David Gordon Green

Started by MacGuffin, January 21, 2003, 10:50:11 AM

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Ernie

Quote from: Pi can't wait till DGG starts doing completely violent loud movies with intense performances by sean penn

Actually, it's funny...DGG did consider Sean Penn for a certain part in The Undertow that he said he'd be perfect for in some old interview...not sure which role but I'm sure it was a big one. I hope he does end up working with him someday, he's becoming one of my favorite actors.

Quoteu'll be so mindfucked and hav a stroke from how different his career developed against how u imagined it. maybe that'll make u understand u need to grow if u wanna keep with the times.

Is all this seething contempt for me or are you just kidding? Cause if it is the former then I'm sorry but that's just unecessary man...of course I don't know how he's going to evolve, I don't want to...I love seeing filmmaker's change and twist their style around and around, when it's for the better of course. I can't wait to see what all these great young filmmaker's are up to in 10-15 years, it's so exciting. I wish I knew what pissed you off so bad about me. Is it cause I'm not very familiar with Mos Def??? Cause I'm not that big on rap, that's all. And I wasn't saying he's a bad actor or anything, I was just saying I thought it was weird...not bad-weird, more like intriguing-weird. I never have read the book so it might have something to do with that, I'd be unaware of it.

Ghostboy

I don't remember what Mos Def's character's first name was in the book...he was always referred to as Jones. He was a great character.

I think PSH definitely is one of the few actors who has the chops to pull of Ignatius Reilly. It'll be hard to make him appropriately obstreperous without making people dislike him, and I think PSH can do it. But he'll need a fat suit. Physically, I think the perfect person would be Ethan Suplee, but he hasn't really done any great acting in his career. Stephen Root would be good too, though...

mindfuck

What about John Goodman? I'd love to see him give it a shot.

Ghostboy


mindfuck

Fuck, you're probably right. Sucks too, because PSH is really the only actor young enough who could nail it, but we all know it wouldn't be the same with a fat suit.

Ernie

Wow, P's predictions for DGG's future may not only be dead on but already here. Check out this very cool, very long article from MTV of all places. It talks a lot about the Undertow, Confederacy, and his seemingly serious (I think) plans to direct a live action Fat Albert! Sounds cool to me. They also talk about a composer named Philip Glass that'll be helping out on the score of Undertow, I know they are a few fans of his around here. Anyway, Check it out.....


<<<FROM MTV.COM>>>

As much as he'd despise the assertion, David Gordon Green's subtle ascendancy as indiedom's au courant film director — just like his deliberate and unhurried films — is slowly coming into focus.

Onboard for his "A Confederacy of Dunces," due next year, are Drew Barrymore (also a producer on the movie) and rapper/actor Mos Def. While the rest of the cast isn't in place yet, buzz has been developing. A recent stage reading for the film at the Nantucket Film Festival featured Will Ferrell and a spate of indie film regulars including Alan Cumming, Paul Rudd, Cathy Moriarty, Rosie Perez and Natasha Lyonne.

But before Green can even contemplate "Dunces," he has his current project, "Undertow," to contend with.

Most 28-year-olds aren't lucky enough to have seminal legends of music and cinema like Philip Glass and Terrence Malick knocking down their doors, but on "Undertow," that's exactly what's happened.

No stranger to precocious success, Green was already directing and releasing his debut, the Sundance hit "George Washington," at 25. His recent "All The Real Girls," starring Zooey Deschanel ("Almost Famous") and collaborator Paul Schneider, has been equally revered at the indie-friendly film festival.

Green's atmospheric cinematography and lyrical style have drawn comparisons to Malick, so when the '70s film maverick asked Green if he'd be interested in working together, it was an unexpected dream come true. "I've admired all his movies all my life," Green said from Savannah, Georgia. "So it's pretty surreal when you're sitting on the set and he's questioning your judgment calls, and you kind of wonder, 'Yeah, maybe you're right.' "

Based on a concept of Malick's, the script of "Undertow" reads like a wild mix of road movie, horror genre surrealism and Green's trademark impressionistic ambience. Or as he calls it, "Deliverance" meets "Apocalypse Now," but for kids. "It's got its dreamy quality, too, but it's a little bit more in your face. There's a lot of blood and slitting throats and knife fights and stuff. But then you sit back and look at the sunset."

A timely few weeks before shooting was complete, renowned composer Glass phoned Green out of the blue and offered him his assistance on any projects he was working on. Now Glass and "All The Real Girls" composers David Wingo and Michael Linnen will partner up on the "Undertow" score, which should be anything but overwrought.

"You see so many movies," Green said, "that deal with cinematic nostalgia — the music swelling on the obvious notes of orchestration — and it's just so frustrating [when] moments of drama [are] killed and overburdened with melodrama and moments of honesty [are] being killed off by the swelling of the strings. For me, it's just about an honest atmosphere and meditation on moments."

