Man, we’ve been waiting on the Martin Scorsese-directed George Harrison documentary forever. The doc centered on the “quiet Beatle” was announced in September 2007, but we haven’t heard a peep about it until very recently.
Scorsese has finally shared a progress report on the doc and it sounds like it’s pretty much ready to go, but the filmmaker doesn’t sound convinced the picture will get a proper U.S. release. How could that be possible?
“We’ve talked to everyone. We did Paul and Ringo, and Olivia Harrison. She’s the one who gave us the rights for this,” he told Showbiz411. Scorsese has also interviewed Ravi Shankar and most of George’s friends. BBC will air the film in the U.K. but it may have a theatrical release in the U.S., he says.
Scorsese’s excellent Dylan documentary, “No Direction Home” received a theatrical release (although a fairly limited one and it played on cable almost simultaneously if we remember correctly), so hopefully the Harrison doc at least gets that much play.
Scorsese’s been documentary crazy of late. At one point he also tried to tackle a Bob Marley documentary, but backed out (overbooked) and — evincing more love for British cinema like the restored “Red Shoes” musical that he’s been doing press for lately — he’s working on a long-gestating documentary which focuses on British cinema with his long-time editor Thelma Schoonmaker. It sounds like a bit of a valentine to Schoonmaker’s late husband and legendary British filmmaker Michael Powell, who co-directed the “Red Shoes,” and many other seminal British films solo and with his “Archers” partner Emeric Pressburger.
In the interview, Scorsese also suggests more than one actor may have to play Frank Sinatra — don’t worry, it doesn’t sound like Todd Haynes’ “I’m Not There” concept (though that one was brilliant for Dylan) — but it could effect who he casts. “He has to age from a teenager to his 70s, so we may have to have a few people play him. I don’t know,” Scorsese said, reiterating how he hasn’t finalized any casting yet and won’t until February when he meets with Tina Sinatra. He also notes a new script has been written (or revised) and that he hasn’t seen it yet.
As for “Shutter Island” being pushed out of Oscar season? “It’s something to do with money.” Scorsese said, likely hinting at Paramount’s 4th quarter issues, but seemed unfazed. “But whenever they release, I know they’ll do a good job.”