Father Geek here with another newsy report from our Euro-AICN offices in Paris. I need to remind myself to upgrade the heating in Edgard's office. Either that or ship him a cord of good old central Texas Post Oak firewood. I'll have to have Paul look into which is more cost effective. Buuuuut first, here's a item that just now crossed my desk here in Austin...
Veteran Irish actor Richard Harris is to follow up his role in the
new Harry Potter film by taking the role of the Pope in a new
Hollywood blockbuster. Noel Pearson, the Irish film producer and
writer behind the Oscar winning film "My Left Foot" and "The Field" in
which Harris also starred has told ShowBizIreland.com exclusively
that he is planning a movie called "Magnifico" based on the Bach
story...
For the complete story: Just visit their Site
Father Geek returning simply to say, "Take it away... Edgard!"
EURO AICN
Hello folks... Edgard here with our brand new Euro edition of AICN news... full of different stuffs : you will get two negative reviews this week (don't you think negative reviews are the best ?) : one for BAISE MOI and one for HANNIBAL... the rest is the usual bag of news from all over : Ireland, Italy (with news on the new Roman Polanski film) and some from UK... I just saw that the Hammer Film remake news was just put on AICN, so you will get that one twice for the same price... Enjoy anyway...
ITALY
* A message from Robert, our top Italian spy, with some news on the next Polanski film... : Hi Edgard, i have some pictures from the set of THE PIANIST, the latest Roman Polanski movie. I attended a press conference in Berlin with Polanski and Adrien Brody presenting the movie two weeks ago. The pictures describe various parts of the set. The most interesting is a relief model describing the Warsaw ghetto. By clicking on the pictures, you'll see larger versions.The link is: Right Here, check it out.
The Pianist is based on the bestseller Death of a City. The book tells the autobiographic story of the brilliant Polish pianist Wladislaw Szpilman who was confined by the Nazis with his whole family in the Warsaw ghetto and was subjected to almost indescribable misfortune and humiliations there. He was the only one able to escape deportation into the death camp and hide in the ruins of Warsaw. A German officer, himself a music-lover, finally saves his life. The role of Szpilman will be played by Adrien Brody (Bread and Roses, The Thin Red Line), while the german officer who saves the pianist will be cast with Thomas Kretschmann (U-571). Other parts are taken by Frank Finlay (Othello), Maureen Lipman (Educating Rita), Ed Stoppard (The Little Vampire), Jessica Meyer (Frequency), Julia Rayner (Topsy-Turvy) and Emilia Fox (The Rat Trap). The movie will cost 38 milions of Euro (more or less 35 milions of dollars) and will be shooted between the Studio Baselberg and Brandenburg of Berlin followed by Warsaw itself.
UK
* Two Christopher Lee remake news from Empire On Line... first one could be promising (Joe Dante, can't do wrong)... but the second one... NO, NO and NO... !!
- Christopher Lee has confirmed that Joe Dante will helm a remake of the 1967 Hammer classic, THE DEVIL RIDES OUT in which he will reprise his original role as the Duc de Richeleau. Speaking at the launch of the book, 'Christopher Lee: The Authorised Screen History,' Lee told Empire Online: "If we make it again, I will play [Richeleau]; that's one definite thing. At the moment it's just a question of getting all the rights from the appropriate quarters, which we are in the process of doing. Joe Dante has agreed to direct. We won't have the same cast, except for me, and I'm just about the right age, [perhaps] a little bit older than Richeleau was in the books." The original version of The Devil Rides Out was based on a satanic thriller by occult novelist Dennis Wheatley and is one of the few Hammer films in which Lee played the hero. It's also regarded by many as one of Hammer's best movies. Lee, who has previously worked with Joe Dante on GREMLINS 2, said he thought remaking The Devil Rides Out would be "very exciting, particularly with today's special effects."
