Monday
Scalia Addressed Advocacy Group Before Key Decision :"After Scalia accepted the invitation [to speak at the religious group's fund-raising dinner], Supreme Court staff contacted [the group's founder] to make the justice's appearance conditional on the understanding that the dinner could not make a profit. To satisfy the court staff, Devlin said he assured them that any money from the dinner...would be refunded to guests. But, Devlin said, that turned out to be unnecessary. According to Devlin, the event made no money... 'It was a wash,' he said, adding that the bill for the open bar was higher than expected."
The New Yorker
March 5, 2004
Studio Script Notes on "The Passion"
Steve Martin
Dear Mel,
We love, love the script! The ending works great. You'll be
getting a call from us to start negotiations for the book rights.
Love the Jesus character. So likable. He can't seem to catch a break!
We identify with him because of it. One thing: I think we need to
clearly state "the rules." Why doesn't he use his superpowers to save
himself? Our creative people suggest that you could simply cut away to
two spectators:
SPECTATOR ONE
Why doesn't he use his superpowers to save himself?
SPECTATOR TWO
He can only use his powers to help others, never himself.
Does it matter which garden? Gethsemane is hard to say, and Eden is a
much more recognizable garden. Just thinking out loud.
Our creative people suggest a clock visual fading in and out in certain
scenes, like the Last Supper bit: "Thursday, 7:43 P.M.," or "Good
Friday, 5:14 P.M."
Love the repetition of "Is it I?" Could be very funny. On the eighth
inquiry, could Jesus just give a little look of exasperation into the
camera? Breaks frame, but could be a riot.
Also, could he change water into wine in Last Supper scene? Would be a
great moment, and it's legit. History compression is a movie tradition
and could really brighten up the scene. Great trailer moment, too.
Love the flaying.
Could the rabbis be Hispanic? There's lots of hot Latino actors now,
could give us a little zing at the box office. Research says there's
some historical justification for it.
Possible title change: "Lethal Passion." Kinda works. The more I say it
out loud, the more I like it.
Is there someplace where Jesus could be using an iBook? You know, now
that I say it, it sounds ridiculous. Strike that. But think about it.
Maybe we start a shot in Heaven with Jesus thoughtfully closing the top?
Love the idea of Monica Bellucci as Mary Magdalene (yow!). Our creative
people suggest a name change to Heather. Could skew our audience a
little younger.
Love Judas. Such a great villain. Our creative people suggest that he's
a little complicated. Couldn't he be one thing? Just bad? Gives the
movie much more of a motor. Also, thirty pieces of silver is not going
to get anyone excited. I think it'd be very simple to make him a "new
millionaire." Bring in the cash on a tray. Great dilemma that the
audience can identify with.
Minor spelling error: on page 18, in the
description of the bystanders, there should be a space between the words
"Jew" and "boy."
Merchandising issue: it seems the Cross image Has been done to death
and is public domain?we can't own it. Could the Crucifixion scene
involve something else? A Toyota would be wrong, but maybe there's a
shape we can copyright, like a wagon wheel?
I'm assuming "The dialogue is in Aramaic" is a typo for "American." If
not, call me on my cell, or I'm at home all weekend.
By the way, I'm sending a group of staffers on a cruise to the North
Pole, coincidentally around the time of your picture's release. Would
love to invite your dad!
See you at the movies!
Yours,
Stan
March 5, 2004
Studio Script Notes on "The Passion"
Steve Martin
Dear Mel,
We love, love the script! The ending works great. You'll be
getting a call from us to start negotiations for the book rights.
Love the Jesus character. So likable. He can't seem to catch a break!
We identify with him because of it. One thing: I think we need to
clearly state "the rules." Why doesn't he use his superpowers to save
himself? Our creative people suggest that you could simply cut away to
two spectators:
SPECTATOR ONE
Why doesn't he use his superpowers to save himself?
SPECTATOR TWO
He can only use his powers to help others, never himself.
Does it matter which garden? Gethsemane is hard to say, and Eden is a
much more recognizable garden. Just thinking out loud.
