Michael Mann Latest News

Michael Mann set to produce new HBO Pilot
Michael Mann is set to be producing a new HBO pilot and possibly series on a futuristic crime story. The series touted as "Buda Bridge" is being directed by fresh talent Michael Roskam, whose latest directing work was on the Oscar nominated 'Bullhead" last year.

Keeping irons in his fire, Roskham is also to direct "The Tiger", which was originally linked with Darren Aronofsky who is currently shooting "Noah" with Russell Crowe in Iceland. No doubt due to that commitment, Aronofsky is instead intending to produce for Roskham.

The Last of the Mohicans
Further excellent news is that The Last of the Mohicans in Blu-ray format is making its way here to the United Kingdom with a release date soon for October 8th. Unlike the US edition which is distributed by 20th Century Fox, the UK edition will be distributed by Warner Brothers. There are no details of what bonus features may or may not appear.

For fans of The Last of The Mohicans, here is a great page of trivia about the movie and its historical context. Fascinating reading. Click here to go to the page.

Go Like Hell

Apparently, with the F1 film Rush having been announced, the studios have put Mann's project "Go Like Hell" on ice, until it has passed through. The Rush article can be read here:

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118051278?refCatId=13

In the article, it is reported that "Michael Mann's 'Go Like Hell', about the Ferrari vs. Ford rivalry for supremacy at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race during the 1960s was close to being set up at Fox last year, but is reportedly on hold until 'Rush' is finished." I tweeted the Variety link a few days ago, but for those just looking at the blog, this is the latest I have on that project. If anybody knows more, let me know.

Michael Mann to work on documentary about modern war photographers

Michael Mann is enjoying his freedom with HBO and according to Hollywood Reporter has teamed up on another reported collaboration on the making of a documentary about a new generation of combat documentary photographers. It takes Mann back to his early roots of documentary filmmaking of riots in Paris, France and feeds his appetite for men in extreme scenes of conflict both internally and externally. He is teaming up with documentary director David Frankham.

It looks an exciting project, and could take documentary film making to a completely different level. In an earlier post I shared my thrill and depth of emotional experience at watching Mugabe and the White African, which was cinematic in its appearance, and breathtaking in its story telling. As someone who studied photography, I have admired war photographers. Being British, some of the shots by Don McCullin were of great interest and are extraordinary in capturing the haunting effects of shell shock, having seen his exhibition in London some years ago now.

This is definitely a Mann fit project, taking in South America, where drug lords are something of an interest to Mann. Read the full news piece to get the details.

Mann in talks to direct The Big Stone Grid

In a recent interview this year Michael Mann told us to tune in soon to news of what may be his next directorial film project. Then 13th February Deadline posts news of Mann's interest in an invite from Sony Pictures to direct crime thriller, 'The Big Stone Grid'. I am a week late posting the news. I turned 40 yesterday, so call it age. According to Deadline, it is about two decorated detectives who uncover a terrifying extortion ring that operates within the secret underbelly of New York City. Many will say this is typical Mann territory, but in truth crime drama is just one of numerous different worlds Mann has created - Last of the Mohicans, The Insider and Ali - and are not what one might call noir crime drama. Yet, Michael Mann's developing interest in crime as a basis for drama, writing for Starsky & Hutch, and his pre-occupation for cat and mouse conflicts between detectives and their flip side counterparts, has given him the reputation that sometimes I think Mann backs off from, but inevitably is given plaudits for.

The Big Stone Grid would therefore be fairly safe territory for both Mann and Sony Pictures, who would see this as a win-win partnership, both artistically and financially. Mann enjoys bringing out the internalized masculine soul for us to see, and finds extreme conflict a powerful way to emote this process. With the complexity of a protection racket, extortion and powerful guardians of this hidden crime world, I can see this would be a hard project for him to pass up on, if Sony Pictures are offering highly supportive financial incentive to get Mann on board. With Heat now at cult status, and Collateral the commercial success, Mann will have his work cut out to live up to that level of performance. It may be another opportunity to bring back either Al Pacino or Robert DeNiro to the project, but that could backfire. Would they even do it? We know Mann has his own "crew" for his "scores", and that he is loyal to actors, inviting them back on new productions.

