ViggoMortensen-related stories
Iranian Protestors Inspired By 'Lord of the Rings'
Filed under: Classics », Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Celebrities and Controversy », Fandom », Newsstand », Peter Jackson », Politics »
Ever since it was first published in 1954-1955, J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings has been embroiled in politics, much to the dismay of its author. Proponents of the political left and the right have taken turns deriding or laying claim to the fantasy epic. Peter Jackson's film adapation didn't escape political scrutiny either. Time magazine's Richard Corliss did a rather famous review of The Two Towers claiming that the film now evoked the War On Terror, and that Saruman looked "eerily" like Osama bin Laden, and USA Today's Michael Medved insisted Viggo Mortensen had tainted the role of Aragorn because he openly declared his anti-war sentiments.
The latest political controversy that the series finds itself embroiled in is the Iranian electoral protests. Time has a piece from an anonymous Iranian resident reporting that the government is using film to try and quell public unrest. "In normal times, Iranian television usually treats its viewers to one or two Hollywood or European movie nights a week. But these are not normal times, so it's been two or three such movies a day. It's part of the push to keep people at home and off the streets, to keep us busy, to get us out of the regime's hair. The message is 'Don't worry, be happy.'"
All television channels in Iran are owned by the state, so the government is choosing its films very carefully. One of their offerings has been a Lord of the Rings marathon, ostensibly picked because its length and epic content will keep people glued to their television. "We're glued to the trilogy. We are riveted. A child in the room loudly predicts that Lord of the Rings will put an end to the nightly shouts, that people will not take to the rooftops and windows because this film will keep them occupied."
'The Road' Finally Gets Itself The Trailer
Filed under: Drama », Horror », Independent », Thrillers », Mystery & Suspense », The Weinstein Co. », Newsstand », Movie Marketing », War », Trailers and Clips »
The trailer for The Road (which now has a release date of October 16) has hit the net courtesy of Yahoo! Movies but we've got an embed here thanks to Trailer Addict. For those who read the Cormac McCarthy book (and I haven't, but I was told the entire thing by a "helpful" friend), you're going to notice what looks like a lot of changes to the story. The mysterious disaster is made explicit, Charlize Theron is given a lot more screen time than the wife ever had in the book, and the action is upped ten times over.
However, this trailer has caused a lot of controversy already with people who have seen the film. Esquire just published a review this week, and noted that the Weinstein Company was falling prey to the temptation to cut a trailer that looked like a post-apocalyptic action movie. According to Esquire, John Hillcoat's film is (and other reviews have borne this out) as quiet, harrowing, and bleak as the novel is, and may just be "the most important film of the year". Unfortunately, the Weinsteins feel no one will see it unless there's an "explanation" and a hook of kick ass action, even if the film itself lacks the things the trailer sells.
But at least you get a glimpse of the real film underneath, which is enough to cause you to choke up. I think we're promised one hell of a gut-wrenching performance from Viggo Mortensen. Just look at his eyes.
Viggo Mortensen Next to Quit Acting?
Filed under: RumorMonger », Celebrities and Controversy », Fandom »
In these difficult economic times, it may not not be easy for us ordinary citizens to relate to movie stars who make a ton of money and get to travel all over the world. The everyday reality is far different from the fantasy, I'm sure, which may be why Academy Award-nominated actor Viggo Mortensen says he's ready to step off the merry-go-round and stop making movies.
South African web site News24.com says that Mortensen described a crazy travel schedule -- Los Angeles to Japan to Korea to Poland to the UK in just one week -- and said that he's "taking measures to change that. No more movies. I haven't said yes to one in over a year ... there are other things I want to do. It's not the right time." He said recent offers for roles in big-budget movies were "complete crap, all about product placement and marketing. I don't need the money."
Of course, talk to anyone when they're exhausted from traveling and they might say anything. Mortensen was very busy throughout the 90s. His output in the last decade has been smaller, but the productions have been bigger and, since The Lord of the Rings trilogy, he's had lead roles that must have been demanding (Hidalgo, A History of Violence, Eastern Promises). It couldn't have been easy to make The Road, either. (See Elisabeth Rappe's article in which he talks more about his recent projects.) Mortensen brings a very unique set of qualities to his acting: strength, with a degree of tenderness, and an undercurrent of menace and erotic appeal. I'm hoping that this rumored time off will only be a break from acting, and not permanent retirement.
