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Robin Hood: Ridley Scott Has Lots to “Crowe” About

Roger Friedman
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Robin Hood: Ridley Scott Has Lots to “Crowe” About

“Robin Hood” is barreling toward us quickly, with a big price tag. Ridley Scott‘s epic, starring Russell Crowe, opens the 2010 Cannes Film Festival next Wednesday. Some insiders are telling me that it will take $700 million to break even.

Earlier this week, “Robin Hood” was screened in the U.S. so some of us going to Cannes wouldn’t have to experience it with jet lag. This isn’t a review, per se, since they won’t come until Sunday. But this much I can tell you: “Robin Hood” is the best opening choice for Cannes in a long time. It’s great filmmaking: exciting, involving, and incredibly human. It’s full of incredible action, too.

What might surprise everyone is that “Robin Hood” may find an audience in an unlikely place: the Tea Party. That’s because Robin’s problem with the rule of King John is taxes! The Sherwood Forest gang doesn’t want to pay them. The whole movie tells the tale of England’s fight against France. But in the end, Robin is declared an outlaw because he’s against taxes. King John keeps levying them. Robin is declared an outlaw. And thus will begin “Robin Hood 2,” the story we all know so well.

But this “Robin Hood” is a prequel of sorts. And it seems to me that it works on all levels–as a romance and an action film. It’s also very modern, as Cate Blanchett‘s Maid Marian is one tough cookie. She’s no damsel in distress, that’s for sure, and gives Robin as good as he gets. Blanchett, with long dark hair, is the perfect foil for Russell Crowe. They are evenly matched, and have lots of chemistry.

“Robin Hood” isn’t all jousting and horseback riding, by the way. Comic (and sexy) relief comes from Oscar Isaac as King John. He’s portrayed as a hedonist and a bit of an idiot, who knows little about defending his people from the croissant-wielding invaders. Isaac is a standout in a large, excellent cast that also, improbably, includes “ER” star Scott Grimes and “Lost” bad guy Kevin Durand. plus the usual good work by William Hurt, Mark Addy, Eileen Atkins. and Max von Sydow. Danny Huston has a brief, but strong turn as King Richard the Lionhearted.

Finally, what’s nice about “Robin Hood” is that Scott has his “Gladiator” team with him. The movie almost feels old-school; it’s real filmmaking. I may be wrong, but it seemed like there was a lot less CGI and more human interaction. “Robin Hood” is a welcome relief from the comic book movies of the recent past. After “Iron Man 2” has its big first weekend, I do think “Robin Hood” will slash and conquer.

But first, “Robin Hood” has to conquer the Croisette. I can’t wait to see this group on the red carpet at the Palais next week. Sacre bleu, the place is going to go crazy!

Mick Jagger Goes Out on a Limb for Girlfriend

Roger Friedman
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Mick Jagger Goes Out on a Limb for Girlfriend

Last night, Mick Jagger went out on a limb, so to speak, for girlfriend L’Wren Scott.

Jagger made a rare appearance at a rooftop benefit (atop the Scholastic Books building) in Soho to help raise money for Haitians who’ve lost limbs in the January earthquake. Scott is old friends with crusading doctor, David Colbert, who’s a dermatologist to the stars. His group is called NYDG Foundation: Rx Haiti. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8SM7aYqqIE

And the stars who did show up included Rachel Weisz and Naomi Watts. It was hoped that Jude Law and Sienna Miller might materialize, but excuses were made: Jude was on a plane back to England.

And what of Mick, besides graciously digging in for Haiti? He’s on his way to Cannes for the re-release of “Exile on Main Street” and the showing of a new short documentary that stitches together pieces of unseen footage from Rolling Stones tapes including the legendary “Cocksucker Blues.”

Six held-back songs were added to the new “Exile.” Mick told me his favorites are “Plundered My Love” — a “Tumbling Dice” companion– and the bluesy, gospelish “I’m Not Signifying.” The other new old tracks include “Pass the Wine (Sophia Loren),” “Dancing in the Light,” “So Divine (Aladdin Story),” and the sublime “Following the River.”

The discovery of six unreleased tracks is really important. Mick Taylor was a key part of the main group, having replaced Brian Jones. Playing on these sessions were all-stars Billy Preston, Nicky Hopkins, Ian Stewart, and Jimmy Miller. Clydie King, Shirley Goodman, and Venetta Fields sing backup.

Mick told me, “The songs just were never finished.” The released Exile had 18 tracks spread over 2 LPs. “It took me a long time to finish them,” he said with a wide grin.

