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Post by architect on Dec 6, 2011 22:20:20 GMT -5
Filming THAT Stunt Motion-capture apes overran cineplexes this year. Photo-realistic animated worlds teemed with fighting pandas and an adventurous young reporter. But one of 2011’s most jaw-dropping sequences comes courtesy of the human special-effect himself, Tom Cruise, and the craftspeople behind director Brad Bird’s “Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol,” which opens Dec. 21. In it, Cruise’s spy Ethan Hunt and his squad (Jeremy Renner as Brandt, Paula Patton as Jane Carter and Simon Pegg as Benji Dunn) find themselves in Dubai’s Burj Khalifa — the world’s tallest building. Complications force Hunt to travel several stories above the team’s 119th floor command center — from outside the building — using electronic gloves that allow him to climb glass. The dizzying experience is made all the more vertigo-inducing by being shot in Imax. And, yes, that really is Cruise doing the climbing. Here’s a breakdown of how that scene came together, with script excerpts by Josh Appelbaum and André Nemec.
EXT. BURJ KHALIFA — DAY
Brandt cranes his head skyward, looking at the behemoth building he’s under. It seems to go up forever.
Stunt coordinator Gregg Smrz: We were in meetings, and they said, “Tom’s not going to climb that building. The studio will never allow that.” I said, “Tom’s going to climb the building, I guarantee it.” When you’re on top and you look out, people are going to think it’s CG [computer-generated], and it’s not. You have to see it to believe it.
EXT. BURJ KHALIFA — 119TH FLOOR — DAY
A window panel is removed and pulled inside the room by Brandt and Benji. Ethan picks up the gloves.
Co-producer, visual effects producer Tom Peitzman: Special mounts had to be made for the 65-millimeter Imax cameras, special safety had to be put in place, because in a building that’s 800 meters tall [it’s 2,723 feet], you couldn’t run the risk of anything falling. Even all of us who are working inside the building, we all had to harness ourselves because the window was open. Being in a building that high, it almost gave you the sense you were in an airplane, watching Tom Cruise outside, actually doing it.
Smrz: We spent hundreds of hours trying to figure out, how are we going to climb this glass and make it look real. In Prague, we had a [replica] section of the building brought over from Dubai and built it on stage. We knew the temperature of the glass and where the sun was going to be on the day of our filming, and we put 50-foot-tall lights on a rheostat so we could adjust them so it was like the sun.
Actor, producer Tom Cruise: We were dealing with a lot of issues — not only the height issue but also the temperature issues and the winds. It can get so hot up there that it could burn me, so we had to really play with different kinds of rubber, different kinds of materials with the wardrobe. A sequence like this, with the amount of manpower and craftsmanship it takes — and also, athletically, what it takes — even for training as we’re trying to figure how we’re going to do it, it’s pretty intense. Read the Full Article
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Post by architect on Dec 11, 2011 22:55:21 GMT -5
Brad Bird: Telling Stories to Grown-Ups Mr. Bird got this gig largely because of Mr. Cruise. He called Mr. Bird shortly after “The Incredibles” was released. “His composition and storytelling was absolutely wonderful, and I said, ‘If you ever want to direct live action, please, please direct me,’ ” Mr. Cruise said by telephone from Tokyo. Mr. Bird was charmed. But he went on his way, pursuing an ambitious live-action project about the wild and woolly scene in San Francisco just before the 1906 earthquake.
Then, one night at about 11:30, Mr. Bird got a text message from J. J. Abrams, a friend (they used to share an agent) and a producer of “Ghost Protocol.” Mr. Abrams also directed “Mission: Impossible III.” His message read: “Mission?” Mr. Bird was intrigued. “It sounded big and daunting in a good way, crazy, but the kind of crazy that I got into this business to embrace,” he said.
