Hey folks, Harry here.... And after reading this wonderful new edition of EURO AICN, I have one bleeding question.... WHERE THE HELL IS AN AMERICAN RELEASE FOR TAXI 2??!?!?!?!!?! Now, I've heard this movie is beyond wonderful... that it is an adrenal gland laced with pcp. ME WANNA SEEE NOW!!!! NOWWW!!!! Sigh... Yes, I know there is a planned REMAKE in the US. SO WHAT? I wanna see the original. SOMEONE RELEASE IT!!! Here's Edgard to take you through the wonderful world of Europe... enjoy
EURO-AICN
Edgard here with a brand new EURO AICN edition... This week news will mainly be "French" as many things seem to happen over here. But Ozymandias fan don't worry, the Irish man is also there with his news from UK & Ireland... I take this opportunity to thank Otto and Holly Martin who have been covering the Edinburgh Festival for us... Don't forget to read their reports !
Anyway, let's go now for the European tour of the week...
FRANCE
* After the little success of the French slasher PROMENONS-NOUS DANS LES BOIS, another thriller about "teenagers getting killed" is announced in France : NUITS BLANCHES (White Nights). It will tell the story of high school friends meeting each other in a castle a few years after graduation, and of course some of them have changed in a serial killer kind of way (I hate when that happens). Or something like that... Still this could be cool if first-time director Fabrice Begotti avoids the mistake of PROMENONS-NOUS... which was trying to be smart and intellectual a bit too much for a slasher. Sagamore Stévenin, Elodie Navarre and Vanessa Demouy will star.
* Gérard Pirès (director of the first TAXI) will direct CAPITAL OFFENSE, the story of a detective suspected of murdering a cop, mixed with hostages in a plane and a 6 hours countdown. What do you get ? Not much so far but if it's made with the same energy you could find in some of the TAXI's car chases, it could be fun... as long as they keep the very very low TAXI sense of humor away (pleeease). Budget is estimated around 14 millions $, brought by French, British and Canadian companies.
* As we talk about TAXI, let's hear some good box office news for producer Luc Besson : Even though its villains are Japanese, Taxi 2 is burning rubber at the Japanese box office. Opening on August 12, it recorded 110,000 admissions on 165 screens its first weekend, for a gross of $1,587,156 (Y173m), enough for third place in the rankings after MI:2 and The Perfect Storm. To rev the box office engines, distributors Nippon Herald and JVC sponsored the building of a "drive-in theatre" at the base of city landmark Tokyo Tower and filled it with nearly 100 exotic cars, including the Peugot 406 featured in the film's title role and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI that it pursues. Also on hand were two of the film's stars, Frederic Diefenthal and Emma Sjoberg, as well as thousands of Japanese car buffs. Why Tokyo Tower? "It is built to look like the Eiffel Tower, which is featured prominently in the film," said a Herald publicist. The taxi driver in both instalments, Sammy Naceri, also paid a five-day visit to Japan in early July to publicise the film. But no human could overshadow the sequel's four-wheeled stars in the eyes of car-mad Japanese fans. As if to underline that fact, Mitsubishi is sponsoring a draw with a first prize of the chance, not to meet producer Luc Besson, but to squeal away behind the wheel of a Lancer Evolution. (Source : Screendaily).
* The next story is brought to us by our famous Ozymandias and our friends at www.showbizireland.com : Stephen Rea is to star in The Three Musketeers as they ride again in D'ARTAGNAN, an action adventure drama that begins filming this week in Belgium, France and Luxembourg. Justin Chambers has the title role and Catherine Deneuve will play the Queen of France in the film, which will also star Nick Moran and Mena Suvari. The story focuses on D'Artagnan, who seeks revenge after his parents' murders during the tumult in pre-revolutionary France. Rea has just finished a run as star and dirctor of The Plough and The Stars in Dublin's Gaiety Theatre where he directed and stared with Irish actor Jason Barry best known as Leonardo Di Caprio's Irish best friend in Titanic.
EXTRA'S NEEDED !!!
French movie website AlloCiné (www.allocine.fr) gives a bit more information on this D'ARTAGNAN : Shooting will start on August 25th. Tim Roth and Gary Oldman could co-star. During three weeks, they will shoot the film in Toulouse and in the Gascon area (in the South of France), before heading to Luxemburg. Still it appears that they're still missing many extra's (men between 30 and 50) and Allo Ciné announces that a big casting session will take place in the Gers. So if you live nearby, go for it and let us know what happened there !!
