Stepford Update

Trace Venom · Post by **Trace Venom** » Wed Aug 06, 2003 5:39 pm

Tippett.com... as in Phil Tippett? The guy who did fx work in the Original Star Wars trilogy, Indiana Jones and the Lesser Robocop sequels? You mean to tell it's his studio they hired to do the fx?

Now, shit happens, but just the fact that they hired "creature fx" people who, I suppose, specialize in animatronics and stop motion animation (aside from the now dominant CGI) is reason enough to entertain the notion of seeing some labwork sizzle scenes. There's plenty of time for the production team to fuck it up (in an asfr sense, it still doesn't mean it'll be a bad movie aside from that...but film remakes of any genre usually are) but we'll just have to wait until the movie comes out to see for ourselves.

Svengli · Post by **Svengli** » Wed Aug 06, 2003 9:44 pm

My guess is that the movies will be much worse ... as a movie but possibly better for gynoid material. I think all of us have wracked our brains about how you could have two hours of robot jokes or something. My suspicious is that will have "telling social commedy" added to a bit literalism. The men would be hoisted on their own patards.

Or it could involve the robot women somehow taking charge despite being robots. Hollywood has ocassionally gone that rout.

Anyway, personally I think it sounds promising still.

Svengli · Post by **Svengli** » Tue Aug 12, 2003 9:36 pm

SAG/NON, "STEPFORD WIVES"

Grant Wilfley Casting is holding an open call for the feature film "The Stepford Wives" starring Nicole Kidman (2003). They are seeking women and men. The women must be 5'8" and taller (no exceptions) who look between age 20-40 years old. These women should be beautiful, slender but curvy, very feminine, preferably with long hair and must be blonde. The men must be 5'7"-5'10", waspy, intellectual types who look between late 30s-late 40s years old. Do not attend the call if you do not fit these requirements. They are seeking a very specific look for this film. Come by their office as soon as possible at 60 Madison Ave., Suite 1027, NYC. SAG contract for SAG performers. No phone calls. Pay. UNION/NON-UNION PERFORMERS. (First posted 8/15)

from

http://www.backstage.com/backstage/cast ... id=1954670

----

Seems like a fine approach to me

Svengli · Post by **Svengli** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 11:23 am

Sorry to keep harping on this subject but it's just my thing.

There's a BBS devoted specifically to the new stepford movie.

http://www.allscifi.com/board.asp?BoardID=9909

One interesting comment was:

"WAIT TIL YOU SEE THE OTHER WIVES. Of course there are Nicole Kidman and Faith Hill, but the other wives are NY models including Mary Catherine Stalcup and Sonya Ernst among others. Also a former Miss America. "

--- So I'd tend to think all is going reasonably well.

kb7rky · Post by **kb7rky** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 10:30 pm

It remains to be seen just "how" this movie turns out.

There will be the inevitable "comparing" this new one to the classic...so, as I just said, it remains to be seen.

Svengli · Post by **Svengli** » Wed Aug 27, 2003 3:37 pm

There seem be "interesting times" in stepford.... I assume that a film like won't actually be scrapped in the middle of shooting. But my hunch is that the director finally understood that changing the film to the usual hollywood turn-about happy ending just wouldn't work.

http://www.teenhollywood.com/d.asp?r=45738&cat=1027

"The whole film is on hold for re-writes. The final scene - which was supposed to have been shot this week - was to include a beheading of Christopher Walken, which is now going to be scrapped for something else. The crew is wondering what will happen."

Hopefully they'll just write the proper ending into the story and be done with it. But that's wishful thinking.

S

Svengli · Post by **Svengli** » Wed Sep 17, 2003 11:21 am

More stuff on the wrapping-up of the Stepford Wives production.

This is dated September 6th - Stepford will have something for you malfunction fans out there.

In

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/ ... 4184c.html

the only Stepford related parts are here:
---------------

Walken won't walk off

Nicole Kidman, Bette Midler and Matthew Broderick are due to finish shooting their remake of "The Stepford Wives" tomorrow.

And, happily for director Frank Oz, Christopher Walken is expected to join them.

"Christopher Walken threatened to quit on more than one occasion," says one spy on the set. "He has a clause in his contract that says that he can walk off the project if the script changes and he does not approve it."

Two sources report that, in recent weeks, Oz and Walken had a shouting match in Oz's office over Walken's rewrite complaints.

Walken's rep did not respond to a request for comment.

