News: Nov 27, 2012

 

Mike Fleming Interviews ‘Broken City’ Helmer Allen Hughes On His First Solo Film

DEADLINE: Lumet always had a strong corrupt antagonist. What was the challenge in getting Russell Crowe to sign on? He wasn’t doing a lot of movies at the time.
HUGHES : We had a heavy who is part King Of New York, part Gordon Gekko. It was a challenge to get Russell. We knew we needed a movie star, but Russell’s a different kind of movie star: he’s also a great fucking actor, you know. And there are all these legendary stories about Russell, so I was anxious to sit down with him and see how we would jell. We sat down and I saw the way his mind was working, the zone he was in as he was just getting into crazy physical shape. We went a few rounds and we were so clearly on the same page. There was a kinship there I didn’t expect. And the idea of teaming him with Mark Wahlberg had both of us excited.

DEADLINE: I’ve heard that Russell challenges his directors. True?
HUGHES: I found Russell to be very much like Denzel Washington was on Book Of Eli. As their director, you better know your shit and know what the fuck you’re talking about. You better be on your shit, every day, know what you’re doing all the time and have a point of view. He respects that. If you’re not coming with your A-game and you don’t have a point of view, you’re going to get obliterated. So I didn’t have that problem with him. Wait until you see his performance, man. It is an actor’s actor performance. My man is in a zone right now, and you could see it from the moment he showed up to the set. (Deadline.com)

5 Oscar contenders everyone is talking about—and one nobody is (yet)

Movie: Les Misérables

In Theaters: Dec. 25

Directed by: Tom Hopper

Starring: Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman, Amanda Seyfried, Russell Crowe, Helena Bonham Carter, Sacha Baron Cohen

Oscar Potential: Universal Pictures wants Academy members to consider the film version of the classic stage musical (and even more classic Victor Hugo novel) about 19th-century French student revolutionaries and a convict-turned-mayor for Best Picture, Director, Actor (Jackman), Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Adapted Screenplay, technical awards and Best Original Song (for "Suddenly," the token new song that most stage-to-film musicals tack on). The movie has been getting lots of attention for the groundbreaking tactic of actually letting the actors sing live rather than having them lip sync to a recording of their own voices—visually and vocally, it's a winning combination that leaves the movie with strong chances in the major all-around categories. (CNN)

Les Misérables Film Soundtrack Will Have Dec. 26 Release

A single-disc highlights album of Tom Hooper's film adaptation of the Tony and Olivier Award-winning hit musical Les Miserables will be released Dec. 26, according to Amazon.com.

Universal Republic is releasing the album that features live vocals recorded on set during the filming of the epic musical. As previously reported, the cast, including Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway and Aaron Tveit, recorded all of their singing live during filming, listening to piano accompaniment through a hidden earpiece. (Playbill.com)