FIRST LOOK: ROB MARSHALL’S ‘NINE’

After striking gold with his 2002 remake of ‘Chicago’, director / producer / choreographer Rob Marshall looks set to do it all over again. When the casting was announced for his big screen remake of ‘NINE’, I knew we would be in for a treat, & now the internet is all abuzz after the unveiling of the trailer – a full 6 months prior to the film’s release.
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_5_lzags3I]
‘NINE’ is a vibrant & provocative musical, based on Fellini’s classic, ‘8 ½’. Set in early-1960s Venice, the film follows the life of world famous film director Guido Contini (Daniel Day-Lewis) as he reaches a creative & personal crisis of epic proportion. On the eve of his 40th birthday, Contini is struggling to complete his latest masterpiece, while attempting to balance the numerous women in his life – his wife (Marion Cotillard), his mistress (Penelope Cruz), his film star muse (Nicole Kidman), his confidant & costume designer (Judi Dench), an American fashion journalist (Kate Hudson), the whore from his youth (Fergie) & his mother (Sophia Loren).
It’s not often you get this many A-list actresses in one film, so you know producers will have a fight on their hands when deciding who they will submit for the Best Actress & Best Supporting Actress categories come award season. While the 2 ½ minute trailer is all that has been revealed so far, the film is already gaining Oscar buzz. There’s no doubt the source material is worthy – the original 1982 Broadway production, starring the late Raul Julia, won 5 Tony Awards including Best Musical. The 2003 Broadway revival featured Antonio Banderas &, again, it scored Tony love with a Best Revival award.
So, to the strains of Fergie singing ‘Be Italian’, we get our first glimpse of the next big-budget movie musical. ‘NINE’ is due to arrive in theatres in November.
Viva Italia!
JP xx
JOEL PEISLEY