Invitation/The New Rumors/The Newly Nearly Confirmed/New Bets

And here's the last "Hello" from the Oklahoma Panhandle before the 38th Telluride Film Festival gets underway.  The Chief Executive and I will be departing for 9,000 feet in about 4 hours.  I'm watching the clock....

Telluride Daily Planet photo of film cans ready to go up the mountain

1 DAY  and then it begins...and hold onto your hats, it's going to be an insane festival.

We've reached that point that we reach every year when the internet has gone crazy with rumor, counter-rumor, claims, denials...and even when we see the actual lineup later today (and I'll be tweeting [@Gort2] and posting flash updates while I'm on the road!) and even then we won't know the full story because, of course, Luddy, Meyer and Huntsinger will some stuff back and sneak it as the weekend unfolds.  All that  being said, let's try to sort the wheat from the chaff! (hey, I'm an Oklahoma Panhandle boy).

First though, this reminder...

YOUR ENGRAVED INVITATION WOULD LOOK EXACTLY LIKE THIS:

Come and join me for the first ever Michael's Telluride Film Blog get together ( I thought about calling it a "Hootenanny" but I think that legally obligates you to sing folk songs and Union dirges) called: "The Guide to the Ride; The Flow of the SHOW" on Friday, Sept. 2 from 5:00 to 5:30 PM in The River Club in Telluride. Larry and Mitzi Mallard of the Club will be our hosts and I am told that refreshments will be provided. The River Club is located at 550 Depot in Telluride. That's 4 blocks west of the Gondola station. Come by and say hello and we'll talk a little film.


THE NEW RUMORS (AND THEY'RE JUST RUMORS!)

I am always back and forth about passing on blatant hearsay.  I'd much rather be able to cite a source or more than one, or at least if I can't attribute the story, then I want to be on pretty good terms with the source I can't name.  However...sometimes stuff seems like it's just too good to pass up passing on...so, forgive me...

TwitchFilm's posts that they're "hearing" (are you sitting down) both "Carnage" and "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" at Telluride this weekend.  The story also says the Herzog doc "Into the Abyss", but if you read this blog regularly, you've been onto the Herzog "news" for a good long while.

Now, I'll be honest, I don't know the reliability of TwitchFilm to save my soul.  It hasn't been a blog that I have visited terribly often in this summer's run-up to the fall festivals...and you know that this space has all but written off the chances for both of these films...

But what if I'm wrong and they're right?  The inclusion of the Polanski play adaptation and the Alfredson thriller would make Telluride's slate stratospherically vital.

Look at the story as it was posted Wednesday afternoon on the TwitchFilm website here:
http://twitchfilm.com/news/2011/08/herzog-polanski-and-alfredson-headed-to-telluride.php

And in another "rumor" fueled bit of intrigue, unnamed sources on the ground in Telluride have mentioned a certain "Pirate-y" actor purportedly has been sighted.  Now, there's absolutely no confirmation from any published source as of this morning of the veracity of the claim...but...one could envision the appearance of said actor in conjunction with, say a film that reminded us all of a certain "Gonzo" journalist.  It might involve the consumption of rum...

There, I've said it without saying anything and if you forced me to wager actual money, at this point I'd still be inclined to bet against any of these three films  being on the SHOW's lineup...but it's fun to dream!

And speaking of rumors...independent of TFF #38...who will be in town for the Lauren/Bush wedding?

THE NEWLY NEARLY CONFIRMED

Two BIG lockdowns yesterday...First...

George Clooney WILL BE IN TOWN and is a tributee.  Expect to see him in both "The Descendants" and his own directorial effort "The Ides of March" which opened the Venice Fest yesterday as well.

A blog reader by the name of Mo was kind enough to point me this New York Post story which ran yesterday and seems to remove all doubt:
http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/clooney_rolls_with_his_pals_cNHop2Y03Ie9UvnfqBZy3M?utm_campaign=Post10&utm_source=Post10Alpha

Later in the day The Denver Post got on the bandwagon and confirmed in this story (thanks to @EzeeE1983 for dropping that to me):
http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_18797394

Clooney's "Ides" seems to be garnering generally good to great reviews after hits bow at Venice.  I've included links to a sample of the critical response:
Dave Karger at Entertainment Weekly:
http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/08/31/george-clooney-the-ides-of-march-best-picture-oscar/

Guy Lodge at Incontention.com:
http://incontention.com/2011/08/31/review-the-ides-of-march/

Oliver Lyttleton at The Playlist via IndieWire:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/venice_11_review_the_ides_of_march/#

And a sampling from Hollywood News:
http://www.hollywoodnews.com/2011/08/31/the-ides-of-march-reviews-from-venice-awards-alley/

The Ides of March IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1124035/

The Descendants IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1033575/

Mr. Clooney's IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000123/

The other BIG LOCKDOWN (that I had already become pretty certain of in the last 72 hours...) "A Dangerous Method."  David Cronenberg's Freud vs. Jung period piece WILL PLAY IN THE SHOW! 

