Early One Morning ((P bon matin))

A L'ensemble des Films du Losange, Need Prods. in coproduction with France 2 Cinema, Rhone-Alpes Cinema, RTBF, Belgacom, using the participation of Canal Plus, Cinecinema, France Televisions, La Region Rhone-Alpes, CNC, along with the support from the Region Ile p France, Center du Cinema et p l'Audiovisuel p la Communaute Francaise p Belgique et des Teledistributeurs Wallons, in colaboration with Cinemage 5. (Worldwide sales: L'ensemble des Films du Losange, Paris.) Created by Margaret Menegoz, Regine Vial. Co-producer, Denis Delcampe. Directed by Jean-Marc Moutout. Script, Jean-Marc Moutout, Olivier Gorce, Sophie Fillieres.With: Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Valerie Dreville, Xavier Beauvois, Yannick Renier, Laurent Delbecque, Aladin Reibel, Francois Chattot, Nelly Antignac, Pierre Aussedat, Rob Amoussou, Frederic Leidgens, Richard Sammut, Marion Denys, Jean-Francois Pages.The backstory that partially discloses why a good investment banker all of a sudden kills several co-workers is unfurled in elliptical Gallic drama "Early One Morning," helmer Jean-Marc Moutout's latest take a look at contempo professionals in crisis. As with his earlier "Strive, Play Hard," Moutout fires up the cost of capitalism with the prism of people dealing with intense career demands. Jean-Pierre Darroussin's moving yet subtle lead perf reps the pic's greatest bonus, however the story's downbeat trajectory and excessively fragmentary storytelling might explain why it's had merely a smallish release in Gaul, generating a decent but modest $717,000 approximately since March. 5. Per the helmer within the pic's production notes, the script he co-authored with Olivier Gorce and Sophie Fillieres was inspired with a real-existence report concerning a fiftysomething banker in Europe who all of a sudden walked into his office one Monday morning and shot a couple of his more youthful superiors dead. Pic does not carry any "according to true occasions" tag, but rather invents its very own version of methods someone so apparently respectable might crack and turn to such violence. Protag here's Paul Wertret (Darroussin), first seen brushing his teeth, kissing his sleeping wife, Francoise (Valerie Dreville), goodbye, and leaving for make use of a loaded gun in the brief-case. In the glassy modern offices of BICF, his (imaginary) bank within an un named city, Paul shoots two males who have been, we learn later, his boss, Alain Fisher (thesp-helmer Xavier Beauvois), and more youthful manager, Fabrice Van Listeich (Yannick Renier). Paul then silently would go to sit lower at their own desk together with his gun while his remaining co-workers scatter in stress. After that, asynchronous flashbacks from Paul's existence go a way -- but, apparently deliberately, not completely -- toward explaining how he got until now. The short response is he increased to hate aggressive, tricky Alain and weaselly, backstabbing Fabrice once they sidelined Paul in the bank, and used research he did to warrant reducing a friend he loved, Clarisse (Nelly Antignac), once the world economic crisis forced the financial institution to create cuts. The greater complete answer lies much deeper, partially in the once-rocky marriage with Francoise, and partially in the own feeling of guilt for getting once been just like callous to achieve success regardless of the cost. Moments showing Paul speaking to some counselor (Frederic Leidgens) some several weeks prior to the killing uncover a guy who excessively compartmentalizes his existence and it is arrogantly certain of their own judgment yet estranged from their own feelings. In a nutshell, he was an ideal banker, and also the system that made him has become breaking him. Inside a typically humanist move that's designed to show Paul's moral complexity, Moutout creates inside a sketchy subplot about how exactly he and Francoise required a gap year to complete volunteer operate in Mali and today sponsor a Malian teen, Youssef (Rob Amoussou) who's comparable age his or her own boy, Benoit (Laurent Delbecque). However the strand is not quite satisfyingly meshed in to the primary story, and ultimately, there is the sense the viewer discovers many of the particulars but could never quite begin to see the problem. That perfectly may be intentional, an effort to suggest through jagged editing and oblique storytelling the way we can figure all this out about one man's existence but know him so very little. However, the ultimate effect is quite distancing, leaving "Early One Morning" feeling a little psychologically inert. Darroussin's contained, being applied perf rectifies this somewhat, but it is less than enough.Camera (color, widescreen), Pierric Gantelmi d'Ille editor, Marie Da Costa production designer, Jerome Pouvaret costume designer, Marie Da Costa seem (Dolby Digital), Francois Guillaume supervisory seem editor, Julie Brenta. Examined at London Film Festival (French Revolutions), March. 18, 2011. (Also in Busan Film Festival -- World Cinema.) Running time: 93 MIN. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

