The Spanish media has given us more info on BLACKTHORN as well as another photo, this time of the lone cowboy on horseback. In a recent interview with screenwriter, Miguel Barros stated that his story has nothing to do with the mythical "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid." The duo supposedly ended their days in Bolivia in November 1908 during a shootout with the Bolivian army. These two thieves serve as inspiration for Barros but he only took the Cassidy character and created a story in which the outlaw survives this assault. The script was written in two to three weeks in record time. The starting point is that Butch Cassidy is still alive under the name of James Blackthorn, and twenty years after his supposed death, he is dedicated to raising horses in a small village in Bolivia. Barros showed the script to Mateo Gil, who quickly fell for the project.

One of the things that Gil and Barros were clear on was that the lead actor had to be an American. The first name that came up was Nick Nolte's. Initial contact was good but due to problems with intermediaries, they offered the role to another mythical figure - Sam Shepard. When our playwright received the script, he was hooked. Barros admits it was an honor to have another writer like something you've written. Sam accepted all the conditions and within 15 days of his "yes", Gil was already with him in NY reviewing the script.

Both Gil and Barros made several trips to Bolivia to pick the locations and filming began in April and lasted nine weeks. Barros - "It was hard work for everyone because we were at an average altitude of 3,000 or 4,000 meters with the logical problems of altitude sickness and variable climatic conditions, from the tropical sun to freezing cold. But, at the same time, it was fun."

Barros speaks wonders of the cast and praises Sam. "It was great and wonderful. He's demanding, but he is not a prima donna. He's a warm person, generous and sympathetic." Details of the film are limited but Barros says, "I wanted to write a western and it is a simple story of characters. The protagonist recovers a spirit believed to be lost and wants to return to his home in Utah to die there and shares that road with a Spanish engineer."

Taos, New Mexico has long been a haven for the creative soul. Since the arrival of literary notables Willa Cather and D.H. Lawrence in the early twentieth century, literature has played a prominent role in the area’s rich cultural landscape. As the literary arts flourished, the need for formal community support became apparent, which ultimately led to the non-profit incorporation of SOMOS in 1983. Today, it has expanded into its present role as a respected resource center whose outreach extends to the greater community of Northern New Mexico – and beyond. Their live readings, workshops, conferences, and festivals are designed not only to showcase accomplished writers, but also to encourage creativity in novice writers from all walks of life. Sam will be participating in this year's fundraiser on Sunday, September 26th at 5:30 pm. It will be held at the Taos Center for the Arts.

I thought I'd share an excerpt today from "Costello", one of Sam's short stories in his latest book, DAY OUT OF DAYS. This observation is so Shepard, so autobiographical. The man is oh so timid in his interviews but you can touch his soul in his writing.

I make no bones about my obsession with observation. I enjoy making notes. Jotting things down. I prefer not to be stared at when I’m furtively staring at others. There is a subtle art to the sneaking of glances. Timing is everything. To look as though all your attention is completely absorbed in the subject of your notebook when, in fact, you are lurking; waiting for the moment he picks up his coffee cup, takes a chomp out of the donut then unabashedly sucks the sticky sugar off his fingers while continuing to scan the Racing Form. These are the ripe spans of time where you seize the opportunity to look deeply into the essence of a man; see the source of his greed without his having the slightest clue. Still, you have to be constantly alert; wary of not getting caught by his quick glance. In the flash of an eye he might become aware that you are a witness and begin subtly altering his every manifestation; playing out the illusion that he is in total control of his character or worse – he might become hostile and paranoid. I’ve seen it happen. People hate to be seen. They hate the sensation of eyes on them; being looked at for what they are and not what they imagine themselves to be. Very few people can handle the blatant stare except children under five. This has been my experience anyway.

Here are the first photos of Sam starring in BLACKTHORN! The Butch Cassidy western was shot in Bolivia over nine weeks and wrapped production on June 5th in the town of Viacha. In an interview via phone this weekend, co-producer Paolo Agazzi told the Spanish media that the film is now in post-production, which will continue in Spain through early 2011. Agazzi believes the greatest challenge to filming was logistical because every scene was in a different location, some more complicated because of the altitude and cold. Many locations were remote from urban centers, and it often took a long time to arrive and return from them. Filming was also made more difficult due to transporting horses and a team of over 100 people. Being an action film, there were many stunts needed, which demanded two doubles each for Sam and co-star Eduardo Noriega. One of the stuntmen for Sam was identified as Argentine rider Hugo Antonio Dietz.

