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Two of a Kind
It's no secret that the fall-holiday season will deliver two major political biopics -- Oliver Stone's W. (Lionsgate) and Ron Howard's Frost/Nixon (Universal). Two portrayals of failed, bordering-on-tragic Republican presidents (the current George Bush, the late Richard Nixon) opening within seven weeks of each other means high expectations, lots of political baggage and possibly an Oscar competition of sorts.
They'll inevitably be compared. They're similar enough to be seen as a kind of two-headed hydra. The temptation to call them a pair of political IEDs being lobbed by Hollywood liberals at John McCain's campaign will be considerable. The best scenario for Stone's film, obviously, is that is will have a strong impact in this regard. The Nixon tragedy is so specific and widely accepted that Howard's film won't be part of the election conversation as much as W., but the two films taken together will certainly remind audiences of the Republican potential for Oval Office screw-ups and arrogance.
It seems inevitable that the fates and fortunes of the two will be seen as somehow linked or bouncing off each other before long. (Will they be seen as a twofer or an either-or?) Expect sharp retorts from the conservative talk-show hosts and bloggers as soon as W begins screening.
Party chit-chatters will tell you that both feature lead performances -- Josh Brolin's as Bush, Frank Langella's as Nixon -- with strong shots in the awards derby. Having read the scripts for both and seen Langella's performance in the Frost/Nixon stage play, I can say there's most likely merit in these assumptions.
My personal can't-wait-for-it, however, is Richard Dreyfuss as Dick Cheney in W. The longing to see Cheney eviscerated is so strong that my feelings about Dreyfuss's performance probably aren't to be trusted. I need to take a pill and calm down about this.
Frost/Nixon, opening on 12.5, has been finished for some time and has been screened here and there. (A friend caught it a week or so ago.) The plan is to "screen the shit out of it" for general media starting in August, even though it won't open for another four months. W, which went before the cameras several months after Howard's film did and is currently being edited, will be out on 10.17.
No matter how good Frost/Nixon turns out to be (and I've heard that it works), it would seem that Stone's film is in a more opportune position, release-wise, but why speculate this early in the game?
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on June 5, 2008 at 10:25 AM
comment #1
berkguru
says ...
I always thought Dreyfus was awesome - cant wait to see it. It's a shame his career went to seed a bit.
Posted by berkguru
at June 5, 2008 11:53 AM
comment #2
SmilingPolitely
says ...
Richard Dreyfuss as Cheney? Sold! He ought to be a hoot!
Posted by SmilingPolitely
at June 5, 2008 11:56 AM
comment #3
BurmaShave
says ...
Don't know how many readers here are from the DC area, but right now in Bethesda they're putting on a production of NIXON'S NIXON with Edward Gero, probably our best local stage actor. Really great stuff.
I dont know if these films are as comparable as Wells is saying, because FROST/NIXON is very much about post-mortem and attempts at redemption. I hope they're both among the best films of the year.
As great as Dreyfuss could be, it breaks my heart that JT Walsh didn't live to play the role. I was just watching BREAKDOWN recently. He really was born to play Cheney.
Posted by BurmaShave
at June 5, 2008 12:02 PM
comment #4
Geoff
says ...
I think Dreyfuss is a great choice. It's great how much people are beginning to remember him in THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT. For some reason it took me a day to remember his snarly Republican character in that film. It should be fun.
Posted by Geoff
at June 5, 2008 12:04 PM
comment #5
Mgmax
says ...
I suspect it will be a head to head competition between these two until people actually see Stone's.
Dreyfuss is good casting except that he's done it 10 times already. Stone is such a master of obvious, tired casting (James Cromwell as Bush Sr., Lee Ermey as his CO in the Air National Guard, Morgan Freeman as W's friend in the Air National Guard who narrates the movie....)
Posted by Mgmax
at June 5, 2008 12:11 PM
comment #6
Geoff
says ...
W. Teaser Poster?
[url] http://www.ioncinema.com/news.php?nid=3037 [url]
Posted by Geoff
at June 5, 2008 12:11 PM
comment #7
televisiontears
says ...
Langella's looking great in that photo: the wounded-troll posture, the grease-wave hair, the schnoz emerging from the shadows... I'm looking forward to this one.
Posted by televisiontears
at June 5, 2008 12:12 PM
comment #8
Josh Massey
says ...
The $25 million these movies make - combined - will likely preclude them from having any effect on the election. They will be choir preachers of the highest order.
Posted by Josh Massey
at June 5, 2008 12:14 PM
comment #9
Mgmax
says ...