John Calley Remembered at Sony Memorial

What could be a more fitting place for a memorial for someone who ran three studios than a soundstage?our editor recommendsJohn Calley Dies at 81John Calley Memorialized By 'Leaving Las Vegas' Director Mike Figgis (Exclusive)John Calley Remembered by Candice BergenL.A. Film Critics honor John CalleyRelated Topics•Obituaries Sony's Stage 27, which once served as Munchkinland in the production of The Wizard of Oz, was the location for the John Calley memorial. He's died Sept. 13 at age 81. During his four-decade career, he'd run Warner Bros., UA and Sony. The stage's walls were covered in black drapes with stripes of 25-foot-high blue canvas and the floor covered with a dark blue, synthetic turf. At the building's east end was a brightly lit, elevated podium with three massive video screens behind it. PHOTOS: Hollywood's Notable Deaths The late-afternoon event drew roughly 350 friends, family and co-workers who included Robert Towne, Paul Masursky, James L. Brooks, Brian Glazer, Tony Bill, Bryan Lourd, David Foster, Pierce Brosnan, Stan Freberg and Annette Bening. The memorial began with remarks from Sony co-chair Amy Pascal, who said, "If John was what studio heads are like, then we must be a classy bunch. But the truth is, there was no one like John Calley." She noted that her former boss had a certain amount of "Hollywood cynicism, but he never let it get the better of him." She mentioned a long list of Calley's likes and dislikes with top position going to "the bright yellow Rolls Royce always parked in front of Bijan. He'd yelled at it as he drove by." STORY: Spotlight: John Calley Pascal introduced a video tribute reel with speakers including Norman Jewison, Michael Barker, Seth Greenland, Neil Winter, Maria Bello, Tom Bernard, Sid Ganis, Yair Landau (who said Calley was "not in it for his ego, but he wanted to succeed"), Akiva Goldsman and Natalie Portman, who said Calley's advice to her was "don't go after the money. It leads to loneliness. Do it for the love and a great life." There was also a clip of Calley giving this advice to filmmakers: "If you use your gut, and it's a good one, you'll do very well." Sony chairman Howard Stringer began by saying he wondered what Calley would say if he knew the film clips at his memorial were out of sync. What the honoree would say, he decided, was "So was I most of the time." STORY: Studio Legends: Sony After noting that Calley ran the studio with "the maximum of taste and the minimum of tyranny," he told the story first printed in the NYer of how Calley had once tried to hire someone to help him run Warner Bros. When the potential jobholder asked what his title would be, Calley offered him a title higher than the one he had. He said he could be worldwide head of production. When asked what his own title would be, Calley said, "I could be the assistant to the worldwide head of production." The potential employee asked to think about it over the weekend, then turned down the job "because he couldn't find the catch." It was a great story, except it was the same one Mike Nichols asked Warren Beatty to read when it was time for him to read the director's prepared remarks. It put Beatty in an interesting position. He just went forward with telling the same story twice, but gave it an actor's elocution. STORY: John Calley Remembered: Hollywood Pays Tribute to the Late Studio Executive Screenwriter Buck Henry spoke of having a percentage of 1972's What's Up Doc?, which Calley told him to hold onto as it looked like the film would be a hit. Soon after, Calley went to Warners and then told him he should sell his What's Up share to the studio. Henry asked why he'd told him not to sell and Calley said that was before I became an executive at Warners. The writer told him he was keeping the shares because "he preferred the advice of Calley the friend." Mel Brooks spoke about a conversation he'd had with Calley over making Blazing Saddles and a scene where an old lady was beaten up -- "really, really beaten up" -- made him nervous. Calley told him to go for it. "If you go up to the bell," he said, "ring it." EXCLUSIVE: Sir Howard Stringer Remembers John Calley Dana Delany talked about how much Calley loved women and how much they loved him because "he accepted you for what you are. He didn't want you to change." She said their last conversation was him asking "will we love each other always?" Related Topics Annette Bening Howard Stringer John Calley Mel Brooks Warren Beatty Obituaries Sony Amy Pascal

