Chicago – One of the genuine thrills of the Chicago International Film Festival is the local premiere. The film ‘Drunkboat’ was shot in Chicago, directed by Bob Meyer, and featuring John Malkovich, John Goodman, Dana Delany, Jim Ortlieb and Jacob Zachar. The Red Carpet Premiere was last Friday, October 8th.
Walking the carpet was blustery film producer Chase Bailey, two featured performers of Drunkboat – Jim Ortlieb and Jacob Zachar (of the ABC Family series “Greek”) – and Director Bob Meyer. HollywoodChicago.com captured interviews with all of them.
Jacob Zachar, Abe in “Drunkboat”
The young actor Jacob Zachar has already made a mark playing Rusty Cartwright in the popular ABC Family Series “Greek.” In Drunkboat, he gets the privilege of working opposite Dana Delaney, John Malkovich and John Goodman.
Jacob Zachar at the Chicago International Film Festival, October 8th, 2010
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com
HollywoodChicago.com: This...
Walking the carpet was blustery film producer Chase Bailey, two featured performers of Drunkboat – Jim Ortlieb and Jacob Zachar (of the ABC Family series “Greek”) – and Director Bob Meyer. HollywoodChicago.com captured interviews with all of them.
Jacob Zachar, Abe in “Drunkboat”
The young actor Jacob Zachar has already made a mark playing Rusty Cartwright in the popular ABC Family Series “Greek.” In Drunkboat, he gets the privilege of working opposite Dana Delaney, John Malkovich and John Goodman.
Jacob Zachar at the Chicago International Film Festival, October 8th, 2010
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com
HollywoodChicago.com: This...
- 10/11/2010
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
(Editor's note: This review of "The Life Before Her Eyes" was written for its festival screening when the film was originally titled "In Bloom".)Toronto International Film Festival
TORONTO -- While the title may conjure up images of awakenings and/or horticulture, "The Life Before Her Eyes" is actually set against the backdrop of a tragic, Columbine-like high school shooting.
The second feature by "The House of Sand and Fog" director Vadim Perelman, this dense, disturbing thriller, based on Laura Kasischke’s more tellingly-titled "The Life Before Her Eyes", intermingles the past and present, and the real and the imagined, to intriguing if occasionally head-scratching effect.
Boasting two terrific performances by Uma Thurman and Evan Rachel Wood as the adult and teenage versions of the same character, the film was not yet attached to an American distributor prior to its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.
That situation is certain to be remedied in the not-too-distant future.
In the girls room of a Connecticut high school, best friends Diana, the classic "bad girl" Evan Rachel Wood) and Maureen, the classic "good girl" (Eva Amurri) are checking themselves out in the mirror when they hear the sound of machine gun fire and screaming students down the hall.
As they figure out what they should do, the assailant, a male classmate, enters, pointing the weapon in their direction and informing them that one of them will have to die.
Before we are allowed to see the outcome, the film moves ahead to the 15th anniversary of the shooting, which brings back a flood of memories, both painful and otherwise, for an adult Diana (Thurman).
Married, with an 8-year-old daughter, to the older college professor (Brett Cullen) she first met as a high school student, Diana becomes increasingly haunted by the encroaching past.
And, as the film progresses, it becomes clear that Diana’s life has been compromised by not-so-repressed feelings of guilt and remorse.
Or does it?
Without revealing too much more, let’s just say the already thin line between perception and reality further disintegrates in the minutes leading up to an ending that’s destined to generate discussion, whatever the final interpretation.
Although Perelman, a filmmaker with a weakness for big doses of natural symbolism, layers on all the imagery a bit thick here, in hindsight, an argument can be made for the material, adapted by Emil Stern, lending itself to a heavier-handed visual approach.
For her part, Thurman convincingly pulls off a tricky part, while Wood also impresses as a bright, attractive young woman who is alternately hurt and emboldened by her "loose" reputation.
Good, too, is Amurri as her accepting, church-going girlfriend.
Technical attributes, from cinematographer Pawel Edelman’s constantly fluid camerawork to James Horner’s low-key score, provide an appropriate, darkly-tinted flourish.
