WAHOO!! What have we got here! I’ve been waiting for this movie from Fall of 2009 when Gerard Butler was first cast, and finally today we’ve got a trailer! I’ve blogged about it many times before, and even posted some behind-the-scenes pics from Serbia, as well as a guest review from BERLINALE earlier this year.
CORIOLANUS is a modern retelling of a Shakespeare political play, Ralph Fiennes directs and stars in the title role as the banished hero of Rome who allies with a sworn enemy Tullus Aufidius (Gerard Butler) to take his revenge on the city. The rest of the cast includes Vanessa Redgrave, Brian Cox, James Nesbitt and Jessica Chastain from a script by John Logan (Gladiator, Last Samurai, The Aviator).
So I won’t keep you waiting any longer, take a look:
WOW, that was intense!! I guess from some of the movie stills I saw months ago, I knew it’s going to be pretty bloody, and it’s quite eerie to watch given what’s been going on in England. I am so stoked to see this, and I expect great performances from everyone involved. “Coriolanus is grown from man… to dragon.” Yikes, that’s about sums up just the extend of Coriolanus’ lunacy that even his mother has no choice but disowns him.
Just a bit of trivia, though it’s one of the least known work from Shakespeare, both Fiennes and Butler have played Coriolanus on stage before, though this time Butler will be playing the nemesis. Fiennes’ decision to set it in contemporary setting but use the classic dialog is going to be interesting to see. It’s perhaps not the most ‘accessible’ films but given the stellar cast and the relevant subject matter, this is definitely one to watch for the big screen! I hope this will be playing near me come December 2nd, 2011.
Well, what do you think, folks? Intrigued?
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This looks very cool. And what a cast! Thanks for the heads up, Ruth.
Glad you like it, Michael. The cast is awesome indeed, can’t wait!
Awesome! After seeing the trailer, I’m thinking the original dialog in a modern setting just might work after all. Love it that both Fiennes and Butler had roles in it on stage before. Looks like a winner.
Yeah, it doesn’t seem jarring doesn’t it? I was a bit worried initially, but not anymore. We should go see this together!
Hey Ruth, sounds like a date to me!
Looks pretty kick ass albeit maybe a bit chaotic. Looking forward to it, I’m a big Ralph Fiennes fan and this kind of role is absolutely perfect for him 🙂
I am with you Cas! Fiennes looks awesome in this trailer
Kick ass is right, Castor, but it’s MEANT to be chaotic… man, looks like Fiennes is almost as nutty & brutal as Amon Goeth in Schindler’s List! Totally agree he looks perfect, and he knows this character inside and out having played the role on stage… same w/ Butler, whom of course also looks perfect to me 😀
I have just been to AM and the trailer was unable to work. I am glad to see it again here.
Great trailer…and Fiennes and Gerry in the same movie…what more can you ask?? I am sold
I hate it when studios did that! I was concerned mine would get yanked off too, but so far they haven’t found my wee blog yet 🙂
Glad you like this, Nov, hope it will be shown in Indo. Btw, I just DM-ed you about the magazine.
Woooo!
😀
This looks good. My random thoughts (do i have any other kind?):
Baz Luhrman made Romeo and Juliet work with a contemporary setting & the original dialogue so that doesn’t concern me too much.
I wish Fiennes had left his hair on, the way he looks without it just reminds me of Voldemort.
Something about Brian Cox makes him perfect for these political intrigue type of pictures (à la Bourne movies).
Ahah, my head is FULL of random thoughts every day 🙂 Good point about Baz, I don’t think it’s a problem, in fact it makes it all the more interesting.
Ahah, I actually don’t see Voldie in that trailer, ’cause he actually has a nose and looks like Ralph, he..he.. he reminds me a bit of Amon Goeth actually, ’cause he’s got that scary thing going on with his eyes [shudder]
Oh and I LOVE Brian Cox, hope he has more to do here than in that ‘Apes’ movie.
That looks good and hopefully they fixed whatever the problems were with the film when it was shown in Germany a few months ago. And I hope it’s brutal as Titus. Will definitely check it out when it hits the local theater here.
Hmmm, I thought they got a big round of applause at Berlinale?? I don’t know what you’re referring to about ‘problems’ in Germany. At the same time, it’s possible that filmmakers make changes after a movie’s initial run at various film festivals, so we’ll see. From the looks of it, I think it will be quite brutal. I’d have to close my eyes during those scenes!
