Home Tags Posts tagged with "helen mirren"
helen mirren
Al Pacino has been transformed into legendary music producer Phil Spector for his latest role in the HBO production.
Al Pacino, 72, stars in the controversial made-for-TV film Phil Spector, who was convicted of murder in 2009.
Pictured with Al Pacino is his co-star Helen Mirren.
Dame Helen Mirren portrays Phil Spector’s defense attorney Linda Kenney Baden.
Though the two are only five-years apart in age, Helen Mirren’s fresh-faced and pale complexion makes Al Pacino’s character look rather weather-beaten.
Al Pacino’s own persona could not be further from the convict he embodies in the upcoming film.
Phil Spector was not only famous for his Wall of Sound production technique, which scored him a slew of hits including The Beatles’ Let It Be, but also for his eccentric hairstyles.
Al Pacino donned a variety of wigs to play the notorious music producer.
But the transformation went deeper than mere head adornments.
Al Pacino recently said he didn’t try to perfectly mimic Phil Spector or meet with him. Instead he “would sit for hours just looking at Phil talking about things”, on videotape.
The actor tried to capture the essence of the man in order to develop a character who was a real human being in his own right – not just a cheap imitation of Phil Spector.
Al Pacino has been transformed into legendary music producer Phil Spector for his latest role in the HBO production
Helen Mirren admitted that working on the film was “like a strange dream you are having”.
She further explained: “The nature of Phil Spector and the life that he lived encouraged that. He seemed to live in a permanent dream.”
Phil Spector movie is closer to a dream than reality as it depicts writer-director David Mamet’s re-imagining of the events, rather than a retelling of the plain facts of the case.
The HBO film comes with a disclaimer explaining that it is a work of fiction, “inspired by actual persons in a trial, but it is neither an attempt to depict the actual persons, nor to comment upon the outcome”.
What is known to be true about the murder trial’s outcome is that Phil Spector will most likely spend the rest of his life in prison.
Phil Spector’s initial trial in 2007 for the murder of Lana Clarkson, who died from a gunshot wound to the head, ended in a deadlocked jury.
But a second jury in 2009 found him guilty of second degree murder with a sentence of 19 years hard time.
HBO’s Phil Spector is set for release on March 24.
[youtube hJK4i_K_38E]
Scarlett Johansson fills the role of Janet Leigh, who was famously “killed” in the shower scene for her Golden Globe-winning performance as Marion Crane in 1960 Alfred Hitchcock suspense/horror film Psycho.
In the first look at Hitchcock movie’s trailer, Scarlett Johansson’s feminine form is alluded to twice, once over a dinner meeting with Alfred Hitchcock [Anthony Hopkins] and again when the filmmaker speaks to his wife [Helen Mirren].
Scarlett Johansson, 27, swans into frame during the trailer wearing in a low-cut halter neck peach satin dress, before sitting across the table from Alfred Hitchcock to discuss the role.
As the New Yorker begins to gesticulate, she asks: “How exactly are you going to shoot this shower scene? Well, it’s only from here up I’m not exactly boyish.”
Towards the end of the footage, we also see Helen Mirren’s character Alma Reville tell her husband: “Ooh, you imp! You’ve got n****y in there.”
To which he responds: “Well, her br***ts were rather large. It’s a challenge not to show them.”
Scarlett Johansson fills the role of Janet Leigh in Hitchcock movie
As Hitchcock‘s trailer opens, Anthony Hopkins provides an eerie voiceover, revealing: “All of us harbor dark recesses of violence and horror, I’m just a man hiding in the corner with a camera, watching.”
Helen Mirren plays the long-suffering wife, seen in bed reading the script: “It was the knife, that a moment later cut off her scream and her head, charming Doris Day should do it as a musical!”
It then cuts to a business meeting, where the filmmaker is told: “No one respects the name Hitchcock more than Paramount, but even a talented man sometimes backs the wrong horse.”
After he’s told he can make it if he can finds the money himself, Alfred Hitchcock whips out his cheque book.
However, the movie becomes an obsession and a financial nightmare after film bosses try to ban the film from hitting cinemas, leading to domestic troubles at home.
Alfred Hitchcock is seen shouting at Alma Reville, saying: “I’m under extraordinary pressures on this picture and the least you can do is give me your full support.”
