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The independent and alternative cinema showcase (Apr 28 - May 7) will have the world premiere of Choi Seung-ho’s controversial Spy Nation.

The 17th Jeonju International Film Festival (Jiff) has announced it will open with Robert Burdeau’s Born To Be Blue, starring Ethan Hawke as Chet Baker.

South Korea’s second largest film festival - focused on independent and alternative cinema - Jiff will close with the remastered version of Ryoo Seung-wan’s feature directorial debut Die Bad.

New Jiff festival director Lee Choong-jik said: “Ryoo Seung-wan’s film was in to the first edition of the Jeonju International Film Festival. It is now in its 17th edition and Ryoo Seung-wan has grown into a director who represents Korean cinema. Director Ryoo still has the independent film spirit, even when he’s making commercial films. That spirit is something we have in common. We’re reviving the 10-day festival’s Closing Film and expanding outdoor screenings, and it...

Derek Jarman is remembered as an innovative film-maker and artist but his stage work is key to his career – even his own residence was a performance

Derek Jarman wandered into theatre, as he did into much of his creative life. The stage design department at the Slade School of Art in 1963 was casually structured, and, for the era, an uncloseted zone of gaiety. He'd previously slapped a distemper brush on scenes for Lorca's Blood Wedding and other plays put on by fellow students at King's College, London. He had not seen much theatre, as movies – even concerts – came cheaper; the first production that really excited him was Peter Brook's short and gory staging of Antonin Artaud's Spurt of Blood in the RSC's 1964 Theatre of Cruelty season.

Jarman put a lot of effort into his design course, outlining a surreal play, The Billboard Promised Land (a mashup of The Wizard of Oz...

BFI to show 78-minute film Will You Dance With Me? – shot by director in 1984 with video camera in gay club in east London

Almost exactly 20 years after his death, a previously unseen film by Derek Jarman has come to light, shot inside a gay nightclub in east London, and will be premiered next month.

At 78 minutes in length, the film is unedited, experimental footage that the avant garde director shot in 1984 at Benjy's, a former nightclub in Mile End to a soundtrack of, among other artists, Frankie Goes to Hollywood.

Jarman, inspired at the time by his newly purchased video camera, was exploring ideas for his film-maker friend Ron Peck, experimenting in how to capture dancing for Peck's feature film Empire State, made around three years later.

Peck decided to release the tape, entitled Will You Dance with Me?, to coincide with other events this year celebrating Jarman – a retrospective...

With their snippets of poetry, drawings, film storyboards, thoughts, plans and photographs, Derek Jarman's sketchbooks offer a rare insight into an artist's mind at work. Sean O'Hagan takes a look

See our gallery of images from Derek Jarman's sketchbooks here

There are so many different Derek Jarmans that it feels strange to focus on just one aspect of the man," writes pop culture historian Jon Savage in one of the many essays-cum- recollections threaded though the beautifully produced Derek Jarman's Sketchbooks. And yet the ideas mapped out in the 31 private sketchbooks the controversial filmmaker, artist and gay activist produced throughout his working life are like blueprints for his many and varied projects, and show off a restless creative temperament that roamed far and wide for its inspiration.

Jarman, who died aged 52 in 1994, was one of the last of the great underground filmmakers, merging myth, queer politics and...

Shot entirely on location in the incredible Stoneleigh Abbey in Warwickshire, England, director Derek Jarman’s re-imagining of The Tempest is a bizarro Shakespearian fever dream that actually does stick to much of the original story, but incorporates Jarman’s signature homoerotic imagery and straight up odd visual style. If you know this classic tale, you’ll follow the story with relative ease, picking out bits and pieces of Shakespeare’s original dialogue, but if you don’t know it by heart, Jarman’s vision can quickly become a confusing mash of bugged out Old English recantation and supernatural struggles of power.

Like the original story, the film centers around the magician and ex-Duke of Milan, Prospero (Heathecote Williams), along with his beautiful daughter Miranda (Toyah Willcox) and their downright scary servant, Caliban (Jack Birkett), all of which now live alone in a decrepit mansion on an island. Only visible to Prospero,...

Olivier Theatre, London

Forget Boris Karloff with a bolt through his neck. Forget even Peter Boyle as the new, improved monster singing Puttin' On The Ritz in the Mel Brooks pastiche. What you get in Danny Boyle's production and Nick Dear's adaptation of Mary Shelley's mythic fable, with Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller alternating as Victor Frankenstein and the Creature, is neither shlock nor satire. Instead it's a humane, intelligent retelling of the original story in which much of the focus is on the plight of the obsessive scientist's sad creation, who becomes his alter ego and his nemesis: it's rather like seeing The Tempest rewritten from Caliban's point of view.

As a piece of staging, it is brilliant. But, before listing its virtues, one has to concede that Boyle and Dear, in focusing more on the victim than on Victor, downplay some of Shelley's themes.

