TheOrphanage Tagged Articles at Cinematical
Mark Pellington Will Helm 'The Orphanage' Remake
Filed under: Foreign Language », Horror », Independent », Thrillers », Deals », New Line », Warner Brothers », DIY/Filmmaking », Newsstand », Remakes and Sequels »
Plans for an English-language remake of The Orphanage have been ongoing since 2007. If you were thinking that Juan Antonio Bayona's original earned enough attention for those plans to be shelved, guess again. According to Variety, The Orphanage remix is still on at New Line / Warner Bros, and now has a director in Mark Pellington.Pellington's resume is a mixed bag, ranging from U2 3D to The Mothman Prophecies, which I haven't seen. I do have very fond memories of being good and scared by Arlington Road though, but I'm not sure it's the same kind of scare as that delivered by Bayona's Orphanage. On the other hand, Guillermo del Toro is still on board as producer, so we have to assume he believes Pellington can deliver the chill.
Even if this does have del Toro's blessing (he not only produced the original, but has trained Bayona up as one of his successors in eerie Spanish filmmaking), I still wonder why a remake is really necessary. The film is readily available -- it's on Netflix Instant as we speak -- and Bayona has become a pretty popular name. He was even bandied about as an inheritor of the Twilight franchise. Can't it just be left as his calling card? It strikes me as a bit of a slap in the face to take a director's debut film and promptly remake it in an American and unsubtitled image. But perhaps it's meant to be a big compliment, and Bayona is onto such bigger and better things that he doesn't particularly care.
'Orphanage' Remake Gets A Director; Also, 'Orphanage' To Be Remade
Filed under: Foreign Language », Horror », Thrillers », Casting », Mystery & Suspense », New Line », RumorMonger », Remakes and Sequels »
Color me surprised.I feel like I shouldn't be any time something gets in line to be remade, but I thought we would've heard about a remake of the J.A. Bayona-directed, Guillermo del Toro-produced thriller The Orphanage by now. Well, it's indeed in the works, with del Toro remaining on board as producer and Larry Fessenden (The Last Winter) being brought on as director, according to THR.
An actor, producer, director, writer and editor in his own right, Fessenden has no small familiarity with the horror genre -- even presently starring as a grave robber in this Friday's horror-comedy, I Sell the Dead -- and his more considered filmmaking style seems ideal for a story that turns out to have as much sorrow in store as spooks.
The Reporter notes the the project is still in need of a lead actress. The original hinged on Belén Rueda's wonderfully empathetic performance; who do you think could fill the role of leading lady in this case? Not to dwell on that Lovely Bones post, but I really do think Rachel Weisz could bring the right sensibility to this, or maybe Diane Lane... Your thoughts?
Picturehouse on the Way Out?
Filed under: New Releases », Executive shifts », New Line », Warner Brothers », Warner Independent Pictures », RumorMonger », Distribution », Other Festivals »
Near the end of last week, Defamer spread the rumor that Picturehouse, once the indie arm of New Line Cinema and currently dangling from the edge of the hulking entity known as Warner Bros., has its days numbered. Now that New Line is history and Warners, like many studios, has faced increasing cutbacks, it may give short shrift to the shingles responsible for handling artier fare. Along with Picturehouse, this also includes Warner Independent Pictures, whose recent release slate includes David Gordon Green's magnificent Snow Angels. Defamer suggested that Picturehouse president Bob Berney might wind up at WIP or head up a new, currently anonymous company. On Friday, Variety's Anne Thompson put it in more coherent terms: It appears quite likely that WIP and Picturehouse will merge together as a single company, with current WIP president Polly Cohen working alongside Berney. Whatever happens, let's just hope that the final result still leaves room for the sharp selection of independent and foreign titles that Picturehouse has handled since its birth three years ago. Defamer points out that Marion Cotillard's unexpected Oscar win for La Vie en Rose matters less than the flop of Run, Fatboy, Run, while the John Simpson-directed horror film Amusement might get dumped on DVD. It was just last year, however, that the company helped edgy fare like The Orphanage and Rocket Science get the sort of release most studios would never try. Let's hope that bravery lives on, somewhere.
Indies on DVD: 'Hannah,' 'Orphanage,' 'Savages,' 'Starting Out'
Filed under: Comedy », Drama », Foreign Language », Horror », Independent », IFC », New on DVD », Fox Searchlight », Home Entertainment », Cinematical Indie », Picturehouse », Roadside Attractions »
A solid handful of indie titles vie for your attention on the DVD shelves this week. I've already written about the marketing for Joe Swanberg's Hannah Takes the Stairs, my pick of the week, but that shouldn't overshadow the intrinsic quality of the film itself. The DVD from IFC includes Thanks for the Add!, a short film by Swanberg, an audio commentary by Swanberg and actors / co-writers Greta Gerwig and Kent Osborne, behind the scenes footage, and SXSW video production diary spots.I watched Juan Antonio Bayona's The Orphanage (pictured) with expectations set perhaps too high. I thought it would be a thrilling Spanish ghost story; instead it's a rather pallid drama about a mother and a lost son with just a smidgen of suspense and supernatural overtones. Jette Kernion had a response similar to mine, but others liked it much more, including our own Scott Weinberg, who praised it as "entirely captivating from start to finish." The DVD from Picturehouse includes three featurettes and something on the somewhat misleading marketing campaign.
