robert harris Tagged Articles at Cinematical

I was pretty bummed when Roman Polanski ditched Pompeii, his planned epic about the city buried by a volcano in the 1st century CE. Fortunately, the Oscar-winning director of The Pianist has found another project to move ahead with. According to Variety, Polanski will next film an adaptation of Robert Harris' new novel, The Ghost. Presumably a much smaller film than Pompeii, which was also to be based on one of Harris' novels, The Ghost will center on a ghostwriter penning the memoirs of a former British prime minister. While working on the book, the guy uncovers secrets "that put his own life in jeopardy." Polanski said this is the political thriller he's been looking to direct for awhile, pointing out that the novel is full of suspense. Harris, however, makes it sound a little more quiet; he admitted the book mostly takes place in an oceanfront house during the middle of the winter, although he said this is "classic Polanski territory."

In many ways, this sounds like just another conspiracy movie, but I assume it won't be so simple coming from both Harris, who also wrote Fatherland and Enigma, and Polanski, who has made a career out of directing better-than-average thrillers. According to the synopsis in the book's Publishers Weekly review, The Ghost deals with more topical themes, such as al-Qaeda, and the former prime minister is described as being clearly modeled after Tony Blair. The review also mentions the book's cynical tone and gallows humor, which I hope translates well to the film version. The adaptation will be written by both Harris and Polanski and will be produced by The Pianist's Robert Benmussa and Alain Sarde. They expect to begin filming next fall.

Roman Polanski is preparing to make his largest movie yet: the dramatic thriller Pompeii, which is said to be budgeted at a whopping $130 million. Scott brought you news of the project in February, and now more details have emerged. The lead role will be Marco Attilio Primo, "a young Roman engineer sent to Pompeii in A.D. 79, just days before the devastating eruption of Mt. Vesuvius." Polanski is looking to cast an A-list star as Primo. (Sorry, but your dreams of a trailer announcing "George Wendt...in...Pompeii!" are not going to come to fruition). Polanski and Robert Harris are currently finishing up the screenplay, which will be based on Harris' best selling novel of the same name. Polanski has said Pompeii will use lots of CGI effects, and will be shot largely on Spanish soundstages, backlots, and locations.

Pompeii is one of the most expensive European film projects ever, so its easy to see why they're not taking any chances with casting. I'm fine with them going for a name, but here's hoping they draw from a wider pool than they usually go to for these movies. We've seen the Colin Farrells and Brad Pitts of the world do these historical epics before, I hope we get a more interesting choice. Every great hero needs a love interest, and a variety of European actresses, "including a top Italian thesp," are being considered for the lead female role. (If I had to guess here, I'd say that "top Italian thesp" might be the gorgeous Monica Bellucci?) Pompeii's projected five month shoot starts this August, and the movie should erupt into theaters some time next year. What do you think, will Rome and Roman be a good match?

If I asked you to name a director who'd be well suited for bringing the last days of Pompeii (back) to the silver screen, whose name would you throw out? Roland Emmerich? Wolfgang Petersen? The late Irwin Allen? Nope. How about Roman Polanski? Doesn't matter if you agree with me that it seems a strange fit; Roman just got $130 million to work with and he's not coming back without a big, flashy Pompeii movie.

As with most of Mr. Polanski's recent films, Pompeii (which will be based on the novel of the same name by Robert Harris) will be bankrolled by private investment sources -- and then sold off to distributors around the world, thereby making almost all its money back before the flick even hits a screen. (Unless the thing turns out to be a monumental turkey, which is always a possibility when a filmmaker ventures too far from his comfort zone -- and I'd call "Roman Polanski's Pompeii" precisely that type of venture.) According to Variety, Pompeii will be about a young engineer who has to repair a vital aqueduct, woo a fair maiden and deal with all sorts of nasty old Roman politics. And then a whole lot of CG-intensive lava-splatters and dramatic carnage. I'm picturing Volcanic Titanic, basically.

Although best known for films like Rosemary's Baby and Chinatown, Roman Polanski is certainly no stranger to over-budget and underwhelming movies. His 1986 bomb Pirates is one such example, plus I vaguely remember him doing an occult thriller with Johnny Depp in the late nineties. Polanski's last two films were certainly not what you'd call low-budget: 2002's The Pianist was certainly "grand in scope," and 2005's Oliver Twist was no chintzy affair. But $130 million for a period-piece disaster flick? Polanski? Really?