* Also from Allo Ciné : it seems that P.J. Hogan, director of MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING, could adapt for Columbia a new version of PETER PAN. Could it make us forget the dreadful HOOK ?? I just hope so...
* French director Manuel Pradal will direct Liam Neeson and Andie McDowell in a film about an American couple struggling to save a young kid from the Italian Mafia. Shooting will star this October in Napoli, Rome and Panarea. Francesca Neri and Asia Argento co-star.
* French cinema should be well represented in Montreal for the 24th World Film Festival (starting on 25th August). If you're there, don't miss LE GOUT DES AUTRES, the excellent film from Agnes Jaoui (it is one of the biggest success in France this year, and it totally deserves it). The new film from Claude Chabrol MERCI POUR LE CHOCOLAT will also be shown, as well as SADE (from Benoit Jacquot, with Daniel Auteuil). Both films did not get released here yet.
* We have already been talking about the American Film Festival of Deauville, but as it's getting closer let's see again who should invade the beaches in Normandy : Clint Eastwood, Stephen Frears, Takeshi Kitano, Dino de Laurentiis, Samuel L. Jackson (for SHAFT and RULES OF ENGAGEMENT, but also for an homage to his career), Monica Bellucci, Mira Sorvino, Jessica Lange, Harrison Ford, Nick Nolte, Michelle Yeoh, Paul Verhoeven, Leslie Caron, Mickey Rooney and Edward Norton.
* You like weird stuffs ? You live in Paris ? You are a girl ? Then call me... Oups no... that's not it... no, I am supposed to talk about the "STRANGE FESTIVAL" which will take place in the Forum des Images in Paris from August 23rg to September 5th. For the 8th times, this Festival will show you movies about - I quote - "sadic (as in "Marquis de Sade") love & death games". No taboo. You have been warned. Directors like the Italians Daniele Cipri and Francesco Maresco or the Japanese Takashi Miike and Yakuzo Masumura, will have their work presented. And if you are nice, you can see films like DEMENTIA, THE BODY AND THE WHIP or even SADISTIC AND EXPERT.... Man, I love Paris !
SWITZERLAND
* The 53rd Festival of Locarno has ended, time to see the palmares : like in Cannes, Asiatic cinema was the winner. The Golden Leopard (!) went to BABA (China, from Wang Shuo) and the Silver Leopard to Little Cheung (Hong-Kong, from Fruit Chan) and to MANILA (Germany, from Romuald Karmakar). These two films being ex-aequo.
UK
* This ain't really a british news, but I found it on the excellent Empire website (EMPIREONLINE) and I thought it could interest some of you : With Jim Carrey still fresh from donning green fur and snout in Ron Howard’s adaptation of How The Grinch Stole Christmas, another film based on Dr Seuss’ alternative children’s stories may well be in the works for Universal. According to Variety, the studio is in negotiations to acquire Seuss classic The Cat in The Hat for a live-action feature, which could see Tim Allen wearing the red-and-white-striped headwear in the title role. The project had once been in development by Dreamworks with Allen on board but never made it to production. Now that Universal is set to snap up the property we can hopefully expect as faithful an adaptation of the book as The Grinch which sees Carrey almost indistinguishable from his printed counterpart.
* After Nicole Kidman and Kathleen Turner, it's Daryl Hannah (aaaaah SPLASH !!) who will appear in a play in London. She will star from October 9th in the adaptation for the theatre of THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH (yes, THAT classic from Billy Wilder, with Marilyn Monroe). Mike Radford directs.
EUROPE
* From Screendaily, this might be interesting for some of you : The European Film Institute(EIKK), based in Karlsruhe, Germany, is launching a new initiative, entitled EUR*USA, aimed at improving collaboration between film-makers from Europe and the US. The initiative, which will be added to EIKK's existing student placement programme for European film school graduates, is divided into three strands:
- EUR*USA 1 will concentrate on inviting US film-makers to visit Europe and participate in film festivals and other industry meetings as guests and tutors to share their knowledge and experience. Part of the finance for these visits may be picked up by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences which will assist EIKK in selecting the filmmakers through its Visiting Artists Programme. - EUR*USA 2 will send professional European film graduates to work on commercial film productions in the US. There will be particular emphasis on managerial and pre-production skills as well as script development and new technologies.
