News Archive for 2004

December 12, 2004

It looks like West Memphis Three fliming is back on. In an online interview done September 30th, 2004 with producer Curt Johnson, he had this to say:

We'll be shooting WEST MEMPHIS THREE in March 2005 and I've just started working a project that's in the vein of STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF MOTOWN for Minneapolis. I'm excited to get to work with people like Dave Pirner from Soul Asylum and other great names in music from the area. Levi Seucer, Jr. who used to write and produce for Prince is producing with myself and Bob Ashmun on this. They'll both be released in theaters next fall as we're getting distribution locked up now.

(Source: Ain't It Cool News. Thanks to Jan for the info.)

November 28, 2004

Some good news, some bad news and some more good news. There will in fact be a dvd released for Rhinoceros Eyes but unfortunately not for some time. It will be worth the wait, however. I am told Mike and Mr. Woodley both filmed behind the scenes footage that was edited into an hour long documentary and will be included on the dvd. Any news of the release will be posted on aaronwoodely.com and here, of course.

November 6, 2004

Sam Taylor-Wood's two new series of photographs: Crying Men and Self Portrait Suspended are showing at White Cube in Hoxton (London) from October, 29th until December, 4th. For more info go to: http://www.whitecube.com/

November 3, 2004

Lots of news because I've been slacking...

First off, The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things has been confirmed for AFI Fest 2004: The festival will be held from November 4th - November 14th. The Heart... is set to show, Monday, November 8th at 9:30 pm at ArcLight Theatre 10. Go to: http://www.afi.com/ for more info.

Rhinoceros Eyes will open commercially in five theatres across Miami, FL. on November 5th, 2004. Check local listings for times.

REGAL SOUTHBEACH 18
1120 Lincoln Road Mall, Miami Beach, FL 11/05/2004

AMC COCOWALK 16
3015 GRAND AVENUE, Coconut Grove, FL 11/05/2004

MUVICO PARISIAN 20
545 Hibiscus Street, West Palm Beach, FL 11/05/2004

MUVICO PALACE 20
3200 Airport Road, Boca Raton, FL 11/05/2004

MUVICO POMPANO 18
2315 North Federal Highway, Pompano Beach, FL 11/05/2004

SUNRISE CINEMAS GATEWAY
Sunrise Boulevard at US-1, Tampa, FL 11/05/2004

In addition, Rhinoceros Eyes will screen at the Adelaide Film Festival, Australia, February 18th - March 3rd, 2005.

There are a couple of great photos of Mike on-set with various cast/crew members taken from Aaron Woodley's (director of Rhinoceros Eyes) website. I'm putting them in a temporary photo album for now instead of my regular one. More on that fiasco in the Site Updates section.

Another new photo included is from Sam Taylor-Wood's Crying Men series. Her book, appropriately titled: Crying Men is available now. Book details from amazon.com:

Crying Men is a series of photographic portraits of famous film actors: Tim Roth, Gabriel Byrne, Laurence Fishburne, Woody Harrelson, Michael Gambon, Jude Law, Hayden Christiansen, Ryan Gosling, Robert Downey Jr., Paul Newman, Ed Harris, Benicio Del Toro, Willem Dafoe, Kris Kristofferson, and others. Sam Taylor-Wood makes portraits of her subjects as actors; she shoots them in character, asking each to perform and cry for the camera, and demanding their investment in the process. These are no passive sitters. Each of the resulting images is distinct; one actor recalls the hieratic clarity of a Byzantine saint whose tears appear decorative. Other images are of heroic crying, where stoic restraint has broken down. Some display the voluptuous crying of medieval saints, others cathartic crying or quiet tears of regret and grief. Yet while being moved by these intimate revelatory images, we simultaneously know that the emotional display is being play-acted. Sam Taylor-Wood's film and photographic works are distinguished by their subversive creation of enigmatic situations full of latent but explosive energy. Clothbound, 11.75 x 15 in. / 56 pgs / 24 color.

(Thanks to Mcvries for the info.)

September 20, 2004

There is a piece on Mike in issue #7 of Another Magazine (w/ Natalie Portman on the cover.)

September 11, 2004

I've been getting a lot of emails and messages in my guestbook asking about Asia and Mike. It was rumored that they were engaged to be married and then not more than a few weeks later it was reported in tabloids/gossip columns that the couple had split. Page Six reported:

PITT 'UPSET' OVER ARGENTO SPLIT

"The Dreamers' actor Michael Pitt is reportedly devastated after being dumped by lover Asia Argento.

According to insiders, the actor enjoyed a steamy fling on the set of the upcoming movie, "The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things," and their affair continued throughout the recent filming of Gus Van Sant's rock drama "Last Days."

However, on completion of the film -- which is loosely based on the life of tragic Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain -- Asia decided to end the romance, breaking Pitt's heart.

A pal tells Page Six, "Michael is pretty upset."

September 6, 2004

There is now an official site (including a trailer) up for The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things. In case you've forgotten, Mike has a small role as "Buddy."

I've also been told that Mike is ranked #42 in TeenPeople's list of "The 50 Sexiest Guys Ever." - October 2004 issue - (Thanks to Demetre Michelle for the info.)

August 10, 2004

Looks like Gus Van Sant's Last Days is going to create quite a buzz. Mtv did a story on it that you can read here.

