| euro aint-it-cool-news by edgard and darth bond | from Paris |
contact: euroaicn@yahoo.com 23rd March , 2001 Euro-AICN: Queen of the Damned; TICK TOCK; Mike Bassett; EP2; One Hand Clapping; LE FABULEUX DESTIN D'AMELIE POULAIN
Father Geek here with this week's Euro-AICN column from Edgard and crew. As usual its crammed full of interesting bits of info from the continent. Edgard is gearing up for CANNES so those of you who are going, make sure to contact him with any questions you may have concerning covering parts of the festival for us... and all you reporters from last year's event be sure and check in and let us know your plans for this year... you did a hell-of-a-fine-job last year. Those daily reports coming in from several sources was fantastic!
EURO AICN
Hi folks... Edgard here with the new edition of EURO AICN... what a week... Europe is falling apart... after the mad cows, it's the sheep's fever... it's the 12 MONKEYS of animals !!... the OUTBREAK of the farms !! ... soon we'll all have to hide in our basement... soon we will need to create a special fund called "help Edgard survive in Europe" (send me some meat !)... oh well, who cares ?... if it's the meat it will be something else... as long as I can drink the good French wine or the Belgian beers (the best ones in the world, you know), life is sweet... Anyway, back to movie business... I almost didn't receive any mail from my Euro spies this week (maybe they got Mad Cow disease ?) that's why this Euro AICN is almost only an e-press coverage... let's call it a Euro Weekly Recap... Enjoy and remember don't trust any sheep that sounds European !
DENMARK
From Screendaily :
* Box-Office News : Following the international success of Lone Scherfig’s Italian for Beginners it is no surprise that even after 14 weeks on release is still hanging on to the number two spot with a total of 740.305 admissions so far. At the top of the chart, Hannibal gave way to the very topical Proof of Life. Two Danish engineers are currently being held hostage in Bangladesh, although the pairing of stars Russell Crowe and Meg Ryan must also take some credit. Thus Ridley Scott’s Hannibal ruled the box-office for just two weeks before dropping to third, but might well reclaim the top the chart judging from it’s powerful screen average. Another case of a local and US product in close competition can be seen in the middle of the chart, where a Danish granny has been fighting off Disney’s Emperor. Both aimed at the family audience, popular duo Wikke & Rasmussen’s The Flying Granny has been able to keep The Emperor’s New Groove at a bay, collecting 183.745 and 175.752 respectively. The multiple local award-winning drama The Bench from newcomer Per Fly, has come back into the chart at number eight with 131.846 admissions after 20 weeks. Among others it picked up awards for best film and best actor at both the Danish Film Awards and from the association of film-critics. The local comedy Flickering Lights is also still going strong after 19 weeks on release reaching an impressive 425.173 admissions. New on the chart were Thirteen Days, which opened at number six and Quills, which only reached 13th. The weekend’s total admissions were up 20.2% compared to last year.
* The Danish film industry is currently churning out comedies with a touch of seriousness, and with Lone Scherfig’s serious dogme comedy Italian For Beginners taking a Silver-Bear in Berlin, other producers are hoping to follow suit. Among the new (romantic) comedy projects are veteran Gert Fredholm’s One Hand Clapping from Zentropa and Hella Joof’s feature debut Shake It All About from Angel Films both set for fall releases. The projects set to shoot in the coming months include Peter Bay’s The Man Who Couldn’t Say No from Bald Film, Soren Fauli’s Fiaskospiralen from Cosmo Film, Niels Arden’s Fukssvansen (working title) from Zentropa, Oliver Kanafani’s feature debut Mr. Right from Zeitgeist as well as veteran Soren Kragh Jacobsen’s English-language Skagerrak from Nimbus Film. All films are supported by the Danish Film Institute (DFI), and only last week DFI’s film-consultant Vinca Wiedemann backed Bech Film’s new comedy Okay with $899,000 (DKR 7.5m), making the total budget $1.58m (DKR13.2m). Other backers include national broadcaster TV2/Denmark and Angel Films, who will also handle distribution through Angel Distribution. The film will be directed by Jesper W. Nielsen (The Last Viking) based on a script by Kim Fupz Aakeson, who also penned the local box-office sensation The One And Only, which scooped some 850.000 admissions in 1999. Popular actress Paprika Steen plays the lead, as an energetic housewife, mother and social counsellor. When her father, played by veteran Ole Ernst, becomes fatally ill, she insists that he moves into her family home, which is not very popular with either her husband (Troels Lyby) or her teenage daughter. At the same time the university teaching husband starts an affair with a student, and her homosexual brother (Nikolaj Kopernikus) wants to become a sperm-donor. The filmmakers call it a typical Danish family. Okay is produced by Peter Bech for his Bech Film with Angel Films’ Mogens Glad and Poul Erik Lindeborg acting as executive producers. It shoots on location in Copenhagen from March.7 – April 27 2001, with a planned release for February 2002.