It was well worth it. Word is that the party for “Exile” will be on Paul Allen’s yacht. Allen, bravely recovering from cancer treatment, is expected. Maybe Mick will play with Allen’s band. Someone might get some satisfaction after all.

Hello Dalai: Richard Gere Bringing Tibetan Leader to Radio City

Roger Friedman
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Hello Dalai: Richard Gere Bringing Tibetan Leader to Radio City

Richard Gere puts his money where his mouth is, and he’s consistent.

One of the last great movie stars, Gere is underwriting appearances later this month by exiled (since 1959) Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama. Gere is producing a weekend of lectures by His Holiness at Radio City Music Hall.

Unlike Kabbalah or Scientology, studying with the Dalai Lama is pretty much a cheap ticket. The average price is between $40 and $60. According to an aide working for The Gere Foundation, originally one of the classes was a six parter with each segment costing sixty bucks.

But now they’re considering breaking it down so “students” can pick and choose the classes individually.

“The Gere Foundation sponsored the Dalai Lama — who lives in northern India–in Central Park, which was free,” said the aide. “But it costs to take Radio City.”

What’s even cooler: you don’t have to buy special books or ribbons or get e-metered  And you can download the basic literature now for free from dalailamany.org in advance of the May 21 start date.

By the way the Gere Foundation is a nice little operation. Gere gives away around $250,000 to worthy causes, many of which are Tibet-related. But he also sends a hefty check to the Motion Picture TV Fund, which is now under siege over attempting to close its long term care facility. The irony is, I don’t think Gere has ever gone to the swanky pre-Oscar party for the Fund. He just writes the check.

Showbiz411 and New York Daily News at Cannes

Roger Friedman
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Showbiz411 and New York Daily News at Cannes

Starting next week, showbiz411.com heads to the Cannes Film Festival with regular updates beginning on Wednesday, May 12th. But also check for us on the website of the New York Daily News (www.nydailynews.com) and in the actual printed Daily News. That’s right. Remember the newspaper? It’s black and white and read all over!

Madonna Wants Robin Hood’s King John for Her Movie

Roger Friedman
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Madonna Wants Robin Hood’s King John for Her Movie

Here’s a little more on Madonna‘s movie, “W.E”– and some other movie bits…

According to sources, the Material Director wants hot as a pistol young actor Oscar Isaac, who plays King John in the new Ridley Scott directed “Robin Hood,” for her film.

Isaac would be one half of the modern romantic couple in the movie, opposite Abbie Cornish. Not yet cast are the Duke and Duchess of Windsor (see story below), who play counterparts of the modern couple.

Isaac–who’s already starred in “Agora” and “Balibo”– is ready to have his breakthrough moment. Next year he stars in “Sucker Punch,” directed by Zack Snyder. Madonna’s movie can only up his profile, whether the film turns out good or bad…

“Robin Hood,” meantime, screened on Tuesday night for long-lead press, and got great advance word. It’s said to be a real “movie” with few special effects and little CGI. There’s a lot of real action, however. Maybe it will start a trend back to real moviemaking. This “Robin Hood” also sets up its own sequel with a splashy ending that presages Robin Hood’s days of robbing the rich and helping the poor.

…

Oliver’s Army Is Ready for Cannes

Roger Friedman
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Oliver’s Army Is Ready for Cannes

News from the IFP dinner for a mere one hundred or so filmmakers last night at Diane von Furstenberg’s design studio:

Oliver Stone is getting ready for Cannes and South America with “Wall Street 2” and “South of the Border.” He chatted with Sony Pictures Classics’ Michael Barker, and DVF herself…”Wall Street 2″ hits Cannes on Friday, March 14th…Josh Brolin should be in attendance, as well as star Michael Douglas…

Lovely and amazing Patricia Clarkson (pictured here) –with “Cairo Time” and only three more films in the can–brought best-bud, poet Howard Altmann, to dinner. The two often perform readings of Altmann’s work at Barnes & Noble, etc. Altmann has a new collection out from Turtle Point Press…

Joel Schumacher is prepping “Trespass,” a home invasion thriller. Casting is underway, with actors to be announced shortly…

Jake Paltrow, Gwyneth’s talented bro, is negotiating to do his second feature film this fall. Paltrow has a cameo in “Greenberg,” out now…

Gwyneth and mom Blythe Danner will not do “A Little Night Music” on Broadway. “My daughter will not leave London and her kids,” Danner explained…

