💾 Archived View for spam.works › mirrors › textfiles › media › film92.txt captured on 2023-06-16 at 19:09:22.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
1992-93 Theatrical Film Releases Rev. 1.1 Copyright 1992 by Eric Carter CIS 76050,3563 1/22/92 Legend ------ 70mm = 70mm prints available (SR) = Dolby Spectral Recording (SRD) = Dolby Digital Sound (SS) = Split-Surround (CDS) = Cinema Digital Sound 1.33, 1.66, 1.85, 2.21, 2.35 = Aspect Ratios Most Films shot with 65mm negative and 70mm 'scope blowups have aspect ratio of 2.21 Release dates are *very* subject to change. Aries Entertainment ------------------- DR. PETIOT TBA Dir: Christian de Chalong Cast: Michel Serrault This film is based on the true story of France's most notorious criminal. Excellent macabre word. Opened in London October 25th. THE STATION January 3 (NY) Rating: None Dir: Sergio Rubini Cast: Sergio Rubini, Margherita Buy, Ennio Fantastichini A romantic thriller about love in a train station when a shy stationmaster in an Italian village encounters a glamorous heiress while waiting for the train one evening. In Italian with English subtitles. Avenue (Avenue is now out of distribution. They will announce deals for ------ these films shortly.) AMERICAN HEART Dir: Martin Bell Cast: Jeff Bridges, Edward Furlong, Lucinda Jenney, Don Harvey, Tracey Kapinsky, Shareen Mitchell, Christian Frizzell Producers: Rosilyn Heller, Jeff Bridges Screenplay: Peter Silverman D.P.: Jim Bagdonas Start Date: 8/13/91, Seattle Furlong was apparently signed for this plum role of the estranged son of Bridges in this sub-$10 million drama before the release of T2. THE PLAYER Spring Dir: Robert Altman Cast: Tim Robbins, Greta Scacchi, Peter Gallagher, Whoopi Goldberg, Anjeclica Huston, Scott Glenn, Marlee Matlin, Andie MacDowell, Julia Roberts, Susan Sarandon, Lily Tomlin, Jeff Goldblum, Jack Lemmon Producer: David Brown Everyone in Hollywood has a cameo in this one. Buena Vista (Disney) ----------- ADVENTURES OF THE GREAT MOUSE DETECTIVE February 14 Disney recycles another animated film. ALADDIN (Walt Disney) 1.85 70mm November Dir: John Musker, Ron Clements Producer: Don Ernst Screenplay: John Musker, Ron Clements Start Date: 3/15/91, Los Angeles Disney goes to the era of the Flying Carpet with another big-budget animated film. Once again Ashman and Menken provided music and tunes. BLAME IT ON THE BELLBOY (Hollywood) February 28 (limited) Rating: "PG-13" Dir: Mark Herman Cast: Dudley Moore, Patsy Kensit, Bryan Brown, Richard Griffiths, Andreas Katsulas, Alson Steadman, Bronson Pinchot Producers: Steve Abbott, Jenny Howarth Screenplay: Mark Herman A farce based on the tried and true gimmick of mistaken identity. The word is good. Opens January 24th in the U.K. BLOOD IN...BLOOD OUT (Hollywood) TBA Dir: Taylor Hackford Cast: Jesse Borrego, Benjamin Bratt, Damian Chapa, E.J. Castillo, Roxann Biggs, Tom Wilson, Karmin Murcelo, Victor Rivers, Jenny Gago, Carlos Carrasco, Geoffrey Rivas, Danny Trejo, Victor Mohica, Noah Verduzco, Delroy Lindo, Tom Towles, Cing Rhames Producer: Taylor Hackford, Jerry Gershwin, Stratton Leopold Screenplay: Jimmy Santiago, Jeremy Iacone D.P.: Gabriel Beristain Start Date: 5/6/91, Los Angeles, San Quentin Epic production of the genesis of the Mexican-American "mafia". BOMBAY TBA Dir: Stephen Herek Cast: Emilio Estevez Producers: Jon Avnet, Jordan Kerner Screenplay: Steve Brill Start Date: 1/31/92, Minnesota An ex-hockey-playing attorney gets arrested on a DWI charge and must do community service for his debt to society. He is given the task of coaching a pee-wee hockey team of 10-to-13 year olds in this inspirational story. Herek last helmed DON'T TELL MOM THE BABYSITTER'S DEAD. BORN YESTERDAY (Hollywood) TBA Dir: Luis Mandoki Cast: Melanie Griffith, Nick Nolte, Don Johnson Producer: Dino Conti Screenplay: Douglas McGrath, based on Garson Kanin's play and film Start Date: Spring '92 Griffith takes on the role that won an Oscar for Judy Holliday. Nolte has Broderick Crawford's role and Johnson plays the part William Holden filled in this remake of the Garson Kanin play/film. Mandoki directed WHITE PALACE. CLOSE TO EDEN (Hollywood) Summer Dir: Sidney Lumet Cast: Melanie Griffith, Eric Thal Producers: Howard Rosenman, Steve Golin Screenplay: Robert J. Avrech D.P.: Andrzej Bartowiak Start Date: 9/23/91, New York An action thriller set in New York's Hassidic community where a female Goy (Irish, in this case) must infiltrate. Avrech co-wrote BODY DOUBLE. May open in the Fall. CONSENTING ADULTS (Hollywood) TBA Dir: Alan J. Pakula Cast: Kevin Kline (tentative) Producer: Alan J. Pakula Screenplay: Matthew Chapman Start Date: 1/27/92 Negative Cost: $18 million Pakula and Kline are to be reteamed for the first time since SOPHIE'S CHOICE in this "erotic thriller". THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN (Hollywood) Fall Dir: TBA Cast: Eddie Murphy Producer: Leonard Goldberg Screenplay: Marty Kaplan Start Date: 4/92, Washington D.C. Yet another mistaken identity comedy (along with some drama) about a con man who gets elected to Congress. Murphy gets $12 million. ENCINO MAN (Hollywood) July 3 Dir: Les Mayfield Cast: Pauly Shore, Sean Astin, Brendan Fraser, Richard Masur, Michael DeLuise, Ellen Blain, Megan Ward, Mariette Hartley Producer: Les Mayfield Screenplay: Shaun Shepps, Dana Olsen D.P.: Robert Brinkmann Start Date: 12/5/91, Los Angeles Two teenagers discover a frozen caveman in the backyard. GONE FISHIN' Summer Dir: Steve Herek Cast: John Travolta Producer: Debra Hill Screenplay: Jeffrey Abrams, Jill Mazursky Start Date: 12/91, Orlando Comedy/adventure about two hen-pecked husbands. Shot at Disney-MGM Studios. THE GUN IN BETTY LOU'S HANDBAG (Touchstone) late Summer Dir: Alan Moyle Cast: Penelope Ann Miller, Eric Thal, Alfre Woodard Exec Producers: Ted Field, Robert W. Cort Producer: Scott Kroopf D.P.: Chuck Minsky Start Date: 1/12/92, Mississippi Negative Cost: $13 million An Interscope pickup. THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE (Hollywood) 1.85 January 10 Rating: "R" For terror, violence, a scene of sexual molestation and for language. Dir: Curtis Hanson Cast: Annabella Sciorra, Rebecca DeMornay, Matt McCoy. Ernie Hudson Exec Producers: Ted Field, Robert W. Cort Producer: David Madden Screenplay: Amanda Silver D.P.: Robert Elswit Negative Cost: $11.7 million This Hitchcockian thriller about a vengeful nanny is a pickup from Interscope. HONEY, I BLEW UP THE BABY Summer Dir: Randall Kleiser Cast: Rick Moranis, Marcia Strassman, Robert Oliveri, John Shea, Lloyd Bridges, Amy O'Neill, Keri Russell, Ron Canada, Gregory Sierra, Linda Carlson, Julia Sweeney, Leslie Neale Producers: Dawn Steel, Edward S. Feldman Screenplay: Thom Eberhardt D.P.: John Hora Start Date: 6/17/91, Los Angeles, Las Vegas Sequel to the 1988 smash HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS. This time, the new baby has been enlarged to gargantuan proportions and goes on a rampage of Vegas. Formerly titled HONEY, I BLEW UP THE BABY. THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY March 6 Cast: Jean Smart KING OF THE JUNGLE 70mm Fall, 1993 Screenplay: Linda Woolverton Disney's 32nd animated feature concerns the coming-of-age of a young lion. Woolverton wrote the sensational BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. MEDICINE MAN (Hollywood) 2.35 70mm February 7 Rating: "PG-13" Dir: John McTiernan Cast: Sean Connery, Lorraine Bracco Exec Producer: Sean Connery Producer: Andy Vajna Screenplay: Tom Schulman This film is on its third title. First we had THE STAND, followed by THE LAST DAYS OF EDEN. Whatever they call it, this ecologically-themed romance is set against the backdrop of the deepest Amazonian jungles, where the principals have discovered a plant from which a cure for cancer may be found. Prospects are bright. Schulman won an Oscar for DEAD POETS SOCIETY. NEWSIES (Walt Disney) 2.35 70mm April 3 Dir: Kenny Ortega Cast: Christian Bale, David Moscow, Luke Edwards, Ele Keats, Max Casella, Robert Duvall, Ann-Margaret, Marty Belafsky, Arvie Lowe, Aaron Lohr, Trey Parker, Gabriel Darmon, Kevin Tighe Producer: Michael Finnell Screenplay: Bob Tzudiker, Noni White, David Fallon, Tom Rickman Composer: Alan Menken and Jack Feldman D.P.: Andrew Laszlo Start Date: 4/15/91, Los Angeles Musical set in a newspaper environment in the 1890's. Concerns young striking newspaper workers. Famed hoofer Ortega choreographs, as well as directing. Bale toplined sensationally in Spielberg's EMPIRE OF THE SUN. Eight songs from Oscar winner Alan Mencken (THE LITTLE MERMAID). Score is by J.A.C. Redford. Ann-Margret's first on-screen singing performance since TOMMY in 1975. Has been described as "a cross between WEST SIDE STORY and OLIVER". NOISES OFF (Touchstone) TBA Rating: "PG-13" Dir: Peter Bogdanovich Cast: Carol Burnett, Michael Caine, Denholm Elliott, Julie Hagerty, Mark Linn-Baker, Marilu Henner, Christopher Reeve, John Ritter, Nicolette Sheridan Exec. Producers: Peter Bogdanovich, Kathleen Kennedy Producer: Frank Marshall Screenplay: Marty Kaplan, based on Michael Frayn's play D.P.: Timothy Suhrstedt Start Date: 5/20/91, Los Angeles Negative Cost: $12 million Stellar cast should amply serve the big-screen version of this hilarious stage comedy. Title change is expected. Marshall got his showbiz start as a location manager on Bogdanovich's 1968 directing debut TARGETS. From Amblin' Entertainment. PASSED AWAY (Hollywood) April 10 Dir: Charlie Peters Cast: Bob Hoskins, William Petersen, Pamela Reed, Nancy Travis, Tim Curry, Peter Riegert, Blair Brown Producer: Larry Brezner Screenplay: Charlie Peters Start Date: 10/9/91, Pittsburgh Drama about four estranged siblings who gather for their father's funeral. PINOCCHIO 1.33 June Another re-release for this Disney animated classic. PRINCESS OF MARS (Hollywood) 2.35 70mm Summer, 1993 Dir: John McTiernan Cast: Tom Cruise (tentative) Producers: Michael Engelberg, Andy Vajna Screenplay: Ted Elliot, Terry Rossio, Bob Gale Start Date: 6/92 Huge, huge film based on the Edgar Rice Burroughs classic science fiction story. Budget will likely be largest in Disney history. Mega-outlook. SISTER ACT (Touchstone) Summer Dir: Emile Ardolino Cast: Whoopi Goldberg, Maggie Smith, Harvey Keitel, Kathy Najimy, Mary Wicks, Bill Nunn, Wendy Makkena, Joe Maher, Richard Portnow, Jenifer Lewis, Charlotte Crossley Producer: Scott Rudin Screenplay: Jim Cash, Jack Epps D.P.: Adam Greenberg Start Date: 9/20/91, Los Angeles, Reno, San Francisco Whoopi Goldberg gets to sing. She plays the ex-girlfriend of a mobster who is whisked into the witness protection program as a nun. In the convent she leads the nun's choir to national fame and the limelight, where naturally, she is vunerable to publicity and the wrath of her ex and his henchmen. Maggie Smith plays the Mother Superior.....This script was originally written as a vehicle for Bette Midler. Ardolino directed THREE MEN AND A LITTLE LADY. STEEPLECHASE (Hollywood) Fall Dir: Patrick Hasburgh Cast: TBA Producer: TBA Screenplay: Patrick Hasburgh Start Date: 2/92 Sexy ski instructor tries to make it in the real world in this comedy. Also known as ASPEN. STRAIGHT TALK (Hollywood) April 3 Dir: Barnet Kellman Cast: Dolly Parton, James Woods, Griffin Dunne, Teri Hatcher, John Sayles, Jay Thomas, Michael Madsen, Spaulding Gray, Charles Fleischer, Deirdre O'Connell Producer: Robert Chartoff, Fred Berner Screenplay: Patricia Resnick, Craig Bolotin D.P.: Peter Sova Start Date: 7/29/91, Chicago MURPHY BROWN director Kellman makes his feature debut with an intriguing casting match-up. Parton is a small-town woman who accidentally becomes a talk radio star (shrink) in the big city and captures the heart of the reporter assigned to profile her. SWING KIDS (Hollywood) December Dir: Thomas Carter Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Barbara Hershey, Robert Sean Leonard, Christian Bale, Frank Whaley Exec Producers: Chris Meledandri, Frank Marshall Producers: Mark Gordon, John Manulis Screenplay: Jonathan Feldman Start Date: 2/4/92, Prague Story of rebellious teenagers in Nazi Germany whose love for American swing music drives their passions against the tyranny. Branagh was last seen in DEAD AGAIN, Leonard scored big in DEAD POETS SOCIETY, Bale also toplines Disney's NEWSIES and Whaley is in Fox' BACK IN THE USSR. THE ULTIMATUM (Touchstone) TBA Dir: TBA Cast: TBA Producer: Gale Anne Hurd Screenplay: Laurance Dworet, Robert Roy Poole, Jim Kouf Thriller concerning political terrorism. Hurd produced ALIENS, TREMORS and RAISING CAIN, among others. WHO DISCOVERED ROGER RABBIT (Touchstone) Christmas 1993 Dir: Rob Minkoff Cast: Voice of Charles Fleischer, TBA Exec. Producer: Steven Spielberg Screenplay: Nat Mauldin This prequel to the 1988 smash hit WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT will tell us just how Roger and the voluptuous Jessica got hooked up in the first place. Cannon ------ 50/50 April 3 Cast: Peter Weller, Robert Hays THE AMERICAN SAMURAI May (limited) Cast: David Bradley HUMAN SHIELD February 7 (limited) Rating: "R" War violence. Dir: Ted Post Cast: Michael Dudikoff, Tommy Hinkley Producers: Christopher Pearce, Elie Cohn, Boaz Davidson Start Date: 12/90, Israel An action film about an ex-Marine who tries to rescue his younger brother from terrorists in Iraq. MIDNIGHT RIDE March 13 Dir: Cast: M. Dudikoff, Mark Hamill NO PLACE TO HIDE March 13 (limited) Dir: Cast: Kris Kristofferson RESCUE ME April 24 Cast: M. Dudikoff, Dee Wallace Stone TERMINAL BLISS February 28 Dir: Jordan Alan Cast: Luke Perry Rich East-Coast kids have lots of sex and drugs. Perry is one of the stars of BEVERLY HILLS, 90210. TO THE DEATH May (limited) Cast: Brad Morris, Michel Qissi Castle Hill ----------- OTHELLO February 21 (NY) Dir: Orson Welles Cast: Orson Welles New York's Cinema II gets the honor of first presenting the restored film of Orson Welle's rendition of Shakespeare's Othello. Having been shown at the Cannes Film Festival in 1952 and winning the Palm D'Or there, it then virtually vanished from view. Welles shot this film over a period of four years during which he took breaks to do other projects and earn financing for this pet dream film. It actually was picked up for release by United Artists and opened on 9/12/55 at the Pathe Paris in Manhattan. (That house is now the Loew's Fine Arts). Reviews were mixed and patrons were caught up in the frenzy of the Cinemascope years. It quickly disappered from sight. The nitrate negative was discovered in a New Jersey warehouse, where it was restored frame-by-frame over a ten-month period. The faulty soundtrack was restored with a new digital stereo surround track and the film is now back to the original 91 minute director's cut. Go see it. SHAKING THE TREE January 24 (limited) Dir: Duane Clark Story of loyalty and friendship between four young men over a span of a decade. VOYAGER January 31 Rating: "PG-13" Dir: Volker Schlondorff Cast: Sam Shepard, Julie Delpy, Barbara Sukowa An engineer afraid of emotion suffers the loss of an old friend to suicide. On an ocean voyage to a European conference he meets a woman and starts a relationship...then the voyage ends. A love triangle with fine credentials. Opens at NY's Lincoln Plaza Cinemas. Columbia -------- THE AGE OF INNOCENCE December Dir: Martin Scorsese Cast: Daniel Day Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, Winona Ryder Producers: Martin Scorsese, Barbara DeFina Screenplay: Jay Cocks, Martin Scorsese, based on Edith Wharton's novel D.P.: Michael Ballhaus Start Date: 3/92, Upstate New York, Paris This $30+ million project was put into turnaround at Fox and has found a home with Sony Pictures Entertainment, as Mark Canton snapped it up. Fox balked at the increasing cost of the film, which is an 1870's doomed romance-drama. It is based on Edith Wharton's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Lewis stars in THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS for Fox and Pfeiffer can be seen meowing in BATMAN RETURNS for Warner Brothers and LOVE FIELD for Orion. Production Designer is Dante Ferretti (THE NAME OF THE ROSE), editor is Thelma Schoonmaker (who else?), who edited CAPE FEAR, GOODFELLAS, THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST and RAGING BULL, for which she was Oscared. This is one of only two pictures that Scorsese is permitted to make outside his six-year exclusive deal at Universal. AMOS AND ANDREW 1993 Dir: E. Max Frye Cast: TBA Producer: Gary Goetzman Screenplay: E. Max Frye Start Date: 1/92 BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA August 14 Dir: Francis Ford Coppola Cast: Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins, Keanu Reeves, Sadie Frost, Cary Elwes, Bill Campbell, Richard E. Grant, Tom Waits Exec Producers: Robert