Wednesday, 30 June 2010

Source Code's Soda Can Guy spills, Picture perfect with Brokeback and Zodiac and Jake Gyllenhaal and MV

Little drips of info about Source Code continue to plip and plop their way to us through the leaky taps of the internet. As the puddle of knowledge forms, it becomes clear that it's not all about Jake Gyllenhaal (a'random guy') and a train. There are others are on that train, including Soda Can Guy.


Soda Can Guy, aka Quebec actor Albert Kwan, has been talking about his month on the Source Code set in March. Duncan Jones has been so impressed by Kwan's energy levels, he immediately typecast him as an energy soda drinker, a label he may never cast off. 'In total, there may be about thirty people in the car and there were 13 or 14 actors on the lot.'


Unfortunately, Kwan didn't share a scene with Jake (Colter in the film) but he did get to meet him. 'He was super generous and gave all of us our moment... We talked, but we didn't really have time to sit down and talk. He is caught up in Hollywood, He'll have to retire because he's constantly surrounded by people. When he arrived on set, he was always nice, always courteous and pleasant to work with.' It should be pointed out that Kwan saw Jake on a quiet set in Montreal and not in Hollywood and so he may well be interpreting what he's seen in the tabloids.


'In Source Code, we had to shoot three scenes a day... It takes an hour to light the set, it takes an hour ... there's sometimes a very long wait. We can wait two or three hours doing nothing. There was one day when I left my trailer to eat and that was all.' Sounds like my kind of day (so long as I didn't have to walk too far).

'For his role in Source Code, Albert Kwan pocketed $23,000, the equivalent of half of his full salary last year... The film was shot over nine weeks in March and April. Almost all the scenes were filmed in the Michel Trudel studios, along the Bonaventure Expressway.' More here.


Should Jake's future directors ever require a 'Shiraz Lass' or an 'Ice-cream Gulper', I can send in my cv.

Picture perfect

That fine publication, American Cinematographer has listed the results of its recent poll, in which more than 17,000 people around the world voted for the films they thought had the best cinematography and were made between 1998 and 2008. Amongst the top fifty films are Brokeback Mountain at no 42 and Zodiac at 39.


Way, way back, shortly after WDW began in the Spring of 2007, I put up the scans from a great article in American Cinematographer, which looked at the work of Harry Savides for Zodiac. The article included very revealing insights from visits to the set of Zodiac and I recommend that anyone who is discovering some of Jake's previous great roles should take a look. I've enjoyed a revisit myself tonight.


The cinematography of both Brokeback Mountain and Zodiac is clearly memorable, not to mention excellent, and they stand the test of so much longer than a mere decade. The Dark Knight is placed right up there in the top ten, while another favourite of mine - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - is at 30. An interesting list, but no Schindler's List. The best thing about such a list is that it opens up a discussion.


And finally...

It looks as if Jake has headed back to that most beautiful and tranquil (except when I go and there's a hurricane) of islands, Martha's Vineyard. Tweets have put Jake (and Atticus) at Woods Hole on the mainland - when you catch the smaller ferry over to the island - and then on the ferry itself.


BBMISwear and I caught the same ferry ourselves last summer - it was cheap, very relaxed and so beautiful - especially if you're used to Cross Channel ferries and Irish Sea ferries like me which are, in fact, the opposite (although they have duty free). It's a very nice thought, thinking of Jake going back to this private island for a holiday (even if I wasn't able to get a single latte there - the one machine at the Chilmark Store was broken and I had to make do with a pizza slice - not the same thing at all).

So I'm finishing this post with a little bit of a WDW/BBMISwear interlude, which involved a visit to Jake's favourite place on earth, Gay Head, with its lighthouse, stunning cliffs and blue seas.




We've heard Jake mention recently that his best friend (Chris) has a farm on MV. We visited its honesty shop and BBMISwear was good enough to invest in a tomato. I think you'll agree, it's a goodie. Very red. I still don't know what happened to it...


Includes pictures from IHJ and WDW and WDW scan.

15 comments:

  1. Hi Kate!
    wow!
    I'm amazed, I loved your pics!
    it seems to be a stunning place!
    very different from here!
    I can imagine Jake having a very good time over there! :)

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  2. WOW this is wonderful. I liked hearing more about Source Code. I look forward to it. Do you know when they expect it to be released? Looks like my kinda movie. (took bad Jake wasn't on Amtrak. Although there was a guy who kinda looked like him from the back. When he turned around he kinda reminded me of JFK Jr and then I thought about the pics taken of Jake last year on MV and how he was compared to JFK JR too. )

    So Jake and his bud Atticus are on MV and they're hanging with Chris. I wonder if Jake will be running the Chilmark race in Aug? He deserves a break. I hope the paps give him one too. (Sure I would like to see a pic of him shirtless on the beach but the poor guy can't catch a break from the paps in LA)

    Love the pics of you and BBMISWEAR, I met her in Boston. you lost a tomato? How can you lose a tomato? :P it looks mighty tasty though.

    sweetpea

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  3. Those are some gorgeous pictures, thanks for sharing!(For once I'm not talking about Jake, I'm talking about the two of you ;))

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  4. Thanks so much, Linda! I'm glad you liked our pics, we had such a great time. MV reminded me a bit of Cornwall but the atmosphere was unique. I sat next to a film producer while having a coffee sitting on a rocking chair at a store - that's not like Cornwall. I can see why Jake loves it - so many private beaches too, and it's so relaxed. Obama was there when we were there too and that really added to the fun!

