April 18, 2012
Inspiring story of man and ‘DUKE’
The plight of homeless veterans is not an easy story to tell, but a thoughtful Hallmark Movie Channel film inspired by true events explores what happens when a veteran of the war in Iraq — traumatized by both PTSD and a disabling injury — finds the strength to go on with the companionship of a faithful Border Collie named Duke.
“Duke,” which airs Saturday, April 28 at 8 p.m. Eastern on the Hallmark Movie Channel, stars Steven Weber as Marine Sergeant Terry Pulaski, a depressed war vet who leaves his wife and daughter when he feels unable to resume his former life, taking with him only a stray dog named Duke that has bonded with him.
Ten years later, Pulaski and Duke are living in an old RV, homeless, but still together. When the dog becomes seriously ill, the former Marine decides to leave him at a veterinary clinic, ashamed that he doesn’t have the money to pay for Duke’s treatment.
“My partner Kelly is a social worker, and saw an article in the paper about a homeless guy who’d left his dog at a vet’s office, with a note saying that he was afraid the dog had had a stroke,” says Michael J. Murray, who wrote the teleplay for “Duke.” “The newspaper ran a couple of stories about the dog, who lived. A friend of the vet helped to reunite him with the dog a week later. I took the article and fictionalized the idea for a movie.”
The homeless vet’s dog in real life was a German shepherd mix, but Duke in the film became a Border Collie, played alternately by two canine stars, Zeek and Tanner.
“Zeek was quite the performer,” says Murray, laughing. “Everyone wanted to play with the dog, and all he wanted to do was do his scene and go back to his trailer.”
Dog stories have a special place in our hearts because we all have the need to be loved, unconditionally, and dogs, well… they get it. They bark to protect us, sit at our feet when we need company, and lick us silly when we need to laugh. In “Duke,” the dog of the hour rescues a broken soul, an act of valor that humans could learn from.
Murray, whose TV movie credits include “Desperately Seeking Santa,” “A Neighbor’s Secret” and “When Angels Come to Town,” did extensive research on the problems faced by returning veterans, and met with the homeless vet whose story inspired the film.
“It was tough interviewing him,” Murray says. “He had so much emotion about the story, and gave me a lot of details that I used in the script, like how the dog liked to wear different colored bandanas every day. I was really attracted to the story because of the issues of homelessness and returning vets. We send these guys away, equip them for war, but don’t give them services to help them when they come back.”
As Murray notes, helping our nation’s wounded warriors hasn’t become an issue that has galvanized the public to action. Regardless of the reasons behind the inattention, “Duke” is a touching reminder that injured vets need more than gratitude for their service — they need the tools to rebuild their lives.
“If I can incorporate those themes into a movie that makes people think, that’s great,” Murray says. “I commend Hallmark for letting us do this. There’s hope and redemption in this movie. The homeless vet who the story is based on still lives in a motorhome in California. I hope he gets a chance to see it.”
“Duke” shows there’s always a way for heroes to come home.
March 23, 2012
Love makes splendid movie magic
Second chances at love come in all shapes, sizes and situations. If you’re in the mood for romantic tales that will give you a smile, you’ll find it in offerings this month that will take you to Mars, Paris, and the Yemen.
First, love of the extraterrestrial kind… “John Carter,” an epic, action-adventure film based on Edgar Rice Burroughs’ classic, “A Princess of Mars,” has been called a box office flop, projected by Disney to lose $200 million or more.
Personally, I don’t get it. I thoroughly enjoyed “John Carter.” Having never read the Burroughs’ novel, I didn’t know what to expect when I went to the film. While I wouldn’t call the performances Oscar-worthy, the movie was a fun, entertaining ride.
Yes, the film follows in the shadow of “Star Wars” and “Avatar”-like movies, but the 1917 tale of John Carter clearly inspired many of today’s well-known authors and filmmakers.
In this version, Confederate soldier John Carter (played by Taylor Kitsch) is transported to Barsoom (Mars) and unites warring tribes to save Princess Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins) from a treacherous plot to control the planet’s future. The American Civil War veteran, who battles a mysterious enemy and his own regrets, must move heaven and Earthly forces to be with his princess love.
If you’re in the mood for a popcorn film that has great special effects, a smart heroine, and a story bound for a happy ending, “John Carter” offers a mindless escape to love.
If you’re after more thoughtful fare, “Delicacy” offers a nuanced tale of what happens when Nathalie (Audrey Tautou), a lovely and successful Parisian business executive, suddenly loses her soul mate after a happy, short-lived marriage. After burying herself in work, it’s an awkward, ordinary looking subordinate named Markus (Francois Damiens) who brings back her joie de vivre in this French language film.