O'Connor, Michael Apted Producers: Francis Ford Coppola, Charles Mulvehill, Fred Fuchs Screenplay: Jim Hart D.P.: Michael Ballhaus Start Date: 10/14/91, Los Angeles Negative Cost: $40 million A very visual production of the classic tale, filmed entirely on the lot at Columbia Studios once HOOK vacated the premises. This will be based on the original "Dracula" story, rather than the play or the Bela Lugosi film. There are 60 sets and 175 special effects shots. All the effects will be done in camera, rather than at with blue screens. Magicians, mirrors and trapdoors will replace optical houses. Shot with Arriflex cameras. Right on the 70 day shooting schedule and on budget, thanks to Coppola's innovative electronic gear that enables cast and crew to see storyboard, script, and completed footage on multiple video monitors simultaneously. Word is that it may get slapped with an NC-17 rating. FALLING FROM GRACE February 21 Rating: "PG-13" Dir: John Mellencamp Cast: John Mellencamp, Mariel Hemingway, Kay Lenz, Claude Akins Screenplay: Larry McMurtry D.P.: Victor Hammer Start Date: 7/23/90, Seymour, IN Rocker Mellencamp goes to the silver screen in this semi-autobiographical drama about a musician trying to deal with his success while living in his small, Midwestern hometown. Delayed to 1992 to coincide with his new album. Formerly titled SOUVENIRS. A FEW GOOD MEN (Castle Rock) December 23 Dir: Rob Reiner Cast: Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore, Keifer Sutherland, Kevin Bacon, Kevin Pollack, James Marshall Producers: David Brown, Andrew Scheinman, Rob Reiner Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin, based on his play D.P. Robert Richardson Start Date: 10/21/91, Los Angeles, Washington DC Negative Cost: $40 million Wow. The stage play comes to the big screen with very impressive credentials. Nicholson works only 10 days for a whopping $500,000 per. GLADIATOR March 6 Rating: "R" for violence and language Dir: Rowdy Herrington Cast: James Marshall, Cara Buono, Robert Loggia, Ossie Davis, Cuba Gooding Sr., Brian Dennehy Producer: Steve Roth Screenplay: Nicholas Kazan, Lyle Kessler D.P.: Tak Fujimoto Start Date: 1/21/91, Chicago Marshall of TWIN PEAKS fame plays a young, working-class boxer. Herrington last directed ROAD HOUSE. Kazan wrote REVERSAL OF FORTUNE. Fiklm was screened August 22 at the Culver Theatre in LA. It scored 85% in the top two boxes. The target audiences (males and females under 21) scored 93% with a definite recommend of 75%. Those are excellent figures. GROUND HOG DAY February 1993 Dir: Harold Ramis Cast: Bill Murray Producer: Trevor Albert Start Date: 2/92, Punxsatawney, PA Murray is a disc jockey continually reliving one day in his life. But will he see his shadow? HARD PROMISES January 31 Rating: "PG" (NY, LA, Chicago,Indianapolis) Dir: Martin Davidson Cast: Sissy Spacek, William Petersen, Brian Kerwin, Mare Winningham, Jeff Perry, Rip Torn, Shirley Knight Producer: Cindy Chvatal Screenplay: Julie Selbo D.P.: Andrzej Bartkowiak Start Date: 10/1/90, Austin, TX Petersen's character returns to his old hometown in order to win back his ex-wife (Spacek) who is about to get married once again. Lee Grant was replaced in the director's chair. HERO December 18 Dir: Stephen Frears Cast: Dustin Hoffman, Geena Davis, Andy Garcia, Cady Huffman, Joan Cusack, Susie Cusack Producer: Laura Ziskin Screenplay: David Peoples D.P.: Oliver Stapleton Start Date: 10/30/91, Chicago, Los Angeles This tentatively-titled film is a comedy about heroism -- a conniving crook who stumbles into it, a desperate stranger who steals it and a star TV reporter who gets an even bigger story than she bargained for. Hoffman is the crook, Davis is the reporter and Garcia is the stranger. Joan Cusack is Hoffman's ex-wife, sister Susie is Hoffman's defense attorney. Frears directed THE GRIFTERS and DANGEROUS LIAISONS. Peoples wrote BLADE RUNNER. The story is by Laura Ziskin (PRETTY WOMAN, WHAT ABOUT BOB?), Alvin Sargent (ORDINARY PEOPLE, JULIA) and David Peoples. Film score is by George Fenton (DANGEROUS LIAISONS, THE FISHER KING). The production designer is Dennis Gassner (BARTON FINK, BUGSY). Huffman may be seen in THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES on Broadway. HEXED Fall Dir: Alan Spencer Cast: Arye Gross, Claudia Christian, Adrienne Shelly, Robin Curtis, Norman Fell, Michael Knight, Ray Baker, R. Lee Ermey, Brandis Kemp Producer: Marc S. Fisher Screenplay: Alan Spencer D.P.: James Chressanthis Start Date: 11/4/91, Ft. Worth, Irving TX A neurotic thriller about a bellboy (Gross) who gets mixed up with a beautiful but deadly model dduring her stay at his hotel. Shot in a vacant Hilton in Texas. HONEYMOON IN VEGAS July 10 Dir: Andrew Bergman Cast: James Caan, Nicholas Cage, Sarah Jessica Parker, Noriyuki (Pat) Morita, Anne Bancroft, Peter Boyle, Seymour Cassel, Lainie Kazan Producer: Mike Lobell Screenplay: Andrew Bergman D.P.: William A. Fraker Start Date: 8/19/91, Las Vegas, New York, LA, Kauai New York private detective overcomes his fear of commitment and flies to Las Vegas to get married. Then thinks go awry.... Bergman wrote and directed THE FRESHMAN. Kazan plays the role she has perfected...a Yenta. HOUDINI 1993 Dir: Robert Zemeckis Cast: TBA Producer: Ray Stark Screenplay: Peter Seaman, Jeffrey Price Start Date: 1992 A big screen treatment of the life of legendary illusionist Harry Houdini comes to life after twenty years of development by mega-producer Ray Stark. The film will approach the subject from the angle of the relationship between Harry and his wife and how their lives were interwoven with mysticism and spirituality. Stark calls Zemeckis "the most important young adult director since John Huston. He has vast cinematic knowledge, but it is never more than a background for his feelings toward humanity." Price wrote WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT. The film is a Columbia-Universal co-production, and it has not been announced as to who will release it domestically. THE INNER CIRCLE December 25 (NY,LA,Toronto) Rating: "PG-13" January 17 (wide) Dir: Andrei Konchalovsky Cast: Tom Hulce, Lolita Davidovitch, Bob Hoskins Producer: Claudio Bonivente, in association with Mosfilm Screenplay: Andrei Konchalovsky, Anatoly Usov D.P.: Ennio Guarnieri Start Date: 8/20/90, Moscow Reportedly the first major film to shoot inside the Kremlin walls, this prestige project by expatriate Konchalovsky depicts Hulce as Ivan Sanshin, who is thrust into Stalin's inner circle when he becomes his personal projectionist. Formerly titled THE PROJECTIONIST. Film runs 140 minutes. INTO THE WOODS Christmas 1993 Dir: TBA Cast: TBA Exec. Producer: Brian Henson Producers: Craig Zadan, Neil Meron, Patrick Duncan Kenworthy Screenplay: TBA Start Date: late 1992 Zadan anticipates a $30 million budget on this big-screen adaptation of the Tony-winning musical. It will be co-produced by Jim Henson Productions and will feature live action mixed with Henson puppets. Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine will consult on the production. Filming will be either in Los Angeles or London. A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN July 1 Dir: Penny Marshall Cast: Geena Davis, Tom Hanks, Lori Petty, Madonna, Tracy Reiser, Ann Cusack, Megan Cavanagh, Rosie O'Donnell, Bitty Schram, Renee Coleman, Freddie Simpson, Anne Elizabeth Ramsay, David Strathairn, Jon Lovitz, Garry K. Marshall Producers: Robert Greenhut, Elliot Abbott Screenplay: Lowell Ganz, Babaloo Mandel D.P.: Miroslav Ondricek Start Date: 7/10/91, Chicago, Evansville IN, Cooperstown NY Negative Cost: $34 million Hanks manages an all-female baseball team. But can Madonna handle a real chaw? Geena Davis replaced Debra Winger who was unhappy with the "stunt casting" of Ms. Ciccone. Marshall's last film was the highly-decorated AWAKENINGS. MACHINE GUN KELLY TBA Dir: Marek Kanievska Cast: William Baldwin Producer: Sam Arkoff Screenplay: Michael Werb, Anna Hamilton-Phelan Start Date: 2/92, Texas, Kansas Will the old producing master of B-movies move up a letter in the alphabet? Baldwin last scored big in BACKDRAFT. ME AND MONROE TBA Dir: John Whitesell Cast: Jason Priestley, Jay O'Connell Exec Producers: Penny Marshall, Elliot Abbott Producer: Debbie Robbins Screenplay: Paul Shapiro Start Date: 2/92, Los Angeles The heartthrob from BEVERLY HILLS 90210 gets a feature starring role. MIDKNIGHT 1993 Dir: TBA Cast: Michael Jackson Screenplay: Caroline Thompson, Larry Wilson Start Date: 1992 The Gloved One focuses on another aspect of his multi-media Sony MegaDeal. This was to be exec produced and designed by the late Anton Furst. MO' MONEY June 5 Dir: Peter Macdonald Cast: Damon Wayans, Marlon Wayans, Stacey Dash, Joe Santos, John Diehl, Harry J. Lennix Producer: Michael Rachmil Screenplay: Damon Wayans D.P.: Don Burgess Start Date: 7/8/91, Chicago Negative Cost: $14.5 million If that title sounds familiar, then you must watch "In Living Color". One of the Wayans brothers has extended the concepts of the skits into a feature-length script. A con man working in a credit card company mail room decides to go straight after falling in love. First he must foil a scam already set into motion by some gangsters. "A film about a man who shoulda' left home without it". MR. SATURDAY NIGHT (Castle Rock) October 2 Dir: Billy Crystal Cast: Billy Crystal, David Paymer, Julie Warner, Helen Hunt, Mary Mara Producer: Billy Crystal Screenplay: Lowell Hanz, Babaloo Mandel D.P.: Don Peterman Start Date: 11/7/91, Los Angeles, New York Billy makes his directorial debut directing himself. New Line International handles the foreign markets. This film has been having labor problems with the screen extras. MY GIRL SEQUEL Fall 1993 Dir: TBA Cast: Anna Chlumsky A sequel has already been green-lighted by Columbia and Imagine. NEEDFUL THINGS (Castle Rock) 1993 Dir: Peter Yates Screenplay: W.D. Richter, based on Stephen King's novel Start Date: Fall '92, Maine OCTOBER SURPRISE 1993 Dir: TBA Cast: TBA Producer: Jon Peters Screenplay: TBA, based on Gary Sick's book "October Surprise: America's Hostages in Iran and the Election of Ronald Reagan" Start Date: 1992 Peters Entertainment and Columbia acquired the rights to this book that concerns the theory that the Reagan-Bush campaign and William Casey made a secret deal with representatives of Iran in the final weeks of the 1980 presidential campaign to delay the release of U.S. hostages in Teheran until after the election. The promise of arms in trade and improved relations were the alleged booty. Columbia sees this project as having the scope and epic quality of ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN. THE PICKLE September 11 Dir: Paul Mazursky Cast: Danny Aiello, Shelley Winters, Dyan Cannon, Jerry Stiller, Chris Penn, Ally Sheedy, Barry Miller, Griffin Dunne, Little Richard, Paul Mazursky Producer: Paul Mazursky Screenplay: Paul Mazursky Start Date: 9/23/91, New York, Los Angeles Aiello plays a director in the midst of previewing his new film. Is this autobiographical? POETIC JUSTICE Fall Dir: John Singleton Second film from the acclaimed young director of BOYZ 'N THE HOOD. RADIO FLYER 2.35 70mm February 14 Rating: "PG-13" Dir: Richard Donner Cast: Elijah Wood, Joseph Mazzello, Lorraine Bracco, John Heard, Adam Baldwin, Rhea Perlman Producers: Lauren Schuler-Donner, Richard Donner Exec Producers: Michael Douglas, Rick Bieber, David Mickey Evans Screenplay: David Mickey Evans D.P.: Laszlo Kovacs Start Date: 6/18/90, halted 6/25/90, resumed 10/3/90, L.A., Novato, Sonora, CA. Negative Cost: $31 million. Infamous production from first-time scripter Evans, whose initial deal included big bucks and directing chores. Production shuttered after it became apparent he couldn't direct. Rosanna Arquette was paid off on her play-or-pay contract. Donner brought in...rewrites done. Evans gets an exec producer credit. This story is of two brothers who build a kind of flying machine to escape their abusive lives. Now we'll see if a red wagon can fly! Visual flying effects from Zoran Perisic's Oscar-winning Zoptic system used so effectively in SUPERMAN. Additional Visual Effects from Apogee Productions. From Stonebridge Entertainment. Postponed from July 12 due to being behind schedule. Promotional partners Dairy Queen and Kraft Marshmallows were very upset. Columbia reimbursed DQ some $2 million for expenses on the aborted promotion. Original $15 million budget shot to hell. After languishing with a "Fall" release date, Columbia has decided on President's Day weekend 1992. Yet another ending has been shot for this project (making about 19!) in the winter. Advanced word is excellent. Word is that there may not be any 70mm blowups after all. REMAINS OF THE DAY Christmas (limited) Dir: Mike Nichols Cast: Jeremy Irons Exec Producers: Peter Gubers, Jon Peters Screenplay: Harold Pinter, based on Kazuo Isigiro's novel Story concersn an English butler. SINGLE WHITE FEMALE August 7 Dir: Barbet Schroeder Cast: Bridget Fonda, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Steven R. Weber, Peter Friedman, Stephen Tobolowsky, Michele Farr, Tara Karsian, Christina Capetillo, Johnny Dapolito Producer: Barbet Schroeder Screenplay: Don Roos, based on John Lutz' novel "Single White Female Seeks the Same" D.P.: Luciano Tovoli Start Date: 7/8/91, Los Angeles, New York Negative Cost: $15.8 million. After the triumph of REVERSAL OF FORTUNE, Schroeder tackles even more risque material. Fonda is Allie, an ambitious businesswoman who discovers her boyfriend Sam (Weber) has been two-timing her. After kicking him out, she advertises for a roommate, and Hedy (Leigh) moves in. Her boyfriend eventually moves back in and a deadly triangle develops. STEPHEN KING'S SLEEPWALKERS April 10 Dir: Mick Garris Cast: Alice Krige, Brian Krause, Madchen Amick, Ron Perlman, Jim Haynie, Lyman Ward, Cindy Pickett, Dan Martin, Glenn Shadix Producers: Mark Victor, Michael Grais, Nabeel Zahid Screenplay: Stephen King Start Date: 6/24/91 Negative Cost: $15 million This supernatural horror flick wrapped production on 9/4/91 and features visual effects from John Dykstra's Apogee Productions. Creature effects are from Tony Gardner's Alterian Studios. Music is by Nicholas Pike. SUNRISE IN HIS POCKET 1993 Dir: David Zucker Cast: TBA Exec Producer: Jon Peters, Peter Guber Screenplay: TBA, based on Paul Hutton's book The adventures of Davy Crockett are chronicled in this big-screen adaptation of the forthcoming U. of Oklahoma Press book. THREE RIVERS 1993 Dir: Rowdy Herrington Cast: Bruce Willis Screenplay: Rowdy Herrington Start Date: Spring '92 Negative Cost: $30+ million The biggest suspense with this long-in-the-works action film is how much is Columbia paying Willis to star? He signed for $13 million a couple of years ago, but that was pre-BONFIRE and HUDSON. With his fortunes again on the rise, post-BOY SCOUT, how much of a cut will Willis take, if any? Columbia reportedly wants to pay *only* $10 million.... UNDER SUSPICION 2.35 February 28 Rating: "R" for areas of strong violence and sensuality, and for language. Dir: Simon Moore Cast: Patrick Bergin, Laura San Giacomo Producer: Brian Eastman Screenplay: Simon Moore Start Date: 2/18/91, London This story is set in London of the late 30's. An amoral divorce detective, whose wife helps him establish fake adultery cases, turns out to be the chief suspect when his wife is slain. Bergin (MOUNTAINS OF THE MOON) was last seen as the nutso husband in SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY. San Giacomo (SEX, LIES AND VIDEOTAPE) was Holly Hunter's sister in ONCE AROUND. Formerly titled THE OTHER WOMAN. Opened in London in September to very positive notices. A VERY GOOD YEAR (Castle Rock) May 8 Dir: Peter Yates Cast: Penelope Ann Miller, Timothy Daly, Louis Jourdan, Art Malik, Robert Hardy, Julia McCarthy, Timothy Bentinck, Ian McNeice, Arturo Venegas, Chapman Roberts, Nick Brimble, Andrew Robertson, Shane Rimmer, David Bamber, Martin Benson Producer: Nigel Wooll Screenplay: William Goldman D.P.: Roger Pratt Start Date: 5/27/91, Scotland, England, France Formerly titled YEAR OF THE COMET, it's a comedy-adventure in Europe about a search for eternal youth and the world's rarest bottle of wine. Yates gave us such features as BULLITT, THE DEEP and, dare I say it, KRULL. Score is from Oscar-winner John Barry. WOLF 1993 Dir: Mike Nichols Cast: Jack Nicholson Producer: Doug Wick Screenplay: Jim Harrison Concorde -------- BLOODFIST 3 January 3 (Detroit) CABEZA DE BACA February (NY) IN THE HEAT OF PASSION January 24 (NY,Atlanta) Cast: Sally Kirkland Four Square Prods. ------------------ KILLER TOMATOES EAT FRANCE Spring Dir: John DeBello Cast: John Astin, Marc Price, Angela Visser A fourth Killer Tomatoes film, this time shot on location in Paris and