A bit high-pitched and shrill, the few audiences that have seen Lincoln ahead of its World Premiere next month at AFI Fest may have been surprised by the voice of America’s 16th President as played by Daniel Day-Lewis . The two-time Oscar-winner made a rare public appearance speaking before a small audience presented by Time Magazine in New York Thursday. The actor, who appeared along with Steven Spielberg , spoke in his native British accent, which was in audible contrast to his latest on-screen character. Many assume Lincoln spoke in a blaring baritone, though Lewis explained that that myth is likely untrue. “Well you look for the clues, as with any aspect of the work,” he said of finding the voice. “You begin with the places that would have made a huge difference in his life. Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois, and the counties that he came from. There are some early recordings, but no contemporary recordings — lucky for me, so no one can say positively that it’s not what he sounded like,” said Lewis as quoted in THR . He surmised that the Civil War President’s pitch aided him and his oratory skills in reaching a higher number of people in an era well ahead anything resembling public address systems. “There are also a number of contemporary accounts about the quality of his voice,” Day-Lewis said. “And I’m inclined to think that having had a voice that was intended to be in the higher register, tended to be placed more in the head tones, that helped him reach a greater number of people in his public speaking. Stump speaking was such a huge part of their lives, they spoke sometimes for two hours or more without notes, at that time regularly. And beyond that, I suppose it really was just an act of imagination.” Lincoln centers on the period after Lincoln’s re-election in 1864 in the months leading up to his death in April of the following year, when he struggled to get the 13th Amendment passed by the House of Representatives. The Amendment abolished slavery once and for all in the United States. Though he had ordered the Emancipation Proclamation earlier, Lincoln feared the provision would only be held up as a “war power” and would become redundant after the war’s end — meaning, those legally freed would be immediately sent back into servitude. Lewis also said it took him a good year to get “comfortable with his character.” Spielberg said at the event he didn’t like the idea of waiting that long, but he is glad he did so. He also offered up his take on the Lincoln voice at a separate NYC screening event at the recent New York Film Festival. “Research talks about his high shrill voice,” Spielberg said. “I think we’d be criticized if we did it the way he’s heard by Disney’s Epcot Center with a low-tenored voice.” [ Source: THR ]
Also in Thursday morning’s round-up of news briefs, Cloud Atlas is being criticized for using “Yellow Face” for white actors. New York salutes the late Andrew Sarris. And an Amy Winehouse play based on her life heads to the stage. Deal Closed for Tom Cruise-Attached Script Our Name is Adam In the pic, Cruise will play an astronaut who travels back in time and works with his younger self. Paramount Pictures acquired the T.S. Nowlin script with Skydance Productions on board as partner, Deadline reports . Al Pacino Making Bank in Broadway Pay Package for Glengarry Glen Rosss Pacino is receiving a minimum of $125K per week and is entitled to 5% of the profits for the 10-week run of David Mamet’s drama now in previews. Pacino plays washed-up huckster Shelley Levene in the play, Deadline reports . Cloud Atlas Slammed for non-Asian Actors and ‘Yellow Face’ Makeup The feature by Andy and Lana Wachowski and Tom Twyker is based on the 2005 David Mitchell novel, which weaves together six story-lines, connecting them through use of the same actors for multiple roles. In one storyline focused in the year 2144 in South Korea, multiple white male actors are given prosthetic makeup to appear Asian. The Media Action Network for Asian Americans blasted the move, THR reports . Film World Salutes Andrew Sarris Top figures in the New York film community feted film critic Andrew Sarris who died in June at 83. He is credited for championing “auteur” theory in America. The tribute took place Wednesday at the Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center, TOH reports . Amy Winehouse Theater Play to Open in Denmark A play based on the late singer’s life will feature music from her two studio albums, Frank and Back to Black . It will be based on material from interviews, speeches, concerts, newspapers, letters and songs. A Winehouse spokesperson said the family has nothing to do with the production, BBC reports .
