RIP Troy Kennedy Martin

The Italian Job screenwriter Troy Kennedy Martin dies at 77
16 September, 2009 | Screen Daily

Troy Kennedy Martin, the British screenwriter whose credits include The Italian Job, died of cancer yesterday (September 15) aged 77 years old.

The award winning writer began his career at the BBC in 1958 and wrote several plays for the broadcaster before creating his first series, Storyboard, in 1961. His most famous TV creation was Liverpool-based police drama Z-Cars, which ran for 15 years although he was only involved in the first two series.

He moved into feature films in the early 1970s with the original screenplay for Peter Collinson’s The Italian Job, which starred Noel Coward and Michael Caine. He followed it up with Kelly’s Heroes, The Jerusalem File and Sweeney 2, based on the popular TV series, The Sweeney, created by his brother Ian Kennedy Martin. He also co-wrote the screenplay for Red Heat with director Walter Hill in 1988 and Red Dust, directed by Tom Hooper, in 2004.

He returned to TV work during the 1980s, including the critically acclaimed political thriller/science fiction drama Edge Of Darkness, and the popular ITV drama Reilly, Ace Of Spies. He also adapted Andy McNab’s book Bravo Two Zero for the BBC.

Although he was best known for his work spanning TV and film, he also penned a novel, Beating The Damask Drum, published in 1959, and gave many lectures including the McTaggart Lecture at the Edinburgh International TV Festival in 1986.
(Via AC), Edge of Darkness se reface, un soi de comebak la acting Mel Gibson !

Mad Mel Redux

now that Polanski's out, who can you count to crucify ?
Mad Mel did it again...
Oups. Nu urmaresc toate stirile tabloide dar am ramas masca la rap-ul lui Mel catre iubita lui (fosta) Oksana, cu care are un bebe (quote-lovechild)
primul rant de pe youtube aici
leaked pe 9 iulie !

acum a aparut o a doua caseta tot pe radaronline dar nu pot s-o ascult in Ro.
acum pe youtube !
(can't be embed, sa vedem daca rezista nestearsa)
4 ani de la jewhater/sugartits DUI, cu moderatele "asshole" zise pe post recent si un not to hot comeback in dark thrillerul EDGE OF DARKNESS, Mel parea confortably numb cu new Passion Oksana si o fetita nou nascuta. dar a luat-o total razna si ea l-a inregistrat la telefon amenintind-o. Deja reprezentanta sa de agenti l-a lasat balta dupa prima caseta.
"You need a f*cking bat in the side of the head. Alright, how about that?”
& even more than that. the whole story here.

Edge of Darkness indeed. Nu stiu daca publicul va mai fi braveheart cu Mel again.
Apocalyptomel! hopefully incepe prologul din Mad Max II soon !
si asta tocmai cind a fost anuntat Mad max IV cu Tom Hardy ! Cred ca DiCaprio se retrage asap din proiectul cu Vikingii !

Mel in Hamlet de Zefirelli, un solilocviu care se incheie cu "Frailty thy name is woman"!!!

recuperari : Edge of Darkness (2009)

l-am pus la recuparari pentru cam mi-au trebuit 2 luni sa ajung sa-l vad in cinema, si asta final, la Patria, in ultima zi de rulare.
Comeback-ul lui Mel Gibson ca actor intr-un alt revenge thriller e excelent. Dur si intunecat si downbeat. Adaptarea miniseriei TV Edge of Darkness de Troy Kennedy Martin din 1985 (filmul i-e dedicat pentru ca Troy a murit anul trecut), relocata din Anglia in Boston. Scenariu de William Monahan si Andrew Bovell, regizat de Martin Campbell (care a facut si seria originala). Le-a iesit destul de bine, sunt incoerente si lucruri nepaluzibile dar atmosfera e ok si Gibson sufera asa cum stie el mai bine.
Ray Winstone excelent (initial in rolul sau, Jedburgh a fost De Niro, dar ela plecat duap vreo 2 zile de filmare, "pentru diferente creative"), la fel si Danny Huston as evil corporate man.
am auzit ca au fost destule probleme, re-shoots pentru mai multa actiune si cite e cit mai comercial, s-a renuntat la score-ul original si s-a creat unul nou, mai tensionat, de Howard Shore (cel din seria TV era excelent, Eric Clapton cu Michael Kamen)

3 1/4 din 5, 6 1/2 din 10 !

