Bathory (film)
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This article or section contains information about one or more scheduled or expected films. The content may change as the film's release approaches and more information becomes available. |  |
- Báthory (movie title) may refer to one of the four different movie projects introduced to the public in 2005, which are often interchanged or intermixed by misleading information on the internet (including wrong data on IMDB until 18 March 2006), being a source of speculations and confusion. This article tries to bring some light to the issue, as well as to keep track of the progress of these films.
Note: There exists also a B-movie titled Báthory, directed by Brian Topping in 2000.
The four concurrent projects:
- 1. Báthory or Love Story Bathory, a movie being currently filmed by Slovak film director Juraj Jakubisko (imdb)
- 2. Báthory or The Countess, a movie project of the French actress and director Julie Delpy (imdb)
- 3. Báthory or Čachtická pani, a movie project of the Czech film director Zdeněk Troška
- 4. Báthory or Báthory Erzsébet szerelmei, a movie project of the Hungarian film director Márta Mészáros.
- Note: While Jakubisko's movie is the only one actually being in production (as of March 2006), some sources report Julie Delpy to be his co-director, which is false.
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[edit] Common
All four movie plots are based on the story of Elizabeth Báthory, a 16th/17th century Hungarian countess, whose story takes place in what is now Slovakia which at the time was a part of the Kingdom of Hungary. She is (in)famous for killing many young girls and according to legend, using their blood to preserve her beauty. Báthory was a real person, however, doubts have been articulated by some contemporary historians regarding the crimes attributed to her. They suggest less sensational ways to see the whole story. The Báthory family was one of the wealthiest in Central Europe, their influences touched Poland, Bohemia, Lithuania, Hungary, and Transylvania. The rivalry of the Habsburg family at that time, is considered a potential reason for intrigues and conspiracy against her. After being placed under house arrest for her alleged crimes and by the assassination of her cousin, Gabriel Báthory prince of Transylvania, the political influence of the family was eliminated in the region only to be revived variously during the Hungarian independence movements of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. All four projects seem to opt for this, more pragmatic version of the facts.
[edit] Bathory (of Juraj Jakubisko)
| Báthory | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Juraj Jakubisko |
| Produced by | Mike Downey Deana Horváthová Thom Mount Zorana Piggott Kevan Van Thompson |
| Written by | John Paul Chapple (dialogue) Juraj Jakubisko (script by) |
| Starring | Anna Friel Karel Roden Hans Matheson Vincent Regan Franco Nero Deana Horváthová |
| Cinematography | Ján Duris |
| Distributed by | Sola Media |
| Country | Slovakia / Czech Republic / UK / Hungary |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
Báthory is a working title of a Slovak co-production movie written and directed by the Slovak filmmaker Juraj Jakubisko. Recently also the new working title Love Story Báthory appears in some sources. The film is currently being filmed (since December 2005) and is planned to be released in April/March 2007.
[edit] Financing and production companies
- The budget of 10 million EUR (around 12 million USD) makes it the most expensive Czech and Slovak movie ever.
Note: This would be a medium-low budget for Hollywood productions, but it is a big budget for the European standards and it is a huge one in terms of Central Europe. - The film is a joint effort of Slovak, Czech, Hungarian and UK production companies:
Eurofilm Studio KFT (HU), Jakubisko Film, Slovakia sro (SK), Jakubisko Film, sro (CZ), Lunar Films Ltd (UK) and Concorde Film Trust (HU). Note: This list may be the subject to changes. Previously also Mythberg Films (HU) and Film and Music Entertainment Ltd (UK) were reported as a partners. - Government funding: Eurimages (EU)[1], the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic (SR), Státní fond ČR pro podporu a rozvoj české kinematografie (CZ)
- Participation as of December 2005: 34% SK, 33% CZ, 21% UK, 13% HU
- Language of the film will be English, while it will be presented as a Slovak movie, although more countries participate.