- It looks as if BLAIR WITCH 2-director Joe Berlinger has at least some ability to scare people: the rumour that he his planning a remake of THE WICKER MAN has struck terror in no less a soul than that film’s star, Christopher Lee. "I read a review that mentioned that this person, who ever he is, had directed Blair Witch 2," Lee told Empire Online. "Then it mentioned right at the end of this review that there is talk that he is intending to remake The Wicker Man. There were three words after that: SOMEBODY STOP HIM!" Lee was in obvious agreement with those sentiments, telling us that "it simply wouldn’t work in America. I think it is a unique film." The veteran actor has long maintained that his role in the 1973 film, which was written especially for him, is one of his favourites. In it, he plays Lord Summerisle, the leader of a pagan cult on a remote Scottish Island that becomes the subject of a murder investigation by a catholic policeman (Edward Woodward) from the mainland. The film has a famously shocking conclusion that has ensured its status as a cult classic. He did, however, reveal that he might soon be collaborating with the Wicker Man’s original director again. "Robert Hardy has written another script, which in many ways I think is better [than The Wicker Man], which we are trying to get together called The Riding of the Laddie. It’s a fantastic story that is really thrilling and exotic and erotic and exciting," Lee enthused. "It’s just like The Wicker Man, but not like the Wicker Man because it’s not the same story, of course." It’s safe to say that Joe Berlinger – whose transition from celebrated documentary maker to feature director bombed so spectacularly last year – should not expect a call.
* And here's from our friends at Netribution, the cool - and different - movie news from UK... check the link here below there's much more to read about (you will find for example a full coverage of the BAFTA's): Just to let you know that Saturday's issue of Netribution has interviews with director and producer, and stills from Revelation, the new Terrence Stamp big-budget 'thinking man's Indian Jones' film. The film's the first from Romulus Films since The Odessa Files - the Brit production company also made Oliver! and The African Queen. Anyway, I think this is the first online coverage and thought you might be interested.
http://www.netribution.co.uk
* From Screendaily : The UK’s FilmFour and Pathe have formed an initial two-year alliance to jointly acquire and distribute large-budget films in the UK. Under the terms of the collaboration, the companies aim to pick up at least two titles over the next twelve months, and will split profits equally. The companies will also share acquisition and distribution costs, as well as marketing and distribution strategy decisions. Marking the start of the alliance is the acquisition of K-Pax, a fantasy drama from Intermedia/IMF2, toplining Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges. Currently in production, K-Pax is directed by Iain Softley and produced by Larry Gordon for Universal Pictures, which has domestic distribution. K-Pax tells the story of a mysterious new patient at a mental hospital (Spacey), who claims to come from a distant planet. Jeff Bridges plays a psychiatrist who witnesses the extraordinary effect that this so-called alien is having on his other patients. FilmFour will distribute the film theatrically, with Pathe handling subsequent DVD and video distribution. The two companies will take turns to physically distribute future pick-ups.
BELGIUM
* From Rachel, some news on a film that is scheduled at the Brussels Science-Fiction Film Festival : A few months ago I saw a film at the Stockholm International Film Festival called "Legion of the dead" formerly "Legion" the film is also scheduled for a screening at Brussles and Luxembourg.Their website is Here
It has a mainly unknown cast - Mathias Hues from "I come in piece" and Darren Shahlavi from Yuen Wo Ping's TAI CHI2 and the cool BLOODMOON. I didn't know until now, that the director Olaf Ittenbach was actually the same guy who faked the "Alien autopsy" from a few years ago, the film has a great score and cool visuals, and some really great comedy and horror. They also have a trailer at the site. And if you want to find out about this film's screening at the Brussels festival (starting this Friday), here's the link : Just Click Here
IRELAND
* Let's start our Irish news with this one from Sneakers; and I remember that a few years ago there was the same info involving Sharon Stone... we'll see if we will ever get a female Bond... : On the aicn website there is a post about who will play bond after Pierce. Colin Wells was mentioned. But on irish tv channel (TV3) they had reported that Catherine Zeta Jones will take the role. They said that she did so well in her audition for the part in the upcoming movie that they want her to play the new bond after Pierce leaves. She'll play Jane Bond. Is this the big change that Samantha Bond is talking about?