THE LIFE BEFORE HER EYES
2929 Prods.
Director: Vadim Perelman
Writer: Emil Stern
Based on the book, "The Life Before Her Eyes" by Laura Kasischke
Producers: Vadim Perelman, Aimee Peyronnet, Anthony Katagas
Executive producers: Todd Wagner, Mark Cuban, Marc Butan
Director of photography: Pawel Edelman
Production designer: Maia Javan
Music: James Horner
Co-producers: Chase Bailey, Couper Samuelson, Mike Upton, Ian McGloin
Costume designer: Hala Bahmet
Editor: David Baxter
Cast:
Adult Diana: Uma Thurman
Young Diana: Evan Rachel Wood
Maureen: Eva Amurri
Running time -- 90 minutes
No MPAA rating...
TORONTO -- While the title may conjure up images of awakenings and/or horticulture, "The Life Before Her Eyes" is actually set against the backdrop of a tragic, Columbine-like high school shooting.
The second feature by "The House of Sand and Fog" director Vadim Perelman, this dense, disturbing thriller, based on Laura Kasischke’s more tellingly-titled "The Life Before Her Eyes", intermingles the past and present, and the real and the imagined, to intriguing if occasionally head-scratching effect.
Boasting two terrific performances by Uma Thurman and Evan Rachel Wood as the adult and teenage versions of the same character, the film was not yet attached to an American distributor prior to its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.
That situation is certain to be remedied in the not-too-distant future.
In the girls room of a Connecticut high school, best friends Diana, the classic "bad girl" Evan Rachel Wood) and Maureen, the classic "good girl" (Eva Amurri) are checking themselves out in the mirror when they hear the sound of machine gun fire and screaming students down the hall.
As they figure out what they should do, the assailant, a male classmate, enters, pointing the weapon in their direction and informing them that one of them will have to die.
Before we are allowed to see the outcome, the film moves ahead to the 15th anniversary of the shooting, which brings back a flood of memories, both painful and otherwise, for an adult Diana (Thurman).
Married, with an 8-year-old daughter, to the older college professor (Brett Cullen) she first met as a high school student, Diana becomes increasingly haunted by the encroaching past.
And, as the film progresses, it becomes clear that Diana’s life has been compromised by not-so-repressed feelings of guilt and remorse.
Or does it?
Without revealing too much more, let’s just say the already thin line between perception and reality further disintegrates in the minutes leading up to an ending that’s destined to generate discussion, whatever the final interpretation.
Although Perelman, a filmmaker with a weakness for big doses of natural symbolism, layers on all the imagery a bit thick here, in hindsight, an argument can be made for the material, adapted by Emil Stern, lending itself to a heavier-handed visual approach.
For her part, Thurman convincingly pulls off a tricky part, while Wood also impresses as a bright, attractive young woman who is alternately hurt and emboldened by her "loose" reputation.
Good, too, is Amurri as her accepting, church-going girlfriend.
Technical attributes, from cinematographer Pawel Edelman’s constantly fluid camerawork to James Horner’s low-key score, provide an appropriate, darkly-tinted flourish.
THE LIFE BEFORE HER EYES
2929 Prods.
Director: Vadim Perelman
Writer: Emil Stern
Based on the book, "The Life Before Her Eyes" by Laura Kasischke
Producers: Vadim Perelman, Aimee Peyronnet, Anthony Katagas
Executive producers: Todd Wagner, Mark Cuban, Marc Butan
Director of photography: Pawel Edelman
Production designer: Maia Javan
Music: James Horner
Co-producers: Chase Bailey, Couper Samuelson, Mike Upton, Ian McGloin
Costume designer: Hala Bahmet
Editor: David Baxter
Cast:
Adult Diana: Uma Thurman
Young Diana: Evan Rachel Wood
Maureen: Eva Amurri
Running time -- 90 minutes
No MPAA rating...
Toronto International Film Festival
TORONTO - -While the title may conjure up images of awakenings and/or horticulture, "In Bloom" is actually set against the backdrop of a tragic, Columbine-like high school shooting.
The second feature by "The House of Sand and Fog" director Vadim Perelman, this dense, disturbing thriller, based on Laura Kasischke’s more tellingly-titled "The Life Before Her Eyes", intermingles the past and present, and the real and the imagined, to intriguing if occasionally head-scratching effect.
Boasting two terrific performances by Uma Thurman and Evan Rachel Wood as the adult and teenage versions of the same character, the film was not yet attached to an American distributor prior to its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.
That situation is certain to be remedied in the not-too-distant future.
In the girls room of a Connecticut high school, best friends Diana, the classic "bad girl" Evan Rachel Wood) and Maureen, the classic "good girl" (Eva Amurri) are checking themselves out in the mirror when they hear the sound of machine gun fire and screaming students down the hall.
