Zellweger and Pink to star in rival films on Janis Joplin.(News)
The Independent (London, England); 4/3/2004; Kirby, Terry
Byline: Terry Kirby
ONE IS a pop diva with an extravagant haircut and an outrageous new stage show. The other is an Oscar-winning movie star best known for her portrayal of a fictional British heroine. Now both want to be Janis Joplin.
Pink, the singer, was named yesterday as the director’s choice to play the legendary rock star, who died from heroin at 27, in a forthcoming biopic, The Gospel According to Janis.
But Renee Zellweger, of Bridget Jones fame, is already to star in another film biography of Joplin, entitled Piece of My Heart, after one of her most famous songs.
Actress and singer now face difficulties with their roles, which critics will relish. Pink, real name Alecia Moore, although critically applauded as a singer, has no track record as an actress. And while few would doubt Zellweger’s on-screen ability after her Oscar for Cold Mountain, she has yet to prove she can sing as well as her idol.
Then there is the problem of two films being made on the same subject at the same time; precedent suggests only one will enjoy box-office success. Both have tentative 2005 release dates, but have not yet begun shooting.
The trade paper Variety says Pink’s screen test, in which she sang two Joplin standards, as well as acting in two scenes, convinced Penelope Spheeris, the director, that she was the right choice. Pink is now featuring Joplin songs in her stage show, which is earning strong reviews for its music and choreography.
Spheeris told Variety: “After trying to make a picture on Janis’s life for 15 years, I’d call Alecia’s screen test the most gratifying moment in my film career.” Spheeris directed Wayne’s World, the 1992 film that helped make a star of Mike Myers.
The producers are trying to raise finance. They have the rights to several Joplin songs, and the endorsement of her family. A soundtrack deal is in the pipeline with Arista, the label headed by Clive Davis, who signed Joplin to CBS more than 30 years ago.
The film appears further advanced than Piece of My Heart, a pet project for Zellweger, who has said she grew up worshipping her fellow Texan. The film, being developed for Paramount, has a recognised writer, Anne Meredith, but no director.
Joplin’s story is great film material. Born into a middle-class home, she dropped out to the West Coast scene of the late 1960s, belting out blues and R’n’B with her powerful, earthy voice. Fast-living Joplin died from a heroin overdose in 1970. The 1979 Bette Midler film, The Rose, was loosely based on her life.
Several films have been made at the same time on similar subjects. The most notorious example was Stephen’s Frear’s Dangerous Liaisons and Milos Foreman’s Valmont, both based on the stage play Les Liaisons Dangereuses. Both were made at the same time but Valmont was held back for a year to avoid a box-office clash. It stood no chance, despite the opinion of many that it was the better film.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Independent Newspapers (UK) Ltd.
