Moving Image from A Hidden Life / The Burns' Country Tour Continues / Coppola's Megalopolis Edges Closer

Hello on this Thursday...


MOVING IMAGE FROM A HIDDEN LIFE


We got our first video image of Terrence Malick's latest film this week.  A Hidden Life is set to compete for the coveted Palme d"or at Cannes' 72nd Film Festival with its premiere screening scheduled for Sunday night.

A Hidden Life (previously called Radegund) tells the story of a young Austrian who is punished by the Nazi regime in World War II for claiming to be a conscientious objector.

The Film Stage linked the teaser, and it is only a teaser as it runs a meager 15 seconds.  Here it is via YouTube:

Here's the link to The Film Stage story.



THE BURNS' COUNTRY TOUR CONTINUES

You have to hand it Ken Burns and his production company, Florentine Films.  They have been very busy promoting his upcoming multi-part documentary called Country Music for a while now.

That has extended to a recent interview with Melissa Newman for Billboard that was up this week.

Burns discusses a wide range of topics concerning the 16+ hour, eight episode mini-series that will run in its entirety over two weeks in September (following TFF #46) on PBS.

The dating of the initial PBS screening works well to anticipate Burns' return to Telluride and also that there is a reasonable chance that at least some of the documentary will screen as a part of  the film fest.

Here's the link to the Billboard interview.


COPPOLA'S MEGALOPOLIS EDGES CLOSER

80 year old American film master Francis Ford Coppola continues work on his latest passion project.  Megalopolis has been on Coppola's mind for decades and was derailed, at least in part, by the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

The latest news this week was that Coppola has actively moved into the casting phase for the project and the two names being dangled in a number of outlets were Jude Law and Shia LaBeouf..

More details are linked here via The Playlist.


That's the MTFB for today.  More to come on Monday.

EMAIL:  mpgort@gmail.com OR michael_speech@hotmail.com

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COMMENT TO THE BLOG

Anna Teased/Gus Promise/Warner's

Good Thursday Everyone!


Finally saw "Prometheus" last night...liked it...a lot.  Kind of want to see it again and will be excited when the next chapter comes along...

ANNA TEASED

"Anna Karenina" is getting the P.R. roll out this week with a trailer and poster.  "Anna" is directed by Joe Wright and follows the generally well received 2007 film "Atonement" (83% all critics/88% "top" critics on Rotten Tomatoes),and his less well received  2011's "Hanna" (71%/59%) and 2009's "The Soloist" (56%/62%).

It's certainly a possible Telluride choice.  Factors pointing toward its possible inclusion: the occasional T-ride connection to distributor Focus Features ("Into the Wild" TFF '07, "Catch a Fire" TFF '06).  Focus also is distributing "Hyde Park on Hudson" which will appear on this summer's first "Ten Bets" list on Monday...so my bet is that Focus is in Telluride for that at least and might desire to double dip.


Both of "Anna's" production companies, Working Title and Studio Canal,  were a part of "Catch a Fire's" production.  


So, let's say it's a 25% possible...


Here's the trailer:

Also two recent posts from
Rope of Silicon:
http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/anna-karenina-trailer-keira-knightley-joe-wright/

And The Playlist:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/glitzy-first-poster-unveiled-for-anna-karenina-starring-keira-knightley-aaron-johnson-jude-law-20120620

"Anna's" IMDb page is here:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1781769/


GUS PROMISE

Gus Van Sant was once a frequent invitee to the Telluride Film Festival ("Elephant" in 2003, "To Die For" in 1995)...but hasn't been back in a long time ( last year's "Restless" was not well received critically and 2008's Best Picture contender "Milk" didn't come to T-ride).

But he's got a new film in play this year featuring his old "Good Will Hunting" collaborator Matt Damon and written by Damon and "The Office's" John Krasinski  (who also co-stars) entitled "Promised Land" and this week The Playlist contends that it just might be ready for the end of the year and that a "fall festival" appearance is a possibility.

Here's The Playlist story:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/gus-van-sants-the-promised-land-could-hit-theaters-by-the-end-of-the-year-not-an-anti-fracking-movie-says-john-krasinski-20120618

And the "Promised Land" IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2091473/

The producer and distributor is the above mentioned Focus Features...so...maybe they go for three films in TFF #39.


WARNER BROTHERS

Deadline. com reported last week that at least one "major" studio was showing film to TFF programmers in an effort to polish Oscar chances who were in L.A. during the L.A. Film Fest and so this week I have been trying to nail down some possibilities.  Today: Warner Brothers.

