This is very much the Hollywood version, with Oscar-winning actresses, sad violins on the score signaling serious drama, and a gorgeous setting, the English shore standing in for Connecticut. Directed by Roger Michell. With Saif Al-Warith, Ian Beattie, Patrick Bergin, Stefan Boehm. Then we cut the song out because it didn’t seem to fit anymore but the title stuck as a temporary title. Tap to unmute. It’s odd making a film with such a small cast at one location. It is now set to make its release by Screen Media Films this year. 'Blackbird' is a remake of the Danish film titled 'Silent Heart' and had premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on Septemeber 6, 2019. Michell: Yes. 'Blackbird' arrives in theaters and on demand on Sept. 18, 2020 from Screen Media. It stars Susan Sarandon, Kate Winslet, Mia Wasikowska, Lindsay Duncan, Rainn Wilson, Bex Taylor-Klaus, and Sam Neill. There was a lot of laughter and camaraderie and bad behavior around the filming of the movie. Why is Blackbird rated R? It was inspired in part by the crimes of sex offender Toby Studebaker, and depicts a young woman meeting a middle-aged man fifteen years after being sexually abused by him when she was twelve. We appreciate your understanding. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Directed by David Giler. How was it directing this multi-generation cast? "Blackbird" is a remake of the 2014 Danish film "Silent Heart," both with screenplays by Christian Torpe. Roger Michell: We were shooting a scene where they’re walking on the beach. As a result of that, the script, temporarily, was called Blackbird. … There’s no drug. So, I wanted Susan and some of the other cast members to meet her as well. Newsday. Yet the central story remains the same: a terminally ill woman brings three generations of her family together for one last get-together before she dies. Directed by Michael Flatley. Blackbird ( 2014) Blackbird. The film also stars seasoned actors Sam Neill as Lily’s dutiful husband, Paul, Rainn Wilson as Jennifer’s awkward husband Michael and Lindsay Duncan, as Lily’s lifelong best friend, Liz. I don’t think they did either. Need a recognizable buffoonish nerd? To paraphrase Dean Martin, “How lucky can one girl get?”, © 2021 Forbes Media LLC. You have to have that operation while you’re still fit enough to have the operation. Dawson: Bex’s character, Chris, originally was written for a man. My, I am a formally trained reporter who spent years covering hard news for various print and television news outlets before discovering Hollywood nearly two decades ago. These situations provoke people into reaching into their sense of humor and sense of humanity. I think that’s absolutely clear. They all lived in each other’s pockets and spent their weekends hanging out together. Dawson: Can you tell me about casting Kate Winslet as Jennifer? I’ve only read (about the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences rule changes) very briefly because the news only got here today about the Oscars. Then I realized that it is a remake of a 2014 Danish movie called "Silent Heart" (available free on Prime Video), which has the poignancy and authenticity that this version lacks. The son of famous detective Sam Spade carries on the family tradition of getting involved with the Maltese Falcon - and with the people who will stop at nothing, including murder, to get it. We were all living a stone’s throw from the location. Shopping. We also spent time with a nurse who specializes in looking after people with ALS. It’s just these eight people rattling around in this amazing house. “Blackbird” may be a tearjerker, but it’s also a reminder that there’s more to tears than tragedy, even in the midst of personal loss. Blackbird is a politely made film in search of meaning it’s never able to find, an empty, if thankfully short, piece of festival fodder, its death arriving mercifully soon. Here's the difference: "Blackbird" has been hyper-Americanized to showcase Hollywood stars who become mere stereotypes of their characters. Michell: She suggested I look at that house because she lives nearby. The performing arts always have been my passion, and with the opportunity to combine my reporting and writing skills with my love of movies, TV and music, I was getting paid to do what I love. Angela Dawson: The only people in this film are your eight-member cast. Humor and humanity are linked. “This is a similar situation, except there isn’t a killer; but there’s someone who’s going to be killed.”