Martin Scorsese
Gay Talese, Martin Scorsese Swoon for Italian Mob Movie
Matteo Garrone’s Gomorrah, a documentary-like depiction of the brutal Camorra organized crime regime that rules the southern Campania region of Italy, screened to a small audience—including Martin Scorsese, Steve Buscemi, Stanley Tucci, Nick Pileggi, John Turturro, and Gay Talese—Friday evening, followed by a dinner discussion at Osteria del Circo. (Mr. Buscemi told the Daily Transom he found the film "beautiful," adding, “I’m still digesting it.”)
The film, which won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, will be released in the United States in February. Mr. Talese had been asked to lead the discussion; his 1971 book Honor Thy Father is about the New York-based Bonnano crime family. “It’s a very depressing film, but it will show in New York at a time when everyone’s depressed about business, and it’s a business in the film of money," Mr. Talese told the Daily Transom. "You know how many times you saw someone counting money? The money in this film didn’t lead to anything. It was visibly detracting.” read more »
Reunited! Scorsese and De Niro's New Project
Because you can never have too many Martin Scorsese films that star Robert De Niro, we're happy to learn that the dynamic duo are teaming up for a ninth time (ninth!) to adapt the mob book I Heard You Paint Houses. Written by Charles Brandt, Houses tells the story of Frank "the Irishman" Sheenan, who in interviews claimed he killed and disposed of Teamster boss Jimmy Hoffa. Mr. read more »
Sopranos Scribe to Write Scorsese's HBO Show
The Sopranos alum Terence Winter, a Sopranos writer, is coming down to the dark, seedy Atlantic City boardwalk for Martin Scorsese. He'll be writing the director's new HBO project Boardwalk Empire, which will be produced by Entourage bros Mark Wahlberg and Stephen Levinson. The drama is based on Nelson Johnson's book Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times and Corruption of Atlantic City, which revolves around the now-gambling mecca's early 20th century origins, according to Variety. Ohh, this reminds us of Deadwood! Sweet. read more »
Scorsese to Take On Sinatra?
Marty Scorsese recently ducked out of a Bob Marley project and passed it along to another rock doc director, Jonathan Demme. They cited "scheduling conflicts" for the switcharoo, but what will Mr. Scorsese be working on instead? According to Frank Sinatra's youngest daughter, it might be a biopic about Ol' Blue Eyes. read more »
Sara Vilkomerson’s Guide to This Week’s Movies: Stones Shine a Light, Clooney Hits the Mud
Every time we think the weekend box office can’t surprise us, something comes along to make us say … really? Last weekend, the surprise prize went to 21, the blackjack movie we know, logically, we can’t truly judge without seeing, but yet we still feel like we kind of can. Doesn’t the preview tell us all we need to know? read more »
It’s Only a Rock ’n’ Roll Documentary (But I Like It!)
SHINE A LIGHT
Running time 120 minutes
Directed by Martin Scorsese read more »
Mortimer, Haley Join Scorsese's Shutter Island
Martin Scorsese has admitted two new mental patients to Shutter Island, his adaptation of Dennis Lehane's novel. Emily Mortimer, who will perform in the Neil Pepe-directed play Parlour Song starting March 5 at the Linda Gross Theater, and Jackie Earle Haley, who got an Oscar nomination last year for his role as a creepy perv in Little Children, will play mental patients in the mystery drama, the Hollywood Reporter tells us. They join Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo in the cast. They play two U.S. marshals who travel to a Massachusetts island to investigate the disappearance of a patient from a hospital for the criminally insane. Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams and Patricia Clarkson also star in the film, which was adapted by Laeta Kalogridis from Mr. Lehane's 2004 novel. He also wrote Mystic River.
Documentary Auteur Albert Maysles Assembles His Scrapbook
On the evening of Friday, Feb. 15, an exhibition of documentarian Albert Maysles’ photographs and cinemagraphs opened at the Steven Kasher Gallery in Chelsea. The event coincided with the release of a new book, A Maysles Scrapbook, which features a preface by Martin Scorsese, who praises the iconic, collaborative efforts of Mr. Maysles and his late brother and soundman, David Maysles. read more »
Martin Scorsese's $12.5 M. Townhouse Deal is Done
Martin Scorsese has had a good year: He won his first Academy Award, for The Departed (even though his breakthrough Mean Streets was five times better), and of course he sold his townhouse at 217 East 62nd Street for $6.1 million. Now, city records show, he and his wife Helen have closed on a nearby 10-room beauty for $12.5 million.
