/Film UK - Heartless, Doctor Who, Mighty Boosh Alumni, A Screenwriting Masterclass 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.
TheBritish Animation Awardsfor 2010 have happened. Don’t be surprised thatAardmanscooped a double forShaun the SheepandA Matter of Loaf and Death. Stephen Irwin’sThe Black Dog’s Progressscooped best short andThe Secret of Kellswon best European feature.
Empirescored the official unveiling of this new UKNightmare on Elm Streetbanner.
After his brief turn as Sarah Harding’s beau in the secondSt. Trinian’sfilmRicky WilsonofThe Kaiser Chiefshas scored another small part in a big screen picture. This time, though, he’s only going to be an extra. According toThe Telegraph, citingThe Sun, Wilson is going to be seen running in a crowd scene in the secondDeathly Hallowsfilm. Here’s a daft quote from the report:
He is kept in full make-up away from other extras to try to keep his identity secret, but Daniel and Rupert know who he is. They all get on well.
Rik Mayallgives his upcoming comedyJust For the Recorda bit of hard sell in this brief video clip:
According to aDaily Mailinterview withHoneysuckle Weeks,Wicker MansequelThe Wicker Treeis getting a release in May. I don’t buy it. Look atthe official sitefor the film – it’s just a subscription box, and even that doesn’t work. My hunch is that we’ll see the film premiere atFrightfestlater in the year.
Here’sChris Jones' half-hour interview withEddie Hamilton, one of the editors ofKick-Ass. They’re old friends.
Are you a UK film producer? If so, take theUK Film Producers Survey. If not, then move along. There’s nothing to see here.
The second video promoting theRobin Hood TaxstarsBen Kingsley,Noel Clarke,Tom FeltonandJaime Winstone. Quite a surprising angle this time – making the tax look like a mugging. Here it is:
Meanwhile, Noel Clarke has set up a first-look deal between his Unstoppable Entertainment and Access Industries. Variety suggest that the first projects will beKidulthoodandAdulthoodsequelHood3;a ladies-at-the-2012-Olympics picture calledFast GirlsandReign of Death, a future noir thriller thatBleeding Coolhave run a poster and concept shots from already.
There’s an ‘alternative’Heartlesstrailer online – see it below. It’s actually been knocking about in one upload or another since early March, but since it was ‘unofficial’ it was something of a secret.
From theBBFCwe see that theHeartlessdiscs will include: an audio commentary; interviews withPhilip RidleyandJim Sturgess; mini-interviews with Eddie Marsan, Noel Clarke, Clemence Poesy and Joseph Mawle; almost 19 minutes of B-roll footage; and two live music videos, one forThe Other Me.
Will this final feature actually be the following video?
The BBC have announced fourDr. Whoadventure games for Mac and PC, release episodically from June. They’ll be free, they’re scripted by series alumsJames MoranandPhil Ford, we’re supposed to consider them canon and – best of all – they’ve been produced byBroken Sword’s Charles Cecil. Here’s a few screenshots. We can apparently expect a couple of hours gameplay from each.
And while we’re on the subject of the Doctor, I’ve recorded an audio commentary track for the first episode of the new series. It was, I’d argue, the best ever episode. Ever. There’s a lot of material in the commentary (well – an hour of me talking) very little of it ‘review based’. As soon as that track is live, I’ll update this post to include the link. I’ll alsotweetthe link.
Buy a bag ofTilda Basmati riceand get a free ticket toCineworldor one of a goof handful of indie-ish cinemas. Obviously, conditions apply. Bargain.
The French Government have honoured London Film Fest directorSandra Hebron, The BFI’sGeoff AndrewandSight and Sound’sNick Jameswith the Chevalier de l’ordre des arts et des lettres.
Michael Caineis campaigning with the Tories.Yahoohave details on the ‘national service’ scheme he’s supporting. I’m not surprised:Harry Brownwas clearly a very reactionary film and it answered a few questions about Caine, I think.The Burnley Citizen(amongst others) share a quote fromStephen Merchanton whyRobert Pattinsonisn’t inCemetery Junction:
Robert Pattinson may be able to offer a different explanation.
Screenrushhave scored an encouragingly cartoonish clip fromGurinder Chada’sIt’s a Wonderful Afterlife. Amusing to see her reteamed with Steve Jones. Here it is:
The Showtime remake of Channel 4’sShamelessis going ahead, withWilliam H. Macyonboard for a 12 episode run, as perThe Hollywood Reporter.Emmy Rossumhas the Anne Marie Duff role – but who do we think Alison Janney will be playing? Sheila Jackson?
There’s a few new quotes fromPaul Kingon his upcomingPaddington Bearmovie inThe Herald Sun. Here’s my selection:
It’s not like I’ll be going, ‘OK, he’s gonna be a hip hop bear, he’s gonna get into street fights, he’s gonna pack a knife’. There’s none of that business. He likes marmalade sandwiches and pottering in the garden and has a green front door. I’ll be a traditionalist… He’s literally a legend.
