November 2007 Archives
Pittsburgh worlds will collide again in a bio-pic of NFL Hall of Famer Joe Namath, to be written by Mt. Lebanon native David Hollander.
The untitled Namath film, from Universal Pictures, will star Jake Gyllenhaal of "Zodiac" and "Brokeback Mountain," and follow the quarterback from his upbringing in Beaver Falls to the University of Alabama and stardom with the New York Jets.
The operators of Internet entertainment sites such as MyDamnChannel, Break, Heavy and others have a message for striking Hollywood writers -- give us a look.
Many writers are doing just that, with the hope of retaining total creative control over their work and collecting as much as half of all revenue -- a potentially sweet deal compared to a typical TV gig.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"Control," a film produced by Todd Eckert of Pittsburgh, won top honors in 10th annual British Independent Film Awards sponsored by the UK Film Council.
The movie examines the life and music of Ian Curtis, the Joy Division lead singer who committed suicide just as the storied British band was preparing for its first U.S. tour in 1980.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"The Mysteries of Pittsburgh" soon will be a mystery no more.
The adaptation of Michael Chabon's novel, starring Jon Foster, Peter Sarsgaard, Sienna Miller, Mena Suvari and Nick Nolte, will have its world premiere during the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. The cinematic celebration will be Jan. 17-27 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Odgen and Sundance, Utah.
By Adrian McCoy, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Filming began yesterday in Fayette County on the first of a series of horror anthologies.
The principals behind "George A. Romero Presents ... Deadtime Stories" have a good pedigree in the horror genre. George Romero and his wife, Christine Forrest, are executive producers on the project.
Turns out "Fred Claus" has a couple of Pittsburgh connections. Canonsburg native Mark Livolsi, son of former Pittsburgh Press illustrator Chuck Livolsi, edited the holiday film starring Vince Vaughn and Paul Giamatti as the competitive Claus brothers.
And readers e-mailed with word that screenwriter Dan Fogelman lived in Bethel Park as a boy and "was gifted as a child, so we are not surprised by his success." He also was one of the "Cars" screenwriters.
By Timothy McNulty, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh will host another member of the "Superbad" troupe when director Kevin Smith's latest movie starts filming in the city in January.
The filmmaker announced that Seth Rogen, the writer and co-star of the hit, R-rated summer comedy, will play the lead in Mr. Smith's film "Zack & Miri Make A Porno," alongside Elizabeth Banks of "The 40-Year-Old Virgin."
By Barbara Vancheri, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Sam Riley and the actors playing his Joy Division bandmates in "Control" were so convincing that they did a bonus set for the extras who had come from all over England to populate a club scene that ends in a melee.
"The riot scene was filmed in this sort of youth center outside of Nottingham and that afternoon, when we were finished with all of our shots ... the band did a four-song set for the extras, and it really felt like you were seeing Joy Division," producer and Pittsburgher Todd Eckert recalls.
The Three Rivers Film Festival continues through Nov. 15 at Pittsburgh Filmmakers' three locations: Regent Square Theater, 1035 S. Braddock Ave., Edgewood; Melwood Screening Room, 477 Melwood Ave.; and Harris Theater, 809 Liberty Ave., Downtown.
Admission for most movies, $8. For more information, go to www.3rff.com or www.pghfilmmakers.org or call 412-682-4111.
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Here is a sampling of movies showing during the second week of the Three R