Café Society (Woody Allen, 2016)

[Professor Wagstaff]

Woody Allen begins casting next film with Bruce Willis, Kristen Stewart, and Jessie Eisenberg

[domino harvey]

Blake Lively joins the cast

[The Narrator Returns]

The cast of Woody Allen's next film has been announced, and it includes the previously-announced Stewart, Eisenberg, Willis, Lively, and Parker Posey, plus Jeannie Berlin, Paul Schneider, Anna Camp, and Corey Stoll. But the biggest news is that it will be shot by Vittorio Storaro(!!!!).

[Highway 61]

I always wondered why Storaro and Allen had never worked together, and I assumed that it was too late for that dream collaboration to ever happen. What fantastic news!

And I see that Storaro just turned 75, so I suppose he could still do a string of films with Allen if he wanted to. What a coup it would be if he shot the Amazon series!

[Dylan]

I always wondered why Storaro and Allen had never worked together, and I assumed that it was too late for that dream collaboration to ever happen. What fantastic news!

Indeed. Woody Allen being my favorite living filmmaker and Vittorio Storaro being my favorite cinematographer ever, I'm shaking with excitement. What amazing news.

As an aside, Storaro was the cinematographer for Alfonso Arau's awful comedy Picking Up the Pieces, which Allen starred in. That was back in 2000, and I'm curious if that's where they first met.

[Highway 61]

You would think they would have met through Carlo Di Palma. Or possibly while making/promoting New York Stories, the Coppola segment having been shot by Storaro.

[criterion10]

But the biggest news is that it will be shot by Vittorio Storaro(!!!!).

Can't wait for the 2.00:1 home video aspect ratio if Woody shoots in scope \:D/

[beamish13]

wow, I thought Storaro had retired like Robby Müller, which is why he wasn't DP on Bernardo Bertolucci's latest

[The Narrator Returns]

He's been working entirely overseas for the past decade or so (and he stopped working with Bertolucci a decade prior to that for whatever reason).

[Dylan]

He's been working entirely overseas for the past decade or so

In addition to a handful of overseas productions, Storaro has spent a lot of the last decade teaching cinematography in Italy. Since the late 1990s the only directors he's consistently worked with are Carlos Saura and Alfonso Arau. I found it interesting that Storaro didn't shoot Warren Beatty's still untitled Howard Hughes film after he'd been Beatty's go-to cinematographer since Reds in 1981 (for the Hughes film Beatty went with Caleb Deschanel - a great choice, but I assume it's because Storaro wasn't available).

(and he stopped working with Bertolucci a decade prior to that for whatever reason)

Yes, they stopped working together after Little Buddha in 1993. Stealing Beauty was shot by Darius Khondji and from Besieged until the present they've been shot by Fabio Cianchetti (and all of these films look great). I just tried and failed to find the source, but I recall an interview with Storaro where he says that it was a mutual parting, that they needed to go their separate ways creatively, but that they remain good friends. I can imagine it might have been Storaro wanting more creative control over the cinematography, and Bertolucci needs somebody he can direct rather than answer to. But who knows? This makes it all the more fascinating that Storaro will be collaborating with Woody Allen, who like Bertolucci is a very visual director. I'm very excited to see what they come up with together.

[Dylan]

Bruce Willis has reportedly dropped out due to a "scheduling conflict," though there is speculation that he was fired. The fact that this sudden departure took place during actual filming (indeed only a day or so after he was photographed on set and in costume) certainly suggests the latter.

[domino harvey]

Wow, it's been a while since a major Alłen Shake-up mid-production. Not since when, Anything Else?

[Professor Wagstaff]

What was the shake-up on Anything Else? The only story I remember is Allen being shocked that Jason Biggs was Catholic and not Jewish.

[Dylan]

Wow, it's been a while since a major Alłen Shake-up post production. Not since when, Anything Else?

Yes, Glenn Close was cut out of Anything Else (presumably after that film ditched a time travel element) and Vanessa Redgrave was cut out of Celebrity (though she appears briefly in the final scene). However, I believe this is the first time since The Purple Rose of Cairo that one of the leads has left a Woody Allen film during the actual filming.

[domino harvey]

I hadn't heard about that, who was recast in Purple Rose? Didn't September get massively recast after filming the first time?

[cdnchris]

Jeff Daniels replaced Michael Keaton.

Michael Keaton was originally cast as Tom Baxter/Gil Shepherd, as Allen was a fan of his work. Allen later felt that Keaton, who took a pay cut to work with the director, was too contemporary and hard to accept in the period role. The two amicably parted ways after ten days of filming and Daniels replaced Keaton in the role.

[Dylan]

A still of Michael Keaton in the Tom Baxter role

[The Narrator Returns]

If I remember correctly, Allen let Keaton go, but made him a promise to put him in another one of his movies, which he obviously has yet to make good on. Hey, maybe Allen hasn't forgotten and Keaton would be a good fit for Willis's role...

[Highway 61]

I hadn't heard about that, who was recast in Purple Rose? Didn't September get massively recast after filming the first time?

Yeah, he made several changes. Most notably I recall was getting Christopher Walken, and then Sam Shepard for the part eventually played by Waterston. But there was more. In fact, Mia Farrow has mentioned Allen's endless tinkering with the film as proof that he is a basket case.

For what it's worth, I imagine that countless films could be improved if the business made it easier to recast and reshoot. Perhaps one of the reasons Allen's output has declined in quality is that revision became essential to his process, and when the budgets dried up and reshooting was no longer an option for him, he struggled to reach the same level on the first try.

[pzadvance]

Steve Carell to replace Bruce Willis

[hearthesilence]

Maybe Willis was entirely miscast?

[knives]

In 2015 that feels like a true step up.

[Tuco]

My little brother (uh, he's 53, which I guess means my gray hair is not a passing phase) has made a living as an extra for a number of years. Below, an email sent to his siblings:

We all know that Woody Allen doesn’t like Los Angeles, so my ever working on one of his movies was slim. But wait, he is shooting about eight days in Los Angeles on his new movie (no title yet). And yes, I was picked as a dinner guest in a scene that we shot at Delores Del Rio’s mansion (look that one up on the internet, it’s beautiful).
They set me up away from camera but after a while they moved me to the patio chairs where Bruce Willis was standing. Vittorio Storaro told me to have a seat (he pretty much sets up the scene). Bruce Willis doesn’t talk let alone look at me. Finally Woody shows up and changes things around, looks at me and says to me with a slight grin “We’ll keep you there… for now”. So, it was me, one other background actor, 3 character actors and Bruce Willis. Unfortunately I believe my back was to camera when the camera reached us (it was on a dolly track) but I should be seen from a distance. But there’s more! Woody asked me to be “more animated,” and I “looked stiff,” my shoulders “need more movement.” So when it comes down to it Woody Allen directed my shoulders, but the emotion he got from my shoulders was unparalleled to any other background actor that night.

Hope you all enjoyed his story!

[captveg]

That was a fun read. Too bad that version of the scene, along with his great shoulder performance, won't make the final cut.

[Tuco]

Captain Veg:

Among his best roles: cheering guy at Mission Control in Apollo 13, typing guy in Men in Black, numerous appearances as doctor guy, patient guy, guy-walking-in-background-guy on a number of seasons of House. Also a dead guy on some female detective show that was on Lifetime. He specializes in playing guys...