Luc Besson

Started by Rudie Obias, April 13, 2003, 01:41:24 PM

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grand theft sparrow

Quote from: freakerdudeI think Portman's acting in Star Wars was lame while she really shined in Leon at the age of 13.

That may not necessarily be her fault though.  I think she's a good actress overall and yes her deliveries in the Star Wars prequels are often clunky but so is everyone else's. It's the scripts.  Though I haven't seen it, a lot of people raved about Hayden Christensen in Shattered Glass.  But from Attack of the Clones, you'd think he was the second coming of Freddie Prinze Jr.

If Besson hasn't become too "Americanized" in the last few years, being that his films still retain a European feel (at least, as far as an ugly American like myself is concerned... maybe I should say a non-American feel), I think that we'll have nothing to worry about with the Leon follow-up (would it be called Mathilda in the US or The Professional II?).

freakerdude

I guess I can't judge her on SW Attack/Clones. You are right, the scripts were lacking and thus the character. And they all pretty much sucked in that flopper.

Who knows what could happen with this new movie? Maybe she'll become the new Professional with Leon's help. I sure have my fingers crossed that he'll do it right.
MC Pee Pants

SmellyBoobFungus

one of my favorite part in 5th element in when zorg is displaying the super cool gun.

Zorg: Voila: the ZF-1. It's light. Handle's adjustable for easy carrying; good for righties and lefties. Breaks down into 4 parts, undetectable by x-ray; ideal for quick, discreet interventions. A word on firepower. Three thousand round clip with bursts of 3 to 300. With the Replay button (another Zorg invention) it's even easier. One shot, and Replay sends every following shot to the same location. And to finish the job, all the Zorg oldies but goldies. Rocket launcher. Arrow launcher, with explodin' and poisonous gas heads. Very practical. Our famous net launcher. The ALWAYS efficient flame-thrower. My favorite. And for the Grand Finale, the all new "Ice Cube System."

luc used to draw and write about the stuff you see in fifth element when he was a kid. this movie is straight out of kid's imgination. i think that's just awsome.
Guy with spoon: My spoon is too big. My spoon is too big. My spoon is too big.
Banana: I am a banana!

Rejected

MacGuffin

Besson Enslaves the "Ice People"

French film director Luc Besson is a busy man not just within his homeland, as after producing many big Hollywood pictures he's finally getting back into directing them again it seems.

Like James Cameron's upcoming sci-fi movie, many have been speculating on what major property Besson has been developing recently. Today IESB reports that he is looking into developing "La nuit des Temps" (aka. "The Ice People"), the 1968 French sci-fi novel described as a retelling of the classic Romeo and Juliet myth with a scifi twist. Production would begin in August.

Here's a synopsis: "While excavating in Antartica (the South Pole), a team of scientists discover a signal buried deep within the ice of a glacier. The depth is at least 1000 meters so specialists from around the world come to help unearth the findings. Rumors of ruins of an ancient civilization floods the airwaves. At last, two bodies are found frozen in perfect hibernation within a sphere. They are at least 900,000 years old and come from a very advanced society. However, humanity hesitates and ponders the consequences of bringing these ancients back to life, "must one leave them their hibernation?" The technology found is far surpassed anything the scientists have seen.

They decide the woman will be resurrected first. But concerns arise when she does not speak any known language and will most likely die of starvation because she cannot eat any of their food. The world's best computers are put in the service of the translator in order to understand her. Through a machine of her civilization she is able to show the world images recorded in her brain and her people's history. As a result her love affair with Paikan and the events which brought them to their final resting place will be broadcast as well"

Moviehole also reports that Besson is attached to direct the female 007 style spy action thriller "Semper Occultus" which has Jason Statham & Jet Li attached. The story is set around Paris, London and South Africa.
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


Skeleton FilmWorks

modage

according to (a very insane) Courtney Love she won the part of Lady MacBeth in a now-defunct Luc Besson version of the story.
Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.

MacGuffin

Besson taps Madonna for 'Arthur' cast
Source: Hollywood Reporter

PARIS -- Madonna will head the voice cast of the big-budget CGI-animated "Arthur," directed by Luc Besson, which the director's Europa Corp. also is producing, sources close to the movie confirmed Thursday.

CAA, which represents Madonna, separately confirmed the deal Thursday .
 
"Arthur" is adapted from a series of children's books written by Besson, who also wrote the screenplay for the movie. Ten-year-old Arthur, in a bid to save his grandfather's house from developers, goes in search of treasure hidden in the land of the Minimoys, a tiny people living in harmony with nature.

The film, scheduled for a 2006 release, will include some live-action sequences. The 3-D animation is being crafted by French specialist Buf Compagnie.

Madonna is understood to be voicing the part of Princess Selenia, a character who travels with Arthur to a mysterious forbidden city where an evil being dwells. "The recording is being done at the moment," a production source said. Europa also is in the process of casting a major male star in the movie but could not give details at press time.

The English-language movie, which is in production at Europa's studios north of Paris, is budgeted at €65 million ($80 million), making it one of the most expensive films ever to qualify as French under the country's subsidy system. It also is by far the most ambitious project tackled by Europa, whose movies until now have rarely topped $20 million.

Europa is financing "Arthur" through its own funds, Gallic subsidies and international presales, with one top-flight U.S. distributor said to be circling the project. Europa is handling international sales on the title. French network TF1 and pay channel Canal Plus have already prebought the film for a total of €7 million ($9 million).

