Pride and Glory update, Name the Panda cub

There is a POSSIBILITY of EN and Colin Farrell working together on Pride and Glory. Yesterday's rumor is not a certainty but neither is it total crap (I tend to fall into the total crap rumors more than I'd like). We'll have to wait and see whether this will happen. Again, this is just a POSSIBLE project.

The male panda cub at the National Zoo has opened his eyes and now weighs over 6 pounds. At the 100 day mark, he will be given a name. You can vote on a panda name (five choices are given) through the end of September. I'm leaning towards Tai Shan (peaceful mountain) because he looks so tranquil when he sleeps. However, if he grows to the size of his father Tian Tian, who weighs 276 pounds, Qiang Qiang (strong, powerful) might be a more suitable name. National Zoo Giant Pandas

Panda cub when he's not sleeping

Pride and Glory?, Letter to Governor Schwarzenegger

A possible project??? Eleanor reports that yesterday's Irish Daily Mirror stated that Edward Norton and Colin Farrell will be starring in a film called Pride and Glory. Since it's not in the trade papers, I don't know if the Mirror's info is reliable. I started looking around and found that this project has been around for a while with Hugh Jackman and Mark Wahlberg associated with it at one point. But there were only two places talking about a Norton-Farrell pairing. In 8/11/05 update of Hollywood Stock Exchange, the casting of EN, CF and Jennifer Garner are announced, the source of the info is apparently Production Weekly. Irish Abroad (8/24/05) has the casting of CF, but states that EN is rumored to be mulling over a role. This all seems very sketchy to me, especially the part about a post-pregnancy working during the Alias hiatus Jennifer Garner signed on with no media coverage. Wherefore art thou E! News? And if this info has been available since 8/11, why has it not been propagated throughout the myriad of entertainment sites like almost every other film project. I guess we'll find out soon enough. [Thanks to Eleanor for the info!]

Environment California issued a press release today entitled Hollywood Calls for Schwarzenegger to Take Action on Rocket Fuel in Colorado River. Here's some of the press release.

Close to twenty members of the entertainment community, including Maria Bello, Edward Norton and Bradley Whitford submitted a letter to Governor Schwarzenegger today, calling for immediate action to clean up rocket fuel contamination of the Colorado River. The letter asked the Governor to immediately establish a drinking water standard for perchlorate, the primary component of rocket fuel at a level that would force the primary company responsible for the contamination, Kerr McGee, to fully clean up the millions of pounds of rocket fuel it has leaked into the river over decades.

Happy Birthday Edward!!, Unconfirmed Casting News, Casting notice

Today is Edward's 36th birthday. Still looking for a last minute gift? Take a look at the post below and consider donating to one of Edward's favorite charities.

2PM update - I again revisted the IMDB's Painted Veil message board that I mentioned below and found some unconfirmed casting info. "chinachick" reports that Toby Jones is playing Waddington and Liev Schreiber is playing Charlie Townsend. Note that the casting notice below is looking for a stand in for Toby Jones. It was earlier reported ( CRIENGLISH.com) that Anthony Wong has stated in an interview that he plays a Chinese army officer in the film.

I found an interesting post on IMDB's Painted Veil message board that provides some info on the upcoming movie.

casting for warner bros. in beijing for this movie
by brightkelly 3 hours ago(Wed Aug 17 2005 18:00:57)

I saw this on a chinese website, it recruits part-time actors and actresses for this film.

East-Line Talent Management

Casting Call for “The Painted Veil”
A Warner Bros. film starring
Edward Norton and Naomi Watts

Looking for faces of all types and
colors, artists of all ages and sizes

Specific Roles

- European-looking men and women aged 35-40
- available to film on August 29th
- non-speaking: wage 800 rmb/day

- French women, aged 45 and up; role: nun
- available to film on 9/2, 9/7, 9/9, 9/12
- non-speaking: wage 800 rmb/day

- French woman 50-60 years; role: nun
- available to film on 9/6, 9/7, 9/9
- speaking; wage 2,000/day

Stand-In

Edward Norton: 6’, fair-medium complexion, medium frame
(shoe 9, waist 32, chest,
38-39)
Naomi Watts: 5’5”, fair complexion, small frame
(shoe 7, waist 25, chest, 33)
Toby Jones: 5’8”, medium complexion, medium build
(shoe 7, waist 25, chest, 33); - only 5 -
10 days

- Requirements for height and measurements are somewhat flexible
- Ideal for artists wanting on-set experience; involves standing in for
above-mentioned actors during lighting adjustment in preparation for
each scene
- A lot of time will be spent on set, active time: working directly
with director for the actors, down-time: can be spent reading
- Must be available at least on weekdays over the next month in
Beijing. Preferably a long-term commitment, which would involve
shooting with the crew from 8/22 – 9/13 in Beijing, and 9/14 – 11/7 in
Shanghai and Guangxi
- Wage: 30 dollars U.S./day; hours: 5 – 12 hrs/day

Please send your photo, no more than two (one headshot, one body shot)
at the earliest possible time to :
Specific Roles and Stand-In: pvcasting@east-line.com
Other: talent@east-line.com

