Cool News
Some behind the scenes info from THE TRUTH ABOUT CHARLIE
Father Geek here with some inside info on Demme's remake of CHARADE...
Bonjour, ça va?
I am a Frenchman living and working in Paris, I have just completed work on an American film, THE TRUTH ABOUT CHARLIE. I could not write to you before, I did not want to lose my job! but now the film is finished I can perhaps tell you a little bit about it. As you already know, it is being directed by Jonathqn Demme. I saw a little piece about him on your site recently, which told of his being a very nice man. I can agree with that 100%: whatever the conditions were at any time he had always a smile and kind words for the crew, which we appreciated very mich. it is not always the way (I have some friends who worked on the Brian de Palma film, also in Paris, and they said a different thing!)
Starring in this movie are Thandie Newton and Mark Walhberg and Tim Robbins, it is a remake of the film "Charade" with Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant. Unfortunately I have not seen the original, but those people who have tell me that while the script has changed quite a large amount, the plot remains basically the same. Thandie's part is of a widow who learns that her dead husband (who is "Charlie" in the title) is not whom she thought he was, and had many secrets. And now there are people who think she knows these secrets, and try to kill her. Mark is a mysterious stranger who may be helping her, and may be not.
So what can I tell you? It was an interesting job because Mr Demme has wanted to shoot the whole thing in the "nouvelle vague" style of Godard and Agnes Varda and many others. Everybody in the crew is welcome at dailies each night and it is always fascinating, occasionally it looks like a typical Hollywood movie but more often it looks like a film by my hero, Wong Kar-Wai. These are the bits I prefer! Thandie is beautiful and graceful, everybody on the crew loves her. And in the movie she is very good, I think. Mark is not so friendly as a person, but he also does a good job in the movie.
Also on your site I read your review of "Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amelie Poulain", I was very delighted because because I worked on that film too. It deserves teh success it is having in France. In a strange way there are similarities with this movie, I think. They both are very stylish, with the film speeding up and slowing down and the camera playing many tricks. And they both have at their centre a funny and charming and cute girl; if I see mr Demme again I will ask him if he watched "Amelie"!
Thank you for reading. I enjoyed this job a lot, and my hopes for the finished film are quite high indeed.
you can call me...
FROG ONE.
-
+ Expand All
-
I forgot I need to see that film! I also would sugest the rest(or at least most)of you see it as well. I loved City of Lost Children so much! ~:-)
-
While I agree Charade is not a movie that needs to be remade (what movie is?) I don't think it is a perfect film. Fun, but then it stars Grant and Hepburn, what movie with them wouldn't be fun to watch? The only reason I have any interest in this movie is Jonathon Demme. After Married to the Mob, Something Wild, Melvin and Howard, and of course Silence of the Lambs, a J. Demme film is always worth a look.
-
Oh yeah, the auteurs and studio "executives" are morons, that's how. And the audiences have only enough intelligence to get their money up to the box office window.
-
Jul 01, 2001 7:29:16 AM CDT
Hmmmm, I'm sure they can top the charm of Cary Grant and Audrey
by fatal discharge
Hollywood is so damn lazy. Why not create an original story?
-
Hey kids. I agree. The original Charade deserves all the praise heaped on it. It's great fun in a North by Northwest/Rear Window way. Lots of effortless twists...oh and that cast of bad guys! I need to watch it again I think! Hmmm...so he was going for a New Wave/ Wong Kar wei thing! Well you can't wrong a least starting from there. Where you end up...now that's a different story! As for Beloved, I think it is terribly underrrated but I see why it puts people off. I thought it had some astonishing things in it. And props to Ms. O for going to a place no one would have thought she would. It ain't Tuesdays with Morrie thats for sure (RIP Jack. Hope you and Walt share that big apartment in the sky)so I think thats what put people off. I do think this is an unnecessary remake. But the main reason I wrote in is can anyone tell me what the movie is this guy is refering to? And what's the title translation in case the video store guys dont know? Thanks for any help.
-
I assume you refer to the "Amelie" movie mentioned towards the end. It is a French film recently released in that country and possibly the rest of Europe. Miramax has bought the U.S. rights and will be releasing it in the fall, supposedly. The U.S. title may be Amelie of Montmarte. There's been several reviews of the film on this site.
-
Here's another movie where you know who the mystery villain is just by looking at the cast list. There are only 3 major names -- Wahlberg, Newton and Robbins -- and it can't be Wahlberg or Newton, because they're the romantic leads. So, gee, who could it be? It's like "Snake Eyes" or "The General's Daughter", where you knew who dunnit just by looking at the poster in the lobby...... Anyway, for anybody who hasn't seen the original, it really IS a classic. And if you never appreciated Walter Matthau, you will after seeing it.
-
...also directed the original "Bedazzled". Even if you were disgusted by the Brendon Fraser remake, try to find the original. (It's out of print on video and has never been released on DVD.) It was filmed in London in 1967 at the height of the Mod Era, when everybody looked and talked like Austin Powers. Swinging music, too, baby, yeah! For added incentive: Raquel Welch plays one of the Seven Deadly Sins, Lust. Years ago, Blockbuster put the movie on it's recommended list, then had to explain that they just assumed a movie this good was available on video.
-
...can fuck right off.
Readers Talkback
User Login
Top Talkbacks
- Whitney Houston 1963 - 2012 -- 419 total posts 209 posts
- WTF HOLLYWOOD: SOLARBABIES -- 131 total posts 129 posts
- Herc’s Seen Tonight’s Return Of THE WALKING DEAD!! Discuss Also DOWNTON ABBEY, FEAR FACTOR, PAN AM, ONCE, SIMPSONS, DYNAMITE, LUCK, SHAMELESS, BAIT CAR, THE GRAMMYS And More!! Sunday Is Sweeps Day 11!! -- 123 total posts 122 posts
- New JUDGE DREDD post production footage pops up -- 124 total posts 58 posts
- There's a STAR TREK video game that is going to lead into JJ's STAR TREK 2 apparently... -- 191 total posts 47 posts
- Avid Comic Reader Hercules Does Battle With Tedium During Kevin Smith’s COMIC BOOK MEN! -- 43 total posts 43 posts
- If the Behind the Scenes Pics of the Day drops her pen, pick it up, but don’t look at her legs or else it will be on your record. -- 60 total posts 42 posts
- I am The Behind the Scenes Pics of the Day! No, I’m the Behind the Scenes Pic of the Day! -- 27 total posts 27 posts
- To Commemorate The 3D Release Of STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE, George Lucas Wants You To Know...Greedo Shoots First!! -- 506 total posts 26 posts
- HANNA's Saoirse Ronan to boss around seven little people -- 77 total posts 24 posts