UK
From Empire Online (www.empireonline.co.uk) :
* Kevin Costner has revealed that he was planning to make a movie with Princess Diana, and that he received the script on the day she died. In an interview with Michael Parkinson that aired on BBC 1 Saturday (17 March), BBC Online reports that Costner says he had spoken with Diana a few times and that he “explained to her that I was going to try to make this movie for her and she was genuinely interested”. Confirming rumours that have been circulating for a long time, Costner admits that the proposed film was to be a sequel to the 1992 romantic thriller THE BODYGUARD. The film, which featured Kev guarding the body of Whitney Houston, didn’t stretch the leading lady’s acting talents too far as she played an uptight superstar singer/actress. Empire Online can only assume that Princess Diana would have been playing, well, a Princess. But things never got that far, as Costner explains, “We talked on the phone and she never committed to saying that she would do the film, but I said that when I was done with this movie, that I was going to show it to her and she was genuinely excited to see it”. However, the Princess died on the very day that the script was delivered to him. Costner had been hopeful about the project because "The movie maybe had a chance to break new ground, because we think of her - we thought of her - as all of our Princess”.
* He spent most of THE PHANTOM MENACE as naked as a robot can get, newly built and trailing wires. But Anthony Daniels’ effete British droid will be casting off Episode I’s CGI body as C-3PO gets something of a re-fit for Episode II. “One of the things most people want to know is if C-3PO gets dressed - In Phantom Menace he’s made of wires,” Daniels told the Metro newspaper. “In this one, I’m back in the suit which is why I’m trying to keep fit and going to the gym every day.” Needless to say, Daniels is bound by the same iron-clad gagging order as the rest of the crew when it comes to divulging the secrets of next Summer’s instalment but he did hint that the dark side will certainly be drawing closer, “You’ll get a better idea of the little boy Anakin getting darker as he starts to turn into Darth Vader.” Probed about his opinion of the much-maligned Episode I, Daniels is evasive but diplomatically defends Lucas’ first prequel. “It’s taken huge amounts at the box office. Most people have seen it one, two or three times. The crazy ones have probably seen it about seven or eight. The best way to put it is I was probably a little old for it. It was geared towards the interests of people of a younger age and it had a huge response from them." Unsurprisingly, it turns out that Daniels’ favourite of the series is the film that introduced him and R2-D2 to the universe, the original Star Wars. “It was very difficult to make but, because it has the most rounded and captivating story, it’s less self-conscious. After that, we were always aware it had to fit in with the next sequel.” The film saw him paired with diminutive sidekick Kenny Baker but Daniels’ closest relationship on set was not with R2-D2 but rather the late Sir Alec Guinness, “George Lucas didn’t have time to encourage and instruct,” he recalled, “Alec took me under his wing. Alec said to my agent: ‘Awfully good, that young Daniels.’ That was encouraging.”
