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Post by Ace on Feb 6, 2013 6:10:40 GMT -5
www.screendaily.com/festivals/berlin/ealing-metro-boards-last-man-out/5051484.articleEaling Metro boards Last Man Out6 February, 2013 | By Ian Sandwell Company will bring the revenge thriller, starring Pierce Brosnan, to Berlin to begin pre-sales. Ealing Metro International has boarded Last Man Out, adapted from Stuart Neville’s novel The Twelve. Terry Loane’s revenge thriller stars Pierce Brosnan as former IRA hit-man who is released from prison but remains haunted by the memory of his past victims and decides until he takes revenge on their behalf. Craig Ferguson and Ted Mulkerin adapted the script from Neville’s best-selling novel. Last Man Out is produced by Ferguson, Steve Clark-Hall, Beau St. Clair, Rebecca Tucker and Jonathan Loughran and is due to start shooting at the end of 2013. Additional cast is expected to be announced soon. Ealing Metro International will be taking the film to Berlin to begin its pre-sales campaign. Also on their Berln slate is comedy Better Living Through Chemistry starring Sam Rockwell which will have its market premiere screening, as well as Half of a Yellow Sun and Nina, both of which are in post-production. The company are also brining three pre-production titles to Berlin: war film Destroyer, Julian Fellowes’ adaption of Agatha Christie’s Crooked House and Bailout starring Jack Black, all of which are scheduled for production later in 2013.
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Post by Ace on Feb 6, 2013 6:24:46 GMT -5
www.amazon.co.uk/The-Twelve-Stuart-Neville/dp/0099535343 Review Blurbs'The Twelve is the best first novel I've read in years. It crackles. It grabs you by the throat. This is some guy to watch out for in a dark alley. Stunning... Awesomely powerful, fabulously written and with a hero who is also a villain that you cannot help sympathising with, this novel is simply unmissable' --- Daily Mail 'The Twelve is not only one of the finest thriller debuts of the last ten years, but is also one of the best Irish novels, in any genre, of recent times. It grips from the first page to the last, and heralds the arrival of a major new voice in Irish writing.... [Neville] is …uniquely, tragically equipped to be able to think through complex issues of justice and mercy.' --- Ian Sansom, Irish Times 'A blistering debut…a superbly paced thriller thick with tension and violence.' --- Siobhan Murphy, Metro London '… [an] impressive debut…' Chris Petit, The Guardian '…an accomplished, tightly plotted and compassionate work… This is an unqualified triumph.' --- Paul Connolly, London Lite '…astonishingly good…' --- Matt Coward, Morning Star '…a brilliant thriller: unbearably tense, stomach churningly frightening… a future classic of its time.' --- Nicola Barr, The Observer 'Although a fictional novel, The Twelve… embraces its history. And …its fiction is only a hair’s breath away from reality.' --- AP Maginness, Irish News www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/jul/05/twelve-stuart-neville-reviewThe haunting of Gerry Fegan
A riveting Northern Irish thriller captivates Nicola Barr with its grasp of past and presentNicola Barr The Observer, Saturday 4 July 2009 We may be 15 years into a ceasefire in Northern Ireland, but the country is still in transition, still coming to terms with its history. There is much talk of truth and reconciliation, those who suffered thinking back to try to go forward. Stuart Neville's superb debut novel understands this: in Northern Ireland, a nation "built upon violence and morose vendettas", in Louis MacNeice's famous phrase, it's still all about the past. The Twelve opens in 2007, two months after the elections in which the province's voters finally chose a government of their own. Belfast is a city blinking in the sunlight, getting used to normality. Students, "probably not even born when they were scraping the body parts off the street", drink overpriced coffee and go to shiny nightclubs; Sinn Féin politicians, their teeth whitened for the cameras, sit in Stormont. But Northern Ireland doesn't give up its history easily. "I don't like what's going on. Supporting the peelers, sitting at Stormont, all that," mutters Vincie Caffola, a thug whose violent streak saw him thrive during the Troubles, and who now feels redundant and anxious ("it'll never be over, not til the Brits get out"). It is far from over for Gerry