Sunday, August 30, 2009

Oscar Winners Abound 'NINE' | Variety 08/24

Can lightning strike twice? Rob Marshall, who took the seemingly unfilmable Broadway musical "Chicago" to Oscar-winning heights in 2002, is expected by many to do the same for "Nine," the Tony-winning musical adaptation of Federico Fellini's semiautobiographical "."

"Nine" composer-lyricist Maury Yeston was realistic about handing his baby over to the movies. "It was incredibly important to understand that film is a director's art, that (Marshall) be able to adapt this stage musical and make a film independent of an overcontrolling Broadway author looking over his shoulder," he concedes. "That's the very first thing I said to Rob."

Still, the film offered Yeston another chance to extend his lifelong obsession with Fellini's classic. He began working on the musical in 1973, won a Tony for its score in 1982 and tinkered with it for the 2003 Broadway revival. Having worked with Raul Julia in the original and Antonio Banderas in the revival, he was especially aware of "the impact of what some of the casting choices might be on the score."

The result was three new songs

"Rob's idea of a musical is that people don't sing to each other in real life, so he doesn't want them singing to each other in his reality of that life," Sullivan says. "So we go to a stage, and this is all happening inside of Guido's mind and his fantasies. The way he sees his world is through theatrics, through this music."


Music director Paul Bogaev's biggest job was working with the actors and preparing them to record the songs before shooting. Cruz, for example, was auditioned for the film star but wound up as the mistress; Cotillard auditioned for the producer but was cast as the wife.

Much of the speculation about "Nine" has dealt with star Day-Lewis: Can he sing? "He's got a wonderful voice," Bogaev says. "He had never done anything (musically) except sing in choirs, but he works harder than anybody." Bogaev worked with him every day for weeks prior to recording.

But Day-Lewis is nothing if not a Method actor. One day during shooting at London's Shepperton Studios,"Rob and I got called into Daniel's dressing room, which was designed as a 1960s film director's office," says Sullivan. "He's smoking a cigarette, in full outfit and in character, and he's telling us how he would like to see this number that he's performing. And he's talking to us as Guido Contini. It was a really surreal experience."

Saturday, August 29, 2009

New Pics ... not in HQ


Friday, August 28, 2009

HEAD TO HEAD [ The Part of Stephanie ] - [3/6]

Anne Hathaway and Sienna Miller both auditioned for the role of Stephanie Necrophuros, a part which eventually went to Kate Hudson, but the major adversary of Hudson was cameron Diaz.
Cameron was desperate to land the part of dancing film critic Stephanie Necrophuros but lost out to Hudson.
Cameron was keen to land a lead part outside the romantic comedy genre she is best known for,’ says a source.


‘She gave an amazing audition and her dance routine was something else but her singing let her down and Kate, who wasn’t as good a dancer but was the better singer, got it.’

Screen Caps from the Trailer



Thursday, August 27, 2009

The Rehearsals : 'A Call From the Vatican'

About a Call from the Vatican "I was dreaming every night about the number" .
She added "for months, I would sing to everybody, in the street, in my house, everywhere"

POSTER : a fake one


I know, it's a fake by me and maybe not so well-made but ... I post it.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

HEAD to HEAD [ The part of Luisa ] - [2/6]

Katie Holmes was keen on Luisa's part. She auditioned, but Rob Marshall felt she was not the better choice, choosing Marion Cotillard instead.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Harvey's Dream Cast for NINE

Speaking about the six leading female roles, Weinstein said: "I’m thinking Gwyneth Paltrow, Anne Hathaway, Nicole Kidman, Judi Dench, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Renée Zellweger"
He added : "How will we pay their salaries? We’ll figure it out. There are roles for six women in the movie who have to be beautiful and sing and dance. It’s a terrible assignment to cast this."


Weinstein is also said to be considering George Clooney, Javier Bardem, Antonio Banderas and Johnny Depp for the male lead.


What do you think about his dream cast ?

"Heart-Wrenching" performance by Cotillard


"Guarda la Luna" sung by Loren. "We were lucky enough to have someone who was part of that great period of Italian cinema, who knew Fellini, who knew Marcello Mastroiann" Yeston says. So he tailored a lullaby specifically for Loren's voice (but based the melody on the song "Nine" from the Broadway score).

"Cinema Italiano" for Hudson as a Vogue writer in Rome to interview the director. "Italian movies also communicated lifestyle and fashion for the world," Yeston says, so Hudson sings and dances to a number with "a retro feel, elements of '60s pop" that is designed to illustrate to younger audiences how important Italian cinema was in that era.

"Take It All," originally written as a trio for Kidman, Cruz and Cotillard but, just before shooting, rearranged as a solo for Cotillard, according to music supervisor Matt Sullivan. "Heart-wrenching" is how Yeston describes the performance by Cotillard.

source: Variety

An Impressive collective of Academy Award Winners

The film's cast has an impressive collective academy award history with six academy award winners and an additional one nominee :

The Italian, Sophia Loren received the award for Best Actress in 1962 for her astonishing performance in Two Women (the first major award for a non-english performance), she also received an Honorary award for her contribution to world cinema in 1991. Sophia Loren received another nomination for Matrimonio all'italiana in 1965.

The English actor, Daniel Day Lewis is a two time winner for the films My Left Foot in 1990 and There Will be blood in 2008, as well as being nominated for both in the Name of the Father in 1995 and Gangs of New York in 2003.

The English Actress, Judi Dench won the Academy Award for her supporting role in the film Shakespeare in Love in 1999, in which she played the queen Elizabeth I . She has been nominated for both leading and supporting roles in another five occasions : Mrs Brown in 1998, Chocolat in 2001, Iris in 2002, Mrs henderson presents in 2006 and Notes on a Scandal in 2007.

The Aussie Actress, Nicole Kidman, received the academy award for Best Actress in 2003 for her astonishing performance in The Hours in which she played the tormented author Virginia Woolf. She was previously nominated in the same category in 2002 for her performance in Moulin Rouge.

The talented French Actress, Marion Cotillard was awarded in 2008 alongside Daniel Day Lewis for her portrayal of Edith Piaf in la Vie en Rose.

The Spanish actress, Penelope Cruz, received an academy award for her supporting role in the Woody allen's film Vicky Cristina Barcelona in 2009. she was previously nominated in the leading category in 2007 for Volver.

The american actress, Kate Hudson was nominated for her supporting role in 2001 for the film Almost famous.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Not a New trailer but ... new pics


HEAD to HEAD [ The Part of Claudia ] - [1/6]

Catherine Zeta Jones was set to play Claudia but dropped out during negociations. Jones wanted the part enlarged. when Marshall refused, Jones left the project. Before Nicole Kidman was cast, immediately after Catherine Zeta jones turned down the part, both Juliette Binoche and Demi Moore were auditionned for the part. Even actresses Amy Adams, Anne Hathaway and Gwyneth Paltrow Were Considered for that part.

The First Teaser

The Outstanding Cast

  • Guido Contini played by Daniel Day Lewis
  • Luisa Contini played by Marion Cotillard
  • Claudia Nardi played by Nicole Kidman
  • Carla Albanèse played by Penelope Cruz



  • Liliane la Fleur played by Judi Dench
  • Stephanie Necrophuros played by Kate Hudson
  • Saraghina played by Fergie
  • Mamma played by Sophia loren