How do we know.  Word was around yesterday that there was a new domestic trailer for the film. Friend of this blog Eugene Novikov at FilmBlather.com took a look...and then dropped me a tweet.  (Thanks, Eugene.  Looking forward to shaking your hand tomorrow!)

Right at the beginning of the trailer the "Official Selection of The Telluride Film Festival" comes up...so pretty compelling evidence I think and a thrilling addition to the slate.  Check it for yourself via this link to the story and trailer from Rope of Silicon:
http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/watch-domestic-trailer-cronenbergs-a-dangerous-method

Method's IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1571222/


NEW BETS

In light of today's developments I have put together a revise "Ten Bets" list and expanded it to "Twenty Bets."  Here it is (in order of greatest likelihood of being in the SHOW):
1) The Descendants
2) Into the Abyss
3) We Have to Talk About Kevin
4) The Ides of March
5) A Dangerous Method
6) Shame
7) Goodbye First Love
8) The Skin I Live In
9) The Artist
10) Footnote
11) A Trip to the Moon
12) The Birds Upstairs
13) Prohibition
14) Le Havre
15) The Lady
16) Dark Horse
17) Butter
18) Miss Bala
19) Drive
20) Martha Marcy May Marlene

I'm still greedy enough to pull for "Coriolanus," "The Kid with a Bike," "Wuthering Heights"  "W.E." and the Georgre Harrison Doc directed by Martin Scorsese.

We'll know more later today!

More from the road!!!



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Shame Is In/McCarthy Salutes Telluride/Looks at Artist, Rum and Chicken

Hello all.  You can tell it's getting closer because the buzz is getting louder...

7 days...and...counting...

YOUR INVITATION HAS ARRIVED

Come and join me for a Michael's Telluride Film Blog get together called: "The Guide to the Ride; The Flow of the SHOW" on Friday, Sept. 2 from 5:00 to 5:30 PM in The River Club in Telluride. Larry and Mitzi Mallard of the Club will be our hosts and I am told that refreshments will be provided. The River Club is located at 550 Depot in Telluride. That's 4 blocks west of the Gondola station. Come by and say hello and we'll talk a little film.


"SHAME" YOU SAY?

Stories appeared yesterday about Steve McQueen's "Shame" starring Michael Fassbender (who was in McQueen's "Hunger" in 2008 in Telluride) and Carey Mulligan (in T-ride the last two years with "An Education" and "Never Let Me Go").  The thrust of the stories was the revelation that Mulligan sings in the film.  In the Daily Mail version of the story we get confirmation that it will follow in "Hunger's" footsteps and appear in Telluride next week.

I can't say I'm surprised as I 've had it on this blog's T-ride watch list for a good long while.  As a matter of fact, "Shame" sets this week at # 8 on my "Ten Bets" list.  Looks like we'll be winning that bet.

The Daily Mail Online story in its entirety is here:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2030218/BAZ-BAMIGBOYE-The-Big-Yin-hist-high-notes.html

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


TODD MC CARTHY TALKS TELLURIDE

Film critic Todd McCarthy has a long history with TFF and his Hollywood Reporter post yesterday about how the secretive scheduling works was in a lot of places on the web.  I'm just one more link to it in case you missed it.

Interestingly, McCarthy does make some semi-guesses at some of the possible lineup for the fest including what I think are virtual locks at this point: Payne/Descendants, Herzog/Abyss, Bromberg/Moon and now McQueen/Shame.  He also includes some others about which I am less certain...most excitingly, though: David Cronenberg (which would mean "A Dangerous Method") and Martin Scorsese (the George Harrison Doc).  All that and more.

Here's a link to the McCarthy article:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/telluride-film-festival-why-a-227947

TRAILERS FOR POSSIBLES...

Finally there's a trailer for one of the most anticipated possible Telluride titles: Michael Hazanavicus' "The Artist."  The film earned raves at Cannes and the Best Actor award there for Jean Dujardin.  Since it's debut in May, I have been a strong believer that it will make its way up the winding canyon road into Telluride next week.  I hope so: it's # 3 on the Ten Bets list and I' also really like to see it.

A note here: there was quite a bit of scuttlebutt on the web yesterday that this trailer gives away too much, so fair warning.  I have chosen to avoid taking a peek because I have anticipated the film to such a high degree for the last 3 months that I'd rather not have anything spoil it for me...so, due diligence has been done.

