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“The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells” Madonna's new film project?


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W.E. was a good movie.Not fantastic, but a good one.If the director would have been unknown, people would be more impressed.I also think that people don´t know that this film exist. I understand she wants to try it, but she can´t do everything, it´s to much (if this time she "only" directs the movie, maybe it won´t be so time consuming)

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Movies and directing are so last season, and let's be honest, Madonna is at best, competent.

What I would love to see is: Madonna the PHOTOGRAPHER!!! Her ideas, her creative skills, her direction, her flair. I think this is a medium in which she would have a greater knowledge, and capture something really unique ( and I ain't talking photos of her children, Ms Anne Geddis style;)

And as an added bonus, this could all be done in a month or two and let her get on with what is really important, making a new album and locating Australia on Rocco's world atlas.

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Guest Rachelle of London

I would love M to act in another film, I wonder if the right role came up would she take it

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She won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.....that was her critical acclaim and recognition as an actress. She would be wise to stay with that genre a while if she hopes to gain further success and accolades as an actress. As someone mentioned, she acts best in a music video form, and Evita was essentially a long music video. Given the right vehicle (role) in a well-composed and executed musical, she certainly has Oscar potential. Instead M found it best to leave the musical genre for romantic comedy and we all know how well that panned out....

After Swept Away she stated that she would never again make the sacrifices needed as an actress as critics were out for her before the film was even completed. So, it would still be smart to focus her film endeavors, acting, directing or otherwise, in the musical genre as that is where people, including critics, are more likely to accept her.

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She won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.....that was her critical acclaim and recognition as an actress. She would be wise to stay with that genre a while if she hopes to gain further success and accolades as an actress. As someone mentioned, she acts best in a music video form, and Evita was essentially a long music video. Given the right vehicle (role) in a well-composed and executed musical, she certainly has Oscar potential. Instead M found it best to leave the musical genre for romantic comedy and we all know how well that panned out....

After Swept Away she stated that she would never again make the sacrifices needed as an actress as critics were out for her before the film was even completed. So, it would still be smart to focus her film endeavors, acting, directing or otherwise, in the musical genre as that is where people, including critics, are more likely to accept her.

I agree but that would really be the easy way. And frankly, both Filth & Wisdom and W./E. cannot be labelled as "bad movies". She took the risks and did a good job at it.

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I don't really like movies that take place in several different time periods.It all becomes confusing.How about a film that takes place in the present day...right here in America?

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Hopefully the film and any other projects she has planned are timed well and not combined.

I agree.It's not a good thing when she combines these projects and releases them around the same time.Look what happened with W.E. and MDNA.She promoted the movie aggressively,went on all the TV shows to talk about it,etc.Then when MDNA came out,she did very promotion for it.In the end,neither project became a huge success.She's gotta stay focused on ONE project at a time.

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she should direct a musical

she would do a great job on a film like that

I totally agree! With all of her groundbreaking music videos and her amazing tours,she certainly has alot of experience with this.In another recent thread,I suggested that she direct something like "Burlesque".I wish that she had directed that film.That's right up her alley.

Plus,we would have the added bonus of a soundtrack album,which she could write and possibly perform some,or all,of the songs.

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It sounds like more than one person has purchased the rights so it doesn't mean Madonna will be the one to direct it if she gets chosen. Sometimes these deals fall through. The book seems quite interesting butu I thought if she was going to do another film it was going to be something less demanding. I'm all up for M as a director as long as she doesn't write the screenplay and Oscar Isaac has a Coen brothers movie coming out soon that has Oscar buzz and he plays the lead. Andrea Riseborough isn't doing bad either. She had like 4 films out this year with one of them receiving rave reviews for her performance. If Madonna does direct again, I hope it is not too time consuming where Madonna the musician is non existent for a while and we get another rushed album.

I am inclined to agree. If this was a group optioning the rights, Madonna may not have the pull to direct.

Of course, whatever she wants to do is her business, but after two directing efforts which have utterly flopped, I am not sure anyone would want to put money behind her films. If she wants to self-fund her directing efforts going forward, I guess she could but it's an expensive hobby which will see little return on the investment.

For some reason I just assumed she wouldn't tour until 2016, so she'd have time to fit in a movie if she wanted. I'd rather see a new album in late 2014 and a tour in 2015, but we just have to see what happens.

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I don't really like movies that take place in several different time periods.It all becomes confusing.How about a film that takes place in the present day...right here in America?

