memoir Tagged Articles at Cinematical
Oprah Gets Taken By Another Phony Memoir -- Feature Film Plans Scrapped?
Filed under: Drama », Deals », Newsstand », War »
Oprah Winfrey might be one of the most powerful women in the world, but one thing's for sure: the gal has no talent for spotting literary scams. Variety has reported that Herman Rosenblat's Oprah-endorsed Holocaust memoir, Angel at the Fence, has been pulled from publication by Berkley Books just weeks before the book was scheduled to hit the shelves. But that's not all -- plans for a $25 million film based on the book have been compromised following allegations by scholars, friends and family members that Rosenblat's tale was fabricated (New Republic has the whole story over at their website).According to Rosenblat's tale, his family was forced into the Schlieben Labor Camp in Germany, where he supposedly met his "angel" -- a young Jewish girl who lived outside of the camp and met Rosenblat at the fence to give him apples and bread, and he never learned her name. After the war, he relocated to New York and on a double date finally met the young girl who had kept him alive during his time at the labor camp. The two eventually fell in love, and it was that love story that earned them the spot the Oprah show (twice!) where she referred to their tale as "the single greatest love story" she had encountered in her 22 years on the show. Oprah has since declined to comment on the current controversy.
The Secret Lives Of Doormen Revealed In 'Clubbed'
Filed under: Action », Drama », Independent », Deals », Cinematical Indie »
When you think about the glitz and glamor of nightlife you probably don't think about the guy who's holding the door. Empire Online reported that the film version of the memoirs of self-defense expert and seasoned doorman Geoff Thompson, titled Watch My Back has been green-lit for production. Iif all goes to plan, the film could be coming to theaters soon. Neil Thompson will be directing the adaptation, titled Clubbed. The story focuses on a burnt out factory employee who is offered a job at a downtown nightspot and is brought into the violent lifestyle of working the door at a club.The story promises to highlight all the seediness of club life, complete with overdoses and gang wars. They probably won't have to exaggerate many of the details. I can't say this for sure, but considering Thompson became a self-defense expert, I'm guessing he has had a few rough nights over the years. British actor Ray Winstone has already appeared in a BAFTA nominated short film based on Thompson's book, but Colin Salmon has been signed to play the role of the veteran bouncer and Mel Raido will be playing the new guy on the door.
Miles Davis Biography Has Some Competition
Filed under: Drama », Independent », Music & Musicals », Deals », Scripts », Cinematical Indie »
Hollywood seems to have come down with a case of biography fever, what with a slew of movies coming out about Marvin Gaye, Janis Joplin and Bob Dylan, among others. Even Brian Wilson is setting up his own deal for an autobiographical film. An article in The New York Times profiles two projects surrounding the life story of jazz great Miles Davis. One is being developed through Davis' estate; former collaborator and friend Quincy Troupes is developing the other. Miles Davis was a larger than life figure in music history, constantly changing his style with a career that spanned over a half a century. The Troupe script is based on his memoir Miles and Me, and is focused on the relationship between the two artists -- it would also be a look at Davis' personal problems, and there are a few to choose from.
Troupes' script has been financed through Patriot Pictures and Bacon Pictures, with an eye on signing a cast and director in the near future. The Davis estate has been toying with their project for a while now with little result. Don Cheadle had been attached at one time, but nothing was ever made official. So, with two projects in a race for the finish line, it looks like the Marvin Gaye picture isn't the only one with a little competition.
A Million Little Pieces is a rather large lie
Filed under: Action », Drama », Warner Brothers », RumorMonger », Celebrities and Controversy », Newsstand »
A
Million Little Pieces, James Frey's scandalous, outrageous
memoir of life as a Criminal (his capitalization) has been all over the place since it was published a few years ago.
The hardback edition didn't sell much, but when Oprah made it the first non-fiction work featured by her book club,
millions of Midwestern women (and, you know, others) started reading and raving about prison, vomit, and drug-free root
canals. He was interviewed countless times, and everyone marveled at the badass-turned-writer. The movie rights were
snatched up by Warner Brothers and the picture, which will be directed by The
Libertine's Laurence Dunmore, is currently in development.Unfortunately, the "memoir" is a work of fiction. Oh, and Frey's never been in prison. Ever. Extensive investigation by The Smoking Gun has revealed that Frey's book (his debut work) was rejected 17 times when it was presented as a fictional story so he just changed himself into an ass-kicking criminal and turned the book into a "memoir." So, basically, he's (based on reviews) not a very good writer and a liar with giant balls.
No word on if this little revelation will have any effect on how Warner approaches and/or sells the film.
[via MeFi]
The life of Rupert Everett
It looks as if actor Rupert Everett will be writing his memoir. Now we'll have to see if the public cares to read it or not. He's certainly a versatile actor, and I'll save judgment until the book comes out. Everett acknowledges he's not at the core of the Hollywood scene, so his pseudo-outsider point of view could make for interesting reading. The article linked below also mentions he was close to the Twin Towers on 9/11, though I can't imagine his account of that day would be any more compelling than anyone else's. The book comes out next year.
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