 | Shaun Tan's short animated film, The Lost Thing, based on his book of the same name, has been nominated for an Oscar. This, of course, puts Tan into rather rarefied company. The nominees in this category are: "Day & Night" Teddy Newton "The Gruffalo" Jakob Schuh and Max Lang "Let's Pollute" Geefwee Boedoe "The Lost Thing" Shaun Tan and Andrew Ruhemann "Madagascar, carnet de voyage (Madagascar, a Journey Diary)" Bastien Dubois Gerard Elson, from Readings bookshop, interviewed Tan back in November about the making of the film. The interview page contains a link to the film's trailer. The Awards will be presented in Los Angeles on 27th February. |
Tomorrow, When the War Began, 2010
Directed by Stuart Beattie.
Screenplay by Stuart Beattie, from the novel by John Marsden.
Featuring Caitlin Stasey, Rachel Hurd-Wood, Lincoln Lewis and Deniz Akdeniz.
Mao's Last Dancer 2009
Directed by Bruce Beresford.
Screenplay by Jan Sardi, based on the autobiography by Cunxin Li.
Featuring Chi Cao, Bruce Greenwood, Kyle MacLachlan and Joan Chen.
We've reported on this before, and probably will again.
Philip Noyce, out doing the publicity rounds for his latest film Salt is also talking about his adaptation of Tim Winton's novel Dirt Music. It appears that Russell Crowe is definitely on board as the male lead - replacing a role originally slated for Heath Ledger - and, according to Noyce, has been producing music for the film for the past few years. And, no, I won't comment on that last piece of news.
The Internet Movie DataBase has a listing for the film but all details about cast and crew are behind their paywall.
Like all of White's novels The Eye of the Storm is intensely dramatic and like some of them (The Tree of Man, Voss) -- though less obviously -- the medium it calls out for is film because White, like Thomas Hardy long before him, and William Faulkner in the middle distance, had the kind of dramatic imagination that wasn't confined to the bare boards of the theatre. Everyone will know the stories of how Joseph Losey wanted to film Voss, with Maximilian Schell or Max von Sydow as the self-immolating and Schopenhaurian explorer, and how he failed to get the money, so that White was reduced to rages in which he would overturn tables like a latter-day Lear in Sarsaparilla.
In fact, The Eye of the Storm is a kind of King Lear story and White toyed with the idea of calling it "Darker Purpose" in honour of the old dominator who wants to crawl unburdened towards death but who provokes two of his children to throw him out into the storm and, indeed, to seek his death.
The difference is that White, in life, saw himself and his sister as Goneril and Regan, the murdering children, wanting the parent (their mother) dead. And if Elizabeth Hunter has a vision of "the mystery of things", as if she were God's spy, it comes from the calm at the heart of the storm, the eye, not from the maddening grief that finds in the storm its objective correlative.
So The Eye of the Storm is an antipodean King Lear writ gentle and tragicomic, almost Chekhovian, with a female protagonist and "wicked" siblings who might be two halves of a Jungian wholeness (though they are sharply enough characterised in themselves).
AUSTRALIAN NOVEL TO BE FILMED
OUR STAFF CORRESPONDENT.
NEW YORK. Dec 11 - A film based on "The Fortunes of Richard Mahony," by the Australian woman author Henry Handel Richardson (Mrs. I G. Robertson) will be made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, says Hedda Hopper. Hollywood columnist for the "New York Daily News."
Material will be taken from the novels "Australia Felix," "The Way Home," and "Ultima Thule," and made into one script.
First published in The Sydney Morning Herald, 12 December 1945Rumours are that Greer Garson and Gregory Peck are in line for the principal roles.
Back in May this year I posted about a possible TV adaptation of Christos Tsiolkas's novel, The Slap. At that time I said that it was early in the development process and just because it was being looked at didn't indicate that it definitely would go ahead.
Now, however, it appears that the book is certain to appear on our television screens next year as ABC TV's Acting Head of Drama, Amanda Higgs, has indicated that development will commence in November.
As the article points out: "This year, The Slap has won the Commonwealth Writer's Prize, the Australian Book Industry Book of the Year award, the Victorian Premier's Literary Award, the ABA Book of the Year and the Association for the Study of Australian Literature Gold Award."
