Spring Breakers Sequel Coming with Spun Director, Trainspotting Writer
Spring break forever, indeed. It's been awhile since Spring Breakers was buzzing, but the most divisive film of 2013 is one nobody could easily forget. Even a full year after I saw it at SXSW 2013, I still chuckle at Alien's ridiculousness and have fond memories of the oftentimes over-sexualized nature of the main girls. Then again, could you really blame me? Above the surface level of the film, I really enjoyed what writer/director Harmony Korine accomplished with the film with his ability to properly characterize the overabundant nature of spring break into a proper film, so much so that it appeared on my Top 10 Films of 2013 list. With a film as complete as Spring Breakers, it would be ridiculous to create a sequel to it, right?
...apparently not, as it's being reported that a sequel to the film, entitled Spring Breakers: The Second Coming, is being developed. While any notion of a Spring Breakers sequel, especially one lacking involvement from Korine and presumably the rest of the cast, seems like a straight-to-video cash grab, two key figures involved with the production may actually swing favor for the film. Spun director Jonas Akerlund is set to direct the film based on a script by Trainspotting writer Irving Welsh.
Spring Breakers: The Second Coming's sparse plot is described as "the Spring Breakers doing battle with an extreme militant Christian sect that attempts to convert them." The idea is very questionable, but buoyed by a very talented writer/director duo. The real question thus remains: Why keep this under the Spring Breakers name and not its own thing entirely? Wild Bunch, the studio behind the film, has intentions of selling it at Cannes this year, and pitching it as a spiritual (though no direct) sequel to Spring Breakers may help based off of name recognition alone, but I feel like keeping it under such a title will pigeonhole the film. We'll see how this one turns out over the next few weeks as Cannes begins shortly.
[via The Film Stage]
[Video] Vote James Franco's Spring Breakers performance for Best Supporting Actor
Say what you will about Spring Breakers - James Franco's performance as the eccentric "Alien" is one of the most memorable performances of the year, and definitely near the top of Franco's career. When haven't you caught yourself exclaiming, "Look at my shiet?!" at least once this summer? I first saw Spring Breakers at SXSW and felt conflicted about it before letting the film settle, giving it a 70 at the time.
Since its festival premiere, Spring Breakers has received the most divisive reviews of the year from both diehard film circles and casual film fans; however, what has stood above the sex, gratuity, violence, drugs, et al is Franco's performance. A24 Films, the distribution studio behind Spring Breakers, has sent out a video promoting Franco's performance for Best Supporting Actor consideration for the upcoming Academy Awards. Watch below as we all relive what made Alien so memorable while still not spoiling the best scenes of the film.
Would you vote for James Franco for Best Supporting Actor?
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RiFF RaFF plans a lawsuit against Spring Breakers
In the most unsurprsingly surprising move of the year, rapper RiFF RaFF has announced his intentions to file a lawsuit against the makers of Spring Breakers. The polarizing independent film by Harmony Korine is a saccharine spring break film that explores the darker side of the St. Petersburg crime scene. Most viewers have noticed James Franco's (Freaks and Geeks) character as being very similar to RiFF RaFF, despite both his and Korine's assurances that the "Alien" character was mostly inspired by underground Florida rapper Dangeruss.
RiFF RaFF, who is said to want between $8 to $10m, said the following in regards to the film:
"It's like if I have a front yard and you're planting soil and you're planting trees and building peaches and houses and selling parking lots on my property then I deserve to be compensated for some portion of that money."
No word from Korine, Franco, or Spring Breakers' US distribution studio, A24 Films, has been released on the matter.
[via NME]
Harmony Korine is "sizzurping" Spring Breakers on DVD, Blu-Ray
Spring Breakers has to be one of the most divisive films of the year. While I personally liked the film's themes when I saw it at SXSW a few months ago, most audiences didn't appreciate director Harmony Korine's (Kids) attempt at capturing the hazy party atmosphere of a Florida-set spring break. Perhaps caving into the audience reception of the film, Korine is editing the film for its home media release, referring to the process as both "sizzurped" and "chopped and screwed." They're outdated terms that kind of illustrate how out of touch Korine can be, but I guess the descriptions help fit what he's attempting to do.
What isn't known is whether or not the film on DVD and Blu-Ray will be completely re-edited, or if it'll exist concurrently with the film's original cut, much like various Director's/Extended/Unrated Cuts found on other home media releases. I'd assume that the "sizzurped" version of Spring Breakers will be an addition, but you can never be too sure with Korine. I guess we'll just find out on July 9th when Spring Breakers finds its way into our homes.
[via Complex]