pothos.org

Great!!! I have lost my hope(already)

As well we all should. Wrong director, lousy casting and based on bad books. I can't imagine anything coming out of the barrel on this one but a really ratty wormy apple.

I am actually getting quite excited now - apart from Moulin Rouge, I have liked Baz Luhrmann's films, and I think I am in a minority as I picked Leonardo as Alex before he was even cast. And Nicole Kidman can act, as well as being lovely to look at, although she won't be a fiery Olympias, I wouldn't think. Still, the proof is in the proverbial, I suppose. If they use Manfredi's books, it will be bad, but those are unfilmable, I would have thought. Luhrmann said in an article recently that Alexander was a man who had unlimited ambition which in the end he couldn't satisfy. That is a reasonable starting point, I hope...

Oh Please! Nicole Kidman? Leonardo? It's bad enough the are using Manfredi's books (I couldn't get past page 35 of the first one). Another Hollywood hack job.

Hmm - but Luhrman isn't really Hollywood, is he? And Strictly Ballroom and Romeo and Juliet were two of the most innovative popular films of the past decade - Nicole Kidman can be an excellent actress - she did that film about the tv weathergirl, and the recent "The Others" was pretty good. And Leo is not just a pretty face - given most recent photos he isn't even a pretty face now. Gangs of New York has received excellent reviews, although I haven't seen it yet, and he was a revelation in What's eating Gilbert Grape. He may not be muscular enough, but I guess he could wear bulky clothes. It won't be a Gladiator-type movie, for which I am glad - it was awful. It may be a bit camp, but I am all in favour of that. The weddings at Susa must have been high camp - all those matching couches with silver legs.

Sure Nicole can act. I like her in most movies I've seen her in (especially Moulin Rouge). But do you think she has the 'grandeur' that Olympias would have? As for Leo, I did like him very much in Romeo and Juliet however I still can't visualize him as Alexander. Perhaps he will surprise us?

Just for the members of Pothos. Here is sneak preview of my casting list.Callisthenes : Mel Gibson
Darius III: Danny Glover
Alexander: Danny De Vito
Education GÇô Aristotle : Pee Wee Herman
Eumenes: Jack Nicholson
Hephaestion: Al Paccino
Nearchos: Jo Pesci
Olympias: Halli Berry
Oxyartes: Tom Cruise
Roxane: Rosanne or Ricky Lake
Parmenion: Antonio Banderes
Philip II: Russel Crowe
Philotas: Anthony Hopkins.
Ptolemy: Heath Ledger
Sisygambis: Julia Roberts

Well I'm glad you cast Russel, Antonio and Heath in there. I thought I'd heard once that they were considering Heath for the Alexander role. Now I think I could visualize him more than Leo. (Leo is cute but a bit wussy don't you think?)

Well, ultimately all we can do is wait and see.I haven't seen Dicaprio in enough movies to form a judgement (although my prejudice has always been against him, but that is largely because of Titanic); and, actually, I reckon Nicole Kidman could do Olympias - she is a good enough actress.One thing we can say for sure, is that the film will be (a) interesting and (b) will probably *look* very good. Whether the story stands up to scrutiny is a different thing altogether.The two 'best' historical films of recent years - Braveheart and Gladiator - were full of issues for people (the former rather than the latter, in general), but I for one think that they were both superb films, and if Luhrman can make an Alexander film that has as much energy and spectacle, I'll be happy to see it...All the bestMarcus

Hmmmm...

Hi,
Di Caprio as Alex.He will be turning in his flooded tomb, that's Alex not Di Caprio.What a total waste of a good opportunity.All of your castings were better than the one I am talking about. cheers,
G.

Ha!
Would the real Baz Luhrman please come forward...