* Danny Boyle will direct TICK TOCK, an action thriller, for Columbia pictures. It will be Boyle's first feature since the Leonardo DiCaprio starrer THE BEACH, although he has made two films for the BBC, Vacuuming Nude In Paradise and Strumpet. Tick Tock, written by Anthony Bagarozzi and Charles Mondry, is about the number one suspect for a string of bombings in L.A. Just to complicate matters, the suspect is an amnesiac and finds himself in FBI custody. In true action movie style, he teams up with an FBI agent and the pair have to race against time to disarm the remaining bombs. Boyle, the director of SHALLOW GRAVE and TRAINSPOTTING, didn't have as much success as expected with The Beach. There's no word yet as to who will star in Tick Tock, which is scheduled to shoot this autumn, but it might be wise to ignore any interest from Leonardo DiCaprio.
* If you're a footie and film fan, then we have the perfect day for you. A British film company is looking for extras to appear in crowd scenes for the film Mike Bassett: England Manager which is shooting in a few weeks at Wembley Stadium. The film is directed by Steve Barron (he of Coneheads and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fame). A comedy, it tells the story of Mike Bassett, played by The Royle Family's Ricky Tomlinson, who is chosen as England Manager by the FA against the express wishes of every football fan in the country. 'It's entirely fictional,' explains Assistant Director Mark Ingram, but he admits that 'it's based on the current situation.' Extras will be required to scream, sing and hurl cries of appreciation or disparagement at a selection of matches recreated on the hallowed Wembley turf - and the eagle-eyed (or binocular-carrying) among them will spot Eric Cantona, Jurgen Klinsmen, Brazil's Ronaldo and other famous footballers in the melee. Not only will there be chance to see yourself on the big screen when the film is released towards the end of the year, but there will also be prizes to be won over the course of the day including DVDs, a tour of Wembley, your own screen credit and tickets to the premiere. To take part, present yourself at Wembley stadium from 8.00am onward on Wednesday 28 March or Thursday 29 March.
IRELAND
From ShowBizIreland :
* Jason Patric to walk the boards in Dublin... : Jason Patric is to start rehearsal in The Gate, Dublin on Monday in the role of Orem along with Flora Montgomery (who has just stared in When Brendan met Trudy based on a Roddy Doyle novel) who plays the role of Medea. They will star in Neil LaBute's play "Bash" which is a collection of darkly brilliant one-act plays. LaBute who is both a playwright and film director, has been hailed as a brilliant dramatic satirist...
* Stuart Townsend Vamps it up... : Irish actor Stuart Townsend has spoken for the first time about playing the vampire Lestat in the upcoming film version of the Anne Rice novel Queen of the Damned. He follows in the footsteps of Tom Cruise, who played Lestat in 1994's Interview With a Vampire, but Townsend is not worried about comparisons...
* Tom Cruise's divorce from his wife Nicole Kidman has meant that the Irish actor Colin Farrell set to star with him in his next film has been left stranded in LA. The reason is that film guru Steven Spielberg is reportedly clashing with fellow film-maker Cameron Crowe over Hollywood's hottest commodity, Tom Cruise and Ireland's biggest new star has been left standing in the course of the argument...
Full Stories can be found Right Here
FRANCE
* E.T here... I thought I'd tell you more about Jeunet's new movie : LE FABULEUX DESTIN D'AMELIE POULAIN. So in this movie we can find all of Jeunet's favorites as Dominique Pinon (City of lost children, Alien 4), but also the french director Mathieu Kassovitz (Hate, Crimson Rivers) who isn't at is first acting... He is in fact an incredible actor!! The movie's photographer is as always Darius Khondji (The Beach, The ninth gate, Se7en, Evita ...). The Plot: Amelie, an innocent and naive girl in Paris, with her own sense of justice, decides to help those around her and along the way, discovers love.