Fegan, ex-IRA hitman and "Republican hero" who killed 12 in his day. Now a free man, his finances covered by a Sinn Féin-paid salary for a nonexistent community job, he is a loner and a drinker, the ghosts of his 12 victims stalking his every waking hour. To atone for his crimes, Fegan embarks on a killing spree through the IRA old guard - those too smart to have done the killing themselves. It's a simple but inspired premise - the lone gunman turning on his former bosses as a form of absolution. The more he kills, the quieter the voices in his head become, the greater his chances of a peaceful night's sleep. But this is Northern Ireland, and peace has been secured at too high a price for a series of killings by an ex-IRA man, seemingly gone soft in the head, to be allowed to derail it. And so begins a complex game of revenge, blame and cover-up involving the Sinn Féin hierarchy, the new Police Service of Northern Ireland, the British government and the murky dissidents out in the countryside of south Armagh. The Twelve is a brilliant thriller: unbearably tense, stomach-churningly frightening. Fegan and his nemesis, the government double agent Davy Campbell, are magnificent creations: not sympathetic, but never wholly repugnant. And just as haunting as Fegan's apparitions are Neville's stunning reimaginings of the darkest atrocities: the bombs, the beatings, the torture, the point-blank murders. Then there's the farm in south Armagh, setting for the novel's grisly climax, presided over by the almost mythically violent Bull O'Kane, the last bastion of the old guard, unchanged, impenetrable, rooted in the past. It is impressive indeed to create an entertainment out of such material, but more than that, Neville has boldly exposed post-ceasefire Northern Ireland as a confused, contradictory place, a country trying to carve out a future amid a peace recognised by the populace as hypocritical, but accepted as better than the alternative. This is the best fictional representation of the Troubles I have come across, a future classic of its time. Stuart Neville has finally given Northern Ireland the novel its singular history deserves.
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Post by eaz35173 on Feb 6, 2013 7:48:11 GMT -5
This sounds like a good one!!
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Post by Ace on Feb 6, 2013 8:32:06 GMT -5
It does - though I prefer the novel's title.
Interesting that the screenplay writers are Craig Ferguson and Ted Mulkerin. I didn't know Ferguson wrote screenplays - checked his IMDB page and it's him. Mulkerin is a former head writer now supervisor for his show.
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Post by rosafermu on Feb 6, 2013 10:10:22 GMT -5
When you go to a market to sell the movies without even having shot, do they carry a mock sample? For this example we refer to Berlin and will begin shooting later this year, the report said. Do hire without seeing them?
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Post by Ace on Feb 6, 2013 10:28:17 GMT -5
They sell based on the script, actors, directors, genre, proposed budget etc. Buyers have the historic patterns of similar projects to draw on and are aware of the best and worst case scenarios for success and profit. Selling happens at all stages though with some territories waiting for rough footage, after a film is completed or even screened at a Festival like Sundance or Toronto.
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Post by eaz35173 on Feb 6, 2013 11:22:59 GMT -5
It does - though I prefer the novel's title. Interesting that the screenplay writers are Craig Ferguson and Ted Mulkerin. I didn't know Ferguson wrote screenplays - checked his IMDB page and it's him. Mulkerin is a former head writer now supervisor for his show. I like the novel's title better, too. But I guess they know better what will sell. I was wondering the same thing about Craig Ferguson - if it was the talk show host. When Pierce has been on his show, they seem to get along quite well, so maybe they are friendly off camera, too. And since Beau is listed as one of the producers, is it safe to assume that Irish Dreamtime is involved in this project?
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Post by rosafermu on Feb 6, 2013 11:29:26 GMT -5
Thanks for the news
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Post by eaz35173 on Feb 7, 2013 8:08:31 GMT -5
Here's a trailer for the book ...