- EUR*USA 3 will open up EIKK's continuing Student Placement Programme to US film students to find them internships on commercial film productions shooting in Europe. EIKK recently won a $95,000 subsidy from MEDIA 2 to last until the end of 2001. This brings its total budget to about $200,000 enabling it to fund 16-20 internships in Europe and the US. However, Brussels funds will not be spent on bringing American students to Europe.
OZYMANDIAS CORNER
Besides the D'ARTAGNAN News here above, the crazy Irishman brings us these news...
* From Rachel Barlow : I have to tell everyone about the film thats being shown at the Edinburgh film festival, BEAUTIFUL CREATURES, I saw a preview of it in London last week, it was really exciting - Jarvis Cocker from PULP was there. Its brilliant, a combination of gritty thriller and black comedy. There are laugh out moments mixed with some really gross bits and enough surprises to keep you on the edge of your seat. It's a bit like Thelma and Louise (with a dog, not a car) and Shallow Grave mixed together. The 2 girls in the lead roles, Rachel Weisz and Susan Lynch are fantastic, (Rachel wears a blonde wig and looks like Marilyn Monroe) a must go see.
* From Colin : Just in case you didn't catch it. Patrick Stewart was on THE BIG BREAKFAST this morning and he was asked about whether he was playing a role in the Harry Potter Movie (i know your a big fan!). He said that he was supposed to be playing a role BUT not any more. He said that the producers were to blame! Apparently he finds it hard to get accepted for roles because of the StarTrek association.
And a couple of extra bits from the home of the irish movie industry WWW.iftn.IE
* Jim Caviezel (The Thin Red Line, Ride With The Devil) and Guy Pearce (LA Confidential, Rules of Engagement) have arrived in Dublin to start principal photography on THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO an adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ classic popular novel of love, revenge and redemption set in 19th century France. Touchstone Pictures and Spyglass Entertainment present a Barber/Birnbaum production, directed by Kevin Reynolds (Robin Hood, Waterworld) and produced by Gary Barber, Roger Birnbaum and Jonathan Glickman with screenplay by Jay Wolpert. Chris Brigham is executive producer with Morgan O’Sullivan co-producing. The Count of Monte Cristo focuses on the trials of Edmond Dantes (Jim Caviezel) the earnest young sailor who, at the beginning of the story, is living a charmed, blessed life, but is soon betrayed by his oldest friend Fernand Modego (Guy Pearce) who secretly covets his fiance Mercedes. Misfortune and deception swiftly lead to his downfall. Incarcerated without trial for many years on an island fortress, Dantes finally escapes. He returns to search for the legendary treasure of the Island of Monte Cristo, seek out his lost love and plot revenge on those who have wronged him. Caviezel and Pearce will be joined in Dublin by veteran Irish actor Richard Harris playing Dantes fellow prisoner and mentor, Abbe Faria, and Dagmara Dominczyk playing Dantes fiance, Mercedes. The 'Count of MonteCristo' will film on location in and around Dublin and Malta.
* The 13th Foyle Film Festival will take place from the 10th to the 19th of Nov 2000. The competition Categories are as follows:
Best Film
Best Irish Short
Best International Short
Best Animation
The deadline for selection is August 21st 2000. Both 35mm prints and 16mm are acceptable. To be entered in competition the film must be on print but previewing for selection will be judged on VHS. Conditions of entry also requires that selected entrants must be at least an Northern Irish Premiere.
Applications for competition shorts will be available from early June. The entry forms will be posted on the festival website shortly, however forms can be obtained by post if requested. The festival director is Shauna Kelpie, and Bronagh Corr is programming the festival. If you need any further information about the competition strand contact Bronagh at :
Tel: 02871 267432
Fax: 02871 371738
Email: competition@nerve-centre.org.uk
The festival website will be available soon at www.foylefilmfestival.com
L8r,
Ozymandias
Euro AICN Ireland/UK Office,
Penthouse Suite,
Ozymandias Towers,
Dublin,
Ireland.
If you're involved in the Irish or UK movie industries I want to hear from you!
Mail me at ozymandias@dublin.com
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And to conclude this week's edition of EURO AICN, allow me to insist for all the happy DVD owners to get your hands on the director's cut of LEON / THE PROFESSIONAL. I just found out (I am late I know) that the director's cut was released on zone 1, and I really love these extra 24 minutes which are adding so much about the relationship between Leon and the little girl... So please, Leon fans, do not hesitate, get that DVD now !!
That's it for today... Have a good week !
