Update: November 9th ,1998

NEWS

 

 

 

Star Wars trilogy : George Lucas said during the keynote speech at the Screen Producers' Association of Australia conference that it's possible he'll helm the second and third episodes of the new Star Wars trilogy. "I don't know for sure, but I probably will," Lucas told the crowd. The mogul, who announced this week that he will shoot both episodes down under, was also less than specific on Indiana Jones, revealing that he has a script ready to go, but "it really is a matter of Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford's time frames."

King of the Jungle : Seth Zvi Rosenfeld has rolled cameras in New York on King of the Jungle. The cast includes John Leguizamo, Rosie Perez, Marisa Tomei, Michael Rapaport, Annabella Sciorra, Justin Pierce, Julie Carmen and Cliff Gorman. The film tells the story of a mildly retarded man (Leguizamo) who lives with his activist mother on the border between Harlem and the Upper West Side. When he witnesses her murder, he escapes to the streets where he is pursued by the cops, his deadbeat dad and the killer.

Cinderfella : In one of the biggest deals ever of its kind, New Line Cinema has paid Jerry Lewis a seven-figure sum for the remake rights to the 1960 comedy Cinderfella for Industry Entertainment to produce. New Line views the project as a fast-track comedy, potentially for 1999 or 2000, that should attract a high-profile comic thesp. Pic was a retelling of the classic fairy tale with Lewis playing a male Cinderella up against a wicked stepmother and two greedy stepsons.

Still Life : Michael Douglas’s Furthur Films, which recently aligned with Universal, has made a second deal with U-based October Films for indie-caliber pics. With the ink barely dry on the October deal, Furthur has already come up with a first project that should be in production next year, with Douglas possibly playing a role. Furthur’s first film foray with U is Still Life, the Andrea King-scripted pic in which Douglas will star with Meryl Streep for director Mimi Leder, but that picture might be beaten out of the gate by One Night at McCool’s, a Stan Seidel script that Douglas and Segan will produce at October.

The Opportunists : Christopher Walken will star in writer-director Myles Connell's indie drama The Opportunists. Developed through the Sundance Filmmakers Lab, Connell's story follows Walken as a veteran criminal living in an Irish neighborhood in Queens who is approached by a young man just arrived from Ireland and claiming to be a cousin.

The London Film Festival : The London Film Festival (5-19th November) starts today and the official website at http://www.lff.org.uk. As well as info about all the films and venues in this year's festival and a personalised schedule, the site is hosting live webcasts of Guardian interviews with film stars from the festival :

Michael Caine on Friday November 6 at 18.30 GMT
Roberto Benigni on Saturday November 7 at 21.00 GMT
Willem Dafoe on Sunday November 8 at 21.00 GMT
Jonathan Demme on Tuesday November 10 at 18.30 GMT
John Waters on Tuesday November 17 at 18.30 GMT

All the live interviews will be located at http://www.lff.org.uk/live

Batman : Batman creator Bob Kane, who watched the comic book character become an American cultural icon, has died. He was 83. The cause of death was unclear.

Lazarus and the Hurricane : David Paymer (Amistad, Mr. Saturday Night) joins Denzel Washington Vicellous Reon Shannon in Universal Pictures' Lazarus and the Hurricane directed by Norman Jewison. Washington plays Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, the world middleweight champ wrongfully imprisoned for the murders of three men in a New Jersey bar. Paymer will play Myron Beldoc, one of Carter's two lawyers. Mr. Saturday Night

Spyville : Warner Bros. is in final negotiations to nab Nick Marine's screenplay Spyville as a possible vehicle for Jim Carrey. The studio will reportedly pay low-mid-six against high-mid-six figures for the script and is hoping to convert Spyville into a feature version of the hit '60s television spy spoof Get Smart. Andrew Lazar of Mad Chance Prods. brought the project to the studio and will produce. Ed Bates, Marine's manager and producing partner, is also expected to produce.