environs. Greycat Films ------------- THE BACHELOR April (NY, LA) Cast: Keith Carradine, Miranda Richardson, Kristin Scott-Thomas, Max von Sydow Producer: Mario Orfini Carradine plays a man of privilege who can't decide what to do with his life. Richardson plays a dual role in this Italian film. THE COLOR OF LOVE Dir: Melissa Pearson Screenplay: Melissa Pearson Film is described as a less angry variant of JUNGLE FEVER. It is frlm the point of view of a white woman. DINGO March (Portland, NY, LA) Dir: Rolf de Heer Cast: Miles Davis, Colin Friels Screenplay: Marc Rosenberg This Australian film stars the late Miles Davis as trumpeter Billy Cross. Friels plays an aspiring Aussie Jazz musician. Film was shot in Australia and Paris. It has already one the Australian Writers Guild Award for Best Screenplay and the Best Music Australian Film Award for its score by Michel LeGrand and Miles Davis. GHOST OF THE CIVIL DEAD Australian film was written by a former prison guard and inspired by true events at a prison. Said to be as disturbing as HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER. THE HORSEPLAYER Dir: Kurt Voss LIFE IN THE LAFF LANE Road movie about three stand-up comics. RESIDENT ALIEN March Dir: Jonathan Nossiter Cast: Quentin Crisp, John Hurt, Sting, Holly Woodlawn, Fran Leibowitz Documentary about Quentin Crisp. This had test engagements last year in New York and Atlanta. WHERE SLEEPING DOGS LIE Dir: Charles Finch Cast: Dylan McDermott, Sharon Stone Producer: Charles Finch Screenplay: Charles Finch Psychological thriller from the son of the late Peter Finch. Hemdale ------- BEAUTIFUL DREAMERS January 31 (NY, LA) Rating: "PG-13" February (wider) Dir: John Kent Harrison Cast: Rip Torn Producers: Michael MacLear, Martin Walter Screenplay: John Kent Harrison Torn is Walt Whitman in this drama exploring his relationship with Dr. Maurice Backe of the London, Ontario insane asylum and their effect on the inmates. One week LA engagement in December is to Oscar-qualify. Opens in five additional markets in February. BED AND BREAKFAST February 14 (N.Eng.) Cast: Roger Moore, Talia Shire BREAKFAST OF ALIENS (Coyote Releasing) April 1 Dir: David Lee Miller Cast: Vic Dunlop Producer: Brian James Ellis Screenplay: David Lee Miller, Vic Dunlop A likeable perennial loser swallows an alien and becomes a successful stand-up comic. THE CHILDREN (Coyote Releasing) March 20 Dir: Tony Palmer Cast: Ben Kingsley, Kim Novak, Karen Black, Geraldine Chaplin, Britt Ekland, Joe Don Baker Screenplay: Timberlake Wertenbacker Edith Wharton's story of a middle-aged bachelor who becomes the guardian of a group of kids. COLD HEAVEN February 28 Rating: "R" for language and sensuality Dir: Nicholas Roeg Cast: Theresa Russell, Talia Shire, Mark Harmon Psychological thriller. Ms. Russell is Mr. Roeg's Mrs. $5 million P&A budget. COLLISION COURSE TBA Cast: Jay Leno, Pat Morita COMPLEX WORLD February 14 (Boston) Dir: James Wolpaw Cast: Stanley Matis GOBLINS TBA Dir: Kenneth J. Hall Cast: Billy DaMota Producer: Connie Kingrey Screenplay: Kenneth J. Hall Start Date: 1/27/92, Miami Creatures have a war with children in their efforts to turn humans into pumpkins. HIGHWAY TO HELL Spring Dir: Ate de Jong Cast: Patrick Bergin, Chad Loew, Kristy Swanson, Richard Farnsworth Screenplay: Brian Helgeland Negative Cost: $10 million This science fiction comedy is an warped update of the legend of Orpheus and Eurydice. From the director of DROP DEAD FRED. P&A budget is $5 million. THE LEGEND OF WOLF MOUNTAIN (Coyote Releasing) March 13 Dir: Craig Clyde (Salt Lake City, Denver) Cast: Bo Hopkins, Robert Z'Dar, David Shark, Don Shanks, Nicole Lund, Natalie Lund, Vivian Schilling, Mickey Rooney Producer: Bryce Fillmore Screenplay: Craig Clyde Negative Cost: $1 million Family film set in Northern Utah. Test opening will be supported by saturation advertising ala' the defunct Sunn Classics. LITTLE NEMO May 22 Voices: Mickey Rooney, Rene Auberjonois, June Foray Screenplay: Chris Columbus, screen concept by Ray Bradbury Negative Cost: $30+ million Animated family film about the land of dreams and nightmares is set to open in 1000 theatres. Produced by Tokyo's TMS for the American market. Features songs sung by Melissa Manchester. Prints and advertising expenditures will top $10 million. LOVE AND MURDER Rating: "R" Language. OUTBACK March 13 Cast: Jeff Fahey, Tushka Bergena, Steven Vidler Negative Cost: $3.5 million This period adventure is naturally situated in Australia. The film will be tested in Salt Lake City and Denver. PRIMARY MOTIVE Dir: Daniels Adams Cast: Judd Nelson, John Savage, Sally Kirkland, Jose Ferrer Producer: Tom Gruenberg Screenplay: Daniel Adams, William Snowden D.P.: John Drake Start Date: 4/22/91, Luxembourg, Boston REEFER AND THE MODEL Dir: Joe Comerford SEVEN MINUTES March 20 (NY,LA) Dir: Klaus Maria Brandauer Cast: Brian Dennehy, Reecca Miller, Elisabeth Orth Producers: Moritz Borman, Rainer Soehnlein Screenplay: Stephen Sheppard, from his novel Dennehy portrays the man who attempted to assassinate Hitler in the early moments of WWII in Brandauer's feature directorial debut. THE TALE OF RUBY ROSE Rating: "PG" Dir: Roger Scholes IMAX ---- AT THE MAX 70mm IMAX January 10, '92 (Seattle) March (Charlotte) Dir: Julien Temple, Roman Kroitor, David Douglas, Noel Archambault Cast: The Rolling Stones Exec. Producers: Michael Cohl, Andre' Picard Negative Cost: $10 million The concert film of the Stones' Steel Wheels and Urban Jungles tours from 1990 in the 70mm large-frame IMAX format. The 89 minute film is the first feature in the format. It will open at some of the domestic IMAX and OMNIMAX screens. The suggested ticket price will be $12 - $15. There are 74 permanent IMAX and OMNIMAX theatres in the world. Apparently IMAX is having great difficulty getting the theatres to book this film since a lot of them are associated with educational and research institutions and they feel a Stones concert film would not be appropriate. Interstar --------- EASTERN GUNS An Arizona western. EYE OF THE WIDOW Cast: F. Murray Abraham, Ben Cross LITTLE SISTER A MIDNIGHT CLEAR March 6 (limited) Dir: Keith Gordon March 13 (wide) Cast: Ethan Hawke, Kevin Dillon, Frank Whaley Screenplay: Keith Gordon, based on William Wharton's novel Members of a high-IQ Army WWII thinktank get a taste of real combat when they're confronted by a group of German soldiers in a remote location. Gordon directed THE CHOCOLATE WAR and starred in CHRISTINE. Hawke last starred in MYSTERY DATE and WHITE FANG. A NEW WORLD Cast: Kevin Kline, Isabella Rosellini A biography of composer Anton Dvorak. SPLIT SECOND April Cast: Rutger Hauer Due for a title change. A STAR FOR TWO Cast: Lauren Bacall IRS Media --------- GAS FOOD LODGING Spring Cast: Brooke Adams, Ione Skye ME, MYSELF AND I Dir: Pablo Ferro Cast: George Segal, JoBeth Williams, Shelley Hack, Don Calfa, Betsy Lynn George, Sharon McKnight, Ruth Gilbert, Bill Macy, Jaid Barrymore, Sheila Scott-Wilkenson, Cheryl Paris, Hartley Haverty Screenplay: Julian Barry Start Date: 9/91, Los Angeles Womanizing screenwriter (Segal) becomes involved with his neighbor, who has a multiple personality disorder. Screenwriter Barry won an Oscar for LENNY. MY NEW GUN TBA Dir: Stacy Cochran Cast: Diane Lane, James Le Gors, Stephen Collins, Tess Harper, Bill Raymond, Bruce Altman, Maddy Corman Producer: Michael Flynn Screenplay: Stacy Cochran D.P.: Ed Lachman Start Date: 9/91, Teaneck NJ Housewife finds herself the reluctant owner of a gift from her husband....a handgun. Harper replaced Peggy Lipton in the cast. ONE FALSE MOVE Spring Cast: Bill Paxton RAGE AND HONOR TBA Dir: Terrence H. Winkless Cast: Cynthia Rothrock, Richard Norton Producers: Don Penrick, Kevin Reidy Screenplay: Terrence H. Winkless Start Date: 10/28/91, Los Angeles RUBIN & ED Spring Dir: Trent Harris Cast: Crispin Glover SHAKES THE CLOWN February 28 (NY, LA, SF, Boston) MGM --- THE BABOON HEART TBA Dir: Tony Bill Cast: Brad Pitt Screenplay: Tom Sierchio Start Date: 3/1/92 Romantic drama about a New Jersey waitress who falls in love with a strange young man who hides the fact that he suffers with a very weak heart. Screenwriter used to deliver liquor to the director's house. After fighting for the female lead and winning it, Madonna has dropped out. Annabella Sciorra is said to be the leading candidate. CRISS CROSS 1.85 March 6 Rating: "R" for language and drug-related scenes, and for brief but strong sensuality. Dir: Chris Menges Cast: Goldie Hawn, Arliss Howard, Keith Carradine Hawn is a single mom living in Key West circa 1969. Her husband is a frazzled Vietnam vet. She works as a stripper, her son deals drugs. Anything to make ends meet.... Menges directed A WORLD APART. Title changed back to original from ALONE TOGETHER. Delayed from November 8, 1991 release. THE CUTTING EDGE March 20 Rating: "PG" Dir: Paul Michael Glaser Cast: D.B. Sweeney, Moira Kelly, Terry O'Quinn Producers: Robert Cort, Cynthia Sherman, Dean O'Brien Screenplay: Tony Gilroy D.P.: Elliot Davis Start Date: 4/8/91, Toronto A film set against the 1992 Olympic figure skating competition. Female figure skater's partner is injured. Hockey player is recruited to replace him. War of the Sexes. A pickup from Interscope. DEAD WOOD 1993 Dir: TBA Producers: Richard Zanuck, Lili Fini Zanuck Screenplay: Pete Dexter Start Date: 1992, South Dakota Story is about the final days of Wild Bill Hickok. Dexter wrote the acclaimed PARIS TROUT and RUSH. DIGGSTOWN May Dir: Michael Ritchie Cast: James Woods, Louis Gossett Jr., Oliver Platt, Heather Graham, Bruce Dern Producer: Robert Schaffel Screenplay: Steven McKay D.P.: Gerry Fisher Start Date: 10/11/91, Montanta, Sacramento, Los Angeles OF MICE AND MEN May Dir: Gary Sinise Cast: John Malkovich, Gary Sinise Prodicers: Russ Smith, Gary Sinise Screenplay: Horton Foote Start Date: 9/16/91, Los Angeles, Northern California New film version of the classic Steinbeck play by the folks who should be able to do it right. ONCE UPON A CRIME March 20 Rating: "PG" Dir: Eugene Levy Cast: John Candy, Jim Belushi, Cybill Shepard, Sean Young, Ornella Muti, Richard Lewis, Giancarlo Giannini, Joe Flaherty Producer: Dino DeLaurentiis Screenplay: Charles Shyer, Nancy Meyers, based on 1960 film CRIMEN (...AND SUDDENLY IT'S MURDER), written by Rodolfo Sonego, Giorgio Arlorio, Stefano Strucchi, Luciano Vincenzoni, Oreste Biancoli D.P.: Giuseppe Rotunno Start Date: 2/20/91, Rome, Monte Carlo Comic caper set in Monte Carlo follows the exploits of a group who all end up as suspects for the murder of an eccentric millionaire. This is Levy's feature directorial debut after years of SCTV infamy. Formerly titled CRIMINALS. RICH IN LOVE May Dir: Bruce Beresford Cast: Albert Finney, Piper Laurie, Jill Clayburgh, Suzy Amis, Kyle MacLachlan, Kathryn Erbe, Ethan Hawke, Alfre Woodard Producers: Richard Zanuck, Lili Fini Zanuck Screenplay: Alfred Uhry, based on Josephine Humphrey's novel Start Date: 9/8/91, Charleston SC Negative Cost: $14 million A young girl struggles to find her identity. Reunion of the creative team behind DRIVING MISS DAISY. RUSH 1.85 January 10 (wide) Rating: "R" for graphic drug use and sensuality, language and violence Dir: Lili Fini Zanuck Cast: Jason Patric, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Sam Elliott Screenplay: Based on Kim Wozencraft's autobiographical novel Leigh is a cocaine-addicted undercover narc. This is Ms. Zanuck's directorial debut. She won an Oscar for co-producing DRIVING MISS DAISY. Post-production is at Skywalker Sound. Musical score is by Eric Clapton. SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION TBA Dir: Fred Schepisi The great John Guare play is brought to the big screen by the director of THE RUSSIA HOUSE and A CRY IN THE DARK. UNTITLED JAMES BOND TBA Cast: Timothy Dalton This one will reportedly be shot in China. THE VAGRANT April Dir: Chris Walas Cast: Marshall Bell, Bill Paxton, Michael Ironside, Mitzi Kapture, Colleen Camp, Stuart Pankin, Patrika Darbo, Teddy Wilson, Mark McClure, Derek Loughran Producer: Gillian Richardson Walas Screenplay: Richard Jefferies D.P.: Jack Wallner Start Date: 3/18/91, Phoenix Contemporary black comedy about a homeless man who terrorizes the new owner of a house he formerly occupied. Walas won an Oscar for his special effects work on THE FLY. He directed THE FLY II. Miramax ------- AMERICAN DREAM March (Austin, MN) Dir: Barbara Kopell Oscar-winning documentary concerning the labor dispute at a Hormel meat factory has been acquired by Miramax. It was filmed in Austin, Minn. Ms. Kopell was responsible for HARLAN COUNTY, USA. BABY BLOOD TBA Dir: Alain Robak CHILDREN OF THE CORN II (Dimension) TBA DELICATESSEN early March Comes with great word from London. DR. OFF (Dimension Pictures) TBA A black man is a teacher by day....a superhero by night. DUST DEVIL (Dimension Pictures) TBA ECOPHORIA (Dimension Pictures) TBA Dir: Rene Daalder Cast: Balthazar Getty, Drew Barrymore, Alice Kriege Producer: Kees Kasander Screenplay: Rene Daalder, William Vigil, Doug Freed D.P.: David Sperling Start Date: 1/92, Los Angeles ENCHANTED APRIL April Dir: Mike Newell Cast: Joan Plowright, Miranda Richardson, Josie Lawrence, Polly Walker, Alfred Molina, Michael Kitchen, Jim Broadbent Producer: Ann Scott Screenplay: Based on Elizabeth Von Arnim's novel BBC-produced comedy about four women who rent a castle in Italy to escape their troubled lives in London. Film opens the London Film Festival on November 6th. Newell directed DANCE WITH A STRANGER. Word is mixed. ERASERHEAD (SR) April Dir: David Lynch Cast: John Nance, Charlotte Stewart, Allen Joseph, Jeannes Bates, Judith Anna Roberts, Laurel Near, V. Phipps-Wilson Producer: David Lynch Screenplay: David Lynch Re-issue of Lynch's cult fave first film with new Dolby SR stereo soundtrack. First public showing was at New York's stunning new Walter Reade Theatre in December 1991. HEAR MY SONG January 17 (SF) Rating: "R" for language and a scene of sensuality January 19 (NY) Dir: Peter Chelsom Cast: Ned Beatty, David McCallum, Tara Fitzgerald, Shirley Anne Field, Adrian Dunbar, William Hootkins Producer: Allison Owen-Allen Screenplay: Peter Chelsom, Adrian Dunbar D.P.: Sue Gibson A magical British film that combines comedy and music, HEAR MY SONG is the story of a young man who has troubles with love and truth. He enlists the aid of legendary Irish tenor and fugitive Joseph Locke to solve his difficulties. The film weaves truth and fiction in a unique way and culminates in a triumphant reconciliation. Screened at the Toronto and Boston Film Festivals. Whimsical film is a crowd pleaser. HELLRAISER III (Dimension Pictures) Summer Rating: "R" This pickup opens on 500 screens nationwide as the premiere attraction of Miramax' new Dimension Pictures genre banner. HIGH ART TBA Rating: "R" for strong graphic violence, and for language and sensuality. INTO THE WEST TBA Dir: Mike Newell Cast: Gabriel Byrne, Ellen Barkin, Ciaran Fitzgerald, Rory Conway, Colm Meany, Johnny Murphy Producers: Jonathan Cavendish, Tim Palmer Screenplay: Jim Sheridan Start Date: 10/91, Dublin and Galway, Ireland A magical modern western for the 90s with two young brothers and their magic horse. From Miramax' new Family Films division. JOHNNY SUEDE March Dir: Tom DiCillo Cast: Brad Pitt, Catherin Kenner, Calvin Levels Producers: Yoram Mandel, Ruth Waldburger Screenplay: Tom DiCillo Mildly talented musician discovers his suede shoes, forms a band, sings rock-a-billy and becomes a superstar in this comic fable. Pitt scored as the charming thief in THELMA AND LOUISE. KAFKA (SR) January 17 (LA, SF) Rating: "PG-13" January 24 (NY) Dir: Steven Soderbergh Cast: Jeremy Irons, Theresa Russell, Alec Guinness, Armin Muller Stahl, Jeroen Krabbe, Joel Grey Producer: Paul Rassum Screenplay: Lem Dobbs Composer: Cliff Martinez Negative Cost: $12 million Fictionalized thriller about writer Franz Kafka as he becomes involved with the investigation of the disappearance of one of his colleagues at the insurance company at which he works. This is the second feature for the hot director of "sex, lies and videotape". Shot on location in Prague, Czechoslovakia. Played for one week only in December in New York and LA to qualify for the Oscars. K-2 February 21 Rating: "R" for language Dir: Frank Roddam Cast: Michael Biehn, Matt Craven, Raymond Barry Producers: Jonathan Taplin, Marilyn Weiner Screenplay: Scott Roberts, Patrick Meyers Based on the play of the same title, K-2 is a character-driven action-adventure about two American friends attempting to ascend the second highest peak in the world, which is also the most difficult. Opened in London in November to mixed notices at best. LOVE CRIMES January 24 Rating: "R" for strong sensuality and language Dir: Lizzie Borden Cast: Sean Young, Patrick Bergin Producers: Lizzie