“Infamous ” in Venice
Douglas McGrath‘s Infamous, the “other” Truman Capote movie that Warner Independent is releasing on 10.13, is going to open the 63rd Venice International Film Festival on 8.31. But it’ll have to play Toronto too…right? It costars Toby Jones (Truman Capote), Sandra Bullock (Harper Lee), Daniel Craig (Perry Smith…really?), Lee Pace (Dick Hickock), Peter Bogdanovich, Jeff Daniels, Hope Davis, Gwyneth Paltrow, Isabella Rossellini, Juliet Stevenson and Sigourney Weaver.
That the film’s so star-studded is going to be a real distraction for me (as if to compensate for an unknown lead), but Bullock’s presence alone makes me skeptical. I think she’s unbelivable in anything dramatic she does, and period films are even worse.
I feel sorry for “Infamous” having to follow the amazing “Capote” and not just because Philip Seymour Hoffman’s performance. “Capote” is a great film, one of 2005′s best. My only disappointment is not seeing it on the big screen.
This film or more precisely its Capote, Toby Jones has a huge burden. It really is “too soon” for someone else to step in and fill Capote’s shoes after Hoffman’s performance. From the stills on the site, Jones looks short enough but too thuggish and lacking charisma. It will be interesting to hear the critical consensus on the film but I suspect outside of those interested in the alternate take it won’t do well commercially. Any idea if this production was started before Capote was released. I can’t imagine such a star-studded cast would jump aboard a film that will most likely be lost.
Matthew, looks like Capote was first:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06034/649656.stm
Thanks for the link Colin. It’s always facinating to read about the filmmaking process. Again it’s who you know more than anything regarding Bennet Miller, an otherwise unknown director getting the job to helm. Interestingly I could see someone like Bogdanovich being interested in the material. I wonder if these guys just don’t have the pull or the passion for directing like they used to.
Matthew,
It wasn’t a question of an unknown getting the job. Miller developed the script with writer Dan Futterman with the intention of directing. He did the well-regarded doc The Cruise and had a successful career in commercials.
Nothing wrong with a new director scoring, especially one who did as excellent a job as Miller, right?
“Nothing wrong with a new director scoring, especially one who did as excellent a job as Miller, right?”
I thought Miller did a fine job though without Hoffman’s performance I don’t think the film would of won as much critical acclaim. Regarding Miller getting the job; it clearly states that in the article Bennet was selected by a his friend, an actor with commercial clout to adapt and direct. Bennet on his own perhaps would of never considered the project or been chosen. Again it’s just an observation of how the microcosm in Hollywood functions.