As they figure out what they should do, the assailant, a male classmate, enters, pointing the weapon in their direction and informing them that one of them will have to die.
Before we are allowed to see the outcome, the film moves ahead to the 15th anniversary of the shooting, which brings back a flood of memories, both painful and otherwise, for an adult Diana (Thurman).
Married, with an eight-year-old daughter, to the older college professor (Brett Cullen) she first met as a high school student, Diana becomes increasingly haunted by the encroaching past.
And, as the film progresses, it becomes clear that Diana’s life has been compromised by not-so-repressed feelings of guilt and remorse.
Or does it?
Without revealing too much more, let’s just say the already thin line between perception and reality further disintegrates in the minutes leading up to an ending that’s destined to generate discussion, whatever the final interpretation.
Although Perelman, a filmmaker with a weakness for big doses of natural symbolism, layers on all the imagery a bit thick here, in hindsight, an argument can be made for the material, adapted by Emil Stern, lending itself to a heavier-handed visual approach.
For her part, Thurman convincingly pulls off a tricky part, while Wood also impresses as a bright, attractive young woman who is alternately hurt and emboldened by her "loose" reputation.
Good, too, is Amurri as her accepting, church-going girlfriend.
Technical attributes, from cinematographer Pawel Edelman’s constantly fluid camerawork to James Horner’s low-key score, provide an appropriate, darkly-tinted flourish.
IN BLOOM
2929 Productions
Director: Vadim Perelman
Writer: Emil Stern
Based on the book, "The Life Before Her Eyes" by Laura Kasischke
Producers: Vadim Perelman, Aimee Peyronnet, Anthony Katagas
Executive producers: Todd Wagner, Mark Cuban, Marc Butan
Director of photography: Pawel Edelman
Production designer: Maia Javan
Music: James Horner
Co-producers: Chase Bailey, Couper Samuelson, Mike Upton, Ian McGloin
Costume designer: Hala Bahmet
Editor: David Baxter
Cast:
Adult Diana: Uma Thurman;
Young Diana: Evan Rachel Wood
Maureen: Eva Amurri
MPAA rating: Not yet rated, running time 90 minutes...
TORONTO - -While the title may conjure up images of awakenings and/or horticulture, "In Bloom" is actually set against the backdrop of a tragic, Columbine-like high school shooting.
The second feature by "The House of Sand and Fog" director Vadim Perelman, this dense, disturbing thriller, based on Laura Kasischke’s more tellingly-titled "The Life Before Her Eyes", intermingles the past and present, and the real and the imagined, to intriguing if occasionally head-scratching effect.
Boasting two terrific performances by Uma Thurman and Evan Rachel Wood as the adult and teenage versions of the same character, the film was not yet attached to an American distributor prior to its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.
That situation is certain to be remedied in the not-too-distant future.
In the girls room of a Connecticut high school, best friends Diana, the classic "bad girl" Evan Rachel Wood) and Maureen, the classic "good girl" (Eva Amurri) are checking themselves out in the mirror when they hear the sound of machine gun fire and screaming students down the hall.
As they figure out what they should do, the assailant, a male classmate, enters, pointing the weapon in their direction and informing them that one of them will have to die.
Before we are allowed to see the outcome, the film moves ahead to the 15th anniversary of the shooting, which brings back a flood of memories, both painful and otherwise, for an adult Diana (Thurman).
Married, with an eight-year-old daughter, to the older college professor (Brett Cullen) she first met as a high school student, Diana becomes increasingly haunted by the encroaching past.
And, as the film progresses, it becomes clear that Diana’s life has been compromised by not-so-repressed feelings of guilt and remorse.
Or does it?
Without revealing too much more, let’s just say the already thin line between perception and reality further disintegrates in the minutes leading up to an ending that’s destined to generate discussion, whatever the final interpretation.
Although Perelman, a filmmaker with a weakness for big doses of natural symbolism, layers on all the imagery a bit thick here, in hindsight, an argument can be made for the material, adapted by Emil Stern, lending itself to a heavier-handed visual approach.
For her part, Thurman convincingly pulls off a tricky part, while Wood also impresses as a bright, attractive young woman who is alternately hurt and emboldened by her "loose" reputation.
Good, too, is Amurri as her accepting, church-going girlfriend.
Technical attributes, from cinematographer Pawel Edelman’s constantly fluid camerawork to James Horner’s low-key score, provide an appropriate, darkly-tinted flourish.