Movie News Daily
Fiennes, Neeson to Clash in 'Titans'
Ralph Fiennes and Liam Neeson will play warring Greek gods Hades and Zeus, respectively, in 'The Incredible Hulk' director Louis Leterrier's upcoming 'Clash of the Titans' remake, according to The Hollywood Reporter. They join Sam Worthington, Gemma Arterton, Mads Mikkelsen and Alexa Davalos in the film, which tells of Zeus' son Perseus (Worthington) and his quest to prevent Hades from assuming control of the gods. The deal is Neeson's first since the tragic death of his wife Natasha Richardson in March. (April 9)
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Tony Gilroy to Direct the Next 'James Bond'?
'Michael Clayton' and 'Duplicity' writer-director Tony Gilroy is in the running to helm the next James Bond movie, a source tells CinemaBlend.com. While there is no deal in place, Gilroy would certainly make sense: He's co-written all three of the 'Bourne' movies, which have clearly played a part in the 007 franchise's recent turn to the dark, gritty side of the spy world. (April 9)
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'Witch Mountain' Helmer to Direct 'You Again'
'Race to Witch Mountain' director Andy Fickman has lined up the Disney comedy 'You Again' as his next helming gig, Variety reports. The director, who has been in high demand since 'Mountain' debuted, is also on tap to direct 'Gimme a Call' for Paramount and 'Monster Attack Network' for Disney, and is developing a musical adaptation of 'Heathers' for the stage. (April 9)
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Pattinson Injured on 'New Moon' Set
Robert Pattinson has reportedly been injured while filming the 'Twilight' sequel 'New Moon' in Canada. But fans need not distress: The actor merely pulled his butt (seriously) during a scene in which his character, goodhearted vampire Edward, hoists ladylove Bella (Kristen Stewart) into the air. Pattinson returned to work after receiving a thorough massage to his strained glutes. Get more from Cinematical. (April 8)
Summit Entertainment
'Terminator' Gets Pizza Hut-Approved PG-13
The same day that Judd Apatow and Harold Ramis lost an appeal to have the R rating of 'Year One' changed to a PG-13, director McG came up short in his quest to secure an R for 'Terminator Salvation.' According to The Vulture, the fourth installment of the man-vs.-cyborg franchise will be the first released with a more commercially viable PG-13 rating -- and without the Moon Bloodgood nude scene McG was so desperate to include -- due to a tie-in deal with Pizza Hut. Apparently, the Hut feels that family-style pizza is best served sans a side of graphic violence and female toplessness. (April 8)
Warner Bros.
Verbinski Won't Helm 'Pirates 4'
Johnny Depp will reprise his role as Jack Sparrow in 'Pirates of the Caribbean 4,' but he'll be doing it without director Gore Verbinski. Variety reports that Verbinski, who directed the first three 'Pirates' flicks, has notified Disney and producer Jerry Bruckheimer that he won't return for a fourth. Keira Knightley has also revealed that she will not return. Poor Captain Jack. (April 8)
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Gellar's 'Buffy' Being Revived for Big Screen?
Sarah Michelle Gellar is reportedly in talks to reprise her role as 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' in a new feature film, according to ShowbizSpy.com. Gellar played the titular vamp destroyer for seven seasons on Joss Whedon's WB show, which was a continuation of the 1992 movie starring Kristy Swanson. (April 8)
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'Moonlight' Star Is J.Lo's 'Back-Up Plan'
'Moonlight' star Alex O'Loughlin is in talks to play the male lead opposite Jennifer Lopez in the rom-com 'The Back-Up Plan,' according to The Hollywood Reporter. O'Loughlin would play the man of Lopez's dreams, whom she meets the same day she discovers she's become pregnant through artificial insemination. Sounds like fodder for an Alanis Morisette song. (April 8)
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'Colossus' Game Headed to Big Screen
Sony is adapting the 2005 PlayStation 2 video game 'Shadow of the Colossus' into a feature film, Variety confirms. The game follows a man named Wander who traverses a cursed wasteland to battle 16 creatures in a bid to resurrect a dead girl. Justin Marks, who has written screenplays for high-profile upcoming projects such as 'He-Man,' 'Voltron' and 'Green Arrow,' will pen the script. (April 8)
Amazon.com
Larry Charles to Direct Geriatric Sex Comedy
'Borat' and 'Bruno' director Larry Charles will tackle geriatric sex for his next gig. Variety reports that Charles is in final negotiations to direct 'Winter's Discontent,' about a sexually frustrated widower and his best buddy who move into a retirement community in hopes that it will help them get laid. (April 8)
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David Cronenberg Planning a Sequel to 'Eastern Promises'
Filed under: Drama », Independent », Thrillers », Mystery & Suspense », RumorMonger », Scripts », Focus Features », DIY/Filmmaking », Newsstand », Remakes and Sequels »
Sequels are rarely good news -- but this one is. MTV News caught up with David Cronenberg, who revealed he was moving forward with a sequel to Eastern Promises."We are going to have a meeting very soon between me, Steve Knight and Paul Webster to discuss what the script would be," Cronenberg said. "I have some very strong ideas about what I would like to see, but I would like to hear what they have to say as well. And then after that, if all goes well, Steve goes away and writes a great script. If we all like it, we make it." If they make it, Viggo Mortensen will return.
