One of the films we lamented falling apart in our Ten Dead Projects We’d Like To See Resurrected feature was Oliver Stone‘s My Lai massacre pic “Pinkville.” Originally set to star Bruce Willis, Woody Harrelson, Channing Tatum, Michael Peña and Cam Gigandet, the 2007 writer’s strike put a huge snag into updates and touch-ups so United Artists shut down the production at almost the last minute. It was a picture that would’ve found Stone working with some very comfortable subject matter and the cast he had set to go was certainly enticing. Well, as it turns out, it may come back to life.
In the commentary track for “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps” (yes, someone actually listened to it), Stone reveals that he and Shia LaBeouf discussed reteaming for another shot at “Pinkville,” with the actor taking a particular interest as his father was a helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War. Not coincidentally, one of the roles in the film is of Hugh Thompson, the pilot who stopped the massacre by placing his helicopter between the soliders and villagers.
Of course, this is all just conjecture at this point and might have just been a passing fancy between the director and actor, but last year Stone noted that the project was very much his and it could possibly come back at any time. “‘Pinkville’ is not dead. I own it. I could activate it again. I don’t know if the time is right now with the Iraq War still going on, but I love that project and it’s an important one. My Lai is a forgotten piece of history that’s crucial to remember. You never know, these things come alive.”
The project would need to start all over again, find financing, a cast, etc., etc., etc. It’s likely not a sure thing and probably not going to happen anytime soon, but if anything, it appears that Stone still has “Pinkville” percolating on his slate of potential gigs. And hey, with LaBeouf helping to resurrect John Hillcoat‘s “The Promised Land,” maybe he has the Midas touch to get Stone’s pic back on its feet too.
I want to see Oliver Stone\’s PINKVILLE but like it\’s already been said, after ALEXANDER the Oliver Stone we once loved has left the building.
I could understand WOLRD TRADE CENTER not having any bite (though it was a surprise to see Paul Greengrass make the far superior 9/11 film, the type Stone should dream to make) but W. (his best post Alexander film) was just indecisive. It was carried entirely by Josh Brolin\’s nuanced performance & Phedon Papamichael\’s nifty handheld cinematography.
But WALL STREET: MONEY NEVER SLEEPS was just disappointing. It\’s a film that starts and stops. It has a few good moments but just when it starts to work Stone grinds everything to a halt with a bad sermon or inept character work. I\’m a huge fan of his work (watched all his films, one a day, leading up to Wall Street 2) but if there ever was a case where Stone could go all out attacking a subject it\’s the Economic Crash. Instead he made a movie with no balls about a few bad seeds.
Don\’t know what part Shia would play in PINKVILLE but hopefully it would just be a grunt because the worst part of Wall Street 2 was having far more talented actors like Josh Brolin, Frank Langella, & Michael Douglas tell us that he\’s a cold hearted & talented money making shark because his performance couldn\’t project that.
The Oliver Stone we remember no longer has the cajones to direct the version of PINKVILLE we\’ve been anticipating; he was castrated after ALEXANDER, never to return. This current sell out Stone is a shill for the studios, RIP Oliver.
Casting Shia LeBeouf as My Lai\’s conscience is a great decision if you\’re out to make people root for Lt. Calley.