IN BLOOM
2929 Productions
Director: Vadim Perelman
Writer: Emil Stern
Based on the book, "The Life Before Her Eyes" by Laura Kasischke
Producers: Vadim Perelman, Aimee Peyronnet, Anthony Katagas
Executive producers: Todd Wagner, Mark Cuban, Marc Butan
Director of photography: Pawel Edelman
Production designer: Maia Javan
Music: James Horner
Co-producers: Chase Bailey, Couper Samuelson, Mike Upton, Ian McGloin
Costume designer: Hala Bahmet
Editor: David Baxter
Cast:
Adult Diana: Uma Thurman;
Young Diana: Evan Rachel Wood
Maureen: Eva Amurri
MPAA rating: Not yet rated, running time 90 minutes...
Having created an indelible rogue's gallery of lovable freaks and nonconformists, Johnny Depp ventures into the realm of the monstrous in the demanding film "The Libertine".
He delivers a haunting portrait of the 17th-century poet, provocateur and debauchee John Wilmot, second Earl of Rochester, who achieved literary acclaim only after his lingering death at 33, ravaged by syphilis and alcohol. One of the achievements of director Laurence Dunmore's insistently gritty first feature is that his protagonist, a repellent creature of rapacious sensual appetites, grows more recognizable the more physically grotesque he becomes. A dark cousin to such screen rapscallions as Raoul Duke, Jack Sparrow and, yes, Willy Wonka, Depp's dissolute earl possesses a staggering allure beneath the blood-chilling sneer.
Originally scheduled for September release in the midst of Miramax's crowded housecleaning slate, the unrated Weinstein Co. release world-premiered Friday at AFI Fest. (Not an MPAA signatory, the new shingle de-clined the organization's NC-17.) It bows Nov. 25 in Los Angeles and New York, where it should perform lustily. Wide release in January will be more of a challenge, even with Depp starring.
Like its protagonist, the self-proclaimed cynic of a golden age, "Libertine" makes no concessions to expectation. Shot as if through layers of grime, it takes an ad-mirably different approach to costume fare than high-sheen features like "Shakespeare in Love", which put the Weinsteins' Miramax on the Oscar map.
There's a stark power to Alexander Melman's grainy, candlelit cinematography (Dunmore himself operated the mostly handheld camera) that is in keeping with the unapologetic subject matter. But the drained-of-red palette and fetid green light, artifices in their own right, are at times more tiring than expressive. Audiences used to being spoon-fed dazzling period regalia might feel mired in the sludge. For those who can stick with it, the rewards are considerable.
"You will not like me", Rochester promises from the shadows in his to-the-camera prologue. Stephen Jeffreys' screenplay, based on his play, doesn't explain or excuse the behavior of a man devoted to pleasure and yet numb to it. A favorite in the king's court, though no worshipper of the throne, Rochester accepts a commission to write a major work of literature for Charles II (John Malkovich, who shepherded the project over its nine-year development after playing the title role in the U.S. premiere of the play). Rather than get to work, Rochester pursues his commitment to drink and sex, between escapades trading pornographic ripostes with writers George Etherege (Tom Hollander) and Charles Sackville (Johnny Vegas).
Rochester is shaken from licentious routine when he sees struggling actress Lizzie Barry (Samantha Morton) booed offstage. She's one of the first generation of female actors -- following the trail blazed by women like Claire Danes' character in "Stage Beauty" -- and Rochester determines to make her the leading light of the London theater. He succeeds. Known for his brutal honesty, he demands truth from Lizzie's performances, and the fiercely independent actress, overcoming her wariness, flourishes under his tutelage. She also becomes his lover, igniting a passion that Rochester recognizes too late.
Although capable of listening respectfully to the advice of a favorite whore (Kelly Reilly), the earl shows his pious mother (Francesca Annis) only disdain. Matters are more complex with his wife, Elizabeth (Rosamund Pike), who has her eyes wide open to his philandering. Pike is extraordinarily affecting as the woman who began her relationship with Rochester as his teenage kidnap victim and ended it as his devoted caretaker. Morton, though underused, conveys Lizzie's ardor and formidable ambition.
Almost unrecognizable in fake nose and massive wig, Malkovich has a contained intensity as the free-thinking sovereign who embraces the wonders of scientific and intellectual progress and who, beneath the official ire, seems to enjoy the raunchy irreverence of Rochester's literary output. Bawdiness notwithstanding, there's a touch of the conventional in the dialogue's self-consciously literary profusion of language. And however flavorful all the supporting turns, the piece is clearly a vehicle for its star.