Edward's upcoming birthday, More Useless Trivia

Only a few more days remain until Edward's 36th birthday (Aug 18). What do you give a man who's got so much? Why not donate to one of Edward's favorite charitable organizations. The Enterprise Foundation provides affordable housing to low-income families. The organization was started by his grandfather James Rouse. Edward himself donated $1.1 million in January 2004 and is on the Board of Trustees. You might also consider the Nature Conservancy. Edward's father Ed Norton is the senior adviser to the Yunnan Great Rivers Project in China. The Signature Theatre Company devotes an entire season to the work of one playwright. Before his film debut in Primal Fear, Edward was in Signature's production of Edward Albee's Fragments and he received an Obie for his performance in Burn This in 2002. He also serves on their Board of Trustees. Edward also works with the The Friends of the High Line, which is an organization working towards the preservation of the High Line, an elevated train line in Manhattan. Edward devotes a good deal of his time to drawing attention to these worthy causes and I'm sure that he would be grateful for a donation as a birthday gift.

A Backstage.com article on Ron Livingston includes this interesting bit of trivia: "While at Yale, Livingston appeared in a production of Henry IV with Paul Giamatti and directed classmates Edward Norton and Jennifer Westfeldt in The Cherry Orchard." No Longer 'That Guy'

Poll, More KOH, Solar demand heating up

Edward Norton participated in a poll "to find the 100 songs, movies, TV shows and books that 'changed the world' in the opinion of musicians, actors and industry experts" which is going to be published in Uncut Magazine. Other participants included Paul McCartney, Noel Gallagher, Robert Downey Jr, Keith Richards, Lou Reed, Brian Wilson, Patti Smith and Juliette Lewis. The dialogue among today's artists about the cultural impact of songs, films, etc. is important. However, the articles on this story read like a press release to buy the magazine.

Contact Music reports some comments EN made to Empire Magazine about Kingdom of Heaven

EDWARD NORTON decided his role as a leper monarch in recent blockbuster KINGDOM OF HEAVEN should be uncredited because he wanted to bolster the sense of mystery surrounding the masked character.

The twice-Oscar nominated actor believed his part as KING BALDWIN in the historical epic had to be as low key as possible, because it would benefit the characterisation of ORLANDO BLOOM's lead role.

Norton tells British magazine Empire, "I didn't want to be billed because Orlando Bloom's character keeps hearing about him.

"There's this anticipation, this big mystery about him. It's the whole point.

"And it was a free trip to Morocco!"

Today's New York Times has an article discussing a solar power drawback: the increasing demand has led to shortages in solar panels. The article also makes mention of California's Million Solar Roofs legislation. EN has been a vocal supporter of the legislation and he set up the Solar Neighbors Program. NYT: Shortages Stifle a Boom Time for the Solar Industry

Painted Veil filming, Just Rumors, It's a boy!!

Today's CRIENGLISH.com reports that filming on The Painted Veil will start on August 15 at Beijing Film Studios. Other locations include Shanghai and the southeastern province of Guangxi. Shooting is supposed to last about 12 weeks.

The casting rumors about "La scala di Dioniso" (mentioned below) are, in fact, just rumors.

The National Zoo panda cub had its first exam on August 2 where it was discovered to be a male (weight 1.82 pounds and length 12 inches). He will be named by the Chinese when he is 100 days old. And I'm still glued to the Panda Cam

La scala di Dioniso, Panda cam

From the Italian film news, EN, Gary Oldman and Anthony Hopkins have been talked about for roles in the film adaption of "La scala di Dioniso" by Luca Di Fulvio to be directed by Gabriele Salvatores. All of the info I can find on this project has been in Italian. I'm not sure whether this casting has moved beyond the "wishful thinking" phase into the realm of possibility. If you're interested in reading more about this, check out the July 6 Cinematografo.it [Thanks to Silvia for the info] [NOTE: they are just rumors]

I guess it's time to admit it. I'm obsessed with the Panda Cam. A little over three weeks ago, a panda cub was born at the National Zoo. Ever since, the Panda Cam (supplanting my previous obsession with the National Zoo's Cheetah Cam) has occupied a corner of my computer screen at both home and work, and my speakers stay at high volume to carry the vocalizations of the cub. Take a look at the cub below with mom Mei Xiang. Panda Cam at Animal Planet site and National Zoo Panda Cam (tends to get overloaded)

NY Daily News

Today's New York Daily News has a few paragraphs on EN

Development hell: Ed Norton isn't mourning stadium

If movie star Edward Norton never hears another mention of the West Side stadium, it'll be too soon.

At Wednesday night's Friends of the High Line summer benefit, the West Village resident voiced his disdain for the Mayor Bloomberg-endorsed plan to build a new home for the Jets.

"I'm so happy that didn't happen," Norton told Lowdown. "I think that was an attempt to get the New York taxpayer to pay for a bunch of rich people - who already have enough money and already have stadiums in great places - to make more money. And it shouldn't be characterized as anything else."

While the Public Authorities Control Board in Albany rejected the football team's bid last month, the Jets have vowed to keep trying.

But Norton insisted: "I do not think that a bunch of rich sports owners need the public to build stadiums for them and devastate the already bad traffic situation on the West Side."

The actor has urban planning in his blood. His grandfather was James Rouse, who developed the South Street Seaport, Boston's Faneuil Hall, Baltimore's Harborplace and the entire town of Columbia, Md.

