Voices Of The Cloth: A Documentary Film

Benjamin Carrè

In Memoriam : Ken Russell (1927-2011)

Dearest Emma

The Shining on set (1980)

serpentine

giraff-ing on a plane

build your Zeppelin

fix that rat.

Skyfall teaser-ing 9

Skyfall update : Ben Whishaw is Q

English actor Ben Whishaw will play 'Q' in the new James Bond film "Skyfall", his agent confirmed today. 

He was first rumoured to be joining the cast back in April this year, and director Sam Mendes announced his casting at the "Skyfall" press conference earlier this month but would not comment on his role. 

 Whishaw will be re-introducing the character to the series, after his absence since the 2006 reboot with "Casino Royale". The role was first played by Peter Burton as 'Quartermaster' in the debut film, "Dr No" (1962) at the age of 41. When Burton was unavailable for "From Russia With Love", Welsh actor Desmond Llewelyn (then 48) took over and continued in the part for record 17 films, only missing "Live And Let Die" (1973) until his final outing "The World Is Not Enough" in 1999. Llewelyn died in a car accident shortly after the film's release at the age of 85. 

Although Llewelyn's character was named Major Geoffrey Boothroyd (from the Ian Fleming novels), the title of 'Q' was passed on to his assistant played by John Cleese (age 63) in the 2002 outing "Die Another Day". 

Given Whishaw's is only 31, it is unlikely that his 'Q' will be a Major, so this will be a new character, much like when a new actor takes on 'M'. With today's fast-paced digital technology, it is perhaps more realistic to have a younger person in the fictional role of 'Q', as MI6 would be creating stealthy smartphone apps and concealed communication devices rather than hiding tear gas canisters in attache cases. 

 There are a couple of interesting connections to Whishaw joining the Bond franchise. Most recently, Whishaw starred in the BBC's period drama "The Hour", where his journalist character Freddie Lyon is a fan of Ian Fleming's novels and makes frequent references to Bond, including calling his female colleague Miss Moneypenny. Back in 2004, he starred in "Layer Cake', the film that brought Daniel Craig to the top of the producer's wish list for the next 007. The film ends with his character, Sidney, shooting XXXX (Craig).

yield

The language of eyes

where are we going?

WAKE UP, EUROPE!

soul of the mustang

starwars cast (1977)

moon-sky-ing the sea

Clint Eastwood

Skyfall update : Helen McCrory & Ola Rapace

While the big launch for the next James Bond film, Skyfall, happened few weeks ago, director Sam Mendes is not quite finished adding to the cast. And why would he be, since Bond outings always boast big ensembles? The latest names added to the list are Helen McCrory and Ola Rapace.


McCrory may be best known for her appearances as Narcissa Malfoy in three of the Harry Potter films, but she’s also been seen in projects such as The Queen and Enduring Love. She’ll next appear in Hugo.

Rapace is likely even less well known to international audiences, though that last name might be a giveaway: he’s Noomi Rapace’s ex-husband and has worked on the likes of Together. 

There's no word on what roles they'll be playing in Skyfall,  but they’re joining a cast that already includes Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Bérénice Marlohe, Judi Dench, Naomie Harris, Ralph Fiennes, Albert Finney and Ben Whishaw. 

Skyfall has just started shooting and will be out on October 26 next year.

Dark of the Sun (1968)

Dark of the Sun (also known as The Mercenaries in the UK) is a 1968 adventure-war film starring Rod Taylor, Yvette Mimieux, Jim Brown, and Peter Carsten. It was directed by Jack Cardiff and based on Wilbur Smith's 1965 novel, The Dark of the Sun. 

Most of the film, which tells of a band of mercenaries sent on a dangerous mission during the Congo Crisis, was shot on location on the Jamaican railway system. 

Interiors were completed at Borehamwood Studios near London. Critics condemned the film on its original release in 1968 for its graphic scenes of violence and torture.

The book and the film are a fictional account of the Congo Crisis (1960–1966) when Joseph Mobutu seized power during the First Republic of the Congo after national independence from Belgium. The conflicts in Dark of the Sun are based on the anti-colonial struggle, a secessionist war with the province of Katanga and a United Nations peacekeeping operation within the context of the Cold War. Actual violence in the Congo resulted in the deaths of up to 100,000 people.