Contributions by production designer Ben Van Os, costume designer Dien Van Straalen and especially hair and make-up designer Peter Owen ("The Lord of the Rings") are key to the sense of Restoration-era England in the throes of a hangover from post-Puritan excess. The film is dedicated to casting director Mary Selway, Marlon Brando and Hunter S. Thompson.
THE LIBERTINE
The Weinstein Co.
The Weinstein Co. and Odyssey Entertainment in association with Isle of Man Film present a Mr. Mudd production
Credits:
Director: Laurence Dunmore
Screenwriter: Stephen Jeffreys
Based on the play by: Stephen Jeffreys
Producers: Lianne Halfon, John Malkovich, Russell Smith
Executive producers: Chase Bailey, Steve Christian, Marc Samuelson, Peter Samuelson, Ralph Kamp, Louise Goodsill
Director of photography: Alexander Melman
Production designer: Ben Van Os
Music: Michael Nyman
Costume designer: Dien Van Straalen
Editor: Jill Bilcock. Cast: Rochester: Johnny Depp
Elizabeth Barry: Samantha Morton
Charles II: John Malkovich
Elizabeth Malet: Rosamund Pike
Etherege: Tom Hollander
Sackville: Johnny Vegas
Jane
Kelly Reilly
Harris: Jack Davenport
Alcock: Richard Coyle
Countess: Francesca Annis
Downs: Rupert Friend
No MPAA rating -- running time 115 minutes...
He delivers a haunting portrait of the 17th-century poet, provocateur and debauchee John Wilmot, second Earl of Rochester, who achieved literary acclaim only after his lingering death at 33, ravaged by syphilis and alcohol. One of the achievements of director Laurence Dunmore's insistently gritty first feature is that his protagonist, a repellent creature of rapacious sensual appetites, grows more recognizable the more physically grotesque he becomes. A dark cousin to such screen rapscallions as Raoul Duke, Jack Sparrow and, yes, Willy Wonka, Depp's dissolute earl possesses a staggering allure beneath the blood-chilling sneer.
Originally scheduled for September release in the midst of Miramax's crowded housecleaning slate, the unrated Weinstein Co. release world-premiered Friday at AFI Fest. (Not an MPAA signatory, the new shingle de-clined the organization's NC-17.) It bows Nov. 25 in Los Angeles and New York, where it should perform lustily. Wide release in January will be more of a challenge, even with Depp starring.
Like its protagonist, the self-proclaimed cynic of a golden age, "Libertine" makes no concessions to expectation. Shot as if through layers of grime, it takes an ad-mirably different approach to costume fare than high-sheen features like "Shakespeare in Love", which put the Weinsteins' Miramax on the Oscar map.
There's a stark power to Alexander Melman's grainy, candlelit cinematography (Dunmore himself operated the mostly handheld camera) that is in keeping with the unapologetic subject matter. But the drained-of-red palette and fetid green light, artifices in their own right, are at times more tiring than expressive. Audiences used to being spoon-fed dazzling period regalia might feel mired in the sludge. For those who can stick with it, the rewards are considerable.
"You will not like me", Rochester promises from the shadows in his to-the-camera prologue. Stephen Jeffreys' screenplay, based on his play, doesn't explain or excuse the behavior of a man devoted to pleasure and yet numb to it. A favorite in the king's court, though no worshipper of the throne, Rochester accepts a commission to write a major work of literature for Charles II (John Malkovich, who shepherded the project over its nine-year development after playing the title role in the U.S. premiere of the play). Rather than get to work, Rochester pursues his commitment to drink and sex, between escapades trading pornographic ripostes with writers George Etherege (Tom Hollander) and Charles Sackville (Johnny Vegas).
Rochester is shaken from licentious routine when he sees struggling actress Lizzie Barry (Samantha Morton) booed offstage. She's one of the first generation of female actors -- following the trail blazed by women like Claire Danes' character in "Stage Beauty" -- and Rochester determines to make her the leading light of the London theater. He succeeds. Known for his brutal honesty, he demands truth from Lizzie's performances, and the fiercely independent actress, overcoming her wariness, flourishes under his tutelage. She also becomes his lover, igniting a passion that Rochester recognizes too late.
Although capable of listening respectfully to the advice of a favorite whore (Kelly Reilly), the earl shows his pious mother (Francesca Annis) only disdain. Matters are more complex with his wife, Elizabeth (Rosamund Pike), who has her eyes wide open to his philandering. Pike is extraordinarily affecting as the woman who began her relationship with Rochester as his teenage kidnap victim and ended it as his devoted caretaker. Morton, though underused, conveys Lizzie's ardor and formidable ambition.
