News
The Del-Byzanteens coming to DVD
In the early 80's The Del-Byzanteens played a number of concerts at clubs such as CBGB's, Hurrah and the Mudd Club in New York City. Three of their shows at the Hurrah club were filmed, in their entirety, by Merrill Aldighieri, who has uploaded three clips to her website. Last month, Aldighieri announced that work on "a feature length DVD based on the Del-Byzanteens live performances at Hurrah has begun". Some more info over at Limited Control.
Setting the scene
Very little is still known about Jim Jarmusch's next film, tentatively titled "The Limits of Control", apart from the announcement made by by Focus Features in February earlier this year, detailed here. Nothing substantial has yet been leaked, except for Paste Magazine (February 2008) claiming that Roman Polanski and Javier Bardem are "suspected for cameos", though I'm not sure what that rumor is based on. However, a few on location snap shots have cropped up on the web, taken in Madrid (in February) and Senés, Almería (in March), in Spain. I've set up a photo album collecting some of them here.
Now open: The Resource Page Forum
I've set up a forum to accompany the Jim Jarmusch Resource Page (at http://forum.jim-jarmusch.net), linked in the site menu, above to the right. Feel free to use it any way you wish, to ask questions, to answer them, to voice your opinions, to spread news etc. I've suggested a few categories in the forum outline, but you can use the "General" board for any topics which don't fit in any of the categories. Please note that this is my first attempt at creating a forum, I'm sure there are some bugs and annoyances, which I hope to be able to iron out in due time.
News roundup: The Limits of Control
In case it has escaped anyone, Jim Jarmusch is reportedly at work on a new film, tentatively titled The Limits of Control, slated for release in 2009.
According to a press release by Focus Features, who has worldwide rights, shooting began in Madrid, Spain in February. The new film is the story of a mysterious loner (to be played by Isaach De Bankolé, in his fourth collaboration with Jarmusch), a stranger, whose activities remain meticulously outside the law. He is in the process of completing a job, yet he trusts no one, and his objectives are not initially divulged. The film is set in the striking and varied landscapes of contemporary Spain (both urban and otherwise).
Joining De Bankolé are Hiam Abbass (Munich and Paradise Now); Gael García Bernal (The Motorcycle Diaries); Paz De La Huerta (The Guitar); Alex Descas (of the "No Problem" segment of Coffee and Cigarettes); John Hurt; Youki Kudoh (Mystery Train); Bill Murray; Jean-François Stévenin (Brotherhood of the Wolf and The Man on the Train); Tilda Swinton; and Luis Tosar (Miami Vice).
Stacey Smith, who has worked with Jarmusch for over a decade, and Gretchen McGowan (who co-produced the filmmaker's Coffee and Cigarettes) are producing the new film. Award-winning cinematographer Christopher Doyle (In the Mood for Love) is the film's director of photography; Eugenio Caballero (Pan's Labryinth), is the film's production designer. The filmmaker's longtime collaborator Jay Rabinowitz will edit the feature. Jon Kilik (Babel) is executive-producing the film, continuing his association with Jarmusch.
I'll post any news here as I chance upon them.
It's official: Jim's an indie icon
For what it's worth: at the closing ceremeny of Downbeach Film Festival in Philadelphia on Sunday (August 10), Jim Jarmusch was given the inaugural DBFF INDEPENDENT FILMMAKING ICON award.
(Closing night also meant the East Coast premiere of Mark Webber's "Explicit Ills", a movie for which Jarmusch has served as one of the executive producers.)
More info here.