Blood Work

As some of you probably already know, I am a big Clint Eastwood fan.

He will be doing a new film in February. Clint Eastwood is to produce, direct, and star in an adaptation of Michael Connelly's bestselling novel Blood Work to be adapted from a script by Academy Award winning screenwriter Brian Helgeland of LA Confidential fame. The film has been in development for quite awhile and was in fact supposed to start filming in October of this year but it was pushed back to February. When it was to be filmed in October, Warners had cited a theatrical release date of August 9, 2002 it is now to start filming in the middle of February and according to Los Angeles Daily News and Variety it is still set to open sometime in August 2002 so thankfully it appears as if the delay in filming hasn't affected the release of the film.

Blood Work's storyline is very interesting. The basic plotline of the story is that Clint plays Terry McCaleb, a retired FBI director who was forced to retire from the FBI due to a weak heart. He spends his days restoring his boat in the Los Angeles Harbor and basically taking it easy pursuant to his doctor's directions after a heart transplant. When the sister of a woman murderered in a convenience store robbery comes to Eastwood and tells him that the heart that keeps him alive is the heart of her sister he feels compelled to investigate. Upon investigating he finds that this murder may be just one in a series of murders and as he continues to investigate he is confronted with more terror than he had ever experienced before when he worked in the FBI.

Now, we know that Clint Eastwood will be playing the lead. We also know as of today that Clint Eastwood has recently cast the leading female role. According to Variety, Clint Eastwood has chosen Wanda de Jesus to play the female lead in Blood Work. De Jesus got the job after Eastwood saw her work in the PBS Masterpiece Theater "Almost a Woman". Now, I haven't seen her in anything at all so I don't know anything about her. Maybe some of you have and could help me to assess her acting ability. All I know about her is what I can gather from her picture:






First, has anybody seen her in anything or know any more about her acting talent? Anybody seen this mini-series? Secondly, what does everyone think of the new project? I've decided to post this to keep everybody updated on this new project. If you're a Clint Eastwood fan I'd thought you'd want to know and I know a lot of other people that like to know the latest movie news as well so if anybody is interested than I will continue to post any news that I hear such as more casting news and other things related to this project. I just wanted to know everybody's opinon of Ms. De Jesus and also coming from both Clint Eastwood fans and not what do you guys all think of his latest project? Does it sound promising? Personally I think it could potentially be a great film and an equally promising role for Mr. Eastwood as Terry McCaleb.

super cool AKA23 I had heard things about this movie and now I am officially Hype

Cheers

No problem LB I will post any new news that I do hear about the film. So I'm gathering nobody cares about this news other than you and I then..HEHEHE...somebody please post your comments that was rather the point of me posting my thread...have you heard anything else about it LB that I don't know about? You too probably don't know anything about Ms. De Jesus.

More on Ms. De Jesus:

WANDA De JESUS (Akooshay) has appeared in feature films such as «Flawless,» «Once in the Life,» «Executive Power,» «Glass Shield,» «Downtown,» «RoboCop 2» and «Demolition Day.»

Her extensive television credits include guest starring roles in «Pensacola,» «Brooklyn South,» «Nash Bridges,» «NYPD Blue,» «Touched by an Angel,» «Profiler» and «Diagnosis Murder.» She appeared as a series regular in «Live Shot,» «Mariah» and «Santa Barbara,» and had recurring roles in «Lifestories» and the NBC soap «Another World.»

She appeared on Broadway with Robert DeNiro in «Cuba and His Teddy Bear» and has acted in several theatre productions at Los Angeles' Mark Taper Forum and the Ahmanson Theatre and New York's Village Performing Theatre as well as the New York Shakespeare Festival.

Hey guys! Michael Connelly has given us a little bit of information about Blood Work specifically his opinion of the script, where and when it will be filming. I reported it on the Eastwood web board as well:

WRITTEN BY MICHAEL CONNELLY ON HIS OFFICIAL WEB BOARD:

Blood Work with Clint Eastwood directing and starring in is supposed to start filming the week of Feb. 17 in L.A. I recently read the script by Brian Helgeland and was very impressed by it. There are things quite different from the book in it but I can see where these changes had to be made. The script is tailored toward a man of Eastwood's age and has some requisite movie moments but overall I came away--especially after reading it a second time-- with a good feeling of hope and excitement for the film's prospects. While some aspects are different some are very much the same. I think most importantly that the personal journey that McCaleb is on in the story remains perfectly intact. I also know from contacts with the location team that efforts are being made to film in the exact same locations of the book. In fact, the movie company rented a boat slip in the exact same marina I used in the book. So all of this I think bodes well. Yes, it is just a script and the ultimate test of all of this will be the finished film. But like I said above. I am excited by what I have seen and heard so far.
There have been comments here and on the casting discussion about Eastwood being too old for the part. It is true he is much older than the McCaleb of the book. But I think the script really took care of this and I have no qualms. Additionally and outside the film, I have been a longtime fan of Eastwood and I would also say that his early tough guy films influenced me and helped form characters like Harry Bosch and Terry McCaleb. So to now have him play this part is a very cool circle to be enclosed in.

On a totally different note I live in San Diego, California which is only a couple of hours from LA and so my question is about going up there to watch filming? Could it be done? Would it be worth the effort or would it largely be a waste of time? Is there any way to find specifically through L.A. records or what not where it will be filming so I can go up there? I have some time off that week as I have Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday off so it would be a perfect time to go up there and watch the filming perhaps Eastwood would walk around the town between shots and I might be able to meet him. I think it would be a worth a shot and other people I've told about it have asked "so are you gonna go? I think you really should." So, I was thinking about it and wanted to get the board opinion on it. Is it possible? Would it be worthwhile or would it be totally blocked off? Does Eastwood have problems with people watching filming?

GUYS PLEASE GIVE YOUR ANSWER TO THIS!!!! I am seriously considering it and as a lot of people here know a lot of movies I thought you guys would be the PERFECT group of people to help me out and advise me on this. I have three days off of school the 17, 18, and 19 and the Friday before so I could conceivably go up there. What do you guys all think?

Hey guys for anybody that actually cares about this project I have some new information:

Hollywood Reporter:
Jeff Daniels has joined the cast of Warner Bros.' "Bloodwork" for director Clint Eastwood, who stars in the film as well as produces through his Malpaso Prods. The project sees Eastwood playing Terrell McCaleb, one of the most effective serial killer investigators in the history of the FBI. After being sidelined by a heart-transplant operation, he decides to turn his badge in to spend more time restoring his boat, but an incident pulls him back in. Daniels plays Buddy Noone, an aging professional boat bum who appears to be Terrell's friend.

Michael Connelly's site:

Additionally, Tina Lifford ("Joe Somebody") has been added to the cast, playing an LAPD officer. Dylan Walsh also stars as a police officer. (As these people don't have names I'd assume they are very small roles.)

That is the latest news. There ya go!

Anjelica Huston has been cast as Dr. Fox, McCaleb's (Eastwood) heart surgeon.

I thought this sucked.

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Death to Smoochy is my most anticipated movie of 2002.

Wow. You thought a movie that hasn't been finished or released yet "sucked". You must have one of them time machines, or at least a huge phone bill from asking Miss Cleo so many questions.

Are you referring to the novel, or are you confusing this with another movie?

__________________
"Film is a disease. When it infects your bloodstream it takes over as the number one hormone. It bosses the enzymes, directs the pineal gland, plays Iago to your psyche. As with heroin, the antidote to Film is more Film." - Frank Capra

No one has seen this yet? Is there another thread for it I'm not seeing?