The delicate question of whom we should love, and what they should look like, is deftly explored through the dismay of friends and co-workers as Nathalie comes to realize she’s falling in love with the ugly duckling, good-hearted Swedish man who dares to woo his boss.
Tautou, whom many viewers will recognize from “The DaVinci Code” or “Amelie,” brings a beautifully expressive face to a character that anyone will understand — regardless of whether or not you read the English sub-titles. “Delicacy” is a sweet reminder that love will always find us, if we just open the door.
Opening the door to love, of course, requires opening the door to faith, something that British fisheries expert Alfred Jones (Ewan McGregor) learns when he’s dragged into a wealthy shiek’s dream of bringing fly-fishing to the desert land of Yemen by the shiek’s quietly supportive London representative, Harriet Chetwode-Talbot (Emily Blunt) in the wonderful romantic comedy, “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen.”
This adaptation of Paul Torday’s novel is a wonderfully inspiring tale of what can happen when far-fetched impossibilities are shown to be not so impossible after all. For just as the shiek (Amr Waked) dreams of a time when his country will not be torn by violence, and fly-fishing becomes a common past-time that all can enjoy, Jones realizes that his unspoken dream of having true love can also come true, if he’s brave enough to walk away from a bad marriage and tell the woman he loves how he really feels.
On one level, we are all salmon, running upstream in hopes of finding love and rebirth. And on another level, we must all learn to be better fishermen. For as the shiek asks, “How many hours do you fish before you catch something?” It’s often a long time, he notes, before you get a nibble on your line.
But if you’re a true fisherman and persist, he says, “in the end, you’re rewarded for your faith… with a fish.”
For a joyous, witty affirmation of the power of love and faith, be sure to catch “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen.”
February 4, 2012
Composer’s work makes ‘Joyful Noise’
Every song in the new Alcon Entertainment/Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Joyful Noise” stands on its own as a piece worth listening to, a feat due in no small part to five-time Grammy Award winner Mervyn Warren, the film’s composer and music producer.
Warren, an original member of the group Take 6, produced, co-wrote, or arranged most of the award-winning songs on that group’s platinum and gold albums. He’s since worked on numerous films, including scoring “The Wedding Planner,” and producing and arranging the platinum-selling soundtrack to “The Preacher’s Wife.”
Warren, who met “Joyful Noise” writer/director Todd Graff while working on “The Preacher’s Wife, says Graff contacted him in 2009 about the inspirational comedy that centers around a church choir trying to win the National Joyful Noise Competition. The film stars Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton as two women struggling to take the choir in different directions, but it’s the music that steals the show.
“When Todd called me, he was planning a table read to sell the idea to investors,” Warren says. “He wanted the actors to actually sing at the reading, and I put together some arrangements for him. Most of those actors are not in the movie, but they performed it for the investors, who loved it and decided to do the movie right there.”
Several months later, after the script was refined, Warren began creating the final arrangements. When Dolly Parton joined the cast, she wrote several songs, and Warren wrote a piece before the cast went into the studio to record. Warren wrote the underscore for the film, then mixed the movie and soundtrack scores.
“Music is very important to any movie,” Warren says. “It magically causes scenes to gel and move along that might seem longer, otherwise. The music underneath supports the drama, and helps viewers shape the experience. It brings the emotion, along with the acting, to the screen.”
The evolution of gospel music from traditional spirituals to include rock, hip-hop and R&B is clearly reflected in Warren’s arrangements for “Joyful Noise,” which make you want to get up and dance.
“There’s a bright, happy sound to gospel,” Warren notes. “Gospel songs tend to be uplifting, even if someone’s singing about their problems. There’s an energy and a timbre of voices singing together.”
The popularity of TV competitions ranging from “American Idol” to “The Voice” seem to indicate that many of us yearn to be professional singers, no matter how, uh… awful we may sound. Warren laughingly agrees, and notes, “I think people should sing because it makes them feel good, even when they don’t sound good. It lifts the spirit, and it’s fun.”
Warren, who started playing piano at age five, says he knew then that music was his calling in life. He started writing songs at age 10. The first time he wrote for a television show — a cable network religious show no longer on air called “Breath of Life” — his parents were floored when he brought home a check for $500, at age 16.
“I feel very lucky that I found what I wanted to do at an early age,” Warren says. “It’s what I have to do, and I never allowed anyone to talk me out of it. Success requires a combination of talent and tenacity. A lot of people have one and not the other. Fortunately, I have both.
