What Do We Know About Aronofsky’s Noah?

The cool thing about James Cameron’s “Titanic” (1997) was that because of the discovery of the actual RMS Titanic in 1985 by Dr. Robert Ballard there was tons of new data and a physical structure to study.  This helped the filmmakers re-envision the physics of the sinking ship as well as intertwine some actual photography of the ship woven into the film narrative itself.  Stinkin’ cool is what we call that!

Darren The Black Swan Aronofsky’s ark will have no such thing.  Despite the April 2010 “discovery” of Noah’s Ark and the later debunking of that find, the Ark is still persona non presente.  They’ve even got it narrowed down to a specific region on a specific Mountain in Turkey.  And still…bupkiss.  And so, while Aronofsky will provide us an epic film, it won’t have the same Documentary style underpinnings of TITANIC nor should we expect the biblical authenticity of Mel Gibson’s “Passion of the Christ”.  No, this film will lean towards a sci-fi/fantasy narrative based (loosely?) on the Biblical mythos.

Here is what Aronofsky told IFC about Noah last summer:

“I don’t think [the tale of Noah is] a very religious story. I think it’s a great fable that’s part of so many different religions and spiritual practices. I just think it’s a great story that’s never been on film… I want to make a big [Roland Emmerich-style] event film, and I think ['Noah'] can be that.”

So, there’s that.  But it still has all the makings of a great film.  For starters, it’s got a reportedly $130M budget.  That’s nothing to sneeze at.  And then you look at the A-list cast helming this film, starting with the Master and Commander himself, Russel Crowe.

Release Date: March 28, 2014
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Screenwriter: Darren Aronofsky, Ari Handel, John Logan
Starring: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Saoirse Ronan, Douglas Booth, Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins
Budget: $130 Million
Genre: Drama

Plot Summary: ”Noah” is a close adaptation of the Biblical story of Noah’s Ark. In a world ravaged by human sin, Noah is given a divine mission: to build an Ark to save creation from the coming flood.

If you haven’t seen the concept/pitch video from the French Comic that Aronofsky put out, take a look…

So we’ve got our Noah, Russell Crowe…

 And rejoining Crowe after their awesome performances in “A Beautiful Mind” together, we’ve got Noah’s Wife, Jennifer Connelly…

 This dude, Ray Winstone, will be playing a villain in some capacity…

And Hannibal Lecter, Sir Anthony Hopkins, has recently joined the cast as Methuselah (who is one of the oldest humans in the Bible over 900 years old)…

Mmm.  When 900 years old you become, look as good you will not.  Wrong, Yoda! The World’s Fastest Indian is looking dead sexy!

As they move into production, expect more stills to surface, but for now, Paramount and Aronofsky have released a couple of behind-the-scenes photos of set construction on the massive Ark.

And this one..

The 43-year-old Aronofsky has been quoted as saying this is a dream project of his since he was 13 years old.  My friend Jeremy and I can relate.  We’ve also dreamt of bringing this large scale project to life on the big screen.  Are we worried that Aronofsky and his cool comics and his academy awardwinning cast and his $130M budget are going to steal our thunder?

Nah.  We kewl.  We kewl.

We’re just biding our time.  Because honestly, to make a Noah film that’s not a religious picture is akin to making a Race car movie without cars.  A romantic comedy without a love interest.  An end times movie without Kirk Cameron.  It just cannot be done.  Nay, should not be done.

Meanwhile, if the Christian Lara Croft could get out to Mount Ararat and FIND US AN ARK…that would be very helpful to our cause.

Let’s make a movie!

###

Father Jonathan Morris talks about working with Mel Gibson, Fox News, self-help books and running The Catholic Channel on SiriusXM

Here's today's dispatch from the crossroads of faith, media and culture. Anyone who watches Fox News knows the face of Father Jonathan Morris, the Catholic priest and author (The Promise: God's Purpose and Plan for When Life Hurts and  newest book is God Wants You Happy: From Self-Help to God's...

Read the full post here »

Robert Downey Jr asks forgiveness for Mel Gibson

Kind of a cool moment that maybe you saw in the news, but more than likely you did not. But, at an awards ceremony in the city of Angels, Robert Downey Jr — aka Iron Man and Sherlock Holmes — pays tribute to Mel Gibson and asks Hollywood to forgive him for his recent problems. 

Classy move, Downey.  Classy move.

And what it speaks to more than anything is the roller coaster ride that life can be.  That’s why it’s so important to reach back and help a fallen camrade.  To build a culture of healing where we take time to lift someone out of the murky pooh they’ve fallen into.  Not in some condescending way, but as a wise man said, “As one beggar telling another where to find bread.”

You never know when it’s going to be your turn on the down-and-out.  Just around every corner could be a piece of news that’s going to set you back.  Knock the wind out of you.  It happens.

Thank you, Mel Gibson for paying it forward to Robert Downey, jr.  Helping him out of a pickle.  And thank you Downey for reaching back.  For being the dude behind the dude, playing another dude.  Okay that Tropic Thunder quote had nothing to do with any of the rest of this post, but it’s a fun one to whip out on any occasion!

Anyway, lesson of the day?  No man left behind.

###

Producers Wed for ‘Divorce’ Fantasy

Dave McNary over at Variety.com brings us some cool info on an upcoming adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ novel, “The Great Divorce”:

Mpower Pictures (“The Stoning of Soraya M.”) and Beloved Pictures are teaming to co-produce C.S. Lewis’ fantasy novel “The Great Divorce.”  Veteran producer and Mpower CEO Steve McEveety will lead the production team.

Lewis, who wrote the “Chronicles of Narnia” books and often wove Christian themes into his works, published “The Great Divorce” in 1945. Story centers on a man who learns that the sprawling, dim metropolis where he’s been living is actually Hell; he hops on a bus headed for the outskirts of Elsewhere, only to discover that the one place worse than Hell, for a self-absorbed ad executive, just might be Heaven.

Mpower was created by McEveety in 2007 after he’d been a longtime exec at Mel Gibson’s Icon Prods. He produced “The Passion of the Christ” and “We Were Soldiers” and exec produced “Braveheart” and “What Women Want.”

Mpower president of production John Shepherd brought in the project. The Beloved Pictures team includes CEO Michael Ludlum, president Caleb Applegate and VP and Bob Abramoff.

Read the FULL ARTICLE HERE.

###

Hollywood Set to Honor Faith-Based Movies

(FEB 7, 2007) Randee Dawn of the Hollywood Reporter writes about the growing effects that Faith-Based films are having on Hollywood as Studios begin to ramp up their new production slates to include more “Christian” films.

 (EXCERPT) “Hollywood does not understand the people who live between New York and California,” says [casting director Reuben] Cannon, who was the first to describe [Tyler] Perry’s oeuvre as ‘gospel cinema’.  Now that I live in the South, religion is probably the biggest activity here. The Bible Belt is not just a name. It is real. Hollywood just hasn’t catered to the Christian faith-based market because it hasn’t been necessary.”

READ the Full Article by Randee Dawn on www.BackStage.com:

http://www.backstage.com/bso/news_reviews/film/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003547509