Here's a whole bunch of news about a buncha different projects. Personally I'm very interested in hearing more on the Mike Leigh GILBERT AND SULLIVAN project, as I've been a Mike Leigh fan for a long long time. As for the Prequel news, well I never thought it was all going to be in the computer, sometimes the physical models just give you a better idea of how to move the camera around. The Sam Neil news is great. If you have never seen one of his documentaries, then by all means check out his 100 years of New Zealand Cinema. It's a classic, right up there, if not better than Scorsese's 100 years of American Cinema!!
MIKE LEIGH GILBERT AND SULLIVAN PROJECT
I don't know if you've got stuff on this already, whether you deal with untitled projects, or even give a hoot about smallish British art films, but thought I'd let you know anyway. Mike Leigh's current project is Gilbert and Sullivan biopic. It's currently in rehersals, and will shoot in about six weeks. The budget, I think is around $30m - by far his most expensive to date - it's also his first period film and first film with music. It stars, in no particular order Timothy Spall, Alison Steadman, Jim Broadbent, Lesley Manville. I don't know how big names they are in the states, but the pretty big over here. Broadbent plays one of the writing duo; Timothy Spall an opera sing who performed in their production of The Mikado. The story - although with Mike Leigh no-one really knows the story but him, is about the writing and performing of The Mikado. Release should be around summer next year - I presume that it will be out for Cannes. I can find out loads more about this if needs be.
STAR WARS EPISODE 1.
Nothing on story I'm afraid, but an interesting insight to suggest that Lucas isn't such a technofreak. A friend went to meet with the production designer of Star Wars Episode 1 last week and they were talking about using computer technology in design. Well the production designer, who's name I forget, was moaning about how reluctant his team was to use computers. He said that he had tried to get them to build 3D images of all the sets on computers rather than with cardboard and glue - but that everyone was very reluctant to do that, and used traditional paper and pencil methods. He also said that more of the sets had been built by old fashioned methods than they had hoped.
(HARRY NOTE: perhaps that is why the budget went up?)
SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
Just to say that it's going to be good (no really?). I was chatting to an exec at United International Pictures who had read the script and said it was the best screnplay he'd ever read. He is no-nonsense bullshit free sort of guy, who's been in the business for 20 years. If he says something's that good, it's gonna be amazing. He's also read the Mission Impossible 2 script, and the new James Bond script, but he isn't saying anything!
SAM NEIL
Completely boring piece of information, but I can confirm that he is planning to go back to making documentaries. A friend of a friend of friend won one of the documentary Oscars this year, and said Sam Neil wouldn't quit bugging him all night! Said he was really nice though.
Anyway, there we go. Use it or lose it!
Nothing that big I'm afraid - but I'll keep you posted.
Call me ELFMAN
