Almodovar ventures into TV with “Verge”
Thanks to iggy for the tip to news of Pedro Almodovar’s involvement in an English-language adaptation of
his Oscar-nominated 1988 feature “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.” Fox TV Studios is backing the hour-long project. Almovodar and writer Mimi Schmir are exec producing.
The original movie, starring Carmen Maura and featuring Antonio Banderas, was inspired by 1950s Hollywood comedies. Featuring Almodovar’s trademark rapid-fire dialogue and fast-paced action, it chronicles a two-day period in the life of a voice actress who has been abandoned by her lover and gets in a series of comedic situations while frantically trying to track him down…
“Pedro Almodovar is unarguably one of the great filmmakers of our time, and this movie overflows with rich, funny, complex characters and relationships — that isn’t a bad place to start,” FtvS executive vp David Madden said. (THR)
Rob Y says:
Friday, April 24, 2009 at 11:48am
This is one of my all time favorite films. Too bad it won’t translate to the American big screen.
iggy says:
Friday, April 24, 2009 at 11:52am
You’re faster than a bullet, Mr Adams
The “will be a suburban drama” part makes me shudder a bit, but I want to be optimistic and I prefer to think about the quality standards of late American TV series, so let’s be positive and hope it will fit those standards. I’m sure it will if he commits himself with the project (and it’s not just getting his name on the credits) thanks to his well-known perfectionism.
dela says:
Friday, April 24, 2009 at 3:40pm
This is a great news. I hope Almodovar keeps a firm grip on this project. It’s a good news if this is going to be a cable show because networks really have a way of butchering imports.
The “suburban drama” could end up being Desperate Housewives II.
RRA wonders if Nolan is a God at WB right now says:
Friday, April 24, 2009 at 3:42pm
Off-topic, but isn’t DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES really a shitty title in general?
I mean its like some half-assed temp title for a pilot that someone at ABC forgot to change. Couldnt they have found a better title back then?
Plus, if female characters aren’t married, does that make them DESPERATE HOUSEWOMEN or HOUSEGIRLS? I’m so confused.
DBibby says:
Friday, April 24, 2009 at 5:09pm
I love this film, one of my all-time favourites. With Pedro at the helm this could be a camp classic, but I still feel American remake is dodgy territory. Trying to reserve my judgement. Will re-watch Women on the Verge and revel in its comic gold in the meantime
Euan says:
Friday, April 24, 2009 at 5:57pm
Wait, will this be a full blown series. I must admit I can’t quite remember the entire set-up, but I seem to remember that they weren’t exactly a bunch of friends getting together on a regular basis, and more a coincidental coming together of a string of people- what exactly will be the continuing aspect in the continuing drama? Am I wrong in thinking it would just be the Carmen Maura character?
Maybe I need to see the film again – at least I doubt I’ll be watching the series.
Armando (Caracas, Venezuela) says:
Friday, April 24, 2009 at 9:14pm
¡Santo Dios! ¡Lo que faltaba!
Jesus Alonso says:
Saturday, April 25, 2009 at 12:26am
crises is hitting hard, isn’t it, Pedro?
Rob Y says:
Saturday, April 25, 2009 at 12:39am
Let’s hear it for Barbiturate laced Gazpacho! I just watched it again. Brilliant! Antonio Banderas is so young, cute, and not full of himself.
While I loved Talk to Her and All About My Mother, I think this is Almadovar’s best.
Gazpacho. mmmmm.
iggy says:
Saturday, April 25, 2009 at 4:42am
What I’m most curious about this project is if Almodóvar himself will get involved in the casting choices and if so, what American actresses would he pick up? Many actresses have expressed their willingness to work with Almodóvar, but would they do it for a TV series?
Also, it’d be great to see a bunch of women having their gatherings in suburbian backyards as sort of “patios manchegos” as shown in Volver, sitting in their traditional chairs and knitting instead of playing poker.
Proman says:
Saturday, April 25, 2009 at 1:18pm
RRA, you are wrong. DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES is a great and very commercial title. The fact that you are concentrating so much on the marraige status of the title characters shows that you are missing the point. The title is a great snapshot (and this is what a title should be) of the state of the characters. “Housewives” is not just a term, it’s a state of being, if you will… It transcends its literal meaning in much the same way the word “Accountant” does.
Don’t get me wrong though, I could care less about the show itself. In fact I don’t think I’ve seen more than 5 minutes of the
RRA presents 3-D STAB THROUGH THE HEART says:
Saturday, April 25, 2009 at 1:35pm
““Housewives” is not just a term, it’s a state of being, if you will… ”
Oh OK, fair enough. Good point.
But ACCOUNTANT also transcends its literal meaning too, for it translates…
No wait, AD aint the place for Jewish jokes. What was I thinking?
Still, why not just drop the Housewives and just call the program DESPERATE?
Its easier to roll off the tongue, and its not as cheap-sounding. Also sounds like a cologne you would buy at Wal-Mart or fruit-flavored condom that glows in the dark, but none the less….