Dusty Trails

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Nicole Kidman is intending to star in a Dusty Springfield biopic ('60s music, manic perfectionist streak, lesbian longings, drugs and booze, early death) being written by Michael Cunningham. Great, but there's a side issue. It isn't mentioned in this New York "Vulture" piece, but it seems too coincidental for this project to be announced two and a half months after a play about Springfield called "Stay Forever: The Life and Music of Dusty Springfield," played for three weeks last February (2.7 through 2.24) at the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center.

Many industry people caught this show. CSI's William Petersen was there the night I attended. Previous Springfield biopic projects have come and gone, but a voice is telling me that the idea for the Kidman project probably came from this show. That or the show certainly goosed things along. The star, Kirsten Holly Smith, was excellent in the role. Looked like Springfield, sang and talked like her, etc. I can't imagine Kidman being better than she.

comment #1

Mgmax says ...

Instead of yet another biopic like this, how about a movie where Jim Morrison, Otis Redding, Patsy Cline, Syd Barrett, Jim Reeves and Sylvester team up to pull a big heist?

comment #2

AH says ...

Dusty Springfield was all about passion and that is the last thing that Kidman is good at showing on the screen. So, her casting on this is a huge mistake.

comment #3

CarloDennis says ...

I remember reading a few months ago that Charlize Theron was going to play Springfield, with Ang Lee possibly directing...

comment #4

scooterzz says ...

nice catch, wells.... my partner and i left that show wondering how long before it became film and hoping that maybe, if it went hbo or showtime, smith would be able to reprise the role (btw, smith was hopeing that too)......
that same week, we took in 'thrill me: the leopold & loeb musical'..... i'm guessing that one may take a bit longer to get to the screen......

comment #5

Todd says ...

I could see Nicole doing this role and possibly even getting Oscar nominated for it.

Take it away DZ
LOL

comment #6

Gnome de Guerre says ...

Mgmax, that is pure geniusity. Fuck, I would pay for that ticket in a heartbeat.

comment #7

calraigh says ...

I'm sorry, I really can't let this one go.I just watched that clip and having not seen the show in question, I cannot comprehensively comment on it but based on this clip alone, the characterisation looks absolutely ridiculous.Have you ever seen any footage of Dusty, heard her speak, the way she carried herself?She certainly didn't sound like that actress and was in no way 'sweet'.Jesus Christ and if Nicole Kidman plays her I may shoot myself.Or someone else.Sacrilege.

comment #8

Arizona Joe says ...

A few years back, when the project was first announced, none other than Kristen Chenoweth was named to the role of Dusty. I thought that idea totally inappropriate, and feel the same way about Nicole Kidman.

Not soulful enough. Wrong tone.

Kirsten Holly Smith does a fine job on these youtube.com clips.

I always thought that Gwyneth Paltrow make a good Dusty. She showed some vocal ability in her "Cruisin" duet with Huey Lewis. She's a good actress, and malleable, and has lived in England.

This could be a wonderful bio-pic if handled correctly. Get somebody who can sing, and juxtapose the heartbreak with the soaring ballads and Memphis sounds, and there you go.

My blond and white female cat is named Dusty.

comment #9

Mr. Blood Vessel says ...

good lord.
shes horrific.

comment #10

Unison says ...

That actress in the clip seems like she's doing some drag queen Dusty impersonation. Awful. Bring on Nicole.

comment #11

PoisonSkin says ...

this can't happen. I heard Walk Hard changed everything.

comment #12

insidah says ...

God, Kidman is TOO OLD. And she has ruined her natural beauty with her bizarre use of botox and plastic surgery. This is fear-based, must-have-a- name casting. Pathetic.

comment #13

scooterzz says ...

calraigh-- back on the meds, sport...it's not all that important.....try to simmer down....

comment #14

Spacesheik says ...

Dusty had a great resurgence in the 80s with some big hits with Pet Shop Boys (i.e. 'What have I done to deserve this?') it wasnt all doom and gloom as Wells alludes.

comment #15

calraigh says ...

