HBO’s Phil Spector Project begins filming in NYC this week with Al Pacino and Bette Midler
by CHRISTINE on JULY 5, 2011
in DAILY FILMING LOCATIONS,NEW YORK CITY,NEWS
Al Pacino is teaming up with HBO for another biopic. This time he’ll play Phil Spector, the famous music producer who is serving a minimum 19 year prison sentence for the second-degree murder of Lana Clarkson.
The currently untitled movie will begin filming in NYC this week. Signs have already been spotted around 7th Ave and 10th St for July 6. They will also spend two days filming at the Nassau County Court House in Long Island on July 18 and July 19.
David Mamet is directing the project, which he also wrote, and Bette Midler has signed on to co-star.
Be on the lookout for more No Parking Signs for The Phil Spector Project around NYC in the next few weeks and be sure to let us know if you spot them!
Guys, read the piece below. I hope Mamet’s artistic and professional options are better than his choice in politics. There’s a chance of a Palin fan not being very bright!!!
“Writer David Mamet criticized for Phil Spector remarks
June 16, 2011 | 9:15am
Friends of the actress killed by music producer Phil Spector have challenged a famous writer over his pending movie project about the case.
Edward Lozzi, on behalf of the group Friends of Lana Clarkson, took aim Thursday at comments attributed to famed playwright and director David Mamet in a British publication.
Mamet is expected to write and direct a film that would star Al Pacino as Spector and Bette Midler as Spector’s attorney, according to industry reports.
“This film may be a valentine for a convicted murderer and 40-year gun abuser,” states a letter that Lozzi said was written by the core group of Clarkson’s friends.
Those fears were sparked in large measure by comments published June 10 in the Financial Times.
“I don’t think he’s guilty,” the article quotes Mamet saying of Spector. “I definitely think there is reasonable doubt. … They should never have sent him away. Whether he did it or not, we’ll never know but if he’d just been a regular citizen, they never would have indicted him.”
Spector was convicted in the 2003 shooting death of Clarkson at his home. Clarkson’s friends have long accused Spector’s attorneys of painting a defamatory picture of her in an attempt to exonerate their client.
A statement from Lozzi describes Friends of Lana Clarkson as “her girlfriends, boyfriends, hairdressers, agents, managers, casting directors, producers, make-up artists, church-goers and a select group of media reporters.”
The letter to Mamet’s representatives characterizes the film project as “so wrong and so insensitive in so many ways to the people who knew and loved Lana Clarkson. We are requesting that Mr. Mamet have the good sense and courtesy to write a factual and entertaining film concerning the facts. He does not need to rewrite history so soon. It will back-fire on him.”
In an interview, Lozzi said the letter was delivered by email Tuesday and should have arrived by first-class mail Wednesday. He said he has received no response.
“We’ve offered to look at the script and work with David Mamet,” Lozzi said.
Mamet’s representative in Los Angeles could not be reached for comment.
The Financial Times article on Mamet also describes the writer’s disillusionment with liberal politics.
Mamet is quoted as saying he’s “crazy about” conservative favorite Sarah Palin: “Would she make a good candidate for president? I don’t know, but she seems to have succeeded at everything she put her hand to.”
Take away his recent change in political views his artistic integrity still holds up. Hopefully it will on this project,,,
I happen to be going to the city tomorrow to see a show for summer vacation. Wow this is so exciting. I will be keeping a good look out for them.
Don’t forget your camera!