woodstockff's blog

Friday, October 6----The Woodstock Film Festival will open next Thursday with the East Coast Premiere of the docudrama INFAMOUS, the highly ancticipated biopic of legendary writer Truman Capote.

The film, which stars British actor Toby Jones in a remarkable incarnation of the capricious Capote, was written and directed by UK director Douglas McGrath (NICHOLAS NICKLEBY, EMMA). The film, which also stars Sandra Bullock, Daniel Craig, Peter Bogdanovich, Jeff Daniels, Hope Davis, Gwyneth Paltrow, Isabella Rossellini, Juliet Stevenson and Sigourney Weaver, opens theatrically the following day.

The film obviously represents a marketing challenge for distributor Warner Independent Pictures. Coming on the heels of last year's CAPOTE, which won an Oscar for actor Seymour Philip Hoffman, the film has the added onus of convincing audiences to revisit the Capote story, particularly the events surrounding the creation of the landmark "true fiction" IN COLD BLOOD.

Daniel Craig as one of the killers

The film, which was presented to great acclaim at the Venice, Telluride and Toronto Film Festivals, differs from its predecessor by spending more screen time on Capote's forays through the elegant circles of Manhattan's sophisticated café society, as well as his strong intellectual and sexual interest in the murderers sentenced to death for the murder of a Kansas family.

Toby Jones and Sigourney Weaver

Based on George Plimpton's book "Truman Capote: In Which Various Friends, Enemies, Acquaintances and Detractors Recall His Turbulent Career," the film offers a host of actors the chance to play famous Manhattanites who were part of Capote's orbit.

These cameos include Juliet Stevenson as fashion diva Diana Vreeland, Sigourney Weaver as socialite Babe Paley, Isabella Rossellini as heiress Marella Agnelli, Peter Bogdanovich as book editor Bennett Cerf and Hope Davis as Hollywood grande dame Slim Keith (Mrs. Howard Hawks). Also a standout is Gwyneth Paltrow as a sultry singer named Kitty Dean, obviously modeled on the legendary Peggy Lee.

Toby Jones And Isabella Rossellini

Sandra Bullock, acting against type as fellow writer Harper Lee, is getting some of the best reviews of her career for her understated performance in the film. Predictions are rife that the role, which has her dressed in drab clothes and an unflattering hairstyle, will do the trick to garner her first Oscar nomination as Best Supporting Actress.

Sandra Bullock At Venice FF Premiere

Whether Oscar will strike twice is the cause of speculation in the press and on blogsites that cover the industry. The filmmakers and the distributor are betting that Capote's story is intriguing enough to interest a whole new set of fans.

Sandy Mandelberger
Festivals Editor

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