Luc Besson

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

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

mindfuck

I just wanted to toss this out there since I just saw Leon again for the first time in awhile.

That's gotta be one of the most brilliant death scenes in any movie. So many subtle things together that made it great: walking down the hallway towards "the light at the end", the focus pull on the barrel of the gun, the muffled audio and then finally... the single flash of light and slowly crumpling.

I love it.

MacGuffin

Penelope Cruz & Salma Hayek in Besson Western?
Source: Variety

Penelope Cruz and Salma Hayek have been offered roles in French producer Luc Besson's Mexico-set comedy Western. They would play feisty bank robbers.

Set up at Besson's EuropaCorp Gallic production company, the project is based on an idea from Besson. A director has yet to be attached.

"Penelope and Salma have been close friends for several years. They've always wanted to work together, and they are delighted that Luc has come up with a production that could well give them that opportunity," said Katrina Bayonas, whose Kuranda Intl. Management represents Cruz.
"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

Gold Trumpet

Mixed opinion from this new project. On one hand, you have a talented director making a western and it actually sounds like it could be good. On the other hand, it also sounds like another indication on the further travels of the western genre toward the center of its earth as it has been sitting dead in a grave in relevance since 1971, when Altman made McCabe and Mrs Miller. Every project since then has a been a reach to the past to ty to grab something and recreate it. That says nothing about relevance. So in this potential good and fun movie, there may be a feeling of a once great genre yet again being mocked.

Ghostboy

Quote from: The Gold TrumpetOn one hand, you have a talented director making a western and it actually sounds like it could be good.

Might not be a talented director -- Besson's only producing. And his track record since Fifth Element has been spotty. Either good trash or bad trash, but nothing great.

Isn't he done with his racing movie by now, though? I imagine that will be coming out soon.

Gold Trumpet

Thanks for the clarification. And yes, he has been spotty in producing projects since Fifth Element. Actually, I think "spotty" may be a little too nice. I think the only movie of his producing wise I enjoyed was 'The Transporter', which isn't even good. Its just I am rendered helpless by the action genre quite easily when it sticks to some kind of story, whether good or not.

Ghostboy

Yeah, that's the only one I liked as well -- definitely falls under the good trash category. I'm not, however, all that excited by the prospect of the recently announced sequel. Oh well. He needs to do something like The Messenger again -- not necessarily a failure, like that movie was, but something challenging. He writes the action movies he produces in his sleep.

Gold Trumpet

I'm not sure I'd like to see him do something really challenging. He gives in way too much to style (weaknesses) impulses when doing so. I don't see him being honest with the story. What I'd like to see him do is return to simplicity in action and story as what he did with La Femme Nikita. Thats my favorite of his and most satisfactory of any of his films. I like Leon, but have many problems with it. Besson can excell like The Bourne Identity with its good performance with video rentals and saying that simplicity in action can make money and I predict that if the two sequels stay true to that form of The Bourne Identity, they will make money in theatres based on its success on video.

MacGuffin

Quote from: The Gold TrumpetI like Leon, but have many problems with it.

What are your problems with it, and have you seen the Uncut International Version?
"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

Ghostboy

Leon's my favorite. It was my second favorite movie of all time when I was fourteen.

When I said he needs to do something challenging, I meant more in the form of La Femme Nikita and Leon -- i.e. something that actually has dramatic merit. It can be as simple as it needs to be -- I just want some substance.

Gold Trumpet

No, I haven't seen the uncut international version - so maybe I shouldn't call it Leon.

My problems run like this. In its attempt to run as dramatic observance, its premise is completely goofy: A girl is orphaned because her family is killed and taken in by an assasin who allows her to learn how to kill so she can gain revenge - all at the tender age of 12. I also never felt the movie really transform this premise into anything serious by venturing outside the obvious expected details all that much. Still a lot of attention paid to girl just learning how to kill. Still a lot of attention paid to the assasasin killing other people. Still the bad guy is over exaggerated and more believable on level of movie land bad guy (To defend this: Oldman plays the cop like a drug lord and his characters runs around so much out in the open that its hard to believe a cop could get away with it all so freely).  Still the end fight is the memorable and most prolific scene in the entire movie. In between all this, good performances and moments of drama are added. The movie still was genre to me. It just felt like it had filters to it and were allowing some good things in. I didn't believe it as drama nor was really effected by it at all on any higher level than action film, which is what I liked most about it.

MacGuffin

Quote from: The Gold TrumpetNo, I haven't seen the uncut international version - so maybe I shouldn't call it Leon.

My problems run like this. In its attempt to run as dramatic observance, its premise is completely goofy: A girl is orphaned because her family is killed and taken in by an assasin who allows her to learn how to kill so she can gain revenge - all at the tender age of 12. I also never felt the movie really transform this premise into anything serious by venturing outside the obvious expected details all that much. Still a lot of attention paid to girl just learning how to kill. Still a lot of attention paid to the assasasin killing other people. Still the bad guy is over exaggerated and more believable on level of movie land bad guy (To defend this: Oldman plays the cop like a drug lord and his characters runs around so much out in the open that its hard to believe a cop could get away with it all so freely).  Still the end fight is the memorable and most prolific scene in the entire movie. In between all this, good performances and moments of drama are added. The movie still was genre to me. It just felt like it had filters to it and were allowing some good things in. I didn't believe it as drama nor was really effected by it at all on any higher level than action film, which is what I liked most about it.

That's why I asked if you had seen the "full" cut. It does add more characterization and the controversial "lolita" relationship. Maybe it might fill in some gaps you thought were missing.
"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

ono

Umm...

Portman Agrees To 'Leon' Sequel
Movie beauty Natalie Portman is keen to reprise her debut film role in a sequel to cult favorite Leon. The actress, 22, first came to international recognition in her acclaimed performance as an assassin's 11-year-old pal in the 1994 film, which starred Jean Reno in the lead role. And now Natalie has confirmed the long-awaited sequel is ready to roll, and she can't wait to be involved - despite needing a break following years working on the Star Wars trilogy. She says, "The script's really great, and worth delaying a vacation for."
~IMDB.com

Take it with a grain of salt, considering the source.

freakerdude

Leon is my favorite film and it's a strong #1 in it's category, personally. I love the story, the cinematography, and the characters......I think it's a masterpiece b/c it has it all. Nikita was real good IMO and you can't blame Luc for the Point Of No Return remake. He only directed Leon, Nikita, and The Fifith Element while he only co wrote and co produced The Transporter.

Quote from: OnomatopoeiaUmm...

Portman Agrees To 'Leon' Sequel
Movie beauty Natalie Portman is keen to reprise her debut film role in a sequel to cult favorite Leon. The actress, 22, first came to international recognition in her acclaimed performance as an assassin's 11-year-old pal in the 1994 film, which starred Jean Reno in the lead role. And now Natalie has confirmed the long-awaited sequel is ready to roll, and she can't wait to be involved - despite needing a break following years working on the Star Wars trilogy. She says, "The script's really great, and worth delaying a vacation for."
Oy, I am not sure how this will go since I have a love for the original Leon. Luc obviously need to direct this sequel himself. I think Portman's acting in Star Wars was lame while she really shined in Leon at the age of 13.
MC Pee Pants

cron

Quote from: freakerdudeOy

 Oi!
context, context, context.

Pubrick

under the paving stones.