Here is a link for the trailer : Just Click Here
there you have it, hope you like it love your site
E.T
ITALY
From Screendaily :
* Richard Gere is set to make his directorial debut with a feature film that is being planned as a co-production between Italy's RAI Cinema and Lakeshore. The two companies are currently in talks to reach an agreement on the 52-year-old actor's film, which it is understood could go into production in Italy in 2002. As part of its high-profile drive into production, RAI Cinema is currently preparing two features with Italian producer Dino De Laurentiis, who is set to receive the Irving G. Thalberg award at the Academy Awards ceremony later this month. Filming is due to start later this year on The Woman With The Gun, a contemporary thriller with a strong social theme to be directed by Russia&Mac182;s Andrei Konchalovsky, and The Last Legion, an Ancient Rome epic which will be directed by Italy's Carlo Carlei (The Flight of The Innocent.) RAI Cinema has recently signed an exclusive multi-year acquisition agency agreement with Lakeshore International to buy US films for distribution in Italy under a new distribution label, which the Rome-based company created in partnership with France's Studio Canal. As part of the deal with Lakeshore, RAI Cinema has bought a three-picture package from Intermedia including K:19 , K-Pax, a Universal release directed by Iain Softley with Jeff Bridges and Kevin Spacey; Afterimage, a film starring rock star John Mellencamp which screened at Sundance; and Life As A House, which stars Kevin Kline, Kristin Scott Thomas and Mary Steenburgen. RAI Cinema, the public broadcaster's film arm, was created in December 1999 with a budget of $750m for the production and distribution of films and TV movies during the three-year period between 2000 and 2002. The company will officially launch its distribution label with a slate of 15 US, European and Italian films at Cannes in May.
BONUS
Maybe you already know this site, but in case you don't and if you like fun things, you should check www.japander.com . Japander is a website where you can see Japanese commercials with famous actors from the West. You get European actors or directors such as Jean Reno, Christophe Lambert, Antonio Banderas, Luc Besson, Ewan McGregor... and a bunch of Americans actors like George Clooney, Harrison Ford, Jodie Foster, Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz, Leonardo Di Caprio, Steven Seagal... It's worth a little look...
Euro Special! Reviews of the new Jeunet French Film and Toxic Avenger 4!!! Tsui Hark to make ULTRA-MAN movie?
Hey folks, Harry here with a Euro Special... First we hear that Jeunet's latest film is absolutely wonderful!!!!! YIPEEE!!!! I'm so happy to hear he rebounded back from ALIEN IV.... ugh.... with something with passion and love and vision. Very happy! Meanwhile a review, at last, for CITIZEN TOXIE brings tears of joy to my eyes.... and lastly... the tidbit about Tsui Hark possibly making an ULTRA-MAN movie today.... OHMYGOD COOOOOOOOL! Ultra-Man is only the coolest thing ever! I want monster decapitation and joyful frantic insanity! And tons of it! I just hope we get the original costume back... it ruled! Here ya go....
Hello... Edgard here with a EURO AICN special... Champagne 2000 came to the rescue with two reviews that should be enjoyed by many of you... I am notreally familiar with the Troma universe so I can't really comment on that... all I can say is that he raised my curiosity on this TOXIC 4 and that I want to see it now... but most important - at least for me - this first review of the new film by JP Jeunet excites me even more... This film will be released here in Paris on April 25th... so it's getting closer now... I can't wait... I am a big fan of DELICATESSEN, CITY OF LOST CHILDREN and even ALIEN - RESURRECTION (okay the last 20 minutes are even worst than the ending of MISSION TO MARS... but the rest is great... maybe I am the only one to like
First year anniversary of EURO AICN and no champagne to celebrate that ??! Well hopefully Champagne 2000 comes to the rescue with the first reviews of LE FABULEUX DESTIN D'AMELIE POULAIN (the new JP Jeunet) and of CITIZEN TOXIE - TOXIC AVENGER 4 !!