Almost unrecognizable in fake nose and massive wig, Malkovich has a contained intensity as the free-thinking sovereign who embraces the wonders of scientific and intellectual progress and who, beneath the official ire, seems to enjoy the raunchy irreverence of Rochester's literary output. Bawdiness notwithstanding, there's a touch of the conventional in the dialogue's self-consciously literary profusion of language. And however flavorful all the supporting turns, the piece is clearly a vehicle for its star.
Contributions by production designer Ben Van Os, costume designer Dien Van Straalen and especially hair and make-up designer Peter Owen ("The Lord of the Rings") are key to the sense of Restoration-era England in the throes of a hangover from post-Puritan excess. The film is dedicated to casting director Mary Selway, Marlon Brando and Hunter S. Thompson.
THE LIBERTINE
The Weinstein Co.
The Weinstein Co. and Odyssey Entertainment in association with Isle of Man Film present a Mr. Mudd production
Credits:
Director: Laurence Dunmore
Screenwriter: Stephen Jeffreys
Based on the play by: Stephen Jeffreys
Producers: Lianne Halfon, John Malkovich, Russell Smith
Executive producers: Chase Bailey, Steve Christian, Marc Samuelson, Peter Samuelson, Ralph Kamp, Louise Goodsill
Director of photography: Alexander Melman
Production designer: Ben Van Os
Music: Michael Nyman
Costume designer: Dien Van Straalen
Editor: Jill Bilcock. Cast: Rochester: Johnny Depp
Elizabeth Barry: Samantha Morton
Charles II: John Malkovich
Elizabeth Malet: Rosamund Pike
Etherege: Tom Hollander
Sackville: Johnny Vegas
Jane
Kelly Reilly
Harris: Jack Davenport
Alcock: Richard Coyle
Countess: Francesca Annis
Downs: Rupert Friend
No MPAA rating -- running time 115 minutes...
- 12/20/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Having created an indelible rogue's gallery of lovable freaks and nonconformists, Johnny Depp ventures into the realm of the monstrous in the demanding film "The Libertine".
He delivers a haunting portrait of the 17th-century poet, provocateur and debauchee John Wilmot, second Earl of Rochester, who achieved literary acclaim only after his lingering death at 33, ravaged by syphilis and alcohol. One of the achievements of director Laurence Dunmore's insistently gritty first feature is that his protagonist, a repellent creature of rapacious sensual appetites, grows more recognizable the more physically grotesque he becomes. A dark cousin to such screen rapscallions as Raoul Duke, Jack Sparrow and, yes, Willy Wonka, Depp's dissolute earl possesses a staggering allure beneath the blood-chilling sneer.
Originally scheduled for September release in the midst of Miramax's crowded housecleaning slate, the unrated Weinstein Co. release world-premiered Friday at AFI Fest. (Not an MPAA signatory, the new shingle de-clined the organization's NC-17.) It bows Nov. 25 in Los Angeles and New York, where it should perform lustily. Wide release in January will be more of a challenge, even with Depp starring.
Like its protagonist, the self-proclaimed cynic of a golden age, "Libertine" makes no concessions to expectation. Shot as if through layers of grime, it takes an ad-mirably different approach to costume fare than high-sheen features like "Shakespeare in Love", which put the Weinsteins' Miramax on the Oscar map.
There's a stark power to Alexander Melman's grainy, candlelit cinematography (Dunmore himself operated the mostly handheld camera) that is in keeping with the unapologetic subject matter. But the drained-of-red palette and fetid green light, artifices in their own right, are at times more tiring than expressive. Audiences used to being spoon-fed dazzling period regalia might feel mired in the sludge. For those who can stick with it, the rewards are considerable.
"You will not like me", Rochester promises from the shadows in his to-the-camera prologue. Stephen Jeffreys' screenplay, based on his play, doesn't explain or excuse the behavior of a man devoted to pleasure and yet numb to it. A favorite in the king's court, though no worshipper of the throne, Rochester accepts a commission to write a major work of literature for Charles II (John Malkovich, who shepherded the project over its nine-year development after playing the title role in the U.S. premiere of the play). Rather than get to work, Rochester pursues his commitment to drink and sex, between escapades trading pornographic ripostes with writers George Etherege (Tom Hollander) and Charles Sackville (Johnny Vegas).
