Quelle: http://www.techcomforces.com/alexander.html
January 25th 2004 from Jeff K.
Los Angeles Times: The 1/18/04 " Los Angeles Times" had a preview of movies in 2004, including a full-page profile on " Alexander" . It included interviews on the set of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon (where Alexander, after entering Babylon, shows respect to it`s conquered royalty). Among those interviewed were Stone, Colin Farrell and financier Intermedia`s Moritz Borman. Here`s a quick rundown of what they said: Stone: " I read the Random House classic book of the 1950`s, (Alexander) took my imagination. The beauty of the man, combined with his dashing exploits and his strong parents - he`s fascinating material. He had an idealism I find very rare. He truly believed in the myths and executed them. He outshone Achilles and practically matched the myths of Hercules, in his way. It`s an astounding story: a boy who followed his dreams. People don`t do that often in life, and when you find them, you want to know about them" . Stone (on previous Alexander tellings): " No one`s done it. No one`s written something about Alexander`s life that`s remembered. There was a bad opera. Robert Rossen (director of the Richard Burton film), bless his soul, took it on and completely missed it. Why didn`t Shakespeare try it? Or Marlowe, or the Roman playwrights? It`s bizarre...I started talking about this in 1989, when the German producer Thomas Schuehly approached me" . Moritz Borman (on the " other" flick): " The competition got nasty at times. Quite frankly, when we started, they had Baz Luhrmann, who had just done Moulin Rouge" . Leonardo (DiCaprio) was at that time a bigger star than Colin. I had the smaller package, so to speak. But Oliver`s script is extraordinary. So I had a screenplay. They never did. They just had different versions" . 85-day shooting schedule; 20,000 costumes, 9,000 arrows, 3,000 shields, 3,000 swords, 4,000 bows, 200 lances and 350 axes and clubs; two units filming at once, one with five cameras and Stone going back and forth between units. Stone: " The big films I made before were contemporary. With this we had to start from scratch, make every single piece of clothing and armor, because nothing is available. We go back 23 centuries, so whatever you need - pottery, glasses - there`s nothing you can get" . Stone: " In Morocco, we had sandstorms. To some extent, I kept shooting through them, but we still lost 2 1/2 days out of 37 there. The key is to make it a guerrilla operation - get in and out fast" . Colin Farrell: " In the last 4 yearsI`ve been lucky enough to do some big jobs. But I`ve never done anything like this. It`s a very noble endeavor, this film...You can never know enough, so you read " The Iliad" and Sophocles, you get a feeling for the gods. But Page 1 to Page 158 (of the script), that`s the bible. You can just run with what Oliver wrote and make it your own" . Stone (on Colin): " Colin has the flu, but you wouldn`t know it. I ask him for choices with a line, and he just adjusts it four different ways. He`s so upbeat...Oh yeah, and he`s nasty in an Irish way. All his best lines are under his breath. It`s hard to get all that (in an actor). This is a young man`s story, and what young American actor has all that?" Colin Farrell: " Our production designer and costume designer are geniuses. They create this world, and all you have to do is exist in it. I`ve seen some amazing sets but look at this!" Stone: " These men are Macedonians, not cultivated Greeks, and it seemed to me they occupied a similar position that the Irish and Scots did to the English in the British Empire" . Stone: " One thing that comes out in this film is that the Olympic gods start to lose their hold on man. Mankind goes toward Christianity, that comes 300, 400 years later, but men start to look for personal salvation as opposed to the Olympic gods, who weren`t enough. Alexander shows you that man can do it, become the highest reflection of gods" . Jeff also brings us a couple of past quotes from Oliver Stone on ‘Alexander’ at: filmforce.ign.com and globetrotter.berkeley.edu.
January 22st 2004 from The Associated Press.
Thai Film Festival to Honor Oliver Stone. BANGKOK, Thailand - The organizers of an international film festival opening in Bangkok this week will bestow a career achievement award on U.S. director Oliver Stone, who is currently shooting scenes for his latest epic, " Alexander," in central Thailand.The Academy Award winner will receive a Golden Kinnaree award for career achievement at a Jan. 31 ceremony closing the 2004 Bangkok International Film Festival, the Tourism Authority of Thailand said in a statement dated Tuesday. A kinnaree is a revered figure in Thai mythology that combines the attributes of a woman and a bird and is believed to come from heaven. The 14-day festival starting Thursday will feature 150 films from around the world and movie-related workshops and lectures. The festival`s executive director, Craig Prater, said Stone is being honored for " his immeasurable impact on global cinema. He is one of a handful of thought-provoking filmmakers whose directing achievements are matched by his work as a writer and producer," Prater said in the statement.
Stone is currently filming scenes for his latest epic about the life of Alexander the Great — starring Colin Farrell as the Macedonian conqueror — in Lopburi province, 115 kilometers (70 miles) north of Bangkok. Hundreds of actors and 20 warrior elephants have gathered on the set in a forested area to film a battle scene in which Alexander confronts an Indian king, Porus, during his invasion of India in 325 B.C. More filming will take place in northeastern Ubon Ratchathani province before the production crew is to leave Thailand in early February. Filming also took place in Morocco and at studios near London. Production of the movie began last September, and it is scheduled for release in November. Stone wrote the film about Alexander, a relentless conqueror who was born in 356 B.C. and amassed the world`s largest empire by age 32. Stone won best director Academy Awards for 1989`s " Born on the Fourth of July" and the 1986 Vietnam War drama " Platoon," and the best adapted screenplay Oscar for 1978`s " Midnight Express."
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