Indeed, the "All The Real Girls" soundtrack, which featured tracks by Mogwai, Sparklehorse and an original song by Will Oldham, is much more in tune with ambient and contemplative moods than sweeping cinematic gestures. Green's musical ideas for "Undertow" include using songs by Sixteen Horsepower and Captain Beefheart, although there's one key inspiration that's probably out of his price range.

"I wrote the entire movie to Neil Young's 'Cortez the Killer,' but I don't think there's any way in hell I could get [the rights] to that. But that's my favorite song of all time."

Still, he can look forward to working with one of his most beloved books when he takes on the adaptation of John Kennedy Toole's celebrated "A Confederacy of Dunces." Scoring that creative feather in his cap wasn't quite as easy as his recent coups. It was Green who had to bang down the doors of producer Steven Soderberg.

"They had another director that I told them was totally wrong," Green said. "I heard who they'd been talking to and I got angry and just tried to campaign for it. I mean, I've got no business making movies that cost more than $5 by Hollywood standards, but [I wanted it]."

His candid tongue has gotten Green in trouble in the past. He once made headlines by calling fellow cinemaphile Kevin Smith's movies the Special Olympics of filmmaking, but now he shrugs off the feud. "I feel like [Smith's] probably OK. He doesn't give a sh-- what I think anyhow. He makes money. I don't."

If there's one thing audiences don't recognize about Gordon, it is this type of sharp, wry sense of humor — but it's something he's hoping to put to good use. Green wants to make a live-action version of the cartoon "Fat Albert."

"I've had two goals as far as movies are concerned forever that I can remember. One of them was to [make] 'Dunces,' and [then] more than anything in the whole world, I really wanna do 'Fat Albert,' " he admitted. "I got really depressed because they were about to go into production on 'Fat Albert' a year ago with Forrest Whitaker directing, so I was super pissed."

Creative differences between Whitaker and Bill Cosby, who owns the rights to the original cartoon, caused plans to be scrapped, and now Green is campaigning hard for the film.

"I swear to God, I wrote Bill Cosby a letter 20 minutes [ago]," he said.

ono

The most exciting part about this is the fact that he's managed to get the attention of people like Glass and Malick.  It reminds me of PTA, and the way in which he started to be noticed by people.  Invited to the EWS set by Kubrick, talking to Cruise which led to him being in Magnolia.  The stuff great films are made of.

I love, love, love Glass's work, most notably in The Hours.  More than anything, this attention he's getting makes me want to see what these others see in Green.  I mean, I liked George Washington, but I think MacGuffin outlined why I didn't like All the Real Girls nearly as much as most other people here: the descension into soap opera melodrama.  I like the ambience and lyrical nature of his films, though, as they are both admirable.  And the description of The Undertow from that article sounds just great.

modage

okay i finally finally finally saw both of these for the first time this week.  i liked both, but i'm not in love with this guy like some other people here.  i prefer movies with more of a story, although there were bits that were beautiful.  i just dont like to feel like i'm watching somebodys meandering art project.  the acting in ATRG with inconsistent.  i could tell that they were making up their lines throughout a lot of the opening 1/3.  and i dont think that i, as an audience member should even be thinking about that.  it should feel natural, and like well written dialogue or better, something the character would say.  but you could tell, many of the actors were not capable of handling such heavy improvisation and so some of it felt fake.  and since the director didnt have the vision to cut the bits that didnt work, it took me out of the movie.  the whole beginning i didnt like much at all, till they got into the story a bit, but then by the end it sort of fell apart for me.  i think that the movies strength is its relatability.  its a good story.  and their intentions in making it were good.  i probably wouldve loved it in were it to come out while i was in high school.  because bits of it did sort of capture the magic or tragedy of certain things that most people go through.  but just as a film, the parts didnt add up to a whole that i thought was completely satisfying.  
thought the acting was better in George Washington although i'm not really entirely sure what the hell it was about.  he seems to be more about capturing a feeling than telling a story.  and i dont feel like i'm in the hands of a supremely capable/confident filmmaker.  it feels like he's just sort of feeling out the story as much as i am and i think the work suffers.  but thats just me, and i'm probably alone on this.  i'm looking forward to what he does in the future, but am not entirely in love with anything on first viewing.
Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.

bonanzataz

greene is set to direct confederacy of dunces. a few people on the rose and the snake set worked on undertow and are lined up to start filming this one soon. drew barrymore's flower films is producing which means she's got a part in it somewhere. but, yeah, that's what he's up to. if he was going to direct fat albert i'd lose all respect for him. another pathetic attempt to cash in on a successful franchise from years ago.
The corpses all hang headless and limp bodies with no surprises and the blood drains down like devil's rain we'll bathe tonight I want your skulls I need your skulls I want your skulls I need your skulls Demon I am and face I peel to see your skin turned inside out, 'cause gotta have you on my wall gotta have you on my wall, 'cause I want your skulls I need your skulls I want your skulls I need your skulls collect the heads of little girls and put 'em on my wall hack the heads off little girls and put 'em on my wall I want your skulls I need your skulls I want your skulls I need your skulls

Disco Stu

QuoteHis candid tongue has gotten Green in trouble in the past. He once made headlines by calling fellow cinemaphile Kevin Smith's movies the Special Olympics of filmmaking

