Cinecittà Revival Underway in Basilicata

The magical atmosphere of the historic Cinecittà is making its way south to the Sassi of Matera, where Monday, February 2, will mark the first take of the remake of "Ben Hur." The event is drawing scores of tourists, students, and locals intrigued by the Hollywood crews. People are photographing the "work in progress" as the construction of sets transforms the Sassi into a great natural location.

This comes as Rome's Cinecittà Studios is reliving its glory days with a slew of Hollywood productions set to be filmed at the famed location, including the remake of Paramount and MGM's epic film, "Ben Hur."

Three U.S. productions are currently underway at Cinecittà. "Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt" is based on Anne Rice's best-selling novel about young Jesus as he discovers his real identity. Directed by Cyrus Nowrasteh, the film is based at Cinecittà. It is also being shot on location as "Ben Hur" in the southern region of Basilicata, where Mel Gibson's "Passion of the Christ" was made. The other is the U.S. indie thriller "Voice From the Stone," starring Emilia Clarke of "Game of Thrones" fame. Some upcoming James Bond films are also among the high-profile movies scheduled to be shot in Rome early next year.

Perhaps the most high-profile is the "Ben Hur" remake, which will begin shooting in February. The film will be directed by Timur Bekmambetov, with "Boardwalk Empire" star Jack Huston in the title role, which Charlton Heston originally played. According to a statement released by Cinecittà, the production designer Naomi Shohan will reconstruct ancient Jerusalem on the Cinecittà back lot for the four-month shoot. Morgan Freeman is also associated with the project. The script was co-written by Oscar-winning "12 Years a Slave" screenwriter John Ridley and Keith Clarke, who sold the original script to MGM.

Plans for MGM's 24th James Bond include high-speed car chases through the streets of Rome and Bond parachuting down onto the ancient Ponte Sisto Bridge on the Tiber River.

Comments

The Extraordinary Career and Legacy of Dino De Laurentiis

Producer Dino De Laurentiis was one of the most prolific filmmakers ever, having produced or co-produced more than 600 films during a career that spanned seven decades. His legacy continues not only through the work of his children and grandchildren but also through a new generation of filmmakers in his Italian hometown. De Laurentiis was born in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius on Aug. 8, 1919, in the city of Torre Annunziata, located just minutes from the ruins of Pompeii. As a child, he worked at a local pasta factory owned and operated by his father. That experience had a profound effect on him, shaping a lifelong passion for food and an appreciation for business. At the age of 17, he decided to leave home for the big city. He arrived in Rome and enrolled in the prestigious film school, Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia. After attending the school for about a year, he managed to produce one film in 1940, The Last Combat , before having to leave Rome temporarily for m...

Federico Fellini: A Look into the Life and Career of an Icon

A Fellini family portrait “The term became a common word to describe something on the surface you can say is bizarre or strange, but actually is really like a painter working on a film,” said Martin Scorsese when asked to define “Felliniesque,” an adjective inspired by one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. The oldest of three children, Federico Fellini was born in the seaside town of Rimini in 1920. His father was a traveling salesman, so his mother was left to do the bulk of raising the children. One can argue that Fellini was born for his destiny. “You could tell that even as a child, he was different and unique. He was very intelligent, well above average. He was always the one to organize things, direct the others, make up games. He could control the other kids with just a look, said Fellini’s sister, Maddalena, in an interview with journalist Gideon Bachmann. Not only was Fellini directing the children, but he was also putting on shows and charging ...

The Sweetness and Genius of Giulietta Masina

Fellini and Masina on the set of "La Strada" As open-hearted and sunny as Federico Fellini was dark and complex, they were perfect counterpoints during a half-century of marriage and professional collaboration. Nicknamed a “female Chaplin” and described by Chaplin himself as the actress who moved him most, Giulietta Masina confronted the tragedy of her characters with an eternal innocence and enthusiasm that gave Italians hope in the most challenging of times. Born in 1921 in San Giorgio di Piano, a commune north of Bologna, Masina was the oldest of four children born to a father who was a music professor and violinist and a mother who was a grade-school teacher. Her parents sent her as a child to live in Rome with her widowed aunt while she attended school there. As Masina took an early interest in gymnastics, her aunt saw in her a passion for performing and encouraged her to pursue acting. So after high school, Masina attended Rome’s La...

Alessandro Gassmann: Born to Act

Alessandro Gassmannin his directorial debut "Razzabastarda" Alessandro Gassmann is the son of the iconic Italian actor/director Vittorio Gassman and French actress Juliette Mayniel. He was born in 1965 and grew up around cinema royalty. He made his cinema debut in 1982 at the age of 17 in his father's autobiographical film, "Di padre in figlio." He went on to study his craft under his father's direction at the Theatre Workshop of Florence. Vittorio Gassman was very active in theater and seemed just as comfortable on stage as he did in front of the camera. Known for his powerful interpretations of Dante's "Inferno" and "Paradiso," it is no surprise that he nurtured his son's acting aspirations on stage before he launched his career in television and film. One of Gassmann's strong qualities, which he undoubtedly inherited from his father is his incredible range and ease in going from genre to genre. He can play ...

A Conversation with Actor Mirko Frezza of David di Donatello Winner "Il più grande sogno"

The 2017 David di Donatello award show, which took place on Monday, was an exciting event that celebrated many great contemporary talents of Italian cinema. I was fortunate to have seen most of the nominees. Among my personal favorites is Michele Vannucci's Il più grande sogno simply because it is based on one of the most inspiring, beautiful stories I've ever heard, and the person behind that story is as authentic and down-to-earth as they come. The film won the 3 Future Award, which is determined by the public. With Director Michele Vannucci and Actor Mirko Frezza I first saw Il più grande sogno last September when it premiered at the Venice Film Festival. I didn't make it to Venice, but thanks to a great online platform called Festival Scope , which offers a handful of premieres to be screened on the web, I felt like I was there. The film itself blew me away, and then when I realized it was based on a true story, I knew t...

Italian Cinema Today

Search This Blog