Film Stories with Simon Brew

Sean Connery had vowed he was never going to return as James Bond after 1971's Diamonds Are Forever. Meanwhile, a man called Kevin McClory had agreed not to exercise his screen rights to the story of Thunderball until 1975. Yet the highest profile 'unofficial' Bond project would bring them both together, as Never Say Never Again did battle with the official 007 film Octopussy at the 1983 box office.A different battle played out in 1999, as Robert De Niro took the plunge into comedy with Analyze This. It'd be an early hit in a year that was awash with them - yet the idea of a mob boss seeing a shrink, that seemed original when the film was conceived - was about to slam head-first into a brand new TV show... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this very special episode of Film Stories, Neil Jordan is the guest, talking about his brand new memoir, Amnesiac, along with tales of his movie life.He and Simon chat about movies as varied as Angel, The Crying Game, Michael Collins, High Spirits, We're No Angels and Mona Lisa, in a far-reaching chat. Plus: Neil Jordan talks through approaching telling his own story, and why he chose to do it now... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Damien Chazelle first started seriously considering a film about old Hollywood back in 2009, long before he made La La Land. And even when the writer/director had channelled his energies into that film, he still had Babylon in mind: a hugely ambitious, expensive, three hour film that needed an R-rating!In the case of Everybody's Talking About Jamie, the challenge with the hit stage show was bringing it to the big screen at some scale - in spite of a truncated budget. Then there was the small matter of a pandemic getting in the way too...Stories of both are told in this episode... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a very special episode of Film Stories, Baroness Beeban Kidron joins Simon for a chat about her career, her films, and her move to politics.They go from her early film Carry Greenham Home, from being one of the first British women to direct a movie with Vroom. Then a big turning point: Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit, an acclaimed adaptation of Jeanette Winterson's book.The chat covers Kidron's move to Hollywood, and then the documentary that launched what effectively became her second career... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two movies from 1993 and the stories behind them here: both of which had their fair share of off-set drama.RoboCop 3 was supposed to be quickly followed by RoboCop 4, yet financial problems with parent company Orion Pictures led to a change of plan - not least when Orion went bankrupt. In the midst of this was an idea to make a RoboCop film with a PG-13 rating too.Boxing Helena originally attracted Madonna to the title role, but this micro-budget independent movie gained infamy not for the film itself, but for the court case that ensued when potential star Kim Basinger then dropped the project.Stories of both are told in this episode... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Tim Burton's first film, Pee Wee's Big Adventure, proved a surprise hit for Warner Bros, the studio was keen to get a second picture off him. Yet Burton wasn't enamoured with the scripts he was being offered - until an unusual one landed on his desk. Just lacking a bit of an ending. Enter: Beetlejuice.Rye Lane was a much smaller production, a directorial debut for Raine Allen Miller. A British romcom, it had to negotiate Covid restrictions - but then, after strong reviews, there was its release strategy to negotiate.Stories of both are told in this episode... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Originally set to be released by Disney in 2023, Jeff Nichols' new film - The Bikeriders - was dropped by the studio at the last minute, before finally landing a new home with Focus Features and Universal.Nichols joins us for a special podcast to discuss the film, with the conversation also taking in Take Shelter, Michael Shannon, and making a movie without too much money...The Bikeriders finally arrives in cinemas on 21st June 2024.---EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/filmstories Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the one hand in this episode, we've got a comic book movie that should in theory have launched further films. 2022's Morbius was designed to follow Venom into Sony's universe of Spider-Man spin-off characters. Yet so keen was the studio to join it up to the ongoing Spider-Man films, that problems ensued. And Jared Leto, in the lead role, was going method again.The Gift, the directorial debut of Joel Edgerton, was originally called Weirdo. He designed it to be a slim film, that he knew would be up against some tough competition at the box office. Yet he had quite a special film up his sleeve...—EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/filmstories Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After enjoying success with the TV series Servant, for which she wrote and directed several episodes, Ishana Night Shyamalan was on the lookout for a story to turn into her feature directorial debut.The tale she found involved a pet store, a creepy forest, a trip to Ireland and some people watching. And in this Film Stories podcast special, she tells us about why she made The Watched (or The Watcher in the US) and tells us more of her story.The Watched is in UK cinemas now...—EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/filmstories Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sam Mendes didn't want to make another James Bond film after completing 2015's Spectre. As we discover in this episode, he had another film lined up that he backed away form. He decided to gamble on 1917, a movie that he had a plan to shoot in a really rather unconventional way. When Gone Girl hit, meanwhile, Hollywood went looking for more books that it felt might be along the same lines. It didn't take long to find The Girl On The Train, and it took seemingly even less time to get a film of it moving.Stories of both are told in this episode...---EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/filmstories Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices