a big plus. In short, DETOX will be a BLOCKBUSTER. Wait for the trailer before opening your mouth.
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book was badly written & cliched, maybe good directing & acting can save it. SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE - well, the team they have listed certainly sounds qualified. And correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this the first time anyone's made a fictional movie about the making of a vampire movie? I could be wrong - I seem to trip over hitherto unheard-of vamp-related flicks (both new and vintage) every time I turn around.
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I haven't been around all week due to the flu that's going around. I don't know which is worse; the flu, or the medication that makes you feel like your head is stuck in a fish bowl twenty-four hours a day. I just had to chime in with the satisfaction that Samantha Mathis has joined the cast of Mary Harron's "American Psycho." I'm glad to see her getting work again. She's really great.
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Yes, a movie about someone's depression over being gang raped. I'll rush right out. Just what I've been waiting for.
And I was just wondering...does Lane Meyer have a job? He seems to have way too much free time. Not that I want to attract his wrath or anything. I was just wondering.
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why not just rerelease My Blue Heaven, Rick Moranis and Steve martain were funny in that movie...looks like Brucy boy is captlizing on the whole mob bosses is funny trend(The Soprano's(and yes I know it's more then just a comedy)and Anylze This)
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I'm looking through these exciting news updates and I'm thinking: All of these movies just about sound like Chevy Chase's book idea in Funny Farm. They're TERRIBLE! American Psycho is the LAST thing we need right now. It's violent, its sensationalism in the name of drudge, and its going to add to an already neurotic culture.
Every time I go to the bookstore and I see books like I, Robot or Foundation or Fahrenheit 451 (old movie, yes...new, no) I'm wondering...Why haven't these movies been made, yet?? And the answer is really, really simple. The studios underestimate the intelligence of the audience. I WILL NOT pay to see another piece of shit movie about a stalker or a recovering alcoholic or a bunch of thieves which are really "hip" good guys. NO MORE! Enough! After Star Wars comes out, movie makers are going to have to try a little harder, thank God. I've said it before and I'll say it again, THIS is exactly why people construct altars for movies like Star Wars. They SHOULD be commonplace, but inventive and fearless people are so rare I guess, that people worship them like gods. Ok, I'm finished. Except for this quote:
"What if courage and imagination were to become everyday qualities? We would be no longer needed!"
"Right now, there is sufficient sloth and mendacity to last forever." -Hera and Zeus, Clash of the Titans -
Not only is America's intelligence consistently underrated regarding what inane stories we will accept - but we are also constantly apparently considered to be buffoons who don't notice amazingly large plot holes. Or films that have been edited with toy scissors. I am always amazed when I think about the amounts of money spent and the final product we see. Perfect example - Simply Irresistible. Very decent cast - what the hell happened there? How does something like that get released? Millions of dollars were spent - did they think we wouldn't notice it just sucked? We are, as a people, vastly underrated.
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Wait a second. SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE, a decent cast? Is there another one playing that we don't know about?
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meeting accepted standards. I by no means meant great or very good. I was mainly referring to Patricia Clarkson and Dylan Baker. They've got some nice work under their collective belts. I was frankly horrified that they were involved in this fiasco. And you would think that this genre would be something Sarah Michelle would excel at. But of course, that's assuming the script wasn't written by a 12 year old. On acid.
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Many of these upcoming projects sound cool. Here's another one: just three years after Kenneth Branagh's brilliant, unexpurgated version of Shakespeare's masterwork "Hamlet," comes yet another film version of the melancholy Dane (the third since 1990), this time directed by Michael Almereyda. The story will be updated to 1990s New York, but the language will remain Shakespeare's all the way (think "Romeo and Juliet" with Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes). Check out the cast: Ethan Hawke as Hamlet, Kyle MacLachlan as Claudius, Bill Murray as Polonius, Sam Shepard as the Ghost, Liev Schreiber as Laertes, Steve Zahn as Rosencrantz, Diane Venora as Gertrude, and Julia Stiles (from "The 60's") as Ophelia. The film is slated for release this fall.
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I have to disagree with you ...Lane...about the cameron script-ment...i thought it was very well done...to bring it to the big screen would be fantastic....but we all know that it won't come to fruition. i enjoyed the part of the web shooters being apart of him too...that was a smart play...but over all this...even though cameron's treatment won't be used...i can safely say that i don't want centropolis boys even coming close to breathing on this one...spidey has been in legal intanglements for to long...and now that it is finally out....it would all be for nothing if dean and roland got a hold of it...it would become souless and poorly acted...as for a director that they should use...i think joe johnston in the man...it seemed that alot of people disliked the rocketeer...but that is one of the best films in my book to bring a comic book to life on the big screen....he also recently did ...october sky for those of you who didn't know....he brings alot of heart into his pictures as well as cool visuals....and this picture should not just fall under the popcorn summer fair...i don't won't to forget the moment i walk out the theatre like so many summer flicks before me...it has to stand apart...it must have heart. as for a screenwriter...i think that maybe william goldman would be a great choice...the princess bride is a classic and he seems to write fables well...now i know spiderman is not a fable....but...i would love to walk out of the theatre on this one...and just have that magical feeling i see so few and far between these days....and if all else fails....let me direct it.
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