15-2-2000

OSCAR WATCH 2000

Well, the Academy Award nominations will be announced first thing Tuesday morning, and hope springs eternal that Cate will be recognized for her brilliant work in "An Ideal Husband", "Pushing Tin", and/or "The Talented Mr. Ripley".

After last year's Best Actress debacle, I don't think any of us will be holding our breath waiting for the Academy to do the right thing, but, we shall keep our fingers crossed.

This year's Oscar poster, seen here, is actually kind of cool, looking very "Metropolis" in its own way, so this reporter, for one, is taking that as a good omen.

It seems hard to believe a year has passed since the Oscar mania of 1999. Likewise, it is interesting to note that in the States there are a number of Valentine's Day productions of 'The Vagina Monolugues" taking place this week, and it seems amazing that it's been a year since Cate joined the star-studded one-off last VD in London.

Mark Morris, writing this weekend in the UK Guardian came up with an interesting theory regarding this year's Oscars, actually making the case that history is on the side of "Mr. Ripley" as far as the Oscars are concerned. The story, in part, ran:

"Over the next few weeks people will eagerly tell you American Beauty has the Best Picture Oscar in the bag. After all, it's hard to think of a film that has ever come out to such a rapturous reception from critics and public alike. It's the screamingly obvious choice. But here's some advice: put your money on The Talented Mr Ripley.

You see, Ripley has history on its side. In the Nineties only one film with a wholly contemporary setting won the Best Picture award: that was The Silence Of The Lambs in 1992. But that film broke all the Academy Award conventions so thoroughly - going for terror rather than tears - that it remains the exception that proves the rule.

Otherwise the likely Best Picture contenders this year represent a voyage through time that starts with Forrest Gump 's dash through recent US history and goes all the way back to Braveheart, rewinding through World War Two ( The English Patient, Schindler's List ), the Edwardian era ( Titanic ), the West ( Unforgiven, Dances With Wolves ) and Elizabethan England ( Shakespeare In Love ).

Last year there wasn't one nominee set in the present: Shakespeare In Love beat Saving Private Ryan, The Thin Red Line, Life Is Beautiful and Elizabeth.

It is possible there are people who really think all the best films of recent times have been period pieces of some kind - but probably only James Ivory and his closest friends. And there are cruel critics who point out that for many members of the self-selecting Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences, World War Two is a contemporary event and the sinking of the Titanic the recent past.

But you get closer to the truth by examining the institutional logic of the Academy. The Oscars function as a third way in cinema. Unlike the critics, the Academy is not keen on Martin Scorsese and doesn't look kindly on subtitled films. Unlike the filmgoing public, the members aren't drawn to big explosions, horror movies, Austin Powers or sexually frustrated teenagers.

Instead the Academy is the defender of a middlebrow notion of quality. There's a reassurance about costume dramas, a feeling that they will never become dated.

You can feel the sheer craft of the production - costumes, sets - in a way you can't with a realistic contemporary film - one of the reasons The English Patient beat Secrets and Lies and Jerry Maguire.

History is a McDonald's-free zone. In movies, more often than not, the past looks exquisite. But this year it looks like the pattern will be broken. (Or so we predict.) The picturesque past is likely to be represented solely by The Talented Mr Ripley. The Hurricane does stretch back to the Forties but largely takes place in an early Eighties setting which looks and feels present-day - no clunky Rubik's cube references here - and its story of an African-American abused by the forces of law and order is fiercely relevant. After that we are talking about the acutely present-day America of The Insider and American Beauty, the bizarre but undoubtedly modern Being John Malkovich and the outside choice of The Sixth Sense.

If we are right about the nominees, the Academy will have to try to branch out a little. There is, of course, a chance we are calling it wrong, and either The Green Mile - Frank Darabont's sprawling follow-up to The Shawshank Redemption - or The End Of The Affair may sneak on to the nomination list. Both must have looked like Oscar certs in the making, but the wisdom is that their perceived flaws, and the advantages of the films on our shortlist, are just too apparent.

So if we are following history, Ripley should have it: it basks in its gorgeous Italian locations, has a soundtrack full of jazz - and the luxury of Gwyneth Paltrow and Cate Blanchett in supporting roles. Anthony Minghella has the pedigree of having already directed a Best Picture (The English Patient).

On the surface it looks perfect. But the feeling is that The Talented Mr Ripley is a little too nasty. Whereas The English Patient had the tear-jerking moments that the Academy loves, Ripley has murders that go unpunished, not to mention a creepy gay (anti) hero.

