Johnny Depp - Shantaram - Could this be the latest project on the way for Johnny? Find out Inside!

xallyx · 01-20-2005, 04:05 AM

I didn't know where to put this...and I was a bit weary about starting a new thread considering this film is only in pre-production so it'll be yonks before it comes out...But, I just thought it'd be interesting to follow the process of this film being made considering the author of Shantaram (Gregory David Roberts - The book is about this Australian guy, based on the author, who escapes prison and travels around the world ) provides a fairly good account of writing the screen play, meeting Johnny etc...

Here's what the author put up on his site about meeting Mr. Deep

SHANTARAM: THE MOVIE

After making the successful bid for the movie rights to Shantaram, Johnny Depp invited me to visit him in London. Took me a nanosecond, yaar, to pack a grip and pick up the First Class ticket he left for me at the British Airways desk in Melbourne. A limo picked me up at Heathrow and dropped me at a superb boutique hotel, The Baglioni, near Kensington High Street (Oh yes, Mr. Depp is very definitely a Class Act).

When I met the man himself, he was kitted out for the Willie Wonka role in Tim Burton's refacimento of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate factory. He looked surreal: a crimson Valiant vision of velvet-elegance with a hint of mischief's menace in the electronic smile (you'll see what I mean, when the movie releases in 005). Then he shook my hand - warm, strong, painter-musician grip - and took 90 seconds to set me free in the mansion of his heart.

What can I tell you? All of Johnny's fans ( a considerable number of them have contacted me in recent weeks) will be delighted but not surprised to hear that he's just about the nicest guy on the goddamn planet. He's generous, considerate, modest, brave, intelligent, good-hearted, creative, funny, gentle, wise, loving, loyal, hard-working, and almost unbearably cool.

Watching him work, on the set of Tim Burton's C and the CF, was an education in itself. The total professional, Johnny puts passion and intensity into every take, and is always in the moment. No less important, it seemed to me, was the way that he brought so much affectionate communication to every other actor in each scene, and extended that warmth to every member of the crew. It was a happy, positive set, and I put that down to Johnny's art, and his good heart, and to the sensitive brilliance of his friend, the wonderful Tim Burton.

The book is on my 'to read' list...a lengthy 900+ pages

I was actually at the book store today and a man commented to me, while I had the book in hand, that "the last 200 pages is rubbish."

But I like to find these things out myself...

The book is a bestseller and is available in most English-speaking countries...But I think they're only starting with translating it into other languages. It's only been published in the last 2-3 years (I think) so, yea...it's probably still fairly new to most people.

For more information: www.shantaram.com

delfino_la_meep · 01-20-2005, 10:11 AM

No this is brilliant thank you very much xallyx

Thanks for starting up this thread and providing a lot very useful information! Would you mind if edit the title of the thread to give some more information as to whats inside the thread?

I just looked at IMdb and it says due for 2007, if they keep it, thats a long way away! Thanks again

off to go and do research now!

xallyx · 01-20-2005, 09:09 PM

Uh...I tried to edit the title...I don't think it lets me?

Yea...it's out in 2007...so I didn't know if I should have started it, but I thought since there was so much info on it on the authors site it wouldn't hurt

Plus the thread can always die and resurface at a later date!

delfino_la_meep · 01-21-2005, 04:17 AM

aww bless!

No I think its a good idea, if the movie sticks - great, if not - well we had a great discussion!

No afraid not

- only moderators are permitted to edit the thread title.