Borden, Rudy Langlais Screenplay: Allan Moyle Start Date: 7/15/90, Atlanta, Savannah GA Erotic thriller about a female attorney's hunt for a man accused of committing sex crimes while posing as a well-known fashion photographer. Borden directed WORKING GIRLS and Moyle wrote PUMP UP THE VOLUME. THE MAGIC RIDDLE TBA Another family film from Miramax. MAP OF THE HUMAN HEART Summer Dir: Vincent Ward Cast: Patrick Bergin, John Cusack, Anne Parillaud, Clothilde Coureau Producer: Tim Bevan Screenplay: Vincent Ward, Louis Nowra The epic tale of a love affair torn apart by world at war. When two young children meet at an orphanage, they forge an extraordinary romance that spans three decades. Parrillaud was LA FEMME NIKITA, Bergin last starred in SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY and the Fox version of ROBIN HOOD. Ward directed THE NAVIGATOR. MEDITERRANEO May Dir: Gabriele Salvatores Cast: Diego Abatantuono, Claudio Bigagli, Giuseppe Cederna, Claudio Bisio Producers: Gianni Minervini, Mario & Vittorio Ceccho Gori Screenplay: Vincenzo Monteleone While stranded on a Greek Island during WWII, eight Italian soldiers find a home among the men, women and children living there with a Mediterranean culture similar to their own. Three years pass before a pilot delivers the news that the enemy has become their ally, leaving the men with a waiting period of trepidation, fear and outrageous expectation before returning to Italy. MERCI LA VIE May Dir: Bertrand Blier Cast: Gerard Depardieu, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Anouk Grinberg, Jean Carmet, Annie Girardot, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Michel Blanc Producer: Bernard Merascot Screenplay: Bertrand Blier A coming-of-age film about two young women that has been picked up by Miramax after playing in Paris for 8+ months, where it has grossed $3.5 million nationwide. RAMPAGE Spring Dir: William Friedkin Cast: Michael Biehn, Alex McArthur, Nicholas Campbell, Billy Green Bush Producers: William Friedkin, David Salven Screenplay: William Friedkin This 1986 film depicts a deputy D.A. (Biehn) trying to get the death penalty for a deranged murderer (McArthur), even though capital punishment is abhorrent to him. ROMEO IS BLEEDING TBA Dir: Peter Medak Cast: Madonna Screenplay: Hilary Henkin Thriller is co-production of Miramax and their landlord, Tribeca Productions. RULES OF THE GAME March Dir: Matthew Meshekoff Cast: Courtney Cox, Arye Gross, Kevin Pollak Producer: Bobby Newmyer Screenplay: Noah Stern A heartwarming and comical look at a modern couple as they learn the rules of sex and love. SKETCHES Spring Dir: Neal Israel Cast: C. Thomas Howell, Jason Bateman, Jonathan Silverman, Annie Potts Producer: Jonathan D. Krane Screenplay: Paul Shapirt Three friends on a cross-country trip resolve old problems between themselves and remember why they loved each other as children in this 1989 film rescued from the MCEG graveyard. Silverman and Howell are c ouple of college freshmen whose goal is to live out every fantasy of their friend (Bateman) who is dying of cancer. SPOTSWOOD late February Dir: Mark Joffe Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Ben Mendelsohn, Bruno Lawrence, Rebecca Rigg, Russell Crowe Producers: Timothy White, Richard Brennan Screenplay: Max Dann D.P.: Ellery Ryan Start Date: 7/30/90, Melbourne Comedy-romance about a time and motion expert called in to modernize an ailing moccasin factory. Terrific advanced word. Up for Best Picture in the Aussie equivalent of the Oscars. "Like an Ealing comedy." WHAT THE MOON SAW Dir: Pino Amenta THE WIND Dir: Robert Dornhelm Cast: TBA Screenplay: Jim Sheridan Start Date: 9/91, Ireland Dornhelm directed REQUIEM FOR DOMINIC, Sheridan directed MY LEFT FOOT. ZENTROPA (Prestige) mid-March Dir: Lars Von Trier Cast: Jean Marc Barr, Barbara Sukowa Winner of the Jury Prize and Grand Prix du Technique at Cannes in 1991, this film concerns a naive American who goes to Germany after WWII to become a conductor for Zentropa Railways. He falls for the Boss' daughter, who is a Nazi terrorist. Formerly titled EUROPA. MK2 --- ALBERTO EXPRESS March 27 (NY) Cast: Sergio Casttellito FOR SACHA June 5 (NY, LA) LA DISCRETE August (NY) RASPAD April 24 (NY, LA) New Line Cinema --------------- AFRAID OF THE DARK (Fine Line) July 24 (NY) Rating: "R" Violence and a scene of sensuality. August 7 (LA + limited) Dir: Mark Peploe Cast: Fanny Ardant, James Fox, Paul McGann, Clare Holman, Robert Stephens, Susan Wooldridge, Struan Rodgers, David Thewlis, Ben Keyworth Producer: Simon Bosanquet Screenplay: Mark Peploe D.P.: Bruno de Keyzer Start Date: 9/3/90, London A psychological thriller about an 11-year-old boy whose world becomes blurred when the boundaries between disturbing daydream and reality become dangerously unclear. Peploe was the screenwriter for THE SHELTERING SKY and THE LAST EMPEROR. BURN THIS December Dir: TBA Cast: TBA Producers: Linda Yellen, Ray Katz Screenplay: TBA, based on August Wilson's play Negative Cost: $10 million Start Date: 4/92 Big-screen version of the erotic play about a contemporary woman who comes up against her fear of intimacy when a tempestuous man enters her life. Scheduled to be released in time for 1992 Oscar consideration. Will John Malkovich do the honors? DEAD ON TBA Dir: Michael Schroeder Cast: Ray Sharkey, Leo Rossi, Meg Foster, Miles O'Keefe Producer: Lisa Hansen Screenplay: Mark Sevi D.P.: Jamie Thompson, Start Date: 10/29/90, Los Angeles DEAD SLEEP TBA Dir: Alec Mills Cast: Linda Blair, Tony Bonner, Sueyan Cox Producer: Stanley O'Toole Screenplay: Michael Rymer Start Date: 3/12/90, Queensland Psychological thriller about the controversy surrounding certain shock therapies. DEEP COVER April 17 (wide) Dir: Bill Duke Cast: Larry Fishburne, Jeff Goldblum, Clarence Williams III Producer: Pierre David, Henry Bean Screenplay: Michael Tolkin, Henry Bean Start Date: 9/91, Los Angeles Fishburne is an undercover narcotics cop who is seduced by the lifestyle of drug dealers he is assigned to bring to justice. Duke directed A RAGE IN HARLEM. Bean wrote and produced INTERNAL AFFAIRS. DELTA OF VENUS October TBA This screen adaptation of Anais Nin's sensuous novel about a young woman's wild sexual abandon, an author's erotic writing for an anonymous man leads to an intense rediscovery of self. EDWARD II (Fine Line) March 20 (NY) Dir: Derek Jarman April 10 (wide) Cast: Steven Waddington, Andrew Tiernan, Tilda Swinton, Nigel Terry, Kevin Collins, Jerome Flynn, John Lynch, Dudley Sutton Producers: Steve Clark-Hall, Antony Root, Screenplay: Derek Jarman, Stephen McBride, Ken Butler, based on Christopher Marlowe's play D.P.: Ian Wilson Fine Line has picked up North American rights to this complex angry metaphorical Bard update reflecting the class-consciousness of modern British society and its effect on people of differing histories. Powerhouse acting won Ms.Swinton (as Queen Isabella) a Best Actress award at the Venice Film Festival. Opened in London in October 1991. U.S. premiere is at the 1992 Sundance Film Festival in late January. EXCESSIVE FORCE November Dir: Jonathan Hess Cast: Thomas Ian Griffith Producer: Irwin Stoss Screenplay: Thomas Ian Griffith Martial arts expert Griffith stars as Terry Conner in this action-drama about a New York cop with a short fuse and fast fists. When his partners are killed and $3 million disappears during a bust, Conner fights to save his life and clear his name when he's suspected by the law...and the mob. Griffith was featured in THE KARATE KID PART III. FAST GETAWAY (Cinetel) Dir: Spiro Razatos Cast: Corey Haim, Cynthia Rothrock, Leo Rossi, Ken Lerner, Marcia Strassman Producers: Paul Hertzberg, Lisa M. Hansen Screenplay: James Dixon D.P.: Jacques Haitkin Start Date: 5/31/90, Coloradi, Utah In this action adventure, a bright young man's estranged family wants him to pursue a career in banking. Mom thinks the best route is with an MBA while Dad opts for a more direct approach - bank robbery. FATAL CHARM TBA Dir: Fritz Kiersch FRIDA: THE BRUSH OF ANGUISH TBA Dir: Luis Valdez Cast: TBA Producers: Eduardo Rossoff, Donald Zuckerman Screenplay: Luis Valdez, Lupe Valdez Start Date: 4/92, Mexico, France GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS (New Line) September Dir: James Foley Cast: Al Pacino, Alec Baldwin, Jack Lemmon, Alan Arkin, Kevin Spacey, Jonathan Pryce, Ed Harris Producers: Jerry Tokofsky Screenplay: David Mamet, Based on his Play D.P.: Juan Ruiz Anchia Composer: James Newton Howard Start Date: 7/22/91 Incredible cast makes the wait possibly worth it. This award-winning play of survival and ruthlessness in the high-stakes real estate game took five years to get the film version off the ground. Spacey (LOST IN YONKERS) and Pryce (MISS SAIGON) won Tony Awards just last season. THE LAWNMOWER MAN (New Line) March 13 Dir: Brett Leonard Cast: Jeff Fahey, Pierce Brosnan, Jenny Wright Producer: Gimel Everett Screenplay: Brett Leonard, Gimel Everett, Based on Stephen King's novel A scientist uses computer technology to transform the simple-minded "Lawnmower Man" into a intellectual sophisticate through Virtual Reality Therapy. The experiment backfires, 'natch. A feature film with much computer-generated footage. Slick. LIVE WIRE May Dir: Christian Duguay Cast: Pierce Brosnan, Ben Cross, Ron Silver, Lisa Eilbacher Producer: Suzanne Todd, David Willis Screenplay: Bart Baker Start Date: 9/91, Washington, D.C. Technology and terrorism combine to create the most insidious explosive ever known in this topical action drama. When international terrorists begin assassinating U.S. senators, the unorthodox bomb diffusion methods of the FBI's top expert may be the only recourse to prevent catastrophe. LONDON KILLS ME July 17 (NY) Rating: "R" for drug use, language and some nudity July 31 (LA) Dir: Hanif Kureishi August 7 (wide) Cast: Steven Mackintosh, Emma McCourt, Justin Chadwick, Roshan Seth Exec Producers: Tim Bevan, Graham Bradstreet Screenplay: Hanif Kureishi Start Date: 1/21/91, London The story of Clint (Charwick), a street kid who hangs out with a gang of drug dealers, the leader of which is Clint's tough friend Muffdiver (Mackintosh). When Clint is brutally beaten on his 20th birthday, he decides he needs to live an "ordinary" life. Clint's efforts to escape the daily hustle on the streets creates a humorous web of diverse experiences and intriguing characters. Hanif Kureishi wrote MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE and SAMMI AND ROSIE GET LAID. MIDNIGHT HEAT TBA Rating: "R" for strong sensuality and violence, and for language Dir: John Nicolella Cast: Michael Pare, Adam Ant, Dennis Hopper, Daphne Ashbrook, Charlie Schlatter, Tracy Tweed, Little Richard, Cindy Valentine, Joe Lara, Tony Todd, Luca Bercovici Producers: Kandice King, Lance King Screenplay: Max Strom, John Allen Nelson D.P.: Chuck Mahoney Start Date: 7/1/91, Los Angeles MONSTER IN A BOX April 24 (NY) Dir: Nick Broomfield Cast: Spalding Gray Producer: Jon Blair Screenplay: Spalding Gray Another filmed monologue from the man who brought us SWIMMING TO CAMBODIA. NIGHT ON EARTH (Fine Line) April 17 (NY) Dir: Jim Jarmusch May 8 (wide) Cast: Winona Ryder, Gena Rowlands, Armin Muehller-Stahl, Beatrice Dalle Producer: Jim Jarmusch Screenplay: Jim Jarmusch Cult fave Jarmusch's latest work is five vignettes that all take place aboard taxicabs in five different cities (New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Rome and Helsinki). Financed largely by JVC, as was MYSTERY TRAIN. Was closing night attraction at the New York Film Festival. PAST MIDNIGHT (Cinetel) February 28 Rating: "R" for violence, sensuality and language Dir: Jan Eliasberg Cast: Rutger Hauer, Natasha Richardson, Clancy Brown Producer: Lisa Hansen Screenplay: Frank Norwood D.P.: Bob Yeoman Start Date: 3/5/91, Seattle Obsessed social worker becomes dangerously close to client convicted of murder. Eliasberg is an award-winning TV director (LA LAW). She was also the first woman to direct such action shows as CRIME STORY, MIAMI VICE and WISEGUY. POISON IVY March Rating: "R" for sensuality and language Dir: Katt Shea Ruben Cast: Drew Barrymore, Tom Skerritt, Sara Gilbert, Cheryl Ladd Exec Producers: Melissa Goddard, Peter Morgan Producer: Andy Ruben Screenplay: Katt Shea Ruben, Andy Ruben Drew Barrymore is Ivy, a wild young hitchhiker with an unknown past who's determined to secure her future through seduction. When befriended by an impressionable schoolmate, Ivy uses every means at her disposal to infiltrate and destroy her friend's family. "A Lolita for the 90's". Formerly titled DESIRE, then POISON IVY. PROOF (Fine Line) March 29 (NY) Dir: Jocelyn Moorhouse April 3 (limited) Cast: Hugo Weaving, Genevieve Picot, Russell Crowe April 17 (wide) Producer: Lynda House Screenplay: Jocelyn Moorhouse An amusing psychosexual love triangle involving a blind photographer who is obsessed with the manner photographs record images that he cannot see. The film swept the 1991 Australian film awards and was the talk of the Toronto Film Festival. PYRATES TBA Dir: Noah Stern Cast: Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick Exec Producers: Andrew Meyer, Tom Taylor Screenplay: Noah Stern Start Date: 11/90, Los Angeles Two lovers burn up everything in sight. RIFF-RAFF (Fine Line) May 13 (NY) Dir: Ken Loach June 5 (LA + limited) Cast: Robert Carlyle, Emer McCourt, Jimmy Coleman, George Moss Producer: Sally Hibbin Screenplay: Bill Jesse Composer: Stewart Copeland A black comedy about a recent Glasgow prison inmate who gets a job on a non-union construction site with a gang of workers converting a rat-infested hospital into luxury flats. This critique of Thatcher's Britain was shot in 16mm. ROADSIDE PROPHETS (Fine Line) March 27 (NY, LA) Rating: "R" For language and a scene of drug use. April 3 (wider) Dir: Abbe Wool Cast: Adam Horovitz, John Doe, David Carradine, Timothy Leary, Arlo Guthrie, John Cusack Producers: Peter MCCarthy, David Swinson Screenplay: Abbe Wool D.P.: Tom Richmond Start Date: 9/90, Los Angeles A modern road movie about two loners on a winding motorcycle odyssey in search of Jackpot, Nevada, wisdom and themselves. In this 1990's "Easy Rider", the wandering duo encounters a succession of eccentric "prophets", played by famous and infamous characters past and present, including John Cusack, Timothy Leary, Arlo Guthrie and David Carradine. Wool wrote SID AND NANCY. Word is not particularly encouraging. SIMPLE MEN (Fine Line) September 25 (NY) Dir: Hal Hartley October 16 (LA + limited) Cast: Robert Burke, William Sage, Martin Donovan, Julia McNeal, Jeff McKay, Matt Malloy, Jeff Howard D.P.: Mike Stiller Negative Cost: $3 million Start Date: 11/6/91, Texas Comedy of two brothers and their search for their long-lost father from the director of TRUST. First TV window goes to PBS' AMERICAN PLAYHOUSE. SKEETERS (Team Players) Summer Cast: Cyril O'Reilly, Tracy Griffith STEPKIDS (New Line) March Dir: Joan Micklin Silver Cast: Griffin Dunne, Margaret Whitton, David Straithairn, Ben Savage Producers: Gerald Olson, Laurie Pearlman Screenplay: Frank Mugavero D.P.: Theo van de Sande Start Date: 9/18/90, Mammoth Lakes, Los Angeles A funny and touching story of a 15-year-old girl whose parents have divorced and remarried so many times, that she now feels lost in a sea of stepkids. Silver last directed CROSSING DELANCEY. SURF NINJAS November SWOON (Fine Line) August 19 (NY) Dir: Tom Kalin September 11 (wider) Cast: Ron Vawter, Michael Stumm, Michael Kirby Producer: Christine Vachon 16mm B&W pickup was spotted at the Independent Feature Market in New York. Story of Nathan Leopold Jr. and Richard Loeb, teenagers involved in a 1924 kidnap/murder of a young boy. Will make first TV appearance on PBS' AMERICAN PLAYHOUSE. Vachon produced Todd Haynes' POISON. TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES III March 1993 Dir: TBA Exec Producer: Raymond Chow Producer: David Chan Screenplay: Stuart Gillard Start Date: 6/92, Vancouver Negative Cost: $17 million The third Turtle film will take over five sound stages at Stephen Cannell's studio. Storyline involves time-travel, between today and the 17th Century. The Turtle outfits will no longer be from Jim Henson's Creature Shop. TOXIC CRUSADERS Spring 1993 Dir: TBA Cast: TBA Troma goes big-time with a $10 million New Line film starring a group of environmental accident mutants (ala TMNT) based on THE TOXIC AVENGER. Headed by Toxie, they will include Nozone, Major Disaster, Headbanger and Junkyard. They fight the evil Dr. Killemoff, Psycho and Bonehead. <groan> TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME September Dir: David Lynch Cast: Kyle MacLachlan, Sheryl Lee, Ray Wise, Chris Isaak, Moira Kelly, Dana Ashbrook, Michael Ontkean, Harry Dean Stanton, Grace Zabriskie, James