What is it about prison films in the news today? First Luc Besson is producing a futuristic action movie, now it’s been announced that Doug Liman is working on a drama about the riot that tore through New York’s Attica prison in 1971.Fuelled by deteriorating conditions and poor treatment of prisoners (including limiting access to showers and providing just one roll of toilet paper a month), the incident was finally sparked to life by the death of prisoner George Jackson across the country at San Quentin in California. Around 1,000 of the facility’s 2,200 inmates rioted, seizing control of the prison for four days, with the local authorities agreeing to some demands, but ultimately taking the building back by force.When the smoke – or more accurately, the tear gas – cleared, at least 39 people were dead.Liman has a personal connection to the story, in that his father was involved...
- 2/17/2010
- EmpireOnline
Doug Liman (Bourne Identity, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and the upcoming Valerie Plame spy drama Fair Game) will direct Attica, an insider’s view of the 1971 four-day Attica state prison rebellion from a screenplay written by Geoffrey Fletcher, the Academy Award nominated screenwriter of Precious. It is definitely a powerful subject, which is deserving of a big screen adaptation. For those who don't know about the bloodiest prison riot in American history, here is some information from Wikipedia: "The riot was based in part upon prisoners' demands for better living conditions. At the time, inmates were given one shower per week and one roll of toilet paper per month. On September 9, 1971, responding to the death of prisoner George Jackson, a black radical prisoner who had been shot to death by corrections officers in California's San Quentin Prison on August 21st while armed and attempting to escape, about 1,000 of the ...
- 2/17/2010
- by Peter Sciretta
- Slash Film
Based on This blogpost from Doug Liman himself, it looks like Geoffrey Fletcher (the Oscar nominated scribe for Precious) is indeed attached to write the screenplay for a script based on the Attica prison uprising for Liman. Those unfamiliar with Liman’s name should know that he directed the first Bourne flick, as well as Mr & Mrs Smith (with Brangelina). So, he’s got some high-profile appeal.
The “Attica” project was reportedly set up in December, and, as Liman stated in the post, his father, Arthur L. Liman, was the then young lawyer who ran the investigation during the uprising, so this is a personal project for the director.
Liman and Fletcher recently took a trip to Attica to research, and you can read all about that Here.
According to his IMDb page, this will only be Fletcher’s second screenwriting project. The photo above is over both Liman and Fletcher in Attica.
The “Attica” project was reportedly set up in December, and, as Liman stated in the post, his father, Arthur L. Liman, was the then young lawyer who ran the investigation during the uprising, so this is a personal project for the director.
Liman and Fletcher recently took a trip to Attica to research, and you can read all about that Here.
According to his IMDb page, this will only be Fletcher’s second screenwriting project. The photo above is over both Liman and Fletcher in Attica.
- 2/16/2010
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
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