The “Monsters and Critics” website is reporting that a series of films is to be produced based on the “Tomorrow” series of young-adult novels written by John Marsden. The first film is to be written and directed by Stuart Beattie who previously worked on the screenplays for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” and “Australia”.
The plan is to make a series of three films based on the first three novels in the seven-volume series, and then to follow this up with a TV series if the films are well-received. It is hoped production will commence in September.
"The Age" is reporting that Christos Tsiolkas's latest novel, The Slap, is set to be adapted for the small screen by Matchbox Pictures. The current aim is for the book to be adapted over eight episodes - one for each major character in the book - and for it to be screened on ABC TV. Two pluses in my view.
But it's early days yet and just because a film project has been announced is only the first of many steps along the way to it appearing on the crystal tube.
"The Daily Telegraph", out of Sydney, is reporting that Screentime, the television production company reponsible for "Underbelly", is aiming to produce a television adaptation of Cloudstreet by Tim Winton.
The TV adaptation has been commissioned by Foxtel for the network's Showtime channel and author Winton says it was important his 1991 released novel maintained its typically Australian feel. "For me it's always been important for Cloudstreet to be a homegrown production and I'm really pleased to know that, through (this) collaboration, it can be made here in Australia," he says. "As the book's twentieth anniversary approaches, this is happy news."
FernGully: The Last Rainforest 1992
Directed by Bill Kroyer
Screenplay by Jim Cox from the book FernGully by Diana Young
Featuring the voices of Tim Curry, Samantha Mathis, Christian Slater, and Robin Williams.
Death in Brunswick 1991
Directed by John Ruane.
Screenplay by John Ruane from the novel of the same name by Boyd Oxlade
Featuring Sam Neill, John Clarke, Zoe Carides and Yvonne Lawley.
Australian Rules 2002
Directed by Paul Goldman
Screenplay by Paul Goldman from the novel Deadly, Unna? by Phillip Gwynne
Featuring Nathan Phillips, Luke Carroll, Lisa Flanagan, and Tom Budge.
The "Filmschatten" website has available a copy of the 1919 silent film version of The Sentimental Bloke, from the book by C.J. Dennis. The quality isn't that flash, and I'm not sure if it's the full version, but it is of interest.
Bliss 1985
Directed by Ray Lawrence
Screenplay by Ray Lawrence and Peter Carey from the novel of the same name by Peter Carey
Featuring Barry Otto, Lynette Curran, Helen Jones and Gia Carides.
The Great Macarthy 1975
Directed by David Baker
Screenplay by David Baker from the novel A Salute to the Great Macarthy by Barry Oakley
Featuring John Jarratt, Judy Morris, Kate Fitzpatrick and Barry Humphries.
Bush Christmas 1983
Directed by Henri Safran
Screenplay by Ted Roberts from the novel by Ralph Smart and Mary Cathcart Borer
Featuring John Ewart, John Howard, Mark Spain and Nicole Kidman.
Cosi 1996
Directed by Mark Joffe
Screenplay by Louis Nowra from his own play.
Featuring Ben Mendelsohn, Barry Otto, Toni Collette and Rachel Griffiths.
Nim's Island 2008
Directed by Jennifer Flackett and Mark Levin
Screenplay by Joseph Kwong, Paula Mazur, Mark Levin and Jennifer Flackett from the novel by Wendy Orr
Featuring Abigal Breslin, Jodie Foster, Gerard Butler, and Michael Carman.
Rodney Chester, in "The Courier-Mail", talks to Matthew Reilly who has had a few of his novels optioned by film studios. His second novel, Ice Station, certainly looked like getting made, until the executive who championed it left the studio.
Another one of his novels, Hover Car Racer, has a much better chance of getting made into a film, as Disney has purchased the movie rights outright, rather than taking out an option for a few years. "But again, now the screenplay -- not being written by me; it's being done by Al Gough and Miles Millar (Spider-Man 2, Shanghai Noon) -- has to fight all the battles, since it's the screenplay that will be shot," Reilly says.Wendy Orr's, Nim's Island, has already been made into a film and for the author it was a case of pure serendipity.
