Eagle of the Ninth watch continues today. More news is now available regarding previously reported location filming due in Scotland the first two weeks of October for Kevin MacDonald's newest film starring Channing Tatum and Jamie Bell. The report says "local posters say Eagle of the Ninth will be filmed at Fox Point near Dornie and Achnahaird beach." I am unfortunately unfamiliar with this gorgeous area, so this is what I could find for now, looks stunning! More on area here from Undiscovered Scotland, and at this link as well----see pic of rock framed beach below: This information comes directly and most certainly courtesy of Achiltibuiecottage, (cheers and thanks!) where they have some places to rent in this absolutely gorgeous part of Scotland. The Eagle of the Ninth will be based out of Film City Glasgow in October, with this far out location filming in the beautiful highlands also due that month. Meanwhile, as heralded by the press release last week, filming is currently in the outskirts of Budapest, Hungary; all is being met with much interest, stay tuned~
UPDATE: If you are in the area and own places to rent, PLEASE CALL Claire Murray on: 07970 924 860 or 0141 440 5620 for further information as they are in need of extra places for crew/cast to stay on COIGACH PENNISULA from September 29-October 18
For me, my memories of summer are just exactly what you might see in a movie about summer days and nights in the South or Midwest: sleeping in, then up to run to the market or to the get the good picks from veggie stand (or the shrimpers when then came in) then off working in the garden, or skivving off to do some swimming in the lake as my brother would always do, leaving me with most of the work, but every now and then I would sneak off to ignore the chores and head out to my favorite spot near the woods where there was this great old oak tree by this creek that had good light and I would read read read. Oh it's completely corney and hokey to think of it but that was my life. I think its now the site of a bunch of condos near a Target or outdoor mall, but isnt that how it always is? Once in a while there were long road trips to the shore, or out west, band camp, summer bible school, weekly barbeques and dances, and always always long muggy nights filled with the sounds of the radio broadcasting baseball games, or the latest jazz/blues concerts, but for me the highlight was going to the drive- in to watch movies.
In those days, out door drive in movies were all the rage and for me, I very firmly identify summer with movies. All sorts of movies. If we were lucky and had a bit of money left over we might get lucky and scoot off to the dollar movie theater where they had air conditioning or fans everywhere, but generally, as money was always tight, it was best spent on going to the drive-in theater (where we regularly took turns sneaking our friends in hidden in the trunk) or scooting over the walls -we found a good low spot in the back left lol I can remember it exactly, and just walked in when we didn't have a car nor gas for the car, and watching the latest movie up on the big screen. There is something quite fun about sitting with a group of friends (or if you were lucky enough to have a date which I never did alas, go off for a bit of snogging as it were)and watch these great stories, comedies, drama, old classics, great adventures about people and places far away from where we were.
Tonight the Edinburgh International Film Festival begins in Scotland. Obviously film festivals in the summer are as strong as they were, and I think no matter where you grew up or live now, you can appreciate the joys of these summer events. You can have those outdoor events like Motovun or the mixture of what Edinburgh is offering. While there isn't a great Sigma film like Hallam Foe lol to kick off the event like last year, Sigma's Alastair Mackenzie is part of the opening film tonight called The Edge of Love. This will generate a lot of press coverage and hoopla (ergo this amusing blog entry here from EdinburghGuide.com speculating about Connery parachuting in for the event -ha!) , mostly due to the presence of the stars like Keira Knightley and Sienna Miller and Cillian Murphy and and and -but no word if Alastair will be there (of if they've even kept his part in!) I do hope there will be at least one photo of him there, but you never know.
Other films of note playing during the next few weeks really appeal to me much more, although they have nothing specifically to do with Sigma Films. (All Media Scotland has this handy dandy article, that lists some Scottish films of interest at the festival, along with screening times and locations) NOTE: Scottish Screen will be there at the Festival with a booth for all to visit, and you can pick up a copy of that awesome (yet huge to download but well worth it) Made in Scotland brochure which you can bet lunatic fans-can't imagine who they might be;)- will be popping by to procure. I'm betting the Boyd and Carlyle and Dougray Scott fans will also make their presence known-just saying ... Bonus:Happy hour drinks! Huzzah~
*FAINTHEART: The Myspace created/backed film, the movie stars among a host of others, the awesome Ewan Bremner (HALLAM FOE, and of course Trainspotting). Good articles to read about this are here via The Times, The Telegraph, and The Scotsman. Its a pretty good bet Ewan will be there when it screens next week *crosses fingers* Ticket info via here.