Yeah I don’t know anything about the show at Berlinale, just remember reading some not so well reviews online after they show the film there. I think some people who saw it there decided to send their reviews to either ainitcool.com or darkhorizons.com. Of course those reviews were from people who may not be into the movie, so we’ll have to wait for the official review from the big critics here. Someone on IMDB said he/she didn’t like it at all and apparently he/she saw it at the Berlinate film festival.
It’s adapted from Shakespeare. It’s probably not going to be very popular with the regular “Transformers crowd” 😉
That’s right Castor, I won’t be surprised if this gets a less than stellar critical rating, but I’ll still be curious to check it out for myself.
I would be more worried about its box office performance than its critical rating
@Julian – I don’t think this is gonna ignite at the box office, but the filmmakers probably knew that. I don’t think they have a huge budget so as long as they break even, they should be happy. It’s more of a personal project if you will as Ralph has a fondness for this character, having played him on stage (Butler too I believe).
Funny story, back in 1996 when Romeo & Juliet came out, a bunch of young ladies I knew went to see it because of Leo Di Caprio. Afterwards they told me they didn’t understand what people were saying in the film. I was laughing so hard. Of course they didn’t know anything about Shakespeare. Ha ha.
Oh dear, that is just too funny! I’d think even if I REALLY like the actor, I’d try to at least understand what the heck the movie is about.
This looks interesting. Not sure if the classic dialog will work for the whole ovie, but i will give it a chance
Glad to hear, Julian. So far the classic dialog doesn’t bother me, but we’ll see how I feel after watching the entire thing 🙂
Btw i posted a new blog entry. Its pretty much me fanboying over Deborah again, but i just thought i would let you know
Hi, Ruth and company:
Great trailer, Ruth!
Getting a distinct vibe of Branagh’s ‘Macbeth’ in the opulent palace sets. Ian McKellen’s ‘Richard III’ and Anthony Hopkins’ ‘Titus’ (As Ted mentioned) in regard to the modern update and ruthless intrigue. Topped off with a large dollop of Costa~Gavras’ ‘Z’ for the fighting in the street.
Am also half tempted to set up a concession stand outside the film’s opening. Offering discrete paper lunch bags for the ladies in the audience should they suffer from the need to hyper~ventilate over Gerard Butler. 🙂
Mwahahahaha… best comment ever, Jack, but you’re always full of those!
Not a bad idea at all to have such a concession stand… though I don’t think he’s gonna have much screen time here, perhaps save it for when he’s playing the lead roles in his next few movies 😀
I still have to check out Henry V and Titus, I’m glad you say this has the vibe of those Shakespearean movies, that’s a very good sign indeed.
I love this trailer. Blooming marvellous. I can’t wait to see more of it on Sunday 🙂
Glad to hear it, matey. Blooming marvelous is a good way to put it. Oooh you’re seeing the movie this Sunday, too? That’s neat that they’ll have the screening along with the panels, woo hoo! Glad the event isn’t canceled after all!
Sorry m’lady, I mislead you. I am just going to find out more about the film!!
Ah I see, matey. Well that sounds great, too. Can’t wait to read your report!
Looking forward to seeing this one. Who doesn’t like Shakespeare?!
I like to see actors attempt to do more than one type of role. It’s why I’m glad to see something so soon from Ralph Fiennes after HP. I wonder how Daniel Radcliffe will do in The Woman in Black!
Thanks for posting and sharing your excitement. I knew you would though…esp with GB in the film! 🙂
Hi T, well I think the whole cast of Coriolanus are pretty ‘chameleonic’ to me, that is able to morph into different types of characters convincingly. We’ll see about Radcliffe, he’s got the hardest time to shake the whole HP franchise I think.
He..he.. yeah, always nice to see GB in anything, but this one definitely looks good!!
“…bring me Harry Potter…nyeaaaaaaarrrghhh!” Oops wrong movie – this does look intense and I would actually be into checking this out. Fiennes still reminds of the V man at present.
Ahahaha… I hope he’s not gonna be ‘nyeaaaaaa’-ing too much in this one. But it probably won’t fit w/ the Shakesperean tone anyway 🙂
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