For Orr that serendipitous moment came when freelance film producer Paula Mazur contacted her in 2003. Mazur's seven-year-old son had borrowed the book from the local library and he, along with the rest of the family, were entranced by the tale of a girl who calls on the help of an author of adventure stories when her father goes missing. When the film, starring Abigail Breslin and Jodie Foster, was shot on the Gold Coast last year, Orr discovered Mazur wasn't the only fan. Foster loved the story because it had drawn in her reluctant-reader son. "Nim was the book that showed her son that he could love reading," Orr says. "That's the most powerful compliment you can pay an author."
"The West Australian" newspaper is reporting that Mel Gibson is aiming to produce a film adaptation of Robert Drewe's novel The Drowner. At this time, Gibson has not indicated whether or not he will direct the film, but he is attempting to get the following actors on board: "James McAvoy to play the part of the English engineer..., Emily Blunt, Cate Blanchett and Barry Humphries." The film will be financed by Andrew Forrest, the Fortescue Metal mining magnate, and Australia's richest man.
Various sources are referring to a "Variety" magazine report that Mao's Last Dancer by Li Cunxin is being filmed by Bruce Beresford. The script has been adapted by Jan Sardi, who previously wrote the screenplay for "Shine". "Mao's Last Dancer" will feature Kyle McLachlan, Bruce Greenwood, Joan Chen and Jack Thompson. Filming starts in China later this month. More details are available on the Internet Movie Database.
Travelling North 1987
Directed by Carl Schultz
Screenplay by David Williamson from his own play
Featuring Leo McKern, Julia Blake, Henri Szeps, and Graham Kennedy.
Ned Kelly 2003
Directed by Gregor Jordan
Screenplay by John Michael McDonagh from the novel Our Sunshine by Robert Drewe
Featuring Heath Ledger, Orlando Bloom, Geoffrey Rush, and Naomi Watts.
Dimboola 1979
Directed by John Duigan
Screenplay by Jack Hibberd from the play by John Power
Featuring Bruce Spence, Natalie Bate, Max Gillies and Bill Garner.
Blue Fin 1978
Directed by Carl Schulz
Screenplay by Sonia Borg from the novel by Colin Thiele
Featuring Greg Rowe, Hardy Krüger, Liddy Clark and John Jarratt.
Storm Boy 1976
Directed by Henri Safran
Screenplay by Sonia Borg and Sidney L. Stebel from the novel by Colin Thiele
Featuring Greg Rowe, Peter Cummins, David Gulpilil and Judy Dick.
Candy 2006
Directed by Neil Armfield
Screenplay by Neil Armfield from the novel by Luke Davies
Featuring Abbie Cornish, Heath Ledger, Geoffrey Rush and Tom Budge
Kevin Lee, proprietor of the weblog "Shooting Down Pictures", has a short-term (!) project dedicated to watching all 1000 of the greatest films of all time, as listed on the "They Shoot Pictures, Don't They?" website.
Coming in at number 939 is My Brilliant Career, adapted from the Miles Franklin novel. This is a pretty comprehensive coverage of the film, including links to the novel's text and Eleanor Whitcombe's screenplay, reviews of the novel and comparisons to the film version, reviews of the film and career reviews of the cast and crew. If you're at all interested in this film then this webpage looks like the place for you.
Head On 1998
Directed by Ana Kokkinos
Screenplay by Andrew Bovell, Ana Kokkinos, and Mira Robertson from the novel Loaded by Christos Tsiolkas
Featuring Alex Dimitriades, Paul Kapsis, Julian Garner, and Elena Mandalis
Romulus, My Father 2007
Directed by Richard Roxburgh
Screenplay by Nick Drake, from the book by Raimond Gaita
Featuring Eric Bana, Franka Potente, Marton Csokas and Kodi Smit-McPhee
The Man from Snowy River 1982
Directed by George Miller
Screenplay by Cul Cullen, from the poem by A.B. 'Banjo' Paterson
Featuring Tom Burlinson, Terence Donovan, Kirk Douglas, and Tommy Dysart
The Monkey's Mask 2000
Directed by Samantha Lang
Screenplay by Anne Kennedy, from the novel by Dorothy Porter
Featuring Susie Porter, Kelly McGillis, Marton Csokas, and Abbie Cornish
We of the Never Never 1982
Directed by Igor Auzins Screenplay by Peter Schreck, from the novel by Aeneas Gunn
Featuring Angela Punch McGregor, Arthur Dignam, Martin Vaughan, and Lewis Fitz-Gerald
In the middle of a profile of "Photon VFX, one of Australia's most innovative visual effects companies and the stomping ground for its founder, Dale Duguid", by Jonathan Nash, comes the news that the company has created an animated TV series based on Animalia by Graeme Base. The 40-episode series is being shown on Channel 10, and made its debut on November 11.