Whenever a filmmaker tackles a Shakespeare play on the big screen, he or she must contend not only with the centuries of live performances of the work but also the prior filmic adaptations. “The Tempest” has made its way through an eclectic variety of directors, including Peter Greenaway (who used the lead character’s library as an excuse to satiate the artist’s fascination with lists and cataloguing in “Prospero’s Books”), Paul Mazursky (re-staging the story as a mid-life crisis metaphor – and featuring a lissome Molly Ringwald in her movie debut – in “Tempest”), and Derek Jarman (who put his own spin...

Made for a rumored $60 million dollars, the Broadway-bound Spider-Man musical (!) Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark is slated to open in January 2011. The actors have rehearsed, the sets have been built, the costumes have been sewen and the tickets have gone on sale. So what does Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark look like?

The first images from the Julie Taymor influenced production have arrived, and they're weird in that Julie Taymor kind of way.

Taymor's always been a filmmaker that's known for her wild visual side. Look at her adaptations of William Shakespeare's Titus (1999) or The Tempest (slated for release next month), Frida or Across the Universe and you'll see that she's a daring visionary when it comes to fashioning new looks at old source material. So when it came to design the visual look of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Julie Taymor seemed like an interesting choice to make.

Julie Taymor is a crazy person and I mean that in the best possible way. The woman who once made The Lion King not only tolerable but pretty damn great as a Broadway musical is headed back to the big stage and on the receiving end of her hyper-visual style this time is ... Spider-Man?

Yup. While Taymor has become famous for her big screen adaptations of live stage classics by William Shakespeare - Titus and The Tempest - she's bringing everybody's favorite radioactive teen to live theater with Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark.

The opening date has been pushed back slightly on this due to an actor injury but things are still moving ahead and this month's edition of Vogue features the first images from Taymor's latest as shot by Annie Leibovitz. Featured in the shots are Spider-Man, Peter Parker, Mary Jane, The Green Goblin, Carnage and a new...

The works of William Shakespeare have been adapted in a multitude of ways by various filmmakers, ranging from 10 Things I Hate About You (The Taming of The Shrew) to The Lion King (Hamlet). With the exception of Forbidden Planet (The Tempest), however, crossovers into the science fiction genre have been rare. So guess what's in store now? Production Weekly, via their Twitter account, has announced that Michael Caine, Ray Winstone, Vinnie Jones, Gerard Depardieu and Derek Jacobi have been cast in Henry5, a "sci-fi" thriller based on Shakespeare's Henry V. Produced by Arclight Films, the movie will be directed by Michael Anderson and the company's website says that the plot synopsis is as follows: In an age of apocalypse, in a land without a leader, a dissolute prince finds redemption when he crushes a rebellion that threatens to destroy his father's kingdom. But upon assuming the throne himself, he immediately...

The works of William Shakespeare have been adapted in a multitude of ways by various filmmakers, ranging from 10 Things I Hate About You (The Taming of The Shrew) to The Lion King (Hamlet). With the exception of Forbidden Planet (The Tempest), however, crossovers into the science fiction genre have been rare. So guess what's in store now? Production Weekly, via their Twitter account, has announced that Michael Caine, Ray Winstone, Vinnie Jones, Gerard Depardieu and Derek Jacobi have been cast in Henry5, a "sci-fi" thriller based on Shakespeare's Henry V. Produced by Arclight Films, the movie will be directed by Michael Anderson and the company's website says that the plot synopsis is as follows: In an age of apocalypse, in a land without a leader, a dissolute prince finds redemption when he crushes a rebellion that threatens to destroy his father's kingdom. But upon assuming the throne himself, he immediately...

Filed under: Movie News, Cinematical

Assume the port of Mars!

We're about to see Prospero become a woman in Julie Taymor's 'The Tempest,' and now some of William Shakespeare's iconic history plays are getting the science fiction treatment. The upcoming film 'Henry 5' will squeeze three substantial plays -- 'Henry IV, Part 1,' 'Henry IV, Part 2' and 'Henry V' into one feature-length battle extravaganza, and though a reference to Mars rests in 'Henry V,' this sci-fi tale will have a more homegrown feel.

Set in an apocalyptic landscape, the narrative twists are pretty cool, but the real story is in the machismo + serious acting skills casting. Sticking to some of the play's roots -- most notably the turmoil between England and France -- the roster is a who's who of masculine British and French talent: Michael Caine, Ray Winstone,...

Filed under: Movie News, Cinematical

Assume the port of Mars!

We're about to see Prospero become a woman in Julie Taymor's 'The Tempest,' and now some of William Shakespeare's iconic history plays are getting the science fiction treatment. The upcoming film 'Henry 5' will squeeze three substantial plays -- 'Henry IV, Part 1,' 'Henry IV, Part 2' and 'Henry V' into one feature-length battle extravaganza, and though a reference to Mars rests in 'Henry V,' this sci-fi tale will have a more homegrown feel.