Marshall Exec. Producers: David Lynch, Mark Frost Producer: Gregg Fienberg Screenplay: David Lynch, Bob Engels Start Date: 9/5/91, Los Angeles, Washington (state) New Line paid $6 million to pick up this prequel to the TWIN PEAKS TV series for domestic release. Storyline features the seven days before Laura Palmer's murder. VOLERE, VOLARE August 7 (NY) Dir: Guido Manuli August 28 (LA + limited) Cast: Maurizio Nichetti Producers: Enesto di Sarro, Mario and Vittorio Cecchi Gori This Italian import is a comic fantasy that blends live action and animation. Star Nichetti is the acclaimed director of THE ICICLE THIEF. WATERLAND (Palace/Fine Line) October 9 (NY) Dir: Stephen Gyllenhaal October 23 (LA + limited) Cast: Jeremy Irons, Ethan Hawke, John Heard, Miranda Richardson, David Morrissey, Lena Heady, Grant Warnock, Callum Dixon, Cara Buono Screenplay: Peter Prince, based on Graham Swift's novel D.P.: Robert Elswit Start Date: 9/16/91, Pittsburgh, London Negative Cost: $8 million Contemporary drama about a British teacher in an American high school. Irons is a history teacher who breaks through his students' wall of indifference by relating his and his family's difficult personal experiences in the Europe of World War II. The family comes to life before their very eyes. Gyllenhaal directed the acclaimed PARIS TROUT, as well as KILLING IN A SMALL TOWN. WE'RE TALKIN' SERIOUS MONEY TBA Dir: James Lemmo Cast: Dennis Farina, Leo Rossi Producer: Lisa Hansen Screenplay: James Lemmo, Leo Rossi Start Date: 2/91, Los Angeles Two hustlers, the mob and the government. Said to be hilarious. WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD (Fine Line) February 28 (NY) Dir: Charles Sturridge March 20 (wide) Cast: Judy Davis, Helen Mirren, Helena Bonham-Carter, Rupert Graves Producer: Derek Granger Screenplay: Tim Sullivan, Derek Granger, Charles Sturridge, based on E.M. Forster's novel Turn-of-the-century romantic tragedy concerns two British ladies on holiday in Tuscany. Sturridge directed A HANDFUL OF DUST and co-directed BRIDESHEAD REVISITED. Shown at the Toronto Film Festival. WHERE THE DAY TAKES YOU (Cinetel) May 22 Dir: Marc Rocco Cast: Dermot Mulroney, Lara Flynn Boyle, Will Smith, Kyle MacLachlan, Ricki Lake, Sean Astin, Laura San Giacomo, Adam Baldwin. Balthazar Getty, James LeGros, Peter Dobson, Alyssa Milano, Rachel Ticotin, David Arquette Producer: Paul Hertzberg Screenplay: Michael Hitchcock, Kurt Voss, Marc Rocco D.P.: Bartlett Gersh An outstanding ensemble of young actors star in this urban drama about homeless teenagers and their struggle for respect and survival on the streets of Hollywood. Good advanced word. THE WIDE SARGASSO SEA (Fine Line) May 1 Dir: John Duigan Cast: Nathaniel Parker, Karina Lombard, Rachel Ward, Michael York Producer: Jan Sharp Screenplay: John Duigan, based on Jean Rhys' novel Start Date: 7/91, Jamaica Period romance set in the 19th Century Caribbean details sexual obsession between an English aristocrat and the French island lovely that he takes for his wife. XTRO II: THE SECOND ENCOUNTER (New Line) Rating: "R" For sci-fi/horror violence and language YO, ALICE! 1993 Dir: TBA Cast: TBA Producer: David Permut Screenplay: TBA Negative Cost: <$10 million A hip-hop musical film version of ALICE IN WONDERLAND that was developed by Maurice Hines, who may choreograph and/or perform in the film. In this version, Alice Huxley is a 17-year-old African-American who ventures on a voyage of discovery when she and her friend Harvey (who is transformed into the Rabbit) get sucked into the VCR. The lead role will be cast with an unknown, but there will be some big names in supporting roles. October Films ------------- ADAM'S RIB April (NY) Orion (Finances willing) ----- ARTICLE 99 March 13 Dir: Howard Deutch Cast: Ray Liotta, Kiefer Sutherland, Lea Thompson, Forest Whitaker, Kathy Baker, John Mahoney, John C. McGinley, Keith David, Jeffrey Tambor, Eli Wallach, Julie Bovasso Producers: Michael Levy, Michael Gruskoff Screenplay: Ron Cutler D.P.: Richard Bowen Start Date: 10/8/90, Kansas City, MO Negative Cost: $17.6 million. An irreverent comedy about a group of doctors and nurses working in a VA hospital. They are skilled in their profession, but they are equally skilled in taking on the bureaucracy they work for. Deutch is Thompson's hubby. BLUE SKY Fall Rating: "PG-13" Dir: Tony Richardson Cast: Jessica Lange, Tommy Lee Jones, Powers Boothe, Chris O'Donnell, Amy Locane, Carrie Snodgress Producers: Robert H. Solo, Lynn Arost, Jessica Lange D.P.: Steve Yaconelli Screenplay: Rama Blum, Jerry Leichtling, Arlene Sarner Start Date: 5/14/90, Selma, AL, Florida Negative Cost: $15.6 million Lange stars in this dramatic period piece about an unhappy wife who moves to a military base with her family and finds herself caught in a cover-up involving nuclear bomb tests. The late Tony Richardson's last film. CAR 54, WHERE ARE YOU? Summer Dir: Bill Fishman Cast: David Johansen, John C. McGinley, Fran Drescher, Nipsey Russell, Rosie O'Donnell, Al Lewis, Tone Loc Producer: Robert H. Solo D.P.: Rodney Charters Screenplay: Erik Tarloff, Ebbe Roe Smith, Peter McCarthy Start Date: 8/27/90, Toronto, New York Negative Cost: $10.7 million "There's a holdup in the Bronx..." Feature film version of the long-running '60s TV sitcom with Officers Toody and Muldoon. Fishman directed TAPEHEADS. Johansen stars as Gunther Toody and McGinley portrays his sidekick, Francis Muldoon, two mismatched police officers, partners by circumstance but not by choice. The rollicking comedy also features cameo appearances by Penn & Teller, Tone Loc and the Ramones with music by the Ramones, Coati Mundi, Lis Delbello, Mojo Nixon and Denny Doherty of the Mamas and the Papas. CHINA MOON Fall Dir: John Bailey Cast: Ed Harris, Madeline Stowe, Benicio Del Toro, Charles Dance Producer: Barry M. Osborne D.P.: Willy Kurant Screenplay: Roy Carlson Start Date: 10/8/90, Florida Negative Cost: $14.6 million This steamy thriller is about a veteran detective (Harris) in a small Florida city whose backstreet romance with wealthy young widow spins a web of deceit, betrayal and murder. His official investigation of the crime backfires when the trail begins to point to him. "China Moon" is the second TIG production, following Orion's "Dances With Wolves." CLIFFORD Summer Dir: Paul Flaherty Cast: Martin Short, Charles Grodin Producers: Larry Brezner, Pieter Jan Brugge Screenplay: Steven Kampnamm, Will Aldis D.P.: John A. Alonzo Start Date: 7/24/90, Los Angeles Negative Cost: $18.8 million Martin Short stars in dual roles along with Charles Grodin, Mary Steenburgen and Dabney Coleman in this comedy about a mischievous, 10-year-old boy left in the care of his bachelor uncle (Grodin) while his parents are in Hawaii. More than a few catastrophic misadventures are in store for Clifford, a juvenile genius with a one-track mind, as his dream of visiting Dinosaurworld becomes his uncle's worst nightmare. Delayed from a June, 1991 release. THE DARK HALF Fall Dir: George A. Romero Cast: Timothy Hutton, Amy Madigan, Michael Rooker, Julie Harris, Robert Joy, Rutanya Alda, Kent Broadhurst, Tom Mardirosian Exec. Producer: George A. Romero Producer: Declan Baldwin Screenplay: George A. Romero D.P.: Tony Pierce-Roberts Start Date: 10/15/90, Pittsburgh Negative Cost: $16.1 million Based on the best-selling Stephen King novel, this one is about a writer whose alter ego, the author of several vicious crime novels, takes on a life of his own. Hutton gets to play dual roles. THE FAVOR May Dir: Donald Petrie Cast: Elizabeth McGovern, Harley Jane Kozak, Ken Wahl, Bill Pullman, Brad Pitt Producer: Lauren Shuler-Donner Screenplay: Josann McGibbon, Sara Parriott Start Date: 9/19/90, Portland, OR Negative Cost: $12.9 million A romantic comedy about Emily and Kathy, two best friends whose long-time bond suddenly snaps when Emily's fantasy about her high school sweetheart she hasn't seen in 15 years, and her request of an unusual favor, puts their friendship to the ultimate test. Petrie directed MYSTIC PIZZA and OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS. LOVE FIELD TBA Rating: "PG-13" Dir: Jonathan Kaplan Cast: Michelle Pfeiffer, Dennis Haysbert, Brian Kerwin, Beth Grant, Louise Latham, Peggy Rea Producers: Midge Sanford, Sarah Pillsbury Screenplay: Don Roos D.P.: Ralf D. Bode Start Date: 4/2/90, Rocky Mount, NC, Virginia, Washington, DC Negative Cost: $17.7 million Interracial love story set against the backdrop of the Kennedy assassination. Kaplan directed THE ACCUSED. Haysbert (MAJOR LEAGUE) replaced Denzel Washington as the love interest. Has been pushed back to 1992 from October 18th at Michelle Pfeiffer's request, due to FRANKIE AND JOHNNY's October 11th playdate. MARRIED TO IT 1.85 (SR) TBA Rating: "R" Language and a scene of sensuality Dir: Arthur Hiller Cast: Beau Bridges, Stockard Channing, Robert Sean Leonard, Mary Stuart Masterson, Ron SIlver, Cybill Shepard Producer: Thomas Baer Screenplay: Janet Kovalcik D.P.: Victor J. Kemper Start Date: 7/30/90, Toronto, New York Negative Cost: $14.3 million A comedy featuring three married New York couples with radically different lifestyles. Leonard was the suicidal thespian in DEAD POETS SOCIETY. Music is by Henry Mancini. Film runs 110 minutes. Advanced word is tepid. MISSING PIECES 1993 Rating: "PG" Dir: Leonard Stern Cast: Eric Idle, Robert Wuhl, Lauren Hutton, Bernie Kopell, Kim Lankford, Richard Belzer Producer: Aaron Russo Screenplay: Leonard Stern D.P.: Peter Stein Start Date: 10/10/90, New York, Los Angeles The comedic adventures of an idealist, a greeting card writer and a gifted cellist. Marvin Hamlisch will provide the musical score. OFF AND RUNNING 1993 Dir: Edward Bianchi Cast: Cyndi Lauper, David Keith, Richard Belzer, Anita Morris, Johnny Pinto Producer: Aaron Russo Screenplay: Mitch Glazer D.P.: Andrzej Bartkowiak Start Date: 2/8/90, Miami, New York, Washington, DC Formerly titled MOON OVER MIAMI. PROBABLE CAUSE January 1993 Negative Cost: $25 million ROBOCOP 3 Summer Dir: Fred Dekker Cast: Robert Burke, Nancy Allen, John Castle, CCH Pounder, Bruce Locke, Felton Perry, Robert DoQui Producer: Patrick Crowley Screenplay: Fred Dekker D.P.: Gary Kibbe Start Date: 2/4/91, Atlanta Negative Cost: $23.5 million In the film, Omni-Consumer Product Corp. (OCP), the company which originally designed RoboCop, has scheduled Detroit's largest neighborhood for extinction to make way for a gleaming new city in the future. In his effort to serve public trust, RoboCop leaves the Detroit Police Department and joins forces with a rebel group to help them defend their homes. Among this determined band of homeless revolutionaries is Nikko, a 10-year-old computer genius who idolizes RoboCop. Her devotion and loyalty awakens in RoboCop the human longings and fleeting but powerful memories of a murdered cop named Murphy. SHADOWS AND FOG March 20 Rating: "PG" Dir: Woody Allen Cast: Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Madonna, John Malkovich, Jodie Foster, Donald Pleasence, Kenneth Mars, Fred Gwynne, David Straithairn, Kate Nelligan Exec. Producers: Jack Rollins, Charles Joffe Producers: Robert Greenhut, Woody Allen Screenplay: Woody Allen D.P.: Carlo Di Palma Start Date: 11/19/90, New York Negative Cost: $21.8 million *Everyone* wants to work with Woody! And yes, it's in Black and White and set in the Roaring Twenties. It's Woody's most expensive film ever. His next film, which went into production in November, '91 will be for TriStar and his old friend Mike Medavoy. First showing is December 5th at New York's new Walter Reade Theatre for the Film Society of Lincoln Center. THERE GOES MY BABY Fall Rating: "R" for language Dir: Floyd Mutrux Cast: Dermot Mulroney, Rick Schroder, Kelli Williams, Noah Wyle, Jill Schoelen, Kristin Minter, Lucy Deakins, Kenny Ransom Producer: Robert Shapiro Screenplay: Floyd Mutrux Negative Cost: $10.5 million A bittersweet look at a time in history in the early 60s when things are about to change for eight high school graduates, and for the rest of the country. The Orion Classics -------------- THE ADJUSTER July Rating: "R" for sensuality. Cast: Elias Koteas, Maury Chaykin DANZON July Dir: Maria Novaro This is a Mexican pickup. HOWARD'S END March Dir: James Ivory Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Vanessa Redgrave, James Wilby, Helena Bonham Carter Producer: Ismail Merchant Screenplay: Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, based on the novel by E.M. Forster D.P.: Tony Pierce-Roberts Start Date: 4/22/91, U.K. The creators of A ROOM WITH A VIEW and MAURICE tackle yet another E.M. Forster novel. Two wealthy English families' contrasting views of life force them into battle of style as they compete for inheritance of a house. JACQUOT DE NANTES June Dir: Agnes Varda Biography of the childhood of Ms. Varda's late husband, director Jacques Demy. RAISE THE RED LANTERN February 7 (NY) Rating: "PG" Dir: Zhang Yimou Cast: Gong Li This film is Hong Kong's official entry into the Foreign Language Oscar race. Yimou directed the Oscar-nominated JU DOU. Opens at Manhattan's Lincoln Plaza Cinemas. A TALE OF SPRINGTIME May Dir: Eric Rohmer Cast: Anne Teyssedre, Hughes Quester, Florence Darel, Eloise Bennett Producer: Margaret Menegoz Screenplay: Eric Rohmer D.P.: Luc Pages The French film master spins a story of romantic tension and intrigue when a high school teacher stays over at the apartment of her girlfriend's father. A WOMAN'S TALE January (NY, LA) Rating: "PG-13" Dir: Paul Cox Cast: Sheila Florance, Gosia Dobrowolska, Norman Kaye Producers: Paul Cox, Santhana Naidu Screenplay: Paul Cox, Barry Dickins D.P.: Nino Martinetti This Aussie film played at Beverly Hill's Music Hall for a one week Oscar-qualifying run in December. Roger Ebert is quoted as claiming it "the best film I have seen in 1991". It concerns an elderly, dying woman's budding friendship with a young woman. Paramount --------- THE ADDAMS FAMILY II October Dir: TBA Cast: TBA Producer: Scott Rudin Screnplay: Paul Rudnick "Greed is good. Greed works." ALIVE (Touchstone/Paramount) December Dir: Frank Marshall Cast: TBA Exec. Producer: Kathleen Kennedy Producer: Robert Watts Screenplay: Monte Merrick Start Date: 1/92 Co-production between two studios is another version of that Andes plane crash cannibalism episode of several years ago. Marshall directed ARACHNOPHOBIA. BEBE'S KIDS July Dir: Bruce Smith Voices: Saison Love Exec. Producers: Reginald and Warrington Hudlin Producers: Tom Wilhite, Willard Carroll Screenplay: Reginald Hudlin Start Date: 10/2/91, Los Angeles Animated film features characters created by the late comedian Robin Harris (DO THE RIGHT THING, HOUSE PARTY). Saison Love has been signed to perform the voice of Harris. BEVERLY HILLS COP III Summer, 1993 Dir: TBA Cast: Eddie Murphy Another formula film. This time Murphy gets $15 million up front. BOOMERANG June Dir: Reginald Hudlin Cast: Eddie Murphy, Robin Givens, Grace Jones, Eartha Kitt, Geoffrey Holder, Halle Berry, David Alan Grier Producers: Brian Grazer, Warrington Hudlin Screenplay: Barry Blaustein, David Sheffield D.P.: Woody Omens Start Date: 11/13/91, New York The Hudlin Brothers scored with HOUSE PARTY. Now they get a major deal at Paramount. Murphy is a ladies' man who falls in love with a girl who can't stand him. Eddie will get $12 million for this one. COLUMBUS 2.35 70mm October Dir: Ridley Scott Cast: Gerard Depardieu, Sigourney Weaver, Armand Assante, Fernando Rey, Fernando Garcia, Angela Molina, Tcheky Karyo, Kario Salem, Frank Langella, Mark Margolis, Arnold Vaslu, Fernando Guillen Producers: Ridley Scott, Alain Goldman, Mimi Polk Screenplay: Roselyne Bosch D.P.: Adrian Biddle Start Date: 12/2/91, Spain, France, Costa Rica Negative Cost: $40 million One of two features in production on the exploits of Christopher Columbus, in commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Discovery of the New World. The competing feature from the Salkinds has yet to get distribution. This film will likely have a title change. Depardieu is Columbus, of course. Ms. Weaver plays Queen Isabella. The other film (directed by John Glen) has George Corraface as Columbus, Tom Selleck as Ferdinand, Rachel Ward as Isabella and Marlon Brando as Torquemada, the Grand Inquisitor. COOL WORLD July 1 Dir: Ralph Bakshi Cast: Kim Basinger, Gabriel Byrne Producer: Frank Mancuso, Jr. Screenplay: Michael Grais, Mark Victor D.P.: John A. Alonzo Start Date: 3/15/91, Las Vegas, Los Angeles Combined animation-live action film reportedly tells the story of real people who find themselves in a cartoon world and can't figure out why. EMILY BRONTE'S WUTHERING HEIGHTS Fall Dir: Peter Kosminsky Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Juliette Binoche Producer: Mary Selway Screenplay: Anne Devlin, based on Emily