James Bond may be able to tussle with the world’s most notorious evil-doers, but he’s not able to resist the alluring sounds of singer Adele ‘s soulful voice. 007 star Daniel Craig said that he cried when he first heard the theme song to Skyfall . In an interview with Yahoo! Movies U.K., the Bond star said he was moved emotionally when he heard the first notes of Adele’s ballad. “I cried,” he said. “From the opening bars I knew immediately, then the voice kicked in and it was exactly what I’d wanted from the beginning. It just got better and better because it fitted the movie. In fact the more of the movie we made, the more it fitted it.” Skyfall director Sam Mendes said that the Rolling in the Deep singer was given an early copy of the script to help her compose the song, co-written by Paul Epworth. “She came in very early before we started shooting and her main concern was ‘I write songs about myself, how can I make a Bond song? My answer was ‘just write a personal song’! Carly Simon’s ‘Nobody Does It Better’ was a love song,” said Mendes. Skyfall headed to the number one spot on iTunes only ten hours after its release. Adele recorded the song at London’s Abbey Road Studios, featuring a 77-piece orchestra. “I was a little hesitant at first to be involved with the theme song for ‘Skyfall,'” Adele said. “There’s a lot of instant spotlight and pressure when it comes to a Bond song.” And the song has already lured some notable covers. Artists Jedward and Willow Smith have given their spin to the catchy tune. Skyfall had its World Premiere in London Wednesday and will open in the U.S. November 9th. [ Sources: Huffington Post , Yahoo! Movies U.K. ]
Rachael Leigh Cook is back again, this time for the world premiere of some movie called Kingdom Come . This girl hasn’t really done anything in years, or at least nothing big, but if Rachael wants to make a comeback, I fully support her. As long as she keeps showing up to events looking like this, that is. If you didn’t know, I’m a big supporter of the arts. And by “the arts,” I mean “cleavage.” Related Articles: Rachael Leigh Cook: Forgotten Hottie Rachael Leigh Cook Ruins A See Through Moment Rachael Leigh Cook Picture Moment Rachael Leigh Cook Ruins A Potential See Through Moment Photos: WENN.com
Just in time for its World Premiere at the New York Film Festival this Friday, a new and more sweeping trailer for Ang Lee ‘s Life of Pi has hit the web, setting up the 3-D adventure based on the 2001 novel by Yann Martel. The fantasy-adventure follows “Pi,” an Indian boy who survives a shipwreck and is stranded on a boat in the ocean with a Bengal tiger along with some other charming critters. The trailer sets up the ship wreck that sees Pi (newcomer Suraj Sharma) survive the disaster at sea and finds himself in the company of the tiger, set to the tunes of Coldplay’s Paradise . Life of Pi, which also stars Irrfan Khan, Gérard Depardieu, Shravanthi Sainath, Suraj Sharma and Tabu, shot in Taiwan and India earlier this year. 20th Century Fox will release Life of Pi November 21st. Official log-line: Director Ang Lee ( Brokeback Mountain , Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ) creates a groundbreaking movie event about a young man who survives a tragic disaster at sea and is hurtled into an epic journey of adventure and discovery. While marooned on a lifeboat, he forms an amazing and unexpected connection with the ship’s only other survivor – a fearsome Bengal tiger.
The World Premiere of Ang Lee ‘s Life Of Pi will open the New York Film Festival September 28th. The screening launching the 50th anniversary of the annually anticipated film event will be a return for the Oscar-winning director, who screened Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon as the festival’s closing night event 12 years ago. Robert Altman, Pedro Almodóvar and Francois Truffaut are the only other directors to have had more than one film chosen to bow the festival. Lee’s The Ice Storm opened the 1997 edition of NYFF. The film stars Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Tobey Maguire and Gérard Depardieu. Life Of Pi will the be the first 3-D NYFF opener. Based on the book that has sold more than seven million copies and a number o f years on bestseller lists, the feature takes place over three continents, two oceans, many years and a wide world of imagination. Lee’s vision, coupled with game-changing technological breakthroughs, haas turned a story long throughout un-filmable into a totally original cinematic event and the first truly international all-audience motion picture. Life Of Pi follows a young man who survives a disaster at sea and is hurtled into an epic journey of adventure and discovery. While marooned on a lifeboat, he forms an amazing and unexpected connection with the ship’s only other survivor…a fearsome Bengal tiger. The Twentieth Century Fox release is due in theaters November 21st. Life Of Pi is a perfect combination of technological innovation and a strong artistic vision,” Richard Peña, Selection Committee Chair & Program Director at the Film Society of Lincoln Center said via a statement. “And Lee has managed to make a deeply moving, engrossing work that will delight audiences as much as it will astonish them. We’re enormously proud to have this film for our Opening Night for the 50th NYFF.” “I am both delighted and honored to be back a the New York Film Festival with Life Of Pi ,” Lee said in a statement. “I have the deepest respect for Richard Peña and his team and to be selected by them as the Opening Night Film for the 50th anniversary is extremely gratifying. I am also excited because this is my hometown, and to be unveiling this film that I am so proud of here is a real pleasure.” Last week NYFF said it will close out its festival with the world premiere of Robert Zemeckis’s Flight , starring Denzel Washington. Previous Opening Night Gala titles include Luis Buñuel’s The Exterminating Angel (1963), Gill Pontecorvo’s The Battle of Algiers (1967), Akir Kurosawa’s Ran (1985), Pedro Almodóvar’s Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988), Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction (1994), Mike Leigh’s Secrets & Lies (1996), Stephen Frear’s The Queen (2006) and David Fincher’s The Social Network (2010). Produced by the Film Society of Lincoln Center, the 50th New York Film Festival will take place September 28 – October 14th Watch the trailer on YouTube .
