Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones

In little under a decade, Peter Jackson went from a small-scale New Zealand filmmaker, whose speciality were gory comedy-horrors, to a full-blown epic filmmaker to rival Cecil B. DeMille or David Lean. Jackson tackled an unfilmable book with The Lord of the Rings, and made it into one of the most famous film trilogies ever made, and eventually winning a ton of Oscars in the process. He then turned his attentions to a childhood favourite, remaking King Kong, remaking a classic film could be a blasphemy, but not for Jackson, he could do it, and he DID do it, making a monster movie with enough grandeur and spectacle to rival the original. After this, one question remained, where does Peter Jackson go from here?? The answer is simple, he must come back down to earth, with a smaller-scale story, he found it in Alice Sebold's 2002 novel, The Lovely Bones, and it sees a perfect opportunity for Jackson to get back to the serious standards he perfected in Heavenly Creatures (1994).

The story of The Lovely Bones has 14 year old girl, Susie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan), who lives in Norristown, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia, who on the evening of December 6, 1973, is raped, murdered and dismembered by her neighbour George Harvey (Stanley Tucci), a loner who builds doll houses. Her body is never found, and it shatters Susie's family, the father Jack Salmon (Mark Wahlberg) suspects Harvey, but neither the police nor Jack can prove it, the mother Abigail (Rachel Weisz), has an affair with the police detective leading the case, Len Fenerman (Michael Imperioli), and she eventually leaves her family, taking a job in a winery in California. Leaving Grandma Lynn (Susan Sarandon), Abigail's mother who helps get the family back on their feet But Susie watches from heaven, her own personalised heaven, which is like her High School, she watches her family, which also includes sister Lindsey and brother Buckley come to terms with their grief.

All has been quiet, it hasn't had the same publicity that LOTR or King Kong has had, but this is a very different film. Now, a year after filming wrapped, THE TRAILER IS ONLINE!!

HERE IT IS!!



Anyone think Jackson can do a good adaptation of this popular book?? I think he can, plus I think he'll do it sensibily, he won't show any of the graphic details that occur, but who knows?? But, I sense this one could be a contender for the Oscars for 2009. Filming started in October 2007 in Pennsylvania, USA and in Jackson's native New Zealand. And all has been quiet since then. This could be the most daring film of his career, even more daring than when he took on Lord of the Rings or King Kong. But, it's just what Jackson needs after one epic trilogy and one epic remake, something small and realistic. But, he's never made a bad film yet, so here's hoping!!

I've been looking forward to this ever since it was announced. I've not read the book (even though I've had it for years) and it does seem like a change of pace for Jackson, back to his Heavenly Creatures days. Looks very good.

Go and read it as soon as you can, it's a very moving story, and it'll make a great film. You have until January to read it!!

The Lovely Bones is gonna be this year's Royal Film Performance!!

So, the Queen is gonna meet the director of Bad Taste, Meet The Feebles and Braindead!! Who'd have ever have thought it!?

Well, despite the fact a 14 year old girl gets raped, murdered and dismembered in this film. In America, it's been given a PG-13 for mature thematic material involving disturbing violent content and images, and some language.

It looks like it's been watered down...

Oh dear. PJ allegedly had to add more violence because a test audience didn't like it...

It has it's Royal Premiere tonight, and it's been given a 12A over here for it's child murder theme, disturbing scenes and moderate violence...

Oh, and Total Film like it!!

Plus, it's 135 minutes long, not as epic as LOTR or King Kong then...

It's opened at Number 3 at the American Box-office earning $17.5 million. Better than hoped, but will it make it's $100 million back??