Side note, Ewan was also recently in the news for his charity work, helping a bunch of students learn about film. This kind of quite yet classy thing-such as what Sigma Films did with their StarFish for Y0ung People program is vital, and another reason why I admire people like Ewan and Gillian and Colin and the people who run the Starfish program (headed by someone named Beth Allen) and companies like Sigma for thinking beyond themselves and giving back and investing in the future in a real and tangible way. More on this later but fighting the good fight is never a bad thing at all.
STONE OF DESTINY: First, Billy Boyd confirmed to attend. Ditto Robert Carlyle. Expect hordes of screaming fans.
This film looks awesome. Postive buzz o plenty. Good article now online via the Daily Record. however. The Scottish Government was temporarily brain dead when someone thought it would be ok for Alex Salmond to release comments saying that he feels the current stone is fake. Way to shoot oneself in the ass. Sorry, but good grief! Just when the entire eyes of the world are on Scotland and you have a load of free press and publicity and you are trying to recruit TOURISM=BIG MONEY you do NOT , repeat NOT go say hey its fake, fools- why the f would people want to come see this, see this film-oy! As a person who does Archaeology as a serious hobby, sure there are boatloads of fake artifacts everywhere nothing new at all, but his comments struck me as so counterproductive to his own ongoing concurrent efforts (ie the Homecoming 2009 to Scotland thing which will get its own entry here soon) that I was incredulous. really. Anyway I want to see the Stone of Destiny film, moron comments notwithstanding, I think and hope a lot of others will too.
SOMERS TOWN. This had not been on my list but it is directed by Shane Meadowns, and it turns out it features RED ROAD'S KATIE DICKIE. Yes! While I can't find a trailer for either Stone of Destiny, nor this film, I did spot this lovely montage on Youtube that rather sums up this film.
Today is a day of celebration, for today is the officialTARTAN DAY here in the US! On this day the speeches are in full flow there are parades, piping, dancing colorful costumes, good talk and good spirit and most certainly good will from all of us celebrating our Scottish heritage.Nunquam Non Paratus
US politicians weighed in already, heh shock-not!The ever popular Sean Connery also weighed in with his thoughts on the matter in the LA Times, especially on the topic of a Scottish Independence, noting "Independence is something Americans inherently understand. My whole adult life, I have waited and worked for the day that Scots are able to decide democratically if they wish to rejoin the community of nations as an independent and equal member. A recent poll showed that two-thirds of Scots would welcome that opportunity under certain circumstances.
I believe that day -- Scotland's independence day -- is closer than ever."
As for me, I just wish for a thriving growing successful Scotland (and much more world wide notice and respect and success for the fine work being done by Sigma Films), and while I cant be there today, I will be among those happily celebrating Scottish heritage and good things from that fabulous country!
In an attempt to clear the head after a weekend full politics and other depressing matters, I was chatting with some friends as we made our picks for our traditional Oscar pool, and the topic of the ongoing writers strike was still of concern. Without a good plot of course, a film is worth nothing, yet woefully they persist (Rambo/Rocky, sequel number 10,010 anyone? ) Good writing is essential to why I bother to pay money to see a film, and like so many others I am hoping this strike will be resolved shortly.
I've always loved books and writing and admired those who can write well, and it is always draws me to movies. When people ask me what sort of films I like, I find it hard to say one particular genre over another ( I enjoy all except the vile gratutious slasher films) Anyway, in the course of the conversation I brought up Sigma again, and when pressed to declare a firm reason why I like their works so much, I decided that the reason lies in the fact that these are movies that always tell a good STORY.
Storytellingis the ancient art of conveying events in words, images, and sounds often by improvisation or embellishment. Stories have probably been shared in every culture and in every land as a means of entertainment, education, preservation of culture and to instill knowledge and values/morals. Crucial elements of storytelling include plot and characters, as well as the narrative point of view. Stories are frequently used to teach, explain, and/or entertain. Less frequently, but occasionally with major consequences, they have been used to mislead. There can be much truth in a story of fiction, and much falsehood in a story that uses facts. Storytelling has existed as long as humanity has had language. It's the world of myth, of history, of the imagination...it explains life.
