/Film UK - [REC] 2, Foster, The Brothers Bloom, The Mighty Boosh Movie And More
Coming to you weekly from my vantage point in good old Blighty, it’s Slashfilm UK. Anglos and Anglophiles rejoice as every Friday I’ll be bringing you a round up news, links and coverage specific to the motion picture comings and goings here in the UK. Sometimes we’ll be talking about films that have already played in the US, other times it will be films that won’t make it to the US for a good while yet, and from time to time you’ll read about films that will never make it to the US at all.
The follow-up film toThe Secret of Kellsmay well be in 3D. DirectorTomm MooretellsIrish Film and Television Networkthat forThe Song of the Seahe is experimenting with “3D stereo effects with our signature 2D style… but we are not decided yet if that will work”. Scripting and storyboarding continues, but here’s a concept trailer to give you some idea of what they’re heading towards.
Zone Horror is being re-rebranded asHorror Channelfrom Monday April 5 and, rather smartly, they’ve hiredFrightfest’sPaul McEvoyas a programming consultant.TBI Visionreport that a few of Revolver Entertainment’s films are headed to the channel:Diagnosis Death, Red Mist, The Grave Dancers, Mega SnakeandThe Ferryman.
[REC] 2is being released across the UK on May 28th. Here’s a fresh UK trailer courtesy ofIGN.
And here’s the UK quad poster for the film.
Pinewood Studio’s revenue slipped a little last year.Screen Dailychalk the figures at £61 million down from £65 million. I’m sure this pinch wasn’t Pinewood specific.
The producers of new toonSir Billihave announced that they will be wrapping this summer. They say they’re the first Scottish feature length animation, but I thinkThe Illusionistmay have a claim on that too. The title character is being voiced bySean Connery, andAlan Cummingis in there someplace too.
Here’s an image from the film’sofficial site. Not very good looking, is it? Here’s hoping there’s a great script and storytelling to compensate.
Noel Fieldingis still outlining aMighty Booshfeature film, apparently not yet scripting it. How long will we have to wait, Noel? He tells theBBCthat he’d “love” to make three films which will together have a road-movie arc. On part one specifically:
Fielding adds that he and hisBoosh-buddy Julian Barratt are also working on a “Rocky Horror-type musical” and the he’s busy himself doing “a little bit of stand-up. I’m doing an art show. Just lots of different things really and another TV show hopefully”.
Screen Dailyhave a few quotes from UK producers feeling optimistic about theUK Film Council’s three-year £15 million funding plan.
More details onPaddy Considine’sTyrannosaur,which I went into detail about yesterday.Screen Dailyreport that the film will shoot for four weeks in Leeds from April 12th.
In Contentiondiscovered the following poster forLynne Ramsay’sWe Need to Talk About Kevin.Deadlinehave the cast for Jonathan Newman’sFoster, shooting now in London: Toni Colette, Ioan Gruffud, Richard E Grant, Hayley Mills and Anne Reid. The film is based upon a short of the same name that Newman was lucky enough to get screened on the BBC and HBO. You probably missed it, so here it is – but be warned: watching this nowmighttemper your enjoyment of the feature length version a little, though it’s obvious from theDeadlinestory that Newman has made some major changes.
The sameDeadlinepiece indicates that Newman’s first feature,Swinging With the Finkels, will be looking for distribution at Cannes. It’s a wife swap comedy with Martin Freeman and Mandy Moore. I can’t see that not selling.
This week, the BBC announced the new host of theirFilm 2010show. There was widespread surprise that their pick wasClaudia Winkleman, seen by many to be rather too lightweight a personality. Of course, this was crediting theFilm 2010target audience pretty generously. It’s since become clear that the new format will be quite unlike the reviews-to-camera paradigm that we’ve had almost 40 years of, and will now hem somewhat closer to the group discussions that Winkleman has herself hosted in the commercial breaks of the Oscar telecast for some years now. Claud, I wish you the best of luck.
Here’s the UK trailer forAlejandro Amenebar’sAgora, opening in Blighty on April 23rd. Looks pretty darn good to my eyes.
Warner Bros.have been recruiting students to help in their anti-piracy measures here in the UK.The Guardianpoint out that Torrent freak have encouraged their members to apply and for some reason “get on the inside” and “spy on the spies”.
ITV are looking to Anglicise Fox’s showThe Oaksas a part-time replacement forThe Bill, sayBroadcast. Other shows commissioned in an attempt to fill that gap includeDCI Banks: AftermathandMonroe, a “dark” medical drama.
Reel Scotlandreport onTheDr. WhoExperience, which has been screening 3D clips from the upcoming series to outdoor crowds. If you note that a) the show will not be broadcast in 3D and b) that these roadshow screenings have employed anaglyph stereo, and you might wonder why they’ve bothered with the 3D angle at all.
And if you’re able to’t wait until tomorrow evening, here’s the first 30-odd seconds of the new series.
Staying north of the border:Screen Dailyhave details of the installation of both 35mm and digital projection equipment in Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre, creating the country’s biggest cinema space at 1600 seats. It should be ready in time for this June’s film festival.