And what about the Friends of the High Line's efforts to convert 1.5 miles of elevated rail on the West Side into a park?

"He would have loved this project," Norton said. "He was a big believer that you could revitalize the city with the resources that were already in it.

Kingdom of Heaven DVD, Looking forward

According to a Reuters article ("'Kingdom' DVD for DIY documentary makers") posted today, the Kingdom of Heaven DVD will be released on October 11. The makers of the DVD "created an interactive production grid that allows viewers to assemble their choice of 16 custom documentaries, ranging in length from eight minutes to 90 minutes and based on their own interests." Other features include "five hours of other bonus materials, including a streaming text commentary with historical notes about the Crusades, an A&E "Movie Real" feature titled "History vs. Hollywood," and interviews with [Orlando] Bloom and [director Ridley] Scott.

It's pretty quiet now so I thought you might want to know what to expect in the coming months. Filming should start on The Painted Veil in August (unless it's been pushed back). EN is producing and starring in the film along with Naomi Watts. What about release dates for Down in the Valley and The Illusionist? Both of these films (as well as the The Painted Veil) are independent films. Neither currently have distribution deals (at least none that have been reported in the trades). Until the distribution rights have been sold, there's no way of knowing when to expect them at your local theater. [flatbroke's note: I believe I was wrong in the case of The Painted Veil. I think that Warners Independent Pictures is involved in the film, however, it's not yet mentioned on their official website]

Solar Roofs opposition, Stella

Today's L.A. Times has an article on growing opposition to the Million Solar Roofs Initiative, a California bill that EN has been vocally supporting. Governor's Solar Plan Is Generating Opposition

Don't forget to catch the premiere episode of Stella Tuesday night on Comedy Central. EN has a small cameo in the episode. If you can't wait, take a look at the episode which is posted on the Stella website

More press on Solar project and LAFF, Ricky Jay, High Line Benefit

EN made the first few minutes of tonight's Entertaiment Tonight. The Newslink section started off with pictures of Brad Pitt with a family that apparently was receiving a new solar system through EN's Solar Neighbors program. Footage of EN at Friday's Million Solar Roofs Initiative press conference was shown. They also explained the principle of EN's Solar Neighbors program: if a celebrity buys a solar powered system for their house, BP will donate a second solar system to a low income family. Pitt is thinking about getting a system, while EN already has one for his L.A. home. Jessica found an article on the ET website which goes into detail on EN and the Solar Neighbors program and even has a video of EN talking about the program when he was at the press conference Brad Pitt Joins the Solar Cause . Here's some excerpts from the article [Thanks to Jessica for the article!!]

"Solar energy is natural and important in California, and we think it's extremely important that affordable housing and low-income families be included in the solar model and in any solar subsidy program," says Norton, who has recruited some of his highest-profile friends to join the cause -- like LEONARDO DiCAPRIO, California governor ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER and Brad, who are all trying to determine the best course of action for their residences.

"I started with some of my colleagues and friends who I knew were interested in the issues," says Norton. "Brad's interested not only in environmental issues but also in design and stuff, so he was interested in the architectural aspect of it. Danny [Devito] and Rhea [Perlman] are involved in a lot of great social causes and things like that, and then you have people like DARYL HANNAH or Pierce [Brosnan] who are specifically interested in environmental issues. Everybody loves the fact that in buying a system -- taking that step for their own families -- that they're engaging another family within our community."

RenewableEnergyAccess.com has another article on the Million Solar Roofs Initiative press conference Star Power Promotes Solar Power Comingsoon.net has a small article on the Down in the Valley premiere at the LA Film Festival. Down in the Valley Premieres at LAFF. This Saturday's New York Times had an article on Ricky Jay, who served as a consultant on The Illusionist, and his new book "Extraordinary Exhibitions". NYT: Step Right Up, Folks. Behold What Amazes!. Visit Ricky Jay's website

Tickets are now on sale for The Friends of the High Line Summer Benefit. One of the honorees is Ed Norton (Edward's father and the Founding Chairman of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy). EN is one of the event's co-chairs. FHL's Summer Benefit

Million Solar Roofs Initiative

A small article in the Press-Telegram described the Million Solar Roofs Initiative presentation that took place on Friday. EN, Ed Begley Jr. and a few California lawmakers were there. "Norton said in a statement that installing solar panels on low-income homes 'helps reduce energy bills for families who can benefit from those savings the most.' Press-Telegram: Backers of solar panel bill join forces For more information on Million Solar Roofs, go to MillionSolarRoofs.org

Valley LA premiere

Down in the Valley opened the LA Film Festival last night, which also served as its premiere in the U.S. There are no articles on the event thus far, but there has been a blog entry from the L.A. Times: Opening night? You could say it was a zoo... The blogger was not enchanted with the film but it provides an idea of the atmosphere. From the Reuters wire photos EN, director David Jacobson, and cast members Rory Culkin and Bruce Dern were present (according to the blog, David Morse was also there). You might want to check out the entertainment news programs such as Entertainment Tonight, E! News, Access Hollywood, The Insider, etc. this evening for any red carpet interviews from the event, but chances are they'll spent reams of time on the just announced Tom Cruise- Katie Holmes engagement.

