I've only seen bits and pieces of King Arthur, and while I think Clive certainly looks wonderful in the role and any movie that uses music by Lisa Gerrard (Dead Can Dance) is automatically elevated in my book, the definitive King Arthur film for me will always be the magnificent Excalibur (1981) starring Nigel Terry (and Helen Mirren as Morgana). This is a dark, atmospheric and intense retelling of the Arthurian legend, a film that is "set in the land of dreams."
Some photos have surfaced from the shooting of Clive's new movie, The International, with Naomi Watts. He plays an obsessive Interpol agent working on a case involving banking corruption and arms-dealing. Judging by this picture, I'd say the action-thriller gets pretty intense.
Sadly, I have no Clive video this week, but in case you missed the world premiere of The Devil's Footprints promo, just click.
His name is Clive Owen and pay strict attention to what he has to say:
I've never been interested in playing good guys. I'm always attracted to dangerous characters. (Me, too! Especially when the dangerous character is played by Clive Owen.)
The sexiest part of the body is the eyes. Corny, but that's what I believe. (And you've got some mighty fine peepers, Mr. Owen.)
Parenthood and family come first for me, and when I'm not working I'm cool with the Teletubbies. (And I'm cool that you're cool with Teletubbies.)
When I was 10 or 11, I played the Artful Dodger in a school production of Oliver. From that point forward, I said I wanted to be an actor. Nobody in my family took it seriously, but I saw no other path. I was a cocky little kid. This one teacher said: 'You're a working-class kid from Coventry. What do you know?' (Last laugh to Mr. Owen.)
My gardening skills are awful. (Trust me, no one cares, Clive.)
Boy, do I have a treat for you today. If you thought Clive was hot with Monica Bellucci in Shoot 'Em Up, check him out with this new chick. Warning: Due to the graphic nature and extreme awesomeness of this clip, I can only provide a link.
So here ya go, Clive Owen as you've never seen him before. Click.
For anyone who still wishes Clive had been signed to play James Bond (for the record, I’m not one of them. I couldn’t be happier with the current 007), this action-thriller could be for you.
An obsessive Interpol agent leads an investigation into an all powerful banking institution in an attempt to expose connections to weapons sales, corruption, and murder. As he comes up against resistance from his own law enforcement agency, his obsession for the case deepens. Naomi Watts will play a Manhattan assistant district attorney who partners with the agent to take down the bank. (Sources: IGN, Coming Soon, Cinematical, Cinema Blend)
Clive Owen Wednesday is back with a bang. Literally. For anyone who hasn't seen Shoot 'Em Up, I'm providing a link below to the famous (or should I say infamous?) Sex and Guns scene with Monica Bellucci. Let's just say, Mr. Owen knows how to take care of business.
This scene is pretty graphic. You've been warned.
Oh, and turn up your speakers for the full effect.
I’ve decided to make Fridays news/gossip day. This is where I’ll keep you informed about what’s happening in the writing world. Agreed, not as much fun as Clive Owen Wednesdays, but I do want to keep my readers up-to-date on works in progress and so forth.
On Monday, I submitted a three-page premise for a new thriller to my editor and she loved it. Whew! The story is pretty dark and creepy so I was a little concerned, but turns out that’s what she loved about it. And here is my agent’s take: “Just read the synopsis and am fighting the urge to jump from my chair and shake the heebie jeebies from my body. This is SCARY!!” Just the reaction I wanted. Yea!
In my spare time (hahahahahaha), I’ve been working on what I thought was a first-person mystery series set in Austin, Texas, but the first book has morphed into an urban thriller about voyeurism inspired by three legendary films—Hitchcock's Rear Window (1954), Michael Powell's Peeping Tom (1962), and Michelangelo Antonioni's Blow-Up (1966). Here is my one-sentence summary: “An insomniac writer searching for inspiration exploits a young filmmaker’s new voyeuristic pastime.”
As I reported last time, The Devil’s Footprints is in production and will hit the bookshelves on March 1, 2008. I’ve been collaborating on a trailer with the powerhouse duo of Lucas Amann (filmmaker) and Leanne Amann (my advertising guru), and we’re really hoping to come up with something special. I’ll keep you posted during production, maybe even have some snippets I can put up.
Texas Ransom, my next Intrigue, will be out in January.
And just because all this business stuff is a little boring, check out Jonathan Ross's interview with Daniel Craig promoting Casino Royale. So cute.
What better way to get over hump day than a little Clive love? Here is what Lancôme had to say about their spokesman:
Mysteriously hypnotic and resolutely masculine, Clive Owen was definitely the perfect choice to embody Lancôme’s new fragrance for men Hypnôse Homme and new anti-aging skin care range Lancôme Men.
Who am I to argue? As someone commented on YouTube, the man could sell garbage bags and make it sexy.
Okay, this is my third post on Clive Owen in a couple of weeks, but I’m really not obsessed with him or anything. Really. He just happens to be the source of a lot of Internet chatter lately. Cinematical has done a piece on anti-heroes in cinema, and here’s what they say about Clive:
Clive Owen (in Shoot ‘Em Up) is making Bugs Bunny look all sorts of tough and cool. He banters. He sexes up the ladies. He handles guns like a pro. Heck, he even tries to buy them with food stamps.
I don’t know about you, but they had me at uber.
If you've got a few minutes, check out Clive's badassness in the BMW short film Beat The Devil directed by Tony Scott and featuring an aging James Brown, the godfather of soul, looking to renegotiate his contract with the prince of darkness (Gary Oldman). This is beyond uber cool, my friends, this is freakin' awesome!
...and why the h#$$ not?...I was flipping channels last night and happened across Croupier on one of the movie channels. I’d been meaning to rent this film for a long time, ever since I heard people touting it as proof that Owen would have made a terrific James Bond (he did look pretty awesome in a tux). Personally, I’m more than happy with Daniel Craig as 007. His performance was bloody brilliant in Casino Royale, but Clive would have been great, too.
Croupier has some interesting, offbeat characters and a cool neo-noir vibe, and I’m pretty much always a sucker for a movie about a writer (see: Johnny Depp in Secret Window—I’ve been told some of the stuff coming out of his mouth sounded just like me...unnervingly so).
Not to give too much away, but I could definitely relate to Owen’s character when his girlfriend ripped the grittier, more realistic take on his story in favor of a previous version that had, in her opinion, a more likeable protagonist. Jeesh, everybody’s a critic.
To sum up, I liked the movie a lot and I kind of dug Clive with the bleached out do. But a blond Bond? Nah, that’d never go over.
This one could be good, folks, because Frank Miller is adapting Trouble is My Businessfor the big screen, and the last time we had a Miller/Owen collaboration we got Sin City.
Owen has that whole world-weary, brooding persona down pat so he should be the perfect noir anti-hero. And, you know, he’s Clive Owen.
I like to write about the dusty back roads and murky bayous of the South. About unsolved murders and the kind of dark, simmering secrets that destroy souls.
My books have been described as creepy and disturbing. Stories to be read with the lights on.
But, honestly, I'm just an ordinary person. Quiet and unassuming. Someone who might live next door to you...
People Magazine has named Matt Damon the sexiest man alive.
"The sexiest part of the body is the eyes. Corny, but that's what I believe. They're what connect us as human beings."
Clive Owen is 
What better way to get over hump day than a little Clive love? Here is what 
Okay, this is my third post on Clive Owen in a couple of weeks, but I’m really not obsessed with him or anything. Really. He just happens to be the source of a lot of Internet chatter lately. 
According to the website, 