The East 64th Street house, near Park Avenue, has a sand-colored stucco facade, plus "opulent hand blown glass window panels," according to old listings. read more »
Mann Replaces Scorsese for Frankie Machine
Four months ago, it looked as though Don Winslow's aging hitman saga, The Winter of Frankie Machine, was going to be the (potentially) perfect coda to the Martin Scorsese/Robert De Niro mobster trio of Mean Streets, Goodfellas and Casino. Alas, it didn't work out.
But, in a semi-inversion of what went down with The Aviator, Michael Mann has now stepped in to replace Martin Scorsese (who was actually never signed in the first place). This is, I think, a more-than-acceptable trade-off.
Before you get too excited, I should note that Mann has only signed to develop Frankie Machine (as it's now being called). And while Brian Kopperman and David Levien seemed an ideal duo to adapt Winslow's tome, their draft is now getting what Variety's Michael Fleming terms a "major overhaul" by Alex Tse (who re-tooled David Hayter's script for Watchmen before getting re-re-tooled himself by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman).
Scorsese, DiCaprio Team Up for Shutter Island
Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio will reteam early next year on "Shutter Island," a Laeta Kalogridis-scripted adaptation of the Dennis Lehane novel.
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Drama is set in 1954, with DiCaprio in final talks to play U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels, who is investigating the disappearance of a murderess who escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane and is presumed to be hiding on the remote Shutter Island.
You Buyin’ From Me? Moneyman Nabs Scorsese Townhouse for $6.15 M.
Martin Scorsese sold his five-bedroom townhouse at 217 East 62nd Street at the end of last month, public records show, for $6,158,250. read more »
Back to the Garden!
The Museum of Modern Art (that’s MoMA to you, sucka!) honors Leon and Debra Black and (yea!) Martin Scorsese tonight at a Party in the Garden that benefits the—shocker—museum and the maintenance of the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden. read more »
Martin Scorsese, Now a Great Hong Kong Director
Harvey's Big Gangs Bang
Harvey's Big Gangs Bang
Martin Scorsese Asking $6.7 M.
Scorsese at home.
Also, Robert De Niro--who's starred in plenty of Mr. Scorsese's films--might still be looking for an uptown place, too. His wife, Grace Hightower, was reportedly checking out the $49 million triplex apartment at 823 Park Ave. read more »
And Philip Seymour Hoffman was seen cruising down Gay Street--checking out a townhouse.
- Michael CalderoneCassavetes, Volatile Contrarian, Mulish Master of Improvisation
Thoughts on Cinema's Potty Mouth: Really, What's the [F-Word] Big Deal?
![Thoughts on Cinema's Potty Mouth: Really, What's the [F-Word] Big Deal?](http://origin.observermediagroup.com/files/imagecache/article-teaser/files/082905_article_sarris.jpg "Thoughts on Cinema's Potty Mouth: Really, What's the [F-Word] Big Deal?")
Welcome Back, Palmer: Travolta Returns in Be Cool
Wannabe Film Moguls Come to Tribeca (Where Else?)
Where Is De Niro?
Marty's Mistake: Leo as Hughes
High-Strung Howard Hughes Swoops and Soars in The Aviator
Citizen Insane
Will 2004 Be the Year Tribeca Sells a Film?
Tad Low's TV Panty Twist
Harvey's Big Gangs Bang
Breaking the Code Of New York's Gangs
Gruesome, Never Gratuitous, Gangs of New York Rings True
Gangs Looks Good, But Disappoints
What's Gangs Like? Apocalypse Then
Who's Master Now?
Who's Master Now?
Jane and Silent Bob Strike Back
This Is His Moment
How Do You Negotiate Respect?
Two Guys, a Girl and None of Them Gay
Scorsese, Schrader's Ambulance Driver … Hee Haw Goes Hollywood
Just when we thought it was safe to return to the streets of read more »