I agree! I think it is very difficult to direct a movie that moves back and forth in time and not make it confusing. I don't think the film has to take place in the present time or in America, but it would be nice if she could direct a chronological film that took place in one time period and in one country.

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anyways, she should act on Sunset Boulevard, that´s a role she can really play (nearly)better than anybody

I watched that movie recently to see about Madonna playing in it. There is nooooooo wayyyyyyyyy Madonna will do that movie and neither do I want her to. No offense to a classic but it goes against everything she stands for and I actually think it's an insult to older women. I was actually kinda sick watching it. An older woman who doesn't want to accept society's rules that she retire not only from her career but from a love life too. Of course instead of being a strong happy woman in her career and love life not affected by their rules, she is portrayed as crazy and someone to be pitied and has to bribe someone to be her companion and she's the wicked witch to the young worthy of love woman (until she hits fifty of course.) Not to give it away but they ultimately make her a villian to seal the deal.

I've heard of it before so I know it's a classic but someone tell me why it is? The story is pathetic and depressing.

Actually an adaption would be interesting,

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^ Well, just because the film depicts a narrative does not mean that it endorses or affirms the outcome. The fact that the Norma Desmond character lives in an, isolated deluded world of faded glory and unrequited love in a relationship with an imbalanced power dynamic -- and then ultimately descends into complete madness -- is not necessarily indicative of anyone's intent to affirm society's view of older women.

It is a sad film, and a sad commentary on the effect of celebrity on one's mind and the treatment of older female stars. But again, just as Madonna says in her statement of the artistic intent of BAT -- i.e., she does not endorse a way of life, but describe one -- we can't say Billy Wilder (the director of the film) was misogynistic and ageist. The emotions and sympathies the film evokes in the audience say more about us than about the creators in this case. Some people are completely horrified by the Norma character and demonize her. Others feel sorry for her. (I mean, I've never watched Body of Evidence, but I've read about the ending -- how M's character had to be punished -- and M still appeared in that. And it doesn't mean she approves of judging a female character unfairly. You can read the film as a text and interpret things about the culture which generated it...)

The reason everyone talks about this in connection with Madonna is that Andrew Lloyd Webber created a stage musical adaptation of the original film. Patti LuPone originated the Norma role in the West End, and then when it was brought to the U.S. (LA, not Broadway) it starred Glenn Close. Not long after, EVITA was in production with Madonna in the starring role, and there was much discussion about Madonna playing Norma in a film version of the musical adaptation. I believe ALW has said he would be pleased to see her in the role, if I'm not mistaken? (But I very well could be.) The film content seems like it deals with themes Madonna would be eager to tackle -- recall how she made Eva Peron a much more sympathetic character in her portrayal than the original stage version (also originated in NYC by Patti LuPone, btw). And style-wise, M would be a perfect fit -- it's all about old Hollywood glamour and film. Plus M can certainly channel from her own personal experience and the reviews of her acting performances in playing a woman who couldn't make the transition from silent star to films with sound (presumably because her acting ability had been compartmentalized to one specific type of film which became obsolete). But we also know that Madonna tends to avoid "repeating herself" -- and doing another ALW musical film might seem like that to her. Even though it's completely different material.

It's been discussed a lot around here -- I drudge it up almost every year in the Oscars discussion, and any time we talk about films practically. lol. I'm sure people get tired of hearing me spout about it (and Chicago).

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@Peter I don't know who wrote Sunset Boulevard and I don't know what changes if any the director Billy Wilder made when filming it. I didn't say he or the person who wrote it was ageist. It could have been like you said, just describing. Imo describing the notion of the older "desperate" woman that people still believe today. The film still relies on that whether it is endorsing it or not.

Horrified by her? Well I mean yeah you see what she does in the film. She completely loses it over what the public thinks of her. She allows negative opinions about her to dictate how she feels about herself and she becomes this horrible person.

I know about Andrew Lloyd Webber and his interest in Madonna for the film and what was her answer?

From the above posts I feel like I'm speaking with a guru here. :)

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Oh, sorry, Larkspur ... I totally wasn't trying to put words in your mouth about ageism and such... and I'm certainly no guru! There are others here with a lot more knowledge than me. I see where you're coming from -- the film could be seen as affirming a stereotype/archetype which is damaging and unjust... I would need to go back and view it again to think about that a little bit. (My personal history with it is just that I loved musicals when I was in high school, so I bought the cast albums ... then I went backward and saw the movie. In high school, though, I wasn't mature enough, probably, to ask the kinds of questions you're asking about the film, which are valid! I just liked the music, although the story is sad. I saw it more as a sort of operatic tragedy -- not villainizing her, but seeing her tale end sadly... a victim as much as a villain.)

