Aaron SorkinThe next film as a writer and director is The Trial of the Chicago 7. The real story follows the infamous 1969 trial of seven men accused by the federal government of conspiracy following Chicago’s countercultural protests against Vietnam at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. What started as peaceful protests turned into a violent confrontation with the police and the National Guard. It is a story that feels more relevant than ever in our current political and social climate, and the first photos that have just appeared show the cast of stars bringing to life this crucial moment in history.
The Chicago 7 First Look Photos Trial
The Trial of the Chicago 7 stars Sacha Baron Cohen like Abbie Hoffman, Eddie Redmayne like Tom Hayden, Joseph Gordon-Levitt like Richard H. Shultz, William Hurt like John N. Mitchell, Mark Rylance like William Kunstler, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II like Bobby Seale, Jeremy Strong like Jerry Rubin, Frank Langella like Julius Hoffman, and Michael Keaton like Ramsey Clark, a progressive lawyer who was also a key figure in the Civil Rights Movement of the mid-20th century.
Not all the cast members appear in these early Vanity Fair photos, but this gives us a fantastic insight into the film that will no doubt draw parallels between this moment in history and today’s major protests that have taken to the streets in the light. of corruption and racism rooted in our institutions.
The star cast had nothing but good things to say about Sorkin’s work in this film and as a filmmaker in general. While young but experienced Eddie Redmayne praises Sorkin’s words on the page as “gold dust,” adds veteran actor Frank Langella: “Man can write as well as any living writer has ever done.” In fact, Langella even praised The Trial of the Chicago 7 comparing it to the likes of movies like 12 angry men and Net. Meanwhile, Cohen perhaps becomes too complementary when he says: “He has the talent of Shakespeare. And much more consistent: it has not had a Titus Andronicus.“Even as a lover of everything Aaron Sorkin has done, I think we will have to wait at least a few decades before we can see if that is an accurate assessment.”
Although Aaron Sorkin is directing The Trial of the Chicago 7, was originally hired only as a writer by the only Steven Spielberg. However, despite being the mastermind of the political drama series The west wingThe filmmaker apparently has some blind spots when it comes to the story. Sorkin told Vanity Fair that when Spielberg offered him the job of writing the film, he had absolutely no knowledge of the event.
Spielberg had hoped to do The Trial of the Chicago 7 Since 2007. In fact, the film was expected to arrive before the 2008 elections. But the Writers Guild of America strike of that year put all those hopes on hold, and the project remained in development for a long time, even courting Paul Greengrass as director for a short period of time. It never took off again until recently, when Spielberg felt it was time to review the possibility of making the film, but he wanted Sorkin to direct himself after seeing his directorial debut with Molly’s game.
It’s amazing that The Trial of the Chicago 7 He came to life before the Black Lives Matter protests again dominated the headlines. Because of how the film’s theme resonated with today’s increasingly relevant and timely issues, Sorkin returned and made some adjustments to his script to ensure that ties between The Trial of the Chicago 7 And the struggles we face today did not go unnoticed. Sorkin observed:
“The film was relevant when we were making it. We didn’t need it to be more relevant, but it did. The polarization, the militarization of the police, the fear of black activists, even the intramural battle between the left and the extreme left. To say nothing about [Black Panther] Fred Hampton was killed by police during the trial. In this presentation, Donald Trump is playing the role of Mayor Daley. “
Almost like a provocation of what is to come The Trial of the Chicago 7Sorkin told Vanity Fair about an old photograph he had seen that was taken outside of the Chicago courthouse where the trial was held. Pro-government protesters held up signs saying things like “America loves it or leaves it,” “What about white civil rights,” and “Close them!” Does it sound familiar to you?
If you want to read much more about The Trial of the Chicago 7Be sure to go to Vanity Fair for a full profile of the film, as well as several more photos from the production. There are great little things behind the scenes, including a mention of Jeremy Strong’s acting method techniques that he seems to have learned from his time as an assistant to Daniel Day-Lewis. For example, Strong really wanted to be sprayed with tear gas to properly harness his character. Little did he know that if they waited to film, he probably could have experienced it himself on the streets across the United States.
The Trial of the Chicago 7 It will hit Netflix (and perhaps in limited theaters) sometime this fall.
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