One of the better podcasts/radio shows out there for cineastes is Elvis Mitchell’s The Treatment, which you can hear on iTunes or on public radio station KCRW. Mitchell’s always an engaging interviewer, and he gets a diverse selection of interviewees, from Christopher Nolan and John C. Reilly to Los Angeles Film Festival directors Rebecca Yeldham and David Ansen.
The most recent installment focuses on “Salt” director Philip Noyce, and near the end of the 30 minute interview, he gives a hint on what he hopes will be his next project. Noyce has been working on an adaptation of Booker Prize winning novel “Dirt Music,” which he describes as “a love story and a musical,” for years now, and confirmed rumors from a couple of years back that Russell Crowe would be taking the lead role, a grieving country musician-turned-poacher in the wilderness of Western Australia who begins a relationship with a neighbor.
The part was initially set for Heath Ledger, while Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz have also been linked to the project, although Noyce doesn’t mention them, suggesting that they’re no longer attached. More worryingly, however, it seems Crowe’s contribution won’t only involve acting. Noyce tells Mitchell that “Russell has been preparing for it for a number of years. He’s written and recorded a number of songs that’ll be in the movie. In fact he’s going on tour later this year with his band and people around America will be able to hear a lot of the songs well in advance of the movie coming out.”
Anyone who’s heard Crowe’s band 30 Odd Foot Of Grunts will be greeting this with, at best, mixed emotion, but maybe he’s found his muse with this project? It sounds very promising otherwise, Noyce saying that the project “is very interior, very symbolic.” They’re still looking for funding, but if it comes through (and we imagine that another A-lister alongside Crowe will sew that up quickly), the project will shoot next year.
He'd be much better suited for Weisz's over bearing husband. Get Farrell as the lover and you've got an interesting threesome.
Actually I'm a big fan of Russell Crowe's band, which since 2004 is called The Ordinary Fear of God. As you can imagine Crowe is an excellent showman and the live shows are terrific, though very sporadic given his 'day job'. His voice has improved a great deal since that 10 year old video you posted and he's an excellent and poetic lyricist – truly. For the past several years he has been co-writing songs with Alan Doyle from Great Big Sea and Doyle has been working with him on the music for Dirt Music.
The book, Dirt Music, by Tim Winton, is a beautiful story and for years I've been hoping this would make it to screen though I can easily see how it would be difficult to adapt.
Thanks for the links to the Mitchell interview with Noyce, I enjoyed it.
I've had the pleasure of seeing Russell perform his music. Most people who have attended his concerts enjoy them, but there are some, mostly entertainment bloggers, who condemn his performances on principle.. on the basis of… what? That an actor shouldn't be creative in more than one format?
Those who denigrate Crowe as a musician/songwriter probably haven't actually seen him perform in person, but are speaking from some other prejudice… or trying to be smart alecs, to use an old fashioned term. Russell is a terrific songwriter and showman. He has a distinctive voice. In fact, he began his show business career as a musician, well before trying his hand at acting.
Dirt Music is a wonderful book. I have my fingers crossed that this film project finds it's funding.