Turtle Beach 1992
Directed by Stephen Wallace
Screenplay by Ann Turner, from the novel by Blanche D'Alpuget
Featuring Greta Scacchi, Joan Chen, Jack Thompson and Art Malik
Puberty Blues 1981
Directed by Bruce Beresford
Screenplay by Margaret Kelly, from the novel by Gabrielle Carey and Kathy Lette
Featuring Nell Schofield, Jad Capelja, Geoff Rhoe and Tony Hughes
Hotel Sorrento 1995
Directed by Richard Franklin Screenplay by Peter Fitzpatrick
and Richard Franklin from the play by Hannie Rayson
Featuring Caroline Goodall, Caroline Gillmer, Tara Morice, and Joan Plowright
A Cry in the Dark (aka "Evil Angels") 1988
Directed by Fred Schepisi
Screenplay by Robert Caswell and Fred Schepisi, from the novel Evil Angels by John Bryson
Featuring Meryl Streep, Sam Neill, Dale Reeves, Maurie Fields, and Charles "Bud" Tingwell
He Died with a Felafel in His Hand 2001
Directed by Richard Lowenstein
Screenplay by Richard Lowenstein, from the novel by John Birmingham
Featuring Noah Taylor, Emily Hamilton, Romane Bohringer and Alex Menglet
Australian director Bruce Beresford is preparing a film based on Mao's Last Dancer by Li Cunxin, a Chinese peasant-turned-ballet dancer who defected to the US and ultimately settled in Australia. The screenplay is being written by Joh Sardi, who previously scripted "Shine".
Schindler's List 1993
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Screenplay by Steven Zaillian, from the novel Schindler's Ark by Tom Keneally
Featuring Liam Neeson, Ben Kinglsey, Ralph Fiennes, and Caroline Goodall
We've mentioned the possible film adaptation of Tim Winton's Dirt Music here a few times in the past. The production will be directed by Phillip Noyce and feature Rachel Weisz. Now it appears that the filming has been put back to 2009. Noyce, who is currently in Canada, said that "it's a story that needs the right performers." Which, really, might mean anything. Remember that Heath Ledger was originally lined up for a major role before dropping out to play The Joker in the upcoming Batman film.
December Boys 2007
Directed by Rod Hardy
Screenplay by Marc Rosenberg, from the novel by Michael Noonan
Featuring Daniel Ratcliffe, Lee Cormie, Christian Byers, James Fraser, and Jack Thompson
In May this year, we reported on the upcoming film adaptation of Nim's Island by Wendy Orr. That adaptation has moved on according to Michele Gierck in "The Courier-Mail" as she chats to author Wendy Orr about the book, the film and how the two came together. The other piece of news is that filming has started on Queensland's Gold Coast.
Playing Beatie Bow 1986
Directed by Donald Crombie
Screenplay by Peter Gawler and Irwin Lane, from the novel by Ruth Park
Featuring Peter Phelps, Imogen Annesley, Mouche Phillips, and Nikki Coghill
Age of Consent 1969
Directed by Michael Powell
Screenplay by Peter Yeldham, from the novel by Norman Lindsay
Featuring James Mason, Helen Mirren, Jack MacGowran and Frank Thring
Lantana 2001
Directed by Ray Lawrence
Screenplay by Andrew Bovell from his play
Featuring Anthony LaPaglia, Kerry Armstrong, Geoffrey Rush, and Rachael Blake
Tai-Pan 1986
Directed by Daryl Duke
Screenplay by John Briley, from the novel by James Clavell
Featuring Bryan Brown, Joan Chen, and John Stanton
Walkabout 1971
Directed by Nicolas Roeg
Screenplay by Edward Bond, from the novel by James Vance Marshall
Featuring Jenny Agutter, Luc Roeg, David Gulpilil and John Meillon
"The Australian" is reporting that Fred Schepisi, best known for such films as The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith, Evil Angels and Last Orders, is slated to direct a film adaptation of Kate Grenville's novel The Secret River. The screenplay will be written by Jan Sardi, who wrote the script for Shine. No cast members have yet been named.