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Post by Ace on Feb 12, 2013 14:01:58 GMT -5
www.ulstergazette.co.uk/articles/news/32099/stuarts-novel-optioned-for-hollywood-movie/Stuart’s novel optioned for Hollywood movieThursday, 14 February 2013 HOPES are high that an Armagh man's novel could be hitting the big screen with Hollywood actor Pierce Brosnan at the helm. Stuart Neville's novel 'The Twelve' - released in the US as the 'Ghosts of Belfast' - has been optioned under the working title 'Last Man Out' The revenge thriller by Terry Loane, would star Pierce Brosnan as a former IRA hit-man who is released from prison but remains haunted by the memory of his past victims and decides to take revenge on their behalf. Craig Ferguson and Ted Mulkerin are working on the script for the film adaptation of Neville's best-selling novel, which hit bookshelves around the world in June 2010. The film is due to start shooting at the end of 2013 and according to sources, additional cast is expected to be announced soon. Ealing Metro International is now planning on taking the film to Berlin as preparations get underway for its pre-sales campaign. Speaking to the Ulster Gazette, 41-year-old Stuart said, while he is "excited" at the prospect of having his novel adapted to a film, there are "still many mountains to climb" until it becomes a reality. “It was optioned almost three years ago. All optioned means is they put dibs on the story that nobody else can buy it. “An awful lot get optioned but nothing ever happens, so we are doing well to get this far. It would be fantastic but I'm not going to hold my breath. “It is so difficult to get a film made nowadays, even for established people within the industry. “I knew Craig Ferguson had auctioned it three years ago, as he had me on his show in America. I heard nothing for almost three years, other than they were renewing the options. “Before Christmas, I heard that Pierce Brosnan and Terry Loane were attached to the film. It is encouraging but I try not to get too worked up about it," added Stuart. Stuart's novel 'The Twelve' enjoyed positive notices from the UK press, with The Observer newspaper describing it as "unbearably tense, stomach-churningly frightening ... a future classic of its time." Speaking to the Gazette about 'The Twelve' in 2011, Stuart explained he had never intended to base a novel on the Troubles. “The story is about a former paramilitary killer who is haunted by the ghosts of the 12 people that he killed during the Troubles and is driven by them to take revenge on the people who set up their deaths. “I never ever wanted to write about the Troubles in Northern Ireland at all, but what happened was one Sunday morning, I just woke up with an image in my head of a man sitting in a bar surrounded by all the people that he killed. “I decided to write a short story, based on that in about a day. About a month later, the idea was to turn the short story into a novel, even though I never wanted to write about where I had come from." Despite its early days for 'The Twelve' making it to the big screen, legions of fans have moved quickly to support Stuart on social networking sites, including Armagh born playwright, Daragh Carville. “That's brilliant Stuart. And great to hear that my old buddy Terry Loane is at the helm. No better man," said Darragh. This latest announcement comes just weeks after Armagh born cinematographer, Seamus McGarvey was nominated for an Oscar for his work on 'Anna Karenina' and Merlin star, Colin Morgan scooped the Best Male Drama Performance at the National Television Awards.
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Post by rosafermu on Feb 13, 2013 9:42:29 GMT -5
Many thanks. It seem very interesting
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Post by Ace on Mar 14, 2013 16:20:49 GMT -5
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Post by eaz35173 on Mar 14, 2013 16:39:14 GMT -5
Thanx, Ace! It's nice to hear what the author is thinking about. It seems to me that he has a healthy and realistic attitude about the process and the potential outcome. I'm glad to see that he is pleased with the choice of PB to play the lead and his comments about PB's acting ability and range! And I think he hit the nail on the head by people looking at PB only thru the eyes of what he did as Bond or his role in Mamma Mia. I think that those of us who have been fans of his for a long time now already know he is very capable of delivering in this role.
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Post by Lauryn on Mar 14, 2013 18:48:08 GMT -5
Thanks, Ace for providing that encouraging interview. When PB got tipped for the role I decided to read Ghosts of Belfast and now I'm hoping even more that the film gets made because the novel is brilliant -- maybe the best book I've ever read about Northern Ireland. Neville is a moralist, in the best sense, and he knows the territory, from birth to death, the endless ancient retribution, for blood and graft, and the newly crowned politicians seeking their own ambitions in the fragile peace.
