I didn't post last Sunday, as we were still finishing off the run (and I had a very heavy night on the Saturday), but Lifelong Yearning was a tremendous critical success in London. It was regularly described as one of the fuinniest shows the venue had ever seen.
However we still couldn't drive enough audiences to come and see the show to make a profit. It's hard to think what else we could have done - press releases were sent to all the free papers, fliers in all the local hotels, I walked through central London with the poster on my back. Any suggestions, please let me know so we can look at better ways going forward.
I'm at a bit of a loose end now, having moved in with my parents until Of Mice and Men, so looking for work again. If anyone knows of anything in the West of England please let me know - I'm fairly versatile. (And hopefully not sounding too desperate). I have been appying for stuff, but no joy so far.
I've also received a copy of Deep Self the short I film I did back in April. I would love to post it here, however there is quite a prominent shot of "little Ben" and I'm not sure that's suitable for a general blog like this.
Sunday, 5 July 2009
Personal News (05/07/09)
Running: Week 4, Day 7, Run 3
I want to know why I'm slower here in the West Country than I was in Birmingham or London - any suggestions please feel free to feedback.
10 km in 58 minutes or 10.4 kmph.
Shirley Knight
Happy Birthday to
Shirley Knight
73 today
Shirley won her second oscar nomination for falling for Paul Newman in Sweet Bird of Youth. Not much of an acting challenge was it?
Saturday, 4 July 2009
Film News (04/07/09)
It's such an empty week for news, I'm really struggling to fill a column. Really the whole of Hollywood must book the week before Independence day off and not bother with any press releases. So excuse me, if I'm making mountains out of molehills, or elevating the sort of story I'd usually ignore completely.
Moneyball
Steven Soderbergh's baseball flick was all set to start lensing last Monday when out of the blue the studio pulled the production, citing some changes in the script and the general lack of profitability for either baseball pictures or Soderbergh.
Of course money comes and goes in Hollywood with many projects starting then falling by the wayside, but the curious element here is the lateness with which that decision was made. You would have thought that by the time the camera's were heating up it was probbly too late to change your mind. That's not to mention that really Soderbergh and Baseball have been profitable in the past (Ocean's Eleven = $183m, A League of their Own = $108m).
The studio also claim some direct to camera documentary interviews with the major players (from this true story) were not part of the original spec and may affect the sales. I'm not sure they would for the real baseball fans, who would probably love to see their stars on screen.
Of course now the whole projects in limbo, trying to find a new studio to finance, and Steven, star Brad Pitt and the other 200 people emplyed by the film will have to move on to other projects. Let's hope they can find a financier and we do get to hear about this interesting mesh of computer modelling and sports.
Woody Allen
Only an incredible half baked rumour, but hell let's run with it, it seems that Woody will be continuing with his international tour by visiting Paris in his next film. No, that's not Whatever Works currently showing the US when Woody proves he can only write for people in his own social groups, or the Untitled London film, due to start lensing any day now with Anthony Hopkins, Naomi Watts, Josh Brolin and Pauline Collins. Instead we're talking about the next film - the 2011 Woody Allen picture.
Don't get me wrong, but I'm not sure if he knows where that will be set yet, so expect this little story to disappear soon.
Oscar 2010
Now we're halfway through the year AMPAS have been dropping press releases all week talking about the 2010 ceremony.
The most shocking change has been the increase to 10 best picture nominees. Naturally the blogosphere has been all over this exciting development with 2010 prediction changes, and guesses to what other films would have been nominated in previous years. Of course we won't know what will happen until we get there, but it is comforting to know that the single transferable vote has not been lifted so there will still be some utterly bizarre entries at the year end.
Special awards have been moved to November, clearing them from the telecast. This seems like a shame, because who doesn't want to see an ageing Hollywood starlet showing how time can be cruel during the annual event. Plus the whole celebrating of charitable works and innovation should be considered an important part of what cinema is about. Boo to this idea.
Finally the doors have been opened for a 134 new members to join the AMPAS, some of whom are pretty obvious. Although none made me think - weren't they members already. Because I'm obsessed with acting here are the on screen performers who joined the list, with a selected filmography and in order that I think they deserve to be members:
Viola Davis : Doubt, Far From Heaven, Syriana, Traffic, Get Rich or Die Tryin, Kate & Leopold, Out of Sight, The Shrink is In, Solaris, World Trade Center
Amy Ryan : Gone Baby Gone, Capote, Changeling, You can Count on Me, Before the Devil Knows you're Dead, Dan in Real Life, War of the Worlds
Casey Affleck : The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Gone Baby Gone, Good Will Hunting, Gerry, Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Thirteen, Ocaen's Twelve, To Die For
Anne Hathaway : Rachel Getting Married, Brokeback Mountain, The Devil Wears Prada, The Princess Diaries, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
Michelle Williams : Brokeback Mountain, I'm Not There, Incendiary, Lassie, The Station Agent
Melissa Leo : Frozen River, 21 Grams, Righteous Kill
Taraji P. Henson : The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Hustle & Flow
Michael Shannon : Revolutionary Road, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead, Bug, Chain Reaction, 8 Mile, High Crimes, Lucky You, Tigerland, Vanilla Sky, World Trade Centre
Brendan Gleeson : Cold Mountain, The Field, Gangs of New York, Artificial Intelligence: AI, Beowulf, Breakfast on Pluto, Butcher Boy, Far and Away, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Into the West, Kingdom of Heaven, Michael Collins, My Life so Far, Troy, The Village
Eddie Marsan : Gangs of New York, 21 Grams, Vera Drake, B. Monkey, Happy-Go-Lucky, Miami Vice
Jeffrey Wright : Ali, Syriana, Basquiat, Celebrity, Critical Care, Faithful, Lady in the Water, The Manchurian Candidate, Presumed Innocent, Quantum of Solace, Ride with the Devil, W.