Sneakers
* And now a few news from our pals at ShowBizIreland... :
- The big news of last week-end was that Omero Mumba, the 11 year old baby brother of Irish pop princess Samantha Mumba was on his way to be screen tested for Stephen Spielberg's new movie the Time Machine. If Omero is successful he will be acting with his sister who has already won a role in the movie and will star opposite Guy Pearse and Jeremy Irons.
- The British director John Boorman has been tinkering with his film The Tailor of Panama following mixed reviews at test screenings. Based on the novel by John Le Carre, the film stars Geoffrey Rush in the title role and Pierce Brosnan as a seedy and treacherous spy. Boorman, whose previous films include Deliverance, Point Blank and Hope and Glory, acknowledges the film presents a marketing challenge because people expecting to see Brosnan as a dashing, James Bond-type will be disappointed...
- Hollywood sources have revealed that filming is so far behind schedule on Liam Neeson's new film the Gangs of New York that both himself and Leonardo DiCaprio aswell as Daniel Day-Lewis and Brendan Gleeson have been working on weekends to make up on time lost. To make matter worse for the producers and director the movie's female lead Cameron Diaz shot a scene while suffering from flu...
For the Full Story: Click Right Here
REVIEW
We receive another review (slightly negative this time) of RAPE ME (Baise-Moi)...
BAISE MOI
By: Igor Stanojevic
* (out of 5)
Based on a book by Virginie Despentes;
Written by Virginie Despentes and Coralie Trinh Thi;
Directed by Coralie Trinh Thi and Virginie Despentes
I suppose if Quentin Tarantino and Ridley Scott ever went broke and had to make a porno this would be what it would look like. Except it wouldn`t be in French. This movie is basically the story of “Thelma & Louise” (two women scorned by men and stuff boring boring boring kill men boring boring boring have sex, an so on) with a kind of a QT / Kevin Smith type dialogue going.
So what`s so special about this movie ? Well, the actors and actresses actually have sex. They don`t fake it, they actually get it on and that is a new trend in french cinema (some other movies, like “Pola X”, also have the same gimmick). Unfortunately, as outrageous as it is, it doesn`t add much to it. Now if somebody were to make an overall good movie that would just have scenes of actual sex instead of the fake kind, I myself wouldn`t object, but this is not the case of that. This movie actually has some Ok dialogue and scenes plus it`s interesting as it is an innovation. This phenomenon reminded me of the hype around “Deep Throat” when it got out. There`s nothing more to say about this movie as it is neither horrible nor great, it`s just a porno with a better dialogue than most. So there.
Reporting from the semi-free Serbia,
Cafeman,
Write me By Clicking Here.
I DISAGREE
Ethan saw HANNIBAL and, well, didn't like it very much... Personally I saw this film yesterday and for once I agree with Ethan... But in my case, it's different... I am not a big fan of SILENCE OF THE LAMBS; it's a good film but not great... (again I talk for me). I remember I was in the States when SILENCE... was released and that I saw it the first week... All my friends were crazy about it, I wasn't... and since then I never understood why it's seen as a masterpiece for many people. I never understood why Hannibal Lecter is such a great character. But that's all what taste is about, it's different for everyone... so I don't complain, I am not crazy about it and that's it... HANNIBAL plays the same... good film, wasn't bored but that's it... it didn't "seduce" me... I like the idea that they did something totally different from SILENCE... that was a good move... I like the Italian part of the film... but like ethan here below, I didn't feel that Clarice's character was really existing before the end and I also regret that Hannibal is somehow made more ordinary than he should be... So not a real succes for me, but I don't think I am the right person to judge this film as I am not a fan of the first... I leave that to Ethan now... And beware of a little - but major if you haven't see the film or read the book - SPOILER !
