film

[Ben]

Hello there - I was directed to this site by my friend Laura, and I thought you all might like to know that I am involved at the moment with a production company that has optioned the rights to produce a film about Alexander. The books by Mary Renault are the working basis to the pre-production script. The film is scheduled for 2004. It has been given the green light, so all systems are go... we are of course still wrangling over budgets, and are just about to sign up a major actor for the lead. It has every sign of being a BIG film, so I hope we can get in all the many things that I know make Alexander so special to you all. Best wishes, Ben.

[susan]

Ben
Please tell us more
... how can we help
... have you looked at Jeanne-Riemes-Zimmermann's site about the casting of any Alexander film - a few years out of date now but with such film stalwarts as Russell Crowe
... can you get someone a bit better than Leonardo Di Caprio as your main leadI think we'd just love a film that we could contribute our advice and thoughts to. Thanks for contacting usSusan

[Ben]

Thanks... No, I haven't seen the Zimmerman site. Maybe interesting, but perhaps a little out of date? Do you have any details? It's a fantastic project to be working on. It would help if anyone could tell me of their 'seminal' Alexander moments... We have got 2 Alexanders in the film, we start with him at the age of 12, and then progress onwards. Filming will take place in Spain, Greece, Egypt and India. Thanks for your interest. Best wishes, Ben.

[susan]

BenThe site is http://www.geocities.com/philalexandros/fun.html It hasn't been maintained for sometime. Another related site is:

http://home.earthlink.net/~mathetria/Be ... nault.html Best regardsSusan

[susan]

BenThe site is http://www.geocities.com/philalexandros/fun.html It hasn't been maintained for sometime. Another related site is:

http://home.earthlink.net/~mathetria/Be ... nault.html Best regardsSusan

[Ben]

... many thanks. Spookily enough quite a lot of names on the site are on board, so perhaps we are all thinking along the same lines after all! I am off next week to recce some sites. I shall keep you posted. Thank you again. Ben.

[Ben]

... many thanks. Spookily enough quite a lot of names on the site are on board, so perhaps we are all thinking along the same lines after all! I am off next week to recce some sites. I shall keep you posted. Thank you again. Ben.

[marcus]

Hi Ben,Just so it doesn't seem that Susan is the only one supporting you in this...It sounds like a great project and obviously everyone on this site will be anxious to help in any way that we can. Our biggest concern (apart from the choice of actor to play Alexander) appears to be how closely the resulting film should be to the sources. Personally, I am happy to hear that the Renault books are to be the source of your film - although a little outmoded in some of her assumptions/analyses of Alexander, Renault I feel got much closer than the recent books by Manfredi.You will get a lot of strong opinion and polemic from this forum, but I hope we can be of some value.All the bestMarcus

[Ben]

Thanks for your message. I really believe that this film will go beyond an epic Hollywood feature film... Of course, the casting is very important, and as soon as I am allowed to I will let you know who is in the frame. I am pleased that you think (with reservations)Renault is a good script starter. It seems to me, above anything else, that she created a fantastic portrait of what was obviously a very complex man. The logistics and nightmares of pre-production are only just beginning...!
Ben.

[Peter]

Mary Renault's books have long been optioned by mel gibson's company (Icon Productions) and he was going to do an HBO 10 episode Alexander project.
This is NOT happening any longer since he's on a project about the life of Christ, shooting in Italy.
Therefore, all this doesn't make sense to me.
Also, he has not given up the rights to the book.
Ben, clarify cause something is not right here....

[jorgios]

oh yipee! a movie based on renaults books!
i think making a movie based on her books is perfect, because it would provide just the right amount of fact mixed with romance that would make the movie a sure winner with me!
Since you were asking about our"favorite Alexander moments" i would have to say the moment at Phillips wedding where a sarcastic Alexander was attacked by his father who nearly broke his neck falling in a drunken stupor. Alexander replies: "Look at this, he plans on crossing from Europe to Asia and cant pass from couch to couch!" Although many on this board doubt the factual basis for this account, i still find it hard to imagine an Alex movie without it.