Set in an apocalyptic landscape, the narrative twists are pretty cool, but the real story is in the machismo + serious acting skills casting. Sticking to some of the play's roots -- most notably the turmoil between England and France -- the roster is a who's who of masculine British and French talent: Michael Caine, Ray Winstone,...

For centuries people have been drawn to the works of William Shakespeare, and filmmakers have brought a wide range of the bard’s plays to the silver screen with varying degrees of success. Among the numerous interpretations, there’s something for everyone. The traditionalist may prefer Sir Laurence Olivier’s works of Hamlet and Richard III, while postmodern film fans might favor the more gruesome and challenging Titus or The Tempest by Julie Taymor. Old school romantics may prefer the musical theater take on Taming of the Shrew, Kiss Me Kate, while teens might favor 10 Things I Hate About You or Baz Lurhmann’s William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. Shakespeare’s stories have run the gamut of genres, and attracted countless acclaimed actors. Now the latest Shakespearean tale to hit screens will be a science-fiction version of Henry V.

According to The Playlist (via Production Weekly’s Tweet), Henry5 is...

The first trailer for Julie Taymor's 'The Tempest', an adaptation William Shakespeare's final masterpiece is now online. The film stars Helen Mirren, Russell Brand, Alfred Molina, Reeve Carney, Tom Conti, Chris Cooper Djmon Hounsou, Alan Cumming, Felicity Jones, David Strathairn and Ben Whishaw.Watch the trailer below in standard or high definition;'The Tempest' is released across the Us from December 10th.In her big-screen adaptation of Shakespeare's mystical thriller "The Tempest," Academy Award®.nominated Julie Taymor ("Across the Universe," "Frida," "Titus") brings an original dynamic to the story by changing the gender of the sorcerer Prospero into the sorceress Prospera, portrayed by Oscar® winner Helen Mirren ("The Queen"). Prospera's journey spirals through vengeance to forgiveness as she reigns over a magical island, cares...

Here is the official trailer for The Tempest movie, based on William Shakespeare’s play and stars Russell Brand, Helen Mirren, Alfred Molina, Djimon Hounsou, Alan Cumming, Chris Cooper, Ben Whishaw and David Strathairn.

In her big-screen adaptation of Shakespeare’s mystical thriller “The Tempest,” Academy Award-nominated Julie Taymor (”Across the Universe,” “Frida,” “Titus”) brings an original dynamic to the story by changing the gender of the sorcerer Prospero into the sorceress Prospera, portrayed by Oscar winner Helen Mirren (”The Queen”). Prospera’s journey spirals through vengeance to forgiveness as she reigns over a magical island, cares for her young daughter, Miranda, and unleashes her powers against shipwrecked enemies in this exciting, masterly mix of romance, tragicomedy and the supernatural.

Helen Mirren as Prospera in The Tempest Movie

Russell Brand as Trinculo, Alfred Molina as Stephano and Djimon Hounsou as Caliban in The Tempest

The Tempest hits theaters on December 10th,...

See the trailer for Miramax Films' The Tempest in standard and high definition versions. The strong cast for the Julie Taymor film based on the play The Tempest by William Shakespeare, includes Helen Mirren, Russell Brand, Alfred Molina, Djimon Hounsou, David Strathairn, Chris Cooper, Alan Cumming, Ben Whishaw, Tom Conti, Reeve Carney and Felicity Jones. Taymor is known for solid offerings like the more recent Across the Universe as well as Frida and Titus. The film is produced by Julie Taymor, Robert Chartoff, Lynn Hendee, Julia Taylor-Stanley and Jason K. Lau...

 

After seeing this trailer, I can't wait to see the full film.  Julie Taymor's adaptation of William Shakespeare's The Tempest looks amazing

For those of you who are not familiar with Julie Taymor, she brought us the films Across the Universe and William Shakespeare's Titus.   Her style is awesome, and with her previous endeavor into the world of Shakespeare I am excited to see what she has done.

The movie stars  Helen Mirren, Alfred Molina, David Strathairn, Chris Cooper, Alan Cumming, Ben Whishaw, Russell Brand, and Djimon Hounsou.  The cast and director seem pretty solid.  The movie comes out on December 10th.  Watch the trailer and let us know what you think.

McMurphy Out!

Today we have the trailer for "The Tempest" movie, based on William Shakespeare's play and stars Russell Brand, Helen Mirren, Alfred Molina, Djimon Hounsou, Alan Cumming, Chris Cooper, Ben Whishaw and David Strathairn. Check out the trailer below. "The Tempest" brings an original dynamic to a 400 year-old story by changing the gender of the sorcerer Prospero into the sorceress Prospera (Mirren), whose journey spirals through vengeance to forgiveness as she reigns over a magical island, cares for her young daughter, Miranda (Felicity Jones), and unleashes her powers against shipwrecked enemies in this exciting, masterly mix of romance, tragicomedy and the supernatural. The new movie is written and directed by Julie Taymor (Across the Universe, Frida) and is set scheduled to hit theaters on December 10th, in limited release. Trailer: If you cannot see the player, click here.

