Never let it be said director James Mangold doesn't know how to mix up a career. Two years ago, his acclaimed music biopic "Walk the Line" dominated the awards season. This year he's back with a good old-fashioned Western with "3:10 to Yuma." And now he's keen on playing a game of "Murderball."
"It’s something we’re really excited about," Mangold said about his film inspired by the documentary of the same name from 2005. The critically hailed true life story of quadriplegic athletes who compete in the ultra competitive (and violent) sport of wheelchair rugby is currently in development for Mangold to direct. "We’re working on the script right now. It’s got great characters in that piece. Zupan is a great focal point in the film."
Zupan is Mark Zupan, essentially the hero in the documentary. Paralyzed from a car crash when he was just 18, Zupan was a stand out character in the original film thanks to a tenacious competitive streak and dazzling charisma.
Mangold, for one, is planning on sticking pretty close to the documentary's storyline. "I believe in the documentary. They isolated a great storyline. A lot of the characters and the stories and the way that movie works have been our guide."
I've already fessed up and written about what a fan I am of James Mangold's riveting new Western, "3:10 to Yuma." Mangold has been a director I've always found fascinating, dating back to my obsession a decade ago with the vastly underappreciated "Cop Land." So when I got a chance to talk to the "Walk the Line" director for the first time, I didn't give it a second thought. Read below as Mangold discusses the shades of gray in his new film, what he hates about modern Westerns, and why he felt like a failure after "Cop Land."
We began by talking about Ben Foster's kick-ass portrayal of Russell Crowe henchman Charlie Prince.
MTV: Did Charlie play on the page as well as Ben Foster plays it on the big screen?
James Mangold: Well it was a great role but it's definitely bigger in the movie than you might see on the page. Read more...
Maybe you've noticed one of the posters for the "3:10 to Yuma" in your local theater? 'Yuma' of course is a remake of a 1957 western that itself was based on a 1953 Elmore Leonard short story (yes, Elmore Leonard's been writing for a while now). The new flick, helmed by "Walk the Line" director James Mangold, stars Russell Crowe and Christian Bale. Now remember that poster I just mentioned? Check it out below and tell me if something doesn't fit.
Read more...
Over the past couple of decades, Hollywood's delivered only a handful of what used to be its most popular genre...the Western. The good ones stand out: "Unforgiven," "Tombstone" and, if you extend to television, HBO's "Deadwood," among others. Now, "Walk the Line" director James Mangold hopes to add to the roster with his remake of the classic "3:10 to Yuma," which stars Christian Bale as a rancher who agrees to transport a captured outlaw (Russell Crowe) to court. This one's anxiously awaited by us in the office; you'll probably feel the same once you watch the trailer below.