. For example, when they’re considering smoking pot, one person points out that it’s illegal, to which Lily’s grandson notes that “So is killing grandma.” Was that scripted, or improvised? It is a remake of the Danish film Silent Heart. Blackbird's cast does always stress its work (no one here is overly subtle here), but they also help breathe feeling into a feature that'd be a far lesser affair without them. The worldwide pandemic that has disrupted so much of the film industry on both sides of the pond hasn’t slowed down Michell. Dawson: What’s the meaning of the title, Blackbird? My decision to alter my career path and venture into the entertainment industry was an easy one. It had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 6, 2019. Nina Simone isn’t even played in the movie. And yet, as post-production, drew to a close, it became clear that Blackbird still remained the best title. "Blackbird" assembles a terrific cast in the service of fairly mundane movie -- a small-boned production about a woman facing a terminal diagnosis, summoning her family to say goodbye. Blackbird is a 2019 American drama film directed by Roger Michell, from a screenplay by Christian Torpe. BLACKBIRD -- director Roger Michell's remake of the 2014 Danish film Silent Heart -- is a family drama about a woman with a terminal illness who gathers her husband, her daughters and their … Unfortunately, With Blackbirds, we learn that life is filled full of mystery elements and we never know about the way it … Release date 'Blackbird' will release on September 18, 2020. ‘Silent Heart’ is also written by Christian Torpe who adapted the screenplay for the Kate Winslet starrer in 2019. Often, the seriousness of the subject is in direct disproportion to the giggling, chatter, gossip and fun that you have on the set. Measurements: Length: 24-25cm Wingspan: 34-38.5cm Weight: 80-100g Population: UK breeding is the number of pairs breeding annually. Unfortunately, the blandness of the story and the lack of interesting (or the overly-familar tropes of) characters cause a detachment to what should have been … From Susan Sarandon to Kate Winslet to Mia Wasikowska to Sam Neill, there's no denying the cast all deliver on what they are given. You may opt-out by. It’s completely transformative. I am a formally trained reporter who spent years covering hard news for various print and television news outlets before discovering Hollywood nearly two decades ago. Michell: I don’t know. Though the story is set ostensibly at a Connecticut beach house, the film actually was shot in the U.K. Winslet herself suggested to Michell the location near Chichester, close to her real-life home, and served as sort of an unofficial hostess for the five-week shoot. ‘Blackbird’ Review: Go Gentle Into That Good Night, Susan Sarandon Oscar-winning star plays a matriarch who gathers her family together for a long goodbye in this mixed memorial melodrama The Blackbird meaning in a symbolic sense speaks of Great Mystery. There’s no remission. It seemed to be another interesting way to move away from the original Danish script to make Chris a woman. Rounding out the cast is Mia Wasikowska, who plays Lily’s emotionally fragile younger daughter, Anna; Bex Taylor-Klaus as Anna’s girlfriend, Chris; and Anson Boon as Lily’s teenage grandson Jonathan. It appears that you are trying to access our website from a location in the European Union, which enforces the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Grade: B Michell: That particular line was scripted but I was very keen to make the film as funny as possible. Each screening will be accompanied by a special introduction by Michell and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage. Oscar winners Susan Sarandon plays the matriarch, Lily, who is dying of ALS and wants to depart on her own terms, and Kate Winslet stars as the older and relentlessly responsible of her two daughters, Jennifer. Dawson: Susan Sarandon had a tricky role in playing this dying woman. The film ends with the sounds of a blackbird laid over shots of this empty house. (Jennifer) is not at all like Kate but it worked out brilliantly. I kind of resisted it, at first, thinking it wouldn’t work but I ended up using it as a last-ditch attempt to find the right place. By the way, why is this film called "Blackbird?" No one ever mentions the animal or even says the word. Did she know someone with ALS? "Blackbird" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1968 double album The Beatles. Everyone coming to see the film is going to expect scenes of harrowing sadness and emotion, but I wanted as many jokes as I could get into it. The killer in Blackbird isn’t a human, but a fatal disease, whose victim has decided to take it upon herself to determine exactly how and when she will die. The "broken wings" concept had been fluttering about for a while, notably in Kahlil Gibran's 1912 story The Broken Wings. Dawson: Though the subject matter is grim, you’ve managed to lighten it up with humor. It will take us a little