THE DEATH OF HANIBAL LECTER
HANNIBAL was the sequel that no one needed. Even if you erase the heritage of THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS and treat it as an original picture, you still feel the scent of futility around it. The main problem of this movie is the inevitable fact that no one believed in it. De Laurentiis family has a tradition of exploatation strategies. Ridley Scott`s career had so many different angles in the nineties that I doubt if he really believed in anything he did after THELMA AND LOUISE. Mamet and Zaillian treated this adaptaion as a `take the money and run` deal because they are both pursuing their own projects. Finally, even Thomas Harris did this as the last `cash-in` deal before he rides off into the sunset. HANNIBAL was thus a typical Frankensteinesque gathering of different hackers that just wanted to pinch some studio bucks. It feels like a typical Jerry Bruckheimer deal.
Box-office success of this movie proves that anything would have earned money with the Hannibal Lecter tag on it. This worries me because it means that studio properties actually are worth more than the actual quality. The success of HANNIBAL means that a Raja Gosnell SUPERMAN flick may please the studios. No wonder why studios treat audience like cattle. I mean people actually went to see a moronic sequel about the great character where even principal actors from the original failed to appear. This worries me because HANNIBAL really may be the beginning of a new studio era when everything will earn sufficient gross neverminding the quality. This era may grow a new breed of studio-nurtured hackers without a mind of their own that will obey and cut the cool scenes out and listen to the preview screening results.
HANNIBAL`s script is absolutely awful. First of all it is consisted of two separate stories. When the Italian story ends Clarice`s story begins. The Italian story itself is a pretty boring and overlong rehash of Hitchcock`s PSYCHO intro. Everyone knows that Giancarlo Giannini plays the role of PSYCHO`s Merion instead of Janet Leigh. Yet I don`t know why does it last so long. Ridley, remember De Palma`s DRESSED TO KILL? There you also have this PSYCHO intro. But DRESSED TO KILL wasn`t a sequel to a movie where Angie Dickinson had no part. HANNIBAL is the movie about Hannibal and Clarice. Instead of them you look at Giannini and you know that he is going to die. So why bother?
Film also has no main characters. All characters offer supporting roles. So you can`t create suspense. All you can do is watch a tedious serial killer movie about a guy that doesn`t kill much.
HANNIBAL also shows us the death of Hannibal Lecter as a character. In original MANHUNTER he was a man made of flesh and bone. Brian Cox` acting gave Hannibal the true existence. In THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS Anthony Hopkins gave Hannibal a kinky feel. In HANNIBAL Ridley Scott murdered Hannibal. We see too much of Hannibal so he simply doesn`t look like a frightening villain. also his murder methods and way of life aren`t as smart as before. Here hannibal wears a baseball cap and drives a van. In 1950s and 1960s adult movie characters wore baseball caps only if they were morons - remember Robert Ryan in BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK? Yet Hannibal isn`t a hero in this movie because Anthony Hopkins is more of a supporting character. In the end we watch a movie about a harmless cannibal and his games with disfigured tycoons, crooked Italian cops and old friends.
Clarice`s character is under-developed as well. In THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS she was a realistic FBI-rookie. In HANNIBAL she is an anti-drug agent whose lines are copy/pasted from a Kurt Russell vehicle that never got made. I mean look at those `gotta be ready to take a bullet` lines. Last time I heard them it was some Eric Roberts/James Remar `direct-to-video` rubbish. The shoot-out with African-American drug pushers looks like a poor ABOVE THE LAW rip-off.
Gary Oldman`s Mason Verger character belongs to a cartoon. The mythology of crippled villain was retro even in 1970s Roger Moore 007 pics.
MINI SPOILER ALERT !
Plot twist given away!
Beware!!!
The only cool thing about this movie was the scene when Ray Liotta eats his own brain. But everything else is utterly disposable and insulting.
END OF MINI SPOILER ALERT !
I hope that one day people will forget this movie. I also hope someone will charge MGM and Universal for stealing audience`s money at the box-office.
If you haven`t seen HANNIBAL beware. Go check out THE PLEDGE...
God bless,
Ethan
**************
That was it for this Euro-week... don't forget, as usual send any interesting thing directly to our Euro AICN offices in freezing Paris at euroaicn@yahoo.com and we'll inform the world.
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