Tech roundup

Digital production and visual effects studio Big Block signed an exclusive deal with Alex Topaller and Dan Shapiro, the directorial and design duo known as Aggressive. Aggressive is now represented under the Big Block banner for direction and design for commercials, advertising and broadcast design. The collaboration has already yielded branded content that was unveiled at the Oracle OpenWorld technology conference in San Francisco. East Coast-based Aggressive will be a creative complement to Big Block's focus on digital production for commercials, features and TV. Company designed and directed graphics and vfx-driven broadcast and web content for P&G Anna Sui Cosmetics, Toyota and RalphLauren. * * * Woods TV, part of Paris- and L.A.-based Woods Media Group, has purchased a Quantel Enterprise sQ system together with QTube global workflow technology. The system will be the backbone of the production and program adaptation company's new HD, file-based facility as the company moves its Europe HQ to Boulogne Billancourt near Paris. Company has also appointed Elodie Brulere Powers as VP, global operations, in the L.A. office. Meanwhile, Hollywood-based digital intermediate facility Light Iron has purchased has purchased a third Pablo 4K system to boost its collaborative digital workflow and a Pablo PA to add more productivity and flexibility to its DI pipeline. * * * In a bid to further serve the growing Bollywood film community, post tools and digital workflow provider Assimilate has expanded to India, extending its dealer network and training centers. The new unit is led by Prasenjit Sengupta, who joined recently as director of sales for India. Assimilate also recruited Arun Kumar, who will provide training and tech support services. The expansion is in response to demand for the company's $18,000 Scratch Six digital cinema and broadcast finishing tools for Red and other digital workflows, and its $5,000 Scratch Lab digital system for review, versioning, color correction, conform and deliverables of dailies created during production or the VFX process Contact Peter Caranicas at peter.caranicas@variety.com

Exclusive: New John Carter image

Look at this brand-new exclusive image from forthcoming Disney epic John Carter.Good books by Tarzan's Edgar Grain Burroughs, it's directed by Andrew Stanton (Finding Nemo) and notifies the story of yank Civil War soldier John Carter (Taylor Kitsch) strangely gone to live in Mars and reluctant charged with becoming the planet's saviour by utilizing great eco-friendly warrior Tars Tarkas (William Dafoe) and wonderful princess Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins). New footage proven at D23 lately shown Carter finding his new surroundings plus an capacity to leap great distances, while meeting a number of Martians great and small."It's a period film from the period we don't know anything about," states Stanton, which has Harry Potter-sized desires a possible franchise of Burrough's "pulp Shakespeare" epic.Though no matter the size, Stanton's adamant an individuals element is important, with JC "Fighting a thing that happened to him formerly. In my opinion making him more real" according to him. "Everybody has ghosts that people are chasing after after."

Human Centipede II to acquire Uk cinema release?

"The job was passed with no cuts made," states the ruling for your Human Centipede II (Full Sequence) round the British Board of Film Classification website.We i i never thought we'd hear people words about of a film which has been while using the phrase "Banned inside the Uk" to promote itself along with other nations.It's only when you gaze slightly much much deeper you realize it's under the whole Sequence, since the BBFC's remarks are the line: "Cut version. Pre-cut by company in line with DVD version."The version Bounty Films published on 6 June 2011 that was rated R went at 86 minutes and 50 seconds, because the cut which has been passed becoming an 18 Certificate for film and DVD now runs at 84 minutes and 19 seconds.That's two minutes and 31 seconds the comfort around the world is 'enjoying' and we're not!Nicely i suppose, no less than we now have still got utilization of an individuals Centipede game. All the challenges of classic Centipede while using added fun of human ass-to-mouth action!