“Ghost Protocol” aims to be funnier than its predecessors in the series and includes some unexpectedly quirky moments, at least for this type of action film. One comes early on, as Mr. Cruise’s character breaks out of a Russian prison during a riot. A bouncy Dean Martin tune plays as the thick-necked thugs tear into one another. “That’s all Bird,” Mr. Cruise said. “He found that song, and I was like: ‘Wow. O.K. Let’s do it.’ ”
Mr. Cruise said he was “constantly amazed” at Mr. Bird’s ability to pull off concepts that seemed a little squirrely at first, though people who have worked with Mr. Bird before are not surprised to hear it. “If you’re going to pursue a dream, you have to wake up first,” said Patton Oswalt, the actor who voiced Remy in “Ratatouille.” “Brad has unreined imagination and enthusiasm and what comes first with him is the gee-whiz. But what makes him able to execute on all of that is an incredible foundation of professional knowledge and experience.”
If a big-budget sequel like “Ghost Protocol” isn’t what you would expect from a guy who has spent his career making unconventional choices (a rat cooking in a kitchen?), Mr. Bird has a bit of a hard time explaining it himself. He talked about wanting to work with Mr. Cruise and Mr. Abrams, wanting to do a spy movie and wanting to prove that “a commercial movie can still be art.” Read the rest . . .
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Post by architect on Dec 11, 2011 22:58:48 GMT -5
Lea Seydoux is on a 'Mission' Seydoux, 26, has appeared in period dramas (Robin Hood), romances (Midnight in Paris) and more often French-language films.
So her role in Ghost Protocol has come as a surprise.
"It's my first action movie and it was really, really fun to do," she admits. "I am not used to all that running around. I did some boxing, I had to throw things and also I practised shooting a gun.
"I was really impressed by Tom Cruise. He is such a good actor and he is so fit. He is able to change himself into so many different characters and then he does all the stunts. He's climbing a building in Dubai and it's 900m and he is on the top," she says of the Burj Khalifa skyscraper, the world's tallest building. "He's almost in the clouds. It's crazy."
Seydoux, plays assassin Sabine Moreau in the fourth Mission Impossible movie.
"She kills for money," she says "and diamonds will do just fine." Read the rest . . .
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Post by architect on Dec 11, 2011 23:03:08 GMT -5
Labour of Love It's like setting up a multi-million business empire, owning it for three months and then closing it down. That's how Tim Smyth describes his company's work facilitating local film production for high-profile movies such as Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol.
Last night, Smyth's labour of love premiered at the Dubai International Film Festival to much global acclaim.
"I thought it was fantastic. I think they've raised the bar on the franchise. I enjoyed the writing, acting and how Dubai was so fantastically depicted in the film. All our hard work's paid off in ways I could have never dreamed of," Smyth said after the premiere.
The Dubai sections of the film — which roughly translated to 40 minutes in the film, took more than 10 months from preparation to wrap-up, he says.
"It's definitely the biggest project that's ever happened in the Gulf," he says of the filming. "It's very technical and takes a lot of preparation. There are many locations, many units filming and a lot of sequences."
Although unwilling to go into details, Smyth, Filmworks CEO, whose past projects include facilitating for Hollywood films Syriana and The Kingdom, is all praise for the MI4 lead.
"Tom is an extremely dedicated actor and very hardworking. He does all his own stunts," he says. "But there are a lot of technical aspects, on safety for instance, for him to execute the stunts. And that is where we come in."
But that's not all. Filmworks' responsibility included everything from securing script permission and shooting permits, with relevant authorities, before production began. Then there is taking care of the shooting ("everything from A-Z"), managing locations, the local crew and hiring additional crew to fill in shortcomings.
"There were aerial units, ground units and the A-units, which consists of the main actors," he explains.
More than 450 crew members were involved over 10 months, although the main stars were only in town for six weeks. Additionally, 600 extras were cast from the UAE.
But for Smyth, who set up Filmworks 13 years ago, despite the star status of his last project, it was business as usual.
"I had to make sure things were running properly and that we were delivering as a Dubai unit," he says.