Family dysfunction and elder care may not sound like sexy subjects, but Tamara Jekins "simply takes us into the story of her fascinating characters, and the integrity with which she handles it makes it ring true throughout." That was the reaction of Kim Voynar to The Savages; she was especially impressed by the performances of Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman. The DVD from Fox Searchlight includes an extended scene, director's snapshots, and a featurette entitled "About the Savages."
Jeffrey M. Anderson's 400 Screens 400 Blows - Psychotronic
Filed under: Columns », 400 Screens, 400 Blows »
Among my favorite film books is Michael J. Weldon's two-volume "Psychotronic" film guide. The first was published in 1983 and the second in 1996 (Michael hopes to publish a third at some point). Unlike Leonard Maltin's annual book, Weldon doesn't update an existing guide; each new guide is an entirely new volume. If you want to read about Halloween, you need Vol. 1 and if you want to read about Halloween 4, you need Vol. 2. A "Psychotronic" movie can be fairly easy to define. It's basically any of the "lower" film genres, dealing with the more questionable elements of society: horror, sci-fi, bikers, strippers, superheroes, zombies, kung-fu, vampires, comic books, drugs, sex, action heroes, rock 'n' roll, midnight movies, monsters, witches, cults, serial killers, magic, time travel, robberies, heists, contract killers, gladiators, Spaghetti Westerns, mad scientists, murder mysteries, pimps, voyeurs, etc.
Guillermo del Toro to Direct 'Haters'
Filed under: Drama », Horror », Sci-Fi & Fantasy », New Releases », Universal », Scripts », Comic/Superhero/Geek »
Guillermo del Toro is a busy man. Monika just told you that he is directing an adaptation of 60's spy television show The Champions. He produced The Orphanage, which is due December 28th and has been getting great reviews, including one from our own Scott Weinberg. (Check out the poster here, the trailer here, and James' interview with the director here.) He has penned a supposed-to-be-awesome adaptation of the H.P. Lovecraft novella At the Mountains of Madness. He wants to do another adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. He's got Hellboy II: The Golden Army coming out this summer, and a ghost story with ties to the Spanish Civil War called 3993 in the works. You'd think the dude would want to take a little break! But no! Joblo is reporting that the Pan's Labyrinth director has signed on to direct a new project called Haters, based on David Moody's novel -- Hater. The plot synopsis sounds mighty sweet. Here's some snippets -- "Society is rocked by a sudden increase in the number of violent assaults on individuals. Christened "Haters" by the media, the attackers strike without warning. Their attacks are brutal, remorseless, and extreme...In seconds rational, controlled people become vicious killers...You can no longer trust anyone, no matter how well you think you know them...By the end of today you could be a killer. By the end of today you could be dead." Dead! Kind of sounds like a zombie movie without zombies, doesn't it? Sounds like something del Toro could smash out of the park. It's currently sold out at Amazon -- has anyone read Hater?
Trailer Park: Ankle Biters
Filed under: Comedy », Drama », Horror », Trailer Trash », Trailers and Clips »
Call them what you will -- progeny, small fry, rug rats -- this week it's all about the kids. Welcome to Trailer Park: The Ankle Biter edition.
The Orphanage
This latest trailer has me stoked to see this Spanish language creep-fest. Directed by Juan Antonio Bayona, produced by Guillermo del Toro, and positively reviewed by Cinematical's own Scott Weinberg, this looks like one worth seeing when it goes into limited U.S. release on December 28. The preview is light on plot details, but creepy as hell with enough atmosphere to get not just the horror fans excited but a more mainstream audience as well. A woman reopens the orphanage where she was raised, and her son develops relationships with some new "imaginary" friends. The boy soon goes missing and the plot is off and running. The kid with the bag over his head that you see several times in the trailer just gives me the willies (that's a good thing).
In Bruges
As is pointed out in the trailer, Bruges in in Belgium, a fact I was aware of, but only because part of a Harry Kumel's Daughters of Darkness takes place there. At any rate, be advised this is not a green band trailer and F-bombs (among other expletives) are hurled left and right. Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson (Mad Eye Moody from the Harry Potter films) are two hit men who have been ordered by their boss (Ralph Fiennes) to lay low in Bruges after whacking a priest. Apparently two working class mobsters in Bruges is a bad fit, and cultural clashes and a disagreement with Fiennes leads to some fun bits. This one barely makes the cut for the Ankle Biter edition, but there's a pretty funny bit where Gleeson's character insults Fiennes' kids using the aforementioned "other expletives." I'll definitely be trying to find this when it goes into limited release on February 8. If you're going to be at Sundance this year, In Bruges will be the opening night selection. Here's Jessica's take on the trailer.