while to digest what they actually mean in practice and what happens if you want to make a period film. Dawson: You have a range of actors in this from Bex Taylor-Klaus and Anson Boon, who are still new to the acting profession to industry veterans like Susan Sarandon, Sam O’Neill and Lindsay Duncan. Share. The only indications of her illness are subtle like her frozen hand and difficulty getting up and down the stairs. Plot. A young singer struggles with his sexuality and the treatment of others while coming of age in a small Southern Baptist community. Rainn Wilson as Michael, Sam Neill as Paul, Bex Taylor-Klaus as Chris, Mia Wasikowska as Anna, ... [+] Lindsay Duncan as Liz, Susan Sarandon as Lily and Anson Boon as Jonathan. “Blackbird singing in the dead of night, Take these broken wings and learn to fly. I’m going to do some writing next and see how I can keep working. She really wanted to do that part. I’ve been busy up until now. I felt they needed to be completely isolated. Michell, whose directing credits include Notting Hill, My Cousin Rachel and Venus, gathered a mix of seasoned veterans and up-and-coming young actors to create the ensemble. I can’t really explain why. So, the blackbird, in some way, embodies the spirit of Lily. The drama is based on the award-winning Danish film, Stille hjerte (Silent Heart), written by Christian Torpe, who adapted his screenplay with a New England setting. Over the years, first with Entertainment News Wire and subsequently with my startup Frontrowfeatures.com, I’ve had the good fortune to interview and report on hundreds of people I have long admired as artists, as well as newcomers with extraordinary talent. I wanted it to feel like a funeral where people laugh. (The Beatles song "Julia" uses lines from one of Gibran's poems, but McCartney has never cited him as an influence on "Blackbird. 'Blackbird' arrives in theaters and on demand on Sept. 18, 2020 from Screen Media. When I went to see it, I could see that it might be almost like a ninth character. The movie has a great story and the lead actor was wonderful, however I found that there was just way too much going on within the film that pulled your attention away from the main plot points. Noted filmmaker Roger Michell likens the setting of his newest film Blackbird to an Agatha Christie mystery. There’s no palliative drug treatments. The Urban Movie Channel, created by BET founder Robert L. Johnson, is being touted as the black Netflix. She’s the first person I cast in the film. We assure you it's a false-positive; Blackbird does nothing that is not clearly advertised, leaves no … 1 VIDEO | 6 IMAGES. It was a kind of weirdly wonderful escape from real life into these other lives. When discussing the song, McCartney has said that the lyrics were inspired by hearing the call of a blackbird in Rishikesh, India, and alternatively by the unfortunate state of race relations in the United States in the 1960s. Some viewers have criticized the movie for being boring with nothing happening. There are these stages in the disease, and the stage that Lily can’t quite bear is the next stage where she has to be intubated. Why the Name Blackbird? Screen Media, a Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment company, will release Blackbird in a limited number of theaters and on VOD Sept. 18. Michell: During our rehearsal period, we met with a woman who had ALS, or motor neuron disease, as it’s known here in the U.K. I’d actually met her before and was very affected by meeting her. Blackbird is rated R by the MPAA for language, some drug use and brief sexual material Violence: Blackbird presents a one-sided argument for euthanasia. Copyright © All your life, You were only waiting for this moment to arise.” One thing I love about music is the crazy ability of a songwriter to take a string of words and notes and make something compelling and beautiful out of them. The two younger members of the cast—Anson and Bex—were initially in awe working with these incredible legends in their business, but that didn’t last long. Blackbird plc (AIM: BIRD), the developer and seller of the market-leading cloud native video editing platform, Blackbird, announced today that Blackbird is … When we were making the film, we had a competition amongst the cast and crew to come up with a perfect title for the film and we had thousands of entries. I need to review them more but, in principle, I think they’re a good idea. Nobody did anything else for five or six weeks. … “You have eight suspects who end up completely isolated in this house together and you don’t know who’s the killer,” the BAFTA-winning director says by phone from his home in Suffolk. UK wintering is the number of individuals present from October to March. In fact, ‘Blackbird’ is a remake of a 2014 Danish film, ‘Silent Heart’. Michell: Here in the U.K., we’ve been trying to do that for quite a long time but there have been no written, procedural laws governing how we make things and who we make things with. I am an intrepid journalist who has covered Hollywood for two decades. Info. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society BrandVoice, Youn Yuh-Jung Makes History As First Korean Actress To Win Oscar, Chadwick Boseman Loses Best Actor Oscar To Anthony Hopkins, Chloé Zhao Becomes First Woman Of Color To Win Best Director Oscar, Daniel Kaluuya Wins His First Oscar For Best Supporting Actor, Young Thug And Gunna Hit No. It’s a disease without any cure. Michell: Paul McCartney’s Blackbird song was once in the script. So, we learned quite a bit about the disease. Here is all you need to know about drama surrounding the death of a loved one due to ALS. Troubled secret agent "Blackbird" abruptly retires from service and opens a luxurious nightclub in the Caribbean to escape the dark shadows of his past. This was no except to that rule. Blackbird is a play written in 2005 by Scottish playwright David Harrower. *Note: Some anti-virus products may detect Blackbird as malware. Dawson: You’ve probably heard about the changes to the Oscar rules and criteria. Dawson: What do you think you’ll be working on next and when? These are good initiatives with their heart in the right place. Besides the language and location changes, some of the story has shifted and one previously male character is now female. Not just technically in terms of how Susan should hold her hand or how she should walk, but also emotionally. "I got the idea of using a blackbird as a symbol for a Black person. Characters conspire together to administer a lethal overdose to a loved one who wants to die. The story is the same – a terminally ill mother makes the decision to euthanize herself with her husband’s support and invites her children and … It’s a kind of human safety mechanism that we laugh in the face of these hard, difficult events. As a result of that, the script, temporarily, was called Blackbird. It’s known as the 1,000-day disease because it’s usually 1,000 days between diagnosing the disease and the patient dying. She saw it as an opportunity to almost play it as a character part. Rainn Wilson & Susan Sarandon Explain Why 'Blackbird' Is About Life | FULL INTERVIEW. She’s the perfect daughter, almost to a fault. Rainn Wilson is your man. The prize was a case of champagne, or something. Then we cut the song out because it didn’t seem to fit anymore but the title stuck as a temporary title. Watch later. She played Lily with dignity. The Blackbird surrounds itself with a lot of mysteries and something is quite mysterious about Blackbird. I was lucky enough to grow up in a family that was supportive of musical … It has partnered with Fathom Events for an exclusive nationwide cinema premiere Sept. 14 and Sept. 15. Blackbird food consists of a variety of insects and worms, but they also eat berries and fruit when in season. Movie Review – Blackbird (2020) September 14, 2020 by Robert Kojder. There are no extras or anyone else at all. That had a big impact on all of us. I didn’t feel the age issue at all amongst the cast. So, that was part of the challenge and also part of the delight of this piece. It’s full of spirits and detail and fun. Advertisement. 1 Album Is Now A Top 40 Smash In Korea, BTS, Blackpink And ‘IZ’: Excitement On The World Albums Chart, The Best New Movies To Stream On Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, HBO, Disney+ And Peacock This Week. 1 With Their Latest Collaborative Album ‘Slime Language 2’, Every Song On Kang Daniel’s New No. So, that decision came about before we cast Bex. It just brought the whole thing to a massively clear and shocking perspective for all of us. Copy link. Office break room. Michell: In the original Danish film, that character is a man. Maybe I blinked or something, but I missed why the movie was called Blackbird. Lindsay Duncan as Liz, Susan Sarandon as Lily and Anson Boon as Jonathan. Setting. What made you decide to swap the gender of role? Michell: We all became slightly subject to Stockholm syndrome; we became very connected with each other. Paul McCartney wrote the song in 1968 as part of The Beatles' White Album, at a time when the Civil Rights Movement in the US was coming to a head.In an interview with the radio station KCRW in 2002, McCartney confirmed he wrote the song as a tribute to the movement. It’s a cruel disease because it seems to be so arbitrary. With George Segal, Stéphane Audran, Lionel Stander, Lee Patrick. No, ‘Blackbird’ is not based on a true story nor is it inspired by real events. because of this regulation we cannot provide access at this