After the Coven Comes the Blood

by Jason Adams

While we're all sitting on our hands waiting for Timothee Chalamet to hit his mid-20s so they can get around to shooting the Call Me By Your Name sequel already (did you see my video of author Andre Aciman talking about it?) it looks like film director Luca Guadagnino is finding something else to do, with his hands that is -- Luca has finally (informally) announced what his next movie will be, now that his remake of Suspiria's out there knocking our brains and eyeballs for loops. 

It's called Blood on the Tracks and yes it's called that after the 1975 Bob Dylan record, which will serve as the "inspiration" for the film...

Guadagnino has talked about this project before (right here) but it's news that this is what he's doing next, and it's news that the first actor he's intent on hiring is Chloe Grace Moretz, who had a small but pivotal role in Suspiria. Luca likes to re-team with the people he likes.

What else do we know? It's set in the 1970s but over a period of several years (it's always important to know the period Luca's films will be set in so we can start drooling about the costumes) and the script (by the vastly underrated Richard LaGravenese) clocks in at 188 pages, which is a long one. Oh and according to LaGravenese the script is about "passion" and "repression" which, you know, sounds to me like A Luca Guadagnino Joint. Now let's get Tilda in there and going.

Comments

[Bushwick]

I’ve yet to see any project I find Miss Moretz tolerable - she’s the poor man’s Elle Fanning, in my opinion. However, I trust Guadagnino ... and he did make me like Dakota Johnson. I look forward to it.

I do NOT however need a Call Me by Your Name sequel ... let that masterpiece be!

[Beau]

Chloe?
WHY

[Suzanne]

The CMBYN sequel is an attempt at a Linklater rip-off that will never equal the emotional resonance of the Before films yet has already received far more publicity. Pass.

[Evan]

What is Hollywood's obsession with Chloë Grace Moretz?!? She has artistic taste and fashion sense, I'll give her that, but she lacks the talent or instinct to add to any of the projects she becomes involved with. I'd understand hiring her if she were a box office draw, but is anyone wild about her? I've yet to meet that person, if so. Seems like her movies do no better than if they involved your average actor/actress.

[/3rtful]

Since I adore his Suspiria I'm looking forward to this over his Call Me sequel. And the 1970s allows for diverse casting as he did with his 70s set Suspiria.

[Volvagia]

Can I just say something? Why is something inspired by Blood on the Tracks such a long movie? My general metric for a movie inspired by a, non concept, album would be a max of 3 minutes of movie per minute of album. Blood on the Tracks is 51 minutes, so 153 minutes/pages. I could see something that long for...Death Magnetic...or something, but this sounds slightly masturbatory, length wise, on paper, considering the album being homaged.

[San FranCinema]

Let's hope this gay director's inexplicable turn to Bob Dylan goes better than the last time a gay director (Todd Haynes) unfortunately went there.

[JJM]

Could a great filmmaker please direct a feature inspired by Joni Mitchell? There was more than one genius songwriter from Dylan's era.

[Tom G.]

I wasn't high on Dakota Johnson for a while but now I am reconsidering her. I think a problem with Chloe is that she has been in the business for a long time, despite her age. She has been cast in similar roles for so long that she has a pattern in her acting. She needs someone like Luca to challenge her. We might be revising our opinions of her soon as well.