"Our biggest advantage is our locations. We have both modern and old Arabia." SOURCE
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Post by architect on Dec 11, 2011 23:06:26 GMT -5
Shiamak Davar: Tom is Wonderful Bollywood choreographer Shiamak Davar believes it was divine intervention that made him a part of the much-anticipated spy thriller Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol.
"I have no idea how they [the MI4 production team] found me. They just picked me from the whole of Asia and said they want to work with me. It was God and my spiritual guide who led them to me," Davar told tabloid! in an interview over the phone from Mumbai.
Davar shot for three days in Dubai with the Mission: Impossible team led by Tom Cruise, Paula Patton and Anil Kapoor choreographing an opulent party scene.
"Tom [Cruise] is so wonderful. I met him in Mumbai... he was telling me that the party scene I choreographed uplifted the mood of the film. He felt the whole dance sequence looks beautiful," says Davar.
Though he's tight-lipped about the details, Davar says the party scene is a vital link in the adrenaline-charged plot. The scene — which was shot at Dubai's Jumeirah Zabeel Saray on the Palm Jumeirah — see the wealthy Brij Nath (Kapoor) throwing a lavish bash.
"In the whole scene, you will see Shiamak's signature style of choreography. It's simple and a blend of Indian and modern steps," says Davar.
Billed as the man who introduced Bollywood actors to synchronised, modern choreography, Davar is equally excited about his acquaintance with Patton.
"To know that I was in the company of Paula Patton, who played the teacher in the Academy Award-winning Precious was a great feeling. She was such a warm, friendly person. I feel blessed to have known them all," he said. SOURCE
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Post by architect on Dec 11, 2011 23:10:19 GMT -5
Mission Accomplished: making M:I4 Possible One man's Mission Impossible is another man's mission accomplished. At least that is how Jamal Al Sharif, Managing Director of Dubai Studio City and Dubai Media City, feels as the Tom Cruise movie premiered here on Wednesday.
In an exclusive interview to XPRESS, the 36-year-old recalled how he had arrived at the Dubai Creek early in the morning on November 10, 2010, the first day of the shoot, and was overwhelmed by what lay in front of him.
Cameras rolled as director Brad Bird and actor Tom Cruise engaged in conversation, even as a bunch of tourists in a Big Tour bus popped out with their cameras to catch the action. However, traffic flowed smoothly, as did life, all around. "At that moment, I just felt it was a mission accomplished."
Playing host to an 800-plus crew — half of them from abroad — he had a mammoth task at hand. But five months of preparatory work had paid off, ensuring a smooth start for the 24-day filming.
Al Sharif said a special operations committee comprising high-ranking officials was set up to oversee filming of MI4 in Dubai.
"The committee was led by Dubai Police and had a dedicated operations room at the police headquarters at Jumeirah. It had over 30 members from Dubai Municipality, Road Transport Authority (RTA), Dubai Ambulance, Ministry of Defence, Civil Aviation, special protection forces and other departments," he said, adding they worked closely with production teams from Paramount Pictures and Filmworks.
The committee met regularly and visited every location to ensure everything went to plan. Besides Burj Khalifa, other major locations included Al Bastakiya, Al Seef Road, Dubai Creek, Baniyas Road, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), Satwa, The Palm and Margham desert.
Al Sharif said at any given time there were around 100 people on the ground with a five-member team from the Dubai Studio City providing back-office support. Next: Week One
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Post by roxthefox on Dec 15, 2011 0:27:23 GMT -5
He's done a picture like this before!! I think it was a magazine shoot for the first MI or Jerry Maguire.
