By David Poland poland@moviecitynews.com
Scorsese, Ramsay and Ferrara News Makes Morning Edition
Today’s Variety hints at a tantalizing trio of New York-based projects in varying stages of development, including a sort-of update on that untitled Elia Kazan documentary Martin Scorsese and Kent Jones have been plotting for a while now. And when I say “sort-of,” I mean, “It has a producer”: Emma Tillinger, who was just bumped up to president of production under Scorsese’s Sikelia Productions banner. Tillinger will also oversee Silence, the director’s next collaboration with Jay Cocks, once the company unloads The Departed this fall; the Kazan doc, meanwhile, continues to simmer on a back burner in the Sikelia kitchen.
There is only slightly more to report about the latest Lynne Ramsay (above) vehicle, We Need to Talk About Kevin, an adaptation of Lionel Shriver’s novel about a New York mother whose unwanted son murders a handful of his classmates Columbine-style. News of Ramsay’s return to the screen has already made my day; while I could take or leave much of her 2002 film Morvern Callar, Ramsay’s Ratcatcher (and the short films preceding it) inarguably marked one of the strongest debuts of the last decade. No cast, shooting dates or locations have yet been announced, but I will stay on top of this and pass them along as the project shapes up.
Finally, the irrepressible Abel Ferrara will return to a New York set June 9 to shoot his latest, The Last Crew. Variety’s Alison James notes that Ferrara has $10 million (and Michael Pitt) to play with in this tale of ’70s crime intrigue, a staggering number that promises either a correction in tomorrow’s edition or a finished film that glows like King of New York and bleeds like Ms. 45. Here’s hoping it is the latter; bonkers Tribeca appearances notwithstanding, I have been missing this guy.