The Locarno Film Festival is one of the world’s oldest. The Swiss lake-side summer event regularly attract thousands including U.S. filmmakers during its ten-day run. The fest has raised its profile in recent years and this year the event will feature 19 films screening as international or world premieres competing for the event’s top “Pardo d’oro” grand prize. U.S. entries include Jack and Diane , Compliance , Museum Hours , Somebody Up There Likes Me and Museum Hours . The festival will open with the world premiere of Nick Love’s The Sweeney August 1st The festival also has a nightly out of competition “Piazza Grande” lineup of films, which are screened outside on the (you guessed it…) Piazza Grande against the backdrop of the city’s picturesque lake. The competition and Piazza Grande lineups follow. The lineup in the festival’s other sections can be found on their website (http://www.pardolive.ch/en/Pardo-Live/today-at-the-festival.html;jsessionid=A6B115468942A214FBD6F7D199332475). Locarno runs August 1 – 11. Competition – A jury will choose one of the 19 competing fiction or documentary features, which are screening as world or international premieres, to win the festival’s top prize: the Pardo d’oro. A Última Vez Que Vi Macao (The Last Time I Saw Macao) by João Pedro Rodrigues and João Rui Guerra da Mata Portugal/France – 2012 – 85 min with João Pedro Rodrigues, João Rui Guerra da Mata, Cindy Crash World Premiere Berberian Sound Studio by Peter Strickland United Kingdom/Germany/Australia – 2012 – 89 min with Tobey Jones, Tonia Sotiropoulou, Susanna Cappellaro, Cosimo Fusco International Premiere Compliance by Craig Zobel United States – 2012 – 90 min with Ann Dowd, Matt Servito, Dreama Walker, Pat Healy, Phillipp Ettinger – International Premiere Der Glanz Des Tages (The Shine of Day) by Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel Austria – 2012 – 90 min with Philipp Hochmair, Walter Saabel World Premiere Image Problem by Simon Baumann and Andreas Pfiffner Switzerland – 2012 – 92 min Documentary First Feature – World Premiere Jack and Diane by Bradley Rust Gray United States – 2011 – 106 min with Juno Temple, Riley Keough, Cara Seymour, Kylie Minougue – International Premiere La Fille De Nulle Part (The Girl from Nowhere) by Jean-Claude Brisseau France – 2012 – 91 min with Jean-Claude Brisseau, Virginie Legeay World Premiere Leviathan by Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Verena Paravel United Kingdom/United States/France – 2012 – 83 min Documentary - World Premiere Los Mejores Temas (Greatest Hits) by Nicolás Pereda Mexico/Canada/Netherlands – 2012 – 102 min Production: Interior13 Cine – World Premiere Mobile Home by François Pirot Belgium/Luxembourg – 2012 – 95 min with Arthur Dupond, Guillaume Gouix, Jackie Berroyer, Jean-Paul Bonnair, Eugénie Anselin First Feature – World Premiere Museum Hours by Jem Cohen Austria/United States – 2012 – 107 min with Mary Margaret O’Hara, Bobby Sommer, Ela Piplits – World Premiere Padroni Di Casa (The Landlords) by Edoardo Gabbriellini Italy – 2012 – 90 min with Valerio Mastandrea, Elio Germano, Gianni Morandi, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi – World Premiere Playback by Sho Miyake Japan – 2012 – 113 min with Jun Murakami, Kiyohiko Shibukava, Masaki Miura, Makiko Watanabe First Feature – World Premiere Polvo by Julio Hernández Cordón Guatemala/Spain/Chile/Germany – 2012 – 80 min with Agustin Ortíz Pérez, Eduardo Spiegeler, Alejandra Estrada, María Telón Soc – World Premiere Somebody Up There Likes Me by Bob Byington United States – 2011 – 76 min with Keith Poulson, Nick Offerman, Jess Weixler, Stephanie Hunt, Marshall Bell – International Premiere Starlet by Sean Baker United States – 2012 – 104 min with Dree Hemingway, Besedka Johnson, Stella Maeve, James Ransone, Karren Karagulian – International Premiere The End of Time by Peter Mettler Switzerland/Canada – 2012 – 109 min Documentary – World Premiere Une Estonlenne a Paris by Ilmar Raag France/Estonia/Belgium – 2012 – 94 min with Jeanne Moreau, Ita Ever, Fabrice Colson, Laine Mägi – World Premiere Wo Hai You Hua Yao Shuo (When Night Falls) by Ying Liang South Korea – 2012 – 70 min with Nai An, Kate Wen, Sun Ming – International Premiere The Piazza Grande – which seats up to 8,000 viewers a