“My parents are college professors, and were concerned that I be able to make a living. So I have two degrees in music, and thought I’d use my masters to teach until I got a break. But I never had to teach.”
Luckily for us, he made a “Joyful Noise” instead.
December 9, 2011
‘New Year’s Eve’ brings much to celebrate
Love, forgiveness, hope and new adventures beckon every time we turn the calendar page to a new year, and director Garry Marshall’s ode to “New Year’s Eve” reminds audiences that at any moment, we all can create our lives anew.
A multitude of Hollywood’s A-list stars can be seen in the film — now out in theaters — that weaves a montage of storylines together around the countdown to the ball drop in New York’s Times Square on New Year’s Eve.
While there are two or three storylines too many in this film, the romantic romp and reminder of love’s importance in our lives — no matter how young or how old we may be — is worth seeing.
One character that many will relate to is Hailey, a 15-year-old played by Abigail Breslin who longs for independence and her first kiss in Times Square on New Year’s Eve, rather than sitting at home, as usual, with her mom (Sarah Jessica Parker) watching the festivities on TV.
“Hailey loves her mom and never wants to be mean to her,” Breslin says. “Her parents are divorced, and she wants her mom to have a life, so she’s wise in that way. But Hailey tries to show that she’s not a child anymore, and ends up pushing it too far.”
When her mom nixes Hailey’s request to hang out in Times Square with her friends, the rebellious teen sneaks out anyway. What she sees when she catches up to her classmates breaks her heart… for the moment.
Breslin, now 15, has been acting since age five, and is perhaps best known for her role in the irreverent comedy “Little Miss Sunshine.” “New Year’s Eve” marks her first on-screen kiss, and she says actor Jake T. Austin “was very nice” in their scene together.
Her New Year’s Eve will probably be spent watching the ball drop in Times Square on TV with her family, and while one New Year’s resolution may or may not be to stop biting her fingernails, “I really want to learn bar chords on the guitar next year,” she says.
“I’m in a band with my friend Cassidy Reiff called CABB, and we wrote a song called ‘Well Wishes’ that’s on YouTube,” explains Breslin. The song, in honor of a terminally ill girl named Alice, urges fans to get tested to become bone marrow donors (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6bg-eFig5A).
When she’s not working on music, she enjoys being on set, learning about different personalities as she prepares to play different characters. This is her third Marshall film, making her part of the cast and crew that the director uses regularly in his movies.
“Getting to work with Garry three times is such an honor,” Breslin says. “It’s like having another grandfather.”
She’s also a fan of Hector Elizondo, a longtime member of the Marshall repertory who’s appeared in every one of Marshall’s 17 feature films.
“I never got to be in a scene with Hector, but he’s really cool,” Breslin says. “He came in on one of my scenes with Sarah Jessica Parker, holding a piece of cake, as a joke. I’ve talked with him a little bit, and he’s a fantastic actor.”
Elizondo, an eloquent man at ease with everyone, plays a gifted engineer named Kominsky in the film, a part written specifically for him.
“We invented Mr. Kominsky, who brings the light to the darkness,” says Elizondo, a native New Yorker who relishes his collaborations with Marshall. “My character is a man who lost his job because he was a whistleblower. He told them the ball wasn’t going to drop one day, and when he was proven right, they brought him back and made him head of the department. Without the ball and no light, no movie.
“Garry and I have made movies like this forever. The only rule we apply is that my character must help the narrative along. It’s not how long the character’s in the movie, but if the character makes a difference.”
For example, while Elizondo was on screen for less than 10 minutes in the film “Pretty Woman,” anyone who saw the movie would instantly recognize him as the discreet hotel manager Barney Thompson. Or they might remember him as Joe, the bodyguard to Julie Andrews’s character in “The Princess Diaries” franchise. Or his role as Edgar in “Valentine’s Day.”
“Garry and I are both about the same age; we’re from New York; we love comedy, music, and we have a tendency to like happy endings because we know that life doesn’t guarantee anything,” Elizondo says. “But we also have differences. Part of my psyche is still in the past, thinking about what might have been better. Garry looks back for a moment, then says, that’s enough. Let’s move on. We are a good marriage. I make him think about things he might have skipped over, and he makes me move on.”
“New Year’s Eve,” Elizondo says, asks the question, what is success? And like all Marshall films, the answer that is given is that success is the capacity to love.