Patriot : Roland Emmerich's new project is a film about the formation of the country. Emmerich is in talks to helm Patriot, an original script about the Revolutionary War written by Saving Private Ryan scribbler Robert Rodat. The film is coming together quickly at Columbia as a co-production between Mutual Film Co. and Centropolis, the partnership between Emmerich and Dean Devlin. Though details were still being worked out, sources said Devlin will produce with Mutual partners Mark Gordon and Gary Levinsohn, the duo who previously produced Rodat’s Saving Private Ryan along with Steven Spielberg and Ian Bryce.

Joan of Arc : Dustin Hoffman has quietly taken a starring role in the Luc Besson-directed picture Joan of Arc, which stars Milla Jovovich in the title role. Hoffman begins shooting his role Monday, about five months after the mid-June kickoff of the picture. It's unusual for a star of Hoffman's stature to join the cast of a major film and keep it secret -- but not when the director is Besson, who makes his movies in extreme secrecy, then turns them in to Sony.

Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas : Stephen Baldwin is in final negotiations to play Barney Rubble in Universal Pictures' prequel to the The Flintstones. He joins previously announced cast member Mark Addy (The Full Monty), who will play Fred Flintstone. The prequel, titled Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, will focus on the newly married twentysomething couples -- Fred and Wilma Flintstone, and Barney and Betty Rubble -- who go on a trip to the Stone Age version of Las Vegas. Female leads have not yet been cast, although Parker Posey (Clockwatchers, House of Yes ) is reportedly being considered for Betty Rubble

Crouching Tiger, Leaping Dragon : Ang Lee will direct an action film for his next turn, and he wants Asia's premier action stars for the lead roles.Crouching Tiger, Leaping Dragon will likely shoot in China, with Chinese dialogue. Lee has offered the leads to Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh -- a bit of quandary for both, who are successfully broadening to Hollywood films after a long stint in buttkicking actioners.

The Crow: Salvation : Eric Mabius (Welcome to the Dollhouse) is in final talks to star in the third installment of The Crow for Miramax’s Dimension Films genre arm. Joining Mabius in the cast of the latest Crow is Kirsten Dunst. The Crow: Salvation is scheduled to begin lensing in early 1999. Pic will be directed by Bharat Nalluri.

New Trailers

"Celebrity" Full Trailer (20.1 Mb, MOV) Directed by Woody Allen Cast : Hank Azaria, Kenneth Branagh, Leonardo DiCaprio, Melanie Griffith, Famke Janssen, Joe Mantegna, Winona Ryder,Charlize Theron.

"Celebrity" Full Trailer (10.7 Mb, MOV)

"Celebrity" Full Trailer (5.9 Mb, MOV)

"Psycho" Full Trailer (13.1 Mb, MOV)

"Psycho" Full Trailer (7.1 Mb, MOV)

"Psycho" Full Trailer (3.8 Mb, MOV)

"Jack Frost" Full Trailer (23.7 Mb, MOV) Cast : Michael Keaton, Kelly Preston.

"Jack Frost" Full Trailer (14.1 Mb, MOV)

"Jack Frost" Full Trailer (7.5 Mb, MOV)

"Mighty Joe Young" Full Trailer (20.9 Mb, MOV) Cast : Bill Paxton, Charlize Theron.

"Mighty Joe Young" Full Trailer (7.7 Mb, MOV)

"Mighty Joe Young" Full Trailer (4.2 Mb, MOV)

Bullfighter : Willem Dafoe is in final negotiations to star as a mystical warrior-priest in Scanbox Danmark’s Bullfighter. Bullfighter marks the directorial debut of Danish-born Rune Bendixen, leader of the Technomusic band the Overlords.

La Veuve de St. Pierre : Making is feature film debut as an actor, director Emir Kusturica has signed on for a role in Patrice Leconte's La Veuve de St. Pierre. The picture is a tale of redemption centering on a prisoner who has been condemned to die. It is being shot in French and although Kusturica is not a native speaker his role requires very little talk. Juliette Binoche also stars.

50 Violins : Jane Leeves (Frasier) has joined Meryl Streep, Gloria Estefan, Aidan Quinn and Angela Bassett in 50 Violins.The film is directed by Wes Craven, the film tells the true story of music teacher Roberta Guaspari (Streep) who teaches violin to underprivileged kids at the Central Park East Elementary School in East Harlem. Leeves will portray Dorothea Van Hauften, who galvanizes her husband, violinist Arnold Steinhardt (who will play himself in the film), to raise money for the school's music program. 