Bronte's novel Start Date: 10/91, England Remake of the classic tale WUTHERING HEIGHTS is the first product from Paramount Europe. Producer Selway's name will be recognized as one of the very top casting directors in the biz. INDECENT PROPOSAL December Dir: Adrian Lyne Cast: TBA Producer: Sherry Lansing Screenplay: Amy Jones Start Date: 3/2/92 Lyne and Lansing team up one again after FATAL ATTRACTION made so much money for Paramount (although it officially just *barely* went into the black...love those grosse pointes!) THE INNOCENT TBA Dir: John Schlesinger Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Campbell Scott, Isabella Rossellini Producers: Norman Heyman, Chris Sievernich, Wieland Schulz-Kiel Screenplay: Ian McEwan Start Date: 3/92, Berlin, Vienna Romantic espionage thriller set in 1955 Berlin. Formerly to have been directed by Jon Amiel, who is doing SOMMERSBY for Warner Brothers instead. INTERSECTION 1993 Dir: Mark Rydell Producers: Sherry Lansing, Frederic Colchan This one is a remake of LES CHOSES DE LA VIE. JENNIFER EIGHT Fall Dir: Bruce Robinson Cast: Andy Garcia, Uma Thurman, Lance Henriksen, Kathy Baker, John Malkovich, Graham Beckel, Kevin Conway, Perry Lang, Nicholas Love, Michael O'Neill, Paul Bate, Bob Gunton, Lenny Von Dohlen Producer: Scott Rudin Screenplay: Bruce Robinson Start Date: 9/23/91, Vancouver Negative Cost: $20 million Garcia stars as Sgt. John Berlin, a former L.A. cop who joins the police force of a Northern California town. In his obsessive pursuit of a homicide investigation, he believes that he's on the trail of a dangerous killer who has just claimed his eighth victim, code-named Jennifer. Helena Robertson (Thurman) is a blind woman whose friend has disappeared. Helena may have encountered the killer and could provide Berlin with his only chance of solving the crimes. The more deeply Berlin becomes involved in the case, the more authorities doubt the very existence of the killer. Henriksen plays Freddy Ross, Berlin's friend and colleague. Baker is Freddy's wife, Margie. Malkovich is St. Anne, the FBI investigator assigned to the case. Garcia received an Oscar nod for THE GODFATHER PART III. He also co-stars in DEAD AGAIN. Henriksen will be seen in ALIEN3. Baker was recently seen in EDWARD SCISSORHANDS and is in the upcoming ARTICLE 99. Malkovich was recently in QUEENS LOGIC, THE OBJECT OF BEAUTY and THE SHELTERING SKY. Robinson directed WITHNAIL AND I. He was Oscar-nominated for writing THE KILLING FIELDS. JUICE January 17 Rating: "R" for strong language and some violence Dir: Ernest Dickerson Cast: Omar Epps, Jermaine Hopkins, Khalil Kain, Tupac Shakur Producers: Neal Moritz, David Heyman, Peter Frankfurt Screenplay: Gerard Brown, Ernest Dickerson D.P.: Larry Banks Negative Cost: $5 million Spike Lee's cinematographer makes his feature directorial bow with a film concerning four black Harlem youths whose brief encounter with crime takes a deadly turn. This independent production has been picked up by Paramount, who have a $10 million P&A budget. The soundtrack features rap/hip hop music. 'natch. LADYBUGS March 27 Dir: Sidney J. Furie Cast: Rodney Dangerfield, Jackee, Jonathan Brandis, Ilene Graff Producers: Albert S. Ruddy, Andre Morgan Screenplay: Curtis Burch Middle-aged salesman agrees to coach a company-sponsored soccer team composed of 13-year-old girls called "The Ladybugs", in hopes of securing a promotion. A "Bad News Bears" type of comedy. LAME DUCKS Rating: "PG" Spring Dir: Dennis Dugan Cast: John Turturro, Mel Smith, Bob Nelson, Nancy Marchand, John Savident, George de la Pena, Spike Alexander, Juli Donaki Producers: David Zucker, Jerry Zucker, Gil Netter Screenplay: Pat Proft D.P.: David M. Walsh Start Date: 12/10/90, Los Angeles Madcap comedy about three men commissioned to start a ballet company. Dugan last directed PROBLEM CHILD. Scheduled to be retitled. PATRIOT GAMES 2.35 70mm May 22 Dir: Philip Noyce Cast: Harrison Ford, Anne Archer, James Earl Jones, Thora Birch, Samuel Jackson, Sean Bean, Patrick Bergin, Polly Walker Producer: Mace Neufeld, Robert Rehme Screenplay: W. Peter Iliff, based on Tom Clancy's novel Start Date: 11/2/91, London, Los Angeles, Maryland D.P.: Don McAlpine Negative Cost: $42 million Alec Baldwin pulls out of this sequel to THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER due to scheduling problems when the start date was pushed back to November. He will be starring on Broadway with Jessica Lange in "A Streetcar Named Desire" in February. Harrison Ford will apparently be paid $9 million to take over the film. Archer plays Dr. Cathy Ryan and Birch is their seven-year old daughter Sally. James Earl Jones once again is Admiral James Greer. Jackson is Ryan's buddy. They are victimized by international terrorism in the storyline. Ford will also be in the subsequent sequel, CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER. The producers are now bidding big for the following property, THE SUM OF ALL FEARS, in which Ford would again topline. Talks for that sequel have apparently broken down, CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER will be directed by John McTiernan, who helmed THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER. John Badham was in the works to direct PATRIOT GAMES, but couldn't strike the right deal. Noyce directed DEAD CALM. ...OCTOBER grossed $120 million domestically and $77 million overseas. Tom Clancy has stated his dissatisfaction with what they have done to his story. PAYDIRT April 24 Rating: "PG-13" Dir: Bill Phillips Cast: Jeff Daniels, Dabney Coleman, Rhea Perlman, Catherine O'Hara Producer: Mort Engelberg Screenplay: Bill Phillips Daniels is a criminal psychologist who makes a deal with one of his patients to dig up his buried treasure in return for half of the profits. Unfortunately for him, some of the other inmates overheard the plans before escaping.... PET SEMATARY II August Dir: Mary Lambert Cast: TBA Producer: Ralph Singleton Start Date: 1/92, Atlanta Greed. THE SAINT December Dir: Renny Harlin Cast: TBA Producer: Robert Evans Screenplay: Terry Hayes Simon Templar comes to the big screen. I hope Roger Moore gets a cameo. SCHOOL TIES Fall Dir: Robert Mandel Cast: Bredan Fraser, Matt Damon, Randall Batinkoff, Chris O'Donnell, Cole Hauser, Anthony Rapp, Ben Affleck, Andrew Lowery, Amy Locane Producer: Sherry Lansing Screenplay: Darryl Ponicsan D.P.: Freddie Francis Start Date: 9/3/91, Massachusetts SHOW AND TELL August Dir: Chris Crowe Cast: Annabella Sciorra, Anthony LaPaglia, Jamey Sheridan, Deborah Unger, John Leguizamo, Alan Alda, Jill Clayburgh, Anthony Heald Producer: Martin Bregman, Michael Scott Bregman Screenplay: Chris Crowe D.P.: Michael Chapman Start Date: 10/21/91, New York, North Carolina Formerly titled SESSIONS. WAYNE'S WORLD February 14 Rating: "PG-13" Dir: Penelope Spheeris Cast: Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Rob Lowe, Lara Flynn Boyle, Donna Dixon, Colleen Camp Exec. Producer: Howard W. Koch Producer: Lorne Michaels Screenplay: Mike Myers, Bonnie Turner, Terry Turner Start Date: 8/2/91, Los Angeles Another hang-over from Mr. Tartikoff's bag o' tricks winds up at Paramount as a feature is made of the Cable-TV public access show segment of NBC's Saturday Night Live starring those two mid-pubescent air-guitarers hits the big screen. Lowe plays a TV exec who sees commerical potential in the access show. Boyle is Wayne's ex-girlfriend and Dixon is Garth's dream girl, a curvaceous doughnut shop employee. Samuel Goldwyn -------------- 35 UP January 15 (NY) Dir: Michael Apted Producer: Michael Apted Screenplay: Michael Apted D.P.: George Jesse Turner The fifth in director Apted's series of documentaries begun 28 years ago following a group of people's lives every seven years has been picked up by Goldwyn. It is the highest grossing documentary in Australian history. BEST INTENTIONS May 22 (limited) Dir: Bille August Cast: Ghita Norby, Max Von Sydow, Pernilla Ostergreen, Samuel Froler Screenplay: Ingmar Bergman The story of Bergman's parents' courtship deals with class conflicts and passions which lead to near violence. The film covers the decade of 1909 to 1918 before Ingmar's birth. The film was released in Sweden as a six hour TV mini-series. Von Sydow plays his maternal grandfather. August directed PELLE THE CONQUEROR. MISSISSIPPI MASALA February 5 (NY) Dir: Mira Nair February 14 (LA) Cast: Denzel Washington, ASarita Choudhury, Roshan Seth, Sharmila Tagore, Tico Wells, Charles Dutton Producers: Mira Nair, Michael Nozik Screenplay: Sooni Taraporeavala D.P.: Ed Lachman Start Date: 8/27/90, Greenwood MS, Kampala Uganda Story of an Indian family that was forced to flee Idi Amin's Uganda in 1972. Twenty years later they find themselves in Greenwood MS, where the daughter falls in love with an entrepreneurial carpet cleaner (Washington), which causes tension within both the Indian and Black communities. The word is excellent. MR. WONDERFUL TBA Dir: Anthony Minghella Cast: TBA Producer: Marianne Moloney Screenplay: Vicki Polon, Amy Schor Start Date: 1/92, New York THE PLAYBOYS May 1 Dir: Gillies MacKinnon Cast: Albert Finney, Aidan Quinn, Robin Wright, Milo O'Shea, Niamh Cusack, Ian McElhinney, Stella McCusker, Niall Buggy Producer: Bill Cartlidge, Simon Perry Screenplay: Shane Connaughton, Kerry Crabbe D.P.: Jack Conroy Start Date: 7/1/91, Ireland Tara is a strong-willed woman who falls for a traveling actor when his troupe sets ip their theatre in her village during the late 1950s. The town police sergeant, who has long been in love with Tara, is determined to destroy this budding romance. Connaughton wrote MY LEFT FOOT. Wright of THE PRINCESS BRIDE replaced the preggers Annette Bening. RETURN TO MYSTIC PIZZA Summer Sequel to the 1988 hit that brought Julia Roberts notoriety. ROCK-A-DOODLE April 3 Rating: "G" Dir: Don Bluth Cast: Voices of Glen Campbell, Ellen Greene, Christopher Plummer, Phil Harris, Sandy Duncan, Eddie Deezen Producers: Don Bluth, Gary Goldman, John Pomeroy Screenplay: David N. Weiss Animated musical about a rooster with the power to bring up the sun. There is an 18 minute live-action sequence concerning the farm family. From Sullivan/Bluth Productions, creators of AN AMERICAN TAIL, THE LAND BEFORE TIME, THE SECRET OF NIMH and ALL DOGS GO TO HEAVEN. Opened in London in July, 1991 to good notices. Will go out with 1500 prints. THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY TBA Cast: Eric Bogosian TRACES OF RED June Dir: Andy Wolk Cast: Jim Belushi, Lorraine Bracco, Tony Goldwyn, Jim Piddock Producer: Mark Gordon Screenplay: Jim Piddock D.P.: Tim Suhrstedt Start Date: 11/4/91, Palm Beach FL. Erotic thriller about two police detectives involved with a politically powerful woman. Formerly titled BEYOND SUSPICION. SGE ---- MCBAIN 1.85 January 31 (2nd rel.) Rating: "R" Strong war violence, language and drug use. Dir: James Glickenhaus Cast: Christopher Walken, Maria Conchita Alonso, Michael Ironside, Steve James, Jay Patterson, T.G. Waits, Victor Argo Producer: J. Boyce Harman, Jr. Screenplay: James Glickenhaus Negative Cost: $16 million This action film involves a group of Vietnam vets who honor a pact made to a former comrade 20 years previously. Features extensive computer generated effects. Opened on 9/20/91 with a $1.1 million ad-pub budget and 130 prints in NY and LA and tepid results. Skouras ------- HIGHWAY 61 March Cast: Don McKellar, Valerie Buhagier HUNTING February (LA) Cast: John Savage, Kerry Armstrong I DON'T BUY KISSES ANYMORE February 14 (LA) Cast: Jason Alexander, Nia Peeples Symphony Pictures ----------------- SECRET SOCIETY TBA Dir: Diane Keaton Cast: Emilio Estevez, Charlie Sheen, Diane Keaton Producers: Martin Sheen, William R. Greenblatt A story of racial injustice in the South. Taurus ------ THE EYES OF THE WORLD late Fall Dir: TBA Cast: Melanie Griffith, Tracy Griffith Screenplay: Melanie Griffith, Tracy Griffith Start Date: Summer 1992 The Griffith sisters star together for the first time in a vehicle that they also co-wrote. A portrait artist circa 1912 must choose between being famous by compromising his art or painting his subjects as he really sees them. Trimark ------- THE BUBBLEMAN TBA Dir: Stanley Kramer Cast: TBA Producer: Stanley Kramer Screenplay: Ron Pearlman, Bob Woodburn, Stanley Kramer Start Date: 1/92, Los Angeles Negative Cost: $15 million Romantic comedy is Stanley Kramer's first film since THE RUNNER STUMBLES in 1979. CITIZEN SANE TBA Negative Cost: $7 million A superhero spoof. A DOG OF FLANDERS Dir: Daniel Petrie Cast: Richard Harris, Max Von Sydow Producer: Gary Omura Screenplay: David Keating, based on Ouida's novel, previously adapted for 1959 20th Century Fox film. Start Date: 9/16/91, Bokrijk Belgium DOLLY DEAREST February 21 Dir: Maria Lease Cast: Denise Crosby, Sam Bottoms, Rip Torn, Chris Demetral, Candy Hutson Producer: Daniel Cady Screenplay: Maria Lease Archaeologist Karl Resnick (Torn) unknowingly unleashes a terrifying evil by opening a centuries-old mass grave in Mexico filled with the corpses of an ancient cult, where hundreds of people were buried alive. Dollmaker Eliot Read (Bottoms) has moved his family to Mexico after purchasing a factory so that he can introduce the world to a beautiful doll, the Dolly Dearest. The Read family little suspects the horror that awaits them as Dolly Dearest has been possessed by the evil spirit. THE FAVOUR, THE WATCH AND THE VERY BIG FISH March 13 Rating: "R" for language and sensuality Dir: Ben Lewin Cast: Bob Hoskins, Jeff Goldblum, Natasha Richardson, Michel Blanc Producer: Michelle de Broca Screenplay: Ben Lewin Louis (Hoskins), a struggling photographer, searches for the perfect model to pose as Christ on the cross. His prayers are answered when he meets and falls in love with a beautiful actress named Sybil (Richardson), who unwittingly leads him to the perfect Jesus, a destitute ex-con (Goldblum). But Louis' good fortune starts to unravel when he discovers that his Christ model is a madman who is also in love with Sybil and is beginning to take his new-found divinity far too seriously. FINAL APPROACH 2.35 (SS) (CDS) March 6 (NY, LA) Dir: Eric Steven Stahl Cast: James B. Sikking, Hector Elizondo, Madolyn Smith, Kevin McCarthy Producer: Eric Steven Stahl Negative Cost: $13 million This 'scope Cinema Digital Sound film's claim to fame is that it is the first film to have an entirely digital soundtrack. It played a one-week engagement in CDS at the UA Coronet in Westwood for Oscar qualification. It is a psychological thriller concerning a test-pilot who finds himself in a bizarre alternate reality. Notices are mediocre. INTERCEPTOR April 3 Dir: Michael Cohn Cast: Jurgen Prochnow, Elizabeth Morehead, Andrew Divoff Producers: Kevin M. Kallberg, Oliver G. Hess Screenplay: Michael Ferris, John Brancato An action thriller about a daring international plot to steal the Stealth fighter, the pride of the U.S. Air Force. A sadistic arms dealer (Prochnow) plans to intercept a giant C-5 cargo jet en route to the U.S. from the Middle East to steal its secret cargo of two Stealth fighters. INTO THE SUN February 7 Rating: "R" for language Dir: Fritz Kiersch Cast: Anthony Michael Hall, Michael Pare, Deborah Maria Moore, Terry Kiser Producers: Oliver Hess, Kevin Kallberg Screenplay: John Brancato, Michael Ferris Start Date: 3/5/91, Los Angeles A fun-filled action adventure about a young self-center Hollywood superstar Tom Slade (Hall) who, in preparation for an upcoming film role, is teamed with Captain Paul "Shotgun" Watkins (Pare), a tough, disciplined, by-the-book Top Gun pilot stationed in Sicily. This incompatible duo become unlikely allies when they are thrust unexpectedly into a real life-or-death situation involving combat with rebel Middle Eastern soldiers. LEPRECHAUN May 8 Dir: Mark Jones Cast: Warwick Davis, Jennifer Aniston, Ken Olandt, Mark Holton, Robert Gorman Producer: Jeffrey B. Mallian Screenplay: Mark Jones D.P.: Levie Isaaks Start Date: 10/28/91, Los Angeles Davis, who played WILLOW, stars as a powerful, wicked leprechaun who embarks on a reign of terror to seek revenge against the inhabitants of a rural town who have stolen his pot of gold. THE PHILADELPHIA EXPERIMENT II TBA THE SILK ROAD February 21 Dir: Junta Sato Cast: Toshiyuki Nishida, Koichi Sato, Anna Nakagawa, Tsunehiko Watase Exec Producers: Yasuyoshi Tokuma, Gohei Kogure, Kazuo Haruna Screenplay: Tsuyoshi Yoshida, Junya Sato, based on Yasushi Inoue's novel DUN HUANG A sweeping tale of romance and conflict in ancient China, a compelling personal story of self-discovery set against an epic canvas of desert warfare and chivalry. This landmark Chinese-Japanese co-production tells the story of a young scholar's coming of age on the war-torn tribal fringes of the Song Dynasty in the 11th Century. In Japanese