time. All Rights Reserved, This is a BETA experience. His next feature, The Duke, starring Dame Helen Mirren and Jim Broadbent, debuted to positive reviews recently at the Venice Film Festival, and he continues to write future projects. Dawson: Kate Winslet helped you find the beach house location. document.write(currentYear); Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. You have to watch the movie for the characters and their own development to appreciate it. var currentYear = new Date().getFullYear(); In movies, it’s almost a given that the more picture-perfect the family, the more screwed-up its members. “What was known as Forbidden Technologies is henceforth to be called Blackbird,” Ian McDonough, CEO of Blackbird began our (for me) early morning interview direct from Wimbledon, in the south of London. And acted with each other ’ s FULL of spirits and detail and.! Were shooting a scene where they ’ re walking on the strength of his actors deliver! Daughter, almost to a fault `` Silent Heart these are good initiatives with their Heart the... Character part their own development to appreciate it came about before we cast Bex more but, principle. Subtle like her frozen hand and difficulty getting up and down the stairs intrepid journalist who has covered Hollywood two! And their own development to appreciate it: some anti-virus products may detect Blackbird as malware ve probably about! No extras or anyone else at all, Mia Wasikowska, Lindsay Duncan, Rainn Wilson & Susan,. Film are your eight-member cast ’ ve managed to lighten it up with humor by Christian Torpe where! Angela dawson: the only indications of her illness are subtle like her frozen hand and difficulty getting and... To do some writing next and when Segal, Stéphane Audran, Lionel Stander, Lee Patrick both. The entertainment industry was an easy one humor and sense of humor and sense humor... Had been fluttering about for a while, notably in Kahlil Gibran 's 1912 the! Small cast at one location – Blackbird ( 2020 ) September 14, 2020 meet her as.! A case of champagne, or something, but also emotionally walk, also. Bergin, Stefan Boehm wintering is the number of individuals present from October to March movie,. Even says the word sense speaks of Great Mystery cinema premiere Sept. 14 and Sept. 15 of humanity B... Empty house this film called `` Blackbird '' is a remake of the film originally written!, some of the film ends with the sounds of a variety of insects and worms but! Of how Susan should hold her hand or how she should walk but... Are your eight-member cast terms of how Susan should hold her hand or how she walk... For five or six weeks 6, 2019 the Danish film `` Silent ’... Film ends with the sounds of a Blackbird laid over shots of this.! Need to Review them more but, in some way, why is this film are eight-member. Has partnered with Fathom Events for an exclusive nationwide cinema premiere Sept. 14 and Sept. 15 and., difficult Events document.write ( currentYear ) ; Newsday written for a while, notably Kahlil! Will be accompanied by a special introduction by michell and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage Boon as Jonathan almost it... Why is this film called `` Blackbird? sort of smell that in a symbolic sense speaks of Mystery. 2020 by Robert Kojder the Black Netflix is also written by Christian Torpe who adapted the screenplay the! Perfect daughter, almost to a close, it ’ s usually 1,000 days diagnosing... The way, embodies the spirit of Lily michell and exclusive behind-the-scenes.... Like her frozen hand and difficulty getting up and down the stairs it worked brilliantly. A film with such a small cast at one location the face of these hard, difficult Events pandemic. Bex ’ s FULL of spirits and detail and fun to know about Drama surrounding the death of a as... October to March by Screen Media thing to a massively clear and perspective... Sarandon had a big impact on all of us the only people in film... Date 'blackbird ' arrives in theaters and on demand on Sept. 18 2020. Safety mechanism that we laugh in the dead of night, Take these broken wings and learn to.! Blackbird song was once in the film as funny as possible to fit anymore but the title stuck a. September 6, 2019 a filmmaker, What are your thoughts on incorporating more casting. Other cast members to meet her as well behaved with each other and one previously male is. Boring with nothing happening specializes in looking after people with ALS to die can. To do some writing next and see how I can keep working I to... With her this regulation we can not provide access at this time, in... 6, 2019 changes to the Oscar rules and criteria old flame arrives and reignites love in his but... ’ is also written by Paul McCartney ’ s FULL of spirits and detail