Confederacy of Dunces - The Movie. Wha'ppen?

[dubversion]

most recent article I can find about this debacle is here..

but in short, the film finally looked like it was going to happen - great director, solid cast*, funding etc - but foundered on internecine studio bickering and ownership crap. But the final part of the article sounds cautiously optimistic that some of the problems had been resolved. So has anyone heard anything more recent?

(* although Will Ferrel as Ignatius could be disastrous. It's an essential part of the character that Ignatius has to be fat - the stale pockets of air need to stagnate in the folds of his suit, all that stuff - and Ferrel isn't big enough. So we either have to suspend our disbelief or - say it ain't so - Ferrel would need to wear a fatsuit. Anyway, the only realistic contender for the perfect Ignatius is the otherwise insufferable Mike McShane. He was born to do it.. )

Ignatius

Will Ferrell

Mike McShane

it's a no-brainer.

 

[matt b]

drew barrymore too.

<runs to hills>

 

[bassnation]

drew barrymore too.

<runs to hills>

hey whats wrong with drew barrrymore? lol

 

[matt b]

i've not forgiven her since i got free tickets to 'never been kissed' without knowing anything about it.

i've never felt so suicidal

 

[dubversion]

Ah, Barrymore would be OK - she was fine in Donnie Darko, for example.. Mos Def i've only seen in the appalling Hitchikers movie, so I can't really judge him fairly. And Zooey Deschanel is just lovely so I can't really judge her fairly either

 

[matt b]

its been years since i read it, but it didn't seem like a very 'cinematic' book- much of the joy was in the use of language, much of which would have to go in a 2hr film.

 

[dubversion]

its been years since i read it, but it didn't seem like a very 'cinematic' book- much of the joy was in the use of language, much of which would have to go in a 2hr film.

This is true, something would be lost. But at the same time, Ignatius is such a compelling character, as are the people around him, i reckon there's some kind of movie in there.

Think of The Virgin Suicides - the book seemed almost unfilmable, the point was all in that weird evocative narrative voice. So the film tidies it up, makes it more conventional somehow, but still keeps the mood and the feel and the main thrust of the story. It could work, it just needs a decent director.

 

[petergunn]

its been years since i read it, but it didn't seem like a very 'cinematic' book- much of the joy was in the use of language, much of which would have to go in a 2hr film.

also, the setting, lowerclass white new orleans in the 50's, seems like something very hard to capture correctly...