Phantasmagoria: The Visions of Lewis Carroll
Encyclopedia
Phantasmagoria: The Visions of Lewis Carroll is an upcoming fantasy-horror film
by Marilyn Manson
with Geoffrey Cox and Anthony Silva. It is directed by Marilyn Manson as part of his Celebritarian Corporation art movement, and is his directorial debut as a feature filmmaker. It is being produced by Blue Light for Wild Bunch and has estimated budget of $4,200,000. In the leading roles are Marilyn Manson as Lewis Carroll
, English model Lily Cole
as Alice, Evan Rachel Wood
as Alice's alter ego and British actress Tilda Swinton
as Lewis Carroll's dream wife. According to some press sources, the production of the film has been discontinued. The film is no longer listed on IMDb.
According to a recent interview with co-writer Anthony Silva, Phantasmagoria: The Visions of Lewis Carroll is still on and the talk of it being shut down was just a myth.
Benoît Debie (director for photography for several of Gaspar Noé
's films, e.g. Irréversible
, Enter the Void
and Calvaire) is the director of photography.
As of December 2007, much of the design is finished and the film has a distributor.
According to Marilyn Manson:
The title is taken from a famous and hard to find collection of Lewis Carroll's poems originally published as "Rhyme? and Reason?" but titled "Phantasmagoria" in later editions. Twin Engine Publishing HB, Wildside Press Books and Prometheus Books are some of the few contemporary publishers of the book. Phantasmagoria
is also the name for live horror shows involving projection onto smoke screens that were invented in the 18th century France.
:
, Ingmar Bergman
and Alfred Hitchcock
. “It‘s kind of a return to Hitchcock-style psychological horror about letting your mind do the damage and sometimes what you don’t see is scarier." "I wouldn't say it will be like a modern horror film. It wouldn't be like what people are used to seeing today. But I think by being traditional, sometimes like a Hitchcock, it's almost modern, because people are so used to seeing special effects. I have a magician that I've hired to do my special effects. I don't want any CGI
. I want only in-camera, so I have a magician who's my special-effects man. I just want to be unconventional by being traditional."
Manson has stated that Phantasmagoria will be "something people haven't seen before and will be filmed in a way no one has done yet. “I have a camera that I’ll be the first person to use in cinema, and I‘m very excited about it. It’s very unique." Friend and fellow filmmaker James Cameron
has supplied his Reality Camera System technology for Manson to film.
He has suggested the use of subliminal elements to enhance feeling, but also says he may go further. “I‘m going to do a lot of things that may end up being illegal. Until they are, I will do them. I think it will change people’s opinion about horror films and they will realize they’re not all about slasher”. “I might add that the girls playing Tweedledum and Tweedledee
are twins who get to have real, genuine sex with each other. I like to make dreams come true”.
The film has also been linked with other projects such as Alejandro Jodorowsky
’s King Shot
and an as yet untitled film with Tilda Swinton
. The tagline is taken from The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters
(1799), from Caprichos, by Francisco Goya
.
and Sintra
in Portugal
as a possible location. Marilyn Manson explains that it "is a very powerfully magical, strange place. It was my first choice for location to shoot my film Phantasmagoria...". On the January 14, 2008 radio show of Loveline with Dr. Drew and Stryker, Manson {pola} states that although unsure of where he will be filming, it will more than likely be Romania
.
incidentally, Manson himself was originally supposed to work on the "McGee" soundtrack He intends to be working with Twiggy Ramirez, Tim Skold
, Rob Holliday
and Ginger Fish
on the original soundtrack and previously unreleased Marilyn Manson
's songs but has added that he doesn't want to over extend himself as he has other responsibilities, i.e. acting and directing. Madonna Wayne Gacy
possibly contributed prior to leaving Marilyn Manson
.
Marilyn Manson does mention the possibility of there being at least one unoriginal song used in one of his films: "There's a song that's a huge influence on the way the movie ends called 'In Every Dream Home a Heartache
' by Roxy Music
, and it very well might make its way into a film, which would be very odd because it's a '70s song in a 19th century film".