American Horror Story On Solid Start

Ryan Murphy and Kaira Falcuk’s new Foreign exchange drama series American Horror Story launched with 3.2 million audiences and two million grownups 18-49 at 10 PM last evening. It matched up in the premiere demo rating of Murphy’s previous Foreign exchange series, the hit Puppy puppy nip/Tuck, and was up 33% within the series debut of Foreign exchange’s current flagship drama Sons of Anarchy (1.5 million). It's running behind the all-time Foreign exchange champion — the series premiere of Foreign exchange’s signature cop drama The Shield, which collared 3.2 million audiences in 18-49 — but that could change, according to Foreign exchange leader and gm John Landgraf. Were really thrilled with the premiere ratings performance of yank Horror Story, he mentioned. We understand that when the Live+7 ratings can be found in, individuals from the 13 drama series Foreign exchange has opened up, AHS will rank no less than No. 2 all-in time grownups 18-49 behind The Shield, and there is possible that may be our finest ever. Landgraf also noted the spike in social media traffic triggered with the AHS premiere. Due to its premiere evening, including two encores, AHS averaged 5 million audiences, 3.2 million of those inside the grownups 18-49 demo.

Jon Hamm on Working With Partner Jennifer Westfeldt

Jon Hamm on Working With Partner Jennifer Westfeldt By Scott Feinberg October 5, 2011 Photo by Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images Jon Hamm and Jennifer Westfeldt Last month, I had the opportunity to meet up in Toronto with Jon Hamm, the actor best known for his starring role on AMC's hit television show "Mad Men," all four seasons of which have brought him Emmy nominations for best actor in a drama (but, inexplicably, no wins). Hamm, 40, was in town to attend the world premiere of "Friends with Kids," the feature directorial debut of his longtime partner Jennifer Westfeldt, at the Toronto International Film Festival. The indie romantic-dramedy, which Westfeldt also wrote and stars in, and which Hamm co-produced and plays a small but memorable part in, played like gangbusters at its world premiere, was acquired shortly thereafter by Lionsgate (the same studio that produces "Mad Men"), and will be released in theaters sometime next spring. During our time together, Hamm and I discussed that and much more.Some highlights of our conversation...On getting into acting: "I was always kind of outspoken, and rarely shy, and, from a very early age, was, sort of, on board with standing up in front of other people and making an idiot out of myself, so it wasn't too big of a leap to turn that into a possible vocational decision."On moving out west after college (for which he'd had a theater scholarship): "Coming from St. Louis, Missouri to Los Angeles, California is a significant paradigm shift, to say the least... I basically didn't work for three years -- I, sort of, auditioned for a lot of things, and went up to a certain point in the audition process, and then would, sort of, fail... but I was either naive enough, or confident enough, or dumb enough, or some combination of the three to not get too terrifically discouraged... I'd never really done anything else -- I'd taught school, and I always knew that that was, like, a fallback position if it ever got dire."On meeting Westfeldt: "Jen and I met in L.A. at a party -- a mutual friend's birthday party... completely random meeting... she was out here auditioning for a pilot or something... and I was, too... and she got an audition for Jake Kasdan's film "Zero Effect" [1998]... and wanted to read with somebody who was a guy, and she didn't really know any guys out here, so she called... and that was, kind of, how we first officially met, running scenes from "Zero Effect." Apparently I wasn't very good, 'cause she didn't get the part."On finally starting to 'make it': "I started working steadily just before 2000... I finally started working, and that's, you know, when I was able to, kind of, not wait tables every day or every other day, and was making enough money to actually pay my bills and not put them off -- that was a pretty good feeling. And I ended up getting a television show called "The Division" [on which he appeared from 2002-2004], which I worked on for three years, and that was a steady paycheck, which was the first time in my existence that that had really happened. And that was actually around the time of "Kissing Jessica Stein" [the popular 2001 romantic-comedy co-written by and starring Westfeldt and featuring Hamm in a small role]... and then, you know, you know, that show ended, and a pilot here and a thing there." On landing the role of Don Draper in "Mad Men" six years ago: "They certainly didn't 'go to me.' I had to audition for it many, many, many times... The network, the studio, and everybody else wanted a big star to hang it on, and Matt [Weiner]'s thought process, which I think is wise, was, you know, 'This guy is basically an enigma. I don't think we can have a person who comes in with a lot of star persona really effectively do it.' And it was to my great benefit, so I'm happy that he fought for me."On his