The Big Stone Grid is the latest twist to Mann's indecision on what to direct next, and something out of the blue for those of us who were expecting Agincourt, Gold, Robert Capa, or even The Frankie Machine. All very different films in nature.

Deadline describes The Big Stone Grid script as having gruesome elements to the story. I am personally not a fan of gore, no matter for what artistic vision for realism. I watched Drive recently, which I thought was an extraordinarily creative expression - it was utterly unique to me. It is a film that nods to Michael Mann's stylistic vision and directorial technique and Tarantino's Kill Bill quiet man with the hammer and nail and the scorpion jacket. I made various jokes about the poor script to my friends in the duration, but the movie is in places genius. The soundtrack eclectic. But the gratuitous bashing in of the face in the lift, and the slicing of the arm is not my "cup of tea", and I don't think it is Mann's. So some rewriting might be necessary. But Mann may decide it is necessary, to create the fear in the audience, if the film is made. I prefer violence implied, rather than gratuitously in your face.

Based on how the news rolled in, I would guess The Big Stone Grid is the film Mann will go for. But we will have to wait and see! I love the title.

In the meantime, roll on Luck. We all know it has been commissioned for another season. Will Mann's influence continue, or will it wane following Mann's gradual drift from the project as he pursues his next film? Let's just enjoy the ride for what it is.

Note to Mr. Mann. Happy belated birthday. (5th Feb). Did you all know, I share my birthday with the great Ansel Adams, who was also born on February 20th? Ansel was the reason I got into photography, and Mann is the reason I love story in film.  If you want a good month to be born, February is highly recommended!

Until next time Mann fans.

Oh, one more thing... Check out Philip Bloom's website to see a behind the scenes of the new British gangster flick shot entirely on Canon 5D mkii, inspired in part by Michael Mann, according to the interview with its director.

Phil Bloom & Michael Mann's Luck

A day at the races: Canon 7D with Cooke PL primes from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

http://philipbloom.net/2010/03/07/races/

http://philipbloom.net/2010/03/04/shooting-7d-pl-with-cooke-lenses-for-saturdays-la-masterclass/

This blew my mind. Here I was, posting earlier a short by Phil Bloom, which shows the incredible capacity of a DSLR to shoot almost cinema grade imagery with such visual impact and I thought it had nothing to do with Michael Mann, other than perhaps some tenuous shared aesthetic. Suddenly I am discovering a superb short he has done with a Canon 7D on the subject of horse racing no less. Not only that, but some footage comes from the Santa Anita racetrack. It doesn't stop there...  he posted his short film on his blog in March 2010, which is around the time when Michael Mann shot his pilot - which I think commenced shooting in April 2010. It all seems a remarkable coincidence.

It is worth noting that Phil Bloom was invited to George Lucas' famed Skywalker Ranch two years ago, commissioned to show via a short film the cinematic capabilities of DSLR shooting. He met George and other prominent filmmakers, not least Quentin Tarantino who I think just happened to be there. So, Phil Bloom is not beyond the notice of the movie industry's elite.

So what am I surmising? Nothing really, except if there is no link of consequence between Phil Bloom and Michael Mann's Luck, then what this does show is how a shared aesthetic can cosmically collide in time and space.

Since discovering Phil Bloom I am already inspired and looking to rent some DSLR equipment to shoot a short promotional for my work. I am desperate to get back into image making since laying down my large format camera over ten years ago. I ache for it. I am presently a book publisher. Michael Mann continues to push me back into image and story making. For me, images and words are now colliding. So when I found Phil Bloom's site I saw how budget film making came a step closer to fulfilling my heart desire to access this previously elitist world.

So isn't it cosmic that these two influential men almost crossed paths with each other, possibly accidentally, in a stage that I am watching so closely as I seek to find my own path down this road of visual and storytelling artistry.

You see, I feel Phil Bloom's shooting style is a study of character. He has a way of accessing people on the street... Michael Mann is also attentive to character. It is this empathy I pick up, and its so powerful that suddenly I see this crossing of paths. Understanding music is also just as vital, and both are intuitive with this medium too.

See Phil Bloom's horse racing short  - the almost mystical quality of the shots, and the character studies that Mann is now portraying in Luck. See the extraordinary colours in the horse as it is washed. It is all very Mann-esque.