James Franco : Milk, In the Valley of Elah, City by the Sea, The Company, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2, Spider-Man 3
Emily Blunt : Charlie Wilson's War, The Devil Wears Prada, Dan in Real Life
Emile Hirsch : Into the Wild, Milk, Lords of Dogtown
James McAvoy : Atonement, The Last King of Scotland
Jane Lynch : The Fugitive, Collateral Damage, Vice Versa, What Planet are you From?
Michael Cera : Juno, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Frequency
Paul Rudd : The Cider House Rules, The Object of my Affection, Romeo + Juliet
Hugh Jackman : Australia, The Fountain, Happy Feet, Kate & Leopold, The Prestige, Scoop, X-Men, X2
Seth Rogen : Look - I know he's a bit of an it man with many top selling films over the last couple of years, but I can't for the life of me string them together with any sort of justice to the others. By far the least deserving of all the actors invited to join this year.
Running: Week 4, Day 6, Run 2
After Thursday's snail-like pace I wanted to go out this morning with a bit of a spring in my step and try and go a lot faster than normal. Drumroll please ...
4.25 km in 22 minutes. Which equates to 11.7 kmph.
I'm OK with that.
Gloria Stuart
Happy Birthday to
Gloria Stuart
99 today
I don't expect you recognise the attractive 23 year old in the picture opposite, in fact you'll have to wait until the mid 90's before she becomes recognisable as the older Rose in Titanic. (and she doesn't look at all like Kate Winslet, does she?)
Friday, 3 July 2009
Out this Week (03/07/09)
Not even a competition for this weeks top film with the closest other entry getting less than half the blobs of the leader. That leader, unsurprisingly, is Michael Mann's latest foray into crime: Public Enemies.
Embodiment of Evil
It's been 41 years since the last episode in this sadistic gravedigger series, however there's been no reimagining, simply a long prison sentence with the same actor-director taking the lead. Follow Ze as he cuts up the poor and dispossed of Sao Paulo!
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
OK, it's not art, and it won't have the complex storytelling techniques of the Pixar animations, but I do have a soft spot for the Ice Age films. The trailer promises more of the same buddy picture jokes, with some highly suspect evolution jumping hook. Expect everything Scrat does to be hilarious.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Kambakkt Ishq
The producers have worked a lot to promote this Akshay Kumar starring romance, with onset blogs and tie in (free) computer games. With it's Hollywood locations as well, this could be the best way to give Bollywood a taster.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Public Enemies
Or at least it would if I wasn't going to see this. Johnny Depp and Christian Bale face off in the taut action thriller from Micheal Mann, about the hero bank robbers from the 1930's and the creation of the FBI to thwart them. Their time was short and exciting. Can't wait to see how it's turned out.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●●●●○
S. Darko
Most pointless sequel of the year award (possibly) goes to Donnie's sister, who manages to get caught in a wormhole similar to that of her depressed older brother. Expect all the angst and resonance to be sucked out of this, leaving just a hollow core with a twisty non-sensical plot. Even Frank couldn't be persuaded to return.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Tom Cruise
Happy Birthday to
Tom Cruise
47 today
Congratulations to Tom, not just for the birthday but for being the first actor to get written up with a birthday for the second time on this blog. I expect he's feeling truly honoured right now. Since last year he's had a scene stealing cameo in Tropic Thunder and tried to off Hitler in Valkyrie, both of which have gone a long way to restore his reputation. Supposedly Wichita (romantic comedy with Cameron Diaz) is his next project, but I think I'd rather see him working with Cronenburg on The Matarese Circle.
Thursday, 2 July 2009
Running: Week 4, Day 4, Run 1
I should never take any time off during a training programme - even if I am terribly hung over or moving house...
9.8 km in 55 minutes, which equates to just 10.6 kmph. This was a full 21 seconds per km slower than last Thursday. Embarassing.
Wednesday, 1 July 2009
Leslie Caron
Happy Birthday to
Leslie Caron
78 today
You may have retired, Leslie, but we'll always have your beautiful steps in Gigi and An American in Paris to remind us of you.