I love this guy even more!  He's definitely my new favorite director and I can't wait for Undertow and Confederacy of Dunces.  Does anyone know about any other possible projects from him (besides the Fat Albert thing :?: ) because I thought I remember reading from someone here (Ebeaman?) that mentioned DGG said he had a bunch of scripts done.
I used to do drugs.  I still do but I used to too!

chainsmoking insomniac

Quote from: themodernage02okay i finally finally finally saw both of these for the first time this week.  i liked both, but i'm not in love with this guy like some other people here.  i prefer movies with more of a story, although there were bits that were beautiful.  i just dont like to feel like i'm watching somebodys meandering art project.  the acting in ATRG with inconsistent.  i could tell that they were making up their lines throughout a lot of the opening 1/3.  and i dont think that i, as an audience member should even be thinking about that.  it should feel natural, and like well written dialogue or better, something the character would say.  but you could tell, many of the actors were not capable of handling such heavy improvisation and so some of it felt fake.  and since the director didnt have the vision to cut the bits that didnt work, it took me out of the movie.  the whole beginning i didnt like much at all, till they got into the story a bit, but then by the end it sort of fell apart for me.  i think that the movies strength is its relatability.  its a good story.  and their intentions in making it were good.  i probably wouldve loved it in were it to come out while i was in high school.  because bits of it did sort of capture the magic or tragedy of certain things that most people go through.  but just as a film, the parts didnt add up to a whole that i thought was completely satisfying.  
thought the acting was better in George Washington although i'm not really entirely sure what the hell it was about.  he seems to be more about capturing a feeling than telling a story.  and i dont feel like i'm in the hands of a supremely capable/confident filmmaker.  it feels like he's just sort of feeling out the story as much as i am and i think the work suffers.  but thats just me, and i'm probably alone on this.  i'm looking forward to what he does in the future, but am not entirely in love with anything on first viewing.

I sorta understand where you're coming from, but I also disagree with you about it not feeling natural.  The very fact that they were improvising their lines towards the beginning made it seem that much more genuine.  IMHO of course.
"Ernest Hemingway once wrote: 'The world's a fine place, and worth fighting for.'  I agree with the second part."
    --Morgan Freeman, Se7en

"Have you ever fucking seen that...? Ever seen a mistake in nature?  Have you ever seen an animal make a mistake?"
 --Paul Schneider, All the Real Girls

modage

well,  like i tried to explain.  improvising is good when its natural.  but if i can TELL that they're just making shit up, i feel like im sitting in on an acting workshop. now thats two things:  one, the actors arent capable of of handling that much. and two,  the director should be more efficient in his editing and those sorts of things can be cut and fixed.  but it didnt 'feel' real.  it felt like drama class.
Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.

tpfkabi

Undertow sounds interesting........a lot of killing and sunsets is how DGG described it

when does it come out?
I am Torgo. I take care of the place while the Master is away.

Ernie

Quoteif he was going to direct fat albert i'd lose all respect for him. another pathetic attempt to cash in on a successful franchise from years ago.

Yeah...or maybe he's just a fan and wants to make a good TV show adaptation for once. Or the first one since Charlie's Angels imo.

QuoteI love this guy even more! He's definitely my new favorite director and I can't wait for Undertow and Confederacy of Dunces.

Great great great!

QuoteDoes anyone know about any other possible projects from him (besides the Fat Albert thing  ) because I thought I remember reading from someone here (Ebeaman?) that mentioned DGG said he had a bunch of scripts done.

I remember he mentioned this big, epic 3 hour sci-fi movie way back even before ATRG was out in NY and LA. He sounded pretty serious about it. I was actually under the impression that it was coming out before ATRG cause he just made it sound so urgent, he was pretty excited about it. I'm not sure if he had the script done but I'm assuming he's at least started it. I do remember he mentioned Tarkovsky as an influence who I'm not a very big fan of but I'm still looking forward to it. I always prefer to imagine it being something like Alphaville rather than Solaris, I'd love that. Anyway, I wouldn't expect this one to come till after Confederacy...I think the interview he mentioned it in might have been conducted before he knocked Soderbergh's door down and pleaded with him body and soul, lol.

QuoteUndertow sounds interesting........a lot of killing and sunsets is how DGG described it

when does it come out?

All IMDB says is 2004 right now, I check it all the time. Hopefully it'll be January or soon thereafter...it'll more than likely be a limited release unfortunately.

bonanzataz

who was originally going to direct confederacy?
The corpses all hang headless and limp bodies with no surprises and the blood drains down like devil's rain we'll bathe tonight I want your skulls I need your skulls I want your skulls I need your skulls Demon I am and face I peel to see your skin turned inside out, 'cause gotta have you on my wall gotta have you on my wall, 'cause I want your skulls I need your skulls I want your skulls I need your skulls collect the heads of little girls and put 'em on my wall hack the heads off little girls and put 'em on my wall I want your skulls I need your skulls I want your skulls I need your skulls