Posted by Jeffrey Wells on April 19, 2007 at 06:14 PM
Variety's Allison James reported some inside dope this morning about why Woody Allen's Cassandra's Dream wasn't included in the Cannes Film Festival lineup: "The new British crimer, starring Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell, was offered the closing night slot," she wrote, "but discussions came to an end when Allen balked at that idea."

Allen got pissy, in all likelihood, because being offered the closing-night slot is generally regarded as a friendly backhanded compliment. Draw your own conclusions about how Cassandra's Dream stacks up in the eyes of the festival programmers compared to Allen's Match Point, which was given a prime middle-of-the-festival slot two years ago.
I happened upon a massive plot spoiler on the Cassandra's Dream Wikipedia page, and all I'll say is that it's a very dark piece -- considerably darker than Match Point. Okay, one other thing: the most literal interpretation of the title is that it's the name of a sailing craft.

Last updated: October 3, 2007
Obviously I'm light in several categories.
Suggestions and disputations are welcome.
BEST PICTURE: Australia (20th Century Fox), The Argentine (Focus Features), Guerilla (Focus Features), Milk (Focus Features), Seven Pounds (Sony), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Paramount/Warner Bros.), The Soloist (DreamWorks), Body of Lies (Warner Bros.), Revolutionary Road (Paramount Vantage/DreamWorks), The Changeling (Universal Pictures), Frost/Nixon (Universal), Doubt (Miramax), Blindness (Universal Pictures), Defiance (Paramount Vantage), The Duchess (Paramount Vantage), Valkyrie (MGM-UA), The Reader (Weinstein Co.)
BEST DIRECTOR: Fernando Meirelles (Blindness), David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon), Brian Singer (Valkyrie), Baz Luhrmann (Australia), Steven Soderbergh (The Argentine and Guerilla), Gus Van Sant (Milk), Gabriele Muccino (Seven Pounds), Joe Wright (The Soloist), Ridley Scott (Body of Lies), Sam Mendes (Revolutionary Road), Clint Eastwood (Changeling), John Patrick Shanley (Doubt), Edward Zwick (Defiance), Saul Dibb (The Duchess), Stephen Daldry (The Reader)
BEST ACTOR: Leonardo DiCaprio (Revolutionary Road), Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Ralph Fiennes (The Duchess), Hugh Jackman (Australia), Tom Cruise (Valkyrie), Harrison Ford (Crossing Over), Sean Penn (Milk), James Franco (Pineapple Express), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Synecdoche, New York), Heath Ledger (Dark Knight), Will Smith (Seven Pounds), Jamie Foxx (The Soloist)
BEST ACTRESS: Kate Winslet (Revolutionary Road), Angelina Jolie (Changeling), Keira Knightley (The Duchess), Nicole Kidman (Australia)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Leiv Schreiber (Defiance), Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon), John Malkovich (Changeling and Burn After Reading), Bill Nighy (Valkyrie), Robert Downey Jr. (The Soloist), Robert Downey Jr. (Tropic thunder), James Franco (The Pineapple Express), Alan Alda (Nothing But the Truth)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Meryl Streep (Doubt), Amy Adams (Doubt), Vera Farmiga (Nothing But the Truth)
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who (20th Century Fox)
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Charlie Kaufman (Synecdoche, New York)
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Peter Straughan (How to Lose Friends and Alienate People)
SPECIAL EFFECTS: Iron Man, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Michelle discovers a couple of comedy films thanks to the power of Netflix.
Adam joins the Elsewhere crew from the Windy City and hits the ground running this week.
July 2
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Diminished Capacity
Gonzo: The Life and Work of Hunter S. Thompson
We are Together
July 9
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August
Eight Miles High
Journey to the Center of the Earth
Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
July 18
A Very British Gangster
Before I Forget
Felon
Lou Reed's Berlin
Transsiberian
July 22
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Comments
Woody is very complicated when it comes to this sort of thing. On one hand, it would seem insulting that Match Point wasn't in the competition but, oh yeah, Woody doesn't allow his movies to compete. So he wants to be respected... but he doesn't want too much respect? Something about this story doesn't add up.
Posted by: JD
at
April 19, 2007 06:38 PM
Well, everyone is aware that the closing night movie is always something that pretty much blows, so I guess Woody figured people should actually see the movie before realizing what a disappointment it is.
Posted by: p.Vice
at
April 20, 2007 07:22 AM
Darker than Match Point? Now I'm intrigued.
Posted by: arch451
at
April 20, 2007 09:17 AM
i'm most interested by the phillip glass score -- it's the first time woody has used a real composer since marvin hamlisch (!)
Posted by: christian
at
April 20, 2007 09:39 AM
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