Director Julie Taymor (Titus) is known for creating amazing visuals in her movies, which are certainly on display in the first trailer for the upcoming adaptation of William Shakespeare's The Tempest. In a gender-bending twist, Helen Mirren stars as Prospera (instead of the traditional Prospero), a sorceress who rules over a mystical island inhabited by survivors of a shipwreck.

The Tempest opens December 10 and also stars David Strathairn, Felicity Jones, Djimon Housoun, Alfred Molina, Russell Brand and Alan Cumming.

Next Showing:

Link | Posted 10/5/2010 by Ryan

Julie Taymor | The Tempest...

Julie Taymor’s Shakespeare adaptation of The Tempest is winging its way to our screens from 10th December. It’s just received a new trailer and it looks pretty great – especially if you admire her films. Taymor isn’t particularly loved by critics, but I’m one of the few champions of her work.

In many ways she embraces anti-cinema or counter-cinema tactics. Her films de-construct syntax to open up new ways of seeing and understanding the nature of film. She is a supreme visualist too. Taymor is never afraid to experiment – for good or bad. No wonder people find her work off-putting or perplexing. She’s just not interested in delivering the same-old, same-old kind of film.

During an interview I conducted with her a couple of years ago – just as she was about to set off on directing her new film, I argued she was a surrealist film-maker.

"The Tempest" is one of William Shakespeare's last plays to be written alone and this wondrous piece will be remade for the big screen by Julie Taymor (Frida, Titus). This thriller watcher read this piece of literature for the first time last semester and the story has many intriguing themes of ostracization, naivety, revenge and, of course, love. The play, in its originality, is a story of a father's love for his daughter (Prospero) and for his daughter's (Miranda) young love for Ferdinand (Reeve Carney). There are also many comparisons between the immortal power of the written word and to magic, which is used by an older, wiser Prospero. Prospero is often compared to an aging Shakespeare, who seeks to understand his legacy.

Really in need of a remake, The Tempest's first trailer shows many of these themes mentioned above and more. The play's antagonist, the Caliban (Djimon Hounsou...

Your desire to see The Tempest this December probably hinges on a few things: an appreciation for the works of William Shakespeare, a familiarity with the unique visual stylings of Across the Universe director Julie Taymor, and whether or not you're Ok with seeing Russell Brand recite classic lines like "Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows" as the oft-drunk jester Trinculo. If you're not completely sold, though... Keep in mind that it does star Helen Mirren, which, around here at least, is reason enough. Heck, the woman could read from the phone book for two hours and we'd be there opening night. Oh yeah, the cast...

Holy AfterEffects! Word out of festivals in the past month wasn't terribly positive with respect to Julie Taymor's adaptation of William Shakespeare's The Tempest. And now that the first trailer is here it is easy to make a guess or to as to why. The cast is phenomenal: Helen Mirren leads as Prospera, with Russell Brand, Alfred Molina, Djimon Hounsou, David Strathairn, Chris Cooper, Alan Cumming, Ben Whishaw, Reeve Carney, Felicity Jones and Tom Conti. But the footage looks...well, see for yourself. I applaud the guts it must take to proclaim, as this trailer does, that a film is full of stupidity, when the footage itself looks so thin. Taymor's stage leanings really come to the fore here, far more than in her previous filmed Shakespeare effort, Titus. But the barren landscape and explosions of effects make the film look cheap and threadbare rather than regal or dramatic.

HollywoodNews.com: Russell Brand thinks Helen Mirren is drop-dead sexy and, boy, does he know why.

The actor stars alongside the Oscar winning actress in two upcoming films, this December’s Julie Taymor take on William Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” and the remake of 1980s romantic comedy “Arthur.”

Per Brand, Mirren can play both seductress and distinguished royal.

Talking to People, Brand exclaims, “Confidence. Potency. Female energy. Roaring estrogen… She’s got that potency doesn’t she?

“That’s why she can play queens and leaders.”

Brand also thinks that Mirren is the quintessential example of all that is powerful and cosmic in a woman.

“Women are, of course, powerful, feral creatures – the Earth being so female, the cosmos, even, perhaps being a female instinct, creating life,” he said.

“If women get in tune to that energy, it’ll destroy us all.”

“The Tempest” bows on December 10.

Photo Credit: Wp...

By Sean O’Connell

Hollywoodnews.com: After a rocky reception at the Venice Film Festival – where InContention’s Guy Lodge called it “murky, lunk-headed and signally boring” http://incontention.com/2010/09/11/review-“the-tempest”/ — Julie Taymor’s adaptation of William Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” had it’s North American debut this weekend as the centerpiece film for the 48th annual New York Film Festival.