Some time back we mentioned that Tim Winton's trilogy of books about Lockie Leonard, young blonde surf-rat, had been turned into a television series. Now Channel 9 in Australia will start screening the 26-part series from today. The network will broadcast three episodes a week, from Tuesday to Thursday, at 4:00pm for the next nine weeks. "The Australian" interviewed Tim Winton about the whole enterprise over the weekend.
Over the past few months we've mentioned, from time to time, the rather peculiar difference in review tone associated with Richard Flanagan's latest novel The Unknown Terrorist. Basically, non-Australian reviews have tended towards the very enthusiastic, while those published in Australia have been, well, rather more lethargic. You'll remember that the novel made this year's Miles Franklin Award longlist - though not the shortlist - which gave us some sort of benchmark.
And now "The Sydney Morning Herald" is reporting that Steven Spielberg's production company Dreamworks has purchased film rights to the novel. While we need to be well aware that such a transaction means nothing more than an increased income for the novelist, at this time, it does continue this dichotomy of acceptance. I must read it and find out why.
The children's novel Nim's Island by Wendy Orr is to be adapted into a film featuring Jodie Foster and Abigail Breslin who received an Oscar nomination this year for her role in "Little Miss Sunshine", which also featured Toni Collette. Filming is expected to start on the Gold Coast in July this year, ahead of an April 2008 US release.
Eric Bana, who has appeared in such films as Blackhawk Down, Munich and Chopper, is to feature in a film adaptation of an Australian memoir.
"ROMULUS, MY FATHER is based on Raimond Gaita's critically acclaimed memoir. It tells the story of Romulus, his beautiful wife, Christina, and their struggle in the face of great adversity to bring up their son, Raimond. It is a story of impossible love that ultimately celebrates the unbreakable bond between father and son. "Developed with director Richard Roxburgh over seven years, ROMULUS, MY FATHER has been adapted for the screen by poet and playwright, Nick Drake. It is both Richard and Nick's first feature film and is produced by Arenafilm; a partnership between Robert Connolly and John Maynard, with credits that include most recently THREE DOLLARS, THE BANK, Rowan Woods' THE BOYS, Jane Campion's SWEETIE and Vincent Ward's THE NAVIGATOR."
Worldscreen.com is reporting that Jetix U.K. has acquired broadcast rights to the "Australian show 'Lockie Leonard', produced by Essential Viewing. It will premiere on Jetix U.K. on April 14 and follows the adventures of quick-witted surf-rat Lockie as he battles life as a 12-and-three-quarters-year-old. Based on the award-winning novels by Booker Prize nominated author Tim Winton, 'Lockie Leonard' offers viewers a roller-coaster ride of friends, family and a truly mixed up yet very normal life."
From Wikipedia: "Jetix is a children's television programming brand owned by The Walt Disney Company broadcast in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was previously known as Fox Kids." There is no word at this time as to when the series will be screened in Australia.
Further to our continuing saga regarding the film adaptation of Tim Winton's Dirt Music, the latest news is that Rachel Weisz and Colin Farrell will feature in Phillip Noyce's version of the novel. Luckily enough, Noyce has been with the project since the beginning, which bodes well for the enterprise.
News is just in from movie-land concerning a particular Australian young adult novel that I enjoyed so much last year: "Jim Henson Co. is launching development on a trio of literary properties -- The Boggart by novelist Susan Cooper ("The Dark is Rising"), The Doubtful Guest by Edward Gorey and the fantasy adventure trilogy Monster Blood Tattoo by D.M. Cornish..."Monster Blood Tattoo" is a series of three books, Foundling, Lamplighter and a third untitled novel, set in the world of the Half Continent, a magical Victorian realm where an orphaned boy embarks on a perilous quest to become an apprentice to a line of monster bounty hunters. No writer or director is attached; Henson Co. hasn't decided how many features it will adapt from the trilogy."
"The West Australian" newspaper is reporting that Heath Ledger has dropped out of Phillip Noyce's film version, of Tim Winton's novel Dirt Music. It seems he's to play the joker in the new Batman film and, given the nature of that project, is unsure whether he will be available to film in Western Australia in the middle of 2007. Rachel Weisz is still slated for the main female role.
