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Australia's only James Bond, George Lazenby, to make new movie
Australian site PerthNow are reporting on a story of George Lazenby possibly making a new movie in Victoria, Australia.
http://www.perthnow.com.au/entertainment/movies/australia8217s-only-james-bond-george-lazenby-to-make-new-movie/story-fnhofbao-1226667779429
AUSTRALIA'S one and only James Bond may be heading home.
George Lazenby has agreed to a leading role in a gold-rush era western aiming to shoot in regional Victoria early next year, if the film can secure financing.
Justice in a Smoking Gun will be the first movie the one-time 007 has made in his homeland since 1977.
And the filmmaker luring the On Her Majesty's Secret Service star out of semi-retirement in California and back home is a 25-year-old barely out of film school.
Writer-director David Ludlow said today that the 73-year-old Lazenby has told his agents in LA: "When the kid gets it up and going, I'll come out to Australia and do it."
A tale of revenge set at the peak of the Victorian gold rush in 1868, Justice in a Smoking Gun will also star Julian McMahon and John Jarratt.
Ludlow said his team is in discussions with Screen Australia, Film Victoria and private investors attempting to lock down funding.
Producer Yvonne Collins said the production was at "very early stages" but confirmed the actors were attached.
"They're supportive. David's a first-time feature director so that's been the idea - to get these amazing actors attached so we can go to a distributor confidently."
Ludlow, who jokingly referred to himself as "a kid with a lot of nerve", told News Ltd that Lazenby was the first actor on board.
"He's going to play the baddie in the film. I'd written this Jack Palance/Kirk Douglas-y older character who's a pretty nasty piece of work. George popped into my head and I knew it had to be George Lazenby to play the role.
"I spent much of last year trying to get anyone I could to read (the script). Being a massive James Bond fan, on a whim I sent it to George and within a week or two of getting it, he was on board."
McMahon will play an Irish settler who loses his family and is "set on a path of destruction and redemption", clashing with Jarratt's character along the way. Lazenby will play "a wealthy gold tycoon" who becomes the Irishman's enemy No.1.
"I wouldn't be surprised if George steals the whole movie," said Ludlow. "He's 6'3", built like a truck, has a wonderful head of silver hair, that big strong face and he'll be going toe to toe with Julian McMahon across the gold rush."
Collins said of Lazenby's involvement in the movie: "We think it's a bit of a coup."
Ludlow describes Justice in a Smoking Gun as an unabashed genre film, but with broad appeal.
"We've got bushrangers, troopers, government officials _ characters Australians will clearly recognise from our history books, but perhaps don't know the whole story."
Ludlow hopes to be ready to roll cameras on the movie by April at a location near Daylesford.
"It's been a lot of hard work. We've still got to make the movie of course, but it's in a really good place," he said.
Lazenby, born in Goulburn, NSW, in 1939, moved to London in 1963. He scored the Bond role five years later, but quit the franchise after just one movie.
http://www.perthnow.com.au/entertainment/movies/australia8217s-only-james-bond-george-lazenby-to-make-new-movie/story-fnhofbao-1226667779429
AUSTRALIA'S one and only James Bond may be heading home.
George Lazenby has agreed to a leading role in a gold-rush era western aiming to shoot in regional Victoria early next year, if the film can secure financing.
Justice in a Smoking Gun will be the first movie the one-time 007 has made in his homeland since 1977.
And the filmmaker luring the On Her Majesty's Secret Service star out of semi-retirement in California and back home is a 25-year-old barely out of film school.
Writer-director David Ludlow said today that the 73-year-old Lazenby has told his agents in LA: "When the kid gets it up and going, I'll come out to Australia and do it."
A tale of revenge set at the peak of the Victorian gold rush in 1868, Justice in a Smoking Gun will also star Julian McMahon and John Jarratt.
Ludlow said his team is in discussions with Screen Australia, Film Victoria and private investors attempting to lock down funding.
Producer Yvonne Collins said the production was at "very early stages" but confirmed the actors were attached.
"They're supportive. David's a first-time feature director so that's been the idea - to get these amazing actors attached so we can go to a distributor confidently."
Ludlow, who jokingly referred to himself as "a kid with a lot of nerve", told News Ltd that Lazenby was the first actor on board.
"He's going to play the baddie in the film. I'd written this Jack Palance/Kirk Douglas-y older character who's a pretty nasty piece of work. George popped into my head and I knew it had to be George Lazenby to play the role.
"I spent much of last year trying to get anyone I could to read (the script). Being a massive James Bond fan, on a whim I sent it to George and within a week or two of getting it, he was on board."
McMahon will play an Irish settler who loses his family and is "set on a path of destruction and redemption", clashing with Jarratt's character along the way. Lazenby will play "a wealthy gold tycoon" who becomes the Irishman's enemy No.1.
"I wouldn't be surprised if George steals the whole movie," said Ludlow. "He's 6'3", built like a truck, has a wonderful head of silver hair, that big strong face and he'll be going toe to toe with Julian McMahon across the gold rush."
Collins said of Lazenby's involvement in the movie: "We think it's a bit of a coup."
Ludlow describes Justice in a Smoking Gun as an unabashed genre film, but with broad appeal.
"We've got bushrangers, troopers, government officials _ characters Australians will clearly recognise from our history books, but perhaps don't know the whole story."
Ludlow hopes to be ready to roll cameras on the movie by April at a location near Daylesford.
"It's been a lot of hard work. We've still got to make the movie of course, but it's in a really good place," he said.
Lazenby, born in Goulburn, NSW, in 1939, moved to London in 1963. He scored the Bond role five years later, but quit the franchise after just one movie.
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Comments
Thinking about the Lazer, the SF story would have been perfect for Lazenby.
Looking forward to more news as it arrives.
Producer Yvonne Collins said the production was at "very early stages" but confirmed the actors were attached.
"They're supportive. David's a first-time feature director so that's been the idea - to get these amazing actors attached so we can go to a distributor confidently."
George? An amazing actor? Someone ought to tell her to lay off the sauce before issuing these giddy statements. But glad to see him back in the saddle again and who knows, maybe he will do well in it. Good luck to him with this project. I'll think I'll wait for it on cable or free TV.