But she responds: “We’ve mortgaged our house. I am your wife, I celebrate with you when the reviews are good, I cry for you when they are bad.
“And I put up with those people who look through me as if I were invisible as all they can see is the great and glorious genius that is Alfred Hitchcock!”
Speaking of the film still that was released as a teaser yesterday of Scarlett Johansson behind the wheel of a car in the same pose as Janet Leigh, director Sacha Gervasi said: “When we took that still of Scarlett behind the wheel and put it up against the still of Janet behind the wheel in Psycho, it was eerie.
“The extent to which Scarlett was able to channel Janet [was] a real surprise. She brought it in such a way that no one really anticipated.”
Hitchcock movie, which hits screens on November 23, also stars Jessica Biel as Vera Miles.
The director notes that the beautiful Total Recall star faced the same challenges that Vera Miles did to get into character.
“Hitchcock dressed her up in a wig and did everything they could to make the beautiful Vera Miles look frumpy,” Sacha Gervasi said.
“What Hitch tried to do to Vera we tried to do to Jessica, and the results were equally ridiculous. It is not possible to make Jessica Biel dowdy.”
Vera Miles was an American actress who worked closely with Alfred Hitchcock, notably in Psycho, having played the sister of the Janet Leigh’s character, which she reprised in Psycho II.
[youtube opZJwGkNRMs]
Oscar-winning actress Helen Mirren is to be honored with a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame in 2013.
Helen Mirren is among 24 new inductees who will receive the pavement plaque.
Other film stars to receive the honor in 2013 include Ron Howard, Javier Bardem, Jennifer Hudson, James Franco and Viola Davis.
From the music world, recipients include Usher, New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys.
There are also posthumous honors for Janis Joplin and Luther Vandross.
While Glee star Jane Lynch, chat show host Ellen DeGeneres and The Mentalist’s Simon Baker are among the TV personalities to receive the plaque.
Oscar-winning actress Helen Mirren is to be honored with a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame in 2013
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce meets every June to select around 20 new inductees from hundreds of nominations.
Stars who accept the honor have to pay $30,000 in costs, fees and upkeep of the stars.
Some of the recipients took to Twitter to talk about their new accolades.
Backstreet Boys member Nick Carter wrote: “I feel like Lebron James and we just won the NBA title… finally!! We have been accepted for a star on the Hollywood walk of fame! Amazing.”
And Futurama star Katey Sagal said: “Years ago I was doin’ The Walk of Shame. Look at me now.”
Full list of Hollywood’s Walk of Fame new nominees for 2013:
• Movies: Rick Baker, Javier Bardem, Viola Davis, James Franco, Ron Howard and Helen Mirren
• Television: Simon Baker, Bryan Cranston, Ellen DeGeneres, Jane Lynch, Katey Sagal and Matthew Perry
• Music: The Backstreet Boys, Jennifer Hudson, Jane’s Addiction, Janis Joplin, New Kids on the Block, Usher Raymond IV, Thalia and Luther Vandross
• Live theatre: Olympia Dukakis and Penn & Teller
• Radio: Steve Harvey and “Shot Gun” Tom Kelly
Sir Anthony Hopkins has been transformed into legendary film director Alfred Hitchcock for the upcoming film Hitchcock.
In fact it’s amazing just how much Anthony Hopkins face has been transformed with the help of a prosthetic or two.
Filming for the flick began in Los Angeles on Friday April 13 and will tell the story of Alfred Hitchcock and his wife Alma.
The film will be set at the time the famous director was making his classic 1960 film Psycho.
Anthony Hopkins has been transformed into legendary film director Alfred Hitchcock for the upcoming film Hitchcock
The new film will tell the story of Alfred Hitchcock and his wife Alma
Academy Award winner Dame Helen Mirren stars at the director’s wife Alma.
The film also stars the likes of Scarlett Johansson, Jessica Biel and James D’Arcy.
Scarlett Johansson takes on the leading lady role playing Psycho star Janet Leigh.
Jessica Biel portrays Vera Miles while James D’Arcy is leading man Anthony Perkins, who played Norman Bates.
Alfred Hitchcock won two Golden Globes, eight Laurel Awards and five lifetime achievement awards.
Despite being nominated six times for an Academy Award as Best Director – he never won.
Alfred Hitchcock died in 1980.
[youtube NG3-GlvKPcg]
