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CONFESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MINDSynopsis: Television made him famous, but his biggest hits happened off screen. CONFESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MIND is the story of a legendary showmanís double life - television producer by day, CIA assassin by night. Young, energetic, and focused on a top career in the growing television industry, Chuck Barris finds himself being followed by a suspicious character who quickly lures him into a secretive and dangerous world: that of a CIA operative. While Barris gains notoriety as a dynamic television producer ‚ creating such innovative and popular game shows as ěThe Newlywed Gameî and the self-hosted "The Gong Show"‚ he regularly executes assassinations for the United States government. As ratings rise, Barris incorporates his shows into his secret life: winning couples on ěThe Dating Gameî find themselves shipped off to ěfabulous Helsinkiî and ěromantic West Berlinî for their dream dates ‚ it isnít Paris, but it provides chaperone Barris a cover for his covert missions. As Barris basks in the glamour of his two worlds - entertainment and espionage - his life begins to spiral out of control. He is torn between the woman who loves him and the mysterious woman of his fantasies. He receives mass criticism from the public who accuses him of contaminating the airwaves... and he finds himself marked for death by a traitor operative. Barris must regain control of his life. Both of them. About the Production: One of the hottest scripts in Hollywood, CONFESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MIND caught the eye of several Hollywood A-list players. For George Clooney, however, the reason to get involved was clear. "Iíve never really wanted to direct, but I loved the project and believed that I knew how to tell the story," states Clooney. With the confidence of his Section 8 Productions partner, Steven Soderbergh, Clooney decided to "give it a shot." Above all, he knew that the driving force behind making this film would be his passion for the material. "I think Charlie Kaufman is the best writer in town right now. This script is a gem, and itís an absurd story thatís fun to tell and fun to be a part of. People just canít believe it when they read it." With many false starts and several top directors and actors attached to the project over the years, the film was finally greenlit by Miramax, with Clooney at the helm. For the starring role, Clooney knew he had to find an exceptional talent, and that person was Sam Rockwell. "Steven [Soderbergh] and I were producing a little project called 'Welcome to Collinwood' and I did a small part in the film in order to help raise the money. Sam had the lead in the film, and as I was working with him I kept thinking that he was the perfect guy to play Chuck. I didn't want someone too famous to play the role. In my opinion, you cannot have famous people playing famous people. It doesn't work. Sam was the guy for the part, ready to break and hadn't yet. On having his story brought to the big screen, Chuck Barris explains, "I wrote the book in 1980, and it came out two years later. As for the evolution of the movie, it's a convoluted story. I can't remember all of the details. All I know is that Andrew Lazar got a hold of it at one point and then George Clooney came into the picture, and between the two of them, they made it happen. "I was never really concerned about the adaptation because I knew that they would stick to the premise of the book, and that was the important thing. There are some changes, but I think the heart of the matter is still there." The Real-Life Chuck: A Jack-of-all-trades creator - books, music, television - CHUCK BARRIS (Himself) has had some big hits. His rock song "Palisades Park" received a gold record. One of his three novels, "You and Me, Babe," reached number seven on The New York Times best seller list. Three of the many television shows he created and produced-"The Dating Game," "The Newlywed Game" and "The Gong Show" - have become TV legends. Now, the second of his three books, CONFESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MIND, is the premise of this film, and the book has just been re-issued. Barris is working on a sequel, "Bad Grass Never Dies: More Confessions of a Dangerous Mind," to be published next year. He also just released a CD of songs he sings with his band "The Hollywood Cowboys" entitled "Confessions of a Dangerous Singer." Barris is a prize-winning still photographer. He recently received a Doctorate's Degree from Drexel University. Barris founded Chuck Barris Productions in 1965. In 1968, Chuck Barris Productions became the first independent television production company to go public. At that time, Chuck Barris Productions had more television half-hours per week - twenty-seven in total - than any other TV production company in the country. Barris was President and CEO of Chuck Barris Productions - later named Barris Industries -until the companyís sale in 1986. In 1969, Barris Industries sold a half-hour game show, "The Parent Game," to independent television stations across the country, opening up what quickly became one of the most lucrative sides of the television industry: first-run TV syndication. Barris is a member of the Friars Club of New York and the New York Athletic Club. He is also a member of the board of directors of the New York Police Foundation. Barris lives in Manhattan and Snedens Landing, New York with his wife Mary.
Running
time
110 mins Category
:
2B Cinema: AMC
/ Broadway-Olympian City / Broadway-Cinematheque / |