night, is both the heart of the festival and its showcase. Bachelorette by Leslye Headland United States – 2011 – 91 min with Lizzy Caplan, Kirsten Dunst, Isla Fisher, James Marsden – International Premiere Bonjour Tristesse by Otto Preminger United States – 1958 – 94 min with Deborah Kerr, David Niven, Jane Seberg, Mylène Demongeot, Geoffrey Horne Retrospettiva Otto Preminger Camille Redouble by Noémie Lvovsky France – 2012 – 115 min with Noémie Lvovsky, Samir Guesmi, Yolande Moreau, Michel Vuillermoz – International Premiere Das Missenmassaker (The Swiss Miss Massacre) by Michael Steiner Switzerland – 2012 – 95 min with Meryl Valerie, Lisa Maria Bärenbold, Patrick Rapold, Mike Müller, Martin Rapold, Nadine Vinzens – World Premiere Lore by Cate Shortland Germany/Australia/United Kingdom – 2012 – 110 min with Saskia Rosendahl, Kai Malina, Nele Trebs, Ursina Lardi – International Premiere Magic Mike by Steven Soderbergh United States – 2012 – 110 min with Channing Tatum, Matthew McConaughey, Olivia Munn, Alex Pettyfer More Than Honey by Markus Imhoof Switzerland/Germany/Austria – 2012 – 91 min Documentary – World Premiere – Closing Film Motorway by Soi Cheang Hong Kong – 2012 – 90 min with Anthony WONG, Shawn YUE, GUO Xiaodong European Premiere – Pardo alla carriera Johnnie To Nachtlarm (Lullaby Ride) by Christoph Schaub Switzerland/Germany – 2012 – 94 min with Alexandra Maria Lara, Sebastian Blomberg, Georg Friedrich – World Premiere No by Pablo Larraín Chile/United States/Mexico – 2012 – 110 min with Gael Garcia Bernal, Alfredo Castro, Antonia Zegerz, Luis Gnecco Quelques Heures de Printemps by Stéphane Brizé France – 2012 – 108 min with Vincent Lindon, Emmanuelle Seigner, Hélène Vincent – World Premiere Ruby Sparks by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris United States – 2012 – 104 min with Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan, Antonio Banderas, Annette Bening, Steve Coogan, Elliott Gould, Chris Messina International Premiere Sightseers by Ben Wheatley United Kingdom – 2012 – 89 min with Alice Lowe, Eileen Davis, Steve Oram, Monica Dolam The Black Balloon by Josh and Benny Safdie United States – 2012 – 21 min with Larry Sloman, Eleonore Hendricks, Mustafa Bekiroglu, Kennon Bltut, William Skinner – International Premiere The Sweeney by Nick Love United Kingdom – 2012 – 90 min with Damian Lewis, Hayley Atwell, Ray Winstone, Paul Anderson – World Premiere – Opening Film While We Were Here by Kat Coiro United States – 2012 – 83 min with Kate Bosworth, Iddo Goldberg, Jamie Blackley, Claire Bloom – International Premiere Wrong by Quentin Dupieux France – 2012 – 94 min with Jack Plotnick, Eric Judor, Alexis Dziena, Steve Little European Premiere
The actress and co-star Sam Claflin will introduce an exclusive ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’ clip on MTV at 11 p.m. ET. By Fallon Prinzivalli Kristen Stewart as “Snow White” Photo: Universal With the 2012 MTV Movie Awards coming to you live in just five days, we’re kicking off the festivities with our second annual Sneak Peek Week ! Kristen Stewart and her co-star Sam Claflin will hang out with us on Tuesday (May 29) to reveal an early glimpse at their highly anticipated summer flick. In this edgy take on the classic fairy tale, Claflin stars as William, a young duke enraptured by Snow White’s (Stewart) purity and defiance. As the evil Queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron) seeks to destroy her, the princess teams up with a Huntsman named Eric (Chris Hemsworth) and they fight to reclaim their kingdom. A few lucky audience members will screen the movie before Stewart and Claflin introduce an exclusive “Snow White” clip on MTV at 11 p.m. ET. Immediately following the on-air presentation, our own Josh Horowitz will be on hand for a Q&A session with the actors live on MTV.com. You can follow along with the action on Twitter using the hash tag #MTVSneak and tweeting your favorite movie-related drawings from OMGPOP’s “Draw Something” app to @ MTVNews . The fun continues throughout the week with stars from “Magic Mike,” “That’s My Boy” and “Rock of Ages,” all leading up to the 21st annual MTV Movie Awards live on Sunday, June 3, at 9 p.m. ET. Head over to MovieAwards.MTV.com to vote for your favorite flicks now! The 21st annual MTV Movie Awards air live Sunday, June 3, at 9 p.m. ET. Check out everything we’ve got on For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Videos Get Ready For ‘MTV First: Snow White And The Hunstman’ Related Photos ‘Snow White And The Huntsman’ World Premiere