The reviews were equally mixed.

On CinemaBlend, Katey Rich writes that Taymor’s film “is as noisy and frantic as the storm of the title, but with virtually nothing to add to the Shakespeare’s original, beguiling work.”

Ed Gonzalez of Slant Magazine gives the film two stars out of four, stating, “Julie Taymor’s new film version of ‘The Tempest’ isn’t as disastrous as it could have been, though it does fundamentally fail Shakespeare’s play.”

And Cinematical’s Jenni Miller says the film looks “gorgeous,...

This year’s centerpiece film for The New York Film Festival is Julie Taymor’s The Tempest. This is, of course, the film adaptation of William Shakespeare’s play of the same name. It opened earlier this month at the Venice Film Festival.

The story is of The Duchess of Milan, Prospera (Helen Mirren), when her throne is usurped by her brother, she is sent off with her daughter, Miranda. They are shipwrecked on an island far from any society. Also starting Djimon Hounsou as Caliban, Russell Brand as Trinculo, Alfred Molina as Stephano, Chris Cooper as Antonio, Alan Cumming as Sebastian and Felicity Jones as Miranda.

In the original William Shakespeare play the main character was Prospero (a male). Julie Taymor changed the character’s gender to cast Helen Mirren as Prospera. Taymor explains to Guardian “I didn’t really have a male actor that excited me in mind,...

She sounds like a human. And who would watch a love story between a human and a garden ornament? Don't answer that

There's nothing Hollywood enjoys more than updating old Shakespeare plays for new audiences. Forbidden Planet, for example, was a sci-fi update of The Tempest. 10 Things I Hate About You was The Taming Of The Shrew set in an American high school. And, as everybody knows, Space Chimps 2: Zartog Strikes Back 3D was an almost word-for-word replica of King Lear.

One group has traditionally been alienated from all this fun, and that's people with bizarre monomaniacal garden gnome fetishes. Now, finally, this abandoned demographic will receive some recognition with an upcoming gnome-based remake of Romeo and Juliet entitled Gnomeo and Juliet. And apparently it's as faithful to the play as anybody could have hoped. So let's fish through its trailer, shall we?

1) As with the play, the gnomes...

Last week, Warner Home Video released six of their science fiction films on Blu-ray for the first time. While all were greatly appreciated by genre fans to one degree or another, it can be safely said that the most eagerly awaited one is also the best one of the set. MGM’s Forbidden Planet is clearly a class act and the loving restoration is evident in just how fabulous the movie looks in high definition.

The 1956 was one of the studio’s last major releases before its decline in quality, and it was also their first real attempt at science fiction. All the resources that made their musicals shine brightly were brought to the feature production and as a result, this is the single best science fiction movie made that decade. Its influences go far beyond imagination considering the enduring popularity of Robby the Robot and how much the film...

In Julie Taymor's adaptation of William Shakespeare's The Tempest, the sorcerer Prospera (changed from the masculine Prospero in the play) has landed on a magical island after being cast out of society for witchcraft, and must overcome her sense of vengeance, care for her daughter, and fight off shipwrecked enemies. If the first stills from the film are any indication, it will be wicked cool. We've gotten our hands on three new images from the film and they range from "awesome" to "what the hell." Helen looks like a total badass protecting her daughter and standing in a ring of fire, while the image of Alfred Molina chasing down Russell Brand is laugh-out-loud stupid (and I mean that in the nicest way possible). We probably should have expected something this cool after the poster dropped last month, but now I can't wait to see what the trailer has in store.

Touchstone have released a new image from Julie Taymor’s The Tempest, to coincide with the film’s imminent premiere at the 67th Venice International Film Festival.

The Tempest is a film based on the play of the same name by William Shakespeare. This time, however, the lead character, Prospero, has been made into a woman, played by Helen Mirren.

Mirren is supported by a stellar cast, including Alan Cumming, David Strathairn, Djimon Hounsou, Russell Brand, Alfred Molina, Ben Wishaw, Felicity Jones and Chris Cooper.

Prospera’s throne is usurped by her brother, and she is sent off on a ship with her four-year-old daughter. They find themselves stranded on an island devoid of society. A power struggle develops between Caliban and Prospera due to her efforts to become a father figure to Miranda.

Check below for the remarkable new image displaying Prospero, as she defends her daughter (Jones) from...

