-
Tuesday, July 21
Actor Johnny Depp has played some bizarre characters over the years — a lonely boy with scissors for hands, a crying crooner, a suicidal ladies man, a bizarre confectioner, a murderous barber — but no one could have guessed Depp's dream would be to play award-winning singer and actress Carol Channing.
While out promoting his latest film, Public Enemies, in which Depp channels Depression-era gangster and folk hero John Dillinger, Depp said:
My dream role would be to play musical legend Carol Channing in a biopic of her life. I love her, I really do. With all the digital technology available these days I could probably pull it off.
Channing, now in her 80s, had a successful career on Broadway and in film, earning three Tony Awards, a Golden Globe, and an Oscar nomination. In her later years, she frequently appeared on variety and game shows.
Next Showing: Public Enemies is in theaters now
Posted 7/21/2009 by BrentJS
Related: Johnny Depp | Carol Channing | Public Enemies
-
Wednesday, July 1
"Okay, we know Transformers: Return of the Fallen is out," you say, "but what blockbuster is there for me, someone who’s already seen Megan Fox’s rack and isn’t a racist?" Into that breach steps Public Enemies, recounting the pursuit of legendary pirate Willy Wonka Dillinger by noted law-and-order type The Batman. Here are the top 10 gangster movies you should watch to psych yourself up for Johnny Depp rocking out with his Tommy gun.
Posted 7/1/2009 by reelz
Related: Johnny Depp | Boyz N the Hood | Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels | Scarface | Pulp Fiction | The Godfather | The Godfather, Part II | GoodFellas | Once Upon a Time in America | The Departed | Eastern Promises | Public Enemies
-
Tuesday, June 30
It's middling to good reviews so far for Michael Mann's Public Enemies, starring Johnny Depp as John Dillinger.
"This is a very good film..."
— Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
"...comes at you like Dillinger did: all of a sudden. It's movie dynamite."
— Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
"...slow to heat up and never quite comes to a boil."
— Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter
"...more admirable than electrifying."
— Todd McCarthy, Variety
Posted 6/30/2009 by reelz
Related: Christian Bale | Johnny Depp | Public Enemies
-
Friday, June 26
With Terminator Salvation dominating the (overseas) box office and Public Enemies opening July 1, it's hard to believe that Christian Bale took a year off from acting. However, Bale's ready to step back into the ring in more ways than one as he plays Mark Wahlberg's boxer-training brother in The Fighter. Bale described the movie to Collider.
It's a true story of two incredibly gifted boxers who were half brothers. The one, Dicky Ecklund, who fought Sugar Ray Leonard at a very young age, when he was twenty one, was an incredible natural talent. He lived a very hard life. Then he came to train his brother, Irish Mickey Ward, to the world title.
The role meant some serious dieting, which Bale explained to MTV.
I've had to [lose] a great deal of weight because he was a welterweight.
Bale has lost and gained weight for roles several times in his career, at one point dropping 62 pounds for The Machinist before gaining it all back and more for Batman Begins. Bale is using fairly conventional methods for his weight loss this time around:
There’s nothing like boxing for getting you in shape. It’s a wonderful thing when your trainer is actually the person you’re playing.
Production on The Fighter starts in July, releasing sometime in 2011. David O. Russell will direct.
Posted 6/26/2009 by Ryan
Related: Christian Bale | Mark Wahlberg | The Machinist | Batman Begins | Sugar Ray Leonard | David O. Russell | Terminator Salvation | Public Enemies | The Fighter
-
Tuesday, June 23
The release of Michael Mann's Public Enemies is just around the corner, and seven new clips from the movie have hit the web. The clips feature FBI agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) as he's introduced to the public, his confrontation with John Dillinger (Johnny Depp), and Dillinger's conversations with girlfriend Billie Frechette (Marion Cotillard), among other moments.
Here are our two favorites. You can see more here.