“It’s all about love and connection,” Elizondo says. “This movie is a wonderful contrivance about starting over. I don’t have to be a dummy. I can make up for some of the stupid things I did. I can get a sense of gratitude, and do things better next year. Art changes you. Otherwise, it’s just entertainment, which doesn’t change the way you make human connections. Good music makes you listen, and good movies lift you.”
“New Year’s Eve” is a feel-good-movie that will make you want to do more, appreciate more, and love more in the coming year. Now that’s something worth celebrating.
November 17, 2011
‘Breaking Dawn’ explores growing up
The vampires, humans, and wolves who inhabit the world of “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1,” may find themselves at each other’s throats, but as any parent of a teenager knows, it’s all part of growing up.
In the latest installment of “The Twilight Saga,” scheduled for release on Friday, Nov. 18, Bella Swan (played by Kristen Stewart) is prepared to give up her mortality as she marries vampire Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson). What she’s not prepared to give up is the unexpected child conceived on their honeymoon.
Helping Bella through the wedding and pregnancy is vampire Alice Cullen, portrayed by Ashley Greene, who has come to love her human friend and new sister-in-law.
“Over the course of the saga, you see the sweet, optimistic side of Alice, who embraces Bella,” says Greene. “Then you see her get a little darker and sassy. In this film, you see her planning the wedding, and she becomes the controller.”
The fashionable Alice is in her element, orchestrating everything from the wedding guest list to Bella’s honeymoon lingerie. When Bella’s pregnancy endangers the human’s life, Alice feels torn over her friend’s decision to carry out the pregnancy when her psychic abilities fail her.
“Alice can’t see Bella’s future anymore, and the baby creates this static in her head,” says Greene, who is intrigued by her character’s ability to see the future. “I want to know everything’s going to be okay in life, and that I’m making the right decision, but if we had the ability to see our future, everyone would be constantly changing their decisions and creating chaos. I like the mystery of life.”
Greene — who is slated to star in the upcoming “Butter,” a comedy co-starring Jennifer Garner and Hugh Jackson, and “L.O.L.” with Miley Cyrus and Demi Moore — has used her celebrity to act as the spokesperson for m.powerment by mark, an initiative committed to breaking the cycle of dating abuse and partner violence affecting young women. Mark is the beauty and fashion boutique brand of Avon Products, Inc.
“I have a large young fan base, and mark came to me about being their brand ambassador,” Greene says. “I saw how involved they are philanthropically with the cause, so agreed to doit. Girls between the ages of 16 and 24 experience the highest percentage of abuse in relationships, and it’s important for young girls to know people are there to support them.”
The support Greene’s character gives Bella and Edward is unconditional, a choice the vampire comes to make as she comes to understand that who we are is not defined by what we look like.
The themes of boundless friendship, acceptance, finding your true self and love are all part of the process of growing up, and this movie shows a deeper emotional thread than previous films in the franchise.
“Nothing in life ever stays the same,” Greene says. “There might be a moment in time when things seem stable, but every day, there are different elements, factors, and people who affect us. Teenagers like to think they know everything, but that’s their Achilles heel.”
The actress says the world of “Twilight” captures people’s imaginations because vampires are mysterious and untouchable, yet when the characters are paired with the concept of unattainable love, or being in a love triangle, fans find much to relate to.
In this latest film, Greene’s character exemplifies a true friend.
“Friendship means loyalty, and being there through everything,” Greene says. “You’re not always going to agree with someone, and it’s your job as a friend to be there for people.”
Spoken like a vampire who knows that blood is thicker than water.
November 8, 2011
Hallmark ‘Countdown to Christmas’ begins
Christmas may come but once a year, but the Hallmark Channel produces a holiday extravaganza of original movies and holiday-themed programming designed to celebrate the spirit of love and joy, stretching from November to January.
This year’s “Countdown to Christmas” includes movies, animated specials, the Hollywood Christmas Parade and the 123rd Tournament of Roses Parade. Kicking off next weekend’s movie offerings is “Lucky Christmas,” airing Saturday, Nov. 12 at 8 p.m. Eastern.
When a single mom who’s struggling to make ends meet wins the lottery, she can’t believe her luck. Unfortunately, while Holly Ceroni (played by Elizabeth Berkley) has the winning number, she loses the ticket when her car is stolen, with the ticket inside. Mike Ronowski, the accidental beneficiary of the theft, is convinced by a greedy friend to romance Holly for a cut of the money to help save his family business.
Mike, of course, falls for Holly, and has to figure out how to make things right, just in time for Christmas.
“I read the script and thought it was really charming,” says Gray-Stanford, familiar to many as Lt. Randall Disher in the hit series “Monk.” “It’s a warm holiday piece about two wounded people who have a chance to open up their hearts, and then good things happen.”
He explains that his character Mike has returned home to help with the family business because of his father’s health issues, giving up his own dream of being an environmentally-conscious architect.
“Mike was wary of relationships, and was just focusing on the family business when he met Holly and her son,” Gray-Stanford says. “Meeting them moves him forward with his dream. He realizes how lovely Holly is, and how wonderful her son is. Once the facades break down, they’re both really similar people.”
Gray-Stanford, also known for his work in the Academy Award-winning film “A Beautiful Mind” and Clint Eastwood’s “Flag of Our Fathers,” says he enjoyed making a holiday film that talks about what’s important in life.
“I think we get sidetracked with work and other things,” he says. “People are scared of going after what they want. Sometimes, it’s easier to stick with the status quo than tackle the challenge. But life passes you by pretty quick, so you have to go after things.
“I hope people see that you can go for your dream. If you open your heart, people will come into your life and really support you. Even with adversity, just have faith and stick with it.”
Gray-Stanford, engaged to actress/writer Jes Macallen, is looking forward to getting married next year. As for his character on “Lucky Christmas,” he’s pretty sure that Mike and Holly spend the rest of their lives together, too.
For more information on this and other holiday fare on the Hallmark Channel, check out http://hallmarkchannel.com/.
October 6, 2011
‘Real Steel’ proves comebacks are possible
The punches sound painful and the premise of a washed-up boxer reconnecting with his 11-year-old son sound cliché, but DreamWorks Pictures’ “Real Steel” is an amazing blend of action, spectacle, and heart in a film that will please more than just teenage boys.
In a not-too-distant future, human boxers have been replaced by fighting robots, and Charlie Kenton, played by Hugh Jackman, must scramble to make a living by piecing together low-end fights for his “bots.”
The one-time promising boxer, who seems to lose every bet he makes, is desperately looking for a break when his estranged son Max (Dakota Goyo) comes back into his life, along with Atom, a sparring bot that’s been tossed into a graveyard of metal trash.
The film, in theaters on Friday, Oct. 7, depicts a world where people want more violence and carnage in the sport of boxing, so have turned to technology to create machines that can kill each other in the ring. In that world, Kenton’s friend and boxing promoter Finn (Anthony Mackie) is always on the fringes, looking to set up the next low-end fight, or take wagers on a high-end event.
“Finn was always the kid going to the fights,” explains Mackie, who appeared in “Hurt Locker” and “Notorious,” as well as various Broadway theatrical performances. “He and Charlie came up together. When people wanted robot fights, Finn created this underground world of The Crash Palace, and selects the fighters who fight in his world. Everybody who wants to fight the mega fights has to go through him.”
Mackie says he modeled aspects of his character after boxing promoter Don King, who helped to turn the sport into a billion dollar business. Being an African-American actor, he says there aren’t many significant acting roles available for minorities.
“Diversity in Hollywood will continue to change and evolve, but we were in a much better position 15 years ago,” Mackie notes. “Back then, you had shows on TV like ‘All in the Family’ and ‘The Jeffersons.’ Today, you just have reality TV.”
The New Orleans native says he grew up in a rough neighborhood and didn’t do well in school, until a fourth grade teacher saw the intelligence behind his restless behavior and recommended that he audition for a gifted and talented program in the arts.
After discovering a talent for entertaining, Mackie went on to attend The Juilliard School in New York, where he and some friends produced the play “Up Against the Wind” at the New York Theatre Workshop, where Mackie starred in the role of Tupac Shakur.
Since then, his film career has taken off to include credits in “Million Dollar Baby,” “Eagle Eye” and “The Adjustment Bureau.” He was approached by “Real Steel” director Shawn Levy to play Finn after Levy saw Mackie’s performance in “Hurt Locker.”
“There’s this aspect of my personality that I’ve never been able to get at, so it was great to play this trash-talking showman,” Mackie says. “I was captivated by Shawn and the world he was trying to create. Ever since ‘The Matrix,’ everyone wanted to create the post-apocalyptic world. But ‘Real Steel’ is different, and it was a lot of fun hanging out with eight foot robots.”
Levy, director of such hits as “Night at the Museum” and “Date Night,” was intrigued with the idea of doing an exciting father/son sports movie with boxing robots, but make no mistake, it’s the relationship between the main characters and the robot who fights for them that Levy has made the heart of the film.