We've already shown you some great photos of Russell Brand, Helen Mirren and Alfred Molina from the upcoming "The Tempest" movie, based on William Shakespeare's play. Today we have a new photo of Djimon Hounsou (The Blood Diamond), who is almost unrecognizable. Check out the photo below. "The Tempest" brings an original dynamic to a 400 year-old story by changing the gender of the sorcerer Prospero into the sorceress Prospera (Mirren), whose journey spirals through vengeance to forgiveness as she reigns over a magical island, cares for her young daughter, Miranda (Felicity Jones), and unleashes her powers against shipwrecked enemies in this exciting, masterly mix of romance, tragicomedy and the supernatural. The new movie is written and directed by Julie Taymor (Across the Universe, Frida) and is set to close out the Venice International Film Festival. It will then be released in theaters on December 10th. Photo: (click to enlarge...

Having been fortunate enough to grow up within striking distance of one of the great Shakespeare festivals in the world and to have spent my entire school career with teachers smart enough to take me there every year, I have never been one of those who believed that the works of William Shakespeare were in any way boring or dull. No, in the right hands this stuff remains every bit as potent as the day it was written and Julie Taymor's are definitely the right hands, which makes it very odd that we've neglected to comment on her upcoming screen adaptation of The Tempest until now.

One of the world's foremost visual stylists, Taymor is so good that she made the stage musical version of The Lion King not just tolerable, but actually enjoyable - yes, I saw it - and with material as rich and complex as Shakespeare...

Felicity Jones has said that she had an "extraordinary" experience working with Russell Brand and Helen Mirren on The Tempest. The SoulBoy actress, who plays Miranda in director Julie Taymor's adaptation of William Shakespeare's play, told Digital Spy that she was able to take away a lot from her time with Brand and Mirren. "It was absolutely extraordinary," she said. "They're both brilliant actors so I had a fantastic learning experience watching them work. Obviously Julie Taymor is an insane visionary so it's (more)...

French-Tunisian director Abdellatif Kechiche’s film centered on the story of Saartjie “Sarah” Baartman, otherwise derogatorily known as the Hottentot Venus, will be screening at the New York Film Festival, which begins its run September 24th. You know I’ll be there to see it, with my thoughts on the film to follow on this blog.

Recall back in April, we alerted you to the fact that the film was being made under the title Black Venus (which will remain), claiming its spot as the first feature-length film to have Baartman as its subject – at least, that’s what my research tells me.

At the time of my initial post, I couldn’t find much info on the project; however, I did think it odd that the list of cast members on the film’s IMDb page didn’t (and still don’t) list a Saartjie Baartman (or even Hottentot Venus) as a character.

Touchstone Pictures has debuted the first poster for the upcoming The Tempest movie, based on William Shakespeare’s play.

The film tells the tale of the Duchess Proaperas’ banishment to a “primitive” Island with her young daughter where she is forced to master the elements of nature and magic. Prospera plots to return her Daughter to her rightful place and wreak revenge on those responsible for her downfall. When the opportunity arises she calls forth a powerful storm (Tempest) to bring her betraying brother and all the key players in her usurping to the Island where she will have a decidedly “home court” advantage.

The Tempest stars Helen Mirren (Prospera), Russell Brand (Trinculo), Alfred Molina (Stephano), Djimon Hounsou (Caliban), Alan Cumming (Sebastian), Chris Cooper (Antonio), Ben Whishaw (Ariel) and David Strathairn (Alonso). The film is directed by Julie Taymor (Titus, Frida, Across the Universe)

The Tempest is set to premiere...

By Sean O’Connell

Hollywoodnews.com: Now that’s how you make a teaser poster.

Julie Taymor’s spin on William Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” will ride the festival circuit this fall before arriving in theaters on Dec. 10. The gender-swapping film stars Helen Mirren as the Sorceress Prospera, who plays magically deadly games with the likes of Russell Brand, Chris Cooper, Alan Cumming, Alfred Molina and Djimon Hounsou.

The new poster, hosted on Yahoo Movies, begets a serious action film with fantastic supernatural effects. Given Taymor’s penchant for stunning visuals in such productions as “Across the Universe,” “Titus” and “Frida,” this should come as no surprise.

We hope to get a look at “The Tempest” in September. In the meantime, check out the gorgeous one-sheet.

Follow Hollywood News on Twitter for up-to-date news information.

Hollywood News, Hollywood Awards, Awards, Movies, News, Award News, Breaking News, Entertainment News, Movie News,...

"The Tempest" is the 3rd on-screen adaptation of author William Shakespeare's romance of the same name, directed by Julie Taymor, starring Helen Mirren, David Strathairn, Djimon Hounsou, Alan Cumming, Alfred Molina, Chris Cooper, Ben Whishaw and Felicity Jones.

"...The throne of 'Prospera' is usurped by her brother and she is sent off on a ship with her four-year-old daughter. They find themselves stranded on an island devoid of society. A power struggle develops between 'Caliban' and Prospera due to her efforts to become a father figure to Miranda..."

Filming of "The Tempest" took place in Lanaʻi and Hawaii.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "The Tempest"...