Martin Scorsese is already screening his Fran Lebowitz documentary for friends. Reaction is good, and Lebowitz comes off as glibly gifted. But I hope it explains why she wrote just two books, and almost nothing in 30 years. And how she’s lived since then thanks to the kindness of friends…

The dinner honored Tatiana von Furstenberg and Francesca Gregorini, whose terrific “Tanner Hall” will be released this fall. Also in attendance: Famed director Mira Nair, actor-director Ed Burns, Amber Tamblyn, Lily Rabe, Geoff Fletcher, Annette Tapert, and Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters...The whole gang proceeded to the Boom Boom Room, and for all I know, they are still there…

Katie Couric Tribute Dinner Brings Tight-Lipped CBS and CBS Execs Together

Roger Friedman
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Katie Couric Tribute Dinner Brings Tight-Lipped CBS and CBS Execs Together

Matt Lauer told me right before the annual mid year dinner for the Museum of the Moving Image last night that he wasn’t going to “roast” honoree Katie Couric.

“Just lightly grill her,” he quipped.

Well, Matt did roast Katie, and he was pretty damned funny. The dinner also honored CNN chief Phil Kent, which meant that the room was filled with folks from CNN and CBS–lots of rumors about their merger and a lot of people denying it. On the CNN side: Anderson Cooper, Time Warner chief Jeff Bewkes, Wolf Blitzer. On the CBS side: “Evening News” producer Rick Kaplan, and Katie’s beau, Brooks Perlin. But no Les Moonves, which led to Lauer’s hysterical introduction.

Lauer reported that Katie had just asked him a week ago over lunch to make the toast. Lauer said he wondered why she’d waited so long, until the last minute. “I didn’t want it to weigh on you,” he reported Couric said. Then he got a letter from Moonves, thanking him for stepping in, and since so many others had turned the job down. There were also a couple of good zingers about Sarah Palin. “Katie has interviewed people who are world leaders, and who would like to be,” joked Matt, who also called the decade he worked with Katie her “Lauer Years.” “We had five great years,” he said, “although we worked together for ten!”

Couric, taking the podium, answered that she’d also been turned down by Al Roker. She said of the CBS-CNN rumor, “I’m worried I’ll have to go on a date with Larry King. Or get locked in the Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer.”

As for the merger, Kent told the assembled diners, including members of the Scotto family–from Katie’s favorite restaurant, Fresco–really, nothing useful. “Don’t believe everything you read in the paper,” Kent said, “but everything you see on CBS and CNN.”

Madonna May Revise Duke of Windsor’s Nazi Sympathies in Film

Roger Friedman
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Madonna May Revise Duke of Windsor’s Nazi Sympathies in Film

Madonna is interviewed by director Gus van Sant in the new Interview magazine. Let’s say this now: I cannot wait to see the movie she intends to direct, called “W.E.” It promises to be smashing.

Forget reports from the UK that the script is an abomination. We now have it from Madonna’s own words.

Somewhow “W.E.” concerns the Duke and Duchess of Windsor–aka the former King Edward VIII and his American wife, Mrs. Wallis Simpson. Madonna calls King Edward “the guy” in the interview. Oh yes the guy. She says: “They’re a very controversial couple. People have lots of different notions about them. I mean, the guy, Edward, gave up the most powerful position in the world for this woman.

“But people have accused Wallis of all kinds of things. They’ve said that she put a spell on Edward. They’ve said that she was a hermaphrodite and that he was gay. They’ve said that they were Nazi sympathizers. It’s just the usual lynch-mob mentality that descends upon somebody who has something that lots of other people don’t have. They have to diminish you by saying there’s something wrong with you, or accuse you of something that they really don’t have the knowledge or the right to.”

From this we may draw the conclusion that Madonna is going to ignore the vast historical record of the Duke and Duchess’s relationship with the Nazis and Hitler. I guess she will not include their 1937 visit to Germany as Hitler’s personal guests, and the reams of communication compiled by the FBI and British intelligence. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2003/jan/25/freedomofinformation.monarchy

Anyway: the Interview interview is full of fun facts including the possibility that Madonna seems to warn her employer, Live Nation, not to expect much in the way of music soon:

“I haven’t really been focused as much as I should be on the music part of my career because this movie has just consumed every inch of me. Between that and my four children, I don’t have the time or the energy for anything else.’

Live Nation rescued Madonna from Warner Music Group last year with a $125 million contract.

(My Live Nation sources say they aren’t concerned. “She just finished the second highest grossing tour of all time,” observes an insider.)

