MarianneFaithfull Tagged Articles at Cinematical

There are films (mostly independent films) that, by their very nature, come across in their boiled-down form as tough films to endure: "A man falls in love with a sex doll." "A Colombian immigrant serves as a drug mule to New York." "A school is terrorized by two youths on a killing rampage." These pitches feel cold, clammy, ruinous and grim. And yet, those films -- Lars and the Real Girl, Maria Full of Grace and Elephant, in the examples given above -- are so much more than those simplistic summaries, and reward those bold enough to seek them out despite their off-putting one-line plot capsules. Irina Palm, opening today in limited release, is another example of the above phenomenon. If I tell you that Irina Palm revolves around a woman in her mid-50's who becomes a sex worker, you will most probably recoil from the very thought of the film. And yet, Irina Palm -- anchored by a sincere, wrenching performance by Marianne Faithfull in the lead role -- is so much more than that, and those with the courage to seek it out will benefit from their boldness.

Remember that all-new, supposedly super-gay adaptation of The Picture of Dorian Gray that we told you about a day or so ago? Page Six reported that 60's legend Marianne Faithfull was initially set to star in the film, but had to back out after suffering a mild heart attack and was replaced by Natasha Kinski. Now Faithfull is lashing out at the New York Post's gossip page, insisting that she was never consulted for the story, and that the heart attack rumors are simply untrue. "I haven't had a heart attack, not even a slight one. It's upsetting that so many of my friends and family have been forced to worry unnecessarily about my health. I'm currently on tour in Europe and I want to reassure everyone coming to the shows that I'm OK." Consider yourself reassured.