willingness to play supporting roles in films (i.e. "The Day the Earth Stood Still," "The Town," "Bridesmaids," and "Friends with Kids") even after becoming a bona fide leading man on TV: "I like to work with people whose work I respect and whose work interests me in some way... it's nice to have the opportunity to do that, I think. Unfortunately, sometimes you can get a little pigeonholed into one thing, and, you know, banging on the same piano key, after a while, is a little repetitive and maybe not so interesting, so it's nice to be able to, kind of, switch it up."On the genesis of "Friends with Kids:" "We had, kind of, been talking about just the idea of what's happened to our, sort of, 'friend-base,' and we realized, 'Oh, they all had kids!' We went to, like, nine one-year-old birthday parties in one year and were like, 'Wow, man, we have a lot of friends with kids -- this is crazy!' And we watched them and watched how parenthood takes a toll... And then she basically decided to write it down."On the night they decided to make "Friends with Kids:" "We had a table read of it at our house with Adam [Scott]... Jason Segel... Paul F. Tompkins... a bunch of fun people came and read. We were like, 'Come on, you want to read this? We'd love to have you. We'll make some pasta. Free wine!' And it, kind of, played well."On the challenges of making "Friends with Kids:" "We shot this movie over 24 days in one of NY's worst winters in something like three or four decades, [which] presented production challenges, but... we got it done, somehow... and we're thrilled with the result."On the first question begged by "Friends with Kids:" Were he and Westfeldt friends first? "Oh, yeah, very much so. She was involved with somebody, and I may have been involved, as well. Yeah, we were friends for a long time before we officially started dating -- and we've never gotten out of the 'dating' thing. We're still in it."On the second question begged by "Friends with Kids:" Do they have kids? "We don't. It's always on the periphery of the discussion, but we do not have children. You know, it's a tricky balance to strike. And I have a tremendous amount of respect for my friends who do balance this particular career with raising a kid, 'cause it's a tricky environment to bring them into... So not for us just yet."On the third question begged by "Friends with Kids:" Was it ever considered that he, rather than Adam Scott, would play Westfeldt's romantic interest in the film? "No. You know, we see enough of each other during the day. That has its own set of landmines, and pitfalls, and whatnot, and our relationship is -- I don't think -- something we need to explore on screen."On season five of "Mad Men" (will air in 2012): "We just started, so we're at the bottom of a very steep, very long hill, and I'm looking forward to getting to the top of it... It's tremendously fun. I love it. It's a great job. You know, at my advanced age, it's a nice thing to be able to work on something that you really enjoy... It's impossible to quantify what the show has done for my career and, sort of, footprint in the industry... it's been, you know, huge, and I certainly wouldn't be having this conversation -- or any conversations -- without it." The Hollywood Reporter Jon Hamm on Working With Partner Jennifer Westfeldt By Scott Feinberg October 5, 2011 Jon Hamm and Jennifer Westfeldt PHOTO CREDIT Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images Last month, I had the opportunity to meet up in Toronto with Jon Hamm, the actor best known for his starring role on AMC's hit television show "Mad Men," all four seasons of which have brought him Emmy nominations for best actor in a drama (but, inexplicably, no wins). Hamm, 40, was in town to attend the world premiere of "Friends with Kids," the feature directorial debut of his longtime partner Jennifer Westfeldt, at the Toronto International Film Festival. The indie romantic-dramedy, which Westfeldt also wrote and stars in, and which Hamm co-produced and plays a small but memorable part in, played like gangbusters at its world premiere, was acquired shortly thereafter by Lionsgate (the same studio that produces "Mad Men"), and will be released in theaters sometime next spring. During our time together, Hamm and I discussed that and much more.Some highlights of our conversation...On getting into acting: "I was always kind of outspoken, and rarely shy, and, from a very early age, was, sort of, on board with standing up in front of other people and making an idiot out of myself, so it wasn't too big of a leap to turn that into a possible vocational decision."On moving out west after college (for which he'd had a theater scholarship): "Coming from St. Louis, Missouri to Los Angeles, California is a significant paradigm shift, to say the least... I basically didn't work for three years -- I, sort of, auditioned for a lot of things, and went up to a certain point in the audition process, and then would, sort of, fail... but I was either naive enough, or confident enough, or dumb enough, or some combination of the three to not get too terrifically discouraged... I'd never really done anything else -- I'd taught school, and