Whale-iam Tell

Dear Flynnstones,

the Mummy Man is back again. Brendan Fraser won the Academy Award for best actor yesterday at the Oscars. He gave a “Whale” of a performance in the namesake movie. Back in 2008 his then name in lights was attached to a project Errol failed to finish: William Tell .

Are some movies doomed from the start? Flynn`s “The Story of William Tell” and Orson Welles`”Don Quijote” were persued for years, but never materialized, due to mostly monetary problems. Terry Gilliam picked up the mule where OW had left off and got lost in la Mancha. Erstwhile.

The adventures of Swiss hero William Tell had already hit the movie screen in the 1930s starring Conrad Veit. Then in 1948 again, this time in Italy, Gino Cervi known from the “Don Camillo & Peppone” series took aim at the apple. In 1960 Switzerland took it up on themselves to immoviealize Will Tell on the big screen- Wilhelm Tell/Burgen in Flammen (“Castles in flammes”) was released.

In 2011 finally William Tell: The Legend 3D (alternate: Crossbow) was announced to be filmed in Altdorf and Romania. Alongside Fraser we would see Anne Paquin (“The Piano”) as his wife Hedwig, Dakota Goyo (“Real Steel”) as his son Walter and German actor Til Schweiger would become Gessler the Hat, the Austrian baddie. Nick Hurran (“Sherlock”) was to direct at first, then Eric Brevig (“Journey to the Center of the Earth”) took over the helm-et. The script came from Scott Reynolds. Tagline of the movie: Farmer. Family Man. Hero. Outlaw.

When in 2013 no arrow had been fired, Brendan sued the producer and saw himself stripped of the lead in favor of another avid archer, Hawkeye Avenger-actor Jeremy Renner. “Hunger Games” director Gary Ross wanted to end the head splitting and start splitting apples. Audiences were left hungry. Again.

Maybe with the new found pouch, ahm punch, B. Fraser will get to do W. Tell at last. A golden statue will get you things prior not available.

Even the appleshot Robin Hood missed.

Enjoy,

— shangheinz