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Post by serin on Dec 16, 2011 13:07:58 GMT -5
FIRST BOX OFFICE: ‘Mission: Impossible’ $1.1M Midnights From Only 425 Screens Helped By ‘Dark Knight Rising’ Preview
By NIKKI FINKE | Friday December 16, 2011 @ 9:34am PST
FRIDAY 9 AM: It’s a holiday miracle considering how badly domestic box office has been slumping for the past five months. But now pent-up moviegoer demand for the big Christmas blockbusters is sending grosses soaring this weekend. I’m told that playing on just 425 screens in 425 locations from Thursday evening through midnight shows, the new Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol opened with a huge $1.1 million. As reference, M:I3 did $1.1M of midnight business on over 2,000 screens. ”This is a great start,” a Paramount exec gushed. Of course, Paramount’s M:I4 grosses were goosed by none other than Warner Bros which decided to release The Dark Knight Rising preview footage in IMAX theaters alongisde the Tom Cruise-Jeremy Renner starrer. “It’s a pretty compelling package Given how strong early sales were for midnight shows, IMAX asked to open Thursday evening to get the word of mouth started,” Paramount tells me. “Since the plan was getting people to see the film early, we gladly said OK.” This weekend, M:I4 opens alongside what’s expected to be the biggest opener this holiday season, Warner Bros’ Sherlock Holmes 2: Game Of Shadows, and Fox’s Alvin And The Chipmunks 3: Chipwrecked. Since Sherlock wasn’t booked into IMAX, Warner Bros couldn’t pair its Batman threequel prologue with that movie and lost a valuable earning opportunity which went to Paramount on a silver platter instead. To say that warner Bros was annoyed is an understatement. More later today.
Hollywood Deadline
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Post by roxthefox on Dec 17, 2011 6:58:20 GMT -5
Isn't Dark Knight prologue only playing in 42 screens? I'm sure it helped, but not to the extent this article claims.
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Post by serin on Dec 18, 2011 7:34:14 GMT -5
Tom makes it possible again - Youths throng theatres to catch MI-4
Patna, Dec. 16: Ethan Hunt has made it possible yet again. The IMF (Impossible Missions Force) agent has taken the state capital by storm with his action-packed performance in the fourth film in the Mission Impossible series — Ghost Protocol.
Moviegoers in the city are flocking to Cinepolis and Mona Cinema to catch the film, which released yesterday, on the big screen.
Cinepolis is screening six shows, three in Hindi and three in English. Abhishek Ranjan, unit head, Cinepolis, said: “Of all the Hollywood movies which we have screened here, Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol has received the best response. The dubbed version of the film, in fact, is drawing more crowds. The first-day, first-show in Hindi yesterday at 9.45am saw a packed house.”
About the crowd, he said: “It’s mostly the college-goers. They are coming for the morning shows.”
The Cinepolis authorities did not rule out a possibility of extending the screening of the film by another week. “If the response remains as good as yesterday and today, we will definitely extend the shows,” Ranjan said.
Given Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Don 2 is releasing next week, Cinepolis’s hope of extending the shows beyond this week looked almost impossible.
For now, Tom Cruise (who plays the role of Agent Ethan Hunt) has caught the fancy of not just MI fans but also those who haven’t seen the prequels.
Sharad, the manager at Mona cinema, which is screening four shows (all dubbed) said: “The movie is doing great. We are getting a very good response. The dubbed version of the film is being praised by the audience. The show at 12.45pm went houseful and all tickets have been sold out for the show at 6.30pm. There have been advance bookings too.”
Sharad added: “We are expecting the response to get even better on Sunday as youngsters would hit the theatre to watch Tom Cruise on big screen. There have been group bookings as well.”
Ravi Raj, who came to watch the movie today, said: “I have seen the prequels, so this one was a must-watch for me. I liked Tom Cruise as well as Anil Kapoor.”
On being asked whether he had come for the English version or the dubbed one, he said: “I watched the film in Hindi because that way I could enjoy each and every dialogue. What’s the point in watching the movie in English if I cannot understand the conversations going on among the actors?”
Farzan and her friends, all college students, had bunked classes to catch the show. Farzan said: “I just love Tom Cruise. He is so cute.”