Rochester is shaken from licentious routine when he sees struggling actress Lizzie Barry (Samantha Morton) booed offstage. She's one of the first generation of female actors -- following the trail blazed by women like Claire Danes' character in "Stage Beauty" -- and Rochester determines to make her the leading light of the London theater. He succeeds. Known for his brutal honesty, he demands truth from Lizzie's performances, and the fiercely independent actress, overcoming her wariness, flourishes under his tutelage. She also becomes his lover, igniting a passion that Rochester recognizes too late.
Although capable of listening respectfully to the advice of a favorite whore (Kelly Reilly), the earl shows his pious mother (Francesca Annis) only disdain. Matters are more complex with his wife, Elizabeth (Rosamund Pike), who has her eyes wide open to his philandering. Pike is extraordinarily affecting as the woman who began her relationship with Rochester as his teenage kidnap victim and ended it as his devoted caretaker. Morton, though underused, conveys Lizzie's ardor and formidable ambition.
Almost unrecognizable in fake nose and massive wig, Malkovich has a contained intensity as the free-thinking sovereign who embraces the wonders of scientific and intellectual progress and who, beneath the official ire, seems to enjoy the raunchy irreverence of Rochester's literary output. Bawdiness notwithstanding, there's a touch of the conventional in the dialogue's self-consciously literary profusion of language. And however flavorful all the supporting turns, the piece is clearly a vehicle for its star.
Contributions by production designer Ben Van Os, costume designer Dien Van Straalen and especially hair and make-up designer Peter Owen ("The Lord of the Rings") are key to the sense of Restoration-era England in the throes of a hangover from post-Puritan excess. The film is dedicated to casting director Mary Selway, Marlon Brando and Hunter S. Thompson.
THE LIBERTINE
The Weinstein Co.
The Weinstein Co. and Odyssey Entertainment in association with Isle of Man Film present a Mr. Mudd production
Credits:
Director: Laurence Dunmore
Screenwriter: Stephen Jeffreys
Based on the play by: Stephen Jeffreys
Producers: Lianne Halfon, John Malkovich, Russell Smith
Executive producers: Chase Bailey, Steve Christian, Marc Samuelson, Peter Samuelson, Ralph Kamp, Louise Goodsill
Director of photography: Alexander Melman
Production designer: Ben Van Os
Music: Michael Nyman
Costume designer: Dien Van Straalen
Editor: Jill Bilcock. Cast: Rochester: Johnny Depp
Elizabeth Barry: Samantha Morton
Charles II: John Malkovich
Elizabeth Malet: Rosamund Pike
Etherege: Tom Hollander
Sackville: Johnny Vegas
Jane
Kelly Reilly
Harris: Jack Davenport
Alcock: Richard Coyle
Countess: Francesca Annis
Downs: Rupert Friend
No MPAA rating -- running time 115 minutes...
He delivers a haunting portrait of the 17th-century poet, provocateur and debauchee John Wilmot, second Earl of Rochester, who achieved literary acclaim only after his lingering death at 33, ravaged by syphilis and alcohol. One of the achievements of director Laurence Dunmore's insistently gritty first feature is that his protagonist, a repellent creature of rapacious sensual appetites, grows more recognizable the more physically grotesque he becomes. A dark cousin to such screen rapscallions as Raoul Duke, Jack Sparrow and, yes, Willy Wonka, Depp's dissolute earl possesses a staggering allure beneath the blood-chilling sneer.
Originally scheduled for September release in the midst of Miramax's crowded housecleaning slate, the unrated Weinstein Co. release world-premiered Friday at AFI Fest. (Not an MPAA signatory, the new shingle de-clined the organization's NC-17.) It bows Nov. 25 in Los Angeles and New York, where it should perform lustily. Wide release in January will be more of a challenge, even with Depp starring.
Like its protagonist, the self-proclaimed cynic of a golden age, "Libertine" makes no concessions to expectation. Shot as if through layers of grime, it takes an ad-mirably different approach to costume fare than high-sheen features like "Shakespeare in Love", which put the Weinsteins' Miramax on the Oscar map.
There's a stark power to Alexander Melman's grainy, candlelit cinematography (Dunmore himself operated the mostly handheld camera) that is in keeping with the unapologetic subject matter. But the drained-of-red palette and fetid green light, artifices in their own right, are at times more tiring than expressive. Audiences used to being spoon-fed dazzling period regalia might feel mired in the sludge. For those who can stick with it, the rewards are considerable.
