No matter what you thought about Brian De Palma‘s “Passion,” it can’t be denied that it found the filmmaker firmly back in his wheelhouse of erotically charged melodrama. And it looks like he isn’t going to veer too far away from that subject matter just yet, only this time, it will happen on a movie set.
Screen Daily reveals that De Palma is now lining up a “very loose” adaptation of Emile Zola‘s classic “Therese Raquin,” with “The Newsroom” star Emily Mortimer to lead. The novel tells the tale of a young, orphaned woman who is sent to live with her aunt, who winds up fixing her up with her cousin. They get married, but when her husband’s best friend comes calling, passions are unleashed leading, of course, to murder. So how will De Palma spin it? Well, he’s taking a “meta” approach with his version, that will center on director making a movie based on “Emile Zola,” along with two actors, with everyone discovering their own lives share parallels with the source material. We’re sure a split screen will be involved somewhere.
We’re not sure what’s suddenly making Zola’s novel so hot—in case you forgot, “Therese” starring Elizabeth Olsen and Oscar Isaac just premiered at TIFF (review coming shortly)—but at least De Palma is doing his own thing with it, and of course, we’re curious as hell. The project is housed over at SBS Productions who have a number of interesting projects on the go, including:
—”The Man With Kaleidoscope Eyes,” a biopic about Roger Corman, that will be directed by Joe Dante, which is kind of amazing. Dante of course, cut this teeth on Corman productions, with the legendary producer already agreeing to cameo in the film that will be a comedy, set in the late 1960s. So perhaps “Ed Wood“-esque in its depiction of cheapie horror flicks and those trying to fulfill a dream? Let’s hope.
—There’s also David Mamet‘s “Blackbird,” starring Cate Blanchett, about a woman who uncovers the truth about her late grandfather, a Hollywood make-up artist who turns out to have been mixed up with the CIA’s special ops division, and perhaps with the JFK assassination (WTF). Production will begin in January.
—And SBS is also developing a new movie for Philippe Garrel.
So, lots on the stove and we’ll be keeping an eye on all of it.