Hey folks, Harry here... You know, it has been nearly a year since we last heard a peep about this project. December of 1999, and I had begun to wonder if it had been a whim of the gloved one, that he had moved past. I'm actually happy to see he still plans to make this film. NOW, for the first time according to this USA Today article, we get to hear that Michael has talked with Spielberg about the project, who in turn mentioned Tim Burton. Of course this would be the producer...ahem... NAME DROPPING, and doesn't actually mean that they were ever seriously involved. BUT what I'm fascinated by is the bit where they discuss that this would be a film about the last week of Poe's life. Like I said nearly a year ago... I'm fascinated. This is either the biggest train wreck in film history... or (what I really hope) it could be one hell of a screen debut. Michael isn't choosing some easy part.... He's tackling Poe at his most fevered delusional desperate melancholy worst. Mourning the death of a loved one, his addiction driving him into the streets... being taken and forced to vote by basically a mafia style vote riggers and then dying in a gutter half frozen. He is literally the last person in the world I would chose for the role, besides John Goodman, but damn if I'm not dying to see Michael pull it off. He loves living inside of makeup.... for this film, he's going to have to do a lot more than just put on a mask... he'll have to transform and disappear within the character of Poe. Michael has the right haunted eyes... This is an insane project though... I can't imagine sitting in a theater watching it, but at the same time, I can't wait. Here's the scoop....
Jackson/'Poe' Update
There's new info on what's up regarding The Nightmares of Edgar Allan Poe project, said to be starring Michael Jackson in the title role. While talking to USA Today, the film's co-executive producer Gary Pudney, revealed that Jackson has finally read the film's script and he really likes it. Current plans are for Jackson to step into the project after the release of his next album in December.
Pudney explains, "Michael says by the time he's done preparing for this, the audience isn't even going to know it's him, with the major makeup. The new Michael is Michael Jackson, the movie actor. That is what he wants to devote his energies to. This Poe movie is no small time independant project, but is going to be something on a huge scale; a massive production."
The film's story will follow the late author on the last week of his life as he nears death encounters hallucinations of the characters in his stories. The film ends with Poe dying.
At this time, the project doesn't have a director attached, though Pudney reveals what's been happening on that front, saying, "Michael had conversations with Steven Spielberg, who is a good friend. Spielberg was enthusiastic and suggested several people, including Tim Burton."
