Film News (22/05/10)

I'm a day late with the usual news post.

Sorry.

I'd love to pretend I had a reasonable excuse, that I've been busy with other things, but that would've been a lie. I did nothing at all useful yesterday. In my defence it is very hot here in Manchester and I just couldn't find any energy, but that's not really good enough so please just accept my apologies and with no further ado let's start looking at what's struck me this week.

The Song of Names

I don't know the 2002 Whitbread prize winning novel that's being adapted to the big screen, but I do know that casting Anthony Hopkins and Dustin Hoffman in the older versions of the leads (the story takes place over 2 time periods, in the early post-war years and forty years later) will generate a lot of buzz as the veteran stars work together for the first time. The Amazon description describes the plot with: Dovidl Rappoport is a violin prodigy and a Polish refugee whose family perished in the Holocaust. He now lives with a wealthy Jewish family in London and befriends their socially awkward son, Martin Simmonds. Martin’s father, a musical impresario, trains Dovidl for the biggest debut on the London stage, and Martin is commandeered to act as caretaker. The two become close friends, forming a sybaritic relationship. Dovidl, however, slowly begins to slink into London’s seamier nightlife and eventually disappears on the day of his much-anticipated debut, wreaking havoc on the family and its business. Forty years later, Martin discovers a trace of the vanished prodigy and eventually ekes out a plan to avenge the betrayal all those years ago.

Sounds a bit oscar baity, but it may just be worth a look anyway. We'll see.

Read on for psychics, two different endings for the world, French love stories, a classic children's adaptation and Marvin Gaye.



Mai, the Psychic Girl

With the steady trend of storylines led by strong adolescent teenagers it's no surprise that the Manga adaptation originally mooted back in the 1980's is once again in contention for a US big screen version. Concerning a 14 year old girl (left) with psychic powers and a secret organisation attempts to use her to gain power it'll no doubt be edge of the seat entertainment.

Melancholia

Lars von Trier's latest doomfest - this time about the end of the world so I guess he has a point - has already picked up an eclectic and talented cast and has now added to that with old hand John Hurt returning to the depressed Dane for the first time since 2005 Manderley, which he narrated.

Midnight in Paris

Also in casting news Adrien Brody has joined Woody Allen's Paris set next project. There's no news on the role, but frankly we know more about this Allen movie than we've known about he last ten at this stage of pre-production so I'm not going to push it.

Paani

Cannes jury member Shekhar Kapur has been using the opportunity to talk up his next film. Set in a waterless future the sci-fi parable will explore the likelihood of wars and civil unrest over a shortage of H2O. I doubt it will have a happy ending. To the right a scene not featured in this movie.

20,000 Leagues under the sea

Bizarrely there are two competing versions of Jules Verne's 1970 submarine story in the works, and given that both versions have surprising directors inked on board (David Fincher and Timu Bekmambetov) I doubt either will be close to the classic Kirk Douglas/James Mason version. Altogether now "It's a whale of a tale and it's all true, I swear by my tattoo."

Untitled Marvin Gaye Biopic

Newly remarried Terrence Howard refuses to get sore about losing the Iron Man 2 gig to Don Cheadle (like hell!) but at least he's able to use the time to select some more personal projects that should get some critical attention. Like playing Marvin Gaye in the long gestating biopic from Cameron Crowe. Marvin's lifestory is immensely cinematic starting as a session drummer and slowly gaining a reputation as a singer, chalking up two failed marriages, a huge musical legacy in just about every style of pop and soul he touched (including his seminal album What's Going On, below) and his sudden murder in the hands of his father. It's therefore a surprise that no film has been made yet, although with three scripts in development in various studios Howard will really have to push this to get it done first. I guess he has the free time to do that.