A
s filming time draws near for the cinematic adaptation of The Hunger Games, our Hollywood Gamemakers keep dropping new pieces into their game. Just cast— Wes Bentley as Seneca Crane, head Gamemaker. Strangely enough, Crane doesn’t actually appear in the novel at all, except in the group of Gamemakers Katniss breaks up with her arrow-through-the-apple-in-the-pig’s-mouth trick. Collins doesn’t even reveal his name until Catching Fire when President Snow tells Katniss that Crane’s sentimental choice to crown both Katniss and Peeta as Victors in the 74th Games has led to his execution and replacement with Plutarch Heavensbee. [Read more…]
Hunger Games Movie News: A young Seneca Crane, Most Tributes in place, extras and doubles being cast in Western NC
May 9, 2011 by 5 Comments
Thoughts on Life Imitating Fiction
May 5, 2011 by 7 Comments
Shared Text and Osama bin Laden
by John Granger and John Patrick Pazdziora
Amid the endless stream of op-eds surrounding the death of Osama bin Laden, The New York Times provides us with a surprising example of shared text. In “9/11 Inspires Student Patriotism and Celebration” (NYT, 3 May 2011), Kate Zernike reports on analyses of the jubilation many young Americans have expressed in recent days:
In the world of the so-called millennial generation, said Neil Howe, a writer and historian who is often credited with defining that term for the generation, “Evil is evil, good is good. There are no antiheroes, there is no gray area. This is a Harry Potter vignette, and Voldemort is dead.”
“In a Harry Potter world,” he said, “their mission is to save the world for the rest of society. This is their taking pride in what their generation is able to do.”
All political questions aside, Mr. Howe’s assessment is striking for a few reasons. First, it seems to affirm what we’ve said around HogPro often enough—the fictional character and the real world elide in a transcendent, near-religious experience that creates a sense of communal identity. The man who may have defined the “millennial generation” now asserts that they find their identity through Rowling’s fantasies; they live in “a Harry Potter world.”
Second, this is a casebook study of the classic misreading of Rowling’s work.
More Tributes and Effie Officially Cast as Real-World Reaping takes Place and More Extras are Sought!
May 3, 2011 by 6 Comments
If you are keeping track of the casting for the forthcoming Hunger Games film, we now have tributes for Districts 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11 and, of course, 12. That means Foxface (District 5) has been chosen. Also, Elizabeth Banks has been confirmed in the role of Effie Trinket. In addition, the local casting company here in Western NC is still searching for more extras, particularly folks who look like coal miners. The movie is being called “Artemis” in all official correspondence, but there is not much other attempt at secrecy as additional casting calls commence this week and email applications are being accepted as well. As we’re following developments here, I’ve noticed that the irony is thicker than Flavius’ purple lipstick. [Read more…]
Hunger Games Tribute Casting Continues
April 26, 2011 by 5 Comments
The names just keep coming out of that big glass ball to fill our full complement of 24 tributes for the upcoming film of The Hunger Games. So far, actors are in place for the leads of Katniss and Peeta, along with her friend Gale, her mother, and her sister Prim. John C. Reilly appears to be in talks for the role of Haymitch, and there are rumors of a possible Effie Trinket.
We also have supporting roles casting decisions for the characters of Rue and Thresh, as well as for the tributes from Districts 1 and 3. If you’d like to follow as the rest of the Tributes are selected, try this handy feature on the Hunger Games Movie Facebook page. It is convenient, but I keep expecting the training scores to pop up so I can place my bets along with the other Capitol viewers. Speaking of our Capitol metanarrative, join us after the jump for some more thoughts on the casting choices and their reflection of Gamemaker values. [Read more…]
Post-Reaping Report on Extra Casting for Hunger Games
April 19, 2011 by Leave a Comment
My friends who made it through epic wind and rain to the extra casting in Shelby on Saturday report that the line was long but moved swiftly, and that the movie folks were all trained by the Cinna school of “treating people like human beings, not cattle.” The report from Shelby is positive that the film is Hunger Games, though everyone was warned not to say it out loud, creating a Voldemort-ish Taboo. My friends got positive feedback, especially since some are or are the parents of teenagers, and, if they get to do some work on the movie, promise to give us all the information they can. In the meantime, I’m just thrilled to see the process was not much like the actual Reaping, but seemed fun, easy, and professional. Let’s hope this is indicative of the way the production will be run. Thanks, Connie, for the pictures! Follow me after the jump for more.
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