with English subtitles. STEPFATHER III: FATHER'S DAY March 20 Rating: "R" for violence and some sensuality Dir: Guy Magar Cast: Robert Wightman, Priscilla Barnes, Season Hubley, David Tom, John Ingle, Dennis Paladino Producers: Guy Magar, Paul Moen Screenplay: Guy Magar, Lee Wasserman The film traces the Stepfather's search for an ideal, ready-made family. Arriving in the small town of Deer View, the Stepfather (Wightman) soon becomes involved with single mother Christine (Barnes), who has a thirteen-year-old paraplegic son Andy (Tom). Conflicts arise when Andy leaves for the summer to live with his father. This temporary void in his new family leads to the Stepfather's inadvertant involvement with another single mother Jennifer (Hubley), who has recently moved into town with her young son. Andy's unexpected early return throws off the Stepfather's plans, eventually bringing about the final conflict between the Stepfather and his two families. WARLOCK II TBA Yes, it's a sequel to the stylish pic. TriStar -------- BASIC INSTINCT March 20 Dir: Paul Verhoeven Cast: Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, George Dzundza, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Denis Arndt, Leilani Sarelle Producer: Alan Marshall Screenplay: Joe Eszterhas D.P.: Jan De Bont Start Date: 4/5/91, San Francisco, Carmel, Los Angeles Very controversial thriller about a lesbian serial killer and the cop who becomes sexually obsessed with one of three dangerous suspects. Douglas was paid a wallet-busting $14 million for this one. This was to have been released in CDS. BITTER MOON (Carolco) TBA Dir: Roman Polanski Cast: Peter Coyote, Emmanuelle Seigner, Hugh Grant, Kristin Scott-Thomas, Victor Banerjee Producer: Roman Polanski Screenplay: Roman Polanski D.P. Tonino Delli Colli Start Date: 8/5/91, Paris This Carolco production is the latest effort from the talented and notorious Mr. Polanski. This erotic thriller was filmed aboard a cruise ship that sailed from Venice to Istanbul and Athens, as well as Paris. BREAKING LEGS TBA Dir: Bud Yorkin Cast: TBA Screenplay: Bruce Jay Friedman Producer: Bud Yorkin Start Date: Spring 1992 Negative Cost: $15-$16 million Yorkin produces and directs a cinematic version of the Off-Broadway play that he co-produced. It concerns a young professor seeking backing for a play he has written. He winds up getting it financed by the mob. In the screen version he will come to Hollywood to try to get his movie made. Yorkin is seeking Tom Hanks to topline. BUDDY COPS TBA Dir: Allan Metter Cast: TBA Producers: David Permut, Robert Kosberg Screenplay: David O'Malley, B.J. Nelson Start Date: 10/91, Dallas CHARLIE (Carolco) December Dir: Richard Attenborough Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Dan Aykroyd, Geraldine Chaplin, Milla Jovovich, Mildred Harris, Moira Kelly, Kevin Kline, Diane Lane, Penelope Ann Miller, Paul Rhys, Marisa Tomei, Nancy Travis, David Duchovny, Michael Goorjian Producers: Richard Attenborough, Mario Kassar Screenplay: William Boyd, based on "My Autobiography" by Charles Chaplin and "Chaplin -- His Life and Art" by David Robinson D.P.: Sven Nykvist Start Date: 10/14/91, England, Los Angeles Negative Cost: $31 million This biopic headlining Downey as Charlie Chaplin has jumped from Universal to Carolco. This story of his life begins with his impoverished youth in London, continues with his major achievements during Hollywood's Golden Age, his fears concerning "talkies", his conflicts with J. Edgar Hoover, his exile from America and his brief, triumphant return to accept his special Academy Award. Downey will age from 19 to 83 in the process. Aykroyd plays Mack Sennett (of Keystone Kops fame), Geraldine Chaplin plays her real grandmother, Hannah Chaplin. Jovovich (RETURN TO THE BLUE LAGOON) is Mildred Harris, Chaplin's child actress first wife. Kelly (THE CUTTING EDGE, THE BOY WHO CRIED BITCH) is Oona Chaplin, his last and dearest wife. Kline works with Attenborough for the second time (CRY FREEDOM), this time as Douglas Fairbanks Sr. Lane (COTTON CLUB, A LITTLE ROMANCE) is Paulette Goddard, Chaplin's third wife and one of the biggest stars of the 40's. Miller (AWAKENINGS, OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY) is Edna Purviance, the Nevada secretary who became Chaplin's first leading lady. Rhys (Royal Shakespeare Co., VINCENT AND THEO) is Chaplin's elder half-brother Sydney who became Charlie's business manager after abandoning his own acting career. Tomei (OSCAR) plays early silent screen star Mabel Normand and Travis (AIR AMERICA) is would-be actress Joan Barry, who almost destroyed Chaplin. CLIFFHANGER 2.35 TBA Dir: Renny Harlin Cast: Sylvester Stallone Producers: Alan Marshall, Renny Harlin Screenplay: Mike France D.P. Oliver Wood Start Date: 1/92 Stallone is a park ranger who must make a daring rescue of fallen friends while mountain climbing. Screenwriter France is a former TriStar staff reader. There are two other major parts, one male, one female, as yet uncast. This project is very close to turnaround due to very high costs, reportedly some $25 million below-the-line. CITY OF JOY 1.85 April 3 Dir: Roland Joffe Cast: Patrick Swayze, Pauline Collins, Art Malik, Om Puri, Shabana Azmi Producers: Roland Joffe, Jake Eberts Screenplay: Mark Medoff, based on Dominique Lapierre's novel D.P.: Peter Biziou Start Date: 2/9/91, Calcutta India, London England An American doctor travels to Calcutta and unexpectedly finds love and beauty surrounded by the city's stifling poverty. Apparently the filmmakers have been experiencing problems with the locals on location. The film will return to India in the Fall to shoot the monsoon season scenes. Some interior pickup shots were done at Pinewood Studios in London in late August. Delayed from Christmas limited release. EVEN COWGIRLS GET THE BLUES TBA Dir: Gus Van Sant Cast: Jodie Foster, Madonna, Uma Thurman Have thumb will travel? HELL CAMP TBA Dir: Milos Forman Cast: Dylan Walsh Producer: Michael Hausman Screenplay: Adam Davidson, Milos Forman D.P.: John Bailey Start Date: 1/92, Tokyo, New York Story of a New Yorker sent by his Japanese-owned company to train in Japan where he becomes an accomplish sumo wrestler has been put on hold due to conflicts with the Sumo Wrestling Society of Japan. It was to have begun production on 11/18/91 for a Christmas 1992 release. HIDEAWAY 1993 Dir: TBA Cast: TBA Producer: Cathleen Summers Screenplay: TBA, based on Dean Koontz' novel Book is to be released in January 1992. Story is a battle between two men who have returned from the dead....one good, the other evil. Dennis Quaid's production company has the rights to this via TriStar. No word yet as to whether Quaid will topline. LEGENDS OF THE FALL 1993 Dir: Ed Zwick Cast: TBA Screenplay: TBA, based on Jim Harrison's novella A father and his three sons all have loved the same woman at some time in their lives in this Montana-based piece that spans 1912 to 1932. Talks have been held with Mel Gibson, Tom Cruise and Sean Connery to star. LES MISERABLES 1993 Dir: Bruce Beresford Cast: TBA Producer: Cameron Mackintosh Screenplay: Alain Boublil, Calude-Michel Schonberg Start Date: Spring 1992, France, England Negative Cost: $40 million Big-screen adaptation of the musical stage hit. MR. JONES Fall Dir: Michael Figgis Cast: Richard Gere, Lena Olin, Anne Bancroft Producers: Alan Greisman, Debra Greenfield Screenplay: Eric Roth, Michael Cristofer D.P.: Juan Ruiz-Anchia Start Date: 11/11/91, Los Angeles, San Diego A charming manic-depressive man falls in love with a psychiatrist. That's two Gere films this year dealing with psychiatrists..... THE MISTRESS TBA Dir: Barry Primus Cast: Robert Wuhl, Robert DeNiro, Martin Landau, Danny Aiello, Eli Wallach Exec Producer: Robert DeNiro Producers: Meir Tepper, Ruth Charny Screenplay: Jonathan Lawton TriStar has domestic rights to this showbiz comedy from Tribeca Films. THE QUIZ SHOW TBA Dir: Harold Becker Cast: Richard Dreyfuss Producers: Mark Johnson, Fred Zolo Screenplay: Paul Antanasio The scandalous days of the Fifties' television quiz shows are relived. SNIPER Spring Dir: Luis Llosa Cast: Tom Berenger, Billy Zane Producer: Robert Rosen Screenplay: Crash Leyland This negative pickup from Odyssey Entertainment is set in the Central American jungles. Berenger is a marine sniper and Zane is his untested new partner from the NSC. Their mission is to terminate the life of a renegade Panamanian general in charge of a resistance movement. SO I MARRIED AN AXE MURDERER TBA Cast: Chevy Chase THUNDERHEART May 1 Dir: Michael Apted Cast: Val Kilmer, Graham Greene, Sam Shepard, Fred Ward, Sheila Tousey Producers: Robert DeNiro, John Fusco, Jane Rosenthal Screenplay: John Fusco D.P.: Roger Deakins Start Date: 6/13/91, Rapid City, SD Negative Cost: $15 million DANCES WITH WOLVES' Oscar nominee Greene co-stars in this film concerning the investigation of an FBI agent who is sent to South Dakota to uncover the murder of an Indian tribesman. Through his efforts he discovers his own Indian heritage. The Sioux have permitted the filmmakers to shoot in locations that are the sacred grounds of the tribe. Kilmer last starred in THE DOORS. Apted has a couple of documentaries under his belt most recently, INCIDENT AT OGLALA and 35 UP, along with CLASS ACTION and GORILLAS IN THE MIST. From Tribeca Films. UNIVERSAL SOLDIER July 17 Dir: Roland Emmerich Cast: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dolph Lundgren, Ally Walker, Ed O'Ross, Jerry Orbach Producer: Craig Baumgarten, Allen Shapiro Screenplay: Richard Rothstein, Christopher Leitch D.P.: Walter Lindenlaub Start Date: 8/12/91, Arizona With those two headliners, you know the ground'll be a-shakin' in this one. WILDER NAPALM September 25 Dir: Glen Gordon Caron Cast: Debra Winger, Dennis Quaid, Arliss Howard, Jim Varney, M. Emmet Walsh Producers: Barry Levinson, Mark Johnson, Stuart Cornfeld Screenplay: Vince Gilligan D.P.: Jerry Hartleben Start Date: 11/14/91, Florida Quaid is a carnival clown in an offbeat, contemporary romantic science fiction-comedy. Varney finally gets to play someone other than Ernest (I hope). Howard is a volunteer fireman and Quaid is his carnival clown twin brother who live together in a mobile home in rural Virginia. They set fires and vie for the affections of the same woman (Winger). WIND Summer Dir: Carroll Ballard Cast: Matthew Modine, Jennifer Grey, Stellan Skarsgard, Rebecca Miller, Cliff Robertson, Jack Thompson Exec. Producers: Francis Ford Coppola, Fred Fuchs Producers: Mata Yamamoto, Tom Luddy Screenplay: Rudy Wurlitzer, Larry Gross, Mac Gudgeon D.P.: John Toll Negative Cost: $29 million It's all about romance against the backdrop of sailboat racing as the 1987 sailing team defends its Americas Cup trophy against Australia. Ballard directed THE BLACK STALLION and NEVER CRY WOLF. Shot in Australia, Newport RI, Utah and Hawaii. Delayed from an April 15th release. WOODY ALLEN FALL PROJECT '91 Fall Dir: Woody Allen Cast: Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Judy Davis, Juliette Lewis, Liam Neeson, Cristi Conaway, Sydney Pollack, Lysette Anthony Producers: Robert Greenhut, Woody Allen Screenplay: Woody Allen D.P.: Carlo Di Palma Start Date: 11/4/91, New York Woody has been greenlighted on doing one film for TriStar, because Orion is destitute. Apparently Woody wants to film it in Super 16 and blow it up to 35mm for a grainy, documentary-like effect. TriStar wants him to use 35mm all the way. Woody isn't used to getting interference from the studio.... Film concerns a Barnard professor who becomes romantically involved with one of his students. Emily Lloyd was replaced by Juliette Lewis of CAPE FEAR fame as his amour. Triton ------ ALAN AND NAOMI January 31 Dir: Sterling VanWagenen Cast: Lukas Haas, Michael Gross, Vanessa Zaoul, Zohra Lampert Producer: David Anderson, Mark Balsam Screenplay: Jordan Horowitz Story of a friendship between two teenagers in the aftermath of WWII. Opens in 18 markets. THE HAIRDRESSER'S HUSBAND April 17 (NY) Dir: Patrice Leconte Cast: Jean Rochefort, Anna Galiena, Philippe Clevenot, Roland Bertin Producer: Thierry De Ganay Screenplay: Claude Klotz, Patrice Leconte A forty-year-old man has been determined to marry a hairdresser since the age of twelve. His dream is finally realized and his passion so great that his new wife is always aware that she is the most beautiful woman in the world to him. Leconte directed MONSIEUR HIRE. HEARTS OF DARKNESS: A FILMMAKER'S APOCALPYSE January 10 (LA,limited) Rating: "R" for language Dir: Fax Bahr Cast: Eleanor Coppola, Francis Ford Coppola, Robert Duvall, Dennis Hopper, George Lucas, John Milius, Martin Sheen Producers: George Zaloom, Les Mayfield Screenplay: Fax Bahr, George Hickenlooper Top-notch documentary concerning the ordeal of Francis Coppola's shoot on APOCALYPSE NOW will be given a limited theatrical run after exposure on Showtime. 60 hours of 16mm footage shot by Eleanor Coppola was discovered in Zoetrope's vaults. Excerpts of this footage, along with newly shot interviews with the filmmakers and actors (sans Brando) go into the docu. After running o on Showtime, this opened in NY, Seattle, SF and Dallas on 11/27/91. THE LUNATIC January 31 (NY) Dir: Lol Creme February 14 (LA) Cast: Paul Campbell, Julie T. Wallace Ribald comedy with a lusty German woman who takes two Jamaican lovers while on vacation in a small village. Director was a founding member of the rock group 10CC. MINDWALK Expansion Continues Dir: Bernt Capra January 31 (Boston) Cast: Liv Ullmann, Sam Waterston, John Heard, Ione Skye Producer: Adrianna AJ Cohen Politically correct film set against the remarkable Abbey of Mont Saint Michel, this ecological conservation film deals with a meeting of three minds. Ullmann is a scientist, Waterston a politician and Heard a poet. They exchange, debate and share ideas about controversial ideas facing the world in the 1990's. It is based on a book "The Turning Point" by director Capra's brother Fritjof, who also wrote "The Tao of Physics". Director Bernt was production designer on THIS IS SPINAL TAP and BAGDAD CAFE. Film has garnered great kudos at festivals in Sundance, Denver and Cleveland. It was at the Seattle Film Festival in May '91. Popular among those who don't mind talky films. TOTO THE HERO February 21 (NY) Dir: Jaco van Dormael March 6 (wider) Screenplay: Jaco van Dormael Winner of the 1991 Cannes Camera d'Or award is a French-language film about a man who looks back at his earlier life, surmising what it might have been and what it has become. This film is the largest grossing French-language film from Belgium in history. Triumph ------- AMBULANCE TBA Dir: Larry Cohen Cast: Eric Roberts, James Earl Jones, Megan Gallagher, Richard Bright, Red Buttons Producers: Moctezuma Esparza, Robert Katz Screenplay: Larry Cohen Another thriller from Larry Cohen..this time strange ambulances take people away. The doctors are dealing in human guinea pigs. Excellent advanced word. Postponed from a 10/90 opening. BRENDA STARR late April/early May Dir: Robert Ellis Miller Cast: Brooke Shields, Timothy Dalton, Tony Peck, Diana Scarwid, Jeffrey Tambor, Charles Durning, Eddie Albert, Nestor Serrano, Henry Gibson Producer: Myron A. Hyman Screenplay: Delia Ephron, Noreen Stone, James Buchanan It's finally coming out!! This has only been completed for about five years, caught up in litigation with Dino DeLaurentiis' defunct company. And then it's reported quite awful, as well. It's so old, in fact, that I didn't feel like digging that far back in the archives to get all of the production info. Delayed twice again, latest time from Fall. Funded by some BCCI accounts..... BY THE SWORD TBA Dir: Jeremy Paul Kagan Cast: F. Murray Abraham, Eric Roberts Start Date: 9/90, New York Fencing academy instructor is jealous of the success of his new instructor. THE GATE II February 28 Rating: "R" for scenes of drug use. Dir: Tibor Takacs Cast: Louis Tripp, Pamela Segall, James Villemaire, Simon Reynolds Producer: Andras Hamori Sequel to the moderate hit of 1986 with the same director. HIT MAN TBA Dir: Roy London Cast: Forest Whitaker, Sherilyn Fenn, Louis Anderson, Conchata Ferrell, Seymour Cassell, Jim Belushi, Sharon Stone, Lois Chiles Producer: Amin Q. Chaudri Screenplay: Kenneth Pressman, based on his play "Insider's Price" D.P.: Yuri Sokol Start Date: 1/9/91, Pittsburgh, Sharon, PA Suspense film starring a TWIN PEAKS luminary. Music is by Michel Colombier, who performed the same services on NEW JACK CITY. RUBY March 13 Dir: John Mackenzie Cast: Danny Aiello, Sherilyn Fenn, Arliss Howard Producers: Sigurjon Sighvatsson, Steve Golin Screenplay: Stephen Davis, based on his play "Love Field" This one's about Jack Ruby and his assassination of Lee Harvey Oswald. From Propaganda Films. WILD ORCHID II: TWO SHADES OF BLUE March 27 Rating: "R" Dir: Zalman King Cast: Nina Siemaszko, Tom Skerrit, Robert Davi, Wendy Hughes Exec. Producer: Mark Damon Producers: David Saunders, Rafael Eisenman Screenplay: Zalman King, George Gary D.P.: Mark Reshovsky Start Date: 10/12/90, Los Angeles A beautiful woman's romance with a handsome, wealthy man is jeopardized when he sees her in a fake porno film. May open April 3rd. Formerly titled BLUE MOVIE BLUE. Turner Pictures --------------- ARSENIC AND OLD LACE Dir: TBA Cast: TBA Yet another remake of this classic tale will be produced by the venerable Lord Lew Grade. Discussions are underway with Shirley MacLaine and Shelley Winters to play the aunts. John Cusack and Mark Harmon are under consieration for the lead. This may go to TNT domestically. 