- Title: USA: FILM STARS ATTEND THE WORLD PREMIERE OF "GREAT EXPECTATIONS"
- Date: 18th January 1998
- Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (JANUARY 18) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) (SOUNDBITE ENGLISH) ETHAN HAWKE SAYING OF GWYNETH PALTROW, "WE'VE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR A LONG TIME, I'VE KNOWN GWYNETH SINCE 1990. SHE WAS VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN THE WHOLE NEW YORK THEATRE SCENE AS WAS I. WE MET EACH OTHER MANY DIFFERENT TIMES, AND HAD SIMILAR FRIENDS AND I KNEW HER QUITE WELL BEFORE WE EVEN STARTED THE MOVIE." (ENGLISH) (SOUNDBITE ENGLISH) GWYNETH PALTROW SAYING, "THE FIRST SORT OF LOVE SCENE THAT WE HAVE AS THE 17 YEAR OLDS WAS PRETTY DIFFICULT, IT WAS INTENSE. IT WAS VERY HOT, YOU KNOW AND ALFONSO WAS SO SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT HE WANTED. I WAS JUST SO THANKFUL IT WAS ETHAN AND NOT SOMEBODY THAT I DIDN'T KNOW, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, BECAUSE IT CAN BECOME UNCOMFORTABLE. BUT THE KISSING SCENE IN THE RAIN WAS OF MY FAVOURITE MOVIE KISSES OF ALL TIME YOU KNOW, SO IT WAS NICE THAT I WAS ACTUALLY IN THERE."
- Embargoed: 2nd February 1998 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES AND FILM lOCATIONS
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVAC9NF7ZHPGF2XU4LGIQG4MIDMJ
- Story Text: - Less than two years after Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes updated "William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet," Ethan Hawke and Gwyneth Paltrow are doing the same to Charles Dickens' "Great Expectations" in a new film version.
The stars attended the film's World Premiere in Los Angeles on January 20.
Hawke plays Finn Bell, changed from the book's character "Pip," who travels from his poor working class upbringing on the Florida Gulf Coast to the heights of success as a New York City artist.
Along the way, his encounters with three individuals change his life forever.
Paltrow plays the beautiful but icy Estella, a childhood love of Finn's ever since he met her and her flomboyant aunt Ms.
Dinsmoor in their decaying mansion in Florida. Oscar-winning actor Anne Bancroft plays Ms. Dinsmoor, re-named from the book's "Miss Havisham," who is the richest woman on the Gulf Coast who lost her mind thirty years earlier when her fiance left her standing at the altar. Ever since Finn's childhood, she had warned him that Estella would someday break his heart.
The other character affecting Finn's journey is the escaped convict Lustig, played by Robert DeNiro. When Finn was a young boy, he helped Lustig escape his pursuers despite being terrified of the scary-looking man. When Finnis grown and enjoying his success in New York, Lustig returns to impact his life in new ways.
This version of "Great Expectations" is directed by Mexican born director Alfonso Cuaron, whose previous credits include the critically-acclaimed children's film "A Little Princess." He says initially he turned down the opportunity to direct this film because he was intimidated by the book and by legendary director David Lean's 1946 film version of the same story.
This version is only loosely based on the original book. Many of the characters names have changed and the location has shifted from Victorian England to Southern Florida and modern day New York. Much like "William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet," the filmmakers have also added a soundtrack full of popular acts like Tori Amos, Duncan Sheik, and Pulp.
Internationally acclaimed Italian painter Francesco Clemente also contributed to the film's look by creating all the original artwork drawn by the character of Finn, including portraits of principal cast members who each posed privately for Clemente.
"Great Expectations" opens throughout the United States on Friday, January 30. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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