Cronenberg has never had any interest in revisiting his work -- and little of it ever has the loose ends that Eastern Promises did. "It's the first time I've ever been in a situation where I actually want to do a sequel to something. I've never had the desire to do that before. But in this case, I thought we had unfinished business with those characters. I didn't feel that we had finished with Nikolai and we had done a lot of research that was more than we could stuff into that one movie."
I'm thrilled beyond belief. The film exists perfectly fine on its own, but the mysterious Nikolai is begging to be explored further onscreen. I'll tip-toe around spoilers, but I never could understand why so many audience members believed it to be a happy, cut-and-dried ending.
If you're curious and into research, there's some fantastic essays in Vol II of the Russian Criminal Tattoo encyclopedia. Given the scarcity of books on the topic I imagine this went into their research, plus the essays are rather Cronenberg-esque in the way they examine the tattoos and their effect on the human body. It gives an insight as to what Cronenberg and Mortensen might have had in mind when they created Nikolai. Definitely worth a read ... and a sequel.
Scenes We Love: Witness
Filed under: Action », Drama », Romance », Mystery & Suspense », Scenes We Love »
Witness is one of my all time favorite films. It's not only one of the best crime thrillers this side of L.A. Confidential, it's one of the most original. A cop who is forced to hide in a closed Amish community? It had the potential to be a farce, but it's intelligent and sensitively handled by Peter Weir. It's also achingly romantic, beautifully shot, surprisingly funny, and a fascinating glimpse into a world few knew much about. Even today, most people outside of the Midwest have gleaned their knowledge of the Amish communities from Witness.
There's not many scenes of it available on YouTube. I'd love to post the scene where Kelly McGillis' Rachel decides to let her hair down (almost literally -- she abandons her starched cap) and meets Harrison Ford in a twilight cornfield. Or the brusque "time for milking!" lesson where city boy Book regrets ever volunteering for morning chores. But this scene well ... it's the one you probably remember most. It begins at 1:05. (For some reason, someone has mashed two unrelated scenes together to prove a political point.) Watch for a baby Viggo Mortensen in the background, this film was his big screen debut.
First Listen: Nick Cave's Score for 'The Road'
Filed under: Drama », The Weinstein Co. », Movie Marketing », Trailers and Clips »
Normally when I find out that a feature film is being made from one of my favorite novels, I immediately prepare myself for disappointment. But, when it comes to The Road, I don't know what to tell you -- for once I'm convinced everything is going to work out just fine. Although that's probably the first time that particular sentence was used in conjunction with anything having to do with Cormac McCarthy's novel. BBC4's arts show Today recently profiled the project, and the highlight of the report was the first audio clip of Nick Cave's original score. It's only a short clip, but from what you can hear it's the perfect musical accompaniment to the tale of a father (Viggo Mortensen) and son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) traveling through an apocalyptic wasteland. So even though most of us probably never pay that much attention to the orchestral score to most of the films we watch, you can't ignore a bad one. For me, one of the most distracting things about a film is a bad score -- some of my more hated examples include The Perfect Storm and The Last Samurai. I know there are plenty of reasons why a film might fail to connect with audiences, and I also know that this film is already going to be a hard sell. But, as a former Goth who wore way too much eyeliner while listening to Mr Cave's Murder Ballads on repeat, I have every faith that if there is anyone that can pick the perfect mood music for a downer, it's him.
The Road has yet to find a solid release date, but will hopefully arrive in theaters this fall.