Santa Anita attracts lots of film makers. We know that. And I believe Phil was doing a DSLR workshop at the time. But nevertheless, isn't this amazing? These Bloom shots could be out of "Luck".

So Phil, so Michael... maybe you two ought to hook up?

See Phil's other DSLR films here.

Michael Mann throws "Go Like Hell" in the hat

The book the script would be based on

Following the recent news round up we have a new twist to Michael Mann's future directorial roles. According to Variety Mann is in talks with 20th Century Fox to film "Go Like Hell", a true story by A.J. Baime depicting the USA's first victory at the famous 1966 Le Mans race, with Ford succeeding, pitted against the "unbeatable" Ferrari. America loves their "USA rules the world" flicks and this one will no doubt score a home run in the USA. Petrol's version of the Ryder Cup perhaps. Brad Pitt's name has been attached to the project as a lead, but no casting information has been released.

It has become difficult to speculate what Mann's next film will actually be... it's as though Mann is throwing us lots of decoys for fun! I suspect though he is like a kid in a candy shop and really can't make his mind up. What a privilege for him to be in such a situation. At this time of life for him, his choices are so important. Agincourt is now looking most likely. Mann will no doubt be thinking of his own mortality, and a large scale, big budget film, such as this medieval adventure, will require enormous energy. It may be one of his last opportunities to do something on that potentially vast scale.

A.J. Baime

Mann has already worked with cars in successful commercials with Mercedes and latterly Ferrari. No doubt the prospective makers will be looking at the success of the present offering "Senna", a documentary film about Ayrton Senna, the late, legendary Formula One racing World Champion who was killed in a race because of a tragic mechanical failure. I actually saw Ayrton Senna race at Silverstone, England and could clearly see him push the limits of his car to the maximum. Formula One is really a European/Asian passion rather than a US one at present, but this is set to change once the USA has built it's new track in Arizona.

Michael Mann has always had an affection for cars, especially Ferraris, owning one himself. They were an iconic feature of the TV version of Miami Vice. They are another paint brush in Mann's hands, using them to reflect character and style of those in his films. In Miami Vice the movie, back in 2006, there was an early scene of men and attractive women arriving at the nightclub in white Range Rovers. It was startling to me at the time. Glistening white. Of interest to me is the fact that, in the UK at least, white is now the most fashionable colour for cars. Range Rovers, Audi's, Mercedes, Volvos, BMW's and you name it... white is in. Mann reads the times well.

I digress... I think Michael Mann has lots of wonderful material to choose from. Whatever he does, I am sure we will love it. If Mann does Agincourt, and if it means the English beat the French, then what can make an English Michael Mann fan happier? (I love the French really... well their bread anyway).

Michael Mann News Roundup: Gold, Luck, Big Tuna, Capa, Agincourt

It's a curious time following Michael Mann. We have a Luck trailer, but scant mention of the series anywhere. Only what the producers want us to know. This is well locked down, suggesting locations are not very public? Anyone know of any location shooting on Luck? There was a good article recently that gave inside information on some of the tensions between Michael Mann and David Milch. It details some inside arrangements, with Mann taking authority on the filmmaking process and Milch on the writing. Seems an obvious division of responsibilities, though one understands the unease when each has their own intense creative leanings in expressing themselves. Their respective approaches to the creative process must be at deep odds at times, with one scene pandering to Milch's version of the world, and another reflecting Mann's. Read about it here. For those who have lived on planet Mars for the last year, you can read about Luck as news about it broke out last year here. Luck is now more likely to air in early 2012, but could possibly be released late this year. I believe they are shooting 9 episodes (10 were originally planned, but Milch's writing is allegedly slowing the process), with the 9th in production still. With episodes already in the editing suite, a Fall release doesn't seem unrealistic. Since Mann is in the editing suite on Luck it isn't inconceivable that Mann has been totally pre-occupied in perfecting Luck, and not committing to any of these movie projects just yet.

Mann is attached to multiple projects,  and just when you think he has decided a project the rumor switches to another. Big Tuna was touted as a gangster Mann movie on the back of Public Enemies. We then thought it might be Robert Capa, with actors attached to the project and widely publicised as Mann's next directorial movie. We then hear it is Agincourt, as I recently posted. And sandwiched between them is "Gold"with D'Caprio invited to join the cast. We will have to see how Mann prioritizes these projects - which ones he directs, or produces under his Forward Pass company.

