Sunday, February 12, 2012

Ray Stevenson: Jayne Mansfield's Car (Variety)


Russia invades Hollywood by 'Car'



"The Russians are coming!" is no longer a cry of Red-scare panic. At least not in Hollywood, where -- for filmmakers struggling to raise funds for adult dramas -- it's now an exclamation of relief.
The unlikely film launching this Russian invasion is tonight's Berlinale competition world premiere of "Jayne Mansfield's Car," Billy Bob Thornton's tale of a Vietnam War-era culture clash between Southern and British step-families forced to meet at a funeral in a small Alabama town.
Robert Duvall, Thornton, John Hurt, Kevin Bacon, Robert Patrick, Ray Stevenson and Frances O'Connor star in the darkly-comic drama, which marks Thornton's return to narrative directing and screenwriting after more than a decade, as well as his reunion with writing partner Tom Epperson.
"Car" is the first collaboration between Russia-based film finance, production and distribution outfit AR Films, led by Alexander Rodnyansky ("Elena") in his English-language producing debut, and U.S.-based management-production firm Media Talent Group, led by Thornton's longtime manager and producing partner Geyer Kosinski ("The Tourist").
AR and MTG's work on "Car" and D.J. Caruso's upcoming "Goat Island" inspired them to team for a just-announced $120 million fund to develop and produce up to six more U.S.-based features (capped at $20 million each) over the next two years.

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