By Romeo San Vicente
Lisa Kudrow Takes a Ride with "Dirty Girl"
What happens when the school slut grabs a closeted classmate and goes on a road trip of self-discovery? We'll all find out when "Dirty Girl" hits theaters, boasting a notable pedigree. Producers include Richard Kelly ("Donnie Darko") and legendary lesbian indie queen Christine Vachon ("I'm Not There"), and co-stars include Lisa Kudrow, Camryn Manheim, and "Best in Show"'s John Michael Higgins. Up-and-comer Ashley Rickard – Samantha on "One Tree Hill" – has the title role in this coming-of-age comedy. Romeo isn't 100 percent sure about the sexual orientation of writer-director Abe Sylvia, but since he directed an earlier short film whose title includes an unprintable word for a specific sex act, the guy's at least gay-adjacent. Look for "Dirty Girl" to tramp it up later this year.
Baz Luhrmann Grasps at "Great Gatsby"
F. Scott Fitzgerald's immortal novel "The Great Gatsby" explores issues of wealth, ambition, and disappointment, so perhaps it's fitting that visionary director Baz Luhrmann is eyeing the book for his next film. After all, his recent "Australia" required wealth to bring it to the screen; the director's vision was certainly ambitious; and the box-office take was definitely disappointing. But seriously, given the gifts for romance and tragedy that Luhrmann – who, although married, once famously told a gay magazine, "Who says I'm straight?" – demonstrated in "Moulin Rouge!" and "Romeo + Juliet," he should be a perfect fit for the material, which has already yielded multiple unmemorable screen adaptations. There's no script yet, so there's no telling when the notoriously picky Aussie's "Gatsby" will reach theaters; just watch for the green light on the dock.
Rudin and Sorkin Tell Facebook Story
After his legendary feud with producer Harvey Weinstein over release dates for "The Reader," you can't blame gay movie mogul Scott Rudin for wanting to turn his back on petty sniping and backbiting, instead choosing to embrace the etiquette, charm, and goodwill of…the Internet. Rudin will produce a film about the creation of Facebook for Sony Pictures, with Aaron Sorkin ("The West Wing," "Charlie Wilson's War") writing the screenplay. Sorkin has, in fact, gotten so into the process that he's opened his own Facebook account – and an "Aaron Sorkin & the Facebook Movie" group – so he can get a first-hand feel for exactly what happens on the popular social networking site. (Romeo assumes a plucky assistant handles the snarkiest messages.) Sorkin's frequent TV collaborator Thomas Schlamme is slated to direct; and when it opens in 2010 you can super-poke your online friends into seeing it.
"Star Wars": The Musical. Really.
There's nothing gayer than a musical, heaven knows, even if it features a storm trooper kick line and Wookiees singing along to a John Williams score. And that's apparently what we're going to get when "Star Wars: A Musical Journey" premieres in London this year. Having apparently learned nothing from the infamous "Star Wars Holiday Special" – which featured Bea Arthur as a sardonic singing cantina barmaid and Diahann Carroll as a holographic sex object – George Lucas has given his blessing to this new tuneful extravaganza. What will audiences get, besides the aforementioned white plastic chorus line and fuzzy warblers? "A Musical Journey" will feature clips from all six "Star Wars" live-action features accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The best part is that every "Star Wars" nerd currently trashing this show online is also dying to get a ticket.