And will King direct the eventualMighty Booshmovie? He says:
They’ve got lots of extremely exciting plans. That’s something I would love to do, but obviously it’s when and if and how. And Spielberg might see the Boosh between now and then and decide he’d like to get involved.
Paddington Bearwill likely go into production towards the end of the year. King’s charming and funnyBunny and the Bullis out on DVD and Blu-ray now.
Here’s the UK quad forPsych:9fromShock Till You Drop.
Optimum have snapped up a raft of titles for UK distibution. They are:
Ciarán McMenamin,Alexander SiddigandRuth Kearneyhave all been given key roles in the newPrimeval. There’s two full seasons coming next year – the first premiering on ITV1, the second on Watch. Then they swap. The series is filming now in Ireland.Hey U Guysspoke to SFX man Joss Williams. Here’s a video of their chat:
At 8:55 or thereabouts we see some footage of the chocolate river fromTim Burton’sCharliefilm while Joss explains how the effect was acheived. Some of the sound quality is… variable… but you can hear everything, if you turn it up.
Manga UKwill be releasing the firstProfessor Laytonmovie on UK DVD and BD in September. They also provided a link to a non-embeddable trailer onYouTube. I love the games, I love theSherlock Holmesstories andJonathan Creek… I think I’m looking forward to this.Billie Piperhas turned down smaller roles in US projects, for example playing Zac Efron’s girlfriend for four scenes (does she mean in17 Again, instead of Aillison Miller? I can see Billie as a young Leslie Mann).Metroreport that Ms. Piper would rather make BBC dramas with beefier parts.
The full line-up for this year’sSci-Fi Londonhas been published and tickets are on sale. I’m doing my best to get to cover the event in as much detail as possible. Top picture picks?Splice,Radio Free Albemuthand the originalBarbarellaback where it belongs, on the big screen.There’s also going to be a free screening of theMinority ReportBlu-ray and a trio of all-nighters on the themes of anime, Japan and comedy.
Bryan Singer’sJack the Giant Killeris going to shoot in London, sayProduction Weekly.
Channel 4 have undoubtedly had a powerful and lasting effect British cinema.Broadcastreveal that a new academic study and industrial conference are going to discuss this contribution:
Researchers from the University of Portsmouth are embarking on a four-year assessment of how fledgling TV strand Film on Four and C4’s cinema production arm Film 4 have transformed the UK cinema industry since its inception in the early 1980s.
BSkyB have commissionedDavid Attenboroughto write and presentFlying Monsters 3D, a kind of pseudo-natural history doc about prehistoric winged creatures. Attenborough adds much necessary credibility.
Kristen Schaal’sPenelope: Princess of Petswill premiere on Channel 4’sComedy Labon April 26th. This pilot episode also featuresJulian BarrattfromThe Mighty Booshas an evil MP. Brilliantly, Isy Suttie and Daniel Kitson (the world’s greatest stand-up comedian, TM (c) 2010 Brendon Connelly) are providing voices for Penelope’s pets. With only 3762 hours to save the world, will Penelope succeed or fail? Will this pilot go to series? Will Kitson be a gerbil or a guinea pig or a worm or a what?
According to theBBFC,Iron Man 2is to run 124 mins and 29 seconds. It has been rated 12A.
The opening night Gala of theEdinburgh Film Festivalis going to beSylvain Chomet’sThe Illusionist. On the subject of the EIFF,Screen Dailyreport that a Doc Week is to run in parallel with the main fest.
Here’s the trailer forHomemade Vigilante, a Wolverhampton-set (and made) super-indie take on theKick-Ass/Defendor/Special/Superidea.
If you liked that, you can now watch the entire film online atOpenfilm. I know that I will be. The filmmakers havetweetedthat a number of distributors are now talking to them, so perhaps this stream will vanish soon.
I have two tickets to giveway to theLondon Book Fair How to Write for Screen: Film & TV Masterclassto give away. It takes place on Saturday 16th at Earl’s Court. Each ticket is worth £40, and the masterclass looks to be both very interesting and genuinely helpful to aspiring writers. I’m definitely going along.
If you want to win, I want you toe-mailme with the answer to this question:David Nichollsis taking part in the Masterclass. Which film of his featured Alice Eve and Rebecca Hall?
SonyPicsUKhave uploaded severalCemetery Junctionclips to YouTube. Here’s one, and you can find the rest on their YouTube channel.
Eureka, the home of the Masters of Cinema line of DVDs and BDs, are releasing both SD and HD discs ofRalph Bakshi’sWizards. It lands on May 24th, and features a commentary by Bakshi, a featurette on the director, a couple of trailers, a TV spot and some stills. Here’s a YouTube version of a trailer now, just in case you haven’t been coveting this release for years now.
