BBC - Films - High Noon - 6th February 2004

		Harvey Whinestein Anthony Minghella will write and direct The Ninth Life Of Louis Drax, a surreal psychological thriller revolving around a nine-year-old problem child lying in a deep coma and the doctor who cares for him. It's based on the forthcoming novel by Liz Jensen, and will be Minghella's fourth film for Miramax. Speaking at the Berlin Film Festival, Miramax co-chairman Harvey Weinstein said: "Liz Jensen has crafted a taut psychological thriller that provides the ideal framework for a riveting motion picture." He added: "The Ninth Life Of Louis Drax offers the perfect source material for our [referring to Minghella] continued collaboration." But when asked about the low count of Oscar nominations for Minghella's Cold Mountain, he was rather less sanguine, blaming the decision to shoot outside America for the Academy's lukewarm reception. "There has been a reaction in America and a real campaign to stop movies leaving America to shoot," Harvey whines. It's not that the film was excruciatingly dull, then.

		The Other Weinstein Dimension Films, the shameless popcorn picture-making division of Miramax, is remaking trashy horror flick The Hills Have Eyes. Co-chairman Bob Weinstein is overseeing the project with Wes Craven, who wrote and directed the 1977 original, while French director Alexandre Aja (Haute Tension) has been assigned to megaphone duty. The story centres on a hapless family who become stranded in the California desert and are preyed upon by a clan of flesh-eating weirdies.

		Aniston Graduates As the final series of Friends draws to a close in the US, Jennifer Aniston has inked to star in a big-screen comedy about a woman who believes her family inspired the characters in The Graduate. The unnamed film will start shooting in April and will mark the directorial debut of Ted Griffin, who scripted Ocean's Eleven and Matchstick Men. Aniston will play a young woman (obviously) who returns home to Pasadena before committing to marriage and learns that her grandmother was the inspiration for Mrs. Robinson. Cue: self-indulgent angst.

		Cool Front S.W.A.T. star LL Cool J has been very vocal about highbrow thriller Edison, due to start shooting in March. He'll front the film, about a cub reporter who teams up with a jaded scribe, played by Kevin Spacey, and an investigator for the district attorney (Morgan Freeman). Writer/director David Burke apparently hand-picked LL for the title role even before casting Spacey and Freeman. "David Burke and I just had a great meeting and he really wanted me to be a part of the movie," he says, "and I really wanted to be a part of the movie after I read the script." On the calibre of his supporting cast he adds: "I responded to the material before they were on board, but then I was just that much more excited. It's a great opportunity to work with that level of actors."

		Tyson Hits Big Following his bout with Robert Downey Jr in Black And White, actor/director James Toback has cast Mike Tyson for his next project, When Will I Be Loved. The film stars Neve Campbell, although Tyson shares his scenes with Toback. The former world boxing champion/ear chomper reveals: "I get into a confrontation with him. I call him Osama. It's crazy." As for Toback, he has nothing but praise for Tyson, noting: "He's a tremendously effective screen presence. There's absolutely no line between what he's thinking and feeling and what he's saying and doing." In other words: no subtlety. "The trick is to either have him play himself or a character that he identifies with. You can't just give him a script and ask him to be a character he has no interest in." In other words: can't act.

		Last Chance... The 2004 BAFTA Awards will be taking place in London on Sunday 15th February, and this weekend is your last chance to vote for The Orange Film of the Year Award. So what are you waiting for? Check out the full list of nominees and cast your vote at the official site.