This Sunday’s spotlight is “Dancing at Lughnasa”, the 1998 Irish drama based on the Tony-winning play. New DVD screencaptures have been added to the image library and three new clips can be found in the video archive, alongside a very interesting making of, in case you haven’t seen it yet. Production notes and review after the cut. As always, please share your thoughts on “Dancing at Lughnasa” in the comments.

Yesterday, Meryl has attended the New York screening of Fred Schepisi’s new film “The Eye of the Storm”. Streep and Schepisi have done two films in the 1980’s – “Plenty” and “A Cry in the Dark”. Pictures from the screening can be found in the image library.

Scans from the three recent magazine articles and interviews have been added to the image library. First, an interview with Meryl in the German edition of In Style, a very nice article by the Hollywood Reporter on the recent success of films with older actors (many thanks to Pam for scanning this), and an interview in the Italian Myself Magazine (many thanks to Simona for the scans). Enjoy the new articles.

Image Library – Magazine Scans – 2012 – Cinema Magazin (Germany, September 2012)
Image Library – Magazine Scans – 2012 – Film Demnaechst (USA, September 2012)
Image Library – Magazine Scans – 2012 – Jours de France (Italy, September 2012)

This Sunday we cover “It’s Complicated”, the 2009 romantic comedy by Nancy Meyers. New DVD screencaptures have been added to the image library. The video archive has been re-organized with many new interviews and scenes from the film. Production notes and review after the cut. As always, please share your thoughts on “It’s Complicated” in the comments.

According to Variety, Academy Award-nominated actor, director and playwright Sam Shepard is currently in talks to star as Beverly Weston in the forthcoming film adaptation of Tracy Letts’ Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning play “August: Osage County”. Shepard will reportedly star alongside previously announced Academy Award winners Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts, as well as Tony nominee Margo Martindale, Abigail Breslin, Chris Cooper, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dermot Mulroney and Juliette Lewis. August: Osage County will be adapted by Letts, directed by John Wells and produced by George Clooney and Grant Heslov, along with Jean Doumanian, Steve Traxler and Clair Rudnick Polstein. Filming is set to begin in September.

This Sunday’s spotlight is “Evening”, the 2007 ensemble drama by Lajos Koltai. New DVD screencaptures have been added to the image library and three new clips can be found in the video archive. Production notes and my review after the cut. As always, please share your thoughts on “Evening” in the comments.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Benedict Cumberbatch, the Emmy-nominated actor who stars on the BBC’s Sherlock, is in negotiations to join the cast of August: Osage County, the Weinstein Co.’s adaptation of the Pulitzer- and Tony-winning play. John Wells is directing the movie, which revolves around the women of a family whose lives have splintered in many directions until a crisis bring them back to their childhood home and to the dysfunctional woman (Streep) who raised them. Cumberbatch will act as the sensitive son of Streep’s sister, Mattie Fay Aiken (Margo Martindale). She castigates and belittles the man, who believes his father is Charlie Aiken (Chris Cooper), but the truth is he’s the product of an affair. The movie is eyeing a late-September start in Oklahoma. Thanks to Glenn for the heads-up.

Freihofer Casting is having another open call for extras for the film “August: Osage County” on Saturday and Sunday in Bartlesville. “We had a great turnout in Tulsa last Saturday, but we know many people were unable to attend,” casting director Chris Freihofer said in a news release from the Oklahoma Film and Music Office. “We want to open up the opportunity to as many people as possible,” he said. The film, starring Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts, is set to shoot in Oklahoma beginning in late September. The open call will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at Bartlesville High School, 1700 SE Hillcrest Drive. No appointments are necessary. Freihofer said the film will need various extras during the first few weeks of filming. “We do not need babies or toddlers, but we would like to add anyone else to our pool of possibilities,” Freihofer said. More information on the casting can be found here.

This Sunday’s spotlight is “The Deer Hunter”, Michael Cimino’s 1978 classic that won Meryl her very first Oscar nomination for playing Linda. New DVD screencaptures have been added to the image with additional clips being uploaded to the video archive. Production notes and review below. As always, please share your thoughts on “The Deer Hunter” in the comments.

Yesterday, the CBS special “Teacher’s Rock” honored America’s educators with personal recollections from music stars Dave Grohl, Usher, Adam Levine and James Valentine (of Maroon 5) and by actors including three-time Academy Award winner Meryl Streep, LL COOL J, Viola Davis, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Pauley Perrette, Jennifer Garner, Jack Black and Morgan Freeman, among others. The video of Meryl’s video message, recalling her own favorite teacher, can be watched in the video archive. Thanks to Tina for originally uploading it.