I went as David Frost for Halloween one year in high school.
Yes, they thought I was strange.
Posted by Mgmax
at June 5, 2008 12:21 PM
comment #10
hcat
says ...
Though talented actors are involved everything I read about W sounds horrible. I am all for dancing on the guy's political grave, but is there anything we do not already know and any benefit for seeing it impersonated on screen? Is there even an audience for this movie? The few people who still like him are going to call it a hatchet job and the vast number who cant stand him aren't going to want to spend two hours with him.
Posted by hcat
at June 5, 2008 12:26 PM
comment #11
Mark G.
says ...
Didn't Richard Dreyfuss play Cheney's twin brother in Rob Reiner's THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT?
Posted by Mark G.
at June 5, 2008 12:35 PM
comment #12
Eddie
says ...
Dreyfuss was also the Cheney role in Silver City. They should have gone with someone else for W.
Posted by Eddie
at June 5, 2008 12:51 PM
comment #13
p.Vice
says ...
Comparing an Oliver Stone film to a Ron Howard film is like comparing a Picasso painting to a game of hangman scribbled on the back of a napkin. Only the ignorant and superficial need apply.
Posted by p.Vice
at June 5, 2008 1:02 PM
comment #14
David Ehrlich
says ...
i've seen FROST / NIXON, and i actually think jeff nailed it right on the head - there's no more concise way to put it than to simply say, "it works." no more, no less. you'll see.
Posted by David Ehrlich
at June 5, 2008 1:17 PM
comment #15
The Bandsaw Vigilante
says ...
"Comparing an Oliver Stone film to a Ron Howard film is like comparing a Picasso painting to a game of hangman scribbled on the back of a napkin. Only the ignorant and superficial need apply."
Unless, of course, Howard gets to helm that long-gestating ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT movie.
Posted by The Bandsaw Vigilante
at June 5, 2008 1:23 PM
comment #16
dangovich
says ...
My only concern about Dreyfuss is the voice. He's a few octaves higher than Cheney.
Posted by dangovich
at June 5, 2008 1:30 PM
comment #17
StoneFan1
says ...
Jeff - I hate to break it to you, but "W" didn't start
filming until late April and won't finish until
July or even as late as August. I'm sure they're
editing as they go, which is typical for Stone, but
I think you should rework that part of your story.
Personally, I don't see either one making more than
$30 million domestically and even less overseas.
"W" might be able to pull in more outside of North
American, just like "Nixon," "JFK," "Alexander," and
"World Trade Center" did.
Posted by StoneFan1
at June 5, 2008 1:51 PM
comment #18
rgmax99
says ...
Overseas, yes, these flicks won't bring in much cash. But I guarantee W will bring in more than $25-$30 million.
And Nixon/Frost: at LEAST $25 million.
Posted by rgmax99
at June 5, 2008 2:02 PM
comment #19
MDOC
says ...
Can't the right put together a big budget Jimmy Carter movie for some counterprogramming?
We all know that undecideds go to the movies to decide who to vote for in upcoming elections. That's why the #1 movies in the fall run up to the 2004 election were: Sky Captain, The Forgotten, Shark Tale, and The Grudge. If I were McCain, I'd be nervous.
Posted by MDOC
at June 5, 2008 2:11 PM
comment #20
BurmaShave
says ...
p.Vice, have you ever actually seen a movie?
Posted by BurmaShave
at June 5, 2008 2:35 PM
comment #21
Undercover Brother
says ...
Anyone know what Oliver is directing this thing? The bugnut, crazy Oliver who made "Nixon" and "JFK", or the tepid and bored fellow who made "Alexander" and "WTC"?
Posted by Undercover Brother
at June 5, 2008 2:41 PM
comment #22
Doug Pratt
says ...
Dreyfuss was outstanding as Alexander Haig in the telefilm The Day Reagan was shot.
But do you really think W is going to play for more than 1 week anywhere? Look at how poorly Recount did, and people didn't even have to leave their homes to watch that.
Posted by Doug Pratt
at June 5, 2008 2:42 PM
comment #23
gruver1
says ...
Wells to Stone Fan: You wrote, "Jeff - I hate to break it to you, but W didn't start filming until late April and won't finish until July or even as late as August. I'm sure they're editing as they go, which is typical for Stone, but I think you should rework that part of your story."
Except I wrote, "W, which went before the cameras several months after Howard's film did" -- Frost/Nixon having begun filming, I believe, last August or thereabouts -- "and is currently being edited" -- i.e., Stone is cuttting as he goes along -- "will be out on 10.17." Where/what is the factual problem?