TheUK Myspace page forCemetery Junctionwill be hosting a live video webchat withRicky GervaisandStephen Merchanton April 12th at 5pm. You can submit your questions now. Meanwhile,Empirehave an exclusive clip from the movie.
John Lynch is starring inGhostas “a prison veteran whose life on the outside is falling apart; he strikes up a friendship with a mysterious new prisoner” played by Maritn Compston.Screen Dailyalso list Art Malik, David Schofield and Craig Parkinson as being on the cast, for debutante director Craig Viveiros.
FormerEastendersandBionic WomanstarMichelle Ryanhad to train up to play a stripper inA Girl Walks Into A Bar. She tellsThe Telegraphthat she’s picked up a few bruises in her pole dancing classes. I hope the film is worth it.
After the Wimbledon hmvcurzon – their lower case, not mine – it seems thatHMVandCurzon Artifical Eyeare going to team up for a number of other in-store cinemas. Their press release doesn’t say where or when, but it does say what. Here’s what we have to look forward to:
The latest Hollywood blockbusters, independent award winners, activities for kids, or live broadcasts of opera, concerts and sporting events.
Okay – so that’s what we’d expect from just about any other cinema in the Curzon chain, isn’t it?
Roman Polanski’sThe Ghostis being called… er…The Ghostin the UK. It releases on April 16th. Here’s a clip to celebrate – and even explain the name for those not really paying attention so far.
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The Brothers Quaymade their feature film directing debut with the wonderfulInstitute Benjamenta, headed to DVD and Blu-ray this May. Like other upcoming BFI titles, the box will contain both a DVD and a BD disc. Here’s a list of the special features:
The Daily Mailhave literally calledKick-Assevil.Literally.Steve Carellthis week appeared on GMTV to promote Date Night and ended up presenting the weather. Sort of. Here’s the clip.
It now comes to discussing the UK cinema releases of the week, and I think I can deal withHow to Train Your DragonandClash of the Titansat once. Simply put, everything I might say to recommendDragondoesn’t really apply withClash. Whereas the Dreamworks animation will engage you and entertain you, I would imagine that Clash will just infuriate and annoy.
The 3D inDragonis great stuff. The film’s stereo consultant wasPhil Captain 3D McNallyand he’s a very, very well informed practitioner of 3D technique. As a result, the 3D images are smooth, clean and well managed. There’s often a real sense of space, other times a nicely judged sense of intimacy. It’s not the best 3D we’ve seen to date, but it’s pretty close. For 3D buffs - are there any of you out there? -Dragonis essential, exciting stuff.
For the rest of us? Er… yeah, it’s okay. It ends up playing out in a somewhat predictable and light fashion, but there’s fun to be had and some smart filmmaking along the way.
Clash of the Titans, just to compound how different a beast it is, can’t really be recommended onanylevel. If you do feel the need to go see it, skip the hideous 3D conversion and see the cheaper, less nauseating 2D version instead. And remember that you’re being told this by an avowed fan of stereographic cinema.
The best release in UK cinemas this week, however, is quite comfortablyWhip It.Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut is an unexpectedly well crafted film that makes the most of generic conventions drawn from both teen-in-a-small-town and underdog-sports-team pictures.Shauna Cross’ screenplay, adapted from her own novel,Derby Girl, and inspired, at least in part, by her own life is the bedrock of the film’s success, simply and clearly setting up everything the dynamite cast need to do their thing.
It’s a rare film that will count as a credit to the CV of every actor involved, but even amongst the diamonds dotting the resumes of Ellen Page, Daniel Stern, Marcia Gay Harden, Kristen Wiig or Drew Barrymore herself,Whip Itcomes out looking like a trophy. It’s an actor’s film almost as much as it’s an audience’s film.
Parents of young girls aged around 10 to 16, please note: this film has been rated 12A. Taking them to see a screening is practically mandatory.
Psychois re-released today, starting a tour of the country. You should need no incentive to go see it when it comes near you, but just in case, here is its extraordinary trailer. If you’ve never seen this trailer before, consider it a must. That goes for the film too.The Movie Geeks of Londonand VHS Movie Club are having a quiz in London on Monday April 5. It seems to be somewhat nostalgia driven to say the least - in fact, they’ll even be stopping the quiz part way through for a screening fo something off of VHS. Don’t they care to see films presented well?
At last!The Brothers Bloomhas been passed by theBBFCfor a UK theatrical release from Optimum.
Varietyare reporting onLionsgate UK’s upcoming slate. On for 2011 are David Schwimmer’sTrust, John Curran’sStonewith Robert De Niro and Edward Norton, and Patrick Lussier’sDrive Angry 3Dwith Nicolas Cage.
I was going to share a list of UK film folk on Twitter with you today, but I’ve enlisted some extra help in making sure the list is full of interesting folk. As such, I’m putting it on hold while more names come in. If you have any suggestions to add - maybe even yourself - then eithermail me, ortweetme.