One insider, however, says, despite the cross words, Walken is now as happy as, well, a Stepford Wife.

Oz took two days off last week, citing the flu.

But our spy on the wall says, "He doesn't have the flu. His assistant said he needed to collect his thoughts. Frank is having trouble making decisions, and all the demands from the cast are making his head spin."

Having shut down production, another source vouches that Oz is now feeling well again and that he has a finished script.

"They've written the end of the movie," says the source, "and [tomorrow], they're going to shoot it."

One silver lining is that crew members are surprised at the acting ability of rookie Faith Hill, the country singer. Her character meets a comic fate. Says our spy: "She malfunctions really well."

noidguy · Post by **noidguy** » Wed Sep 17, 2003 6:13 pm

I wonder why they decided to flip the character names around. The original wives included Charmaine Wimperis (Tina Louise), Kit Sundersen (Carole Mallory), and Carol Van Sant (Nanette Newman). Now we've got Charmaine Van Sant (Lorri Bagley), Sarah Sunderson (Faith Hill) and Carol Wainwright (Lisa Masters).

kb7rky · Post by **kb7rky** » Wed Sep 17, 2003 6:34 pm

noidguy wrote:I wonder why they decided to flip the character names around. The original wives included Charmaine Wimperis (Tina Louise), Kit Sundersen (Carole Mallory), and Carol Van Sant (Nanette Newman). Now we've got Charmaine Van Sant (Lorri Bagley), Sarah Sunderson (Faith Hill) and Carol Wainwright (Lisa Masters).

Probably because they can...

In all actuality, it could be the copyright laws that prevent them from using the original names.

Svengli · Post by **Svengli** » Thu Sep 18, 2003 10:03 pm

Hey Noidguy, where'd you get your last tidbit?

All the news I've heard put Faith Hill are Charmain and Bette Midler as Bobbi. You go some source we haven't heard of? Or just staring at your monitor too long?

S

Svengli · Post by **Svengli** » Thu Sep 18, 2003 10:32 pm

Check out

www.stepfordencounters.com

as well. I don't know if this connected to the new movie or not.

S

noidguy · Post by **noidguy** » Thu Sep 18, 2003 10:40 pm

That is an odd site. Just someone's unique way of trying to sell some items? Dunno.

My info on the character names comes from the IMDb. They could be wrong. They've been wrong before.

Svengli · Post by **Svengli** » Sun Sep 21, 2003 9:51 pm

http://www.bootlegbetty.com/stepford.htm

"Barbie Dolls"

"In an interview away from the set, which was closed to spectators and the press, it was clear that the local women had a great time with their Stepford roles. Ainsworth and Yarosh came all dolled up, wearing high heels, false eyelashes and teased hair. "You look just like Barbie," exclaimed Yarosh, checking out Ainsworth's tight mini-skirt and pink top. "You do, too," said Ainsworth, returning the compliment."

tully · Post by **tully** » Mon Sep 22, 2003 4:54 am

noidguy wrote:I wonder why they decided to flip the character names around. The original wives included Charmaine Wimperis (Tina Louise), Kit Sundersen (Carole Mallory), and Carol Van Sant (Nanette Newman). Now we've got Charmaine Van Sant (Lorri Bagley), Sarah Sunderson (Faith Hill) and Carol Wainwright (Lisa Masters).

It's a rather common practice in remakes. The notion of paying tribute to the original rather than creating a copy or updated version.

Svengli · Post by **Svengli** » Sat Sep 27, 2003 10:50 am

http://www.stevescenic.com/video.html

http://pub131.ezboard.com/fnicolemaryki ... D=15.topic

It looks like this version is going to be visually impressive like all Hollywood movies. Can't see that as a bad thing here.

S

noidguy · Post by **noidguy** » Sat Sep 27, 2003 6:16 pm

That spa backdrop looks interesting. Could this be how the wives are replaced? A visit to the spa and swoosh down the chute?. Or perhaps this is where the veteran wives go to get repaired.

This is the only upcoming mainstream project that interests me. Sure wish there were others.

andoroido · Post by **andoroido** » Sat Sep 27, 2003 8:24 pm

speaking of other projects..

Has anyone heard anything about the supposed Adrenalynn movie,
maybe starring Christina Ricci? I thought I heard about this awhile ago.
Is it dead?

andoroido

Svengli · Post by **Svengli** » Sat Sep 27, 2003 10:35 pm

If anyone was curious about all the women who turned up as would-be stepford wives, checkout

http://www.remyc.com/lockwood_stepford_ ... _call.html

There are indeed a few fine women here...