Posted by gruver1
at June 5, 2008 2:43 PM
comment #24
D.Z.
says ...
"It's no secret that the fall-holiday season will deliver two major political biopics --"
In terms of successful (at least in a critical sense) political films this year, my bet's on Religulous.
"Two portrayals of failed, bordering-on-tragic Republican presidents (the current George Bush, the late Richard Nixon) opening within seven weeks of each other means high expectations, lots of political baggage and possibly an Oscar competition of sorts."
I'm betting it'll flop like Charlie Wilson's War.
"Expect sharp retorts from the conservative talk-show hosts and bloggers as soon as W begins screening."
I have a feeling that conservatives will probably be more obsessed with their continued crusade to ban Halloween than exhibit any interest in another anti-Bush movie.
"Party chit-chatters will tell you that both feature lead performances -- Josh Brolin's as Bush, Frank Langella's as Nixon -- with strong shots in the awards derby. Having read the scripts for both and seen Langella's performance in the Frost/Nixon stage play, I can say there's most likely merit in these assumptions."
Not gonna happen, since Dubya and Nixon have been imitated to death.
"My personal can't-wait-for-it, however, is Richard Dreyfuss as Dick Cheney in W. The longing to see Cheney eviscerated is so strong that my feelings about Dreyfuss's performance probably aren't to be trusted. I need to take a pill and calm down about this."
Dick Dreyfuss would probably only be able to give us a Charles Foster Kane version of Cheney, I'm afraid.
Posted by D.Z.
at June 5, 2008 5:04 PM
comment #25
StoneFan1
says ...
"and is currently being edited" sounds like filming
has ended to me, when we know that it hasn't.
"Undercover Brother says ...
Anyone know what Oliver is directing this thing?
The bugnut, crazy Oliver who made "Nixon"
and "JFK", or the tepid and bored fellow who
made "Alexander" and "WTC"?"
I wouldn't call him "tepid" and/or "bored." You might
not have liked those last two titles, but they were
the most successful films back-to-back of his
career ($336 million worldwide) and "Alexander"
was a life long dream, which I wouldn't relate to
being bored or tepid. In fact, he probably should've
been MORE tepid with "Alexander" based on how
people reacted to certain aspects of that film. He's
making the film because he can, has a script, the
money, etc. Why is an impossible answer at this
time until he does some interviews in October and
explains. I'm looking forward to "W." far more than
I would've been "Pinkville." Nobody wanted to go
back to Vietnam right now. "W." is going to be
a tough sell. It won't open over $10 million and die
a slow death throughout October and November.
I bet it won't be in theaters longer than 70 days.
Still, it's only costing $30 million to make, so a
worldwide gross of at least $60 million would be
break-even time for the money people behind it.
Posted by StoneFan1
at June 5, 2008 5:52 PM
comment #26
D.Z.
says ...
Alexander was a flop, actually, and got beaten down by Troy.
Posted by D.Z.
at June 5, 2008 6:09 PM
comment #27
BurmaShave
says ...
Charles Foster Kane Cheney? What the hell does that even mean?
Posted by BurmaShave
at June 5, 2008 9:35 PM
comment #28
D.Z.
says ...
Burma: It means he'll be portrayed as a tragic, but flawed, figure, instead of his true closet-fascist self.
Posted by D.Z.
at June 5, 2008 10:14 PM
comment #29
StoneFan1
says ...
I'm sorry, but I didn't say "Alexander" wasn't a flop.
Just that Stone is coming off three consecutive
$100 million worldwide films, which is good
for him given his style and reputation. "Troy" had
the full support of Warner Bros. and a better
release date. WB only distributed "Alexander" in
North America and clearly didn't care if it was a
success or not. Why anybody would release an
epic in November is beyond me. They should've
ate the $10-20 million and waited until the summer
of 2005. It also would've allowed Stone more time
to find the right cut. The whole process was
rushed and I'm worried the same thing will happen
on "W."
Posted by StoneFan1
at June 6, 2008 4:29 AM
comment #30
Dave Polands Gut
says ...
One can only imagine the great comedy that can come from a bio pic of Jimmy Carter and Billy Clinton.
The laughs, the sex, the incompetence. Wow.
Posted by Dave Polands Gut
at June 6, 2008 8:39 AM
comment #31
Josh Massey
says ...
"I'm betting it'll flop like Charlie Wilson's War."
Oliver Stone would give his left nut for W to gross $66 million.
Posted by Josh Massey
at June 6, 2008 2:12 PM
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