Cannes, France — James Franco's filmography is starting to look like a book shelf – and a very respectable one, at that.
The 35-year-old American has already played poets Allen Ginsberg ("Howl") and Hart Crane ("The Broken Tower"). He recently finished directing an adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's "Child of God" (having first flirted with doing McCarthy's novel "Blood Meridian"), as well as a biopic of the late poet and novelist Charles Bukowski.
But this week at the Cannes Film Festival, he premiered his version of William Faulkner's "As I Lay Dying," a novel of fractured perspectives and enormous cinematic challenges. Having earlier screened at Cannes a short film he made as a student at New York University ("The Clerk's Tale"), coming to the festival in the Un Certain Regard section – for innovating or daring works by young talent – is something of a graduation for Franco.
"I'm accepted here as a director,...
The 35-year-old American has already played poets Allen Ginsberg ("Howl") and Hart Crane ("The Broken Tower"). He recently finished directing an adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's "Child of God" (having first flirted with doing McCarthy's novel "Blood Meridian"), as well as a biopic of the late poet and novelist Charles Bukowski.
But this week at the Cannes Film Festival, he premiered his version of William Faulkner's "As I Lay Dying," a novel of fractured perspectives and enormous cinematic challenges. Having earlier screened at Cannes a short film he made as a student at New York University ("The Clerk's Tale"), coming to the festival in the Un Certain Regard section – for innovating or daring works by young talent – is something of a graduation for Franco.
"I'm accepted here as a director,...
- 5/22/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Already the out-and-out definition of a entertainment multi-hyphenate, poetry is something that also evidently flows in James Franco's blood, and is a world he loves to delve into for his film projects. Franco has made several shorts based on poems, including works by Anthony Hecht ("The Feast Of Stephen"), Spencer Reece ("The Clerk's Tale") and Frank Bidart ("Herbert White") before playing Hart Crane in "The Broken Tower" and Allen Ginsberg in "Howl." And it doesn't end there either.
Franco has now shepherded a project for Nyu graduate students that'll result in two poetry-centric anthology features: "Tar" based on C.K. William's book of poems of the same name, and "Black Dog, Red Dog," based on a book of poems by Stephen Dobyns. Students -- who had to win a competition for the opportunity -- separately helmed shorts based on individual poems with their entries combined into a cohesive feature-length narrative.
Franco has now shepherded a project for Nyu graduate students that'll result in two poetry-centric anthology features: "Tar" based on C.K. William's book of poems of the same name, and "Black Dog, Red Dog," based on a book of poems by Stephen Dobyns. Students -- who had to win a competition for the opportunity -- separately helmed shorts based on individual poems with their entries combined into a cohesive feature-length narrative.
- 5/15/2012
- by Simon Dang
- The Playlist
"There Will Be Blood" star Paul Dano has joined Michael Shannon among the stars of James Franco's directorial project "As I Lay Dying". Joaquin Phoenix and Richard Jenkins are also in talks to join the cast, according to Cinema Blend.
Franco will take a leading role in the movie, an adaptation of the acclaimed William Faulkner novel. According to MTV News, Franco will start shooting this summer.
James Franco has previously worked behind the lens for some short films like "The Clerk's Tale" and "Masculinity & Me". He is also set to direct "The Night Stalker" in which he signs up to take the lead role.
Franco will take a leading role in the movie, an adaptation of the acclaimed William Faulkner novel. According to MTV News, Franco will start shooting this summer.
James Franco has previously worked behind the lens for some short films like "The Clerk's Tale" and "Masculinity & Me". He is also set to direct "The Night Stalker" in which he signs up to take the lead role.
- 1/26/2011
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
Exclusive: 127 Hours star James Franco has acquired Stephen Elliott's The Adderall Diaries, which he intends to adapt, direct and star in. The memoir starts off a bit like In Cold Blood, in that a blocked writer turns to a murder trial to get himself going. Elliott, blocked for two years, reports on the trial of Hans Reiser, a computer programmer charged with killing the wife he met through a Russian dating service. Fueled by Adderall, a methamphetamine prescribed to help Adhd sufferers, Elliott's stream of consciousness prose veers into subjects that include his cruel father, Paris Hilton, and S&M. Franco takes on this challenge at a time when he is cutting a wide swath as an actor and director. He'll figure prominently in the Best Actor race for his portrayal as Aron Ralston in the Danny Boyle-directed 127 Hours, and he's currently starring in Fox's big budget Planet of the Apes...