“People go in expecting to see robots smashing each other, but it’s about this underlying redemption tale,” Levy says. “My trinity of redemption is father, son and machine, three beings who have been forgotten, cast off and left behind. They get a chance at a return to grace by having found each other.”
The juxtaposition of man vs. machine has long been a theme in science fiction. In this film — set in the near future — man controls the machines, but the evolution of both are intertwined. In today’s world of smartphones, tablets and cookies on every computer, we see the same.
“I think we clearly are witnessing the incredible primacy of technology in our lives, and I’m a committed humanist,” Levy notes. “I see Facebook and Twitter as a part of our fundamental need to connect. I wanted a future that didn’t feel far-fetched or nihilistic, but one that’s still very recognizable.”
The film was shot primarily in Detroit, a city that has beautiful, old, decrepit spaces, as well as soaring, contemporary architecture. No sets had to be built as the city’s old car factories and existing arenas were easily adapted to gave the movie a feeling of past and future.
One of the most charming aspects of the film is the relationship between Max, a tough kid who never had a dad in his corner, and Atom, an early generation robot that seems to understand more than his programming.
“Atom has something to him that feels beyond his parts and code, something resembling a soul and a consciousness,” Levy says. “If the movie has a magic to it, it’s in the wondering about that. Neither I, nor the movie, can confirm or deny it.”
While the estrangement between father and son in the film is something many will relate to, Levy makes it clear that such distances can be bridged. In his own life, the Canadian director’s parents divorced when he was three years old.
At the Canadian premiere of “Real Steel,” Levy was sitting next to his father, and recalls watching a poignant scene in the movie where Jackman’s character asks his son what he wants from him. The boy replies, “I want you to fight for me.”
“I turned to my dad and said, ‘’You always did that for me. No matter what issues there were, you were always in my corner,’ “ Levy says. “The message I’d like audiences to get out of this is to lead with your heart. So many movies are cynical and ironic.
“This movie says it’s never, never entirely too late. We get second chances — in our relationships, with ourselves, and in what we can yet accomplish. Comebacks are possible, if you believe in them.”
Listen hard, and you’ll hear the roar of the crowd. “Real Steel” delivers a knockout punch that will make you want to stand up and cheer.
September 28, 2011
‘IRIS’ explores wonders of cinema
If French is the language of seduction and love, Hollywood has fallen under the spell of Cirque du Soleil’s new extravaganza, “IRIS…A Journey Through the World of Cinema,” now playing in the Kodak Theatre in the heart of Tinseltown.
The $100-million production, which starts a 10-year run in the venue that hosts the Academy Awards, is the newest jewel in the crown of the Montreal-based global entertainment company known for creating innovative shows with stunning visuals and dazzling acrobatic performances.
The origin of the show goes back to 2002, when Cirque du Soleil was asked to perform in the Kodak Theatre as part of that year’s Academy Awards show, presenting the nominees for Best Picture.
“It was nerve racking to be in front of the world on television,” recalls Daniel Lamarre, president and CEO of Cirque du Soleil, “but we got a standing ovation, and I thought there was a possibility to do something here.”
CIM GROUP, which owns the Kodak Theatre, thought the same, and contacted Lamarre to see whether a partnership in an ongoing production at the facility would be possible. Lamarre and Guy Laliberté, the owner and founder of Cirque du Soleil, said yes.
“The challenge is to become the flagship of Los Angeles, a must-see event for 1.8 million tourists who walk in front of the Kodak Theatre every day,” Lamarre says. “I feel confident that what we have created has the elements of success.”
The City of Los Angeles and local businesses agree, rolling out the red carpet for its newest resident, and offering consumers everything from “IRIS” dinner discounts at area restaurants to parking specials.
The show brings a major new tourist attraction to the area, raising the bar of entertainment on Hollywood Boulevard from watching the occasional movie premiere from the sidewalk to a live theatrical performance that charges anywhere from $43 (plus handling fee) to $253 for a VIP ticket (plus the fee).
In a town that worships the movies, there’s no doubt that audiences will embrace the dance, circus arts, and storytelling that come together in this dazzling production directed by Philippe Decouflé, a French choreographer and dancer. Fittingly, the orchestral score was written by prolific movie composer Danny Elfman, who received Grammy Award nominations for scoring “Milk” and “Alice in Wonderland.”
Spectacle and grace come together in the magical world of “IRIS,” where cinema’s ability to transport viewers to a make-believe world is reflected in moments where live performances are blended with multimedia presentations, such as one graceful act where the dancers are shadowed by their rapidly unfolding choreography on the screen behind them.
