Robert Downey Jr is back in The Singing Detective

[Redlum]

Here's a clip from The Singing Detective which will be at Sundance this year. I hope this is a good one.

[MacGuffin]

Speaking of Sundance:

Documentaries on Fidel Castro and Tupac Shakur, a Thai epic about a martyred 16th century queen, and a film-noir musical starring Robert Downey Jr. are among highlights at this year's Sundance Film Festival.

America's top showcase for independent movies, the festival that opened Thursday has rounded up some unusual suspects for its 11-day run.

"It's as eclectic and as differentiated a program as we've ever had," festival director Geoffrey Gilmore said of the 124 feature-length and 90 short films.

Castro is the subject of "Comandante," an HBO documentary premiering at Sundance that was culled from three days of intimate conversations the Cuban president did with director Oliver Stone.

The life of slain rapper Shakur is recounted in another documentary, "Tupac: Resurrection," while "Legend of Suriyothai" is a Thai-language epic about a queen slain in battle against Burmese invaders in 1548.

Holly Hunter, to be honored with the festival's independent-vision award, appears in two Sundance films, including "Levity," the opening-night feature that co-stars Billy Bob Thornton, Morgan Freeman and Kirsten Dunst. Dustin Hoffman appears in the mob tale "Confidence," while Bob Dylan plays a cult music star in the satiric "Masked and Anonymous," co-starring Jeff Bridges, Jessica Lange, John Goodman and Penelope Cruz.

Downey has the title role in "The Singing Detective," his first movie since completing rehabilitation and probation after years of drug and alcohol problems.

Adapted from Dennis Potter's novel, "The Singing Detective" is among the hot prospects for film buyers prowling Sundance. It co-stars Robin Wright Penn, Katie Holmes and Mel Gibson, whose production company made the film.

Distributors have picked up such critical and commercial successes as "The Blair Witch Project," "In the Bedroom" and "You Can Count on Me" at Sundance in recent years. Just as often, though, hot Sundance acquisitions tank at the box office, among them last year's "Tadpole."

Hollywood types joke that distributors can lose perspective in the thin mountain air and embark on bidding wars that have pushed some film prices into the $10 million range, beyond the box-office potential of most indie movies.

Filmmakers hope to land their movie with a company that will market it to the right audience.

"You really want to get that distributor that isn't just going to go, `This movie's got Mel and Robert in it,'" said "The Singing Detective" director Keith Gordon, who came to Sundance three years ago with "Waking the Dead." "You want that person who loves the movie and thinks they know how to turn it into the next `Being John Malkovich.' You want somebody going, `We know how to sell this movie.'"

Organized by Robert Redford's Sundance Institute, the festival has grown into a hybrid as a film market, a spot for stars to pitch upcoming flicks and a showcase for talent working outside the studio system.

"Strip away the paparazzi and the folderol that goes with the stars, and you see an institute underneath it that's really committed to providing a space and place where people can work on storytelling and take risks on scripting without fear of, `Oh, my studio deal won't let me do that,'" said John S. Wilson, co-chief program executive for PBS, which is showing 10 documentaries at the festival.

Lions Gate Films - whose Sundance lineup includes "Confidence" and "Mondays in the Sun," Spain's Academy Awards entry for foreign-language picture - caught the indie movie "Everything Put Together" at the festival a few years ago. That film went virtually unseen among commercial audiences, but Lions Gate hired its director, Marc Forster, to make "Monster's Ball," which became the company's biggest hit and earned Halle Berry an Oscar.

"Lo and behold, the most important film in our history came out of it," said Tom Ortenberg, head of Lions Gate Films. "Sundance is still a great place to scout for new talent."

Sundance also encourages unknown filmmakers to persevere in a tough and thankless industry.

Director Rebecca Miller's debut, "Angela," won two prizes at Sundance in 1995, but she spent years trying to raise funds for a followup. She finally returned to Sundance last year with "Personal Velocity," which won the festival's top dramatic honor and now is playing at arthouse theaters.

"In both cases, Sundance sort of validated my struggle to make films," Miller said. "In my own little stubborn way, I've kind of stuck to my guns, and Sundance has kind of been there to say, `You're doing good. Keep going.'"

[polkablues]

Yeah, baby, yeah.