Asked which version did she go for, Farzan said: “The English one, of course. How can someone watch a Hollywood movie dubbed in Hindi?” Telegraphindia
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Post by architect on Dec 22, 2011 0:04:39 GMT -5
Josh Holloway is a Baller The “Dirty Muskrat” is gone. The “Odor Catcher” has left the building. During the six years that Josh Holloway played the follicly blessed con man James “Sawyer” Ford on ABC’s Lost, he came up with various nicknames for the ever-present stubble that roughed up his chiseled mug. “I often called it the ‘squirrel that lived on my chin,’” he says, laughing, which he does a lot. “I don’t like facial hair.”
Luckily for Holloway, his hirsute days are over. It’s been liberating to lose the signature scruffiness and reclaim some much valued privacy. “I noticed how well the Clark Kent disguise works,” he says, when he went to Prague last year to co-star with Tom Cruise and Jeremy Renner in the new film, Mission: Impossible–Ghost Protocol. “I was told, ‘Lose the hair, lose the beard.’ And then I walk out on the Charles Bridge where there are probably seven street artists drawing images of Sawyer and nobody knows who I am—not a soul. It was trippy.”
This year, Lost creator J.J. Abrams (who directed Mission: Impossible III and is a producer on Ghost Protocol) offered him the lead role in his new CBS series, Person of Interest, but he turned it down. “It was [being] shot in New York and I’d just moved my whole family to California,” he explains. “I couldn’t pick them all up and move again.” After Lost ended, the Georgia-bred Holloway and his wife, Yessica, headed South for a down-home visit with family and friends to do what he enjoys most. “I was barbecuing and PBR-drinking,” he says. But after all that Southern comfort, Holloway says he “looked like a potato sack.” So he started working out—just in time too. “Bryan Burk [one of Abrams’ producing partners] called and said, ‘Are you available in two weeks? We need you in Prague [for Mission: Impossible].’ And I’m like, ‘Shit! Classic! Wow, alright!’ I was trying to be cool, but this was quite an o! er. My wife and I jumped around, laughing and dancing for an hour after that phone call.”
While he can’t divulge much about his part in Ghost Protocol, he has nothing but praise for Cruise. “He is the ultimate machine,” Holloway says. “When I arrived on set he was in the middle of some huge fight scene and I didn’t want to bother him. And he was like, ‘Hey, hang out, dude. This is your set—relax.’ He said, ‘I know you’re going into stunt training. Really take your time.’ That was great advice, because I get there and I’m nervous and excited, like, ‘This is Disneyland for men. Let’s shoot some shit and jump off of buildings.’ It was good that he said, ‘Settle down, dude—you don’t gotta do it all right away.’ He really put me at ease.” Director Brad Bird applauds Holloway’s professionalism: “Josh takes the job seriously but also knows how to have fun,” he says. “There’s a scene where Josh had to be dropped 30 feet with a huge IMAX camera suspended above him. That takes game.” Full Article
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Post by architect on Dec 22, 2011 0:10:04 GMT -5
Michael Nyqvist on Why Bad Guys - and Swedes - Have More Fun Swedish actor Michael Nyqvist stars as Hendricks, the lead villain in Brad Bird’s new film, “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol,” playing opposite Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt. For the role, Nyqvist had to train in boxing and mixed martial arts, which the actor says he loved, but while filming a fight scene, he broke a rib.
“I remember that even though it hurt, Brad was screaming, ‘Great, Mike! You’re so authentic!’ I’m like, I know!” Nyqvist told The Wall Street Journal in an interview.
Nyqvist, who originated the role of Mikael Blomkvist in the Swedish version of “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,” said it was a dream playing with Cruise in “Mission: Impossible.” “We found out we have in a way the same trigger,” he said. “When we push the button, him and me, it’s only a second and we’re up to 100. So we raised the level for every take we had together.”
He said director Bird also pushed him with every take too. “Brad comes from animation and he has green fingers in what he does — when he touches things, it becomes truthful,” Nyqvist said. “He has this view of looking at things in mythical and natural contexts at the same time.”