‘I love the effect she has on people,’ KStew tells MTV News. By Kara Warner, with reporting by Josh Horowitz Charlize Theron in “Snow White and the Huntsman” Photo: Universal Despite their obvious differences both onscreen and off, Kristen Stewart and Charlize Theron have formed a bond during the filming of “Snow White and the Huntsman” and even more so during the current press tour in support of the film. When MTV News caught up with Stewart recently, we asked her to compare the familiar scenario of doing interviews with her longtime “Twilight” co-stars Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner versus her new castmate, the lovely Ms. Theron. “When Rob, Taylor and I do interviews together, they usually don’t actually ask us anything. We just get to hang out and people like to watch that,” Stewart said with a laugh. “It’s fine, because I like hanging out with those guys, but it is weird. With Charlize, it’s been great, because we’re so proud of the movie and we actually only worked together for three days, so we got to know each other probably more or at least on a certain level during press, and it’s been nice. It’s been fun.” Stewart said she especially admires Theron’s ability to light up a room with her energy and humor. “Some people intimidate you. Some people’s energy is so big you feel like you don’t fit in the room, but with her, I really appreciate how different we are. I love the effect she has on people,” Stewart said. “I find it hilarious. I love watching it happen. I do not have that. Maybe I have something else, but it’s definitely not as visceral. Also, she’s really hilarious,” she added, noting that the Oscar winner uses the more colorful swear words with particular aplomb. “[She] puts me to shame, to be honest,” Stewart said. Check out everything we’ve got on “Snow White and the Huntsman.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: ‘Snow White And The Huntsman’ Related Photos ‘Snow White And The Huntsman’ World Premiere Snow White And The Huntsman
‘I love the effect she has on people,’ KStew tells MTV News. By Kara Warner, with reporting by Josh Horowitz Charlize Theron in “Snow White and the Huntsman” Photo: Universal Despite their obvious differences both onscreen and off, Kristen Stewart and Charlize Theron have formed a bond during the filming of “Snow White and the Huntsman” and even more so during the current press tour in support of the film. When MTV News caught up with Stewart recently, we asked her to compare the familiar scenario of doing interviews with her longtime “Twilight” co-stars Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner versus her new castmate, the lovely Ms. Theron. “When Rob, Taylor and I do interviews together, they usually don’t actually ask us anything. We just get to hang out and people like to watch that,” Stewart said with a laugh. “It’s fine, because I like hanging out with those guys, but it is weird. With Charlize, it’s been great, because we’re so proud of the movie and we actually only worked together for three days, so we got to know each other probably more or at least on a certain level during press, and it’s been nice. It’s been fun.” Stewart said she especially admires Theron’s ability to light up a room with her energy and humor. “Some people intimidate you. Some people’s energy is so big you feel like you don’t fit in the room, but with her, I really appreciate how different we are. I love the effect she has on people,” Stewart said. “I find it hilarious. I love watching it happen. I do not have that. Maybe I have something else, but it’s definitely not as visceral. Also, she’s really hilarious,” she added, noting that the Oscar winner uses the more colorful swear words with particular aplomb. “[She] puts me to shame, to be honest,” Stewart said. Check out everything we’ve got on “Snow White and the Huntsman.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: ‘Snow White And The Huntsman’ Related Photos ‘Snow White And The Huntsman’ World Premiere Snow White And The Huntsman
