Wolfie

email this story
read comments (10)
post a comment

In lieu of recent reports that seasoned editors Walter Murch and Mark Goldblatt have been hired to try and punch up improve Joe Johnston's The Wolfman (Universal, 2.10), I heard from a guy a day or two ago who recently saw a research screening of the 19th Century-era horror film in Los Angeles, and who said three interesting things.

One, Benicio del Toro's role is that of a touring American Shakesperean actor along the lines of Edwin Booth. Two, his performance, which the guy didn't think was all that terrific, is somewhat reminiscent of his landmark performance in Things We Lost in the Fire in that in involves his being in love with a woman he shouldn't be in love with (i.e., Emily Blunt, playing his brother's widow). And three, "You could almost relate his role to that of Lon Chaney, Jr.'s in real life and his always being overshadowed by his famous dad in the role, and connect that to the twist in this telling of the story, but that's my fantasy."

The best performance in the film, he feels, comes from Geraldine Chaplin "in a tiny little part, even though it's conceived in such a way as to make no sense."

Mumblecore<< previous | next >>"Everything's Falling Apart"

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on November 19, 2009 at 8:01 AM

comment #1

Nick X says ...

One... three... what was the second thing? Or is the second thing the Geraldine Chaplin bit?

Posted by Nick X at November 19, 2009 8:43 AM

comment #2

Stringer Bell says ...

how long has this been on the shelf?

Posted by Stringer Bell at November 19, 2009 8:45 AM

comment #3

George Prager says ...

Put Jimmy Smits in it and you have a sexy STAND AND DELIVER.

Posted by George Prager at November 19, 2009 9:21 AM

comment #4

kamichojin says ...

A negative plus a negative equals a positive. SAY IT!

Posted by kamichojin at November 19, 2009 9:32 AM

comment #5

teeem says ...

Spoilers!

Posted by teeem at November 19, 2009 9:51 AM

comment #6

arturobandini2 says ...

Hooray -- the return of Saura's muse, Geraldine Chaplin. I just read yesterday that she's making a French movie with Jane Fonda. (So hooray for France, too.) Finally a few movies an elitist old fart like me can look forward to.

Posted by arturobandini2 at November 19, 2009 10:16 AM

comment #7

Rich S. says ...

Geraldine Chaplin has to be playing the old Gypsy woman, right? I'll be very disappointed if there isn't an old Gypsy woman. "Even a man who is pure at heart...."

Posted by Rich S. at November 19, 2009 10:22 AM

comment #8

JackMP says ...

Regarding yesterdays reports that Marc Goldblatt and Walter Murch were just hired onto The Wolfman: the truth is Walter has been working on Wolfman for the past three months. He confirmed this at a LAFCPUG event last night in Hollywood. But originally it was only supposed to be for three weeks.

Posted by JackMP at November 19, 2009 10:40 AM

comment #9