Our creative people suggest a clock visual fading in and out in certain
scenes, like the Last Supper bit: "Thursday, 7:43 P.M.," or "Good
Friday, 5:14 P.M."
Love the repetition of "Is it I?" Could be very funny. On the eighth
inquiry, could Jesus just give a little look of exasperation into the
camera? Breaks frame, but could be a riot.
Also, could he change water into wine in Last Supper scene? Would be a
great moment, and it's legit. History compression is a movie tradition
and could really brighten up the scene. Great trailer moment, too.
Love the flaying.
Could the rabbis be Hispanic? There's lots of hot Latino actors now,
could give us a little zing at the box office. Research says there's
some historical justification for it.
Possible title change: "Lethal Passion." Kinda works. The more I say it
out loud, the more I like it.
Is there someplace where Jesus could be using an iBook? You know, now
that I say it, it sounds ridiculous. Strike that. But think about it.
Maybe we start a shot in Heaven with Jesus thoughtfully closing the top?
Love the idea of Monica Bellucci as Mary Magdalene (yow!). Our creative
people suggest a name change to Heather. Could skew our audience a
little younger.
Love Judas. Such a great villain. Our creative people suggest that he's
a little complicated. Couldn't he be one thing? Just bad? Gives the
movie much more of a motor. Also, thirty pieces of silver is not going
to get anyone excited. I think it'd be very simple to make him a "new
millionaire." Bring in the cash on a tray. Great dilemma that the
audience can identify with.
Minor spelling error: on page 18, in the
description of the bystanders, there should be a space between the words
"Jew" and "boy."
Merchandising issue: it seems the Cross image Has been done to death
and is public domain?we can't own it. Could the Crucifixion scene
involve something else? A Toyota would be wrong, but maybe there's a
shape we can copyright, like a wagon wheel?
I'm assuming "The dialogue is in Aramaic" is a typo for "American." If
not, call me on my cell, or I'm at home all weekend.
By the way, I'm sending a group of staffers on a cruise to the North
Pole, coincidentally around the time of your picture's release. Would
love to invite your dad!
See you at the movies!
Yours,
Stan
Sunday
Ashcroft Funds Under Scrutiny (washingtonpost.com) Ashcroft is like a busted drug dealer paying his debt to society by dealing drugs.
The Detainees: As U.S. Detains Iraqis, Families Plead for News: "Iraq has a new generation of missing men. But instead of ending up in mass graves or at the bottom of the Tigris River, as they often did during the rule of Saddam Hussein, they are detained somewhere in American jails....American forces are still conducting daily raids, bursting into homes and sweeping up families. More than 10,000 men and boys are in custody."
Saturday
FMQB: Radio Industry News, Music Industry Updates, Arbitron Ratings, Music News: "Stern Feels Bush-Whacked End Is Near "
Friday
Blix: 'I learnt I had been vilified, crucified and made to look like an imbecile': "I understood his formulations to say: the witches exist; you are appointed to deal with these witches; testing whether there are witches is only a dilution of the witch hunt."
Thursday
Rall: NYTimes.com Pulled Comic Because of Conservatives: "If newspapers don't have the personnel to handle hate mail, said Rall, 'just delete it.'"
Tuesday
Boston.com / News / Boston Globe / Opinion / Editorials / Gun bill's gaping holes: "Firearms and tobacco are already the only two consumer industries that are not subject to federal consumer safety regulations. Tobacco, at least, has been held accountable in suits brought by states and individuals on behalf of smoking's millions of victims and the budget-busting medical bills that government health programs have to pick up because of tobacco use. That legal recourse also would be denied to victims of guns under the bill."
Friday
Thursday
Wednesday
Dramatic Climate Change Could Become Global Security Nightmare Article includes link to original report in pdf format.
Sunday
Primary Struggle Strengthening Contenders : "'I don't think Kerry can beat Bush. But I think Bush can beat Bush, and they're doing a very good job of it at the moment,' said one Republican strategist close to the White House.
"
"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)