Film historian Joseph McBride is hearing that Roman Polanski — turning 91 this summer — is working on another film.
McBride went on his Facebook to defend Polanski’s latest, “The Palace,” which has been marred by catastrophic reviews and a 0% on Rotten Tomatoes, he’s comparing it to Bunuel, and slyly hinted that it won’t be Polanski’s final film:
“Like numerous late films by great directors (this was said to be Polanski’s finale, but now I hear he is planning another), THE PALACE envisions not only deaths (four in this case) but a social apocalypse. The film is quite blunt, even heavyhanded, as political satire, but I think the reason the posh crowd in Europe were so vitriolic against it is that they recognize themselves as it criticizes them by implication.”
In case you’re wondering about McBride’s source regarding the next Polanski, he says it comes straight from the mouth of Polanski’s agent. I gather, given that the legendary filmmaker is 90, albeit in sprightly shape, it’ll be shot sooner rather than later.
Last September’s 80th Venice Film Festival could not have gone worse for Polanski and “The Palace.” Although the shunned filmmaker couldn’t attend the festival, due to extradition issues, he must have really felt all the hate that “The Palace” garnered on the Lido. Critics were nasty towards it.
Some were saying that “The Palace,” which still has no distribution in the U.S, France, and the U.K, could be the last time the 90-year-old Polanski would be able to find funding for a film. I guess not. There’s always European money, and “The Palace” might not have deterred buyers as much as we thought.
As mentioned on Monday, “The Palace” recently leaked online, and, given the toxic reviews and Polanski’s name being stamped on it, it’ll probably be the only way for U.S. audiences to watch the film.
Criterion's December lineup has some great additions to the library, but the title that jumped out at me is Werner Herzog's "Grizzly Man," which officially joins the Collection on December 8.