Olympic movie
Danny Boyle is cutting a feature-length version of his magnificent Olympics opening ceremony. The film will be released on a DVD and will make clear any of the mysteries surrounding the production, which got the Games off to a flier and was watched by a TV audience in the UK of 27 million. It will have all the Boyle trademarks, using the ceremony's music (by Underworld) as well the tunes of Dizzee Rascal and the pop montage that has already topped the iTunes downloads chart.
Boyle has also revealed to me that he will be using the film clips he inserted into the show, which include Ken Loach's Kes and two slices of his film hero, Nicolas Roeg. Boyle told me he "hopes to make things clearer" on the DVD, giving people time to spot the references and links that passed by in a flash and which weren't always picked up by the TV cameras. Boyle says there were many other movie clips in his montage but feels that, because of the pressures of getting the show delivered on time, some of the items got lost. "It will make more sense in this version," he promised. Not that anyone minded any faults in the live show, which has generally been acknowledged as the finest opening ceremony in the history of the Games. And yes, I have it on good authority that the entry procession of the athletes will be speeded up, though it will still use the live DJ set Boyle and Stuart Price oversaw on the night itself. If the film isn't eligible for the usual awards of Oscar and Bafta etc, I hope someone will at least give Danny a gold medal.
On your marks
Film-makers will need a Usain Bolt-like turn of pace to compete in a new film competition. They've got less than a month to shoot a 60-second short, in 3D. The winning film will be shown in Leicester Square at the forthcoming London film festival (10-21 Oct) before the Nintendo gala screening.
The competition is supported by Ridley Scott, as he diverts his gaze momentarily from a Prometheus sequel, and the judging panel includes Senna director Asif Kapadia. Films must be created using the Nintendo 3DS or 3DS XL, on the theme of "British Summer 2012". Special attention will be given to films demonstrating adherence to the theme, imaginative content and clever use of the 3D technology. The winner will have the opportunity to work alongside Kapadia and a professional film crew on a BFI-backed shoot (taking place in September) to create the film's final version, ready for screening. Get cracking!
I be back
Arnold Schwarzenegger has wasted no time getting back to acting. Between now and the end of 2013, the former governor of California has lined up a busy film schedule, starting this week with a meaty cameo in The Expendables 2, in which he gets to utter: "I am back." And as the Total Recall remake arrives in cinemas, Arnie's return continues with The Tomb, alongside his 80s action rival Sly Stallone; Triplets, a sequel to Twins, with Danny DeVito and Eddie Murphy; a very likely Terminator 5; a fairly certain True Lies 2; an actioner called The Last Stand; a movie called Breacher, with Avatar's Sam Worthington.
Meanwhile Captive, in which Arnie was to play a businessman kidnapped in São Paulo, appears to be on hold while he works on his autobiography, entitled – would you believe – Total Recall. As Bruce Willis and Sly just carry on too, it goes to show that old action heroes never die, they just lose their burger restaurants.