Brilliant Lies 1996
Directed by Richard Franklin
Screenplay by Peter Fitzpatrick and Richard Franklin from the play by David Williamson
Featuring Gia Carides, Anthony LaPaglia, Zoe Carides, Ray Barrett and Michael Veitch.
A couple of weeks back I posted a comment from Phillip Noyce about his upcoming adaptation of Tim Winton's Dirt Music. Noyce is now back in Australia promoting his latest film, "Catch a Fire", and in the midst of a profile in "The Australian" there is the following paragraph: "Dividing his time between Los Angeles, London and Sydney, Noyce's future
projects include Tim Winton's Dirt Music -- 'It is a hard one, very much a literary invention, the texture and everything' -- and Philip Roth's American Pastoral. 'That one is easier. So we will see which one gets it together out.'" Good to see he's so busy, and also good to see that he's working both here and overseas.
Tim 1979
Directed by Michael Pate
Screenplay by Michael Pate from the novel by Colleen McCullough
Featuring Mel Gibson, Piper Laurie, Alwyn Kurts, Pat Evison and Peter Gwynne.
Hating Alison Ashley 2005
Directed by Geoff Bennett
Screenplay by Chris Anastassiades from the novel by Robin Klein
Featuring Saskia Burmeister, Tracey Mann, Richard Carter, Rachael Carpani and Delta Goodrem.
At the end of an interview on the "Coming Soon" website, Phillip Noyce is asked the question: Q: Have you started working on your next movie yet? to which he answers A: It's called "Dirt Music," it's a love story set in Western Australia. It's contemporary based on a novel by Australia's most beloved contemporary novelist Tim Winton. We won't start shooting for a year. [The script is done by] an Australian writer you've never heard of, Justin Monjo.
A Town Like Alice 1956
Directed by Jack Lee
Screenplay by W.P. Lipscomb and Richard Mason from the novel by Nevil Shute
Featuring Peter Finch, Virginia McKenna, Kenji Takaki, Tran Van Khe and Jean Anderson.
The Year of Living Dangerously 1982
Directed by Peter Weir
Screenplay by C.J. Koch and Peter Weir from the novel by C.J. Koch
Featuring Mel Gibson, Sigourney Weaver, Linda Hunt, Michael Murphy and Bill Kerr.
Robbery Under Arms 1985
Directed by Donald Crombie and Ken Hannam
Screenplay by Michael Jenkins, Graeme Koetsveld, and Tony Morphett from the novel by Rolf Boldrewood
Featuring Sam Neill, Steven Vidler, Christopher Cummins, Liz Newman, and Jane Menelaus.
The Odd Angry Shot 1979
Directed by Andrew Dominick
Screenplay by Tom Jeffrey from the novel by William L Nagle
Featuring Graham Kennedy, John Hargreaves, John Jarrett, Bryan Brown and Graeme Blundell.
Chopper 2000
Directed by Andrew Dominick
Screenplay by Andrew Dominick from the books by Mark Brandon "Chopper" Read
Featuring Eric Bana, Vince Colosimo, Simon Lyndon, David Field, and Daniel Wyllie.
The Boys 1997
Directed by Rowan Woods
Screenplay by Stephen Sewell from the play by Gordon Graham
Featuring David Wenham, Toni Collette, Lynette Curran, John Polson, and Jeanette Cronin.
Looking for Alibrandi 2000
Directed by Kate Woods
Screenplay by Melina Marchetta from her own novel
Featuring Elena Cotta, Anthony LaPaglia, Greta Scacchi, and Kerry Walker
Don's Party 1980
Directed by Bruce Beresford
Screenplay by David Williamson from his own play
Cast: Jack Thompson, Graham Kennedy, Frank Wilson, Harold Hopkins and John Howard.
Picnic at Hanging Rock 1975
Directed by Peter Weir
Screenplay by Cliff Green from the novel by Joan Lindsay
Cast: Rachel Roberts, Helen Morse, Jacki Weaver and Anne-Louise Lambert.
Don's Party 1976
Directed by Bruce Beresford
Screenplay by David Williamson from his own play
Cast: Ray Barrett, Claire Binney, Graham Kennedy, Pat Bishop, and Graeme Blundell.