    Hi Sweetpea :) I imagine that Source Code will be out some time earlier on in 2011. I can't wait.

    I wonder about the race too. I'm sure that if Jake can, he'll run it I walked about 10 yeards of the course and that impressed me :D

    It is possible that as the hurricane chased us off MV, BBMISwear reclaimed the tomato and pickled it and it's now in her green room :D

    It's been so much fun doing this post tonight!

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  5. Yeay! Lady Ekster - thank you! Possting at the same time :D We had so much fun and we spread the Moonlight Mile love up and down that coast!

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  6. Isn't it nice to think of Jake relaxing at his favorite, private place. :)

    Interesting that Zodiac came in ahead of BBM in the AC Best Cinematography list, but both beautifully filmed. Interesting list - I can vouch for O Brother Where Art Thou, and I have The Assassination of Jesse James in the queue - the cinematography I remember looked beautiful in the previews. :)

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  7. Lovely, perfect post. Just what I needed to read this eve. Thank you. I'm so glad MV is so beautiful and you can tell us about it first hand.
    TD

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  8. Hi 22:00 :D It really is nice, so nice. It's a very interesting list. I love BBM and Zodiac so much but I will always marvel at the vision of David Fincher - every scene to me seems like a well-organised and eloquent image. BBM for me was more about the story and the heart. Zodiac was all about its interpretation and the mind. If you see what I mean. Both are remarkable. D'you know, I've still not see Jesse James I shuld I think I'd marvel at it.

    TD, thank you so much! That is such a fab thing to say. Before I went to MV, I had no idea what a cool place that it is. For an English person it's not expensive, its people are so friendly, the small towns are gorgeous, its Jaws coast is stunning and the atmosphere is all about letting go and being companionable. Bars, shops etc have seats where you sit, drink, read a paper, chat... I loved it (despite the lack of a latte). The ferry crossing was great and really short. Like going to the Isle of Widgit (Wight) from the South coast here. I can see why Jake loves it. It's private but open at the same time. I can't imagine anyone troubling anyone. A lot of private beaches though, which did feel unusual for a Brit.

    I'm so so glad this post did you good, TD *) I'm having a tough old week myself - these thoughts do me good too xx

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  9. Thanks for a lovely post WDW on a rainy miserable evening:)

    I love that bits and pieces are slowly leaking out about Source Code. A bit of a coincidence that put a smile on my face is the sign in the first pic that says Glenbrook is the name of the place , where the play I was involved in, was held last weekend!!!

    The pictures of MV are beautiful. A cousin of mine spent some of a Summer there as a student and had nothing but good things to say about it.

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  10. Thanks so much Carol and I love the link through to your play! Good to see you today, I know you've been so busy :)

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  11. I am laughing so freaking hard right now...thanks for this...I'm smiling from ear to ear!! I love these pictures...but the road race talk is making me think of the goofiest pictures by far (besides possibly me lifting myself on to the counter at the "Moonlight Mile Post Office")- the road race pictures - LOL! Oh and the basketball court pictures - now that was goofy stuff right there! But did we laugh or what?! I think I love the Chilmark Store pics the best though - lovely place to hang out (and really good pizza) - no latte for WDW :-( Oh and the tomato from Chris' farm - well, sadly, it did not make it off the island. But I'm sure the housekeeper at the hotel used it in a salad. I guess we will have to go back and get more (and make a nice tomato sauce with what we buy this time)! Great memories...thanks WDW!

    Oh...and I love the bit about cinematography but can't imagine how BBM did NOT make it into the top 10. Seriously. I love Zodiac too, of course...just wish it didn't scare the s*#t out of me every time I watch it (you'd think I'd be over that by now). Great bonus features too - hee hee!! :-)

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  12. I looked over the cinematographers' list of 50 "best" movies, and counted 45 that I had seen. It's just that there were a lot of ties, so more than 50 films were listed....

    Am I right in guessing that Jake plays some "random" guy on a train in "Source Code"?

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  13. Morning everyone!

    Morning BBMISwear :-) OMG the Chilmark race pics - hysterical! I was looking at those last night too, and they will definitely get a reposting. I loved how we were looking for the start of the race and then I looked down and START was painted onto the street! That poor tomato...

    Great bonus features in Zodiac for sure! :-)

    Hi Paul :D You've done well seeing all of those - I'll ount up how many I've seen, it'll be a fraction.

    Yes, in the last post I put a snippet of an interview with Michelle Monaghan and she described Jake's character as a 'random guy' on a train. Random - as if :D

    Have a good day everyone!

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  14. Lovely to see pics of your trip. What a treat to be able to go to Martha's Vineyard.

    I went to see POP for the second time today, it's still on at our cinemas. I don't understand why it was not more successful - to me it had all the elements it needed for a good entertaining two hours.

    I am a regular reader of your blog so I thought it was time to delurk.

    Cheers

    Tui

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  15. Hello Tui and welcome! I'm so glad you delurked. I love it when that happens :D I'm glad you enjoyed the pics - we did have such a good time. A beautiful place.

    That's great you saw poP again. It's still on at our cinemas too - it's a stayer. I'm pleased to say that it has been very successful outside the US.

    Thanks for delurking, Tui, do come back!

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