Amazing acrobatics, imaginative staging, and a touch of humor make this show a true homage to Hollywood. As with every circus, the clowns offer a comic, and sometimes poignant, commentary on the frenetic madness of the movie-making industry.
As one clown noted, “This is the real true story of Hollywood… rejection.”
For those who have stars in their eyes, though, “IRIS” will not disappoint. Fans of Cirque du Soleil’s acrobatic artistry will applaud the performers in the flying trapezes, the contortionists who twist their bodies into impossible positions, and the trampoline artists who never miss a beat in their intricate routines.
While the show gives a nod to aspects of cinema, from Noir as a film genre to the development of animation, there’s no clear evolutionary journey through the history of filmmaking. Instead, the love story of two characters — Buster and Scarlett — serves as an emotional through-line against the backdrop of an ever-changing motion and picture spectacle on stage.
The snippets of their story makes sweet poetic sense, since all movies are really about love — the search for love, the loss of love, finding love anew…
For an evening of seduction and wonder, “IRIS” is sure to please.
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For ticket information, check out cirquedusoleil.com/IRIS or call 877-943-4747.
September 27, 2011
Winter needs a new home
Walk up to the pool where the real star of the new film “Dolphin Tale” lives, and you’re likely to get a curious look from the five-year-old female Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin named Winter.
Happy to speak her mind, the dolphin emits her signature whistle — a tweety bird sound — as she’s fed a snack by Abby Stone, senior marine mammal trainer at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA).
“We believe dolphins have a more advanced form of communication than other species,” Stone says, petting Winter’s flank as she stretches the rear end of the dolphin to work her muscles and tendons. “They’re good problem solvers and have good memory. The brain to body proportion is large, and while we don’t know what they use the larger brain for, in a group, they work together. They have cooperative hunting, are capable of play, and being deceptive.”
In other words, they know how to fool anyone who thinks they’re smarter than the average dolphin.
The story of this particular dolphin came to the world’s attention several years ago when Winter was found entangled in a crab trap near Cape Canaveral by a local fisherman. The wounds on the animal were so deep that the tail tissue was dead and fell off within a few days of being rescued and taken to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
“A lot of what you see in the movie ‘Dolphin Tale’ is what we do in real life,” says David Yates, CEO of the aquarium. “We’re on call 24/7. Our job is rescue, rehabilitation and release. If a wounded animal won’t survive in the wild, they’re kept here. We promote environmental work to inspire people to take better care of our marine life environment.”
Six years ago, the aquarium was in debt and in danger of closing, so Yates decided to use Winter’s story to draw attention to the animal hospital, holding a series of “Save Winter” events as fundraisers.
“When Winter’s tail came off, she shouldn’t have survived,” Yates says. “If she can’t swim and come to the surface to breathe, she’d die. So we held her up 24 hours a day until we could figure out what to do.”
News reports of the dolphin’s rescue and loss of her tail prompted Kevin Carroll, and Dan Strzempka, prosthetists with Hanger Prosthetics & Orthotics (which makes prosthetic limbs for humans) to volunteer to try to make a tail for Winter. The two prosthetics designers, Dr. Mike Walsh, a marine mammal veterinarian, and CMA’s marine mammal trainers formed a braintrust that then created an artificial tail for Winter.
In the process, they also developed “Winter’s Gel,” a sock made of very soft rubbery material, to help keep the tail on the dolphin. “Winter’s Gel” is now used to also help many veterans and amputees reduce the pain of wearing their prostheses.
Winter now wears her tail four or five times a day as she continues to adapt to it. The dolphin is fitted for a new tail every two months because of her continued growth.
In addition to working with dolphins, CMA rescues turtles, river otters, and is on-call to respond to other marine animals in distress.
For the filming of “Dolphin Tale,” Alcon Entertainment built an addition to the aquarium where most of the scenes with Winter were filmed. The “Dolphin Deck” remains as a facility that is now used to rehabilitate wounded animals.
The aquarium has launched a campaign to “Help Build Winter’s New Home,” planning to build a new animal care area that would allow it to double the number of animals it can rehabilitate, and build a new dolphin complex to give Winter and her friends more living space.
“We’ve got commitments for $3 million of the $12 million that’s needed for the expansion,” Yates says. “We’re hoping that after seeing ‘Dolphin Tale,’ the world will help us build Winter’s new home.”
To see Winter’s real home at CMA, check out http://www.seewinter.com/.
