Tom Jolliffe continues our series of beginner’s guides to iconic directors with controversial Dutch director, Paul Verhoeven… A man who never does anything by halves, Paul Verhoeven is a director who has courted controversy throughout his career. With a long and varied resume, spanning beginnings in Dutch TV and film, then in and out of […]
First image from Paul Verhoeven’s Benedetta
Pathe Films and SBS Productions have unveiled a first look image from Benedetta, the latest film from Paul Verhoeven (RoboCop, Basic Instinct, Starship Troopers), which features Elle actress Virginie Efira as 17th century nun Sister Benedetta Carlini. Formerly titled Blessed Virgin, the film is based upon historian Judith C. Brown’s 1986 book Immodest Acts: The Life of a Lesbian […]
Unnecessary Reboots, Remakes and Sequels
Tom Jolliffe looks at Hollywood’s preoccupation with reboots, remakes and sequels… I sit here in the year 2018. Suddenly I find myself compelled to moan about the unimaginative approach to greenlighting Hollywood studio pictures. This is not a new phenomenon, it’s old hat. As of now the vast majority of greenlit, large studio films are […]
Charlotte Rampling joins Paul Verhoeven’s religious erotic thriller Blessed Virgin
Deadline is reporting that Oscar-nominated actress Charlotte Rampling (45 Years, Red Sparrow) has signed on to appear in Blessed Virgin, a religious erotic thriller from director Paul Verhoeven (Basic Instinct, Starship Troopers). Based on Judith C. Brown’s Immodest Acts: The Life Of A Lesbian Nun In Renaissance Italy and scripted by Verhoeven and his Elle co-writer David […]
Watch an exclusive clip from Paul Verhoeven’s Elle starring Isabelle Huppert
Coinciding with its home entertainment release in the UK this week, we’ve got an exclusive clip from legendary filmmaker Paul Verhoeven’s acclaimed psychological thriller Elle, starring Isabelle Huppert in a career-defining role; check it out here… Isabelle Huppert is Michèle LeBlanc; founder and CEO of a successful video game company, who is attacked in her […]
Paul Verhoeven to direct lesbian nun drama Blessed Virgin
Dutch filmmaker Paul Verhoeven has set his next project, with the director set to reteam with Elle actress Virginie Efira and producer Said Ben Said for Blessed Virgin, which is based upon Judith C. Brown’s 1986 book Immodest Acts: The Life of a Lesbian Nun in Renaissance Italy. Variety reports that the film will see […]
Paul Verhoeven isn’t too enthusiastic about the Starship Troopers remake
Earlier this month it was announced that Sony is developing a reboot of Starship Troopers, which is said to be much more in line with Robert A. Heinlein’s 1959 novel, rather than Paul Verhoeven’s 1997 satirical big screen adaptation. Well, it seems that Verhoeven isn’t overly keen on that prospect, with the filmmaker revealing that he […]
60th BFI London Film Festival Review – Elle (2016)
Elle, 2016. Directed by Paul Verhoeven. Starring Isabelle Huppert, Laurent Laffite, Anne Consigny, Charles Berling, Christian Berkel and Jonas Bloquet. SYNOPSIS: Michèle seems indestructible. Head of a successful video game company, she brings the same ruthless attitude to her love life as to business. However her life takes a dramatic turn when she is raped in […]
New poster and clip from Paul Verhoeven’s Elle
Earlier this month we brought you a trailer for Paul Verhoeven’s Elle [watch it here], and now the first clip has debuted from the upcoming psychological thriller along with a US poster featuring Isabelle Huppert; take a look below… SEE ALSO: Paul Verhoeven says the RoboCop remake was “too serious” Michèle seems indestructible. Head of a leading video game company, […]
Paul Verhoeven says the RoboCop remake was “too serious”
Although not thought of as one of the worst remakes ever made, there wasn’t a whole lot of fanfare for 2014’s RoboCop, which starred Joel Kinnaman, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Keaton and Gary Oldman. And now the director of the 1987 original, Paul Verhoeven, has spoken out about where he felt it went wrong. “Somehow […]