Thursday, February 11, 2010

Sarandon vs. Stanwyck

Have you heard that my imaginary mom* Susan Sarandon is in talks to headline a feature adaptation of The Big Valley, a feature adaptation of the 60s western television series? She is. She would play the tough matriarch Victoria Barkley in 19th century California. (Who knew that people were still greenlighting westerns? They're like the musicals, a genre that can't truly be killed even if it sits entire decades out for the most part.) This means that she's risking comparisons to one of the critical darlings of all time, Barbara Stanwyck. This should be as nerve wracking for actressexuals as Kate Winslet testing her modern mettle against the ultimate Joan Crawford performance in that Mildred Pierce remake.

It also makes you wonder what's going on with that western Julianne Moore vehicle Boone's Lick which is not one of Amber Waves imaginary porn films but an actual western feature that Julianne is/was? supposed to star in. (Incidentally it was also supposed to co-star Tom Hanks. Yes, he's incidental to me. JULIANNE!)

*it's a long story.

11 comments:

cinephile said...

This could be Sarandon's return to Oscar nominations.

And Boone's Lick could be Moore's first Oscar FINALLY - great, great role, historic stuff, acclaimed novel/screenwriter/director, esteemed co-star... I don't think she'll win for Kids Are All Right next year, but I haven't seen it...

Anyway, unfortunately it doesn't look good for Boone's Lick, here's what Tom Hanks said in an interview some months ago:

"We had a book by Larry McMurtry called 'Boone's Lick' [...] It's a magnificent saga, beautiful characters, great location, here's the problem : it's a western.
And there you run into a problem with the industry, today, there is a thought saying that westerns don't sell overseas, the genre is not attractive enough. So even though it is this great story and that we have a fabulous adaptation that Larry did of his magnificent book, we simply can't get it made because in order to do it right, it's an expensive movie,... but in order for it to sell, they feel as though there's not enough ... the financial, economic model does not hold."

cal roth said...

You've seen The Furies? It's Barbara Stanwyck in a western at her most racy, rebel, soulful. Long story short: a tornado of a performance, her best turn ever.

Joan Crawford's best performance also comes from a western, Johnny Guitar.

jimmy said...

VIDA!!!!!

John T said...

It'd be nice to see Sarandon nominated once more-I hate when actors get their trophy, and they never return to the nominees' circle again. An Oscar may be the pinnacle of a career, but it doesn't have to be the end of it.

adri said...

I like what I've seen of Barbara Stanwyck - she owns herself, and doesn't appease/charm/try to make you like her (which makes me like her more).

I think Sarandon is good casting - she's very likeable and able to be tough. Of course, another Stanwyck-like heroine has already done a McMurtry western- Anjelica Huston.

Anonymous said...

What happened to Boone's lick,Nat?
will it ever come out ?
and i don't want to see talents as julianne become a tv star!

Anonymous said...

if boone's lick is dead ,they would cancel it on imdb, it's hard for julianne to get good roles now,so i'm really look forward to this!

Anonymous said...

anyone who knows about the status of boone's lick ,please!
i'm desperate now.

NATHANIEL R said...

anonymous -- cinephile answered the question in the first comment.

it appears to be dead. for now.

cal roth said...

I don't have a blog, but I would like to see a Barbra Stanwyck blogathon, or even you could make a Barbara Stanwyck day, Nat. Don't you love her?

xixi said...

in other news, Glen Close is returning to the big screen in an adaptation of her Obie winning role "Albert Nobbs"

http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/berlin/-close-garcia-bring-nobbs-to-the-screen/5010735.article