September 25, 2011
Child stars bask in starring roles
When it comes to press interviews, movie studios are careful to monitor and protect access to young actors who are just starting their careers. So it was no surprise that “Dolphin Tale” stars Nathan Gamble and Cozi Zuehlsdorff were paired for every interview at a recent Clearwater Beach, Fla. media junket.
But studio executives need have no worries about these two 13-year-old actors, who never lacked for something witty or genuine to say about their experience making the movie. Both clearly loved working with Winter, the dolphin.
“I first met Winter on my audition,” says Gamble, a blond whose hair was dyed brown for the role of Sawyer. “They flew me in from Los Angeles to make sure we bonded. I was a horrible swimmer before the movie, but am pretty good now. Holding my breath for the underwater ballet scenes was the most challenging thing for me.”
Zuehlsdorff, who played Hazel, the daughter of the marine biologist who supervises Winter’s recovery, adds, “They take such good care of Winter, and make sure she’s not stressed out in any way. You can tell she’s forming an opinion about you when she looks at you.”
Gamble — the more experienced of the two — made his feature film debut as the son of Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett’s characters in the 2006 movie “Babel,” earning a Young Artist Award nomination for his performance. He then went on to appear as Commissioner Gordon’s son in “The Dark Knight.” Along with other film credits, he was a regular on the TV series “Hank,” and has had guest appearances on shows including “Private Practice” and “House MD.”
Like the pro he is, he’s quick to praise his co-star. “Cozi’s a blast to work with,” Gamble notes. “You could never tell this was her first movie.”
Zuehlsdorff, who has appeared in numerous commercials, began her acting career at the age of eight, when she starred as “Annie” in a local theater company in Aliso Veijo, Calif. Her effervescent personality and singing ability then led to roles in shows like “The Wizard of Oz,” “Seussical the Musical,” and “Willy Wonka.”
“I loved the camaraderie on the set, and having good chemistry with people,” Zuehlsdorff says. “Not all of the kids in youth theater care about being in the show. But on the movie set, it was different.”
The two speak with a maturity that belies their years, something that every adult on set noted. Director Charles Martin Smith auditioned nearly 100 youngsters for each role, and quickly zoomed in on Gamble and Zuehlsdorff.
“They’re mature, but they’re funny,” Smith says. “Kids at that age will act like a 7-year-old one moment, then a 15-year-old the next. I wanted them to be real kids, to be upset and unreasonable sometimes, and goofy and giddy other times. They both come from good Christian families, which underpins everything in the movie. We didn’t want to be religious in the tone, but Sawyer finds a sense of family and community through caring for others in need.”
Harry Connick, Jr., who plays Zuehlsdorff’s father in the film, is equally enthusiastic about his young co-stars’ abilities.
“These two kids are freaks,” Connick says, with admiration. “Nathan’s incredibly bright and possesses so much maturity, it’s sometimes hard to interact with him. He’s 13, and sometimes I had to remind myself, I can’t tell him that (raunchy) joke. Cozi’s an incredible singer and actress, and I’ve become great friends with both of them. “
Zuehlsdorff says acting has made her comfortable around adults, and she’s quick to find things in common with people she’s working with. With Morgan Freeman, who played the doctor who designed the prosthetic tail for Winter, Zuehlsdorff turned to music as a common denominator.
“Morgan likes to sing a lot, so we had these musical theater moments,” she says, laughing. “We were talking about ‘West Side Story’ one day, and he was pounding his foot on the grates in the rhythm of one of the songs, and the trainers said, ‘Stop! It’s freaking the dolphins out!’ “
While Winter was in most of the dolphin action shots, Gamble explains that a “stand-in” blow-up named Plan B was used when needed. For a birthday gift, everyone in the cast and crew signed one of the Plan B dolphins and presented it to him.
“I got so used to being around Winter, Winter would push Abby (her trainer) off and circle around me, like she owned me,” Gamble says. “After spending three months with this magnificent creature, it was sad to let go.”
When he’s not working, Gamble is home-schooled, which means he can’t play on sports teams like many kids his age. But it’s a trade-off he accepts in order to have an acting career, which he loves. Speaking to the press like an adult, rather than a young teen, is part of that life.
“A lot of sets don’t have a lot of kids, so I’m surrounded by adults,” Gamble says. “The only way to connect, for me, is to be more adult-like. I have three role models — my dad, Jesus, and Indiana Jones. My dad’s absolutely fantastic, a really kind person, the kind of person I want to be when I grow up.”
Now that’s a true star talking.