Marilyn Manson has also made many references to how his website will change in the future, stating that the website is very video-extensive and "has been created to be a place where you can see even more than what is in the film, whether it will be viewed as trailers or teasers, or further elements that aren't necessary to support the film. If you enjoy the film, there's a wealth of knowledge there to dig deeper".
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
by Marilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson may refer to:* Marilyn Manson , an American rock musician* Marilyn Manson , the American rock band led by the singer of the same name...
with Geoffrey Cox and Anthony Silva. It is directed by Marilyn Manson as part of his Celebritarian Corporation art movement, and is his directorial debut as a feature filmmaker. It is being produced by Blue Light for Wild Bunch and has estimated budget of $4,200,000. In the leading roles are Marilyn Manson as Lewis Carroll
Lewis Carroll
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson , better known by the pseudonym Lewis Carroll , was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican deacon and photographer. His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass, as well as the poems "The Hunting of the...
, English model Lily Cole
Lily Cole
Lily Luahana Cole is an English model and actress. Cole's modelling career was launched by a chance encounter with Benjamin Hart in Soho, London when she was 14....
as Alice, Evan Rachel Wood
Evan Rachel Wood
Evan Rachel Wood is an American actress and singer. She began her acting career in the late 1990s, appearing in several television series, including American Gothic and Once and Again...
as Alice's alter ego and British actress Tilda Swinton
Tilda Swinton
Katherine Mathilda "Tilda" Swinton is a British actress known for both arthouse and mainstream films. She has appeared in a number of films including The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Burn After Reading, The Beach, We Need to Talk About Kevin and was nominated for a Golden Globe for her...
as Lewis Carroll's dream wife. According to some press sources, the production of the film has been discontinued. The film is no longer listed on IMDb.
According to a recent interview with co-writer Anthony Silva, Phantasmagoria: The Visions of Lewis Carroll is still on and the talk of it being shut down was just a myth.
Plot
Cast
- Marilyn MansonMarilyn MansonMarilyn Manson may refer to:* Marilyn Manson , an American rock musician* Marilyn Manson , the American rock band led by the singer of the same name...
as Lewis CarrollLewis CarrollCharles Lutwidge Dodgson , better known by the pseudonym Lewis Carroll , was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican deacon and photographer. His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass, as well as the poems "The Hunting of the... - Lily ColeLily ColeLily Luahana Cole is an English model and actress. Cole's modelling career was launched by a chance encounter with Benjamin Hart in Soho, London when she was 14....
as Alice - Evan Rachel WoodEvan Rachel WoodEvan Rachel Wood is an American actress and singer. She began her acting career in the late 1990s, appearing in several television series, including American Gothic and Once and Again...
as Alice's alter ego (TBC) - Tilda SwintonTilda SwintonKatherine Mathilda "Tilda" Swinton is a British actress known for both arthouse and mainstream films. She has appeared in a number of films including The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Burn After Reading, The Beach, We Need to Talk About Kevin and was nominated for a Golden Globe for her...
as Lewis Carroll's dream wife
Pre-production
The script for the film has been completed as of December 2005.Benoît Debie (director for photography for several of Gaspar Noé
Gaspar Noé
Gaspar Noé is an Argentine filmmaker and the son of Argentine painter and intellectual Luis Felipe Noé. He graduated from Louis Lumière College and is the visiting professor of film at the European Graduate School in Saas-Fee, Switzerland...
's films, e.g. Irréversible
Irréversible
Irréversible is a 2002 French drama film written and directed by Gaspar Noé, starring Monica Bellucci, Vincent Cassel and Albert Dupontel. The film employs a non-linear narrative and follows two men as they try to avenge a brutally raped girlfriend...
, Enter the Void
Enter the Void
Enter the Void is a French film written and directed by Gaspar Noé, starring Nathaniel Brown, Paz de la Huerta, and Cyril Roy. Set in the neon-lit nightclub environments of Tokyo, the story follows Oscar, a young American drug dealer who gets shot by the police, but continues to watch succeeding...
and Calvaire) is the director of photography.
As of December 2007, much of the design is finished and the film has a distributor.