"You will not like me", Rochester promises from the shadows in his to-the-camera prologue. Stephen Jeffreys' screenplay, based on his play, doesn't explain or excuse the behavior of a man devoted to pleasure and yet numb to it. A favorite in the king's court, though no worshipper of the throne, Rochester accepts a commission to write a major work of literature for Charles II (John Malkovich, who shepherded the project over its nine-year development after playing the title role in the U.S. premiere of the play). Rather than get to work, Rochester pursues his commitment to drink and sex, between escapades trading pornographic ripostes with writers George Etherege (Tom Hollander) and Charles Sackville (Johnny Vegas).
Rochester is shaken from licentious routine when he sees struggling actress Lizzie Barry (Samantha Morton) booed offstage. She's one of the first generation of female actors -- following the trail blazed by women like Claire Danes' character in "Stage Beauty" -- and Rochester determines to make her the leading light of the London theater. He succeeds. Known for his brutal honesty, he demands truth from Lizzie's performances, and the fiercely independent actress, overcoming her wariness, flourishes under his tutelage. She also becomes his lover, igniting a passion that Rochester recognizes too late.
Although capable of listening respectfully to the advice of a favorite whore (Kelly Reilly), the earl shows his pious mother (Francesca Annis) only disdain. Matters are more complex with his wife, Elizabeth (Rosamund Pike), who has her eyes wide open to his philandering. Pike is extraordinarily affecting as the woman who began her relationship with Rochester as his teenage kidnap victim and ended it as his devoted caretaker. Morton, though underused, conveys Lizzie's ardor and formidable ambition.
Almost unrecognizable in fake nose and massive wig, Malkovich has a contained intensity as the free-thinking sovereign who embraces the wonders of scientific and intellectual progress and who, beneath the official ire, seems to enjoy the raunchy irreverence of Rochester's literary output. Bawdiness notwithstanding, there's a touch of the conventional in the dialogue's self-consciously literary profusion of language. And however flavorful all the supporting turns, the piece is clearly a vehicle for its star.
Contributions by production designer Ben Van Os, costume designer Dien Van Straalen and especially hair and make-up designer Peter Owen ("The Lord of the Rings") are key to the sense of Restoration-era England in the throes of a hangover from post-Puritan excess. The film is dedicated to casting director Mary Selway, Marlon Brando and Hunter S. Thompson.
THE LIBERTINE
The Weinstein Co.
The Weinstein Co. and Odyssey Entertainment in association with Isle of Man Film present a Mr. Mudd production
Credits:
Director: Laurence Dunmore
Screenwriter: Stephen Jeffreys
Based on the play by: Stephen Jeffreys
Producers: Lianne Halfon, John Malkovich, Russell Smith
Executive producers: Chase Bailey, Steve Christian, Marc Samuelson, Peter Samuelson, Ralph Kamp, Louise Goodsill
Director of photography: Alexander Melman
Production designer: Ben Van Os
Music: Michael Nyman
Costume designer: Dien Van Straalen
Editor: Jill Bilcock. Cast: Rochester: Johnny Depp
Elizabeth Barry: Samantha Morton
Charles II: John Malkovich
Elizabeth Malet: Rosamund Pike
Etherege: Tom Hollander
Sackville: Johnny Vegas
Jane
Kelly Reilly
Harris: Jack Davenport
Alcock: Richard Coyle
Countess: Francesca Annis
Downs: Rupert Friend
No MPAA rating -- running time 115 minutes...
- 11/14/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Steve Buscemi will appear in an uncredited cameo in Terry Zwigoff's upcoming feature Art School Confidential, set to star John Malkovich. In addition, Anjelica Huston is being sought for a leading role. Mr. Mudd, the production company run by Malkovich, Lianne Halfon and Russell Smith, is producing through its first-look deal with United Artists. Chase Bailey also will produce. UA's Sara Rose and Danny Rosett will oversee for the studio. Art School reunites Zwigoff, who directed Ghost World, with Ghost's producers as well as its writer, Dan Clowes. Art School is based on Clowes' satirical novel of the same name. The book, which takes a poke at the cult of celebrity, follows an undercover cop who poses as an artist until he realizes that being a pretend felon or, better still, a supposed killer, will get him even more acclaim. Mr. Mudd's credits include Alan Taylor's Kill the Poor, the documentary How to Draw a Bunny, the Malkovich-directed The Dancer Upstairs and the Thora Birch-Scarlett Johansson Ghost World, released by UA. Buscemi is repped by Endeavor. Malkovich is repped by CAA. Huston is repped by ICM.
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