The Henlein character was based on Siegfried Müller, a German mercenary who fought in the Congo wearing the Iron Cross that he earned during World War II.

Mueller was featured in a 1966 East German-made documentary Der Lachende Mann (The Laughing Man). In the German version, Curry was renamed Willy Krüger and was portrayed as a former Wehrmacht officer who had already clashed with Henlein during World War II because of the latter's fanatical Nazism. 

The German version also cuts the scene where Henlein murders two Congolese children and is misleadingly entitled Katanga, implying the film takes place during the first Congo emergency in 1961-64, when mercenaries like Müller and 'Mad' Mike Hoare were involved. In fact, the film takes place during the Simba Rebellion of 1964-65, when mercenaries were recruited by the Congo government to fight a leftist insurgency.

The film was made in Jamaica to take advantage of a working steam train as well as safety and cost-effectiveness. At the same time MGM was filming Graham Greene's The Comedians (1967) in Africa though the original took place in the Caribbean. 

Rod Taylor claimed he rewrote a fair amount of the script himself, including helping devise a new ending.

foolproof and incapable of error...

an eye in Paris

awake!

Advise4TheDay

Autumn in Paris

Under the Sea

I T A L I A

Skyfall : teaser-ing 8

Luke, I am your father.

11.11.11.11.11

Katharine Hepburn and Peter O'Toole on the set of The Lion in Winter (1968)

Pussy Galore's Flying Circus

Skyfall : teaser-ing 7

DOLK : street art

Happy Birthday!

Plate V : Kranium

In memoriam : Loulou de la Falaise (1947-2011)

An Beckemeyer

when you feel as low as the bottom of a well

Skyfall teaser-ing 5 & 6

Skyfall : Ralph Fiennes talks about it for the first time

Ralph Fiennes could not attend the "Skyfall" press conference yesterday due to prior work commitments publicizing his new movie "Coriolanus" (which he also directed), but IFC had the fortuitous timing of interviewing the actor shortly after his Bond role was confirmed.

 "If you're a Bond fan," Fiennes said, "then you'll be happy." "I can tell you that John Logan has written a fantastic screenplay and Sam Mendes is a class act. They're doing something quite special I think. I think they're going to be great for Bond." 

 Fiennes, who said he prefers the darkness of the books over the films, and whose first cinematic 007 experience was "On Her Majesty's Secret Service", was asked whether his character would be joining in with the action sequences. "I can't answer that question," he said. "I don't get laid, that's for sure."

fashion victim

Bond23 : official press release : SKYFALL

Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli today presented the cast of the 23rd James Bond adventure, entitled SKYFALL. The film, from Albert R. Broccoli's Eon Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, and Sony Pictures Entertainment, is directed by Academy Award® winner Sam Mendes and stars Daniel Craig, who returns for his third film as James Bond 007. 

The screenplay is written by Neal Purvis & Robert Wade and John Logan. SKYFALL, which goes into production on Monday, November 7th, will begin its worldwide roll-out in the UK and Ireland on October 26th 2012 and in North America on November 9th 2012. Joining Michael G. Wilson, Barbara Broccoli and Director Sam Mendes were members of the cast of SKYFALL, including: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Dame Judi Dench, Naomie Harris and Berenice Marlohe. The filmmakers also announced Ralph Fiennes, Albert Finney and Ben Whishaw.

 In SKYFALL, Bond's loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost. "We're so delighted to have Sam Mendes direct SKYFALL and be working once again with Daniel Craig. We've a great script, an extraordinary cast and an incredibly talented creative team for this latest James Bond adventure," said Wilson and Broccoli. 

 The Director of Photography is Roger Deakins, a nine-time Oscar® nominee who previously shot the films Jarhead and Revolutionary Road for Mendes. The Production Designer is Oscar® winner Dennis Gassner, who previously designed Quantum of Solace and collaborated with Mendes on the films Road to Perdition and Jarhead. The Editor is Stuart Baird, A.C.E., whose many credits include Casino Royale. Jany Temime, whose many credits include the Harry Potter series, In Bruges, and Children of Men, is the Costume Designer. Action specialist Alexander Witt is the 2nd Unit Director. Gary Powell is Stunt Co-ordinator, Chris Corbould is SFX Supervisor and Steve Begg is Visual Effects Supervisor, all of whom have worked on previous Bond films.

Sean 1964 circa

Halloween in NYC

Lovecraft-ian