Today we have the poster for the upcoming "The Tempest" movie, based on William Shakespeare's play and stars Russell Brand, Helen Mirren, Alfred Molina, Djimon Hounsou, Alan Cumming, Chris Cooper, Ben Whishaw and David Strathairn. Check out the poster below. "The Tempest" brings an original dynamic to a 400 year-old story by changing the gender of the sorcerer Prospero into the sorceress Prospera (Mirren), whose journey spirals through vengeance to forgiveness as she reigns over a magical island, cares for her young daughter, Miranda (Felicity Jones), and unleashes her powers against shipwrecked enemies in this exciting, masterly mix of romance, tragicomedy and the supernatural. The new movie is written and directed by Julie Taymor (Across the Universe, Frida) and is set to close out the Venice International Film Festival in September before being released in theaters on December 10th. Poster: (click to enlarge)...

There are some very wild big screen adaptations/interpretations of William Shakespeare in the works right now. We've got Ralph Fiennes' modern-day version of Coriolanus complete with modern military. And we've also got Julie Taymor's The Tempest, which kind of looks like Tarsem decided to go Shakespeare, too, but with Taymor's touch. Taymor adapted Shakespeare once before, with Titus, but she is back again with The Tempest, starring Helen Mirren (seen above), Alfred Molina, Russell Brand (yes, that guy), Alan Cumming, Djimon Hounsou, Chris Cooper, David Strathairn and Ben Whishaw. So check out the official poster below! The poster comes from Yahoo and a few new photos were released as well (you can see a few on SlashFilm). In Julie Taymor's version of The Tempest, the gender of Prospero has been switched to Prospera (Mirren). Prospera is usurped by her brother and sent off with her four-year daughter on a ship.

Here we have a new poster and images from the upcoming Julie Taymor film adaptation of William Shakespeare's The Tempest. Taymor is the same director that also adapted Shakespeare's Titus, which I really enjoyed, and I'm looking forward to what she has planned for The Tempest. I really like what I am seeing in this poster and production photos. The film stars Helen Mirren,  David Strathairn, and Djimon Hounsou.

Plot Summary:

In Shakespeare's fantastical thriller the magician Prospero orchestrates spirits, monsters, a grief-stricken king, a wise old councillor, two treacherous brothers and a storm at sea into a fantastical conspiracy bringing banishment, sorcery and shipwreck into the lives of two hapless lovers to stir and seal their fate. Here Prospero takes female form as Prospera, giving her journey of vengeance and self-discovery a wholly new resonance. As Prospera breaks her magical staff against an entrancing volcanic landscape at the end of her heroic quest,...

One of the films that was in danger of being orphaned when Disney shuttered Miramax was Julie Taymor's adaptation of the William Shakespeare play The Tempest. But the film, which stars Helen Mirren,  David Strathairn, Djimon Hounsou and more, will be released by Disney offshoot Touchstone Pictures this fall, and will appear at both the Venice and New York Film Festivals. Now there's a great poster for the film, which only heightens my interest in seeing Taymor go back to Shakespeare with this cast in tow. I know there is some contention over the value of Taymor's last Shakespeare outing, Titus, but I quite like the film. This appears to me another film in a similar vein: that is, a great and varied cast wrapped up in a deliberately stylized take on the material. Can't wait, frankly. In addition to the poster, here's a high-res look at Julie Taymor in character.

Julie Taymor’s “The Tempest” is described as “a cross-gendered version of the play by William Shakespeare involving forces of feminine magic, nature and mysticism.” Translation: it’s like “Titus”, but with more chick stuff. And people probably don’t get eaten. Probably. Co-starring Helen Mirren, Djimon Hounsou, Alan Cumming, David Strathairn, Russell Brand, Reeve Carney, Tom Conti, and Chris Cooper. Poster (via Yahoo) and a couple of images from the movie below. The tempest stirs December 10, 2010.

So, we finally get a poster (below) for Julie Taymor’s eagerly-awaited gender-switch celluloid adaptation of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, which stars the always lovely Helen Mirren, Hollywood’s resident African Djimon Hounsou, Russel Brand, Alfred Molina and others. Nice to see Hounsou get some love on the poster though! Now, about that trailer…

We’ve profiled this film already on this blog, so I won’t rehash specifics; Click Here & Here & Here to catch up if you’re just joining us.

In short, Djimon Hounsou is the man-beast Caliban, the primary antagonists in the film, son of a witch (or devil) forced into servitude by Prospero (or Prospera, played in a gender-reversal by Helen Mirren ), after Caliban’s attempted rape of Miranda, Prospera’s daughter.

The flick opens December 10th.

Check out the upcoming titles from Miramax Films for the fall season after the break!