TIFF Interview: The Orphanage Director Juan Antonio Bayona
Filed under: Foreign Language », Horror », Sony Classics », Festival Reports », Interviews », Toronto International Film Festival », Cinematical Indie »
Juan Antonio Bayona's Il Orfanato (The Orphanage) earned raves at Cannes -- and now it's taking the Toronto International Film Festival by storm. A classically spooky ghost story with more than a few modern touches in the vein of producer Guillermo Del Toro's own work, The Orphanage is a surprisingly entertaining and assured feature-length debut for director Juan Antonio Bayona. Mixing character-driven drama with a host of jumps and starts, Bayona's film chills and startles -- and also works as a sensitive, character-driven drama between the jumps and starts. Mr. Bayone spoke with Cinematical at the Toronto International Film Festival; to download the interview, click here.
New Line and del Toro Eye 'Orphanage" Remake
Filed under: Foreign Language », Horror », Deals », New Line », Distribution », Remakes and Sequels », Toronto International Film Festival », Cinematical Indie », Picturehouse »
Despite their great success with Pan's Labyrinth, which did pretty well in the U.S. for a foreign-language film, New Line apparently expects less of a mainstream reception for The Orphanage (El Orfanato). According to Variety, the studio is looking to remake the Spanish film, directed by Juan Antonio Bayona with supervision from Guillermo Del Toro, director of Pan's Labyrinth. Del Toro is actually on board to produce the English-language version, and if he's a good man, he'll make sure Bayona gets to redo his own work for a wider audience. Back when Picturehouse bought the distribution rights to The Orphanage, Del Toro said that Bayona's footage blew him away, so I can't imagine he'd prefer someone else to helm the remake. Of course, I'm shocked that he would be fine with the film being remade in the first place. If the original really is so good, there's no reason for an Americanized take on it. Knowing the way Hollywood works, though, it is more likely that another foreign filmmaker will make his English-language debut with this project, while Bayona will direct a remake of someone else's film (and so on).
Like many popular Spanish horror films, The Orphanage is a ghost story. Well, it features a supernatural imaginary friend, which sounds a lot like a ghost. The original, written by Sergio G. Sánchez, stars Bélen Rueda as a woman who returns to her childhood home with plans to turn it into an orphanage for disabled children. Unfortunately, her son gets a new imaginary friend, who just so happens to be the same imaginary friend that she had when she was a kid. And he terrorized her back then. Yep, sounds like he's actually a ghost. Last month, we shared the trailer with you, and while it didn't show much, it still had the promise of something truly creepy (did you see that scarecrow-faced kid?). Personally, I'd rather check it out as soon as possible than wait for the English-language version. Seriously, what's a few subtitles matter when you're being scared out of your wits? The original Orphanage played at Berlin and Cannes Film Festivals to good reviews, and it screens tonight at the Toronto Film Festival (from where our own Scott Weinberg is raving about it). Picturehouse, a partnership between New Line and HBO, is giving the film a limited release in December.
TIFF Review: The Orphanage
Filed under: Drama », Foreign Language », Horror », Thrillers », Theatrical Reviews », Toronto International Film Festival », Cinematical Indie », Picturehouse »
I'm not exactly sure what it is about orphanages that strike such fear into the hearts of Spanish filmmakers, but if the resulting films turn out to be as excellent as Guillermo Del Toro's The Devil's Backbone and Juan Antonio Bayona's debut, The Orphanage, I'm certainly not about to complain. (A third example, Jaume Balaguero's Fragile, is certainly stylish and watchable enough, but in no way is it on the same level as the other two.) The comparisons to Del Toro's mini-masterpiece are logical enough; the masterful filmmaker worked as a hands-on producer for The Orphanage -- and it shows.
The story is a smoothly simple one: Laura and Carlos are a loving married couple who have an adopted son called Simon. The family decides to purchase and renovate the old orphanage where Laura was raised -- and of course little Simon immediately comes across a bunch of new 'imaginary' friends. The orphanage is located next to a creepy old lighthouse, a beautiful beach and a foreboding cave -- locations that provide Bayona with a very effective palette. Without spoiling anything: We're told that young Simon has a deadly disease that requires daily medications, which makes his disappearance from a 'grand re-opening' party cause for serious concern.
Several months go by and Simon is still missing, but his adopted mother refuses to accept that he's gone. Needless to say ... she's right. Toss in the arrival of a creepy old nurse, the intermittent presence of a disturbed child with a sack over his head, and a few cops and parapsychologists who have their own theories -- and you have a meticulously-crafted and powerfully atmospheric little ghost story. But The Orphanage is much more than just another 'haunted building' story.
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