THE ALAMO (Merged Thread) (1 Viewer)

[Scott Weinberg]

According to Variety, Ron Howard is no longer associated with this movie. That's all the dirt I got so far, but I'm curious to know why.

 

[Jordan_E]

Too bad, because I hoped an APOLLO 13 feel to THE ALAMO from Howard, but now it's not to be.

 

[Seth Paxton]

Hmmmm, Ron Howard + historical epic = Best picture nominee
even if it sucks.

I can see how you would say that considering the only other example with that description - Far and Away.
All those awards it got.
Or did you count Apollo 13 in that group and also think it sucks?
Sounds like it's a moot point now.

 

[Craig S]

According to Variety, Ron Howard is no longer associated with this movie.

According to this article, Howard is out as director of The Alamo, although he & Imagine partner Brian Grazer may still produce.
Howard declined to direct becauase he wants to get a project up & running quickly to capitalize on his Oscar win. The Alamo was taking too long to get going (the script just went back for a rewrite).

 

[Coressel]

John Sayles should direct it.

 

[Scott Weinberg]

More bad news, courtesy of www.darkhorizons.com :
Bad news? Good news? We'll never know...

 

[Mark Pfeiffer]

Having gone to the Alamo just this past November (although I never did find the basement), it would be a shame if the film doesn't get made. There are a lot of great stories that could be told.

 

[Carlo_M]

John Sayles is writing the screenplay.

This gets me more hopeful about the project than the choice of director (though I have no ill feelings toward Opie, er Richie...)

 

[andrew markworthy]

...I don't think it would sell in Hollywood.

Not sure it'll sell in the rest of the world either. Although The Alamo is a big thing in American history, elsewhere nobody relaly knows much about its importance. The most you're likely to get out of someone is that there was a minor war between Mexico and the USA, during which a group of Americans was beseiged at the Alamo and got killed. Folks might also know that whilst the Americans were originally seen as heroic, more recent historical evidence suggests otherwise. And that's about it. I.e. it's not likely to get big audiences.

 

[DanR]

So is Howard still on this project or not? I read today that he recently met with actor Viggo Mortensen about a role in the film. First he was off the project, then he was on the project, now he's off?

I think he'll wind up doing it. This is all just part of the negotiation process, and Disney and Howard/Imagine will meet somewhere in the middle.

Regards,

Dan

 

[Ernesto Santos]

Andrew,

You got it a little wrong. The defenders of the Alamo were not necessarily Americans. Some were settlers from mostly the southeastern U.S., some were native indians that had been converted to catholicism and had been assimilated into the Spanish culture that had conquered the area and were legally Mexican citizens.

The whole battle revolves around these settlers and these natives (more than likely proded by the settlers) to take up arms in revolt of the Mexican requirements for them to receive among other things land grants. The settlers were against having to assimilate into the Mexican way of life and eventually petition for citizenship. They refused to learn and speak spanish and of course pay tariffs and taxes. They rallied together and coined the name Texians when they thumbed their noses at the Mexican government. Eventually, this battle and many other skirmishes throughout central and south Texas collectively became known as the War for Texas Independence.

 

[Allen Hirsch]

According to today's article in the Wall St Journal, there's still discussions occurring between Opie and Disney. If he'll defer his percentage until Disney recoups its investment (which includes paying Opie his "going rate" of $10M per film), Ron Howard may still direct it.

In any event, he and Brian Glazer are supposed to produce it - although that may be an issue too, since Disney wants to rein in the costs of the production below where Ron Howard wanted.

 

[Edwin Pereyra]

According to the Wall Street Journal, Ron Howard and Disney cannot agree on the budget and rating for the film. Howard is asking for a $135M budget with a very high violence quotient. Disney claims that a historically based film with such a high budget that comes with an R-rating would be a high risk investment. Saving Private Ryan and Black Hawk Down didn't cost that much and made money.

The script is currently being rewritten. If no deal is struck with Howard, Disney plans to go ahead with a far less expensive version of the film with John Lee Hancock (The Rookie) as a likely director.

"Howard and Brian Grazer will remain as producers on the project regardless", according to the article.

~Edwin

 

[andrew markworthy]

Ernesto - you are of course quite right. Sorry, what I was trying to say was that's what *non-Americans* think the event was all about. Brits are fairly clueless about American history, I'm afraid (e.g. I know a fair bit about Nixon and Kennedy, but that's because I read up about the man of my own accord and personal interest - I met Nixon and knew someone who taught the Kennedy children when their father was ambassador to the UK). Other than the events of 1776 (which, incidentally, Brits aren't touchy about - we see it as a perfectly sound move against the autocratic monarch and government of the time, not against Britain as such), not much is taught about American history in schools. The amount an average Brit knows about the history of Mexico could be written on the back of a postage stamp, I'm afraid (and most of that would be about the Aztecs).

The Alamo is one of these events which is important to the folks of one country (and for good reasons) but is (if you'll pardon the phrase) small potatoes to people of other nationalities. E.g. the Battle of Agincourt is a big even in British history, but the French regard is as a minor skirmish.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Being small potatoes doesn't mean that people from other nations won't go see a good film made with a fine cast that is based on a true event.

Crawdaddy

 

[DanR]

Edwin,

So this is basically Pearl Harbor Part II with Disney not wanting to foot the budget. I can't say that I disagree with Disney. $135 MM seems like a lot, and surely this movie could be done for less. The rating is a whole other issue though. Clearly, if Disney is going to foot 100+ MM, they will want a PG-13 rating. I think both sides need to give a bit, and maybe we'll see this happen. I'd really like to see Howard's "The Alamo", and he seemed pretty excited by the prospect of doing this movie until all of these isues cropped up.

All of this said, I don't see how Imagine could still produce the film if Howard drops out as director. Isn't there conflict of interest there? Howard would basically be saying, "Well, if you don't give me 135 MM to direct it, it's going to be a piece of shit movie, but for 85 MM I'll help Grazer produce that piece of shit?". I just can't comprehend it.

Regards,

Dan

 

[Robert Crawford]

This is Ron Howard were talking about not Michael Bay. Sure, I expect some liberties to be taken in retelling the story in this film, but not to the magnitude that was seen in "Pearl Harbor". I've got to believe that Howard has a little more respect for such historical battles.

Crawdaddy

 

[Ernesto Santos]

Andrew,

No apologies needed. I hope I didn't come off as a history elitist - snob, I am certainly not. I just happen to be very interested in Texas, Mexican, Spanish colonial history. I grew up right in the middle of this historic area. I have been to the Alamo dozens of times and it is a solemn place and visiting it can be a moving experience. There is a lot to learn also, if you pay attention to the details of the exhibits. Most visitors rush through it and don't take the time to learn all the facts.

 

[Edwin Pereyra]

I've got to believe that Howard has a little more respect for such historical battles.

We'll see. After his last film, all eyes are on him to get "The Alamo" right and avoid further criticisms.

~Edwin

 

[Robert Crawford]

However, his last film just won him a couple of AA's.
Crawdaddy