Posted 6/23/2009 by Rich Z
Related: Christian Bale | Johnny Depp | Michael Mann | Marion Cotillard | Public Enemies
-
The folks at Cinema Blend have posted a fascinating behind-the-scenes clip in which Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, and director Michael Mann discuss the mythology and the history behind Public Enemies.
The movie is based on the Bryan Burrough book Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-34,which tells the stories behind the rise and fall of Chicago gangster John Dillinger (Depp) in the 1930s. FBI agent Melvin Purvis (Bale) pursued Dillinger andeventually gunned him down outside the Biograph Theater at the age of31.
In this clip, Depp, Bale, and Mann talk about how the economic hardships of the Great Depression allowed Dillinger and his escapades to be seen as heroic rather than criminal. They even get into Dillinger's psychology, explaining why he might have lived the lifestyle he did.
And yes, there are plenty of tantalizing shots from the movie itself, some of which we hadn't seen before.
Next Showing: Public Enemies makes its way to theaters July 1, 2009
Posted 6/23/2009 by Rich Z
Related: Christian Bale | Johnny Depp | Michael Mann | Public Enemies
-
Monday, June 22
We've got a curious case of mixed messages. While on the junket promoting their mobster flick Public Enemies, mega-stars Christian "Batman" Bale and Johnny "Rumored Riddler" Depp were asked about their participation in the continuing Batman movie franchise.
Bale seemed oddly down on doing a third flick — especially without director Christopher Nolan at the helm.
Johnny Depp, who is the number one fan favorite to play villain The Riddler, showed interest, saying, "I'd definitely juggle it."
Posted 6/22/2009 by Jim
Related: Christian Bale | Johnny Depp | Public Enemies | Batman 3
-
Thursday, June 18
The first full clip from Michael Mann's Public Enemies is now online. Just follow the link here.
The scene is a full-blown night shoot-out complete with tommy guns, broken glass, and a heck of a lot of bullet holes. FBI agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) and his team attempt an ambush outside the forest hideout of gangster John Dillinger (Johnny Depp). In terms of style, the scene seems to borrow not only from Scarface (the 1932 Howard Hawks version), but also the first big shoot-out scene in The Godfather: Part II, which sees Al Pacino diving for cover indoors while shooters ambush from a wooded area outside.
Public Enemies is based on the Bryan Burrough book Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-34,which tells the stories behind the rise and fall of Dillinger in the 1930s. Melvin Purvis pursued Dillinger andeventually gunned him down outside the Biograph Theater at the age of31.
We don't know about you, but this clip gets us even more excited for the movie.
Next Showing: Public Enemies makes its way to theaters July 1, 2009
Posted 6/18/2009 by Rich Z
Related: Christian Bale | Johnny Depp | Michael Mann | Howard Hawks | The Godfather, Part II | Scarface | Public Enemies
-
Monday, June 8
Universal Pictures has released two new TV spots for Michael Mann's Public Enemies, which opens on July 1.
The movie is based on the Bryan Burrough book Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-34, which tells the stories behind the rise and fall of 1930s Chicago gangster John Dillinger. FBI agent Melvin Purvis pursued Dillinger and eventually gunned him down outside the Biograph Theater at the age of 31.
The spots feature Johnny Depp, who plays Dillinger; Christian Bale, who plays Purvis; and Marion Cotillard, who plays Dillinger's girlfriend and accomplice.
Posted 6/8/2009 by Rich Z
Related: Christian Bale | Johnny Depp | Michael Mann | Marion Cotillard | Public Enemies
-
Monday, June 1
MTV capped off its Movie Awards with a sneak peek at the biopic about Chicago gangster John Dillinger, Public Enemies. The clip below includes footage from the movie, as well as interviews with stars Johnny Depp and Christian Bale and director Michael Mann.
Next Showing: Public Enemies opens July 1
Posted 6/1/2009 by Ryan
Related: Christian Bale | Johnny Depp | Michael Mann | Public Enemies