According to Marilyn Manson:
The title is taken from a famous and hard to find collection of Lewis Carroll's poems originally published as "Rhyme? and Reason?" but titled "Phantasmagoria" in later editions. Twin Engine Publishing HB, Wildside Press Books and Prometheus Books are some of the few contemporary publishers of the book. Phantasmagoria
Phantasmagoria
Phantasmagoria can refer to:* Phantasmagoria, a type of show using an optical device to display moving images* Phantasmagoria, a video game* Phantasmagoria: A Puzzle of Flesh, a video game sequel to Phantasmagoria...
is also the name for live horror shows involving projection onto smoke screens that were invented in the 18th century France.
Presentation of Lewis Carroll's character
Marilyn MansonMarilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson may refer to:* Marilyn Manson , an American rock musician* Marilyn Manson , the American rock band led by the singer of the same name...
:
Redefinition of horror genre
Manson has stated his aim for the project is to “redefine the horror genre” and bring it back to the days of Roman PolanskiRoman Polanski
Roman Polanski is a French-Polish film director, producer, writer and actor. Having made films in Poland, Britain, France and the USA, he is considered one of the few "truly international filmmakers."...
, Ingmar Bergman
Ingmar Bergman
Ernst Ingmar Bergman was a Swedish director, writer and producer for film, stage and television. Described by Woody Allen as "probably the greatest film artist, all things considered, since the invention of the motion picture camera", he is recognized as one of the most accomplished and...
and Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
. “It‘s kind of a return to Hitchcock-style psychological horror about letting your mind do the damage and sometimes what you don’t see is scarier." "I wouldn't say it will be like a modern horror film. It wouldn't be like what people are used to seeing today. But I think by being traditional, sometimes like a Hitchcock, it's almost modern, because people are so used to seeing special effects. I have a magician that I've hired to do my special effects. I don't want any CGI
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
. I want only in-camera, so I have a magician who's my special-effects man. I just want to be unconventional by being traditional."
Manson has stated that Phantasmagoria will be "something people haven't seen before and will be filmed in a way no one has done yet. “I have a camera that I’ll be the first person to use in cinema, and I‘m very excited about it. It’s very unique." Friend and fellow filmmaker James Cameron
James Cameron
James Francis Cameron is a Canadian-American film director, film producer, screenwriter, editor, environmentalist and inventor...
has supplied his Reality Camera System technology for Manson to film.
He has suggested the use of subliminal elements to enhance feeling, but also says he may go further. “I‘m going to do a lot of things that may end up being illegal. Until they are, I will do them. I think it will change people’s opinion about horror films and they will realize they’re not all about slasher”. “I might add that the girls playing Tweedledum and Tweedledee
Tweedledum and Tweedledee
Tweedledum and Tweedledee are fictional characters in an English language nursery rhyme and in Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There. Their names may have originally come from an epigram written by poet John Byrom. The nursery rhyme has a Roud Folk Song Index number...
are twins who get to have real, genuine sex with each other. I like to make dreams come true”.
The film has also been linked with other projects such as Alejandro Jodorowsky
Alejandro Jodorowsky
Alejandro Jodorowsky Prullansky, known as Alejandro Jodorowsky, is a Chilean filmmaker, playwright, actor, author, comic book writer and spiritual guru...
’s King Shot
King Shot
King Shot is an unrealized film by Alejandro Jodorowsky. It was to have been co-produced by David Lynch and was scheduled for release in 2010. The cast included Nick Nolte, Asia Argento, Marilyn Manson, Udo Kier, and Santiago Segura...
and an as yet untitled film with Tilda Swinton
Tilda Swinton
Katherine Mathilda "Tilda" Swinton is a British actress known for both arthouse and mainstream films. She has appeared in a number of films including The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Burn After Reading, The Beach, We Need to Talk About Kevin and was nominated for a Golden Globe for her...
. The tagline is taken from The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters
The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters
The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters is an etching made by the Spanish painter and printmaker Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes...
(1799), from Caprichos, by Francisco Goya
Francisco Goya
Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker regarded both as the last of the Old Masters and the first of the moderns. Goya was a court painter to the Spanish Crown, and through his works was both a commentator on and chronicler of his era...
.