LE FABULEUX DESTIN D'AMELIE POULAIN ("Amélie from Montmartre")
This is Jean-Pierre Jeunet's return in France after his journey to American for ALIEN RESURRECTION. To keep it simple, let's say that this new film follows a young woman who decides to make people happy around her. She's evolving in a "magnified" Paris like only Jeunet could imagine, a Paris in-between the Paris from the 50's and the contemporary Paris... To get this vision - hard to imagine before seeing the film - Jeunet got help from the FX company that worked on ALIEN IV. Like with Zemeckis the effects are most of the time very discreet (to change a sky, to add bounces in the water,...); and this brings you in a world half between pure poetry and dream. I know that if you haven't seen the short films from Jeunet & Caro or even DELICATESSEN (their first film) it's hard to get the idea. I will make a comparison that might talk to Harry (but that might also make scream all the Jeunet's fans !) : imagine the romance and poetry of LA FILLE SUR LE PONT (THE GIRL ON THE BRIDGE) and multiply it by 10... no by 100... and you're not there yet !! This film will most certainly be a big success in France but I think it will mostly mark the foreign countries as it presents a magnified vision of what already makes France charming to other countries (Montmartre, the little café's, the romance, the accordion... by the way, Yan Tiersen's music is very moving). For me, I must say that I totally loved the first part which introduces us to Amelie's childhood. The world is seen through Amelie's eyes and the result is a wonder of humour and poetry. For those of you who saw FOUTAISE (a short film from Jeunet & Caro), let's just say that Jeunet uses the same idea of this short film (I won't say more as I don't want to spoil anything). Besides LE FABULEUX DESTIN... is full of ideas that could feed many short films (the joke Amélie does to her father, the life in the café, the occupation of the boy that intrigues Amélie...). The film is full of ideas and little thoughts on the daily life, still LE FABULEUX DESTIN... is very homogeneous. Frankly I don't know anyone who did not LOVE the film (the press screening did not take place yet) and it is in my opinion one of the three best films I saw since the beginning of the year (the two others are TRAFIC and REQUIEM FOR A DREAM - I know we're a little bit late in France).
My quotation (between "Table Wine"; "Sparkling Wine"; "Average Vintage" or "Vintage Wine") : VINTAGE WINE !!!
Let's continue with one of the most awaited film in the universe :
CITIZEN TOXIE - TOXIC AVENGER 4 !!
This film was screened last week-end in Brussels as a world premiere and of course Lloyd Kaufmann was there (and me too, how could I miss that ?). Lloyd Kaufmann is in my opinion one of the persons who most inspires me respect in the movie world today, not because he loves to put lesbians and big monsters in his films (although it could be a good reason after all) but because he's a model of integrity in the corrupted world of cinema; he's a man of convictions and faithful to the line of conduct he has chosen. That guy who enjoys when people puke on each others in his films is more upright that many of the worshipped directors by the intellectuals from all over the world; these directors who are ready to compromise themselves just in order to participate in some festivals (for those of you who are doubtful, read the fantastic book from Lloyd Kaufmann "All I learned to know about filmaking I learned from the Toxic Avenger"). Now that I bored you with my opinion on Troma, let's review TOXIC IV !!
According to the great Lloyd, CITIZEN TOXIE is the real version of CITIZEN KANE, the one Orson Welles wanted to direct, the one the censorship forced him to cut, depriving us of the lesbians scenes, shit throwing, smashed heads and apocalyptic masturbation's. It's maybe true. Personally I didn't like TOXIC 2 and 3 and I am probably not the only one as TOXIC 4 opens with the words "the real sequel". TOXIC 4 tells how Toxie gets thrust in Amortville - the parallel negative universe of Tromaville. Of course when Toxie arrives in Amortville, the bad Toxie - Noxie - will be in Tromaville. One of the solutions that the city will find to get rid of Noxie will be to call the Troma superhero dreamteam : Sgt Kabukiman NYPD, Mad Cowboy (in fact a human cow), Dolphin Man (my favourite... uproariously funny), Master Bator (who keeps... well you'll see by yourself), and the Vibrator (I also let you guess). TOXIC 4 is probably the most trash film ever produced by Troma. Personally I really enjoyed the film. The first half hour is maybe better than TOXIC 1. After it gets bogged down a bit but there's always a great joke to make you forget about the slower rhythm. The final is great (SPOILER WARNING !! : with a battle between baby Toxie and baby Noxie in the belly of their mother while Toxie and Noxie are also fighting !!). This film shows everything why the cinema was invented : sexy lesbians, stupid jokes, the biggest fart in the cinema history, rubber monsters and gore. Thank you Troma for this film that might make you forget about CITIZEN KANE, the first version. My quotation : VINTAGE WINE !!!
Little bonus : I know for a sure source that Tsui Hark is working now on ULTRAMAN - THE MOVIE !!
Talk to you soon...
CHAMPAGNE 2000
| |
