Criterion always delights, and recently they’ve put out two cult classics: David Fincher’s The Game, and Franc Roddam’s Quadrophenia. The former stars Michael Douglas and Sean Penn and came between Se7en and Fight Club in Fincher’s career, and as he made it for a studio (Gramercy) that wasn’t long for distribution it led to it having a tortured home video history – hence it’s cult status. The latter features a soundtrack by The Who, but didn’t star them, so it’s known mostly by fans of the band. Our reviews of both movies on Blu-ray follow after the jump.
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This week on Blu-ray is an embarrassment of riches with all four Indiana Jones films, the new horror classic The Cabin in the Woods, a Criterion Collection edition of David Fincher’s The Game, Tim Burton’s wonderfully offbeat drama Ed Wood, and much more. Briefly:
Hit the jump for details on all the aforementioned new Blu-ray releases.
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It’s been a long time coming, but director David Fincher’s 1997 thriller The Game is finally headed to Criterion later this year. Fincher previously talked about the release in an interview with Steve in 2010, and he stated that the hold-up was probably his fault as he still needed to look at the full cut before it could be released. The wait is finally over, as Criterion announced that the disc will hit DVD and Blu-ray on September 25th of this year. Included is a new, restored digital transfer supervised by Fincher and director of photography Harris Savides, an alternate 5.1 surround audio mix, commentary by Fincher, Savides and star Michael Douglas, and much more.
The Game is quite the twisted thriller, and while it’s not my favorite Fincher film it’s definitely worth checking out. Hit the jump to check out the Criterion cover (in keeping with Fincher’s other Criterion discs, it’s black), a full list of features and the trailer for the film.
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Now this movie makes much more sense. While I was initially skeptical of a douche-infused adaptation of Neil Strauss’s pickup artist memoir The Game, it appears the project is being developed with a comedy bent. Book of Mormon star Josh Gad is in negotiations to star as the lead in the pic, a Rolling Stone journalist who struggles with picking up women. James Franco is onboard as Gad’s mentor in the art of tailchasing. Gad has gained notoriety thanks to his hilarious performance in the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical The Book of Mormon, and in addition to The Game it appears he might be poised to land his own TV show. Hit the jump for more, including a synopsis of The Game.
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There was a time when casting stories regarding James Franco used to be surprising. A movie star doing a character arc on General Hospital? Inconceivable! But now, strange project after strange project, general reaction has become “Oh sure, of course.” Such is the case with the latest Franco casting story, as THR reports that the actor is in talks to star as a pick-up artist in The Game. Based on the not-at-all chauvinistic memoir by Neil Strauss documenting his efforts to learn the tricks to becoming a successful pick-up artist, the film will center on the protagonist’s efforts to get lucky. Franco is in talks to play “Mystery”, a man who serves as Strauss’ teacher.
Solitary Man writers Brian Koppelman and David Levien were recently tapped to rewrite the script, with Chris and Paul Weitz onboard to produce. Franco is also in talks to play another lothario, as he’s being eyed to cameo as Hugh Hefner in the biopic Lovelace. Hit the jump to read a synopsis of the book.
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MGM has acquired Neil Strauss’ novel The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists, and the studio has hired Solitary Man writers Brian Koppelman and David Levien to rewrite and direct the adaptation. Strauss’ book is part memoir, part how-to guide to learning how to woo the woman of your dreams (or just any woman, really). The adaptation has been around Hollywood for a while, with Chris Weitz previously attached to direct. Now THR reports that Chris and his brother Paul are set to produce. Hit the jump to read a synopsis of the book.
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As the director of some of the best films over the past fifteen years (Fight Club, Zodiac, Seven, The Game, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Social Network), David Fincher is considered by many (myself included) to be one of the best directors working in Hollywood. Unfortunately, while he makes some of the best movies, he rarely grants interviews and is reluctant to talk with the press. So when I was offered the chance to sit down with him earlier today to talk about his latest masterpiece, The Social Network, I jumped at the chance.
While the interview was scheduled for thirty minutes, we actually ended up talking for almost fifty! During our lengthy conversation we discussed making The Social Network (which gets released on DVD/Blu-ray January 11th), the way he makes movies, future projects like The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and why he does so many takes. If you’re a fan of this brilliant director, hit the jump to either read or listen to what he had to say. I promise, this is one interview you don’t want to miss.
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The Emmy-nominated comic-writing duo of Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky, best known for their work on NBC’s popular television series The Office, are set to touch up Adam Sztykiel’s re-write of the (Due Date) script to Neil Strauss’ non-fiction best-selling book The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists. Dan Weiss had been tapped to write the screenplay to the adaptation, according to Variety with director Ari Sandel (Wild West Comedy Show) on board to direct the film, which is being financed by Spyglass Entertainment and produced by Chris Wietz’s (American Pie) company Depth of Field.
A start date has not been confirmed, but Sandel is still committed to the project according to The Wrap. Eisenberg and Stupnitsky have long been attached to the rumored Ghostbusters 3 for Columbia Pictures. The pair also wrote Year One and the upcoming Cameron Diaz comedy Bad Teacher.
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