Tuesday, March 22, 2011

First Look at Polanski's 'God of Carnage'.



*Images courtesy of Empire Magazine*

Despite his off screen tribulations, I prefer to focus on the directorial, movie-making side of Roman Polanski and I'm always eager to see his films. This one is no exception.

When "God of Carnage" hit Broadway in 2009, it was an instant smash, winning critical praise, box office bucks and Tony Awards for Best Play & Best Actress, so it came as no surprise when it was announced that a movie rendition of the award-winning play was on the cards.

Carnage (formally known as 'God of Carnage') is about two pairs of parents who decide on a civilized sit-down when one of their kids hurts the other at a public park. But as as the night wears on, the parents become increasingly childish, resulting in the evening devolving into chaos.

In addition to three-time Oscar nominated director Roman Polanski taking the reigns, two-time Oscar winner Jodie Foster tackles the Tony winning female role, while Oscar winner Kate Winslet plays her matriarchal foe with John C. Reilly and Oscar winner Christoph Waltz cast as their husbands, respectively.

Chatting to
Empire Magazine (where this first look comes from), Jodie Foster described the film: "it all happens in real-time, so it’s about an hour and 45 minutes of negotiation between two sets of parents and how it all falls apart," she said. "Kind of like Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?, but a little funnier. There’s a lot of wit."

Armed with an array of Oscar nominated talent, (which the advertising team will no doubt take full advantage of) the film will surely cause a stir just in time for the award season. Production has just wrapped up in Paris and the film is set to be released later this year or early 2012.


Sunday, March 20, 2011

The 'Alien' Comeback in Pop Culture

The 'Alien' is back and it looks a little like....

This...

We all remember Ridley Scott's 70s B-movie classic 'Alien'. The smash hit movie spawned (no pun intended) no less than 4 sequels and a collection of Alien themed movies to add to the sci-fi genre. (Star Sigorney Weaver became a household name after this).

Pop icon Lady Gaga made the Alien popular once more and has paid tribute to these infamous movies in her latest video 'Born This Way'.

She gives birth to 'a new race' and paid homage using her 7 minute mini-movie:


The video was directed by renowned photographer/director Nick Knight who also shot the as yet unseen album artwork.
At the Grammys in early February, she arrived in her 'vessel' seen in the first picture above and I think you'll agree that she took more than a little inspiration from Scott's cult classic. (According to rumors, she stayed in this for three days before the ceremony)...

I love the cheesy feel it and the fact that she paid tribute to these infamous movies whilst keeping in it modern, contemporary and fashionable.

Thoughts?

Gaga's Born This Way album hits stores on May 23rd.