Friday, October 20, 2006

Ford Speaks About Indy 4

I sense a broken hip in Ford's future...

Harrison Ford says he feels "fit to continue" to play Indiana Jones despite growing older.

Ford, 64, said at the inaugural Rome Film Festival on Friday that he was delighted to team up again with directors Steven Spielberg and George Lucas for the film. Lucas co-wrote and executive produced the earlier films, which Spielberg directed.

"We did three films that stay within the same block of time. We need to move on for artistic reasons and obvious physical reasons," Ford said at a news conference. "I feel fit to continue and bring the same physical action."

"Indiana Jones 4" has been in development for over a decade, but the production has recently gained momentum. Lucas has said he and Spielberg, who would direct, are working on a script, though no details have been disclosed.

Ford played Indiana Jones in 1981's "Raiders of the Lost Ark," 1984's "Temple of Doom" and 1989's "The Last Crusade." In the last film, Jones' father was played by Sean Connery, who Ford said might also appear in the planned fourth feature.

"He's part of the emotional fabric of these films. I think there may be an opportunity, I believe that Sean is still willing and I'd be delighted if he joined us," said Ford.

Connery, who attended the Rome event last week, has said that no offer had been made.

Ford declined to provide details about a shooting schedule or film locations, adding that the directors were not yet finished with the script.

"I think it's a real opportunity to make a film as successful ... as the ones we've made before," he said.

AP News

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Eddie Murphy: Human STARSHIP

I sense another failure...

The comic has the science fiction comedy in preproduction at 20th Century Fox, and Brian Robbins is set to direct.

It's clear that Eddie Murphy likes the idea of science fiction comedies, but they haven't usually worked for him. One need only look at his nearly career-ending turn in Pluto Nash. Nevertheless, he's going to boldly go once again. Daily Variety reports Murphy is set to star in Starship Dave, to be produced by Deep River Productions and Guy Walks Into a Bar, with Brian Robbins directing.

Robbins is just off the remake of Disney's The Shaggy Dog. Murphy and Robbins worked together on Norbit, which is still in the pipeline. Robbins was offered the script when Pete Segal had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts. He's over at Warner Bros. now, working up a film revival of Get Smart.

But Back to Starship Dave: Murphy isn't just a Starship Captain in the movie, he IS Starship Dave. The comedy surrounds a group of tiny aliens who travel the universe within a human starship, seeking a way to save their own threatened world. Starship Dave will begin its journey in front of the cameras beginning in March.

By Dennis Michael, FilmStew.com

Monday, October 16, 2006

Chan's growth "stunted" by Hollywood rules

Jackie Chan, famous for his daredevil stunts, says he's frustrated by Hollywood's safety rules.

"There are so many safety and insurance rules to follow," Chan said in an interview on his Web site Sunday. "I know that they want to make sure that I'm safe when I do my stunts, but sometimes they insist that I use protective gear for even simple things, and that is frustrating. It takes so much time."

Chan, best known in the United States for the "Rush Hour" movies with Chris Tucker, said he feels less encumbered when making films in Hong Kong.

"In Hong Kong we just go ahead and do what needs to be done. There is no safety captain on the set. I use my own stunt team because they have experience and I trust them to make the action and stunts safe," he said. Chan, 52, also said that when he first broke into Hollywood, he'd had little control over his own moves, even though he'd been choreographing stunts for decades in Hong Kong. But that that has changed over time.

"When I first started making Hollywood films, the directors wouldn't listen to anything I said when it came to the action," he said. "It's different now; the directors respect me and listen to me. Over the years I have gotten more involved in the planning of the action and stunts on my American movies and that makes me happy. But mostly it is difficult."

Associated Press

Rob Zombie Wins 'Chainsaw' Movie Award

Rocker-turned-director Rob Zombie picked up a Chainsaw Award for his horror flick "The Devil's Rejects." The "Killer Movie" award, presented Sunday night to Zombie by Robert "Freddy Kruger" Englund, was part of the first televised "fuse Fangoria Chainsaw Awards" to honor the best films and actors in the horror genre.

Zombie's wife, Sheri Moon, and actor Bill Moseley won the "Relationship From Hell" award for "The Devil's Rejects."

"Saw II" also won two awards, for "Best Butcher" (best villain) and "Looks that Kill" (best makeup).

The awards ceremony was held at the Orpheum Theatre and will be broadcast Oct. 22 on fuse Television.