Breaker Morant 1980
Directed by Bruce Beresford
Screenplay by Jonathan Hardy, David Stevens and Bruce Beresford from the play by Kenneth Ross.
Cast: Edward Woodward, Jack Thompson, Bryan Brown, Charles 'Bud' Tingwell, and Terence Donovan
The Brush Off 2004
Directed by Sam Neill
Screenplay by John Clarke from the novel by Shane Maloney
Cast: David Wenham, Mick Molloy, Bruce Spence and Steve Bisley
The Shoes of the Fisherman 1968
Directed by Michael Anderson
Screenplay by James Kenneway and John Patrick from the novel by Morris West
Cast: Anthony Quinn, Lawrence Olivier, Oskar Werner, David Janssen, Leo McKern and John Geilgud
Regular correspondent Ron writes to inform me that The Book Thief, the popular new novel by Markus Zusak, has been optioned by Fox 2000 for film adaptation. No further details available as yet. It just gets better and better for him.
Stiff 2004
Directed by John Clarke
Screenplay by John Clarke from the novel by Shane Maloney
Cast: David Wenham, Mick Malloy, Sam Neill, and Alan Hopgood
"The Guardian", and just about everyone else, is reporting that Peter Weir has quit the director's chair on the film adaptation of Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. Seems he had a difference of opinion, with star Johnny Depp and the film studio, about how to approach the story of the ex-heroin addict, prison escapee and Melbourne author.
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They're a Weird Mob 1966
Directed by Michael Powell
Screenplay by Emeric Pressburger from the novel by Nino Culotta (John O'Grady)
Cast: Walter Chiari, Clare Dunne, Chips Rafferty, Alida Chelli and Ed Devereaux
Oscar and Lucinda 1997
Directed by Gillian Armstrong
Screenplay by Laura Jones from the novel by Peter Carey
Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Cate Blanchett, Ciarán Hinds, Tom Wilkinson and Richard Roxburgh
The Getting of Wisdom 1978
Directed by Bruce Beresford Screenplay by Eleanor Witcombe from the novel by Henry Handel Richardson
Cast: Julia Blake, Dorothy Bradley, Kay Eklund and Max Fairchild
Careful, He Might Hear You 1983
Directed by Carl Schulz
Screenplay by Michael Jenkins from the novel by Sumner Locke Elliott
Cast: Wendy Hughes, Robyn Nevin, Nicholas Gledhill, John Hargreaves
The Sundowners 1960
Directed by Fred Zinneman
Screenplay by Isobel Lennart from the novel by Jon Cleary
Cast: Robert Mitchum, Deborah Kerr, Peter Ustinov, Chips Rafferty
Three Dollars 2005
Directed by Robert Connolly
Screenplay by Robert Connolly from the novel by Elliot Perlman
Cast: David Wenham, Frances O'Connor, Sarah Wynter
On the Beach 1959
Directed by Stanley Kramer
Screenplay by John Paxton (and James Lee Barrett) from the novel by Nevil Shute
Cast: Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire, Anthony Perkins
My Brilliant Career 1979
Directed by Gillian Armstrong
Screenplay by Eleanor Witcombe from the novel by Miles Franklin
Cast: Judy Davis, Sam Neill, Wendy Hughes, Robert Grubb, Max Cullen
For a while there, at the end of 2005, it was being reported that Steven Spielberg was interested in remaking "Mary Poppins", based on the original book by PL Travers and the 1964 Disney film starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. And now it seems that some cold water has been thrown on the idea.
PL Travers was born Helen Lyndon Goff in Maryborough, Queensland, on 9th August 1899; she died in London in 1996. She is reported have to been very upset by the Disney version, considering it too sentimental. She'll be spinning widdershins if Spielberg gets hold of the material. A musical based on the film/book has been running in the West End of London since December 2004 and is due to open on Broadway in October 2006.
The list of Australian novels undergoing film production seems to be getting longer and longer. Susan Wyndham, in "The Age", provides an overview of the current scene and explains: "... Australian novels are in demand as both Hollywood and the local film industry bemoan a shortage of strong original screenplays." The article has been written as Elliot Perlman returns home to Melbourne for the premiere of the film adaptation of his first novel Three Dollars. And Wyndham goes on to detail some of the other Australian novels currently under consideration or treatment: Dirt Music by Tim Winton, Moral Hazzard by Kate Jennings, and The Drowner by Robert Drewe, being just some of them.