'Scooterzz'-Why don't you comment somewhere else then, where people don't give a shit about anything?I was under the impression that people came to Well's' blog to express/rant /discuss their feelings about film(not, albeit, all the time!)Why don't you worry about your own apathy instead of condescending to others here with vested interest in the topics Wells decides to post?I'm a Dusty fan, I'd like to see her memory served well.

What's your excuse?

comment #16

calraigh says ...

That's should be ''Wells' blog''. Sheeesh...

comment #17

calraigh says ...

That should be...Oh I give up.Wednesdays are not what they used to be...

comment #18

corey3rd says ...

Kidman is box office poison. There's only one reason to cast her as a lead in a film project - you're laundering drug money.

comment #19

vp19 says ...

While I'm a fan of both the tiny Chenoweth and the towering Kidman, I can see why some think neither would be a good choice to play Dusty (and with Kristin, you might have had to scale down the sets a bit so she wouldn't appear so absurdly petite). One wishes Joss Stone had a bit more acting experience, because with her chops and sense of soul, she'd have Dusty down pat.

comment #20

JChasse says ...

Dusty Springfield was 5'3". Chenoweth makes more sense than Kidman or Theron.

comment #21

LexG says ...

To steal a Howard Stern line, why do they keep making movies about musicians I don't care about?

They should make a biopic about Slayer, Megadeth, and Metallica. Oh, what's that? You wouldn't care about that and don't know who they are. Welcome to my world every time they make THE SAME GODDAMN MOVIE, always about the boring rise and fall of some boring boomer icon that no one remembers.

comment #22

corey3rd says ...

maybe if Some Kind of Monster hadn't stiffed in the theaters and on DVD, you'd have a Dave Mustaine Vs. Lars biopic.

comment #23

thatmovieguy says ...

I have no idea if she can act, but have you heard the Welsh singer-songwriter Duffy? Very Springfield-esque. Springfield's life may not have been all doom and gloom, but it certainly wasn't endless fun. Read DANCING WITH DEMONS, the biography that came out a few years ago. Her drive for perfection led her down some peculiar highways, including recording songs with the Pet Shop Boys one syllable at a time and following a bizarre diet plan that caused her to bring containers of ice cream and cauliflower to a swanky dinner party. It would probably make a fascinating film.

comment #24

Marcello says ...

Oh, Lord, Michael Cunningham? Burt Bacharach must be rolling over in his grave.

comment #25

George Prager says ...

"Instead of yet another biopic like this, how about a movie where Jim Morrison, Otis Redding, Patsy Cline, Syd Barrett, Jim Reeves and Sylvester team up to pull a big heist?"

Brilliant idea. For some reason it reminds me of that Star Trek episode where this rock creature makes Abraham Lincoln, some supreme space commander from the 2100s and a historical Vulcan guy have to team up with Kirk and Spock to fight something or other..."Help me, Spock!"

comment #26

erniesouchak says ...

Nicole Kidman? Lesbian?

comment #27

Arizona Joe says ...

Why are they making a Dusty Springfield movie?

Because Dusty is the greatest female r&b pop singer ever. Arguably the greatest pop singer ever. Who is on her level? Peggy Lee. Who else?

Petula Clark said she was the greatest. Most of the girls on the Motown label thought she was the best. The Pet Shop Boys remembered her. And anyone with any taste in music does.

Keith Richards once said that any singer who listens to Sam Cooke feels like going back to pumping gas. And I imagine that's what Madonna feels like when she hears Dusty.

comment #28

scooterzz says ...

aj- nicely put.....

cal -- my first thought was 'suck my fat one' but i'd never do that so just try to control that bp, sport.....

comment #29

alan says ...

Never heard of Dusty Springfield, but who knows -- maybe Kidman can put in a performance that actually deserves an Oscar this time (doesn't mean she'll win again, of course, but Jamie Foxx, Marion Cotillard, Reese Witherspoon, and Sissy Spacek might beg to differ).

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