J. Edgar Review Thread (Use Spoiler Tags)

[Lord_Stewie]

Hey,

Looks like J. Egar Hoover is getting his own Biopic.

Here are the details:

Before Gus Van Sant’s film Milk was released, many people who didn’t watch Big Love wondered “who the hell is Dustin Lance Black?” That’s the young writer who made his name on Big Love, and whose name was credited large in trailers for his collaboration with Van Sant. After seeing Milk, the question was more like, “when will we see more from this guy?” Giving a great thank-you speech when accepting his Oscar for writing Milk helped cement interest in Black.

Well, Black is currently finishing up What’s Wrong with Virginia, the film he wrote and directed that stars Ed Harris and Jennifer Connelly. And now it seems like he’s been tapped to write a biopic based on the life of J. Edgar Hoover, the first director of the FBI and one of the most famous lawmen in the world.

Pajiba reports that Black is writing the script for Ron Howard’s company Imagine Entertainment. While I’m not wild about the idea of Imagine being behind the film, that’s a really interesting hire. Black is very interested in representing the interests of gay culture, and has spoken passionately about young gay men and women being able to safely come out. Hoover was reportedly a cross-dresser and some claim he was homosexual.

Much more substantiated is the fact that Hoover would wield elements of the FBI and other federal energy to control and subvert the civil rights of those he considered enemies and dangers to democracy. He would compile information about the sexual preferences of some subjects, and reportedly used it to discredit them. Regardless of the truth behind the gay/cross-dressing rumor (an image that may have bloomed simply as a way to use Hoover’s own smear campaigns against him) there’s a lot of material in Hoover’s story that would make it of interest to Dustin Lance Black. I love the idea of him drafting this script.

Hoover has been on screen several times before, most recently as played by Billy Crudup in Public Enemies. None of the screen portrayals of Hoover, however, hold a candle to the one written by James Ellroy in American Tabloid, The Cold Six Thousand and Blood’s A Rover. I don’t know that Ellroy’s version of the man is true to life, but he writes him magnificently nonetheless. Channelled by Ellroy’s pen, Hoover is a spider at the center of a massive web of information, always pulling strings and letting out slack to manipulate politics and culture. But he is tragically flawed by shortsighted arrogance. I’d be wild about seeing Ellroy’s Hoover on screen, but I have faith that Black can come up with his own compelling presentation.

Looking Forward to this.

Enjoy.

------------------------------------------------

UPDATE: MARCH 10TH, 2010

Hey,

This is looking better if Clint Eastwood takes the project.

Here is more:

Remember that J. Edgar Hoover biopic that we wrote about last week? Well, Entertainment Weekly and THR have both confirmed that legendary actor and filmmaker Clint Eastwood is interested in directing the project. Brian Grazer and Imagine Entertainment are developing the film, however Eastwood will start working with Oscar winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black (Milk) on the script, since he typically gets that intimately involved in his projects. The movie will follow Hoover's career, from the founding of the FBI in 1935 to his long tenure as director of the crime-fighting organization that lasted until 1972 when he died.

Hoover, as it will be called, isn't setup at a studio just yet (even though Brian Grazer normally works with Universal). Both sources say that it will probably end up at Warner Bros, which is where Eastwood has a deal and has been releasing his latest films like Gran Torino and Invictus. I'm absolutely amazed that this guy, at 79 years old, can still direct as many films as he does. He recently finished shooting Hereafter with Matt Damon, which will be out this December. And if I have a feeling that if he does direct Hoover, he'll be shooting sometime by the end of the year as well. I'll be very curious to see who he casts as J. Edgar Hoover.

So combine this news with that other bit about Hoover supposedly being a "closeted homosexual and cross-dresser" in addition to founding the FBI and tell me if this is something you want to see. I'm curious, and it will probably be Oscar bait, but I'm not totally sold yet. This is one of those few projects where I'm going to have to wait until we see a trailer and learn more about what exactly we'll be seeing in this before I'll be completely sold. But there is definitely some high caliber talent working on it, to say the least. Thoughts?

So what do you guys think about this now?

Enjoy.

[Darkhawk9587]

Interesting. I wonder who they'll get to portray Hoover. I though that Billy Crudup did a pretty good job in Public Enemies with the limited screen time he had. Thanks for the post.

[Lord_Stewie]

Originally Posted by Darkhawk9587

Interesting. I wonder who they'll get to portray Hoover. I though that Billy Crudup did a pretty good job in Public Enemies with the limited screen time he had. Thanks for the post.

No problems.

Who would you nominate. I think they should go with Eric Bana for the part.

[WyldeMan45]

Originally Posted by Lord_Stewie

No problems.

Who would you nominate. I think they should go with Eric Bana for the part.

Bana is way too butch looking, Hoover even looked light in the loafers.

[Teabaggins]

Originally Posted by WyldeMan45

Bana is way too butch looking, Hoover even looked light in the loafers.

bana too butch, huh?

ok...I have someone in mind

[WyldeMan45]

Originally Posted by Teabaggins

bana too butch, huh?

After 'Chopper' the guy had BAMF stamped permanently to his forehead.

As for that other fellow...........I bet his father was shocked to find that he raised Little Lord Ice Dancer.........

[Shanester]

Originally Posted by Teabaggins

bana too butch, huh?

ok...I have someone in mind

He's too masculin

Can this drama queen even act??

[Secretagentnumber6]

Originally Posted by Darkhawk9587

Interesting. I wonder who they'll get to portray Hoover. I though that Billy Crudup did a pretty good job in Public Enemies with the limited screen time he had. Thanks for the post.