Not to beat this to death or anything....

noidguy · Post by **noidguy** » Sat Sep 27, 2003 10:41 pm

Keep up the detective work, Svengli! I love the information. Almost looks like TX showed up for the casting call - 3rd photo from the bottom.

rickdrat · Post by **rickdrat** » Thu Oct 02, 2003 9:03 am

In case you missed it, there was a bit on the Today show this morning with Stephen Cojucaru (sp?). He did a blurb on the Stepford remake costuming requirements. Turns out the filmmakers ordered something like 40 pairs of these clevage ehancing bra inserts for the whole cast.

That's it. No much to work with, but it should help stimulate the imaginations until we get some real publicity stills and clips from the production.

noidguy · Post by **noidguy** » Thu Oct 09, 2003 3:23 pm

A few more details.....

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/lo ... -headlines

Does a Stepford wife need sunglasses?

And guess what? Nicole Kidman is a brunette in this one.

DrFranklin · Post by **DrFranklin** » Sun Oct 12, 2003 1:54 am

http://www.remyc.com/stepford_new_canaan.html

Svengli · Post by **Svengli** » Sat Oct 18, 2003 12:30 am

At: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0327162/board/nest/2674817

Found this tid-bit:

-------- -
The scene Bridget was talking about is the 1st scene after the opening credits where Joanna is pitching the fall line-up for the EBS network. They are all reality shows, such as: "Who Loves you more" a reality show where 2 divorcing spouses battle for custody of their children on TV. And "You can do better", a cross between "Survivor" and "Temptation Island" where a married couple are flown 1st class to an island inhabited by professional prostitues. After one week, they bring the couple together and they decide: Do they want to still stay together or "If they can do better". One disgruntled member of the show, heckles Joanna at the Network Affiliates meeting and tells her he has a better idea for a reality show called: "Let's Kill all the women". Hank, (disgruntled ex-cast member of You can do better) pulls out a gun and shoots at Joanna and blows up the set. It was really cool! There were about 2,000 extras filling up the theatre that day.

------------------------

It guess the idea is to make the movie such a dis-topian event that the wives will only one of many horrors.

Can't say if that is good or bad for our fetish,

S

Svengli · Post by **Svengli** » Wed Oct 22, 2003 9:41 pm

I suppose I'll make this thread a central repository of all half-way interesting Stepford stories and links.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CTSOS/message/1212

"Getting Stepford-ified can happen fast when you spend a day in a town where there are 100 women in blond bouffants, fake eyelashes, tight-fitting flowered Lilly Pulitzer dresses, both strapless and backless, dashing across the street in strappy high heels - and they're escorted by 100 men, paunchy, graying and balding, and all wearing ensembles ranging from just plain to just plain awful. "

Sound like fun!

Svengli · Post by **Svengli** » Sun Nov 16, 2003 11:22 pm

Stepford Wives film has mostly finished. Only a bit more studio filming is needed.

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/lo ... -headlines

One mystery is Glen Close's character. She's described as being equivalent to the psychiatrist in the original film but the still don't give that impression - she's shown sharing the stage with the Dale Coba character here.

On interesting point that the film's writer made in early interviews is that "women are creating Stepford Wives themselves".

Consider this quote from the link:
"SCENE II: On a movie set, Knopp looks on as cameras film a confrontation between average-looking men and Kidman's character. The Stepford husbands, including one played by actor Matthew Broderick, complain they feel inferior to their statuesque spouses."

-- That's the Stepford Husbands complaining that their wives are TOO perfect. An interesting plot twist might be that Glen Close is something of the power behind the throne. Indeed, perhaps Stepfordization is sold to the wives as an opportunity to be eternally beautiful, desirable and prestiges.

The whole thing is a goofy stretch but Hollywood pumps out all sorts of idiotic shlock.

It still suspect that there will be far scenes of robot action of one sort or another in this film than the first film.

Keep your eyes

S

Stepford Update

Hold on a minute...

Yeah...

Stepford Casting Call

More Tidbits

All Up In The Air

Another Report

Hmm

One more thing

One more tidbit I just found

Links to set mock-up in poser

More Stepford Casting

More Stepford stuff

Looks like they are going for the Pleasantville look ...

Just continuing my quest to get all the info in one place

And more stuff

Filming Wrap Plus Speculation