Gerry Fegan is a man who's literally haunted by his and his fellows' pasts; inside his head is a bad place to be. That's kind of where the novel is, pretty often, as the author notes in the interview. For stretches there's relatively little engagement with others. Fegan is a man of quiet darkness and menace and few words, so an actor of uncommon expressiveness and physicality is required. That Stuart Neville is aware of Pierce's range just raises him even higher in my estimation. If it turns out the movie never gets made I would still encourage you to read the book. You won't be disappointed and you won't likely forget it.
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Post by rosafermu on Mar 15, 2013 2:31:04 GMT -5
Pierce is well acquainted with what happened in Northern Ireland, so it will be excellent in that role. I'll find out if it has been published in Spain, and if so I'll buy it and read it. Thank you all. regards
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Post by rosafermu on Mar 15, 2013 2:34:19 GMT -5
Pierce is well acquainted with what happened in Northern Ireland, so it will be excellent in that role. I'll find out if it has been published in Spain, and if so I'll buy it and read it. Thank you all. regards
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Post by Ace on Mar 15, 2013 8:25:02 GMT -5
Thanks, Ace for providing that encouraging interview. When PB got tipped for the role I decided to read Ghosts of Belfast and now I'm hoping even more that the film gets made because the novel is brilliant -- maybe the best book I've ever read about Northern Ireland. Neville is a moralist, in the best sense, and he knows the territory, from birth to death, the endless ancient retribution, for blood and graft, and the newly crowned politicians seeking their own ambitions in the fragile peace. Gerry Fegan is a man who's literally haunted by his and his fellows' pasts; inside his head is a bad place to be. That's kind of where the novel is, pretty often, as the author notes in the interview. For stretches there's relatively little engagement with others. Fegan is a man of quiet darkness and menace and few words, so an actor of uncommon expressiveness and physicality is required. That Stuart Neville is aware of Pierce's range just raises him even higher in my estimation. If it turns out the movie never gets made I would still encourage you to read the book. You won't be disappointed and you won't likely forget it. Hello stranger! Pull up a bar stool. Lauryn, thanks for the review - I'm now looking forward to the (potential - sigh - I want certainty) film even more. It sounds like a great meaty complex role but a tricky film to pull off. Have you read the rest of the series? Fegan shows up in the second book though I'm not sure about the third. I wonder who they're looking to play the detective since these are referred to as "Jack Lennon" books. I picked up the e-book on sale last week but haven't read it yet. For those who read e-books it's still $2.09 on Amazon and $2.99 at Barnes & Noble.
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Post by eaz35173 on Mar 15, 2013 9:09:33 GMT -5
Thanx for the e-book tip, Ace! I just downloaded it.
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Post by Lauryn on Mar 15, 2013 17:59:36 GMT -5
As I understand it Fegan is in the second book. He forms an uneasy alliance with the now main man Jack Lennon, the Ulster cop. Lennon was offstage in book one, but not at all a sympathetic character -- left a wrecked marriage and lives behind. The author takes some pains to redeem him in the second book. It's annoying that they slap on his name on Ghosts of Belfast as if it's all the same.
Looking at the user reviews on amazon, some readers clearly feel cheated by not getting a second book with Fegan at the center. It seems a waste to sideline such a compelling character and he's the one who should get the girl -- not Lennon, the man who done her wrong. I suppose, as one reviewer suggested, it's easier to write detective stories with a cop than a hitman, but he has, like Lawrence Block -- who has done it -- the chops as a writer. I picked up book two from the library. Can't decide whether to read it or not. By all accounts it's as well done as the first but I feel a little cheated myself!
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Post by Ace on Mar 18, 2013 18:32:51 GMT -5
I haven't read Block's Hitman series in ages but recall really enjoying them because they were so unique and in a twisted way fun. Changing the protagonist from hitman to cop does seem a bit of an easy way out - character-wise but it also probably opened up the kinds of crimes and criminals that could be explored. In the synopsis for the second book it looks like Lennon goes to Fegan for help so my guess is his involvement would be sizable.
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