The Siege : I got this mail about the new Bruce Willis and Denzel Washington starrer film The Siege and here it is

Dear Movie News,

I would like to make a comment concerning the movie "The Siege." You may
have heard that this movie is "raising the ire" of American Muslims. As
an American Muslim, allow me to explain briefly what is offensive about the
film. For a more complete information, please contact the Council on
American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), http://www.cair-net.org/

The basic problem is that the film perpetuates the stereotype that Islamic religiosity is equivalent to political radicalism. Amongst the things which are associated with terrorism are: washing for prayer, beards, reciting from the Quran (our holy book), and the color green, which belie a subtle, but firm enforcement of negative stereotypes against Muslims.

To quote the head of CAIR:

"Different people will have different reactions to this film," said CAIR
Board Chairman Omar Ahmad. "But the bottom line is that we believe movie-goers will view the next Muslim or Arab they meet with increased suspicion and hostility," said Ahmad.

Therefore, I would like you to mention in your review that concern has
been expressed by American Muslims about their portrayal in this film.

Thank you,
Asif Khalak

50 Violins : Aidan Quinn has taken the male lead in the Wes Craven-directed drama starring Meryl Streep and Gloria Estefan 50 Violins. Streep plays Roberta Tsavares, who taught classical violin to inner-city kids with great success. Quinn plays a former high school friend who becomes the violin teacher’s lover and introduces her to the Harlem school where she hatches the program.

Spooky House : Ben Kingsley and Mercedes Ruehl are set to star in the indie feature Spooky House. The film is described as a family Halloween film, Kingsley will play a famous magician turned embittered recluse, who has become the subject of many legends invented by the town's children. When five youngsters sneak into his house, they become the targets of his 'booby traps,' but end up learning the value of friendship and take on teenage bullies led by a chain-smoking crime queen (Ruehl).

All the Rage : Joan Allen has signed to star with Gary Sinise and Jeff Daniels in All the Rage. Jim Stern will direct. The film tells the story of a group of people whose lives are affected and changed forever by the presence of firearms.

Magnolia : Tom Cruise will team with Paul Thomas Anderson for his next project, Magnolia. Cruise, who adapted his standard deal to take the unbilled part, will play one of an ensemble of thesps in the pic, which is a series of vignettes set in the San Fernando Valley. Boogie Nights castmembers close to deals include Louise Guzman, Philip Baker Hall, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ricky Jay, William H. Macy, Julianne Moore, John C. Riley and Malora Walters. Cruise, a fan of Boogie Nights, became involved after Anderson flew to London to visit him on the set of Eyes Wide Shut. Anderson returned and created the small role specifically for Cruise within the ensemble structure.

Man On The Moon : Jim Carrey On Line site has offer the Man On The Moon logo on the web first. So here you are. And in the news section of Jim Carrey you will found that the relationship between Jim Carrey and Lauren Holly is officially off. So visit Jim Carrey Area for the hot news.

Ken Loach : Guardian's will make an interview with the British film-maker, Ken Loach, on Wednesday 28th October. Loach will discuss his work, from early docu-dramas like Cathy Come Home to his most recentfilm, showing earlier that night, My Name is Joe. Tickets to the event at London's National Film Theatre have completely sold out but you can still listen to the interview live on the Guardian's website at http://www.guardian.co.uk/events/loach at approx. 9pm London time (4pm East Coast Time).

Company Man : Sigourney Weaver, John Turturro and Douglas McGrath will star in the comedy Company Man. McGrath (Emma) and Peter Askin will share directing chores on the film. Set in the early 1960s, the film follows a high school grammar teacher turned international spy who finds himself unwittingly involved in a plot to overthrow Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

For Love of the Game : Jena Malone (Bastard Out of Carolina, Contact) has joined Kevin Costner and Kelly Preston in sports drama For Love of the Game. Malone will play Preston's daughter in the story of a washed up Detroit Tigers pitcher (Costner) who flashes back to mistakes he has made in both his professional and personal life as he tosses a perfect game against the New York Yankees. Malone is a troubled teen whose mother has on-again-off-again relationship with the baseball player.