Bird gave the film a realistic feel, unlike fantasy-laden action films of say, James Bond, Nyqvist said. He pointed to recent terrorist attacks and suicide bombings as proof that his villain, Hendricks, can be seen in certain personas around us. “What interested me in this role is he’s one of the most dangerous types of persons we have, and it’s people who think they have the easy solution, and it’s more or less brilliant and genius in their own eyes,” he said. SOURCE
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Post by architect on Dec 22, 2011 0:17:25 GMT -5
Costume Designer Talks MIGP urrently hard at work on Star Trek 2, Michael Kaplan spared Clothes on Film time in his busy schedule for an exclusive chat about Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol. With one of the biggest franchise releases of the last quarter, Kaplan’s own mission was to create fresh and memorable costumes for a series that prides itself on looking very good indeed.
Clothes on Film: Despite its contemporary setting, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol has a definite retro 1960s vibe. Was this how you approached the costumes?
Michael Kaplan: Yes, in a very subtle way, as homage to the 60’s TV series I grew up with. I’ve done the same thing on Star Trek, though perhaps not as subtly.
CoF: Ghost Protocol features some sharp suiting, the tonic blue on Tom Cruise, the lightweight grey (with purple stitching) on Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg’s double breasted – were these all custom made?
MK: All the principal actors’ suits were custom made. For Tom Cruise, we needed 16 versions of the blue suit, his shoes (20 pairs, custom made) and shirts (24, custom made) all for that one sequence alone. There were so many different circumstances which called for these vast numbers; stunts with various harnesses, stunts with pads, shoes for running, climbing, distressed versions, etc. Hopefully in the end it all comes together and has a seamless look.
When you need to have so many of the same garments for an actor, it is actually more expedient to manufacture them, although finding enough of a desired fabric can be challenging.
CoF: Simon Pegg as Benji’s look is obviously distinctive within the Impossible Missions Force. Was this to establish his eccentric, slightly geeky side?
MK: Although having all the needed multiples is crucial, my actual job is to create characters with the clothing I am designing. Although the suit look for “Benji” was a working disguise, I wanted it to capture some of his quirkiness.
CoF: Are we correct in deducing that Tom Cruise wore a midnight blue tuxedo with black silk lapels at the ball in Mumbai?
MK: Tom and I thought a midnight blue tuxedo would be more interesting and bit more flattering than a black tux. Once again we needed many multiples so we used Tom’s great relationship with Giorgio Armani to manufacture my design.
CoF: Ghost Protocol has a very glamorous, glossy veneer but grounded in reality; would this be fair to say?
MK: I think any film needs to be based on a certain level of reality and believability. The stunts and gadgets need to look like they really work or you’ll lose the audience.
CoF: Were Tom Cruise and Simon Pegg both wearing Persol sunglasses in the movie?
MK: I love Persol sunglasses and wear them myself. There is a retro quality to many of their frames which seemed right for Mission Impossible.
CoF: Can you tell us a little about Paula Patton’s two most outstanding ensembles, the pale blue dress with matching jacket and green ball gown?
MK: The light blue dress and jacket Paula Patton wears in Dubai was designed for her. I wanted a business-like ensemble that would separate her from all the men’s suit looks. The pastel color was perfect for the climate and a dress with a jacket that could come off was a nice change when her character was out of disguise. The sleeveless dress also showed off Paula’s beautiful arms.
When setting out to design a piece of movie clothing, I first must review all the characteristics it must have. Paula’s green gown was no different. The scene where it is worn is a seduction scene so a certain amount of décolleté (low cut with mucho cleavage) was necessary. There was also a bit of action and the director (Brad Bird) wanted to see a lot of leg as Paula steps out of a car (a high slit). I chose a colour that was bright enough to follow Paula’s character around a crowded party, dressing no other extra in that colour (of course I selected a colour that looked amazing with her skin tone).
CoF: It is interesting that you did not go with red for the ball dress. Would this have been just too visible for her character?
