Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Scorsese and Kazan?

This isn't a blog on politics, so I'll just say this and move on: I woke up way too early this morning, as I always do, and for the first time since, well, 9/11, I turned on the TV news first thing. But this time I just had to smile. And if George Allen turns out to lose, I'll be smiling all day.

OK, enough of that. This is about movies, right? And what better to talk about in movies than Martin Scorsese, probably my favorite subject.

After making a Trojan Horse threat to walk away from big-budget flicks while at the Rome Film Festival, Mr. Scorsese has now signed a four-year, first-look deal with Paramount Pictures to direct and produce films, TV, direct-to-DVD pics and digital content. Paramount also has the option to own half of any film the filmmaker directs elsewhere, as well as to co-distribute.

But, what does that mean for us little folk? Well, first it means a not-terribly-exciting Rolling Stones documentary, which I'm hoping he can just wrap quickly and move on to three other projects that are much more appealing.

Leo and Marty go together as well as Martin and Lewis, so why not another collaboration? Mr. Scorsese's next big budget flick should be "The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt," with Leo, who was easily the best actor in "The Departed," playing Mr. Roosevelt. Bring it on.

The next, "Silence," based on the novel by Shusaku Endo, is about two Jesuit priests, SebastiĆ£o Rodrigues and Francis Garrpe (most likely Javier Bardem and Alan Magee), who travel to 17th century imperial Japan to see how the evangelical mission is going. There they witness the persecution of Japanese Christians at the hands of their own government, which wishes to purge Japan of all western influence. I know it has its detractors, but I simply loved "Kundun," so this just seems tailormade to Scorsese.

But the last project, which I only heard of this morning, is the most intriguing of all. Scorsese, who has made some great documentaries in the past, now has his sights tentatively set on Elia Kazan, and he seems to be a man who gets what he wants fairly often. Kazan's story, with the blacklist politics and his many great films, should just be a blast, so definitely keep your eyes on this one.

Terminator show gets its Connor

To me, Sarah Connor will always be the most famous person (except for the late, great Frank Perdue, my former neighbor) to ever come from Salisbury, Md., Linda Hamilton, so I've included with this post a picture of her.

That said, this news is about an upcoming "Terminator"-based TV show to be called "The Sarah Connor Chronicles." It has landed its own Sarah Connor in the form of Lena Headey.

Who? I had to look up her IMDB credits to answer that one, and I'm still not completely sure, but she's apparently also going to be in Frank Miller's "300," so huzzah to her. As to the show, I can still only say meh.

Six minutes of Tenacious D

Since I'm still in a good mood and I need something to make sure it lasts, here's what purports to (and really seems to) be the first six minutes of "Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny."

I've voiced doubts about this novelty act from Jack Black and Kyle Gass before, but for six minutes at least, their movie just rocks. As Ronnie James Dio rightly declares in this clip, "Rock is not the devil's work, it's magical and rad," so enjoy this and feel free to let me know what you think.

Tenacious D Movie - First 6 Minutes!!!

11 comments:

sanchapanzo said...

ten 'D' rocks ..
jack black is god

Reel Fanatic said...

I'm definitely with you on Black, and I'm getting more and more sold on Tenacious D ... My favorite Jack Black role would have to be School of Rock

Anonymous said...

The trailer which I've seen for Tenacious D is hilarious. Classical music meets rock! Lol.

Anonymous said...

And feeling the opposite. The more I see of the Tenacious D movie the more I shake my head. I think I just don't get it.

Reel Fanatic said...

It's definitely not for everyone, Emma ... When I see clips of Tenacious D performing in concert, it does nothing for me .. if the rest of the movie matches those six minutes, however, their flick is just gonna kick ass

The Ford said...

I'm not saying actors should always look IDENTICAL to the historical figures they're playing, but Leo as Teddy? Not unless he gains a couple dozen pounds. Then again, I can't think of a young(ish) actor with the chops to play Teddy, beyond, oddly enough, maybe Jack Black, or Jon Favreau.

Reel Fanatic said...

The look will be an issue for sure, Ford, but I've had to lose all doubts I had about Leo after The Aviator and now The Departed .. the kid can just flat out act

sushiandrice said...

the sarah connor show sounds awful - whatsherface from Brothers Grimm just doesn't have it.

Reel Fanatic said...

I think it's going to be a disaster too, sushiandrice .. I'll probably tune in for the premiere because, like most people, I just can't turn away from a train wreck

Anonymous said...

Your Tenacious-D YouTube clip has been removed! :-(

Really want to see this, Jack Black is very often... god. Actually my favorite is "The Fellowship of the Piercing" or whatever it was called, the short MTV piece that was included on the extended FOTR DVD as an easter egg.

As for Scorsese and the Rolling Stones, someone was filming the show we saw, we heard it was Scorsese and someone else said Chris Jagger was doing it. We were on the front rail in Austin and might be in it.

Reel Fanatic said...

I'll have to keep an eye out for you, Blueberry ... I only saw the Stones once, in 1990 or so ... they looked a little old way back then, but the did manage to bring the rock