I don't recall who wrote the story/screenplay -- I just know Billy Wilder directed. He may have been part of the writing process. I'm sure we can look it up on imdb or something. I vaguely recall that the story is very, very loosely based on an actual actress. Her first name may have even been Norma. But there were obviously changes made.

I don't really know Madonna's official reaction to this? If she said anything about it on the record, it would have been back during Evita promo time, I imagine, which may not be up-to-date. I feel like ALW said something in the last three or four years that was still favorable? Because it sparked some further discussion here perhaps? But my memory's foggy on it. (And Madonna definitely didn't respond at that time.) For all I remember, ALW may have even said that he wanted her, but she's not interested? I really can't recall. I guess I just have held out a little hope because -- like some others -- I'm thinking Madonna's best film work as an actress tends to happen in a very musical environment. (I know some really dislike Evita's score, so they may not like Sunset Blvd. either. They'd probably have been happier had she done Chicago -- and me, too! But that ship has sailed unfortunately. Sunset just seems the likeliest project already in existence that could prove a successful artistic/commercial venture for her ... unless she were to work on something for which they come up with completely new material, of course.)

In another thread about Madonna/movies, we were discussing this recently, and someone suggested perhaps Madonna should direct the film version of Sunset Boulevard with Glenn Close starring. (The thought had passed through my head, too...) Glenn is a certifed "Queen of Life" around here and she adores Madonna ... and having played Norma on stage, she'd certainly be in consideration by any director thinking about the project. That scenario could work, too. (And, someone suggested, M could collaborate with ALW to write an additional song for the score to be eligible for the Oscar, etc. etc. Not sure how likely that is. Rumor was she tried to do that with Evita and was unsuccessful in changing any lyrics to "You Must Love Me" -- however, that may have been due to the strength of Tim Rice as lyricist. He is not the lyricist for Sunset Boulevard. Book and lyrics for Sunset Boulevard were Don Black and Christopher Hampton... Don't know anything about their reputations, though...)

Thanks for being polite, though, Larkspur! :) I truly didn't mean any offense. And thanks, Mat. Guy and chellehighness, for being kind. I appreciate it! :)

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If she wants to direct that's fine. Direct your own music videos. Two problems solved! No more MovieMadonna and we get better videos. Why doesn't this happen? Seems so logical.

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@Peter My guru comment was lighthearted. I was impressed by the compliments directed towards you after your post. So see I greatly admire thoughtful posts as well and you must create a lot of them. I still don't really "know" a lot of people on here so it was just an observation.

I didn't see it as a musical and I think you and a lot of other people are seeing it just as a musical and an isolated story. Glenn Close is a superb actress who can take on any role as a challenge and see it from your point of view. I believe Madonna is her best in film when she can relate with the charactor. In Evita I think Madonna could understand being judged or misunderstood when she felt her intentions were good. In Sunset boulevard I doubt Madonna would even understand the charactor of Norma Desmond.

I thought Andrew Lloyd Webber said she hasn't responded to him. That's how I reject something to.

I guess what bothers me most is how people like to strip women of their identity when they reach fifty

and for something I am very passionate about I can't just see it as a good role to play. Norma Desmond lstening to her critics completely forgets who she is.

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It would be interesting for M to play because it would be in a way very similar to what she did with Erotica and Sex, taking the public's understanding of her and twisting it and exaggerating it to the nth degree. I wish someone would ask her about it in an interview, but the impression I get is that Guy/Liz are incredibly strict about what questions are allowed to reach M, which I always find bizarre because she gets so bored in interviews and likes direct honest questions.

Also, Don Black has won multiple awards and wrote a number of Bond theme tunes, i think including Goldfinger and You Only Live Twice. I'd like to know what she tried to change about You Must Love Me, but I'm glad she wasn't allowed to that song is brilliant (even if I've never seen Evita :shy: )

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Guest Rachelle of London

I seem to remember that ALW said he wants Madonna in SB in a recent interview. Is that right? I think it was last year...

yup he said it on his interview with Piers morgan on his Life STories program

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