Production
Currently the production on Phantasmagoria is postponed and has no start date. Screenwriter Anthony Silva is quoted in May 2010:Locations
It was originally believed that Manson was filming in IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and Sintra
Sintra
Sintra is a town within the municipality of Sintra in the Grande Lisboa subregion of Portugal. Owing to its 19th century Romantic architecture and landscapes, becoming a major tourist centre, visited by many day-trippers who travel from the urbanized suburbs and capital of Lisbon.In addition to...
in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
as a possible location. Marilyn Manson explains that it "is a very powerfully magical, strange place. It was my first choice for location to shoot my film Phantasmagoria...". On the January 14, 2008 radio show of Loveline with Dr. Drew and Stryker, Manson {pola} states that although unsure of where he will be filming, it will more than likely be Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
.
Soundtrack
Manson has mentioned that so far the music has been based around some of the score Chris Vrenna originally created for American McGee's AliceAmerican McGee's Alice
American McGee's Alice is a third-person action game released for PC on October 6, 2000. The game, developed by Rogue Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts, is set in an alternative universe of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland...
incidentally, Manson himself was originally supposed to work on the "McGee" soundtrack He intends to be working with Twiggy Ramirez, Tim Skold
Tim Skold
Tim Sköld is a multi-instrumentalist who, in addition to producing solo work, has also collaborated with multiple musical groups including Shotgun Messiah, KMFDM and Marilyn Manson.-Early life:...
, Rob Holliday
Rob Holliday
Rob Holliday is a professional musician. He was the live guitarist of industrial metal band Marilyn Manson as well as for Gary Numan, The Prodigy, and Sulpher...
and Ginger Fish
Ginger Fish
Kenneth Robert Wilson , better known by his stage name Ginger Fish, is an American drummer primarily known for playing drums for Marilyn Manson 1995-2011...
on the original soundtrack and previously unreleased Marilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson (band)
Marilyn Manson is an American metal band from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Formed in 1989 by Brian Warner and Scott Putesky, the group was originally named Marilyn Manson & the Spooky Kids with their uniquely theatrical performances gathering a local cult following in the early '90s. This attention...
's songs but has added that he doesn't want to over extend himself as he has other responsibilities, i.e. acting and directing. Madonna Wayne Gacy
Madonna Wayne Gacy
Stephen Gregory Bier Jr., formerly known by his stage name Madonna Wayne Gacy is the former keyboard player for Marilyn Manson, 1989-2007. His stage name came from the names of the singer Madonna and the serial killer John Wayne Gacy...
possibly contributed prior to leaving Marilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson (band)
Marilyn Manson is an American metal band from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Formed in 1989 by Brian Warner and Scott Putesky, the group was originally named Marilyn Manson & the Spooky Kids with their uniquely theatrical performances gathering a local cult following in the early '90s. This attention...
.
Marilyn Manson does mention the possibility of there being at least one unoriginal song used in one of his films: "There's a song that's a huge influence on the way the movie ends called 'In Every Dream Home a Heartache
In Every Dream Home A Heartache
"In Every Dream Home a Heartache" is a song written by Bryan Ferry, originally appearing on his band Roxy Music's second album.Lyrically, the song is a sinister monologue, part critique of the emptiness of opulence, partly a love song to an inflatable doll. Musically this is complemented by a...
' by Roxy Music
Roxy Music
Roxy Music was a British art rock band formed in 1971 by Bryan Ferry, who became the group's lead vocalist and chief songwriter, and bassist Graham Simpson. The other members are Phil Manzanera , Andy Mackay and Paul Thompson . Former members include Brian Eno , and Eddie Jobson...
, and it very well might make its way into a film, which would be very odd because it's a '70s song in a 19th century film".
Promotion
At a press conference for the film at Berlinale 2006, Marilyn Manson and Lily Cole showed a five-minute trailer, poster and still photos by Steven Klein to around sixty journalists which was generally well-received.Release
The film will reportedly be made available through Marilyn Manson's official website though he has also stated that the film's first release will be "very unconventional".Marilyn Manson has also made many references to how his website will change in the future, stating that the website is very video-extensive and "has been created to be a place where you can see even more than what is in the film, whether it will be viewed as trailers or teasers, or further elements that aren't necessary to support the film. If you enjoy the film, there's a wealth of knowledge there to dig deeper".