Mr. Soderbergh, you know I love you. Just the other day I was talking about how your Solaris is a beautiful film that slipped right by most audiences. But now, when I read that you plan to make a 3D musical film about Cleopatra, and not least that it will be called Cleo, I have to think you’ve lost your goddamn mind.
According to Variety, Soderbergh is talking to Catherine Zeta-Jones to play Cleo, er, Cleopatra and Hugh Jackman to liven up Marc Antony. Variety also says that the music ‘has been written’ by Guided By Voices which should surprise fans that thought the band was done four years ago. Now, if this is would be set to Bee Thousand, count me fucking elated and confused. (This might be my only chance to see Catherine Zeta-Jones sashay out of the screen and into my heart as she croons ‘Tractor Rape Chain’.) But no, the script is by one-time GbV bassist James Greer, so it’s the real thing.
Let’s dissect. Jackman is a patently fine, perhaps even fantastic choice for a bugshit insane project like this. Zeta-Jones? Why not? Whatever made her Chicago performance work can probably be brought to bear here, too, especially if she’s wearing a snake crown. All the time. But Soderbergh…I’m sure he just wants to play with 3D cameras, and going into full-on Busby Berkley mode seems like the most excessive way to do it. But amid all of the things the man does well, there’s nothing that suggests he’s got the touch for a musical. If I have to suddenly look at Full Frontal in a more positive light because of this I’m going to spend about thirty seconds being irritated as hell.
EDIT: Doing some digging, I see that this has been spoken of before in hushed tones. Not so new; still ridiculous.
11 comments
Doing coke off porn star ass has melted his mind.
LOL, I would rather see him do Oceans 14! Great director though, The Good German is highly under rated.
Uhm, the guy has a list of great movies a mile long under his belt and a huge variety at that. He's can direct light, dark, funny, sad, action, family, arthouse, commercial, etc. so why in the fuck would you think a musical is out of his scope? So far the guy has shown he can do it all. I'd rather see a musical directed by him than some fucking 'visionary' like Kenny Ortega. Even if its a big fucking failure, it'll be a really interesting fucking failure with great music.
Maybe it's because I've been in an edit bay all day< and maybe it's because I'm a little tipsy, but this sounds fucking awesome.
yes, this sounds like the awesome kind of insane.
count me in, i'd follow soderbergh anywhere and everywhere
Curiosity strikes: how many of the people pledging absolute fealty to Soderbergh actually saw BUBBLE?
said it once, say it again: soderbergh is the biggest cock-tease of a director…he promises you new and exciting cinematic experince, only to leave you with material you've seen hundreds of times before (although never REALLY bad)…"solaris" continues to be his most accomplished work to date….oh, and mother fuck catherine zeta jones
Solaris is a film that is ruined by an Insane Clown Posse track. That, and the fact that Tarkovsky's version is way better.
This feels like an in joke. I can't imagine him getting the proper funding he would need to approach the scale this idea suggests. Is Rome going to be the best handling of the Cleopatra story we get? Did not think the show gave the story its due attention, so I'd welcome a new telling, assuming it's not e a smarmy, self satisfied wank.
i saw Bubble on DVD about two years ago. I enjoyed it, not exactly life changing but like i said, i'd follow him anywhere. I did appreciate the performances he got out of the unknowns. pretty heartbreaking stuff. I'd have to watch it again
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