"Arthur" will be the first film directed by Besson since "The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc" five years ago. Besson also is working on a parallel live-action project, which he has written but which remains a closely guarded secret.

Europa is producing the heist picture "Revolver," starring Jason Statham and Ray Liotta and directed by Guy Ritchie, Madonna's husband.

The company also is shooting the $40 million "Bandidas" in Mexico, starring Penelope Cruz and Salma Hayek, co-financed by 20th Century Fox, which is releasing the movie in America.
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


Skeleton FilmWorks

RegularKarate

Quote from: MacGuffinBesson taps Madonna

What director hasn't?







Oh Snip!

Ravi

Specs and Artwork for Leon and Fifth Element SEs

Judging by the cover, The Fifth Element is now a musical.

Arriving early next year in two-disc special edition form will be The Fifth Element starring Bruce Willis and Milla Jovovich, and Leon which stars Jean Reno and Natalie Portman. Both will be available to own from the 11th January for around $24.96 each. The Fifth Element will receive a high definition anamorphic widescreen transfer along with both English Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS tracks. Extras will include a Star Element featurette, a Visual Element featurette, a Digital Element featurette, an Alien Element featurette and a Fashion Element featurette. Completing the set will be camera, costume and set tests, a feature length fact track and more. The special edition of Leon will also include a wealth of new extra material, along with the unrated international version of the movie in a Superbit™ presentation. Extras will include a new ten year reunion featurette entitled The Professional, a Trial by Fire: Natalie Portman As Mathilda featurette, a full length Leon fact track, a Birth of a Star: Jean Reno As Leon featurette and more.


Stefen

Quote from: RegularKarate
Quote from: MacGuffinBesson taps Madonna

What director hasn't?







Oh Snip!

haha, i don't normally suck dick, but that was good.
Falling in love is the greatest joy in life. Followed closely by sneaking into a gated community late at night and firing a gun into the air.

Ghostboy

Reading Ravi's post up there, I realized that I've owned more copies of Leon/The Professional than any other film. I bought the VHS when it first came out, then the widescreen VHS, then the DVD, then the international version DVD. I don't know if I'll get this new one -- if I hear the extra features are worthwhile, I might pick it up. The cover is cool.


I don't think I could stomach buying that 5th Element DVD though -- that cover art is atrocious.

Pubrick

Quote from: GhostboyI don't think I could stomach buying that 5th Element DVD though -- that cover art is atrocious.
assholes will dig it..
under the paving stones.

MacGuffin

Besson to Direct Paris 2012 Promotion

Luc Besson will direct a video promoting the Paris bid for the 2012 Olympics. The French filmmaker's short clip will be shown during Paris' official presentation to the International Olympic Committee, Paris bid member Arnaud Lagardere told RTL radio Friday.

The 46-year-old Besson directed "The Fifth Element" "The Professional" and "La Femme Nikita" He is working on a computer-animated version of his children's book, "Arthur and the Minimoys."

Paris is competing against London, Moscow, New York and Madrid, Spain, for the Olympics. After each city makes its official presentation on July 6 in Singapore, IOC members will vote on a winner.
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


Skeleton FilmWorks

squints

So this new jet li movie "Unleashed" was written by but not directed by Luc?
"The myth by no means finds its adequate objectification in the spoken word. The structure of the scenes and the visible imagery reveal a deeper wisdom than the poet himself is able to put into words and concepts" – Friedrich Nietzsche

MacGuffin

Farrow on Besson Pic
Mia Farrow and Finding Neverland's Freddie Highmore to star in Luc Besson's 3D, live-action feature Arthur.
Source: FilmStew.com

Filmmaker Luc Besson has signed Mia Farrow and Finding Neverland's Freddie Highmore to star in the feature Arthur, a 3D and live-action, English-language children's project that marks his first gig behind the camera since 1999. Shooting on the project began in Normandy on Monday, with the French countryside playing the role of New York state.

In the film, Highmore stars as Arthur, a young boy who turns to the help of the Minimoys, a group of pixie-like creatures, to help him save his grandfather's house from demolition. Farrow will play Arthur's mom, with Madonna, Snoop Dogg and David Bowie attached to provide the voices of the animated characters.

Besson adapted the material from his own line of successful children's books. The first book in the series was just released in the U.S. by Harper Collins. The film version, according to Daily Variety, is being eyed for the Cannes 2006 line up.

Besson last directed Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc. His more recent writing credits include Unleashed and a draft of the Queen Latifah/Jimmy Fallon starring Taxi, which was a remake of a French film.
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


Skeleton FilmWorks

MacGuffin

Besson pushing on with 'Minimoys'

CANNES -- French director Luc Besson plans a second and third installment of his big-budget 3-D animation/live action movie "Arthur and the Minimoys" through his company Europa Corp., sources said Friday. The first movie is scheduled for release in December. Budgeted at about $80 million, the film is the most costly European animation ever by some margin. Besson has had a vast team of animators working on the picture for several years. The Weinstein Co. recently picked up all rights in English-speaking territories on the first title and is understood to have an option to acquire rights on the sequels, scheduled to go into production in the fall. The first film recounts how a 10-year-old named Arthur falls into the secret world of the Minimoys, where he meets Princess Selenia and her brother, who help him on a mission to save his grandmother.
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


Skeleton FilmWorks