Hopefully, we'll also get some coverage of EN and others as they try to draw attention for the Million Solar Roofs Initiative this morning.

LA Film Festival, Million Solar Roofs, High Line

Tonight Down in the Valley will be the opening film for the L.A. Film Festival. Hopefully, they'll be some good articles afterward. 

Tomorrow, EN will be one of the speakers talking about California's Million Solar Roofs Bill (SB1). He, along with other celebrities and California legislators, will be at 123 East 80th Street in Los Angeles at 11:30 talking about this legislation.This is according to a press release from Global Green USA (it hasn't yet been posted on their website) posted on Business Wire. Read the press release: L.A. Community Leaders, Celebrities, Call for Statewide "Million Solar Roofs" Initiative EN has been active in promoting solar energy. He set up the BP Solar Neighbors Program

The Friends of the High received some good news this week from a federal transportation board. EN has been one of the supporters of this organization that works for the preservation of the High Line. More info can found at Friends of the High Line website

Stella, follow-up on Illusionist filming

EN has a cameo in the new Comedy Central show Stella starring the comedy troupe Stella (Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter and David Wain). There's a sneak peek of the show at the Comedy Central website. EN's brief appearance occurs well into the episode. Stella premieres on June 28 [Thanks to Alyssa for the info!!!]. David Wain was in EN's directorial debut Keeping the Faith

A May 29th post on the IMDB Illusionist Message Board stated that "...principal schooting ended yesterday in Krkonose, Czech Republic." Another post mentions sightings of Illusionist co-stars Paul Giamatti and Jessica Biel in Los Angeles.

Still Filming?, Summer's Hottest Fashion Accessory

Is The Illusionist still filming? An article posted today on the Hollywood Reporter's website ('Quiet' guy role speaks to Maguire) stated that producer Michael London "recently completed filming the romantic comedy 'The Family Stone' for Fox 2000 and 'The Illusionist,' which stars Edward Norton as a magician who manages to secure the love of a woman above his standing." I checked the production listings in the June 7-13, 2005 edition of Hollywood Reporter. It still lists The Illusionist and doesn't have it as one of the films wrapping this week.

Today's USA Today has an article listing EN as one of the actors sporting the hottest fashion accessory of the season. What is it? A mask!? Well, check out the article Mask Appeal which includes the following comment about EN in Kingdom of Heaven: " A sterling performance lies beneath the silver mask worn by Edward Norton in the Crusades epic."

Anne Bancroft, Down in the Valley Press Book, Audio Clips

The unforgettable Anne Bancroft passed away this week. Although she is best known for her roles in The Graduate and The Miracle Worker, she also played Ben Stiller's Jewish mother in Edward Norton's directorial debut Keeping the Faith

I've posted the Down in the Valley press book which contains a good amount of detail on the making of the film in the Production Notes. It also contains a synopsis which you might chose to avoid altogether since it contains a massive amount of PLOT SPOILERS.

I've added audio clips of EN's interviews: Inside the Actor's Studio, Charlie Rose Show (7/24/03), Sunday Morning Shootout (10/12/03), Larry King Live (1/24/04)

The Le Grand Journal video clip has been removed from the official website. I've posted the 22 minute show in Real Player format which is unfortunately a lower quality video resolution. Le Grand Journal

WSOP rumor, Million Solar Roofs Initiative

A press release from sportsbook.com is giving EN 250-1 odds to win this year's World Series of Poker main event. These odds may be more favorable than they should be considering he may not even be there. Sportsbook.com is giving odds on professional poker players as well as celebrities Ben Affleck, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon and EN. However, I don't know how they've confirmed that any of them will be there. There is no mention of EN on the WSOP official site. It's true that EN had previously participated alongside Matt Damon in the WSOP in 1998. There are two important things to note about that 1998 event: it was before their poker movie Rounders was released in theaters so their involvement served as great publicity for the film and also Miramax supplied the $10,000 buy-in for each. In past years, I've heard some rumors about EN and the WSOP, but to my knowledge they were just rumors. You may want to hold onto your money until there's something more concrete. The WSOP No-Limit Texas Hold'em championship runs July 7-15.

The Million Solar Roofs Initiative has passed the California State Senate. "SB1 would create a ten-year program of incentives for solar photovoltaic (PV) systems with the goal of installing one million solar systems throughout the state while leading to a self-sufficient solar industry." EN has been promoting the use of solar energy systems in his Solar Neighbors Program. Million Solar Roofs Victory in California Senate

Time Magazine has an article on Illusionist co-star Paul Giamatti called The World's Best Character Actor

Screen Daily review

Screen Daily has posted a favorable review of Down in the Valley

Hailed as the De Niro of his generation, Edward Norton finally has a chance to remind us why in Down In The Valley. After a string of supporting roles and odd career choices (The Italian Job, The Score, Kingdom Of Heaven etc), he once again takes centre stage with a charismatic performance as a delusional lost soul whose innocent demeanour conceals a whole world of trouble.

His work lends distinction to a tale of star-crossed lovers that may be too much of a downbeat, doom-laden character piece for most mainstream tastes. It still represents a significant move forward in confidence and polish for Dahmer director David Jacobson and seems likely to provide solid returns from careful nurturing as a specialised release.

