Thanks to GBGals via Twitter, we’ve got some cool on-set pics of the Ralph Fiennes-directed Coriolanus in Serbia.
Here’s an excerpt from this online forum (translated from a Serbian news outlet) on the on-set visit of Serbia’s Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac on April 28:
“I am very pleased that we have helped take this movie, which promotes Serbia,” said Minister Sutanovac, and he expressed hope that Coriolanus achieved notable success in film festivals around the world. He noted that the Ministry of Defense in recent years helped in the implementation of a number of film projects in Serbia and will do so in the future. “This is the promotion of the whole country, and all that is good for Serbia, it is good for the Army. We believe that such activities, inter alia, contribute to the promotion of military call and we are extremely pleased that participate in them.”
The shooting that day took place at the Military Museum in Belgrade.
As I’ve mentioned in my previous post, Coriolanus is Ralph Fiennes’ directing debut in which he’d play the title role and Butler is playing his arch enemy Tullus Aufidius. You can see GB in his military uniform, looks like he’s got his Leonidas’ buff physique back! 🙂
So, why Serbia? Well, just last month, Fiennes has this to say (via 30Ninjas blog): “Serbia and Belgrade work for us creatively and financially. It’s been a challenging film to raise money for and there were obviously business interests to consider as we wanted to make a film of some scale. The shooting costs in Serbia are comparatively low and we’ve had considerable assistance and support from the Belgrade authorities. A key location, for example, is the Serbian parliament and its main Senate chamber.
But more importantly than that is Serbia’s grittiness – the bruised battered quality of some of the locations. There are great contrasts in Belgrade between weary Austro-Hungarian architecture, the old communist style and early 20th century neo-classicism.”
Last month, the action flicks-focused blog also posted these two pics of Ralph in full military gear directing the movie.
The shot below involved tracking the angry crowd as they marched toward the vast grain depositories, carrying protest banners, anti-Coriolanus flags, pots pans and improvised weapons. On arriving at the heavily policed entry gates they beat their weapons on the rusted steel and started chanting: BREAD, BREAD, BREAD! The cry surged through the crowd.
These definitely conjures up images of The Hurt Locker (which Fiennes had a cameo role), though I think the only similarity is that it shares the same cinematographer, Barry Ackroyd.
This modern-day retelling of the Shakespearean play is shaping up real nice. With a cast that also include Brian Cox and Vanessa Redgrave and a script by John Logan (Gladiator, The Aviator), it’s poised to be a powerful indie flick to be reckoned with. Can’t wait to see the trailer soon!
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Very interesting update! Now am I the only one who’s really curious to find out what Gerry was showing the Defense Minister on his phone? 🙂
No, definitely not the only one! He..he.. he’s got that mischievous look on GB’s face and the bemused look of the minister, it’s probably something naughty 🙂
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RTM, why do I have a strange notion that you are hiding behind one of those Gerard Butler’s fans lurking around my HOLLYWOOD SPY in recent few weeks? :)))
We all love Gerry here in Serbia. Celebrities usually enjoy coming here. Brad Pitt actually shot his first movie ever in Serbia when nobody even knew who he was, Robert De Niro has even named his daughter Drina using the name of one of our rivers, because he had fond memories from Serbia which he visited as a young man. Johnny Depp also had a lot of fun back in January when he visited his good friend EMir Kusturica and his film festival.
I personally enjoyed Rachel Weisz and Adrien Brody when they were shooting BROTHERS BLOOM in my home town 🙂
And we’ve opened some huge new studios so the filmmakers will just keep on coming.
PS, I’ ve left you a response over at Answer’s COMMON SENSE MOVIE REVIEWS blog.
Ha..ha.. too funny, Dez, but hey I’m not ashamed to admit I like the guy, so no need to be lurking around. I wasn’t planning on posting about this but once I saw those new pics via Twitter I couldn’t help myself.
That’s sooo cool that you get to visit various movie sets in your home country! So have you been to the Coriolanus set then? Looks like everyone had a fun time there when the MoD paid a visit.
Obviously the relatively lower cost of movie production is a huge draw to get the studios to film there, but sounds like your gov’t is very supportive as well, so that’s even more of an incentive.
I’ll check out those clips on CSMR site at home tonight. Thanks Dez!
Dez, you only need to post a picture of Gerard Butler on your site to get 50 visits and 20 comments from Ruth!
As Dez can tell you right out, I drop far more comments on YOUR blog even with zero GB photo present! But of course that always help 🙂
No, I haven’t been at CORIOLANUS set. Sets are always closed for public, not even a fly could get in 🙂
I’ve managed to sneak into BROTHERS BLOOM set only because I went to visit my friend in the city hall (where they were filming), and since nobody actually knew they were in our town, we managed to see Rachel and Adrien (and her husband Aronofsky) when they were preparing for a scene. All of their trucks and vans had PENELOPE written all over them, so the crazy people from my town thought Penelope Cruz was visiting (as if she would travel around with her name signed all across trucks and buses 🙂 )
And it’s not just that our country has low costs of filming, but we also have great professional crew and staff. You will see a number of Serbian actors in CORIOLANUS.
Gerard’s fans really are something special. At some points I had 4,000 to 5,000 thousands readers a week thanks mostly to CORIOLANUS stories at HOLLYWOOD SPY 🙂
Man Fiennes has a wicked beard in the second picture.
(BTW I haven’t forgotten about the meme!)
Yeah, but not crazy about the haircut, man he looks 20 yrs older and he’s supposed to be some powerful leader?? He does look good in the uniform under that helmet though.
Hey, don’t worry about the meme, school comes first! Just let me know when it’s done and I’ll check it out.
It’s finally here! Thanks again for passing it along to me!
http://wherethebuffaloroam.org/2010/05/10/spotlight-10-movie-facts-about-me/
The picture look great! Hope Gerard Butler break his streak of mediocre movies with this one! Great first look into the movie 🙂
Yes Castor, from what I’ve been hearing so far about this movie, ‘mediocre’ doesn’t come to mind. No sight of Jennifer Aniston or Katherine Heigl anywhere either, always a big plus! 🙂
Brian Cox is the man. I’m officially excited!
Hi again Marcello, yes Brian Cox should be in more movies! I feel bad for Vanessa though, again another loss in the Redgrave family.
Had no clue about this film, not even a whisper. But this is the kind of thing that I like – so I’ll be keeping it on the radar. Cheers for this!
Glad to have been the first to let you know Steve 😉 It is under the radar for most people but since I’m a GB fan it’s obviously on my radar. I hope Ralph Fiennes can match his acting talent in his directing debut.