August 8, 2004

A little late, but I wanted to mention this:

June 8th 2004

Brett C. Leonard's debut feature, the drama JAILBAIT, was awarded the Grand Jury Prize at the 2004 Lake Placid Film Festival in New York. The prison film stars Michael Pitt and Stephen Adly Guirgis.
Source: Variety

About the film:

Brett C. Leonard's JAILBAIT stars Michael Pitt as Randy, a convict on his third strike who shares a cell with Jake played by Stephen Adly Guirgis. Randy is to serve twenty-five years on marijuana and vandalism charges; his cellmate Jake's sentence is life without the possibility of parole for the murder of his adulterous wife. JAILBAIT is a stark, disturbing, and often comical study of one man's subjugation of another.

After saying goodbye to his mother, Randy, a young man in his early 20's, is incarcerated and placed in a cell with Jake. We learn that Jake is in prison for life, after murdering his adulterous wife with a kitchen knife, and that Randy has been given a sentence of 25 years for vandalizing a car after two previous charges. As their relationship evolves, Jake begins to assert authority over Randy: emotionally, verbally, psychologically and sexually. These attacks ultimately cause the usually passive Randy to attempt to murder Jake in his sleep; before being reminded that his intended victim is all he has. Jake is his friend. Jake is his protection.

And for the next 25 years their destinies will be unavoidably intertwined.

August 2004

Just for clarification, the Marie Claire that the Armani ad is in, is the UK version. It has Brad Pitt on the cover. Sorry for the confusion.

I added a couple of pictures to the photo album under "misc > other events" of Mike looking very "grunge". He could pass for an early 90's Lane Staley!

August 2004

I updated the photo gallery with a couple new photos of Mike with Giorgio Armani. I am told there is another Armani advert in this months issue of Elle magazine as well, so lookout for that.

August 2004

Stars of Bertolucci film to front Armani ad campaign:

Giorgio Armani has chosen the stars of Bernardo Bertolucci’s film The Dreamers to front his new Emporio Armani autumn/winter advertising campaign. The three protagonists of the film, Michael Pitt, Eva Green and Louis Garrel, will star in the ads, shot in Paris by Vincent Peters. The press and billboard images take on the style of the original film posters for The Dreamers and will be seen worldwide from mid-July.

(source: yahoo news)

You can see the first of the averts in this months issue of Marie Claire. (Thank you Katie for the scan!)

July 2004

Just thought I would give a little update about three of Mike's upcoming movies. The first, "Delirious" with Steve Buscemi and Michael Pitt. It's described as, "An offbeat drama focused on a homeless youth, a pop music siren and a member of the paparazzi." Filming is scheduled to begin in September in New York.

The second is called "The Hawk is Dying." A drama starring Paul Giamatti, Sarah Polley and Michael Pitt. "The Hawk Is Dying is about George Gattling (Paul Giamatti), who, contrary to his family's expectations, becomes involved with a young graduate student (Sarah Polley) who is searching for a red-tailed hawk." Filming is scheduled to begin in Florida this fall.

Both movies are due out in 2005.

The third, "Last Days" that is currently in production... The Hollywood Reporter reports:

"June 12, 2004
MK2 picks up Van Sant's 'Last Days'
PARIS -- French independent distributor MK2 said on Friday it had acquired French distribution rights for Gus Van Sant's latest film, "Last Days." Inspired by the story of Nirvana's Kurt Cobain, the film stars Michael Pitt ("The Dreamers" and Van Sant's "Finding Forrester") in the lead, Italian director-actress Asia Argento ("The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things") and Lukas Haas ("Mars Attacks!"). Written by Van Sant, "Last Days" is currently being shot in New York by cameraman Harris Savides who also filmed Van Sant's "Elephant" and "Gerry." It is produced by HBO Films and Dany Wolf -- the same team that worked on "Elephant," the Palme D'Or winner at Cannes last year -- also distributed by MK2 in France. Fine Line Features will distribute "Last Days" in the U.S."

Also according to the official Rhinoceros Eyes site it's now showing at the following places:

The Angelika Film Center
18 W. Houston Street, New York City

Madstone Theaters Albuquerque
6311 San Mateo Boulevard Albuquerque, New Mexico

Madstone Theaters Tampa
Old Hyde Park Village Tampa, Florida

Madstone Theaters Atlanta
5920 Roswell Road Atlanta, Georgia

Madstone Theaters Denver
7777 East Hampden Ave. Denver, Colorado

Madstone Theaters Ann Arbor
Briarwood Circle Ann Arbor, Michigan

Madstone Theaters Chandler
5835 West Ray Road (at Kyrene) Chandler, Arizona

Madstone Theaters San Diego
7510 Hazard Center Drive San Diego, California

Madstone Theaters Salt Lake City
Trolley Square Salt Lake City, Utah

Madstone Theaters Cary
770 Cary Towne Blvd. Cary, North Carolina

July 2004

The NYP reports:

The World Premiere of Touchstone Pictures' M. Night Shyamalan THE VILLAGE
Prospect Park, Brooklyn NY.

The premiere for this thriller is July 26 in Prospect Park. As the sun sets that day, guests will be summoned from a grand feast to watch the film outside in a theater built just for the event. (A dense, spooky, wooded area has been cleared.) "The Village," hailed in advance as a terrifying nail-biter, opens July 30.

July 2004

The Dreamers as of July 13th is out on dvd! Go get it!