The Tempest (in association with Touchstone Pictures)

Opening Date: December 10 (NY/La), December 17 (limited)

Cast: Helen Mirren, Russell Brand, Reeve Carney, Tom Conti, Chris Cooper, Alan Cumming

Director: Julie Taymor

Writers: William Shakespeare (play), Julie Taymor (screenplay)

Official Synopsis: In her big-screen adaptation of Shakespeare’s mystical thriller “The Tempest,” Academy Award-nominated Julie Taymor (“Across the Universe,” “Frida,” “Titus”) brings an original dynamic to the story by changing the gender of the sorcerer Prospero into the sorceress Prospera, portrayed by Oscar winner Helen Mirren (“The Queen”). Prospera’s journey spirals through vengeance to forgiveness as she reigns over a magical island, cares for her young daughter, Miranda, and unleashes her powers against shipwrecked enemies in this exciting, masterly mix of romance, tragicomedy and the supernatural.

Read more on Miramax Films fall preview…...

A set of visually stunning new still images and set pictures from writer-director-producer Julie Taymor's (Across the Universe) new movie, The Tempest, has just been released. An adaptation of William Shakespeare's classic play — the third theatrical adaptation to date — The Tempest stars Dame Helen Mirren as Prospera (a gender-switched version of Shakespeare's protagonist, Prospero), a dethroned royal in exile on an island devoid of society. Prospera spends her time developing her magical powers in an effort to raise a tempest to wipe away the usurper of her throne, King Alonzo ( David Strathairn), while struggling to protect her daughter, Miranda ( Felicity Jones), from the wild Caliban (Djimon Housoun).

The Tempest is expected to be released in December. Alfred Molina, Russell Brand and Alan Cumming also star.

Next Showing:

Link | Posted 8/10/2010 by BrentJS

Julie Taymor | The Tempest...

Today we have the first photos from "The Tempest," based on William Shakespeare's play and stars Russell Brand (Get Him to the Greek), Helen Mirren, Alfred Molina, Djimon Hounsou, Alan Cumming, Chris Cooper, Ben Whishaw and David Strathairn. Check out the photos below. "The Tempest" brings an original dynamic to a 400 year-old story by changing the gender of the sorcerer Prospero into the sorceress Prospera (Mirren), whose journey spirals through vengeance to forgiveness as she reigns over a magical island, cares for her young daughter, Miranda (Felicity Jones), and unleashes her powers against shipwrecked enemies in this exciting, masterly mix of romance, tragicomedy and the supernatural. The new movie is written and directed by Julie Taymor (Across the Universe, Frida) and is set to close out the Venice International Film Festival in September before being released in theaters on December 10th. Photos: (click to enlarge)...

Last week, The Film Society of Lincoln Center announced that David Fincher's The Social Network will kick off the 48th Annual New York Film Festival with its World Premiere on September 24, making it the first time anyone will have a chance to see what the director has done with the story of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. The movie stars Jesse Eisenberg, Justin Timberlake, Andrew Garfield and more. It will be released theatrically by Sony a week later on October 1. They've followed that huge announcement with another one, that Julie Taymor's adaptation of William Shakespeare's The Tempest , starring Helen Mirren, Russell Brand, Chris Cooper, Alan Cumming, Djimon Hounsou, Alfred Molina, David Strathairn and Ben Whishaw will act as this year's "Centerpiece...

Vibrant dancer, singer and actor – a leading light of the Lindsay Kemp Company and striking presence in films by Derek Jarman

Jack Birkett, who has died aged 75, was a performer with the Lindsay Kemp Company, whose stylised theatrical language permitted him to blend ferocity with camp comedy, tragedy with menace, and lyricism with grotesqueness. The company's emotionally intense fusion of dance, theatre, mime and spectacle took Jack around the world on a wave of popularity from the 1960s to the 1980s.

In 1966 Jack began to lose his sight. Through painstaking determination, he mentally charted many stages and backstages and despite the cuts and bruises from mishaps, he refused to ever be tentative in his roles. After he had become entirely blind, he grew more extreme in his performances and his persona. His change of name to The Incredible Orlando mirrored this transformation.

Jack was born into a working-class family in Leeds.

(1991, 15, Second Sight)

Two of British maverick director Derek Jarman's most accomplished films are interpretations of Jacobethan texts. One is his magical 1979 treatment of Shakespeare's The Tempest (in which the masque takes the form of Elisabeth Welch performing "Stormy Weather" with a chorus of camp matelots). The other, shot while Jarman was dying of Aids, is this sombre modern dress version of Christopher Marlowe's Edward II (in which Annie Lennox sings Cole Porter's "Every Time We Say Goodbye" as the eponymous king parts from his lover, Piers Gaveston). Unfolding in flashback as Edward (Steven Waddington) awaits his execution, the film pares Marlowe's play to the bone and stages it on a claustrophobic set of unscalable walls and sand-covered floors. With dramatic lighting by Ian Wilson and striking costumes by Sandy Powell, subsequently a multiple Oscar and Bafta winner, the movie contains graphic, horribly painful violence, finds strong parallels...