And then there is the way the story relies heavily on a notion that Americans would rather not admit: that they, too, have a vicious, distorting class system."

Is it just me, or does anyone else find that piece just a little schizophrenic? Seems to change horses in midstream, as it were. In any case, best of luck to Cate and all her co-stars comes Tuesday morn.

CATE PROJECTS

The whirlwind of rumours and news regarding Cate's involvement in various projects continues to swirl. The latest as we know it:

Hannibal Update:

Various trades were reporting this weekend that actress Julianne Moore will be filling the role passed on by Jodie Foster and Cate.

Regarding this role, a Hollywood insider told Variety: "The choice of actress is very important, because Hannibal Lecter doesn't appear until one-quarter into the sequel and Clarice will have to carry the movie. Julianne is the right actress for the role. She's brilliant."

Foster objected to the script for Hannibal, based on Thomas Harris's best-selling novel, because she felt the ending where Clarice falls under Lecter's cannibalistic spell was a betrayal of her character. But the final draft apparently resolves many of these problems. "It allows Starling to redeem herself and even leaves open the possibility of a third film," says Variety.

Foster has since announced that filming Hannibal would conflict with her plans to direct a movie this spring.
Studio spokeswoman Terri Curtin said: "We decided that to reapproach her would put the entire project on hold for over a year, so that would seem an impossibility."

Hannibal, to be directed by Brit Ridley Scott, has been dogged by problems since producer Dino De Laurentiis paid Harris £6million for rights to his book. Since then a further £625,000 has been spent on the script.The plot revolves around a grossly disfigured former Lecter victim who seeks a grisly revenge on the doctor and uses Starling as bait to help catch him.

Bridget Jones's Diary Update:

Going back to a story we covered late last year, it seems problems continue to plague the upcoming production of "Bridget Jones's Diary", primarily the involvement/interference of the popular novel's author.

As reported in The Express UK

AFTER more than two years planning, the makers of the film version of Bridget Jones's Diary still don't have a leading lady to play the neurotic, single thirty-something.
Film industry insiders are pointing the finger of blame at the cult literary phenomenon's creator, writer Helen Fielding.

While principals at Working Title had initially hoped to land Cate, her busy schedule hampered that scenario. It has emerged that production firm Working Title's hopes of then securing Titanic star Kate Winslet for the coveted role were scuppered by Fielding's "dithering". According to a source close to the film, which is supposed to start filming this summer, the writer did not approve of Winslet playing the lead role. Fielding has said she wants an unknown to play the part, although last November she suggested she should play the lead herself.

Instead, Winslet signed with London-based Intermedia Films to play the lead in a film version of Emile Zola's classic novel, Therese Raquin. "She just got tired of waiting around for Working Title to make their minds up," the film source said.

Eric Fellner, who is producing the Bridget Jones film, said: "I am disappointed that I have not been able to sign up Kate. We were in negotiations for the deal and I am absolutely amazed it didn't work out with her. As far as I understand it, she turned down the role because of a clash of schedules."

But the film source told The Express last night: "There is more to this story than meets the eye. Kate Winslet was at first keen to play Bridget Jones and had indicated as much.

"At the time she was fielding a number of film scripts and various project ideas. "There is a very good chance that she would have played the role if the film company had made their mind up, but there was some kind of a dispute between them and Helen Fielding. It's well known that she wants to have an unknown play Bridget Jones. But when you are producing a film, you need big names to help guarantee not only financial backing but also bums on seats when the film comes out."

Movie insiders say Working Title's desire for a big-name star to play Bridget Jones may still come true. Attention has once again turned to Cate Blanchett as well as to Helena Bonham-Carter.

The role was first suggested to Bonham-Carter in 1998 during a meeting in America between Fielding and the actress and her then partner, Kenneth Branagh. Colin Firth is tipped to play Jones's love interest in the adaption of the diaries, which have earned Fielding an estimated £2 million fortune so far.

I wonder if all this neurotic behaviour is a publicity stunt. Why not just cast Calista Flockhart and be done with it? She does do a fine British accent. :-)

Minority Report Update:

As we reported in last week's edition of Cate News, the reports of Spielberg abandoning "MR" to do "Harry Potter" were apparently premature.

Following on this lead, Variety reported that when Spielberg was asked, following the announcement of the Director's Guild nominations, about what project he's doing next, he responded: "Tell me what you'd like me to direct. I'm open to suggestions."