Michael Mann is notoriously indecisive about which movie projects he takes on. He admits it himself. So it may just be that even he doesn't know yet what he will finally direct - but that is unlikely. The good news is, that if he directs Agincourt we can expect his visit to Europe! A rare chance then for us Europeans to maybe catch a glimpse of him shooting here? If anyone gets any news on this front then please let me know! Would be a dream come true to see him at work, as peculiar that may seem to his beleaguered regular crew that have to work under his relentless pace and perfection - no glamour under the hood!

Material still pops up on the internet about Michael Mann. There are many articles, but most just repeating better articles already posted in this blog's archives. Here and there are interesting quotes and anecdotes. Here is a surprising one from a location scout on Collateral (link here):

Which leads Sandy to recall their own fear on a late-night location-scouting trip with director Michael Mann for Collateral. In a rough part of downtown Los Angeles, the group found themselves caught between rival gang members at opposite ends of a bridge.

Luckily, Mann had brought a friend of his whom Sandy describes as 'gang-savvy,' who broke the stand-off. The thugs 'parted, flashed handguns, and we were able to walk through,' David says, with a shiver. 'But everyone - Michael Mann! - could have been killed.'

Thanks to all who drop in what they find on the net, or can contribute to this blog. I can't always add it here but I appreciate the communication.  You can always visit my sister site, the social version, which is www.michaelmann.ning.com.

Finally a question, to test those who actually read this far into one of my posts! We all know Mann's movies have wonderful layers. A question then: Who has noticed a particular colour that is a theme in Collateral, and is especially abstractly shown repeatedly in the very opening scenes in the form of carious objects? Its a strange one, but I think its fantastic. Surely not a coincidence? Or am I going mad? Tell me the colour and some of the objects, smile! Add it to Disqus below.

As ever, I will be keeping a watch out on Mann's activities and let you know what I find. Stay in touch.

Michael Mann closing on deal to direct Agincourt

Available from Amazon

ScreenDaily has posted information that suggests Michael Mann's production company Forward Pass is close to a deal with Independent to develop the rumoured Agincourt project. The Robert Capa movie was also supposed to be in the making, but the allure of Agincourt's sumptuous pallet of medieval grit appears to have finally won over Michael Mann. Ever since The Last of the Mohicans, I think Mann fell in love with period pieces. I generally think Mann excels most in the contemporary setting, but its not for us to decide. Check out the links to get all the details:

http://www.screendaily.com/news/production/roegs-independent-lines-up-films-with-michael-mann-saul-dibb/5027599.article


http://www.filmshaft.com/agincourt-will-be-directed-by-michael-mann/

http://thefilmstage.com/2011/05/16/independent-moves-forward-on-michael-manns-agincourt-other-projects-lined-up/

Michael Mann's next movie might still be the Capa Biopic

Andrew Garfield

Gemma Arterton

Just when it seemed certain that Mann's next big movie would be Big Tuna, a fellow film and Mann fan, Niles, sent me a link to this article, which starts out with:

Despite a number of gestating go-to film projects on Michael Mann‘s plate including a long gestating adaptation of Ernest Hemingway‘s “For Whom The Bell Tolls;” the medieval tale “Agincourt” based on the novel by Bernard Cromwell and the gangster pic “Big Tuna” being written by “Up In The Air” scribe Sheldon Turner it looks like movement is coming together on a film that has been kicking around for a little while now.

Speaking with Total Film (via Up And Comers) after being tipped by the mag as Hottest Actress of 2010, Gemma Arterton was more than happy to spill the beans on what she’s up to next. And one of those projects is apparently Michael Mann’s “Capa,” a biopic of war photographer Robert Capa and she says she will be joined by another hot actor, Andrew Garfield.

Read full article here

I see more potential in the Capa movie. A detailed character study, which sounds delicious. Though I fear it will not make a studio much money. Just isn't commercial enough subject matter. But film and Mann aficionados will have something to look forward to. With actors already penned, I would now think from this information that the Capa biopic is going to be the next movie, rather than Big Tuna. It would be unusual to have two gangster movies back to back.