Keith Gordon is one of my favorites.  "Waking the Dead", "A Midnight Clear", "Mother Night"... this guy has forged a career out of making brilliant movies that nobody sees.  With any luck, "Singing Detective" will catch on a bit better.

[Redlum]

Mel Gibson has huge audience appeal...but he's almost completely bald in this movie.

[Jeremy Blackman]

Mel Gibson has huge audience appeal...but he's almost completely bald in this movie.

That's like when Al Pacino made himself look 15 years older in Godfather III and never salvaged his image.

[bonanzataz]

I hear Robert Downey is back on drugs. My friend saw him at Sundance and said he was coked out of his mind.

Kind of upsetting.

[Redlum]

I hope not.

Paul Fischer from MovieHole.net had this to say about The Singing Detective:
Back for the final screening of the night and the perfect way to end the first day with the world premiere of The Singing Detective, directed by Keith Gordon, based on the late Dennis Potter's screenplay. It is no surprise that Detective polarised the packed press in attendance, and will continue to do so well in release. But that's fine, because truly great art has the propensity to divide. The Singing Detective is quite simply an audacious masterwork, a stylish, visually hypnotic film that will serve as a reminder that Robert Downey Jnr is one of the great talents of his generation. In the title role, Downey is the heart, soul and emotional breadth of this film. His virtuoso performance is the glue that holds Gordon's vision together, in the role of a hospitalised author whose skin disease parallels an abusive youth. The film's energetic fantasy music numbers enhance narrative, theme and character and all gel beautifully. As his psychiatrist, Mel Gibson is magnificent, giving his best performance in over a decade. A remarkable, brave and intelligent achievement, The Singing Detective is unique, uncompromising and darkly comic

[MacGuffin]

Robert Downey Jr.'s movie comeback in Mel Gibson's The Singing Detective has been put back after disappointing reviews at the Sundance Film Festival. Bosses at Paramount haven't confirmed a date for the release of the movie adaptation of British playwright Dennis Potter's quirky story, in which Downey Jr. plays a hallucinating hospital patient suffering from a skin disease. And now the film's release is classed as "uncertain" after mixed reviews at the recent Sundance Film Festival. Meanwhile, Downey Jr. is in negotiations to re-team with pal Gibson in the fourth installment of the Mad Max franchise.

[Victor]

i know the prop master for this movie, she said HBO Films was gonna put it out at first, then either they dumped it or the filmmakers chose to put it on the frontline at sundance. i read the first 40 pages of the script, it seems pretty interesting, certainly original. hopefully itll get a proper, at least decent release and the direction acting etc. turns out well. i like downey a lot, its really too bad hes all fucked up on that shit, i hope he eventually finds jesus or whatever those celebrity drug addicts do when Betty Ford aint working. the most depressing stories are the ones that keep repeating...

[Redlum]

Feb 7 - It's official! Paramount Classics has acquired North American rights to "The Singing Detective" and international rights for Latin America and Japan. They plan to release the film in the Fall.

"The Singing Detective is an exceptionally visionary film with unique and impressive performances from Robert, Mel and the entire cast. We are delighted to be working with our friend Keith (Gordon), who has created something truly singular," said Paramount Classics co-presidents Ruth Vitale and David Dinerstein.

"This film has been a passion of ours for ten years. We are extremely happy and proud that it has been realized so superbly," added Bruce Davey and Mel Gibson, the heads of Icon and producers of the film. Sources:Variety and Screen Daily

[SHAFTR]

Does 'The Singing Detetective' have anything to do with the old show from BBC in the late 80s / early 90s?  A Cop Rock type show.

[polkablues]

Does 'The Singing Detetective' have anything to do with the old show from BBC in the late 80s / early 90s?  A Cop Rock type show.

It's an adaptation.  But please... PLEASE don't compare it to "Cop Rock" again....

[Redlum]

Here's the trailer....

[AlguienEstolamiPantalones]

wasnt this the film that made britney ill and she walked out ?

[Find Your Magali]

Robert Downey Jr. is usually great, and I'm sure this is an above-average film, but there is no way that it can transcend the original BBC series. I cannot recommend it highly enough and there are very few things I heap this much praise upon. It will forever change your perception of what a "Made-for-TV" production can be.

And it finally came out on DVD this year, so do yourself a favor and find yourself a copy.