Similar in spirit to the revered American cinema of the 1970s, Down In The Valley is also very much a latterday western in the mode of the Kirk Douglas 1960s classic Lonely Are The Brave, with a cowboy galloping across tarmac, riding the barbed wire range whilst a plane zooms over head and even settling his differences with an old-fashioned shoot-out.

[Further dowin in the review]

Dressed in blue jeans and white singlet most of the time, a boyish Norton conjures up images of James Dean, Martin Sheen in Badlands and even De Niro’s Travis Bickle when Harlan stands in his hotel room, twirling guns, transfixed by his own image reflected back in the mirror. He never begs sympathy for the character or stands aside to judge him but plays the sad, misguided reality of a man convinced he can be something that he is not. His troubles arise from the best of intentions.

Even Rachel Wood is quietly effective as Tobe, a character that develops beyond the conventional into someone smart enough to finally recognise that all is not right with her devoted admirer. Morse brings the weight to the father that we have come to expect of him, especially from his work under the direction of Sean Penn.

It may be a slow burner and a mite idiosyncratic but Down In The Valley is strongly acted, atmospherically photographed and does have some reward for the patient viewer.

Down in the Valley interview

There was a press session at Cannes for Down in the Valley. JoBlo has posted a Q&A with EN as well as one with director David Jacobson. The JoBlo piece also includes a picture someone took of the film poster. Here are some excerpts of EN's interview:

You didn’t take a writing credit?

No, it’s David’s vision. This character Harlan and these critical elements of: “What would happen if Shane walked in a Western town today, and what would he encounter if he got involved with the family?” are his. That was a brilliant idea, doing a Western in the modern West. I worked a great deal on the script with David, we wrote a lot of the film together, but it was very much born of this very strange and specific vision that David had of the Valley and Harlan and stuff. So I produced it.

I enjoy the process when you’re feeling that you’re flying from the seat of your pants on a film. This experience was shorter, but it reminded me a lot like working on FIGHT CLUB. Every day would be like: “Wait a minute, wait a minute, how is this going to work? Can we do this? He wakes up in a Western town?” I mean, how many people are we going to leave behind right here?” If by the end of the movie, we’re somewhere under 50% of the people in the theatre no longer with us, then we’re fine with it. It’s a fun place to be, it’s stimulating, it's fun to ask yourself: What’s you reference point here? What kind of story is this? Working in a place where you’re kind of not really sure how unorthodox you can get with your structure or how far you can stretch your surrealism before it breaks or doesn’t hold. I don’t know if we succeeded or not, but it's fun to see it through on its own terms.

[later in the interview]

You seem in charge of your career, how do you choose your projects?

Sometimes I have a harder time finding things that feel like they're attempting anything original, have something to say or are just a good genre piece. And suddenly, a flood comes in where you catch a couple. Or like THE PAINTED VEIL or something. I’ve been trying to produce that movie for 6 years and it finally came together with the right people and money. And then it happens to be popping out among some other ones, and then you get busier, For me, it's just more kind of having the willingness to have it ebb and flow; I don’t really enjoy something that’s not a little bit fresh for me.

DOWN IN THE VALLEY was very special for me, I think David is very brilliant and courageous in the way of my favorite filmmakers I’ve worked with: Fincher, Spike Lee and Milos. He’s willing and committed to the idea, he’s not going to try to make you feel comfortable with the film, he doesn’t define a positive film experience as one where you leave the movie understanding totally and feeling good about it or comfortable about it. He’s willing to say that exhaustion is a success, or that confusion is a success, or just being disturbed is a success. You can say: well sure…but when you really get down to it, there are a lot of highly regarded filmmakers who I don’t think for a second would leave their audience uncertain as to what the movie was about or uncomfortable with it.

People sit around and say how great RAGING BULL is, but the bottom line is that most people were exhausted. If you’re honest, the first time you saw that movie it beat the shit out of you! A lot of people panned it when it came out. I think increasingly, it takes a very specific type of filmmaker in the current environment to say: "Look, I’m not here to provide redemption, I’m not here to give you an experience that you can encapsulate to your friends 5 minutes after you saw it, that’s no necessarily the definition of a terrific film".

And David is really rigorous; he never bulked from the idea of letting that character remain an enigma and forcing people to ask themselves, sort through their own reactions to it. He just impressed me a great deal early on with the strangeness of those visions. When we were working on the script, he sent me a disc with photographs on it of the valley, there was maybe 150 photographs of the valley, there was all those things, it was like hills and a highway, power lines and houses and it was just gorgeous. He’s got a real feeling for what he wants to depict here. He has a sense of how he wants to show what the modern West has become. And sometimes you just want to dive in on somebody’s wave.

Arte interview, EN's Valley contribution, Giamatti on Illusionist

Another Down in the Valley interview was aired, this time on May 18 on the show "Arte". Unfortunately, there is no video, but Fleur was kind enough to transcribe this interview as well.

"Comment – Telling about the incursion of an ambiguous character inside a Californian family, Down in the Valley disintegrates the American Dream. Modern western, mad cowboy and motherless family are the ingredients of a society that is out of phase with its environment and in which everyone has difficulties to find its place.

David Jacobson – There is not a strong sense of community or society anymore in America. It’s more about the individual and the individual rights. The cowboy is really the body of that.