When asked if he was going to settle on either "A.I"., "Minority Report" or "Harry Potter", he replied: "I'm interested and I'm talking to people about it("Harry Potter"). But I've been working for the last year and three months with Tom Cruise and Scott Frank on "Minority Report", and that's the film I continue to focus on right now."

So that sounds somewhat promising. Plus, Cate's rather demure refusal to discuss "MR" in the Express article in this issue lends hope that this bird may take flight at some point.

And, we have a new association for Cate at this time. For the first time, her name has been mentioned in association with the upcoming Sam Raimi film, "Spider-Man".

Movie Mafia reported:

Spiderman unable to lure Cate

Cate Blanchett has passed on yet another major role as she shoots her latest American movie, The Gift.

Director of The Gift, Sam Raimi, was hoping she'd be available for a six-week shoot in his upcoming "stylish" version of Spider-Man. A busy calendar ruled her out immediately - Cate has committments for the next 14 months, principally with the New Zealand shoot of "Lord of The Rings".

Raimi is directing Blanchett in The Gift, co-starring Katie Holmes, Keanu Reeves, Ron Eldard and Gary Cole. She portrays a woman with ESP who is asked to help solve a murder.

Raimi will go straight to Spider-Man after he finishes post-production and promotional work on The Gift in September. Spider-Man was for years, during complicated court battles over copyright and movie rights, the pet project for Titanic director James Cameron.

It would appear Sam is genuinely smitten by the talented Ms. Blanchett, and who wouldn't be. More news from us to you as soon as it becomes available.

ARTICLE ROUNDUP

We were able to uncover a couple of sensational Cate articles/interviews this week!

The first, from theExpress UK covers a wide array ot topics; examining the character of Meredith Logue, recounting Cate's earlier (mis)adventures in Italy, and many other areas. A sample:

So is she comfortable riding the fame train now? "I feel like I'm doing OK now with managing all that, but it was hard in the beginning.
"There were so many interviews and so many people asking questions. My head was filled with garbage and I had to clear it out. That's my responsibility as an actor. "That whole journey can make you a little more self-conscious and precious about the choices you make, but in the end that's all rubbish. "You just have to make the decisions you want to make and I knew after Elizabeth that I wanted to work in a way that was more fun, where I wasn't so much the focus of things."

She succeeded in not being the focus in films such as Pushing Tin, alongside John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton and scene-stealer Angelina Jolie, An Ideal Husband and, of course, Ripley. "I feel like I've set the limit very high," she says. "But it's depressing to work on things you don't believe in. I must have that - and of course a certain number of lines and a ripping good yarn."

She is joking about the lines. "If the characters have great dialogue like Anthony Minghella writes, and you're going to be photographed by John Seale (who won an Academy Award for The English Patient), well, it doesn't get any better than that."

DOES SHE really never feel a little like a movie star? "There seems to be this strange concept that if you get nominated for an Oscar, you become a Hollywood star. I've always made choices based on the challenge that something gives me. Even in my life, I don't like doing something I did the day before. I like to try things out, private things that may or may not work. It's important to find that out as an actress. All the other stuff is a by-product and I can't help but find it hilarious.
"It's like this game that we all know we're playing but pretend we're not. But we all know how it works and everyone knows how you get where you get. Ultimately, you work your 10-hour day, agonise over what you've done, then go out and publicise it. All people are really interested in is who you are dating and what you're wearing.

"I don't mean to be flippant about it, but I'm not American, I'm not English - I'm Australian. We have a small, vibrant industry and I've been fortunate enough to have made a couple of films that have opened up other areas for me. I just hope that continues."
Cate has a good giggle before concluding: "I really feel like I haven't even started yet."

This wonderful article/interview may be read in its entirety @ Oscar, No Thanks.

Secondly, the always industrious Andrew Urban sat down with Cate and came up with much fascinating information, including bits on "The Gift" and new insights into "Ripley", including working with Philip Seymour Hoffman. Here is an excerpt from his interview, published in The Bulletin:

It's Friday evening in Savannah, and rehearsals have just finished; the production office is shutting down for the weekend, before the start of principal photography (as American filmmakers put it) on The Gift, directed by Sam Raimi, and starring Cate Blanchett and Keanu Reeves. Downstairs, a salsa club is about to fire up for the night. Blanchett, incredibly punctual for this interview, is sitting by a desk with a phone in one of several abandoned buildings - some have been taken over by the School of Art and Design. This one by the film crew from Lakeshore Entertainment, which is producing The Gift for Paramount's Classics division.