[Nicator]

My favorite moments would have to be:The rouse involving the cavalcading horses and the phalanx in complex drilling formations...when Alexander is trapped against the Taulauntians early on in his campaigns into northern and western frontiers (Illeria). Of course there is also the Persian gates debacle, Guagamela battle, and the battle against Porus in India...and who could forget that nice little seige against Tyre, and the drunken Macedonian soldiers bragging about who was a better soldier as they assault Hallicarnassus by themselves. Alexander's flying men that scale the Sogdian rock...and take its surrender. Then their is Alexander reading a letter from Olympias with Hephaistion listening in as Alex states "...she sure charges a lot for the nine months rent". The Siwa oasis secret message concerning...ohh if we only knew...his visit to Delphi where the top soothsayer is not available, but is in her home...Alexander finds her and she tells him "sire, thou art invincible"...Alexander granting amnesty to the Theban woman who just pushed a soldier into a well and tossed stones on him until he was dead...apparently because her husband was involved in, and killed during the battle of Chaeronea. Also, his protection of the Persian royal women after Issus and throughout the Persian campaign.Alexander's speech before Guagamela to his officers, and his speech concerning the mutiny at Opis.Alexander when he turned down water offered to him by a woman when he found out the water was intended for her children as they marched through a long desert in pursuit of Bessus...even though he was obviously in great need of it, with his neck stretched out and his lips parched.Alexander as an upstart youth that challenges his father's men in regards to Bucephalus...a fine horse is being wasted, and then Alex as he proceeds to enchant the horse, and mount it by himself with no help from anyone...thus winning the bet with Philip his father. The list goes on and on...My concern is that this movie will obscure the real story, and produce a picture of Alexander which cheapens him. His story is truly one of the greatest of all time, and does not need fictionalizing, only length and depth. I don't see how a movie can be made on Alexander without from the beginning planning on doing an epic trilogy of movies, 3 hours each. I would love to see Brad Pitt as the lead, but it's not as important as getting a decent script going in. I ho

[luc]

Ben, who is directing this? what movie studio?As for the choice of Mary Renault...she's the best choice.
Luc

[maciek]

Hi Ben!
This is so great that movie prodactors want to analyse facts and cast with people who are dedicated to Alexander's history. As for me most importand is to see the movie wich folows some vision (like Mary Renault - with no Holywood-sensational additions). What You've written - it seems that it can be good movie with great value for us. Of course no one can make the movie with all facts from his history but most importand should be there. I agree with Nicanor1 that good for movie would be scene when Alex sorrounded by enemies is giving orders to his troops changing the formations of cavalry and phalanx units. This great demonstration of discipline and abilities is very good for the begenning. Very importand is the moment when Alex throw the spear in to asian shore claiming that Asia is his by right. Alex made many theatrial moves (maybe he knew he will be someday played by sme actor). Of course main battles has to be in that movie too: Granikos, Issus, Gaugamela, Hydaspes. Siege of Hallicarnasus gives oportunity to make a little laugh of few soldiers which at some night beeing drunk tried to conquer the city, and next morning Alex had to ask of their bodies the citizens. The siege of Tyre should be great batalistic scene especially with last part of it and all kinds of weapons used in same time in attack from ground and see - Arrian is funtastic writing it. Meeting with Darius's mother and wife has to be in such a movie. Destrioing Persepolis is importand as the symbol of finnishing the vengence against Persians for destroing the Athens. Persuing of Darius has great meaning also. Accidents with Parmenion, Philotas, Crateros and Callisthenes are of great meaning too. And one of last fights - in Mall's town when he fought alone (Curtius Rufus) or with two - three friends (ather authors). When I read about it in Rufus I thought that it is like a scene taken from some movie. Tragedy in gedrosian desert is hes largest defeet but not with human power but with nature and his last days in Babilon. That's a brief shortcut of all his conquest. Of course there is many more so maybe it will be few parts of that movie like (Lord of the Rings) in that case we can add many more details.Maciek