Crudup should get the role. I did think he was very good in public enemies and I think he deserves more credit overall for his abilities and this would be a good chance for that.

[Lord_Stewie]

Originally Posted by Secretagentnumber6

Crudup should get the role. I did think he was very good in public enemies and I think he deserves more credit overall for his abilities and this would be a good chance for that.

But Crudup role was short in the Public Enemies. Do you think he would be able to pull off the role?

Another thing I am sure that producers wouldn't want Crudup for the part. It may end up making it seem as if its connected to Public Enemies in a sense.

[Secretagentnumber6]

Originally Posted by Lord_Stewie

But Crudup role was short in the Public Enemies. Do you think he would be able to pull off the role?

Another thing I am sure that producers wouldn't want Crudup for the part. It may end up making it seem as if its connected to Public Enemies in a sense.

Yeah, you have a point there. And likely they will go for an established big name star. Not that Crudup is a slouch but his name is not bringing anyone into the theater. Based on his work in The Good Shephard, Matt Damon could pull it off too.

[vegeta88]

I vote Billy Crudup as well but that's because I like him as an actor. I was much more interested in him and Bale's character than Dilinger.

Who ever plays Hoover, count me in. It sounds like it would be interesting.

[GreenScar]

Leonardo DiCaprio is eyeing the lead role in the proposed biopic of original FBI director J. Edgar Hoover. The project is being written by Milk scribe Dustin Lance Black with Clint Eastwood attached to direct, and Brian Grazer on board to produce. This would be DiCaprio’s first collaboration with Eastwood. According to Deadline, DiCaprio is in “early talks” to play the role”.

Black wrote the screenplay for Ron Howard and Brian Grazer at Imagine Entertainment under the auspices of a deal with Universal, but that studio put the film into turnaround. The film is now set-up at Warner Bros (when Eastwood came on board, what else did you expect to happen?), and production is gearing up to begin later this year.

Here is some background from Russ Ficher’s original report on the project:

Much more substantiated is the fact that Hoover would wield elements of the FBI and other federal energy to control and subvert the civil rights of those he considered enemies and dangers to democracy. He would compile information about the sexual preferences of some subjects, and reportedly used it to discredit them. Regardless of the truth behind the gay/cross-dressing rumor (an image that may have bloomed simply as a way to use Hoover’s own smear campaigns against him) there’s a lot of material in Hoover’s story that would make it of interest to Dustin Lance Black. I love the idea of him drafting this script.

Hoover has been on screen several times before, most recently as played by Billy Crudup in Public Enemies. None of the screen portrayals of Hoover, however, hold a candle to the one written by James Ellroy in American Tabloid, The Cold Six Thousand and Blood’s A Rover. I don’t know that Ellroy’s version of the man is true to life, but he writes him magnificently nonetheless. Channelled by Ellroy’s pen, Hoover is a spider at the center of a massive web of information, always pulling strings and letting out slack to manipulate politics and culture. But he is tragically flawed by shortsighted arrogance. I’d be wild about seeing Ellroy’s Hoover on screen, but I have faith that Black can come up with his own compelling presentation.

[Darkhawk9587]

I think Leo would do justice to Hoover. I'm eagerly awaiting more news about this once it comes in.

[vegeta88]

Phoenix Rising for Eastwood

Now that it's known for sure that Joaquin Phoenix was just faking it for the "documentary" I'm Still Here, his name's become linked with an upcoming prestige project from one of the industry's most revered filmmakers.

Vulture reports that director Clint Eastwood wants Phoenix to play Clyde Tolson -- the right-hand man and alleged lover of J. Edgar Hoover -- in his planned biopic of the late FBI director.

According to the site, "Sources familiar with the situation say that that while it's true that the Eastwood project has not yet even finalized a deal with Leonardo DiCaprio to star as Hoover, Phoenix is nonetheless expected to receive the offer to play Tolson as soon as DiCaprio's deal closes."

The script by Dustin Lance Black documents the relationship between (the never officially outed) Hoover and Tolson.

Very cool if it pans out. Joaquin Phoenix is a terrific actor and this would be a great start to his 'return'.

[vegeta88]

Look at DiCaprio as J. Edgar Hoover

Director Clint Eastwood has started filming J. Edgar in Los Angeles and the first pics of Leonardo DiCaprio as FBI director J. Edgar Hoover have come online. You can click on both below for bigger galleries!

Armie Hammer, Judi Dench, Ed Westwick, Josh Lucas, Ken Howard and Naomi Watts co-star in the biopic.

[double_l4488]

Dicaprio and Eastwood.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vD99zwj-ZUg

[vegeta88]

The trailer pretty much shows what I expected. High quality film making.

So long as they strive for historical accuracy, I think I will be very happy with the movie.

[EnigmaticWarrior]

Okay, now I'm hyped.

Clint Eastwood directing + Leonardo DiCaprio =

Will this finally be the movie that Leonardo DiCaprio gets an Oscar, or will he be screwed over again? I'll guess we'll know in due time...

[Aerodude73]

Based on that Trailer alone & with the Great CLINT EASTWOOD behind the camera Directing, the incredible cast (lead, supporting players), here's my predictions for this film:


ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS:

BEST PICTURE
BEST DIRECTOR - Clint Eastwood
BEST ACTOR - Leonardo DiCaprio
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR (at Least 1, maybe 2 of the supporting cast)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS (Dame Judi Dench, maybe 1 more)
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
BEST EDITING
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
BEST SCORE

[Foggy]

Looks very good

Although Clint Eastwood has gone a bit more sentimental in his last few films, hopefully this will be a return to form