Well here's an interpretation of a Dutch interview with Paul Verhoeven brought to us by Floris, who is still searching for Jenny. It gives some insight into a couple of projects Verhoeven has had going, including why he probably left HOUDINI. Interesting stuff... Whatever the fates may be... Make CRUSADES!!!! Somebody approve it, Arnold take a cut out of the backend, and make this great film!!!! breathe Harry breathe... sigh... Well here ya go..
Today I read an interview with our countries most loved prodigal son. Off course I'm talking about Paul Verhoeven. The interview was published in the excellent Dutch magazine 'Vrij Nederland" on June 20th, but I just read it tonight 'cause I borrow it from my grandmother and I've been busy watching World Cup Soccer. The interview mainly deals with his past life in the Netherlands and the present life in the USA. He doesn't say much about filmprojects, but the things he does say are quite interesting. The interview is in Dutch so I will try to translate in my own crude style. Enough with the trivial chit-chat, bring on the good stuff...
About his success he (Paul) says: "You could say I'm less successful, which is true. Shortly after eachother two projects were cancelled. First 'Crusade' , which was cancelled after six months of preparation, while all the customes were already made, and then 'Anne Bonny, Mistress of the Sea', a film I had been working on for five months. That was pretty frustrating. I thought I had became strong enough after my success of 'Basic Instinct" to get this film made, but it was stopped anyway. I try to calm myself by thinking it's for the best like this. With 'Crusade' that worked, but I've still got doubts with 'Anne Bonny'. The studio didn't dare to make a movie about a woman. 'Mistress of the Sea' is the story of a female privateer-captain, she excisted for real. She was known for horseback riding across the beach in the nude. Fuck you, I just do it."
About the project he is currently working on he says: "Now I'm working on a script about Houdini That's very interesting. Houdini never been able to let go off his mother"..."With Houdini this went very far. Almost incestuous. Regularly he lay full length on his mother's grave. The studio asked me not to focus to much on this."
He also said he wants do make a movie about ordinary people, dealing with feelings and psychology. In an effort to do so, in The Netherlands he is trying to make a movie about Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893), a French erotic writer.
That all Harry! I hope you have been able to extract some useful information out of this lengthy letter. Until later,
'FLORIS'