[edit] Cast and crew
- Directed by: Juraj Jakubisko
- Writing credits: (dialogue) John Paul Chapple, (script) Juraj Jakubisko
- Cast: Anna Friel, Karel Roden, Hans Matheson, Franco Nero, Bolek Polivka, Lucie Vondrackova, Andrej Hryc
- cast should count around 100 talking and over 1000 dressed characters
- Cinematography: Ján Ďuriš (SK), František A. Brabec (CZ), János Kende (HU)
- Editing: Joe Walker
- Costume Design: Julia Patkos
- Music: Jan Jirásek (CZ)
- for full cast please refer to imdb
[edit] Leading role
Obviously the choice of the actress for the leading role of Elizabeth was a big issue and source of curiosity since the beginning. In December 2005 it was still unknown. There were rumors involving big names as candidates, including Meryl Streep and Salma Hayek (unofficial). In late January 2006, finally Famke Janssen was announced to play Bathory and her photos with Jakubisko showed up in the media. Her first appearance was planed for 6 March 2006. Meanwhile other sequences (those not involving her) were being shot. Around 8 March 2006 surprising news reported, that Janssen had been replaced by the English actress Anna Friel. Reasons, beside speculations, are unknown, since the production company refused to comment. Rumors say it was not the problem of money, nor the difficulty to satisfy actresses high non economical demands as someone suggests. It may have been how much Jakubisko was impressed by Friel when the two met. However these are just suppositions.
[edit] Trivia
- Jakubisko spent several months traveling with his crew to find proper locations.
[edit] Sources
[edit] External links
- Bathory (film) at the Internet Movie Database
- Jakubisko productions official site
- few photos [2] [3] [4]
- backstage movies and interviews [5] (70% in English)
[edit] Báthory (of Julie Delpy)
In the March 2005 interview Julie Delpy expressed her intent to film the movie based on Báthory story, mentioning Chris Hanley as a potential producer. Two months later (May 2005) a report was published stating Delpy was in final talks to star in Báthory together with Ethan Hawke. It was supposed to be her directing debut, working from her own script. Bauer Martinez was supposed to finance, produce and distribute the movie. No more relevant news regarding the project appeared after May 2005.
[edit] External links
- Bathory (film) at the Internet Movie Database
- Interview with Delpy published 5 April 2005.
[edit] Báthory (of Zdeněk Troška)
Czech film director Zdeněk Troška apparently worked on the idea of the Báthory movie since 1990s. He wrote a screenplay based on a novel by Jožo Nižňánsky. In summer 2005 after Jakubisko's movie was announced, Troška complained, accusing Jakubisko of copying (stealing) his idea. Jakubisko's company refused accusations, claiming that their screen play is genuinely original and it has nothing to do with the novel. Troška stated also that he had no intention to start a lawsuit. His project was suffering from the lack of finances and its current status is unclear.
[edit] Báthory (of Márta Mészáros)
Hungarian film director Márta Mészáros has expressed interest in making a film about Elizabeth Báthory but has not been able to secure the needed funds for the project from the Motion Picture Public Foundation of Hungary for it to be classified as a Hungarian production. Six million euros have been acquired from various production companies so far including 20% funding from András Hámori's Canadian company H20 Motion Pictures. Funding has also been provided by Slovak Producer Rudolf Biermann, Turkish producer Aydin Sayman, and Austrian producer Dr. Veidt Heiduschka from Wega Films.
The script for the film, titled, Báthory Erzsébet szerelmei, (The Loves of Elizabeth Báthory), is written by Éva Pataki and Pál Bokor who is also one of the film's producers. Various foreign actresses have expressed interest in the leading role according to Hungarian entertainment sources. Some of the names mentioned to play Elizabeth Báthory include Tilda Swinton, Angelina Jolie, and Nicole Kidman. If the film is made it will be shot on location in Hungary and Austria at the historic castles of Sárvár and Lockenhaus once inhabited by Elizabeth Báthory. Other locations planned will be in Turkey for the battle scenes and the Orava castle in Slovakia.
No further details on this project have appeared since July of 2005.
