Sean Lennon Makes "Coin Locker Babies" Film

[Mulboyne]

TimeOut: Lennon Gives Birth to 'Coin Locker Babies'

Sean 'son of John' Lennon has co-written a script that is set to go into production later this year. This isn't just any ordinary script, but rather the most insane story we've heard in a while: a surreal odyssey that takes place in the weird and wonderful world of late 20th-century Japan. 'Coin Locker Babies' (which is based on the Japanese bestseller of the same name by Ryu Murakami) tells the tale of two unwanted infants abandoned in adjacent train station lockers at birth. Following a stint in an orphanage and some serious hypnotherapy, the pair are then raised as brothers before moving to Toxitown, a polluted city full of freaks and hustlers. Once there, one of the brothers becomes a transvestite rocker looking for fame and love, the other a pole vaulter whose girlfriend encourages him to destroy Tokyo...There is no word on cast as yet, but Liv Tyler, Vincent Gallo, Asia Argento and Val Kilmer are all currently in talks to star in the film.

IMDB.com writes that the film should be ready in 2007.

[Caustic Saint]

It's a good read. I think I've got my copy in a pile around here somewhere.

[gomichild]

that has to be the most depressing book I've ever read.

[emperor]

SNAP!
Ive always secretly dreamed of becoming a pole vaulter whose girlfriend encourages him to destroy Tokyo!!

the girlfriend can come too

[Charles]

This actually does not bode well for Murakami's work. He has often written his own screenplays, but checking in imdb.com, this film has 4 screenwriters with no prior experience. I give it about a 10% chance of ever getting into production.

[katakori]

dunno about lennon, but

Murakami was reportedly so enamoured by Miike's film that he personally asked the director to adapt his best-known novel Coin Locker Babies.
http://www.midnighteye.com/reviews/audition.shtml

would have made me much happier...

[Visitor K]

yes, i love takashi miike's films.. i was hoping this would be his film. he did a great job with murakami's 'audition' .. well, i guess i will just have to wait.. takashi puts out enough films anyway.

[Mulboyne]

MDN: Newborn's body stuffed in coin locker
OSAKA -- A newborn baby boy's body has been found in a rucksack stuffed in a coin locker outside a rental car company here, police said. Car company officials were alerted to the presence of the baby's body because of the vile smell emanating from the coin locker. The body still had an umbilical cord attached and it had been wrapped in a towel. Police said they received a call from the car rental company informing them of the find on Friday. Police said they will carry out an investigation to determine who the baby belongs to and how it got into the locker.

[Mulboyne]

Twitch: KT Kwak Adapting Ryu Murakami's "Get Off The Peninsula"

According to today's Screendaily Korean director KT Kwak will be directed an adaptation of Japanese cult author Ryu Murakami's Hanto O Deyo (Get Out Of The Peninsula). Murakami is a bit of a hot property these days with a US adaptation of his Coin Locker Babies in the works, and he has a lengthy history with film both directing his own works and working with directors such as Takashi Miike, but this is a bit of a suprising move. Why? Because Get Off The Peninsula is about a North Korean commando unit invading Japan. Think about that for a moment. Yes, film in that part of the world is going pan-regional with Korean films doing well in Japan and vice versa but there is still a good bit of bad blood in Korea stemming back to the lengthy Japanese occupation. Throw in South Korea's current reluctance to anger the north and it's hard to picture a film that puts Koreans - whether from North or South - in the villain role in a Japanese story, even if done in the name of satire, coming off well in Seoul.

That said ... Murakami is a fantastic writer and I'd love to see this, particularly with news that it features some character cross over from The Complete Japanese Showa Songbook - adapted as Karaoke Terror, which still doesn't have a subbed DVD release. I suppose it's too much to hope that Ryuhei Matsuda reprises his role ...

[Greji]

This actually does not bode well for Murakami's work. He has often written his own screenplays, but checking in imdb.com, this film has 4 screenwriters with no prior experience. I give it about a 10% chance of ever getting into production.

I think you are right about Murakami's work Charles, but don't under estimate the power of the Lennon name and the fact that Yoko-chan can still deal a lot of weight in Japan. There is always some idiot over here that will want to back a Nihonjin's work (for being a Nihonjin) and the famous son of Japan who "made the big time" (by being John's son by a Nihonjin), so your 10%, which should probably be correct in a normal instance, might not hold up in this case.