Flicker

[MacGuffin]

Aronofsky's Protozoa Pictures Signs with Regency

Variety says that Arnon Milchan's 20th Century Fox-based Regency Enterprises has signed a three-year, first-look deal with Darren Aronofsky's Protozoa Pictures.

The arrangement covers the writing, producing and directing services of Aronofsky and partner Eric Watson for films at all budget levels.

The first project under development will be the novel Flicker, with Jim Uhls (Fight Club) in negotiations to adapt.

Written by Dr. Theodore Roszak, a Cal State history professor, the film is a conspiracy thriller that takes a disturbing and revisionist look at film history. The story is told through the eyes of a Los Angeles film student who, after he becomes obsessed with the oeuvre of a hack filmmaker, determines that B movies are part of a plot to destroy life on Earth. Summit Books published it in 1991.

Aronofsky is still attached to write and direct Batman: Year One for Warner Bros., adds the trade.

[Duck Sauce]

Its only a matter of time before this falls through. The plot sounds like the life of one of the members here. I kind of picture this movie to be another paranoia filled movie, it would be nice to see Aronofsky do something different.

[Jon]

I bet he'll just produce.

[Duck Sauce]

From AICN:

Hi Harry,

Aronofsky.net has just posted some interesting news on director Darren Aronofsky ('Pi', 'Requiem For A Dream'). I'll give you the gist of it, you can read the more extensive article(s) at the abovementioned site...

'FLICKER'

*********

Aronofsky recently signed with Regency for a new feature film deal. The deal covers Aronofsky writing, producing and directing the project(s). The first project under development will be the novel "Flicker," with Jim Uhls ("Fight Club") in negotiations to adapt.

"Flicker" (written by Theodore Roszak) is a conspiracy thriller that takes a disturbing and revisionist look at film history through the eyes of a Los Angeles film student who starts to research a long-forgotten film director of the '30s. Becoming obsessed with the kitsch filmmaker, the student becomes convinced that his B-movies hold hidden secrets, dark, flickering moments that seem to be part of a plot to destroy life on Earth.

'BATMAN: YEAR ONE"

******************

Although Aronofsky 'officially' is still attached to this project it is very unlikely he will have anything to do with it. A couple days ago website comics2film.com reported that at a recent science fiction and fantasy convention in Boston, DC Comics editor Bob Greenberger was heard saying that Aronofsky's 'Batman: Year One' is now "gone". And moreover a very reliable source told aranofsky.net that WB was not keen on the Aronofsky/Miller script at all. Also the same source says that we should not expect Christopher Nolan ('Memento') taking over this project. He will be involved in a DIFFERENT Batman project. So it seems that if WB is still interested in 'Year One', they will probably hire another director.

[Slick Shoes]

That book Flicker is actually quite good.

[grand theft sparrow]

That book Flicker is actually quite good.

Goddamn right.

I still think Fincher would be the ideal director for a Flicker movie but Aronofsky would definitely do it justice.

[Ghostboy]

I just finished reading Flicker, the novel that might be Aronofsky's next film. It's sorta like The DaVinci Code, only with movies instead of Jesus. The writing is exceedingly average, but it's a pretty fun read, especially if you're a film buff (although really serious film buffs might not be able to take it seriously whatsoever, especially when Orson Welles shows up). The whole mythology the author creates about the secret history of movies is really cool. It might make a good movie, if it's adapted properly, and it'll be interesting to see if Arronofsky can create the disturbing subliminal film effects described in the text.

[grand theft sparrow]

I just finished reading Flicker, the novel that might be Aronofsky's next film. It's sorta like The DaVinci Code, only with movies instead of Jesus. The writing is exceedingly average, but it's a pretty fun read, especially if you're a film buff (although really serious film buffs might not be able to take it seriously whatsoever, especially when Orson Welles shows up). The whole mythology the author creates about the secret history of movies is really cool. It might make a good movie, if it's adapted properly, and it'll be interesting to see if Arronofsky can create the disturbing subliminal film effects described in the text.

That's a little bit harsh.  It's a much darker, more interesting, less patronizing read than DaVinci Code.  The writing was nothing special but it wasn't remedial either; you have to know a lot more about film history to know what's going on in Flicker than you need to know about the Bible to understand what goes on in DaVinci Code.  Perfect material for Aronofsky, I hope he decides to make it.  If not, let's hope Fincher picks it up.

[Ghostboy]

Yeah, I should apologize for that ungrounded comparison. I haven't actually read Brown's book (or seen the movie); I just made an assumption off of the synopses and articles I'd read.

[MacGuffin]

Aronofsky Still Develops Flicker
Source: Sci-Fi Wire

Writer/director Darren Aronofsky told SCI FI Wire that he's still developing a movie based on Theodore Roszak's cult novel Flicker, about a film student who discovers that a hack filmmaker's B movies contain subliminal messages, which are part of a plot to eradicate life on Earth. "Flicker, we've developed a screenplay, and it's not going to be my next film," Aronofsky (Pi, The Fountain) said in an interview over the weekend in Beverly Hills, Calif. "It's sitting there. We don't know what we'll do with it yet."

Aronofsky developed the script with writer Jim Uhls (Fight Club) under Aronofsky's Protozoa Pictures production company. "I kind of like all the old Hollywood, Sunset Blvd. vibe [of Flickers]," he said. "And I like the idea of subliminals in movies and stuff. So it was a lot of good themes in that. But that's not going to be the next project."

Aronofsky said that he'd like to do either a big-budget fantastical biblical epic next, or a small, intimate reality-based film.

But Aronofsky is still developing a couple of other genre films, including Song of Kali, a supernatural-themed film set in India and based on Dan Simmons' novel, and Lone Wolf and Cub, a samurai film based on the Japanese manga by Kazuo Koike. It's unclear which of the projects Aronofsky himself will direct. "Song of Kali is in development, and we're doing some work on the script," Aronofsky said. "But ... we're also producing stuff ... as a company, Protozoa, so some of it's for me to do, and some of it's not." Aronofsky's upcoming SF epic film, The Fountain, opens Nov. 22.