The problem is going to be, of course, that Australian stories need directors and writers attuned to the basic culture for the works to be successfully translated. Which is why I for one am glad to see Phillip Noyce directing the Winton and Jennings films. If world-class Australian directors return home to develop adaptations of these novels then the whole of the industry gains from the process. Which can only lead to an increased interest in the original source material. And that surely can't be a bad thing.
"The Australian" today reports further on the suspension of production on the film adaptation of the Murray Bail novel Eucalyptus. Obviously matters have progressed somewhat since my previous note regarding the fracas. Now we find that writer-director Moorhouse has left the project, and that Nicole Kidman's schedule will not permit her to be involved in the film later in the year. So she's out as well. Crowe is now reported to be attempting to contact either Bruce Beresford or Fred Schepisi. Though neither has been approached so far according to their agents.
To bring this back to the script side of things: it appears that the disagreement between Moorhouse and Crowe concerned the dialogue. Crowe wanted changes, Moorhouse did not. And we thought this only happened in Hollywood. No, hang on. This is a Hollywood film. It's just being filmed here.
Just a few days before shooting was due to start on the film adaptation of Murray Bail's Eucalyptus, production was halted. Exact reasons are sketchy at this time, but the general consensus is that problems with the script are the base cause.
"The Australian" reports that there have been "creative differences" between Russell Crowe, the executive producer, and Jocelyn Moorhouse, the writer-director. Added to that, Murray Bail has been a little bemused by the casting of Nicole Kidman in the lead female role: Kidman is 37 and the novel's character Ellen is 19.
I really don't have a big problem with Kidman in the lead: good make-up, judicious lighting and she could look like she was in her early twenties - no nose required. Anyway it might be said (but not by me, of course) that Kidman has had some "image enhancements" over the years which have helped her look younger. The problem I find is with the roles of Crowe and Moorhouse. I've always thought the executive producer was the person who either put up the money or got the package together to bankroll the production. Having that person in one of the main roles in the film strikes me as a possible conflict of interest: the executive producer wants the best for the film as that will help ensure they get their money back, and the actor wants their role to be bigger, always bigger, even if it hurts the balance of the script in the process. If those two roles work well together, or if one player plays against their role, then things might work out. I'd say that most times they won't.
Writer-directors either work very well or fall in a heap. Woody Allen is able to undertake both roles because he gets the script done first, and then employs an ensemble cast for his films, working to his own timetable. And for a long time he worked outside the studio system, or at least arranged standard funding. M. Night Shyamalan also works as a writer-director and is a perfect example of why this doesn't always work. His first film, "Sixth Sense" was a huge hit because he had time to get the script right before moving into director-mode. Each subsequent film shows a dilution of quality which I would put down to script problems, caused by Shyamalan having too much to do in too little time, and consequently falling short. We really won't know what his true abilities are until he writes a script for someone else, or directs a film without writing it.
In the case of Eucalyptus, the film is being financed by Fox Searchlight Pictures, and features two Oscar-winning actors, and it might have been three if Geoffrey Rush hadn't pulled out due to scheduling problems.
[Just as an aside: what was the last film with three Oscar-winners in the lead roles? I can't think of any.]
So the pressure was on. Crowe hasn't been making more than one film a year lately which seems a good schedule, but Kidman seems to be the female equivalent of Jude Law at present - she's everywhere. Her schedule must be a nightmare to organise. So more time pressure was applied to fit the film production into her calendar. And then the studio wants it finished and in the theatres by the end of the year to make it eligible for the 2006 Oscars, and the house of cards starts to get very shakey. If it all slots into place, well and good. But you wouldn't want to bet the bank on it.
I have no idea which of these possible problems caused the final collapse. The script seems the easiest to blame, ego- and creative-wise. At this time the main players intend the production to go ahead later in the year, with a November date being mentioned. I sincerely hope it does. Eucalytus was, in my opinion, one of the best Australian books of the 1990s. If the film does nothing other than bring people back to the original source novel, then it will have served its purpose. And as a last thought: I wonder if Geoffrey Rush will be free then?
