London's three Sundance films

You have to hike through 15 paragraphs in David Halbfinger's 1.17 N.Y. Times profile of producer Michael London and his production company, Groundswell Prods., before you arrive at paragraph #16 and the reason why the piece is running at the start of Sundance '08 -- i.e., because London has three films showing here.


London set up Groundswell in 2006 with $55 million from two sets of investors, the article states. He "started small with three movies, each costing less than $10 million. In a coup, all three are being shown at Sundance." And in a follow-up coup, the N.Y. Times is giving London and his slate a grand promotional boost. And here I am tagging along.

London's topliner is The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, a drama looking for a distributor that's based upon the Michael Chabon novel, and starring Sienna Miller. (Remember her "shitsburgh" remark, which she said during filming? I've always loved her for that. A very Tallulah Bankhead thing to say, and bravo.) Peter Sarsgaard and Nick Nolte are the costars. The director is Rawson Marshall Thurber.

The other two are The Visitor with Richard Jenkins (the FBI agent who ate a chicken spiked with LSD in Flirting With Disaster), and Noam Murro’s Smart People, a comedy "not too unlike The Family Stone, says Halbfinger. Sarah Jessica Parker, Dennis Quaid, Thomas Haden Church and Ellen Page costar.


Rawson Thurber, Sienna Miller during shooting of The Mysteries of Pittsburgh

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on January 17, 2008 at 7:40 AM

comment #1

corey3rd Author Profile Page says ...

cause once a film gets into Sundance, the money gravy taps are opened all the way.

Posted by corey3rd Author Profile Page at January 17, 2008 8:10 AM

comment #2

PhilContrino Author Profile Page says ...

Has anyone here read Mysteries of Pittsburgh? Is it worth checking out before the movie is released?

I read and enjoyed the Wonder Boys book but that was only after I saw the movie...

Anyway, good for London. Sideways is a classic.

Posted by PhilContrino Author Profile Page at January 17, 2008 8:17 AM

comment #3

Dave Author Profile Page says ...

Off-topic: Charlize Theron to star in Cormac McCarthy's "The Road."

http://io9.com/345074/post+apocalyptic-lit-becomes-movie-with-pretty-people

If she's playing the wife-- and that's the only substantial female role in the book-- that's about, oh, five pages of the book, all told in flashbacks. Not a very substantial part, and it would ruin the movie to *make it* a substantial part.

Then again, I still have no clue how they do this movie without narration. The book is practically a silent novel, interrupted occasionally by dumb questions by the little kid.

As for casting the father, it sounds like a toss-up between Guy Pearce and Viggo Mortensen. I love both actors, but Pearce fits the story better than Viggo. Viggo is too "action hero" for the role.

Posted by Dave Author Profile Page at January 17, 2008 8:24 AM

comment #4

almirtovar Author Profile Page says ...

Mysteries of Pittsburgh is just ok, but still worth the reading. If you really want to see Chabon's work, Kavalier and Clay is the way to go. It´s brilliant.

Posted by almirtovar Author Profile Page at January 17, 2008 8:48 AM

comment #5

RoyBatty Author Profile Page says ...

RE: Richard Jenkins in FLIRTING WITH DISASTER

Talk about dating yourself, most probably know him from "Six Feet Under" as the dead dad, Nathaniel Fisher. Come to think of it, has Wells every weighed in on that show?

Posted by RoyBatty Author Profile Page at January 17, 2008 10:46 AM

comment #6

Ray Author Profile Page says ...

@ Dave - You and I should obviously be making THE ROAD instead of the current producers/director. I thought the same thing about the Charlize Theron news when I heard it.

I know exactly how to bring this brilliant book to life ... I am sure they are going to fuck it up.

www.therecshow.com

Posted by Ray Author Profile Page at January 17, 2008 12:36 PM

comment #7

Sean Author Profile Page says ...

"Has anyone here read Mysteries of Pittsburgh? Is it worth checking out before the movie is released?"

I did read it, and thought it was terrible. I also should point out, I don't particularly like Chabon; this was significantly worse than 'Kavalier and Klay'.

Posted by Sean Author Profile Page at January 17, 2008 1:44 PM

comment #8

BurmaShave Author Profile Page says ...

Anyone who has seen THE PROPOSITION (other than Wells, who was obviously in a bad mood) should have faith in Hillcoat to do justice to THE ROAD. And I think Mortensen has already been confirmed, and he'll be amazing. He's quite capable of doing a lot with few words. The key will be the boy. If I hear anything like Josh Hutcherson or Freddie Highmore, I'll flip my shit. I hope little H.W. Plainview hasn't gone through puberty yet...

Posted by BurmaShave Author Profile Page at January 17, 2008 2:26 PM

comment #9

Rob Author Profile Page says ...

Mysteries of Pittsburgh is still my favorite Chabon book. It's a modest, perfectly pitched coming-of-age novel.

Posted by Rob Author Profile Page at January 17, 2008 2:30 PM

comment #10

PastePotPete Author Profile Page says ...

The Road is being directed by John Hillcoat, who also directed the Proposition. I can't think of a better director for the movie(except perhaps the Coens).

In the Variety article about the Theron casting, it's mentioned she asked to be in it because she's a fan of the novel, ie they didn't come to her, she came to them. So I doubt they beefed up the role. It's likely a cameo or just a few scenes.

From the Variety article:

"Theron, who will play the wife of Mortensen's character, will be seen mostly in flashback. Although the role is small, Theron joined the project because she's a big fan of the book -- published by Knopf in 2006 -- and was eager to reteam with producer Nick Wechsler, with whom she worked on 2000's "The Yards.""

Posted by PastePotPete Author Profile Page at January 17, 2008 2:30 PM

comment #11

PastePotPete Author Profile Page says ...

Oh you beat me to it Burma.

Posted by PastePotPete Author Profile Page at January 17, 2008 2:31 PM

comment #12

Arizona Joe Author Profile Page says ...

bon Chabon, bon Chabon, bon bon Chabon bon.

[I know the name is pronounced 'shea bɑn,' but the author's epicene manner and style always puts me in a sort of European mood.]

"Mysteries of Pittsburgh" is a well written novel. But it was over-hyped and over-rated.

As far as Sienna Miller's "shitsburgh" comment, it's totally stupid. Pittsburgh had become a beautiful place to live after the pollution stopped coming from the mills. There was a lot of money there. Now that some of the big corporate headquarters have left town, there is less.

However, it is still a very livable place, and more refined that one might think. It has Warholian roots. Pittsburgh was good enough for Andre Previn.

I am surprised at Wells enthusiasm for the epithet, even if it was uttered by a goddess woman.

Posted by Arizona Joe Author Profile Page at January 17, 2008 3:07 PM

comment #13

dangovich Author Profile Page says ...

Maybe this has been covered in other threads, but why would they put Mysteries in the hands of the director of Dodgeball?

Posted by dangovich Author Profile Page at January 17, 2008 7:53 PM

Leave a comment