Edward Norton – America has so much of its identity represented in the ideal of the western mythology. I think that the film examines what has happened to that spirit. You get the strong sensation in the film of people trapped in modernity.

David Jacobson – I’m not someone who wants to argue about the "perfect nuclear family" with husband and wife and three children. But I definitely think there is a lack of parenting - with actual parents but also a social level of parenting, helping children to grow up and sort of learn who they are.

I have my own political take on "is Harlan a good or a bad man?" but I want the viewer to have the ability to struggle with that question: "was he good or was he bad?". In a sense I think that’s a more mature way of seeing the world, to see that kind of complexity and ambiguity."

On May 14, there was a panel discussion among filmmakers at Cannes where they talked about making independent films. It was described in the Variety article "Indies: A matter of vision". There was one relevent comment: "And David Jacobson, the director of 'Down in the Valley,' said that his star Ed Norton fully supported the helmer's vision and helped steer the pic through the financial waters."

In an interview SciFi Wire Paul Giamatti talked a little bit about The Illusionist. Here's some of the new info:

Giamatti said that The Illusionist will have fantastical elements as well. "It does," he said. "Without giving too much of it away, it does. It's undercut in some ways, but it's ambiguous about what's real and what's not and what's actual. ... Not necessarily just magic, but there's all sorts of weird stuff with spiritualism and spirits being summoned and stuff like that. How much of it is real and how much of it is not is left somewhat ambiguous in the end."

Could EN become a second story man after being chased by the secret police?

Today's Philadelphia Daily News has a little snippet on the upcoming book "Confessions of a Second Story Man: Junior Kripplebauerand the K&A Gang" by Allen Hornblum. "...Hornblum says copies are in the hands of Hollywood hitters such as Vince Vaughn, Ed Norton and Tobey Maguire. He hopes film rights are optioned." Are we likely to see EN in this story? He already has several projects in the works, but you never know.

Premiere magazine (June 2005 edition with Batman Bale on the cover) "The Slate" section has a little more on The Illusionist:

At another end of the time-space continuum - Vienna, circa 1900 - Edward Norton's "master mesmerist, hypnotist, illusionist, magician guy" in The Illusionist has weightier concerns - namely, seducing a princess and undermining the royal house of Austria. "They put the chief inspector of secret police on his trail to destroy his reputation," says Paul Giamatti. "I play that guy."

You too can carry the sword of the King of Jerusalem. In the same Premiere edition mentioned above, there is an ad at the back for "The Kingdom of Heaven" collection offered by Museum Replicas Limited. Swords, shields, axes, tunics are available for purchase to satisfy your inner warrior. Mask not included.

Down in the Valley articles

IndieWire's Critic Notebook included the following comment on Down in the Valley

The truth of a mysterious stranger's identity is also unveiled in David Jacobson's psychological drama "Down in the Valley," a showcase for a topnotch turn from Edward Norton as a charismatic sociopath, ably supported by a glowing Rachel Evan Wood. The film fumbled around interminably, though, in search of its ending.

Tomorrow's Newsday has a story on both Down in the Valley and "The King." Here's an excerpt:

In "Down in the Valley," Jacobson (who debuted with the serial killer bio-pic "Dahmer") gives us Edward Norton as a self-styled South Dakota cowboy whose gift of gab is surpassed only by his shooting and roping skills.

Norton's sensationally seductive performance keeps the film's simmering violence under wraps as his character romances a willful Los Angeles valley girl ("Thirteen's" Evan Rachel Wood) and chums it up with her impressionable younger brother (Rory Culkin) over the objections of their cop father (David Morse).

Things get nasty after a time, but not in ways that you might be able to anticipate. Norton, whose breakout role was as a soft-spoken sociopath in "Primal Fear," has a way with guys whose tender exterior conceals a demon within.

Le Grand Journal video, more post-Cannes, KOH

The Le Grand Journal video is now online (it should come through automatically through the link, if not it's labelled "SAMEDI 14 MAI" on the lower left side of the page). EN's appearance lasts the full program (approx 22 minutes) with the major part of the interview conducted at the beginning. Fleur was kind enough to provide a translation of the interview. The interview includes a clip from the film, a confrontation between EN and David Morse in front of Rory Culkin. There is also a clip of Evan Rachel Wood thanking EN which must have been done either before or after the photocall - she is sitting in front of what looks to be a poster of the film, similar to the pic below (from L.A. Film Festival). Le Grand Journal video [Thanks again to Fleur for letting me know about the interview and for providing the translation. Thanks also to Stéphanie for letting me know that they had posted the video]

I checked the entertainment news programs last night and while there was Cannes coverage, not one even mentioned EN or Down in the Valley. EN was not so lucky in Entertainment Weekly's Cannes 2005: Midway Report, which took a swipe at both the film and the afterparty.

Today's Boston Herald has more on EN and KOH (under the Viggo Mortensen story)

Why, oh why, would any actor want to play a role where he's literally invisible?

"It was for kicks," said "Kingdom of Heaven" co-star and Oscar-nominated Edward Norton, who plays Jerusalem's 12th-century Christian king, a leper whose silver mask covers all but his eyes.

Norton said he pined to work with Ridley Scott, but when the "Kingdom" director offered him only the role as the evil French baron, Ed took a pass.