According to their IMDb page (http://www.imdb.com/company/co0026840/) WB is distributor for a ton of Oscar bait  films: Baz Luhrmann's "The Great Gatsby" (DiCaprio, Maguire and Telluride favorite Carey Mulligan), Ben Affleck's "Argo"( Affleck, Goodman, Arkin) , The Wachowski Bros."Cloud Atlas"(Hanks, Sarandon, Berry), Robert Lorenz's "Trouble with the Curve" (Eastwood, Adams), and Ruben Fleischer's "Gangster Squad" (Penn, Gosling, Brolin).  Oh, and that "Hobbit" thing.

There's a lot there and WB has played in Telluride before...just not recently.  They distributed "Slumdog Millionaire" in 2008 and "Rails and Ties" in 2007...Allison Eastwood's directing debut...I have a nice New Sheridan story about her.  WB also produce "Benjamen Button" and "zodiac" which were a pert of the festival's David Fincher tribute in 2008.

For my money...if it was Warners...I'd guess "Argo" and "Curve" would be the best possibilities and "Gatsby" on the outside.

Tomorrow, I'll spend a little time assessing these "majors" and why it might be true.

More later...


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Ralph Gets a Trailer/Contagion Contagious/Carey Talks/On Broadway

Well, not so much waiting now...choices...

The Telluride Film Festival starts in 23 days!

RALPH (PRONOUNCED "RAFE") GETS A TRAILER

Coriolanus: Oscar bait for Fiennes and Redgrave?

One of The Weinstein Company's films that I have thought has at least some possibility of playing at Telluride is the directing debut of English actor Ralph Fiennes.  He has undertaken an adaptation of Shakespeare's "Coriolanus."  It's not a play that gets many productions...maybe this film will change that.  And here's why I say that.  The TWC people have a Coriolanus trailer out for the Brits and FirstShowing.net has it up on their site.  It looks fantastic! 

Up to now I've been moderately interested in seeing what Fiennes had up his sleeve.  Additionally, there has already been some Best Supporting Actress buzz for Vanessa Redgrave who appears as Coriolanus' mother (the title role also played by Mr. Fiennes).  well, after looking at the trailer, I am more than moderately interested...now I am really hoping that it shows up in Telluride in three weeks.

Have a look at the FirstShowing story and the "Coriolanus" trailer here:
http://www.firstshowing.net/2011/watch-intense-uk-trailer-for-ralph-fiennes-shakespeare-coriolanus/

The Coriolanus IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1372686/

CONTAGION CONTAGIOUS

A blitz of "Contagion" (dir. Steven Soderbergh) material has been hitting the last few days.  Individual character posters and some TV clips as the opening (Sept. 9) approaches.  Admittedly, I think that "Contagion" is an unlikely entrant for the Telluride program but stranger things have happened.  that being said, here are some "Contagion" links for you to enjoy:

Links to two TV spots for the film via The Playlist at IndieWire:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/watch_matt_damon_is_highly_contagious_in_2_new_tv_spots_for_steven_soderber/

And a link to The Playlist again with a view of  the character posters that are out for the film:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/dont_talk_to_anyone_dont_touch_anyone_new_posters_pics_from_steven_soderber/

Contagion IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1598778/


CAREY TALKS

Carey Mulligan (An Education, Never Let Me Go) has made a habit of being in Telluride the last two years.  this year she could (and I feel like will) make it a third straight year with either "Drive" or "Shame" or both.

Hit Fix has put up a lengthy interview with the British sprite focused primarily o n Nicolas Winding Refn's "Drive."  You can find that interview here:
http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/awards-campaign/posts/carey-mulligan-on-the-power-of-quiet-love-with-ryan-gosling-in-drive

I currently have "Drive" at #8 on the Ten Bets list and "Shame" at #9.

Drive's IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0780504/

Shame's IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1723811/

ON BROADWAY

Colin Firth at last year's Labor Day Picnic in Telluride

Word all over the internet the past 48 hours of a tidbit that has been expected for some time...2010 Best Picture Oscar winner and Telluride #37 presentation "The King's Speech" will be coming to Broadway in play form in a little more than a year if all goes according to plan.

TKS was originally conceived by author David Seidler as a play but, of course, became the four time Oscar winning film last year that serves as the centerpiece of Telluride's tribute to Best Actor winner Colin Firth.

Now Seidler's original intent appears to be on the road to being fulfilled.  I have included a link to The Hollywood News' version of the story:
http://www.hollywoodnews.com/2011/08/07/the-kings-speech-coming-to-broadway-in-fall-2012/


 More on the morrow... (sounds very "Coriolanus-y" doesn't it?)