IT EXPLAINS LIFE.
Life...life is complicated and hard and scary and sad and messy and emotional and sometimes boring, and occasionally its incredibly exciting, funny, sexy, and joyful and unexplainable and always always changing. There is no such thing as a 'perfect' life, there is just life, and that is what I see when I watch the films coming out of Scotland- little slices of life, fresh unique, certainly not run of the mill, but films honest and true. Movies about People.Real people, perhaps not always in traditionally realistic situations (ie Last Great Wilderness, Dogville) but at the base, films that deal with very real people in very real, very honest situations, all presented in an original way.
While you can certainly argue there is a plethora of good 'storyteller' films out there (and there are-ex I picked "There will be Blood" in my pool picks, that was an awesome story, with actually hardly any dialogue at the begining-yet it's a STORY), they aren't always original (and will save a diatribe on the seven plots for all things, all found in Shakespeare). People then say to me, pah all the Brits or Scots films are always gloomy and oppressive or about people leaping about in kilts or some sort of crap. I say well Hallam Foe certainly wasn't gloomy nor oppressive, and received many accolades for the writing. Same for "Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself Dear Frankie(trailer here) great stories about seemingly depressing subjects but at the end just wonderful uplifting tales.
Good stories can also come out of subjects which don't normally come up in 'polite' conversation, but exist out there none the less: suicide, adultery, voyeurism, rape, revenge, heartache, but there is also great humor, honest moments and tender moments involving characters that I can feel for or sympathize with, and above all, want to know more about. I want to know the stories of these people, and I guess that is the objective of all good story telling. Sure you can have a the rare good story in the midst of a huge budget action blockbuster film, but just as I would rather have long conversations with people than text or 'twitter' them, I would much rather watch a film that tells me a story about people.
As a person just looking in from the outside, these films strike me as being carefully crafted to tell stories first and foremost, not deliberately trying to whack you over the head with some overt-oh lets take a taboo or uncomfortable subject and then give you a heavy handed lesson in morality type of boring movie. I've always found the films of Sigma to consistently be fresh and thought provoking and take you on a journey in a person's life and then leaves you just a bit uncertain at the end as if you want to know what happens next, just like life itself.
ETA: At the SAG's last night, actor James Brolin echoed the sentiments, as he gave a good thank you speech for best cast No Country for Old Men. Recognising the fab Coen brothers and the film's uncertain ending which I like, he also said something along the lines of 'its about STORY, and its driving the Hollywood studio system crazy" wOOt! "
One of my favorite parts of movies these days is being able to learn more about the locations used for filming. Perhaps its a testament to my engineer/geography freak/NASA- influenced father, but I long have been fascinated by this aspect of movie making, thinking I should volunteer to be a location scout or a tour guide or something. I also think its cool (if not overtly mercenary) that the various tourist boards are paying attention to the public's fascination in this department; the UK tourist website in particular are keen on promoting these various tours, and why not? Ive gone on one before, and although reluctant to do the sheer tourist thing, some of the places in Scotland in particular really appeal to me. However my long held dream is to visit Scotland, and intend on making several trips there this year . Because Ive been so fascinated with this country, I also loved to see what critics called a love letter to Edinburgh, the footage and many of the settings in Hallam Foe. On the official blog, one thing I truly appreciated was the effort made to note where the various shoots were taking place. I craved all these tiny tidbits of information, and readily looked up places (although outside Edinburg) like Chanby house and especially the Caledonia (and Balmoral) hotels in Edinburgh and frevently hope one day to go there. Anyway, today I was surfing around looking for another matter, when I stumbled on a place for sale that seemed very familiar. As noted via this entry, the Wyndales was the setting for a dinner scene (perhaps this one as seen in this clip via iTunes?) Now you too can live just like the Family Foe, and purchase this 14 bedroom home that '' offers in excess of £825,000." LOLOLOL yes I will get right on that.
Eagle of the Ninth watch continues today. More news is now available regarding previously reported location filming due in Scotland the first two weeks of October for Kevin MacDonald's newest film starring Channing Tatum and Jamie Bell. The report says "local posters say Eagle of the Ninth will be filmed at Fox Point near Dornie and Achnahaird beach." I am unfortunately unfamiliar with this gorgeous area, so this is what I could find for now, looks stunning!