He had already played enough bad guys, including his most recent turn in "Down in the Valley," his Cannes entry that he also co-produced.

In 'Valley,' Norton rides the San Fernando Valley freeways as a twisted modern cowboy who lusts for a teenage girl played by Evan Rachel Ward.

"So who's playing the guy in the mask?," Norton said he asked Scott.

And Ridley replied, "I'll get someone with a good James Mason voice."

So Norton, using his best James Mason voice, then left a message on the director's voice mail - and got the part!

post Cannes, Settling the score

EN was a guest on Le Grand Journal Saturday night. Fleur was kind enough to make an English translation of the interview for everyone to enjoy. EN talked about the importance of clothes to create his character in Down in the Valley. He also mentioned that he is almost finished writing Motherless Brooklyn and he might make it next year. Le Grand Journal EN appearance [Thanks again to Fleur for all your hard work!!!].

By now, EN is probably back on the set of The Illusionist. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to have been a press conference at Cannes for Down in the Valley. So I'm not expecting any in-depth articles to come out post Cannes, unless interviews were given to individual journalists instead of the pack. Variety has this useless story about the premiere afterparty, but it includes a nice pic 'Valley' girls descent on fete. Today's Hollywood Reporter has an article about the market at Cannes. "U.S. distributor response was mixed on several much-anticipated festival titles, including Dominik Moll's 'Lemming,' Atom Egoyan's 'Where the Truth Lies,' Kim Ki-duk's 'The Bow,' Marco Tullio Giordana's 'Once You're Born You Can No Longer Hide' and David Jacobson's Edward Norton starrer 'Down in the Valley.'" HR: Majors' buys boost slow market. Hopefully, the film's fate will be decided soon. I've added more pics from the film to the Gallery. I'll add photos on the Cannes premiere as they become available.

I received an email from Vanilla about Peter Salett composing the score for Down in the Valley. This seemed strange since back in December, Nathan Larson was hired for the job. Sure enough, petersalett.com has it on the main page and when I rechecked the HR review, Salett is credited. Peter Salett previously contributed songs to Keeping the Faith and the Maldonado Miracle (directed by Salma Hayek). Edward interviewed Salett for an Interview Magazine June 2004 article

More Cannes

The Variety review is more complimentary [although the writer calls Wood's character "Tove" instead of "Tobe" throughout the body of the review]. The review contains some plot points (so be forewarned). The pic below is from Sunday's Variety Cannes newspaper which contains the review. Here are some excerpts:

Following two striking, but little-seen low-budget features, writer-director David Jacobson paints on a larger canvas for "Down in the Valley." Result is imperfect and overlong, but hugely ambitious and often breathtaking. The story of a charismatic stranger's encounter with a suburban family is transformed into a contemplation of myths of the American West and the dangerous pull of movie illusion. Downbeat tone and stream-of-consciousness narrative feel circa 1975 and signal a tough road commercially in 2005. "Down" should garner attention, however, for its gallery of outstanding performances (led by star-producer Edward Norton) and the original vision of its prodigiously talented maker.

[Further down in the review]

First hour makes for especially riveting viewing, thanks to the cool confidence of Jacobson's direction and story's unpredictability. In a role that capitalizes on his chameleonic gifts, Norton is superb, projecting some of the lazy sexuality of the young Jeff Bridges in the early courtship scenes and, later, a volatile menace worthy of his own Oscar-nominated turns in "Primal Fear" and "American History X."

Wood is likewise excellent at capturing Tove's mix of seductive young womanhood and girlish vulnerability. To Jacobson's credit, there's nothing lurid or exploitative about their scenes together, despite the dramatic age difference between the two thesps.

[Further down in the review]

Shooting in true anamorphic widescreen with d.p. Enrique Chediak, Jacobson constantly evokes the tension between pic's Western and urban elements: a horseback ride alongside the L.A. river basin; freeway headlights shimmering the way stars once did. There also are direct visual homages to two of Jacobson's acknowledged influences, Howard Hawks' "Red River" and John Ford's "My Darling Clementine."

Both the Variety review and the HR review comment on the absence of Ellen Burstyn from the final product. And it is a real disappointment. Her casting announcement has her listed as the foster mother of EN's character Harlan. Her absence seems to be explained by the reviewer's comments. It is the long length of the exploration of Harlan's past which draws some of the criticism in the Variety review.

Cannes

The first photos are up from the Down in the Valley photocall. Many more photos are sure to come.

The first review, from the Hollywood Reporter, has been posted. Unfortunately, it's not too kind. Hopefully, this will be the exception rather than the norm. HR review

VCR alert

The world premiere of Down in the Valley will be at Cannes on Saturday. If you're interested in catching a glimpse of Edward and maybe a few remarks, keep your eye on Monday's entertainment news shows such as Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, E! News, The Insider, and probably a few others I'm forgetting at the moment.

If you live in France, Le Grand Journal will air an interview with EN on Saturday evening. If you don't live in France, they apparently post the previous shows of the week in the video section of Le Grand Journal's website. I'll place a link to it when it becomes available. [Thanks to Fleur for the info!!!]