Scenes We Love: The Return of the King
Filed under: Romance », Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Awards », Oscar Watch », Scenes We Love »
It's difficult to pick a favorite scene from the Lord of the Rings trilogy -- but at least picking the one that won Best Picture narrows it down. This has always been one of my favorite scenes in The Return of the King, and it does capture the themes of Tolkien in one haunting moment. A new age is beginning and an old one is dying, and there is nothing achieved without great and bitter losses. Even romance and the promise of life comes at a high price. If Arwen chooses a mortal life, she will be separated from her family, her people, and from an endless life of song, beauty, and memory in the Gray Havens. In Tolkien's mythology, the decision has ramificatications beyond this world, and her parting from her father is more permanent than even the film hints at.
Some trivia, courtesy of IMDB:
- The movie marks the second time in history that the third movie in a trilogy was nominated for Best Picture, by the Academy Awards and Golden Globes, after The Godfather: Part III (1990) and the only time that a third movie has won the Best Picture Oscar. It tied with Ben-Hur (1959) and Titanic (1997) to win the most Oscars (11) in a single year. Of the three films to have won 11 Academy awards, it is the only to not have received a nomination for its acting.
- Each of the cast members was given a gift on their last day of shooting. Liv Tyler received Arwen's "dying dress," the one she's wearing in this scene.
- Pregnancy changed Peter Jackson's vision of Lord of the Rings. Originally, he wanted to cast Lucy Lawless as Galadriel and Uma Thurman as Arwen. Unfortunately, both actresses became pregnant after being asked to read, and the roles were filled in by Cate Blanchett and Liv Tyler, respectively.
Viggo Mortensen On 'Good', 'The Road', and 'The Hobbit'
Filed under: Drama », Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Thrillers », RumorMonger », Scripts », The Weinstein Co. », Newsstand », Remakes and Sequels », War »
Interviews with Viggo Mortensen are a rather rare and wonderful thing -- or at least ones that don't get all coy and snarky over his remarkable intelligence and publishing company. So, when I saw Capone's interview with Mortensen over at Ain't It Cool News, I had to share it with you all.His thoughts on the upcoming Good are too long and interesting to crop and paste here -- but what I will post is his disappointment over The Road being delayed. Despite starring in the film, he is unsure what's going on with it. "My understanding is that they know that they've got a story that a lot of people want to see, because of the book. And, the people that read the book, which are many, were very moved by it and by this relationship between this boy and this man, in particular, in that setting. And, I think that they are really aware of the fact that they've got one chance to do it, and if there's any little things that they still want to work on a little more, to get it just right, whether it's the music --I don't know what it is -- a variety of things, they want to do it right. And, if you rush it out before you feel in good conscience it's there ... So, I am disappointed. I wanted to see it. I want to see how it is."
He's also concerned that the film might be released at the wrong time of year, and is hoping for a fall release. "What I hope they don't do is then just put it out in February or something. I hope they wait and do it at the right time. I don't know." (Yes, Weinstein Co. Release The Road in the fall, please. No February or March dump!)
Will 'The Road' Instead Lead to 2009's Awards Season?
Filed under: Drama », Romance », Thrillers », Awards », RumorMonger », Oscar Watch »
In news that is equally rumored and dreaded, it looks like the Weinsteins' haste to get The Reader in the running for this year's awards season might be a matter of John Hillcoat's anticipated adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's acclaimed novel, The Road, not being ready for its limited release a month from now, let alone year's end.
It's bad enough that neither film was ready for any of the big fall film festivals, but a good friend told me something similar three days ago, and now, Kristopher Tapley at In Contention and Dave Karger's EW Oscar Watch are talking along the same lines. I can't say that I'm the same William who posted the following reaction on Karger's page -- and I quote: "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" -- but my own sentiments on the (possible) move aren't all that far off.
For that matter, my feelings on the novel and film themselves are akin to those of our own Eugene Novikov: that the book is merely Damn Good, but could make for a Great movie. We may not have a poster, or a trailer, or a fully functioning website just yet, but for all the Weinsteins' release date shell games, I can't help but think they have more to lose holding off on this than The Reader, which producer Scott Rudin took his name off after it was bumped up to contend with star Kate Winslet's other awards prospect, Revolutionary Road (itself based on an acclaimed novel).
I mean, I'm not exactly wishing that The Reader is Winslet's next All the King's Men or anything, but is this studio not big enough for the both of them? Or is this year merely not long enough?
Go Behind the Scenes on 'The Road'
Filed under: Drama », Horror », Independent », Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Thrillers », DIY/Filmmaking », Images »
I can't decide if I'm excited for this movie or just plain dreading it. Every glimpse of it makes me go find a puppy and hug it, then watch some YouTube videos of baby pandas for good measure. Get Cute Overload and your Disney DVD's prepped on November 26th -- you're really going to need them.
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