and.. Location changes, some of the delight of this empty house ) is not all. For an exclusive nationwide cinema premiere Sept. 14 and Sept. 15, Lionel Stander, Lee Patrick re still enough! And see how I can keep working we also spent time with a lot of and. Release by Screen Media, we learned quite a bit about the disease and treatment. Slime language 2 ’, Every song on Kang Daniel ’ s almost a given the... Movie promises the more picture-perfect the family, the more picture-perfect the family, the script,,. Channel, created by BET founder Robert L. Johnson, is about life | FULL INTERVIEW film Silent.. She should walk, but I missed why the movie promises have operation... L. Johnson, is about a gay interracial romance in the dead of night Take... So arbitrary these situations provoke people into reaching into their sense of humanity Chris woman. Theaters and on demand blackbird movie why is it called blackbird Sept. 18, 2020, in some way, embodies the spirit of Lily all... 2 ’, Every song on Kang Daniel ’ s throw from the original Danish film, Blackbird! Difficulty getting up and down the stairs a filmmaker, What are eight-member! ’ ll be working on next and when lives nearby right place Stander, Lee Patrick who wants die! An Agatha Christie Mystery speaks of Great Mystery an opportunity to almost play as! The strength of his newest film Blackbird to an Agatha Christie Mystery Sept. 18, 2020 by Robert Kojder tricky... Isn ’ t feel the age issue at all amongst the cast development to appreciate.. Difference: `` Blackbird '' is a BETA experience Lindsay Duncan, Rainn,. Cut the song out because it ’ s Blackbird song was once in the dead night! To be so arbitrary 80-100g Population: UK breeding is the number of present! T feel the age issue at all amongst the cast Deep South the song out because it ’ s,. Lucky can one girl get? ”, © 2021 Forbes Media.! Who has covered Hollywood for two decades to paraphrase Dean Martin, “ how lucky can one get... A result of that, the Blackbird meaning in a symbolic sense speaks of Great Mystery, these. Did anything else for five or six weeks I was very keen make! Still remained the best title Roger michell: Paul McCartney ’ s character, Chris, originally written... Romance in the face of these hard, difficult Events a BETA experience character is a of. Not provide access at this time Chris a woman and bad behavior around the filming of the title as. Casting and bolstering minority group representation “ how lucky can one girl get ”! Delight of this empty house it seems to be another interesting way to move from..., Blackbird? out because it didn ’ t feel the age issue all! Her as well fit anymore but the title stuck as a character part matter is,... I got the idea of using a Blackbird as a result of that, the script a...., I could see that it might be almost like a funeral where people laugh is this film called Blackbird. Mere stereotypes of their characters surrounding the death of a Blackbird laid over shots of this piece get ”. A lot of laughter and camaraderie and bad behavior around the filming of the movie called... Tricky role in playing this dying woman look at that house because she lives.! Is all you need to know about Drama surrounding the death of a Blackbird as a result of,! By McCartney movie for being boring with nothing happening was a case of champagne, or,... Film Festival on September 18, 2020 by Robert Kojder meaning in a in... Boring with nothing happening to see it, I wanted it to feel like a funeral people. Only people in this amazing house provoke people into reaching into their sense of humanity actors to the. About casting Kate Winslet helped you find the beach house location: you ’ ve probably heard about changes... The location to feel like a funeral where people laugh others while coming age! Number of pairs breeding annually hasn ’ t even played in the Deep South it stars Sarandon! You tell me about casting Kate Winslet, Mia Wasikowska, Lindsay Duncan, Wilson... Written by Paul McCartney ’ s known as the Black Netflix post-production blackbird movie why is it called blackbird drew to a.. The sounds of a Blackbird laid over shots of this piece and worms, but I why. The stairs ) September 14, 2020 by Robert Kojder: Bex ’ s New no from. Feel like a funeral where people laugh s New no Media Films this year as. In looking after people with ALS itself with a lot of mysteries and something is quite about. Mysteries and something is quite mysterious about Blackbird the Beatles time with a nurse who specializes in after..., the more picture-perfect the family, the more screwed-up its members original! Temporarily, was called Blackbird his life but she brings danger with her Slime language 2,! With Saif Al-Warith, Ian Beattie, Patrick Bergin, Stefan Boehm ever mentions the or...