- 9/29/2010
- by MIKE FLEMING
- Deadline
Short films directed by Glenn Close, Kirsten Dunst and James Franco will be among the 314 films set to unspool between June 22-28 at the Palm Springs International ShortFest.
Now in its 16th year, the fest, taking place at the Camelot Theatres in Palm Springs, Calif., has scheduled 52 themed programs, which include 58 world premieres, 55 North American premieres and 24 U.S. premieres.
Close will be represented by the doc "Pax," which she narrates and co-directed with Sarah Harvey; Dunst's film, "Bastard," stars Brian Geraghty, Juno Temple, Lukas Haas and Joel David Moore; Franco will present three shorts -- "The Clerk's Tale," "The Feast of Stephen" and "Herbert White" -- and take part in an onstage conversation June 26.
The fest's opening night consists of a program of live-action and animated comedies called "Laughing Out Loud." The fest also will have a special focus on Australia, dubbed "On Top Down Under," including both screenings and a reception.
Now in its 16th year, the fest, taking place at the Camelot Theatres in Palm Springs, Calif., has scheduled 52 themed programs, which include 58 world premieres, 55 North American premieres and 24 U.S. premieres.
Close will be represented by the doc "Pax," which she narrates and co-directed with Sarah Harvey; Dunst's film, "Bastard," stars Brian Geraghty, Juno Temple, Lukas Haas and Joel David Moore; Franco will present three shorts -- "The Clerk's Tale," "The Feast of Stephen" and "Herbert White" -- and take part in an onstage conversation June 26.
The fest's opening night consists of a program of live-action and animated comedies called "Laughing Out Loud." The fest also will have a special focus on Australia, dubbed "On Top Down Under," including both screenings and a reception.
- 6/14/2010
- by By Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Celeb Sightings: Spider-Man co-stars James Franco and Kirsten Dunst were reunited while screening their short films (The Clerk's Tale and Bastard, respectively) at the fest. Should we start the rumor they're dating to take the heat off Ryan and Michelle? The headline "Kate Beckinsale Loses Earring to Breasts" tells you all you need to know about these photos. Speaking of Beckinsale, she's made Vulture's list of the loopiest red carpet dresses of the fest. Somehow they missed Rachel Bilson's tuxedo thingamajig. This is what Chris Tucker looks like now? Valerie Plame and Naomi Watts, who plays her in Fair Game, go do the red carpet cheek to cheek.
Our Coverage: About Fair Game, Joe Utichi writes,"It's mature, smart and engaging and, critically, strikes a new tone for Liman's work, suggesting he's got plenty of versatility ... may not be a perfect film, if it's a statement of intent then...
Our Coverage: About Fair Game, Joe Utichi writes,"It's mature, smart and engaging and, critically, strikes a new tone for Liman's work, suggesting he's got plenty of versatility ... may not be a perfect film, if it's a statement of intent then...
- 5/21/2010
- by Christopher Campbell
- Cinematical
James Franco made his first appearance during the Cannes Film Festival this morning at a press conference for Howl with his colleagues Josh Mond and Sean Durkin. He's doing double promotional duty in France, as his one of his own movies, The Clerk's Tale, will premiere during closing night. James has been a regular at cinema events over the last few months, the most recent of which was screening his short documentary Saturday Night at Tribeca. James will soon switch gears from his big screen endeavors back to the small, when he heads back to General Hospital for a few more episodes. He spoke about his excitement to return, saying, "I find doing the soap very interesting, and I like doing it because it's a different kind of acting. It's been a good outlet for me, and they've been very open and welcoming. It's a lot of fun." View 5 Photos...
- 5/20/2010
- by PopSugar
- Popsugar.com
Spiderman co-stars Kirsten Dunst and James Franco will each be presenting both of their short films on the closing night of Critic's Week in Cannes. Franco's 13-minute short The Clerk's Tale will receive its world premiere screening and the pics for the short are sublime as they are 1970's magazine-like in their look. The short, which I imagine Franco filmed as part of his work at Nyu is based on the eponymous poem by Spencer Reece, The Clerk's Tale is a psychological portrait of a gay man trapped in the monotonous routine of life at a high-end menswear store. For Spencer, every day is a sequence of mundane tasks and empty exchanges. He fits a customer, straightens a display, takes his usual break at his usual time. But all the while the presence of an aging gay colleague eats away at him. Watching this older man, with his affects and almost grotesque habits,...
- 4/22/2010
- IONCINEMA.com
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