Norah Jones film debut

[brownie]

From AP:

NORAH JONES TO MAKE FILM DEBUT IN WONG KAR-WAI'S ENGLISH MOVIE

HONG KONG (AP) - Grammy-winning singer Norah Jones will make her film debut in the first English-language film by acclaimed Hong Kong art-house director Wong Kar-wai, a film industry consultant said.

Wong was originally scheduled to shoot Lady from Shanghai, featuring Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman, but has delayed the project until 2007 because they have not found a strong male lead actor, a film industry consultant attending the ongoing Berlin Film Festival told The Associated Press by telephone.

Details of the new movie weren't immediately available, but the official, who declined to be further identified, said it won't revolve around the hurricane Katrina disaster in the U.S. as reported earlier. It also won't be filmed in New York doubling as New Orleans.

The consultant spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid identifying his relationship with Wong and because the project hasn't been officially announced.

"The only cast member that is confirmed . . . is Norah Jones," the consultant said at the weekend.

The consultant also said the movie's earlier reported $50 million US budget is incorrect, but didn't provide an accurate budget figure.

It wasn't clear if Jones will contribute to the music in the movie.

Jones, 26, rose to fame with the success of her debut album Come Away With Me, which won eight Grammys. She is the daughter of Indian musician Ravi Shankar.

Wong is known for his subtle and beautifully shot movies like In the Mood for Love, Happy Together and 2046. His films also feature melancholy soundtracks. Wong won best director at Cannes for Happy Together, a gay love story.

Jones' management company didn't immediately return a reporter's call seeking comment.

Hope this will make our King Ubu happy. He is a great fan of Wong (and Norah?!?)

[king ubu]

I guess her being the father of Ravi will help lending is acting crediblitise smo e?

[king ubu]

Hey, wait a minute.... "Lady from Shanghai"???? WTF????????

Norah the next Rita?

[brownie]

Norah probably found out that Orson Welles was not available to play against her in the remake of 'Lady From Shanghai'

[king ubu]

She looks splendid with the right hair colour, no?

[king ubu]

Norah probably found out that Orson Welles was not available to play against her in the remake of 'Lady From Shanghai'

he's good enough for her Rita...

[jazzbo]

Hey, she may do fine. The way this director makes movies is very informal in some ways. I can see this working. I'll watch it!

[king ubu]

Hey, she may do fine. The way this director makes movies is very informal in some ways. I can see this working. I'll watch it!

Well yes, maybe you're right. But this sounds like a money-project, not an artistic one, doesn't it?

Also I still don't know if this is about doing a remake of "Lady from Shanghai" - if it is, it's simply one of the most stupid decisions any film moghul can make... Welles' film is magnificient. His own and Hayworth's performances are perfect. No way this needs a remake, and no way I'd want Wong to fail with it! Even less with a non-actor with pretty face starring... I like Wong's film a lot, and I find Norah's first disc quite ok, too (I own it, btw, picked it up before all the grammy hype started), so this is not about bashing. It's just plain stupidity to do a remake of one of the greatest director's greatest films.

[sal]

"Lady from Shanghai" got delayed....this project will be different.

I would cringe if Norah was appearing in a film directed by anyone other than Wong Kar Wai, but this for some reason makes sense....I could see her a as a figure in one of Wong's mind trips.

However, with a $50 million dollar budget, who knows if this will be in the vein of his previous films. Will the great Wong Kar Wai sell out?

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Norah's "film debut" was a cameo in Hugh Grant/Sandra Bullock's "Two Weeks Notice".

[catesta]

She looks splendid with the right hair colour, no?

Take a few art classes did we?

Edited February 14, 2006 by catesta

[king ubu]

"Lady from Shanghai" got delayed....this project will be different.

I would cringe if Norah was appearing in a film directed by anyone other than Wong Kar Wai, but this for some reason makes sense....I could see her a as a figure in one of Wong's mind trips.

However, with a $50 million dollar budget, who knows if this will be in the vein of his previous films. Will the great Wong Kar Wai sell out?

Fact is everybody who wants to continue making films in the US has to sell out... Polanski or someone (who does films in that league, speaking of costs - although not in the US any longer...) once said in an interview that it was normal for even big names such as him, to do a few films to earn money, and then in between they can afford to do one they really want to do. I assume if his "Pianist" hadn't been the success it was, he'd not have done "Oliver Twist" for another few years, but instead done a few shitty ones to get the money in first...

So what about Wong: my guess is: either he'll leave it at one Hollywood film, or if he sticks around, I'd be afraid he's going to sell out, yes. So let's hope he does just this one, let's hope he can lead Norah to act in a sensible way, and let's hope he's out of the big business again after that, doing real films...

(Oh, yes, I am *not* the world's biggest Hollywood fan... but hey, look at the sh*t they produce nowadays, and compare that with what they produced in the 40s and 50s - sad times!)

[Guest]

you know what they say: first the art-house, then the grindhouse......

[Shawn]

Well, Soderburgh has found a great way to work within & yet outside of the Hollywood system. Make a few big blockbusters (Erin Brokovich, Oceans 11, Oceans 12)...that finance his smaller and more personal projects (The Limey, Bubble, Full Frontal, etc). It's a fair trade-off methinks.

[Stefan Wood]

This is probably a match made in hell. Wong Kar Wai's films take a looooooong time to produce, and he changes directions in the middle of filming, which would drive the Hollywood suits nuts. And why Lady from Shanghai????

[king ubu]

Well, Soderburgh has found a great way to work within & yet outside of the Hollywood system. Make a few big blockbusters (Erin Brokovich, Oceans 11, Oceans 12)...that finance his smaller and more personal projects (The Limey, Bubble, Full Frontal, etc). It's a fair trade-off methinks.

True about Soderbergh, but then for me, he could continue doing great films like "The Limey" and stop doing the others... but then he somehow succeeds in making even his money ones looking good and lovingly done - not something you see in many Hollywood productions. Rather either they're just totally unremarkable, or then they got that "cool" style, which is pretty uncool anyway (if you want cool, go for some film noirs, or stuff like Louis Malle's "Ascenseur pour l'echafaud", not that bluish spacey crap you see in so many Hollywood productions). I guess it's a question of style, and Soderbergh is simply so good as a director, that he succeeds in making stylish films even if it's about the money... or he simply does not want to lose his credentials with film buffs such as me...