20th Century Fox ---------------- ALIEN3 2.35 70mm (SS) May 22 Dir: David Fincher Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Charles Dutton, Charles Dance, Brian Glover, Paul McGann, Ralph Brown, Daniel Webb, Lance Henriksen Producers: David Giler, Walter Hill, Gordon Carroll Screenplay: John Fasano, Larry Ferguson D.P.: Alex Thomson Start Date: 1/14/91, London Negative Cost: $57+ million Third time's the charm? Ripley arrives on an orbiting prison space station only to again be faced with battling the Alien while hindered by the lack of technology in this new place. Fincher is a first-time feature director, having conquered the music video world already, particularly for Madonna. Visual Effects are provided by Boss Films. Supervisor Richard Edlund says the EFX will be vastly more sophisticated and numerous than in the previous two films. The title alien will be more mobile than in the past and there will be some "digital scene creation", such as Edlund used in GHOST's end sequence. Production design by multiple Oscar winner Norman Reynolds. The film will go through four weeks of reshoots in LA commencing December 9th. It's apparently a mess! Fox' exec. VP Tom Sherak says "there's no better way to launch Summer 1992 that with this latest chapter in the series, which is a stunning continuation of the story both creatively and technologically". Film has been twice delayed, from November/December 1991, to January/February 1992, to Memorial Day Weekend. February/March BACK IN THE USSR February 7 Rating: "R", for some language and violence, and for a scene of sensuality. Dir: Deran Serafian Cast: Frank Whaley, Natalya Negoda, Roman Polanski Producers: Lindsey Smith, Ilmar Taska Screenplay: Lindsey Smith Start Date: 10/1/90, Moscow This romantic thriller was shot in and around Moscow. It depicts an American student caught up in art theft and murder. as he is framed for murder when a priceless icon is stolen. Whaley was last seen in CAREER OPPORTUNITIES and THE DOORS. Negoda starred in LITTLE VERA. Formerly titled ICONS. From Largo Entertainment. May only receive limited theatrical exposure and/or go straight to video. BEFORE I WAKE (Pentamerica) March Dir: Michael Lessac Cast: Kathleen Turner, Tommy Lee Jones, Esther Rolle, Park Overall, Asha Menina Producers: Dale Pollock, Lianne Halfon, Wolfgang Glattes Screenplay: Michael Lessac A mother's young daughter suddenly becomes mute and develops unusual abilities that medical science cannont explain. Postproduction was done at the Skywalker Ranch. This is Lessac's feature directorial debut. He is known for directing TV sitcoms. BLACK CAT BONE: THE RETURN OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN TBA Dir: John Hughes Cast: TBA Producer: John Hughes Screenplay: John Hughes Start Date: 3/16/92 Hughes has written a script that brings the Huck Finn character into modern times. THE CROWDED ROOM Fall Dir: James Cameron Cast: John Cusack Producers: James Cameron, Larry Kassanoff Screenplay: Todd Graff, from Daniel Keyes' novel "The Minds of Billy Milligan" Start Date: 4/92 Cameron's new non-EFX film (before the EFX-laden SPIDERMAN) concerns a man with multiple personalities. Cameron plans to use different actors to play the other personalities! Graff wrote the script for USED PEOPLE and was a featured actor in Cameron's THE ABYSS. From Lightstorm Entertainment. FERNGULLY: THE LAST RAINFOREST (SR) April 17 Dir: Bill Kroyer Voices: Tim Curry, Samantha Mathis, Christian Slater, Jonathan Ward, Robin Williams, Grace Zabriskie, Cheech Marin, Tommy Chong Exec. Producers: Robert W. Cort, Ted Field Producers: Peter Faiman, Wayne Young Screenplay: Jim Cox, based on original children's stories by Australian author Diana Young Composer: Alan Silvestri Start Date: 6/4/90, Los Angeles Animated musical feature with an ecological theme uses mythical characters to deal with the threat to the world's rain forests. Delayed from 11/22/91. There would have been an unprecedented THREE major animated films opening the same day! Principal animation was completed by the 120+ animators in early October 1991. The animation has been called "visually stunning". There are 35+ merchandising tie-ins, including Pizza Hut, Target Stores, USPS and Green Giant. This is Fox' first animated feature since 1983. Johnny Clegg, Sheena Easton, Elton John, Raffi, Tone Loc and Robin Williams will perform original songs written for the animated musical fantasy. Songwriters include Jimmy Webb, Thomas Dolby, Raffi, Jimmy Buffett, Elton John, Bruce Roberts and Alan Silvestri. The complete list of songs to be featured in the film follows: "Life is a Magic Thing," written by Thomas Dolby and performed by Johnny Clegg; "A Dream Worth Keeping," written by Jimmy Webb and Alan Silvestri and performed by Sheena Easton; "Some Other World," written by Bruce Roberts and Elton John and performed by Elton John; "It's Raining Like Magic," written and performed by Raffi; "If I'm Goanna Eat Somebody (It Might As Well Be You)," written by Jimmy Buffet and Mike Utley and performed by Tone Loc, and "Batty Rap," an original character piece written by Dolby and performed by Robin Williams as the voice of brain- fried bat Batty Koda. A cover version of the classic song "Land of a Thousand Dances," re-interpreted by producer Teddy Riley (who has four songs featured on Michael Jackson's "Dangerous" album) and performed by Guy, and "Toxic Love," written by Dolby and performed by Tim Curry, as the evil villain Hexxus. FOLKS May Dir: Ted Kotcheff Cast: Tom Selleck, Don Ameche, Anne Jackson, Christine Ebersole Producers: Victor Drai, Malcolm Harding Screenplay: Robert Klane A Chicago commodities broker (Selleck) hasn't seen his parents in years. They had retired to Florida and he has little contact with them. Everything changes with a late-night call from a Florida hospital. He is suddenly wanted by the FBI, his assets are frozen, his senile parents move in and his wife leaves him. His parents come up with a crazy idea to solve the situation. A black comedy from the producers of WEEKEND AT BERNIE'S. FORTRESS TBA Dir: Stuart Gordon Cast: Christopher Lambert, Kurtwood Smith, Loryn Locklin, Lincoln Kilpatrick Producers: John David, John Flock Screenplay: Troy Neighbors, Steven Feinberg, Terry Fox D.P.: David Eggby Start Date: 10/21/91, Queensland Australia THE GOOD SON 1993 Dir: TBA Cast: Macauley Culkin Producer: Larry Mark Screenplay: Ian McEwan Start Date: late 1992, New England Production has been delayed a year as Macauley Culkin has been signed to play the "bad seed" and he's tied up with HOME ALONE 2. This film takes place in a wintry environment so it will now be a 1993 release, rather than Fall 1992. Michael Lehmann of HEATHERS and HUDSON HAWK infamy was signed as director. He didn't think Culkin was old enough to play the character. He was considering two other boys for the part, but Fox inked Culkin instead and delayed the picture. Lehmann will not direct. Mary Steenburgen's participation is up in the air, too. Culkin will get somewhere in the neighborhood of $1.5-$2 million. GRAND CANYON 2.35 (SR) January 10 (limited) Rating: "R" for language January 17 (wide) Dir: Lawrence Kasdan Cast: Danny Glover, Kevin Kline, Steve Martin, Mary McDonnell, Mary Louise Parker, Alfre Woodard Producers: Charles Okun, Michael Grillo, Lawrence Kasdan Screenplay: Lawrence Kasdan, Meg Kasdan Composer: James Newton Howard D.P.: Owen Roizman Start Date: 3/11/91, Los Angeles A very personal serio-comic look at the ups and downs of L.A. life in the Ninties, ala' THE BIG CHILL. Opened in exclusive New York and Los Angeles engagements on Christmas Day to qualify for the Oscars and goes wider on January 10th. Film runs 134 minutes. HOFFA December Dir: Danny DeVito Cast: Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito Producer: Edward R. Pressman, Caldecott Chubb Screenplay: David Mamet Start Date: 1/92, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Washington DC Negative Cost: $35 million The long in the works biopic about Teamster boss Jimmy Hoffa. Both DeVito and Nicholson have had to compromise on their fees to get the greenlight on the production, even after talking the project with Disney, Warner Brothers, TriStar and Universal. Everyone loved the script, but not the pricetag. HOME ALONE 2: LOST IN NEW YORK November 20 Dir: Chris Columbus Cast: Macauley Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard, Catherine O'Hara, Brenda Fricker, Tim Curry, Eddie Bracken, Rob Schneider Producer: John Hughes Screenplay: John Hughes D.P.: Julio Macat Start Date: 12/9/91, New York, Chicago Will lightning strike twice? The first film has passed the $500 million worldwide boxoffice gross watermark. Culkin is reportedly getting $7 million for this one. HOUSE OF CARDS May JACK THE BEAR September Dir: Marshall Herskovitz Cast: Danny DeVito, Gary Sinise, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Robert J. Steinmiller Jr., Miko Hughes Screenplay: Steve Zaillen, based on Dan McCall's novel DeVito plays a widower who moves his family to Oakland, CA after his wife's death. He becomes a late-night TV horror movie host and very popular with the neighborhood kids. Herskovitz is known for TV's "thirtysomething". Film was delayed from 12/91 release. JUMPIN' AT THE BONEYARD TBA Rating: "R" for language Cast: Tim Roth, Alexis Arquette THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS 70mm July 3 Dir: Michael Mann Cast: Daniel Day Lewis, Madeline Stowe, Jodhi May, Eric Schweig, Russell Means, Steven Waddington, Wes Studi, Maurice Roeves Producers: Michael Mann, Hunt Lowry Screenplay: Michael Mann, Christopther Crowe, based on James Fenimore Cooper's novel D.P.: Dante Spinotti Start Date: 6/17/91, Asheville, NC Negative Cost: $37 million The Oscar winner toplines in another version of this classic tale from the man who gave us MIAMI VICE. Set against the backdrop of the French-Indian wars, Lewis plays a frontiersman who was raised by Mohican Indians. He falls in love with the daughter of a British colonel (Stowe). Lewis has apparently put on a lot of muscle for this role. Morgan Creek International holds foreign distribution rights. LOVE POTION #9 February 14 Dir: Dale Launer Cast: Tate Donovan, Sandra Bullock, Dale Midkiff, Mary Mara Producer: Tom Hammel Screenplay: Dale Launer D.P.: William Wages Start Date: 10/7/90, Atlanta Romantic comedy about two shy scientists who create a love potion that stirs the desire of every member of the opposite sex they meet. Launer makes his directorial debut. He wrote RUTHLESS PEOPLE. MAN TROUBLE April Dir: Bob Rafelson Cast: Jack Nicholson, Ellen Barkin, Beverly D'Angelo Producers: Bruce Gilbert, Carole Eastman Screenplay: Carole Eastman Barkin is a singer who is house-sitting for her sister (D'Angelo). She discovers that the security gate is broken and feels threatened. Nicholson enters as a con man posing as an attack dog trainer. Romantic fireworks ensue. MY COUSIN VINNY March 13 Rating: "R" for language Dir: Jonathan Lynn Cast: Joe Pesci, Ralph Macchio, Mitchell Whitfield, Marisa Tomei, Fred Gwynne, Lane Smith, Bruce McGill, Austin Pendleton Producer: Dale Launer Screenplay: Dale Launer D.P.: Peter Deming Start Date: 2/11/91, Georgia Comedy with Pesci as a lawyer who uses his East Coast swagger to defend two cousins framed for murder. Lynn directed NUNS ON THE RUN. Launer wrote LOVE POTION #9 and RUTHLESS PEOPLE. NAKED LUNCH January 10 (wide) Rating: "R" for heavy drug content, bizarre eroticism, and language Dir: David Cronenberg Cast: Peter Weller, Judy Davis, Julian Sands, Roy Scheider, Monique Mercure, Michael Zelniker, Nicholas Campbell, Joseph Scorsiani Producer: Jeremy Thomas Screenplay: David Cronenberg, based on William Burroughs' novel Composer: Howard Shore D.P.: Peter Suschitzky Start Date: 1/21/91, Toronto Surreal, nightmarish adventure based on Burroughs' literary classic. A writer who fears his talent finds liberation when mysterious entities send him to Interzone....a fictitious place overrun by witches, junkies, spies and shape-shifting monsters. Word is really good. Moved up to Christmas '91 exclusive engagements in New York and LA for Oscar qualification. Won Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress (Judy Davis) Awards from the New York Film Critics' Circle. "Exterminate all rational thought". NIGHT AND THE CITY November Dir: Irwin Winkler Cast: Robert DeNiro, Jessica Lange, Alan King, Cliff Gorman, Jack Warden, Eli Wallach Exec Producer: Martin Scorsese Producers: Jane Rosenthal, Irwin Winkler Screenplay: Richard Price, based on Jules Dassin's 1950 20th-Fox film, written in turn by Jo Eisinger from Gerald Kersh's story D.P.: Tak Fujimoto Start Date: 11/4/91, New York Negative Cost: $20 million Remake of the 1950 Jules Dassin classic about a New York hustler trying to make his way as a boxing promoter. DeNiro replaces Tom Hanks in the lead role. DeNiro and Lange reteamed after CAPE FEAR. A Martin Scorsese presentation. From Tribeca Productions. Hey, that's two remakes for DeNiro in one year's time! ONCE UPON A FOREST August Dir: Dave Michener Voices: Michael Crawford, Glenn Close, Andrae Crouch, Ben Vereen Producers: David Kirschner, Charles Grosvenor Screenplay: Mark Young, Kelly Ward Formerly called THE ENDANGERED, this animated film is yet another environmentally-themed project. An oil spill and toxic fumes infiltrate an underwater paradise. So far 15 merchandising licensees have been signed for the film. Music is by James Horner. PRELUDE TO A KISS July Dir: Norman Rene Cast: Alec Baldwin, Meg Ryan, Patty Duke, Ned Beatty, Kathy Bates, Stanley Tucci, Sydney Walker Producer: Michael Gruskoff Screenplay: Craig Lucas, from his play D.P.: Stefan Czapsky Start Date: 4/8/91, Los Angeles The hit Broadway play about a newlywed who finds that his wife's soul has entered the body of an elderly man comes to the big (or small) screen. THE PRETENDER 1993 Dir: George Gallo Jr. Cast: Anthony LaPaglia Producer: David Permut Screenplay: George Gallo Jr. Start Date: 3/92 RAPID FIRE August Dir: Dwight Little Cast: Brandon Lee, Powers Boothe, Nick Mancuso Producers: Robert Lawrence, Jerry Olsen Screenplay: Alan B. McElroy D.P.: Ric Waite Start Date: 5/28/91, Los Angeles, Chicago Bruce Lee's son stars in this thriller. An art student helps a Chicago cop break up the city's heroin biz. Another martial-arts flick. RIPLEY'S BELIEVE IT OR NOT 1993 Dir: Chris Columbus Producer: Stan Buchtal An action-adventure. RISING SUN late 1992 /early 1993 Dir: Philip Kaufman Cast: Sean Connery Screenplay: Philip Kaufman, based on Michael Crichton's novel Start Date: 4/92, Los Angeles Crichton's new novel about the insidious influence of Japanese interests in an America of the very near future will be directed by the very capable Mr. Kaufman, whose last project was HENRY AND JUNE. Kaufman also helmed THE RIGHT STUFF and INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1978). RUBY CAIRO TBA Dir: Graeme Clifford Cast: Andie MacDowell, Liam Neeson Screenplay: Robert Dillon, Michael Thomas Negative Cost: $24 million MacDowell is a woman who enters a world of danger and intrigue when she attempts to uncover the plot behind her husband's mysterious demise in a plane crash. Romantic thriller was shot in LA, Cairo, Athens, Berlin and Veracruz. From Kadokawa Pictures. Clifford directed FRANCES. Dillion wrote THE RIVER, Thomas wrote LADYHAWKE. SHINING THROUGH 2.35 70mm (SS) (SR) January 31 Rating: "R" for a scene of sensuality Dir: David Seltzer Cast: Michael Douglas, Melanie Griffith, Liam Neeson, Joely Richardson, Sir John Gielgud Producers: Howard Rosenman, Carol Baum Screenplay: David Seltzer, based on Susan Isaacs' novel D.P.: Jan De Bont Start Date: 10/1/90, Berlin, England A World War II romantic thriller involves a secretary working in the New York office of the OSS who goes on a spy mission to Berlin. She is half-Jewish and she infiltrates German security by posing as a housekeeper for Nazi officer Liam Neeson. Douglas is her occasional lover and permanent boss, who was paid