Ya know... Norman Jewison has brought us a lot of movies over the years, but he's never quite recaptured the brilliance of ROLLERBALL, and as good as his next project sounds... It won't be like MOONPIE and JONATHON. ROLLERBALL will be brilliantly held as an ideal in filmmaking for all time cause... ummm.. them trees sploded real good, and 'Ears... Their real important' God, I love that movie! Anyway... here's a cool report from The Living Tribunal...
The Living Tribunal reporting again. Norman Jewison (who some people may know as that funny dude who won the Thalberg award last week) was at my university today talking about his films which include IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT, ROLLERBALL and MOONSTRUCK.
He related to us a number of funny stories. Like the time he was talking to Sir Ralph Richardson about his role in ROLLERBALL. "Sir Ralph," he said, "I want you to play the keeper of all the knowledge in the world. There is a library in Geneva that houses everything we know, but only certain people can get to it and you are in charge of that. Doesn't that sound like an interesting part?"
"Yes," said Sir Ralph," What kind of gloves do you think I would wear?" Pretty funny, but then Richardson goes on to steal the movie.
Anyway, the first thing Jewison told us was the entire plot of his new movie LAZARUS AND THE HURRICANE starring Denzel Washington, Liev Schreiber David Paymer and Rod Steiger. It's about a boxer, "Hurricane" Carter played by Washington, who is unjustly convicted of murder in New Jersey. Inside Carter writes a book about his struggles.
Enter 15 year-old Lesra (aka Lazarus), a very bright boy who cannot read even though he's a sophomore in high school. Well, some inner-city toughs teach him to read and send him off to law school where he buys the first book he's ever bought in his life. Hurricane's book. Lesra becomes obsessed with Hurricane's case and starts doing all he can to get him released.
Should be interesting. Has some really good actors and Jewison has a great track record with civil rights stories (IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT, A SOLDIER'S STORY).
Endearingly Yours,
Living Tribunal