More Ralph/More Busy Peeps/Ten Bets/The Perfect Storm

The weekend has come and gone...Carmageddon, we hardly knew ye...

MORE RALPH

Ralph Fiennes directs himself in Coriolanus

One of the films that I have been tracking sporadically and that has appeared on my "Ten Bets" list for Telluride is Ralph Fiennes film directing debut as he translates one of the Bard's lesser known works to the screen. 

"Coriolanus" is schedule to roll out this fall and has already been glimpsed at the Berlin Film Festival to good reviews especially for Vanessa Redgrave.  Already some Supporting Actress Oscar buzz swirling around her performance in the film.

Now comes word that Fiennes has picked up his second directing assignment.  The Playlist at Indiewire reports this morning that Fiennes will direct a Charles Dickens biopic entitled "The Invisible Woman."  It's based on the book by Claire Tomalin and scripted by Abi Morgan (The Iron Lady, Shame...both on this year's Telluride watch list). 

Past Telluride attendee Carey Mulligan (An Education, Never Let Me Go) is said to be on Fiennes list of possible actresses for the title role.  Also said to be on his list is Abbie Cornish (Bright Star). 

Two names mentioned as possibles for Dickens: Ben Whishaw (Bright Star) and Daniel Day-Lewis (2007 Tributee/There Will Be Blood).

Fiennes has a number of obligations to attend to before he will be able to get to this job, so put down "The Invisible Woman" as a potential film for Telluride in 2013.

The Playlist story is here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/ralph_fiennes_directing_charles_dickens_biopic_the_invisible_woman/#.TiRF4gHVPvQ.email

MORE BUSY PEEPS

We started a list a couple of weeks ago of actors that were potentially going to be very busy this fall between the festival circuit and awards season.  Add three more names to the earlier list:

Philip Seymour Hoffman; The Ides of March, Moneyball

Jude Law: Contagion, Hugo

Matt Damon: Contagion, We Bought a Zoo

TEN BETS FOR THIS WEEK

Last week's "Ten Bets" list for this year's Telluride Film Festival looked like this:

1) The Descendants
2) A Trip to the Moon
3) Young Adult
4) Gazing Into the Abyss
5) The Artist
6) Dark Horse
7) The Kid with a Bike
8) Shame
9) Le Havre
10) Coriolanus

This week's list is as follows:

1) The Descendants
2) A Trip to The Moon
3) Gazing Into the Abyss
4) Young Adult
5) The Artist
6) Dark Horse
7) Shame
8) The Kid with a Bike
9) Coriolanus
10) Le Havre

THE PERFECT STORM

I started last week to put together a list of the "dream Team" of people that I think it would be fun to have a conversation with that at least have some minuscule chance of being at this year's festival.  The list wasn't completed last week, but as I have been mulling it over, I was reminded this weekend that I had contemplated a "Perfect Storm" of possibilities back in the spring.  And "Perfect Storm" is a pretty good filmic place to begin the discussion because George Clooney is one of the possibles that helps to connect a lot of this.  Clooney with Alexander Payne's "The Descendants" is a possible attendee. 
His "Ides of March" opens the Venice Festival  on Aug. 31...so he could make an appearance on Colorado Ave.  And, if he does, that opens the door to some of that cast...like Philip Seymour Hoffman. 
And maybe it becomes an "Oceans 11-12-13"  reunion and Clooney's buddy and Hoffman's Moneyball co-star Brad Pitt comes to town with "Moneyball." 
Since Brad's decided to make the trip, maybe his significant other, Angelina Jolie comes to town as well with her directorial debut "In the Land of Blood and Honey." 
Since we've decided the Ocean's gang is meeting up for Labor Day hi-jinks in the San Juans...why not Matt Damon in support of "Contagion."  It makes some sense since "Contagion" is directed by Stephen Soderbergh who is often a producing partner with Clooney. 
And if "Contagion's" playing...why not bring co-star Kate Winslet along...she can double dip as she can also be there in support of "Carnage" with Jodie Foster in tow as well.

And since Matt's there...how about double dipping as well with Cameron Crowe's "We Bought a Zoo"?

So lets' see, that means we see the following films: The Descendants, The Ides of March, Moneyball, In the Land of Blood and Honey, Contagion, Carnage and We Bought a Zoo.

And in person: Clooney, Hoffman, Pitt, Jolie, Damon, Winslet, Foster.

Yes, please.