I've seen Joe Carnahan's latest movie Smokin' Aces twice now since it's theatrical run in January. I absolutely love it. The movie demands several viewings and with each one you notice something that you missed before which just adds that extra dimension of coolness. I love Carnahan's movie Narc too which is just about the coolest cop movie you could ever dream of seeing. I like the sound of the projects he has lined himself up for and I like the way Carnahan keeps us informed with what he's up to with his very fine blog. Basically I'm just a fan of the guy. Anyway, his next movie (because Reese Witherspoon had a fit and left Bunny Lake is Missing) is set to be White Jazz, the James Ellroy novel that was a sequel to L.A. Confidential. Now I love Curtis Hanson's cop movie from 1997 but I believe Carnahan will forget the visual style of that movie and will totally create something that is more akin to his own style. Solace in Cinema have posted the artwork that Carnahan has released on his blog which is a photoshop version of the look he is planning for his film. As you can see, he's even added an image of the movie's lead actor George Clooney in the front of the driver's seat. Click here or on the image to go to a much larger version. Carnahan tells us more on his blog...
Just finished the last draft of the script and it's off to the forces that control its fate. It rocks but I'm worried that it's, at times, a fairly radical break from the book. Understanding that adapting that book straight is like trying to fly a kite in a firefight. What gives the novel it's brilliance is this endless, fevered-dream state. As the prose style begins to mimic Klein's physical and mental deterioration, the writing gets more terse, more blunt and less expository. It also gets a sh*tload nuttier. I'm going to attempt to do the same thing with the visual style of the film.
Carnahan also tells us something that we already know that the character of Ed Exeley who appears in the novel has had to go through some changes (like a different name, etc.) because they don't own the rights to the character played by Guy Pearce in the 1997 film. The movie is set to begin shooting this December, with George Clooney the only actor cast so far.