MK: The colour red is very powerful and important. I use it occasionally. For the India party scene, many of the servers and butlers traditionally wear red; I didn’t want to fight with that.
CoF: Colour seems important for you in signifying mood. There is a scene in a train boxcar where the new Impossible Missions Force first meets. They are all wearing varying shades of grey; was this to suggest that they are trapped between right and wrong?
MK: Grey is my favourite colour – for a different reason, at home, my nickname is Grey. In the box car scene, those shades of grey seemed right – nothing as deep as being trapped between right and wrong. Sorry.
CoF: Finally then, Ghost Protocol establishes a new silhouette for Cruise’s Ethan Hunt, first seen with the hood of his leather jacket pulled up over his head after the Kremlin bombing and then repeated at the end of the film with a hooded sweater. Was this intentional repetition, to show that Ethan is now alone and hiding in the shadows?
MK: In this case you are quite right (I CAN be deep). This was my intent and I am trying to think of an appropriate prize for you for discovering it! SOURCE
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Post by architect on Dec 22, 2011 0:29:09 GMT -5
Anil Kapoor Switches Bollywood for Hollywood Arabian Business: Your role in this film was quite small – would you have liked a bigger part?
Anil Kapoor: When you hear the role, you look at it in a different way. Then you start making it your own and start loving it. You can’t just love the role from the time you hear it. So my first reaction was, ‘I don’t want to do it. Why should I do such a small role?’
But then you go and think, and once I started working, I realized it would have been the biggest blunder of my life if I [hadn’t taken it]. I would have missed a golden opportunity.
AB: So you have no regrets then?
AK: I think [having a small role] is what makes it challenging and I love accepting challenges. Where Hollywood is concerned I’m just a beginner. Exactly 32 years back I started the same way in India and when I did Slumdog Millionaire. I wanted to do [the lead] role, but I did the other role. If I had said no I would have missed the opportunity to do the biggest film of the century. Then I would not have met Tom Cruise, he wouldn’t not have come to India.
AB: How important is it to you to ensure Indian actors net more roles in Hollywood?
AK: I want to try and bridge the two industries [Bollywood and Hollywood]. I have seen a lot of success. But my vision is not that. There is a much bigger reason why I’m doing these things. I want to make a contribution to see to it that the great talent in my country will cross over there [into Hollywood] and that great talent that wants to come to India comes over. There is a lot of talent in America but less jobs. And there are so many jobs available in India. There are less writers and less technicians. SOURCE
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Post by architect on Dec 22, 2011 0:30:29 GMT -5
Anil Kapoor: Brad Bird is a Genius "It's why international films have a certain kind of perfection and quality," said the smartly dressed Indian. "It's why when you see the film after 20-30 years it has a kind of magic because they all really prepare a lot. Without preparation you cannot get those kind of results. It's a huge big film and it's been done with so much preparation."
Considering Kapoor's scenes are all portrayed as taking place in Mumbai, the 51-year-old travelled the globe to film MI4.
"The streets were in Mumbai, the palace was in Dubai, the corridors were in Vancouver and my costume fittings were in Prague," he said. "Oh, and press in Dubai."
According to Kapoor, who says he has worked with some of the best directors in the world, director Brad Bird "is special".
"Brad Bird is a genius — you see his animation films and only a true genius can make those characters become real. In terms of connection and spirituality and depth, he has it all. His talent made the film what it is today."
Kapoor hosted Cruise last week on his first ever trip to India.
"Somewhere in some remote corner of India there is a young person who has been inspired by what Slumdog Millionaire achieved and is trying to recreate it. That's a magical thing. Tom Cruise has caused a similar stir in India last week. He has brought colour, energy and excitement back to our country for the local people. Pictures of Cruise at the Taj Mahal have made many people sit and say, ‘Oh look, the Taj Mahal.' It makes you appreciate the things you have which we take for granted."
Kapoor hosted a party at his home for Cruise and the team. "I invited my closest friends from the Indian film industry and it was a lovely evening." SOURCE
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