Los Angeles Film Festival

Today's Variety reports that Down in the Valley will open the Los Angeles Film Festival, which runs June 16-26. The article also includes a new pic

We're just days away from the world premiere of Down in the Valley at Cannes. Here's the synopsis of the film from the official Cannes site

A darkly compelling drama that charts the course of a malevolent and charismatic stranger who insinuates himself into an already troubled family. His increasingly paranoid and dangerous behaviour forces them to fight for their lives and ultimately rediscover their love for one another.

EN and the High Line, EN's "tiny" role

Today's New York Times has a timeline on the High Line, which includes EN's involvement. How Everyone Jumped Aboard a Railroad to Nowhere.

I saw Kingdom of Heaven. I was told that EN had a "tiny" role, a scene and a half. This is not correct. I remember about 6 separate scenes: Baldwin meets Balian, Baldwin and knights discuss the unauthorized raid, Baldwin meets with Saladin, Baldwin disciplines nobleman, Baldwin meets with Balian again with a deal, Baldwin's death scene with Sibylla, (there was also a brief scene later with his corpse - I don't know if he was the corpse). I first found out about the film when there were sightings of EN in Seville, but it looks like at least one of his scenes was filmed in the desert of Morocco (meeting with Saladin, both armies present). Although the role is uncredited, EN is mentioned by name in most of the film reviews and several of them make a point of commenting favorably about his performance. There is much more substance in the character of King Baldwin IV than most of the other characters, partly due to EN's performance and partly due to the writing.

Kingdom of Heaven was at the top of the box office its opening weekend. However, it only grossed about $20 million and it cost about $150 million to make. 'Kingdom of Heaven' worsens box office slump

more on EN and KOH

Tomorrow's Boston Herald has a short article on EN with comments by co-star Eva Green about working with him. 'Heaven' can't mask talent of Norton

Cynics might assume that Norton, as a favor to Scott, voiced the role while an anonymous actor toiled on location as a body double. That theory would explain why Norton opted out of billing alongside supporting players Liam Neeson, Jeremy Irons and Eva Green, the 24-year-old French actress who plays Baldwin's sister, Princess Sibylla. But those cynics would be wrong.

"When I read the script, Baldwin was one of my favorite roles; he moved me so much," Green said. "And then when I screen tested, it was with Orlando Bloom and Edward Norton. Edward is one of my favorite actors. He's an idol."

Green's first scene with Norton was Baldwin's death scene.

"It was extremely difficult," she said. "I had to pretend that this was my brother, and I thought, 'How can I do this? I can't. I can't.' I was so stressed out. I don't know how to translate that into English, but I was a bit disturbed because when he did this scene, he reminded me of someone I knew who was dying. Edward has the sensitivity of a child and is able to do anything - anything. He's very rare as an actor. It was like a dream."

Valley at Cannes, KOH historical accuracy

The Cannes Film Festival schedule is out. Down in the Valley will be shown on May 14. Hopefully, it will get a lot of coverage.

Historians have weighed in on their opinion of Kingdom of Heaven in the Reuters article Film shows Crusades still battleground 800 years on. There are different criticisms among them. Many are around the portrayal of the Muslim commander Saladin, and whether he is presented too sympathetically or simplistically. One criticism is about the character of Balian (Orlando Bloom). His character apparently doubts the existence of God, a belief that would have had him "burned as an agent of the devil" if stated publicly, according to one historian. However, "[director Ridley] Scott is unapologetic, saying he followed historical fact while admitting that cramming the events of more than 200 years into a single film meant some events were given greater significance than others." Film shows Crusades still battleground 800 years on.

Valley Pics, Dirty Work, Anti-Discrimination group satisfied with KOH

Ioncinema.com has posted new pics from Down in the Valley Ioncinema.com [Thanks to Eric for the info!!!]

Dirty Work, the documentary that EN executive produced, is showing this month on The Sundance Channel

Director Ridley Scott screened Kingdom of Heaven for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and received a favorable review for its portrayal of Muslims.

"It's one of the better representations of Muslims we've seen out of Hollywood," said Laila Al-Qatami, a spokeswoman for the Washington-based group. "We thought that he did a good job tackling a potentially volatile subject and avoided doing a simplified, stereotyped story of Muslim vs. Christian."

[further down in article]

Al-Qatami of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee said the only faults her group found with "Kingdom of Heaven" were small historical inaccuracies, changes made to beef up the movie's drama and romantic subplot involving Bloom's and Green's characters.

"At the end of the day, we're happy," Al-Qatami said. "I think it's a fair picture of cultural and religious relations of the time."

Painted Veil moving ahead

Tomorrow's Sydney Morning Herald has an interview with Naomi Watts entitled Mega Watts. It mentions that she's scheduled to start filming Painted Veil in August. There's nothing else about the film in the article. An earlier report from Variety had filming beginning in September. I'm not sure when filming on The Illusionist is scheduled to end, but it doesn't look like he's going to have much time for between films, especially if there is a rehearsal period before Painted Veil. EN is a producer on the film.

Illusionist Set, Ricky Jay

Coming Soon! has posted pictures of the set of The Illusionist. The set was built in the historic town of Tabor, Czech Republic. Secrets of The Illusionist Set Revealed. Illusionist consultant Ricky Jay brings "Ricky Jay and His 52 Assistants" to D.C. for 15 performances starting on May 4. Ricky Jay official site