Captain Tardy's Avid The release of John Madden's keenly anticipated Captain Correlli's Mandolin has been pushed back from its scheduled opening date of April because of postproduction delays. Insiders suggest that the film, based on Louis de Berniere's Cephallonian set romance and starring Nic Cage and Penelope Cruz is experiencing editing problems. An in principle date of mid August has now been set.
Hannibal Has A Ball At Brit BO UIP's Hannibal opened with a crunch at the weekend to become the UK's biggest 18-certificate opener of all time. The previous record, held by Snatch at £3.2m, was doubled by Hannibal's £6.4m debut. Ridley Scott's sequel was released on over 600 prints at 421 sites and managed an unprecedented site average of £15,208 with cinemas selling out multiple screenings hours in advance. The film is also UIP's most successful UK opener as it beat The World Is Not Enough, which took £6,273,584 two years ago. With little effective competition the film should break a lot more records in the weeks to come.
Nolan Scales Summit of Insomnia Summit Entertainment has scooped a pair of profile studio projects for international distribution at AFM in Los Angeles. Insomnia, the remake of the Norwegian thriller which Al Pacino is planning for Memento director Chris Nolan, will be distributed in the US by Warner Bros, while Mandalay Pictures' Servicing Sara, Matthew Perry and Elizabeth Hurley comedy, distributed by Paramount Pictures. Insomnia reunites Nolan with Summit, which sold Memento last year and on a very similar theme - Pacino playing an insomniac sleuth trying to track down the murderer of a teenage girl in Alaska.
Bradford: Baise Moi! The Seventh Bradford Film Festival hits the North of England from March 1 and includes new films from Tom Twyker, Robert Altman and Joel Schumacher plus classic retrospectives, the highlight of which must be the examination of Richard Attenborough's career with the man himself in attendance on March 7. The festivals opens with the anticipated Enemy at the Gates Despite poor reviews at the Berlin Film Festival, the film looks interesting and will undoubtedly have people talking. Amongst the other American cinema on offer is the excellent "You can count on me" (for which Laura Linney has got an Oscar nom for best actress), the haunting documentary Dark Days and - the closing gala film - The Contender, a good film let down by it's last 10 minutes. Amores Perros (nominated for best Foreign film at the Oscars) is a must see whilst "The Princess and the Warrior" sees if Tom Twyker can repeat the success of Run Lola Run. Malena, Guiseppe Tornatore's new film, also receives it's UK premiere. Other recommendations are The Dish and the UK premiere of the 70mm print of 2001: A Space Odyssey. With programmes on censorship (including the controversial "Baise Moi / Fuck Me" from France), a package of shorts and more films on offer, this year's Bradford Film Festival should kick off the UK film festivals season with a bang.
Romeo Ricky Romances Romero Latino superstud Ricky Martin is rumoured to be on the verge of signing for a part in George A Romero's The Assassination - a political action thriller co-starring the likes of Ed Harris, James Coburn and Anthony Quinn. Production should begin in April on the story surrounding the assassination of Dominican Republic dictator Rafael Trujillo. If his debut film deal goes ahead, Martin would play the idolised revolutionary Tavito de la Maza, but he has already agreed to work on the film's title song and soundtrack.
The Bolly Opera House The Royal Opera House in London's Covent Garden is planning an innovative Bollywood take on Puccini's famous opera, Turandot. Organised with Indian dance teachers at the Villiers School in Southall. Coinciding with the Birmingham Opera Company's collaboration with community organisations, this is another sign that opera is attempting to throw off its elitist image. While purists might find the collaboration hard to imagine, the children, who are mostly Asian, are enthusiastic about the Puccini project. The lead is known to be one of the most challenging of the Italian soprano repertoire but one child who plays the princess in the new production was undaunted by this. "Its such an unbelievable feeling, she's such a woman, she can't give up her love, she has to have it and she feels that she deserves it." The Bollywood Turandot will be performed at the ROH in April.
Has Harry Had It? The filming of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone may have to be stalled unless Warner Bros. are able to convince British authorities to extend a permit that currently allow 11 year old star, Daniel Radcliffe, to work on the film only through the end of March. The Sunday Observer also reported this week that poor weather conditions have already delayed production that could push the closing date of principal photography to July. Under British law, an actor of Radcliffe's tender age can't work more than 5 days a week and must attend school on set. A spokesperson for the local education authority commented, "Although Daniel attends a private school, his application for permission to work must come to us and we must be satisfied that his education is being organised properly. It is our statutory duty to consider this and to worry about exploitation."
Leavesdon Leads The Way British property developer MEPC is planning to build the UK's first major studio in 50 years, one that can compete on the same terms Hollywood's best facilities. TheTimes reported on Monday that MEPC is planning a $600m studio over 200,000 square feet at the former Leavesdon Aerodrome near Watford. A spokesman for the British Film Council was quoted in the article, "UK studios are working to capacity ...so this will enable us to compete with Australia and Europe to attract films from around the world, as well as providing more space for British movies." Herfordshire is already the centre of filmmaking activity in the UK and attracts just over a third of feature film production to its facilities. Recent high grossing blockbusters filmed there include Star Wars (Episode 1) - $207m, Tomorrow Never Dies - $350m and saving Private Ryan - $480m.
Amanda's Graduation The uninhibited star of UK screen Amanda Donohoe has become the third actress to bare all in the West End adaptation of the classic Sixties film The Graduate. The 38-year-old star, best known for the TV series LA Law and her excellent partnership with Oliver Reed in Castaway, follows Kathleen Turner and Jerry Hall in the role of seductress Mrs Robinson. The play, written by Terry Johnson, has taken £6m since opening at the Gielgud last April.
The Film Company & SPA Sign Distribution and Development Deal International sales company, The Film Company announced Wednesday at the AFM (American Film Market) that they have signed an innovative co-operation deal to develop and distribute new feature films with SPA (Screen production Associates). The deal was signed at the AFM by the principal partners of SPA (Screen Production Associates), Doug Abbott, Piers Jackson and John Jaquiss and Ronald De Neef of the Film Company and brings the international sales company together with SPA, a fast expanding UK 'development driven' UK-based production and financing company with associated exhibition, rights acquisition, distribution and post-production interests. As part of the deal The Film Company will handle world-wide sales on an initial slate of five feature films The Truth Game directed by Simon Rumley and Club Le Monde (currently in post-production) also by Simon Rumley and featuring top DJs Brandon and Mr C. The deal also includes The Case by writer-director Mark Warner which begins filming in India in April; an action adventure feature Midnight Warriors (currently in pre-production) and the police thriller Black Badge scheduled to begin shooting later this year. The Film Company will also be working closely on future feature films projects with SPA , advising them on international marketing and distribution for all film projects that the UK based financing and production company is involved. The Film Company will also work closely with SPA on opportunities for acquiring third-party films at all stages of development for international distribution. Says John Jaquiss (Managing Director of SPA): 'SPA has been looking for an international distribution partner as part of its financing and production strategy for some months so naturally we are delighted to sign this deal with The Film Company and look forward to our collaboration'. Ronald De Neef, Managing Director of The Film Company said: 'There is a perfect synergy between the two companies that sees a marriage of SPA, an expanding and highly creative production company with the international sales and marketing skills of The Film Company'.
This week... Cinemas Admit record Year >>> Euro adds to UK's film woes >>> Britfilm Investment Sinks 10% in 2001 >>> (Stewart) Till We Meet Again >>> Jean-Marie's Mess >>> Snow White & The 7 Sequels >>> Brian Cox in Good Spirit >>> And also... >>>
Captain Tardy's Avid