Loder and Fincher

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David Fincher has spoken with MTV.com's Kurt Loder about some future projects -- an Elliot Ness movie, a possible remake of a '70s Michael Sarrazin movie with one of the worst titles in history -- The Reincarnation of Peter Proud -- and a World War II film that Robert Towne is writing (which Towne forgot to tell me about yesterday when I asked him what's doing in terms of new projects)

Loder: "You obviously have an affinity for the serial-killer genre. I'd imagine you don't want to make a career of it, but you are considering making a film version of Torso, aren't you?"

Fincher: I'm interested in that [but] I'm not interested in the serial killer thing, I'm interested in Eliot Ness. I'm interested in the de-mythologizing of Eliot Ness. Because, you know, The Untouchables was only two or three years of the Eliot Ness story. There's a whole other, much more sinister downside to it. And so that's of interest to me. We want to make it the Citizen Kane of cop movies.

"I also want to make a CG animated movie. And I've been talking about doing a remake of a movie I really liked in the '70s, The Reincarnation of Peter Proud. Ever see that? And there's a World War II movie that Robert Towne is writing that I really love. All kinds of stuff."

If Fincher eventually does the Peter Proud remake, he will have made two films with fanciful lame-ass male names in their titles -- "Benjamin Button" (as in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and P.P. The titles are so hateful they're probably going to work as roadblocks on some level. If I were Paramount, I would call the Brad Pitt movie Button -- a little twee but preferable to the original F. Scott Fitzgerald title.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on March 2, 2007 at 11:10 AM

comment #1

Mr. Peel says ...

I read the original book of The Untouchables by Ness way back when. All I remember about it is that it had pretty much nothing to do with the movie and could have made a pretty good film itself. I still love the DePalma film, though.

Is Towne doing anything with Warren Beatty? I suppose even if he were, he wouldn't say anything about it.

Posted by Mr. Peel at March 2, 2007 11:36 AM

comment #2

DavidF says ...

Maybe Towne didn't forget...maybe he was writing a role for Eddie Murphy and knew it would piss you off if he mentioned it...?

Posted by DavidF at March 2, 2007 11:54 AM

comment #3

jeffmcm says ...

Man, "Button" would be a stupid title for a movie. That's what you call the Robin Williams version, not the David Fincher version. What the hell is wrong with Wells that he finds his masculinity threatened by movie titles?

Posted by jeffmcm at March 2, 2007 12:01 PM

comment #4

Mark says ...

If anyone can bring The Contrabulous
Fabtraption of Professor Horatio Hufnagel to life, here's hoping David Fincher can.

Posted by Mark at March 2, 2007 12:04 PM

comment #5

le corbeau says ...

I'm looking for a remake of Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines that really demythologizes the whole early flyer thing and shows us the dark side of aviation. Kind of the Citizen Kane of Terry-Thomas movies.

Posted by le corbeau at March 2, 2007 12:07 PM

comment #6

Josh Massey says ...

I hope he's not doing that Untouchables prequel that DePalma has talked about. While it's true I would see anything with Untouchables in the title, I hope Fincher won't waste his time with it.

Posted by Josh Massey at March 2, 2007 12:35 PM

comment #7

Rich S. says ...

Good one, Mgmax! By the way, where did Terry-Thomas get that pretentious hyphen, anyway? Did he buy it at the Ann-Margret store?

Posted by Rich S. at March 2, 2007 1:32 PM

comment #8

le corbeau says ...

It appears to have been the result of trying to posh his image up when he went into acting. Incidentally, the original version of School For Scoundrels, with Terry-Thomas, Ian Carmichael and Alistair Sim, recently and forgettably remade, is coming out soon on DVD. It's a good nasty comedy and T-T is quite funny as a contemptible smoothie in it, highly recommended.

Posted by le corbeau at March 2, 2007 2:13 PM

comment #9

Pelham123 says ...

"Torso" is a graphic novel by Brian Michael Bendis & Marc Andreyko about a serial killer on the loose in Cleveland. This occurs after the events of "The Untouchables". If I remember correctly, Ness was the new Chief of Police or Chief of detectives in Cleveland at the time. The book is based on a true story and would be perfect for Fincher.

Posted by Pelham123 at March 2, 2007 2:27 PM

comment #10

The Hoyk says ...

Glad you clarified that. For a moment, I thought Loder was being flippant by suggesting that Fincher would remake the Carlo Ponti-produced Sergio Martino giallo TORSO, just to keep the whole "serial killer" theme going.

Posted by The Hoyk at March 2, 2007 4:44 PM

comment #11

Josh Massey says ...

So should Fincher get Costner? I can't believe I'm saying this, but I vote yes.

Posted by Josh Massey at March 2, 2007 5:51 PM

comment #12

Jack Price says ...

You know Massey, I completely stand by Costner. But there's another name that comes to mind that I know I'm going to get ripped apart for even bringing up...

...but how about Tobey Maguire for Elliot Ness?

Honest-to-God, I think it would be brilliant casting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elliot_Ness

Especially if he's trying to break free from his current nice-guy persona. And whatever bile you have to spew his way, his track record thus far has been stellar, regardless of what your personal opinions are of the Spiderman films.

Other than that, I'm not sure who else resembles Ness that would realistically get the film greenlit. Emilio Estavez?? (kidding!)

I love Costner, and I would also put my vote in for him as well, but it's not all too likely to ever happen, unfortunately...

Posted by Jack Price at March 2, 2007 11:48 PM

comment #13