Whit Stillman

Started by Split Infinitive, March 20, 2006, 10:22:22 PM

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Bethie

I'm a big Wilt Stillman fan. I preach Metropolitan. My best pal sent along a text today letting me know my man Stillman was back,...yeah I'm all over this. Stillman and Kasdan back in action makes me very happy
who likes movies anyway

wilder

Whit Stillman Writing/Directing 'Cosmopolitan' For Amazon Studios; Moving His Jane Austen Movie Idea Into Novel Form
via The Playlist

Is Amazon Studios the next Netflix? Not quite, but it's not for lack of trying and some have already called them a Hollywood threat. Lots of stuff is cooking over there: the John Goodman-starring political comedy "Alpha House," Nicolas Winding Refn's "Barbarella;" even the "Zombieland" series may potentially land there. "World War Z" director Marc Forster's "Hand Of God," starring Ron Perlman, is also nearing an official pilot green light.

One more joins the fray, this one from "Barcelona" and "The Last Days Of Disco" filmmaker Whit Stillman. Titled "Cosmopolitan" (Stillman's first film was "Metropolitan," for those keeping score), Stillman will write, direct and executive produce, and the show will chronicle the loves and adventures of a group of young expatriates in Paris (Stillman spent plenty of time there during his "in the wilderness" period after going more than ten years between films; 'Disco' in 1998 and "Damsels in Distress" in 2011). It was also recently announced that Stillman would be working on a Jane Austen-inspired book titled, "Love & Friendship: An Adaptation of Jane Austen's Unfinished Novella Concerning the Beautiful Lady Susan Vernon, Her Loves and Friendships, and the Strange Antagonism of the DeCourcy Family."

Presumably this is a kind of first run at the similar Jane Austen-inspired movie that Stillman was kicking around last year? Considering the same titles, basically yes. So what's up with that movie? We asked on Twitter and Stillman responded with, "all in due time..." (though admittedly, that tweets seems to have been deleted). It wouldn't be the first time Stillman wrote a novel of his own work, though the order would be in reverse. After "The Last Days Of Disco" in 1998, Stillman released a novel (but not novelization form) of the movie in 2000 called, "The Last Days of Disco, With Cocktails at Petrossian Afterwards."

wilder

The Cosmopolitans pilot is now streaming on Amazon Prime...they're going off a user voting model to choose which shows to pick up. It hasn't yet gone to series.


wilder

Kate Beckinsale and Chloe Sevigny to Reunite in a New Whit Stillman Film
via blu-ray.com

Kate Beckinsale and Chloe Sevigny are set to appear in director Whit Stillman's latest project, Love and Friendship, an adaptation of Jane Austen novella Lady Susan.

Set in the 1790s, Love and Friendship centers on beautiful widow Lady Susan Vernon, who has come to the estate of her in-laws to wait out colorful rumors about her dalliances circulating through polite society. Whilst there, she decides to secure a husband for herself and her rather reluctant debutante daughter, Frederica.

The cast of Love and Friendship also includes James Fleet (The Phantom of the Opera), Tom Bennett (Shadow Dancer), Justin Edwards (Thor: The Dark World), and Jemma Redgrave (TV's Dracula).

The upcoming film does not yet have a preliminary theatrical release date, but shooting is set to begin in Ireland later this month.

WorldForgot



Last night the American Cinematheque @ Aero hosted a reception + QnA with Whit Stillman. Two of the actors were attendance for the panel after, too, Tara Subkoff and Burr Steers. Good banter between the three but it was clear we were there to peek into Whit's mind, and this affectionate film in particular. Anyone who's been on set can sympathize with Whit's inspiration to shoot a movie that's focused primarily on the tangibly cathartic atmosphere of the dance floor. Apparently they played Rasta + Reggae in the lobby just to escape the pop and disco energy for small bits.

Whit mentions that amazon is asking (him, we assume, but all pitches probably) for stories that work on an international market level. There's talk of the music selection, portraying the 70s through the lens of the "early 80's" which he says was its own meta bubble which he appreciates. This meta bubble of retrospective is clearest in his novelizations. A fan asks if he'll do more of those and Whit nearly flinches. "I wrote the novel for this one and didn't make another film for 12 years," he laughs "having worked in film and the publishing world I can say one of those gets paychecks. Rarely!"

Also he's very grateful to "Universal and Jason" for the latest 20th Anniversary DCP that was commissioned for The Last Days of Disco's birthday. The Aero didn't play it but Whit is very excited to tour it especially because he's "not part of the 35mm or 70 cult. I like how the latest DCP looks." The crowd was enjoying every beat of the film and there was applause basically through the entire credits. He mentions the studio blanching at the Amazing Grace credits needle drop. I think it's wonderful, this film is joyful and precise to so much about that feeling of adolescence ending into adulthood and culture passing you by even faster. A good diss in the talk was Burr Steers' casual "and can we take a moment to appreciate Whit's influence on a whole generation, of an HBO show, of an indie aesthetic..."

If you haven't seen it, enjoy your weekend and dance a lil ~