Michael Mann's Ferrari (2023)

(This was 1st a post on Aug. 30 2023)- Now in Venice Film Festival ! In Competition !!!

Adam Driver eats more spaghetti and chews again uno accente italiano after being in Ridley Scott's House of Gucci ;).

Now he is Enzo Ferrari in Michael Mann's long in the works biopic. Mann, who is now 80 !!! wanted to make this film from the early Nineties, first with Robert De Niro as Ferrari, then in 2016 he was about to shoot it with Christian Bale. Bale did get to play in Le Mans/Ford v Ferrari a Formula One English pilot Ken Miles. Michael Mann was the executive producer on Mangold's 2019 film, where Enzo Ferrari was played by cult actor Remo Girone (Tano Cariddi in La Piovra series, now on The Equaliser 3). Mann then cast Hugh Jackman as Ferrari but he finally shot the film last year with the properly named Driver, Adam ;)

US Release date: Dec. 25 2023. 

Romanian release Jan. 5 2024

*

Just saw the film in the theatre, needs a biiig screen to be enjoyed properly. Plus the sound...

Of course as it was shot in the 2.39: 1 ratio, shot masterfully by Erik Messerschmidt (Fincher's The Killler, Mank), proof that Mann took him in to shot the Italian vistas and incredible car racing. Some new angles and virtuoso craftmann-ship, but in the service of the story. 

Which is twisted between the man, the machines, the women, the drivers, the competition. Based on the Brock Yates biography, Enzo Ferrari: The Man, The Cars, The Races, The Machines.

Adam Driver is great, restrained, standing tall and playing someone who is 20 years his senior, Enzo Ferrari was 60 at the time the film is set, 1957. He is the film's biggest asset and Mann chose him rightfully so. The film focuses primarily on the relationship with his wife, Laura (a strong make-upped Penelope Cruz channeling Anna Magnani), and his mistress Lina Lardi (Shailene Woodley).  Also it focuses on the relationship of Ferrari with his drivers, the new entry Antonio De Portago in paricullar. Written by the late Troy Kennedy Martin (The Italian Job, The Edge of Darkness), the film is shot all over Italy (the Mille Milla Race) and displayed on a professional budget ($110 mill.), with a pulsating score by Daniel Pemberton, that incudes a sample of Lisa Gerrard 's score of The Insider (Sacrifice). Editing choices were made so the film ends at 130 mins, I would've wanted it go go on more, as it takes a long time to start on, and develop a relationship with its viewers.

3 1/2 out of 5, 7 out of 10 !

Trailer out Today:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yezwLp2isbY

London Boulevard (2010)

sunset bldv, carlito's way, layer cake, get carter, the bodyguard si performance sunt cele mai referentiale titluri care se intilnesc in debutul scenaristului american William Monahan (Kingdom of Heaven, Body of Lies, The Departed), bazat pe prea englezescul roman al irlandezului ! Ken Bruen.
distributie anglicana: Colin Farrell (din nou softie as only Colin can be :( mai bun In Bruges- aici era mai bun un Clive Owen-Michael Caine-sc), Keira Knightley (weakest link, too young, too aloof ?), David Thewlis (f. bun), Anna Friel (prea putzin pe ecran), Ben Chaplin (sleazy), Ray Winstone (face cu ochiul lui Richard Burton in Villain si lui Robbie Kray), Stephen Graham (cel mai recent Al Capone in Boardwalk Empire), Eddie Marsan (cel mai recent inspectorul Lestrade in Sherlock Homes).

soundrack de sixties cu muzica originala compusa de Sergio Pizzorno de la trupa Kasabian, cu Yarbirds The Yardbirds ‘Heart Full Of Soul’

"The Letter" by the Boxtops (Alex Chilton).
si Rolling Stones si chiar Bob Dylan (Subterranian Home Blues)
imagine profi de veteranul Chris Menges (are 70 de ani si Oscar pentru The Killing Fields si The Mission) si un thanx lui Ridley Scott pe generic (Monahan stie de ce)
shi nu, London Calling nu e in film !
englezilor nu le-a placut deloc filmul , nici cronica din empire nu zice de ce, poate ca nu suporta sa vina strainii sa le dea lectii la ei acasa, ferea, ca urmatorul proiect regizoral al lui Monahan (care a adaptat pt America si mini seria Edge of Darkness) e Becket (nu, nu Samuel)!!!!
flawed but nonetheless interesting
3 1/2 din 5, 7 din 10 !