EVERYONE WANTS TO BE DALI

by- Catalina Sierra

What is it about Dali that suddenly, there is a fever in Hollywood to make a movie about the surrealist painter from Port Lligat? In mid-April will be released in Spain the biopic 'Sin Limites' (Little Ashes), in which Robert Pattinson (famous for his role as a vampire in Twilight) plays the artist, but other several actors -with a more illustrous name- want the painter's mustache: Antonio Banderas, Al Pacino, Johnny Deep and Peter O'Toole. The subject is vast, of course, and it's full of great and juicy anecdotes to make hours and hours of films.

But the fact is that all these other projects are facing the opposition of Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation, owner of the rights of all the paintings of the artist. The Foundation wants to ensure that all these hypothetical films don't mess up their 15 years of efforts to reposition the painter in the history of the "serious" art of the 20th Century, far away from all the scandals, troubles and all kind of legends about Dali, including the rumored counterfeit of his artwork of his last years.

"The last thing we need is a bad film about Dalí to be successful," says Joan Manuel Sevillano, general manager of the Foundation, explaining how in the past six years, at least 11 scripts have passed trough his hands, all of them trying to convey the artist's life. Except for 'Sin Limites' (Little Ashes), none has obtain the blessing of the Foundation. "Dali's life is enoughly interesting to invent things about it. Censorship is not our intention, we only try that all the films approach his life in a respectful way, without trivialization or inventing stuff. We don't want to hide anything, but Hollywood can change the history and that's the reason we are very strict."

'Sin Limites' (Little Ashes), a modest Spanish-British production which has cost around three million of euros, is focused on a young Dali and the relationship that the artist established in Residencia de Estudiantes with Federico García Lorca (Javier Beltrán) and Luis Buñuel (Matthew McNulty). The film, produced in Spain by Factotum Barcelona and with a script written by Philippa Goslett, portrays several tough issues, like the alleged homosexual relationship between Lorca and Dali. The Foundation, in the words of Sevillano, doesn't have objections about this issue, addressed by several biographies, "if the filmmakers approach it in the same ambiguous way that Dali always spoke about it".

The Fondation does not approve the project of Andrew Niccol (director of movies like 'Gattaca' and 'The Truman Show') who wants to bring to life the controversial book 'Dalí y yo. Una historia surreal' (Dali and me. A surreal story) by Stan Lauryssens, with Al Pacino as the protagonist.

The book is an alleged autobiography of Lauryssens, who confesses how he counterfeited several Dalis and explains impossible dialogues with friends and colleagues of the artist in an apparent visit to Cadaqués. Those friends "revealed" to the writer all the sexual perversions of the painter, as well as his alleged collusion in the counterfeits. The Foundation, through the law firm Roca Junyent Abogados Asociados, has already begun in the Figueres Court the tramits of the lawsuit for defamations and slanders against Lauryssens "and the laysuit could be extended to the publisher or whoever is necessary", says Sevillano.

The manager of the Foundation, who has traveled several times to Los Angeles to meet some producers, actually sent a letter to Al Pacino's agent explaining the situation and asking him "to not be reduced" agreeing with this production. In fact, when Pacino was in Madrid last year, the actor himself said he wanted to play Dali, but added: "I have not read a well-rounded script and I won't make the movie until a good script is written".

Antonio Banderas has finally agreed to get into the skin of the artist, and has announced that he will shortly begin the shooting of 'Dalí', directed by Simon West (Tomb Raider). The movie will cover the whole life of the artist and will have animation scenes of his paitings. This script does not have the permision of the Foundation.

"I have spoken several times with West, clarifying our position", he adds. "All we ask is modify the script. Of course, they can try to shoot it anyway, but anyone who makes a movie about Dali without permits, will have serious problems with us. And so far, we have not lost any trial".

On the other two projects announced some time ago, there is nothing positive about them, only a lot of rumors. About the film with Peter O'Toole, 'Goodbye Dali', there are no solid news. As for Johnny Deep, who initially wanted to direct and portray the painter, it seems like he's still looking for a script. The good news is that there are tons of documentation available to write a script.

Source

Robert Pattinson 2010 Wall Calendar 43D-10