I always knew that that was, like, a fallback position if it ever got dire."On meeting Westfeldt: "Jen and I met in L.A. at a party -- a mutual friend's birthday party... completely random meeting... she was out here auditioning for a pilot or something... and I was, too... and she got an audition for Jake Kasdan's film "Zero Effect" [1998]... and wanted to read with somebody who was a guy, and she didn't really know any guys out here, so she called... and that was, kind of, how we first officially met, running scenes from "Zero Effect." Apparently I wasn't very good, 'cause she didn't get the part."On finally starting to 'make it': "I started working steadily just before 2000... I finally started working, and that's, you know, when I was able to, kind of, not wait tables every day or every other day, and was making enough money to actually pay my bills and not put them off -- that was a pretty good feeling. And I ended up getting a television show called "The Division" [on which he appeared from 2002-2004], which I worked on for three years, and that was a steady paycheck, which was the first time in my existence that that had really happened. And that was actually around the time of "Kissing Jessica Stein" [the popular 2001 romantic-comedy co-written by and starring Westfeldt and featuring Hamm in a small role]... and then, you know, you know, that show ended, and a pilot here and a thing there." On landing the role of Don Draper in "Mad Men" six years ago: "They certainly didn't 'go to me.' I had to audition for it many, many, many times... The network, the studio, and everybody else wanted a big star to hang it on, and Matt [Weiner]'s thought process, which I think is wise, was, you know, 'This guy is basically an enigma. I don't think we can have a person who comes in with a lot of star persona really effectively do it.' And it was to my great benefit, so I'm happy that he fought for me."On his willingness to play supporting roles in films (i.e. "The Day the Earth Stood Still," "The Town," "Bridesmaids," and "Friends with Kids") even after becoming a bona fide leading man on TV: "I like to work with people whose work I respect and whose work interests me in some way... it's nice to have the opportunity to do that, I think. Unfortunately, sometimes you can get a little pigeonholed into one thing, and, you know, banging on the same piano key, after a while, is a little repetitive and maybe not so interesting, so it's nice to be able to, kind of, switch it up."On the genesis of "Friends with Kids:" "We had, kind of, been talking about just the idea of what's happened to our, sort of, 'friend-base,' and we realized, 'Oh, they all had kids!' We went to, like, nine one-year-old birthday parties in one year and were like, 'Wow, man, we have a lot of friends with kids -- this is crazy!' And we watched them and watched how parenthood takes a toll... And then she basically decided to write it down."On the night they decided to make "Friends with Kids:" "We had a table read of it at our house with Adam [Scott]... Jason Segel... Paul F. Tompkins... a bunch of fun people came and read. We were like, 'Come on, you want to read this? We'd love to have you. We'll make some pasta. Free wine!' And it, kind of, played well."On the challenges of making "Friends with Kids:" "We shot this movie over 24 days in one of NY's worst winters in something like three or four decades, [which] presented production challenges, but... we got it done, somehow... and we're thrilled with the result."On the first question begged by "Friends with Kids:" Were he and Westfeldt friends first? "Oh, yeah, very much so. She was involved with somebody, and I may have been involved, as well. Yeah, we were friends for a long time before we officially started dating -- and we've never gotten out of the 'dating' thing. We're still in it."On the second question begged by "Friends with Kids:" Do they have kids? "We don't. It's always on the periphery of the discussion, but we do not have children. You know, it's a tricky balance to strike. And I have a tremendous amount of respect for my friends who do balance this particular career with raising a kid, 'cause it's a tricky environment to bring them into... So not for us just yet."On the third question begged by "Friends with Kids:" Was it ever considered that he, rather than Adam Scott, would play Westfeldt's romantic interest in the film? "No. You know, we see enough of each other during the day. That has its own set of landmines, and pitfalls, and whatnot, and our relationship is -- I don't think -- something we need to explore on screen."On season five of "Mad Men" (will air in 2012): "We just started, so we're at the bottom of a very steep, very long hill, and I'm looking forward to getting to the top of it... It's tremendously fun. I love it. It's a great job. You know, at my advanced age, it's a nice thing to be able to work on something that you really enjoy... It's impossible to quantify what the show has done for my career and, sort of, footprint in the industry... it's been, you know, huge, and I certainly wouldn't be having this conversation -- or any conversations -- without it." The Hollywood Reporter