For commercial success, Mann needs to do an ultra high tech CIA / Al-Quaede intelligence film, with undertones of international espionage and ulterior political motives. Like Heat, one will need a major gun battle, perhaps covert missions of the US CIA working with Russian special forces to halt the running of opium smuggling operations out of Afghanistan for a side story. It will be The Insider on steroids. Hands up who would like to see that movie?

Big Tuna is Michael Mann's next movie

It has been announced that Michael Mann's next movie will be "Big Tuna", according to Variety magazine.

It is a biopic of Chicago mob boss Tony Accardo and Sam Giancana.  Looks as though this may be a more deeply refined version of Public Enemies. The police photo of Accardo is reminsicent of the ones we became familiar with in the form of dillinger. Yet Accardo's face looks more thoughtful and reflective, than the empty, though flamboyant arrogance of Dillinger.

The screenplay will be written by Sheldon Turner and financed by Mann himself. Sheldon alone is reported to be charging him a seven figure sum, so it has to work for Mann. It would appear that Michael Mann could not find a studio to get behind the project so is going alone. Hardly a surprise, since a Chicago mob movie is going to have to be very special to attract the audiences required to satisfy nervous studios.

So the speculation seems to be over. "Big Tuna" it is... slightly disappointed at this choice as I think he is good at studying modern relationships, but I will take it as it comes - whichever way it swings, it is afterall a Michael Mann movie, and that is something to look forward too.  We also have "Luck" to come as a bonus.

Michael Mann talks about 'Luck' and future projects

On our feedback page Hosea kindly left a link to a brilliant bang up to date interview with Michael Mann courtesy of the Financial Times. They prefer not to have their articles copied, so you will find the link here and below. But I will take a snippet which shows his remarkable interest in the 15th-century battle of Agincourt between England and France. The article also covers Mann's interest in a Robert Capa biopic as well as a Chicago mafia story featuring Tony Accardo. Also covered is his exciting current TV project, 'Luck'.

In terms of character study, which I think Mann is exceptional at, I would hope he goes down the Robert Capa route. As I commented to Hosea on the site feedback page, I think Michael Mann has a personal homage he may want to pay to this historic photographer. Capa set up the world renowned Magnum group with Henri Cartier-Bresson. With a documentary history, Mann will have a deep connection with Magnum photographers. Indeed, I see in Mann's visuals stylistic nods to Cartier-Bresson, not only in the intuitive use of lines and composition, but also that characteristic over the shoulder intimacy in portraits. Of course, I may be wrong, but in my own creative photography, Cartier-Bresson's work has been an incredible education. 'The Decisive Moment' defined what Bresson stood for and in a sense, I feel Mann similarly looks for these moments of "truth" in his actors and the final film. It is those moments that make Mann's films so rich. Robert Capa had a similar ability to capture decisive moments. So visually and in character, Mann could have a fascinating journey with the Robert Capa screenplay. Mann must be eager, because the Capa biography the screenplay will be based on is not even due to be published until summer 2011.

Click here to go to the article.
A snippet is below:

Michael Mann’s project with HBO
By Matthew Garrahan
Published: October 22 2010 23:03 | Last updated: October 22 2010 23:03 

...Mann also has his eye on an epic tale set in medieval Europe, about the build-up to the 15th-century battle of Agincourt between England and France. The inspiration for the film came in Paris when Mann went to visit La Sainte-Chapelle, a gothic chapel, on the advice of his friend Richard Rogers, the architect. 

“We went to see it and it blew me away. From that, it becomes: ‘Can I locate myself, an audience, in a medieval perspective?’”

Mann to direct For Whom the Bell Tolls?

Geek Tyrant Article

Never believe all the hype. Mann selects his films slowly and carefully. Will it be the Robert Capa biopic? It remains uncertain as far as I can discern. See the below article:
... it was revealed that Michael Mann is still currently attached to direct an adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's Spanish Civil War novel For Whom The Bell Tolls.

The project is being set up under the Warner Bros. production banner Industry, and has been gestating since 2006 ...

For Whom The Bell Tolls, most famously turned into a 1943 film starring Gary Cooper and Ingrid Bergman, follows an American who leaves the United States to enlist on the Republican side in the war, travels behind enemy lines to work with Spanish guerrilla fighters, or guerrilleros, hiding in the mountains.
Read the full article and click here