Madonna also questions how people will find out about her new DVD of a tour. “I  think I have a fan club,” she says with complete dis ingenuousness. Indeed. Madonna, according to my sources, spends a great deal of time signing autographs and merchandise in her massive West 64th St. home, and directing fan club activity.

Iron Man 2 Full of Weird Cameos, But It’s Robert Downey Jr.’s Movie

Roger Friedman
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Iron Man 2 Full of Weird Cameos, But It’s Robert Downey Jr.’s Movie

“Iron Man 2” hits theatres on Friday and it’s chock full of strange cameo appearances.

Oracle’s founder Larry Ellison gets to say a line and some face time. It also looks like he may have put quite a bit of money into “Iron Man 2.” Oracle is the most prominent advertiser on screen. Its logo turns up constantly. It’s worse than when Starbucks plastered its name all over one of the “Austin Powers” movies years ago. Yikes!

There are also appearances by CNN’s Christiane Amanpour and Fox News’s Bill O’Reilly. Your heart kind of sinks when you the the former, a supposedly “serious” journalist. O’Reilly is just there as a punch line.

Of course, Marvel’s Stan Lee shows up. But the saddest cameo is from DJ Adam Goldstein, who subsequently killed himself with drugs. He looks bright and happy in the film.

All that aside, “Iron Man 2,” again directed by Jon Favreau, is a lot of big studio noisy fun. It’s going to make a mint, too, when it arrives on Friday. Early word was that it wasn’t as good as the first “Iron Man.” But guess what? It’s just fine, a solid A minus I think, with a witty script from Justin Theroux. The first “Iron Man” was a novelty, and Robert Downey Jr was a surprise as Tony Stark. Now we’re used to it. But that doesn’t mean anything negative.

In fact, Favreau, Theroux and Downey have really pulled it together. Gwyneth Paltrow is back and her role is larger this time as Tony Stark’s pining love interest and assistant. Plus, Mickey Rourke, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, and without a doubt Sam Rockwell are all excellent additions to the group this time around. Rockwell just about steals the movie, and he gets to dance–he’s a great improvisational dancer–on top of it. Don Cheadle also joins the cast, replacing Terrence Howard, and doing a fine job.

But “Iron Man 2” is all about Robert Downey Jr. Tony Stark has a line early in the script about life, death and redemption that really sums up Downey’s life and career. After all his personal disasters, who could have guessed that he’d triumph in the end. And he’s a pleasure all the way through. Considering the abundance of plot points and characters this time around, it’s a tribute to Downey that he keeps it all straight, and leads this crazy Chapter 2 with authority, wit and grace.

So now what? The whole movie is a set up for Chapter 3, as well as “Thor” and “Avengers” movies. You almost can’t wait to see Jackson and Johansson in “The Avengers.” When I saw Scarlett over the weekend, I said, “So now you’re a super hero.” She replied, without flinching, “I was always a super hero.” It does seem like that, seeing her in “Iron Man 2.” Quentin Tarantino‘s going to be calling her for “Kill Bill Part 3” when he sees her here!

Get ready for box office alerts all weekend. “Iron Man 2” is going to set records.

Sting’s “Soul Cages” Headed to Broadway

Roger Friedman
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Sting’s “Soul Cages” Headed to Broadway

The cat is out of the bag. On his blog today, Mike Fleming writes about Sting making a deal to write a musical with Pulitzer Prize winning playwright and composer Brian Yorkey, of “Next to Normal.”

I knew about this weeks ago, but was waiting until the rest of the story firmed up.

I will tell you the part that Mike doesn’t have: Sting and Yorkey are going to adapt Sting’s amazing 1991 album, “The Soul Cages,” for the theater. (That album included the hits, “All this Time” and “Mad About You” as well as the title track.) This autobiographical work will likely include other songs, maybe new music, and certainly encompass Sting’s memoir, “Broken Music.”

Yorkey has already traveled with Sting to his place of birth in Newcastle, England, met his relatives and friends, seen all the landmark spots that appear in Sting’s songs and writing. What comes out of these trips and meetings should be quite wonderful, but we won’t see the fruits of it for some time. First, Sting has to complete his symphony tour this summer, play the Hollywood Bowl on June 15th and the Metropolitan Opera on July 13th and 14th.

There’s also the matter of the Rainforest Foundation concert at Carnegie Hall on May 13th with Elton John and Lady GaGa. The next morning, Sting kicks off the Today show concert series on Rockefeller Plaza. Whew!

youtube.com/watch?v=2vAQx1y1CcE

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