"I almost don't know what a character is until six months after I finish playing it." Blanchett plays Ms Annie Wilson from a rural town in Georgia, who has psychic abilities: The Gift. Beyond that, Blanchett is not ready to describe her character as yet. "Gosh, I find it incredibly difficult to .I almost don't know what a character is until six months after I finish playing it. All I can tell you is that before the film begins, Ms Annie's husband's died, and she has three kids and she gets embroiled in a murder case. The police can't solve a murder. . . she starts being haunted by the murder and gets involved in trying to solve it."

Sam Raimi is "the king of suspense and horror," says Blanchett, "so I think it's going to be pretty creepy." There is also the wicked and creepy wit of Billy Bob Thornton who co-wrote the screenplay. Reeves plays Donnie Barksdale, a redneck wife beater. Blanchett's Ms Annie is stoic, doing a lot of psychic readings and counselling. And vastly different to Meredith, the character she plays in The Talented Mr Ripley. "And that's what I love about this . . . going from one extreme to the other. Annie is a world away from the dizziness that characterises Meredith."

...Meredith comes from a very specific American milieu, the equivalent of Britain's upper class. She has to sound like the heiress she is. "And accents are a part of the formation of character," says Blanchett, whose father is American. "I love that way of finding someone's internal psychology . . . through external things like vocal patterns. It's amazing once you begin to research . well, the history of the English language I suppose, what actually forms a Southern accent. What we've found - we're working with the dialogue coach I worked with on Pushing Tin - is that with the poverty in the rural South, people move about, so there isn't the consistency that there would have been in the 1950s; so there's a lot more licence than in the world of Ripley. We had to place Meredith very specifically: they were monied, horsey people who had that languid way they spoke, that whole outdoorsy thing, which is incredibly different."

Blanchett's Meredith Logue is a young innocent American heiress travelling in Europe. She bumps into Ripley - who passes himself off as the young American heir Dickie Greenleaf - one of her own class. He passes in and out of her life quite quickly. "The time she spends with Ripley," says Blanchett, "is probably the most wonderful week in her life. . .she feels he's the man she's been waiting to meet, and is unaware of his duplicity." "I've been surprised people have not been talking about the role but about the size of the role".

Meredith is not a big role, but to Blanchett, size does not matter. "I've been surprised that people have not been talking about the role but about the size of the role - which I find such a bizarre concept. I think Anthony (Minghella) is an astonishingly humane and succinct writer; it's rare that you read scripts where every single word is as carefully chosen as is every single image. You jump at the opportunity to be part of a film like that."

Minghella, who enlarged the role especially for her, also uses the word "astonishing" to describe Blanchett as an actress. But while keen on the script, Blanchett says she wasn't in pursuit of it. "I don't think I've ever pursued anything, to be perfectly frank. I've been lucky . . . often decisions I make are not necessarily the right ones. I've been in the right place at the right time, or unable to avoid something. I happened to be in England shooting Elizabeth and heard that Anthony wanted to meet me and I wanted to meet him, irrespective of whether he was making a film or not. And then I read the script and he said would I do it and I said yes. It was very simple."

And great fun. "Oh, I had an absolute ball. And I worked with Phil Hoffman (who plays the eccentric Freddie Miles) who is a dear friend and an astonishing actor. For me he shines like a beacon in every film he's in. I made some firm friends and I saw another side of Italy."

This terrific piece may be read in its entirety @ Urban Interviews Blanchett.

AND NOW, A WORD FROM OUR CATE

Okay Blanchetteers, on our way out the door this go around, we thought we'd leave you with a couple of Cate quotes, more of which may always be found here at ACBO.

The first of which is contained within one of the two excellent interviews offered this issue, and goes thusly:

Blanchett, currently in "The Talented Mr. Ripley," says for a country of 20 million people, Aussie artists have shown great resolve. "I think the way we pit ourselves against the world is quite unique," she notes. "I don't think there's a country where there's a bigger land mass that's so sparsely populated, and I think that characterizes a particular way of looking at the world."

Amen to that. And then, there is this observation Cate made in Marie Claire:

"People have described me as "luminous" in the past . . . It's a beautiful word but when it's the only word used to describe a woman's acting technique or her abilities on-screen, it's just a kind of fobbing off. I find women's performances aren't analysed - there's this kind of laziness."

And finally, you knew we could not depart without leaving you with the most famous quote of all, which we humbly suggest you keep in mind in times of trouble, "PLAY A VOLTA!". See you next time!

Aussie Cate Online © 1999 Lin, Dean, Lance
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