This latest spy had the pleasure of being ridden by Dale Evans on countless occassions. Buttermilk has it's own spies that are kicking up news here and there on the Custer films in the works and out of works. Now, there isn't much confirmation, but this spy has been right in the past. And is often very exacting in his/her's research. Here ya go, keep in mind the following movies made won't have a better Custer than Errol Flynn and their scores won't be as cool as the one by Max Steiner.
Now, to work...have been doing a bit of poking about and found out a few items of interest from informants;
"Dan Quixote" in LA says that while the Marching to Valhalla script was weak, there was also the possibility that Pitt wanted a good working relationship with Kristofferson (he wants to play him in upcoming project on Janis Joplin) and Kristofferson is "buds" with the guy who wrote the book the other Custer flick would be based on (tells me it is A Road We Do Not Know). Kristofferson is former Rhodes scholar and Army chopper pilot and author of other book is retired Army officer. Said they had been seen hanging out together smoking in the rain on a movie location. (Think this is only "fairly reliable")
"Castaway" (cute name, cuter redhead) says Cruise is wanted for role of Varnum (young Lt who is the lead in A Road We Do Not Know) with Michael Ironside as Crazy Horse, Graham Greene as either Gall or Bloody Knife (who was an Indian scout for Custer and apparently his buddy) and Gabriel Byrne for Captain Keogh (an Irishman) She also said that Kristofferson was due in Wilmington in the next two weeks to work on another project and she would see what could dig up on Janis Joplin and the Kristofferson link to other project if any. "Castaway" is pretty good with her stuff and she says that momentum has only started to build since Pitt walked on the other project and Bigelow got named as its director. Whoever is driving this train thinks the potential competition is now dead in the water and that it was a dumb idea in the first place to have the lead (Pitt) killed off in the end - which they'd have to do as he is Custer. She also worked on the "Newton Boys" and says she thinks your take on it is right on the money.
"Flyboy" (works in NYC with publishing business) tells me that Simon and Schuster is pissed. They published "A Road..." and gave it short shrift because they thought Blake's would blow it out of the water - what they didn't figure on was it being critical success (which Blake's was not) and getting picked up by the book clubs and then Cruise (or his people) getting interested in it. Seems they sold off the paperback rights for a song (to some university press - the same guys who did "The Outlaw Josey Wales") and now stand to lose a bundle. Actually they stand to not make squat as they sold off most of the rights. "Flyboy" says it makes them look pretty dim-witted and they are already $10 billion in debt (yeah that's a "B" in billion.... ..whoaaaa! Big Time stupid) They belong to Viacom which also owns Paramount and there is some finger-pointing and name-calling going on. Also says that "A Road's..." editor at S&S was "canned in a coup" a few months back and moved to HarperCollins and is quietly gloating over the whole thing.
Personally I could care less what the pukes in New York are whining about as long as someone makes a good movie - I like a good western and we haven't had one since Eastwood did "Unforgiven." Sorry..loved "Tombstone" and "Wild Bill" even if they did not make any bucks (Kilmer stole the show as Doc Holliday and Bridges was brilliant as Hickock). All for now..don't expect to have any more good info for another week or two. Have fun in LA (take full advantage of their largess - they can sure afford it).
Buttermilk aka "Strikestwo"