Jeffrey Wells at Hollywood Elsewhere provides us with his impression of the film and a link to the trailer here:
http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/2011/08/spiffy_artist_t.php

The Artist's IMDb page is here:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1655442/

Also rolling out a look-see yesterday via Entertainment Tonight, a trailer for Bruce Robinson's "The Rum Diary" with Johnny Depp channeling Hunter S. Thompson again.  "Diary" has been flying really under the radar for a good long while but I have to tell you, it looks entertaining.

Check The Playlist (IndieWire) for commentary and your link to the ET look at the teaser here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/watch_johnny_depp_once_again_goes_into_the_mind_of_hunter_s._thompson_in_th/

Rum's IMDb page is here:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0376136/
And finally...2007 was a magical Telluride experience for me.  it was my second trip there and the first where I kind of really began to understand what it was that I had been allowed to become a part of.  One of the highlights of that weekend was the wonderful animated "Persepolis" from Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud.  I have been awaiting their follow up since then and it has finally come around.  The film is entitled "Chicken with Plums" and is live action.  It stars Mathieu Almaric (who also stunned me at T-ride in 2007 with his fantastic performance in "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"..it still may be my favorite Telluride film ever) and Isabella Rosselini.

We finally get to see some of what the duo have been working on in a trailer accessed from Rope of Silicon.  Will "Chicken" be in the San Juans next week?  Hope so...chances...50/50.

Here's the link to the ROS story and trailer:
http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/directors-persepolis-french-trailer-chicken-plums

Chicken with Plums IMDb page:
http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/directors-persepolis-french-trailer-chicken-plums

 It's getting busy and crazy as we get closer to SHOW time...hold onto your hats!

More on the morrow...

War Horse Trailer/Film4/Not Forgotten

"War Horse" first look below

THE WAR HORSE TEASER TRAILER

I mentioned in this space earlier this week that, if pressed, I could make a case for Steven Spielberg's "War Horse" as a possibility for Telluride.  Admittedly, I think it's a weak case, that's why it isn't remotely close to the top ten most likely films that I posted earlier this week as well. 

Nonetheless, yesterday the first teaser trailer for the intriguing film leaked online and in an effort to be a full service blog (and also because it's gorgeous) and seriously going to be all in for Oscar time), here's the link to a YouTube version of that trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRf3SfeMRD4

Here is the "War Horse" IMDB page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1568911/

ANOTHER FILM COMPANY TO EVALUATE

I've been spending some time this week looking at some of the film production/distribution companies that seem to always have a presence at the Telluride Film Festival as a prism for trying to lay odds about what films could unspool (what an archaic term in a world of digital projection!) in the San Juans.  today let's take a gander at British film company Film4.

Here are the films over the past few years that Film4 has had a hand in that have played at Telluride:
2007: "When Did You Last See your Father?" "Brick Lane" and "Happy-Go-Lucky"
2008: "Hunger" and "Slumdog Millionaire"
2009: No Film4 at TFF
2010: "127 Hours," "Another Year" and "Never Let Me Go"

Film4 has 4 films that I feel might have some designs on a Telluride appearance: "The Iron Lady," "On the Road," "Wuthering Heights" and "Shame."  Of these four, I'd say that the greatest chances are "Shame" and "Wuthering Heights" as both films have directors that have appeared previously and recently with films at Telluride; Steve McQueen (Shame) with "Hunger" in 2008 and Andrea Arnold (Wuthering Heights) in 2009 with "Fish Tank"  I think there's a slight chance that we might see "The Iron Lady" (Streep is a past Telluride tributee, so it's not impossible that she might return) and I have the highest odds against "On the Road" which hasn't much Telluride pedigree.

Which leads me to today's final segment...

NOT FORGOTTEN

"On the Road" is an example of a film that sounds like it should have a profile for Telluride, bit on closer inspection, doesn't have many connections or clues that suggest it would actually be a part of the program or a sneak.  As a matter of fact, it's Film4 connection gives it more of a leg up than these other films that we expect to see released before the end of the year and which seem like Film Fest bait, but have very little Telluride "tells":
"The Rum Diary" Johnny Depp as a Hunter S. Thompson-like character base on the book by Hunter S. Thompson.
"The Help" Big cast dealing with race and class issues set decades ago.
The aforementioned "On the Road."
and I've added "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" to this "unlikely" list.  I had listed it earlier as a possible TFF film but it's generally the kind of BIG movie that doesn't play Telluride.

So, could any of these be at Telluride?  Sure.  But I don't think it's likely.