El Pais, Spain's most popular newspaper, described Sam - "His life has cultivated a magnetism and a special mystery. A chiseled face... A love for writing old stories about dilapidated motels in the American Midwest and characters at the brink of moral and physical collapse... A continuous display of talent as a writer of plays, stories, screenplays, and as a film actor and director."

Director Mateo Gil says working with Sam was pretty easy.  "Shepard read the script and quickly accepted the proposal... Every day he studied the dialogue and suggested changes to make it more alive. I appreciated it. You never see the actor, just the character." Gil says he has stripped the myth of the shy Shepard and warns audiences not to expect the silent cowboy. This time around you'll find Sam very talkative, dining in the company of others while telling stories. He referred to working with Sam and co-star Stephen Rea "as an honor because they are both larger than life on many levels."

An international conference at the University of California, Berkeley, was the setting for a screening last month of INHALE (note the new poster). The subject of the conference was on combating illegal trafficking in human organs and tissues. A second film, "H.O.T. - Human Organs Trafficking", a 2009 documentary was also shown. Todd Brown of Twitchfilm.net had the chance to view a promo reel of the film and this was his take - "Dermot Mulroney is essentially being asked to carry this film - he features in every shot of the promo - and he looks to be a stellar fit as the sort of weathered anti-hero Kormakur prefers, playing a DA forced to travel to Mexico to procure an illegal organ transplant to save the life of his young daughter. One of the things I love best about Kormakur is how his films interact with their environments and it was fascinating to see how the shift from Iceland to a desert environment has forced him to change his preferred palette while still retaining his signature shooting style. This one hasn't sold in North America yet but it could very well end up being something of a solid little sleeper hit for fans of intelligent, morally complex thrillers." In a May 11th Spanish interview, director Baltasar Kormákur indicated that the film will premiere in the U.S. and other countries in the autumn. Be sure to click on the film link above for more publicity stills.

No word yet on when the pilot for the EPIX new TV series, TOUGH TRADE, will be aired but I did come across some production photos taken last winter at the Thistletop Inn in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. The inn, constructed by master builder and preservationist Braxton Dixon, was chosen as the set location because of its unique architecture. The contemporary one-hour drama tells the story of three generations of a Nashville music dynasty whose penchant for drink, debauchery and divorce has left it on the verge of bankruptcy. Sam plays the family patriarch, Linwood Tucker.

We all know how music has played a major role in Sam's life, and it looks as though the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Walker Shepard will be 23 years old in a few days and presently plays with the band, The Dust Busters, who have been featured on the Down Home Radio Show. Both Walker and his dad also appear together on banjo on Patti Smith's album, "Twelve". Click here for a video of the band playing in Washington Square Park in 2009. Though Sam recently referred to his son as "very, very shy", Walker's social anxiety obviously doesn't prevent him from stepping in front of an audience!

As part of the Brooklyn Academy of Music's "Eat, Drink and be Literary" program, BAM Cafe invites contemporary authors for intimate evenings of readings, discussion as well as dinner and wine. Sam was scheduled to be their guest last night. However, due to "unforeseen circumstances", the event was cancelled and every effort is being made to reschedule it this month. According to the BAM web site, a new date will be announced shortly. For further information, you can cell BAM Ticket Services at 718-636-4100.

According to news from Cannes, specifically the premiere of "Fair Game", it has been noted that Sam has a cameo appearance as Sam Plame. Director Doug Liman's film tells the story of outed spy Valerie Plame, played by Naomi Watts, with Sean Penn as her blowhard husband, Joe Wilson. It's not easy obtaining info on the film since it has no official web site or trailer though a scene with Watts and Penn can be viewed on youtube. The Hollywood Reporter describes the movie's pivotal moment when Valerie seeks advice from her parents - "Sam Shepard, playing her retired Air Force officer dad, straightens her out about how loyalty to one's country is a two-lane street." The role is close to home since Sam's own father was a military man in the Air Force. Through his film career, our playwright has often been cast in military roles - The Right Stuff, Black Hawk Down, Stealth, Brothers, and the telefilm, One Kill. It's a great role and he plays it quite well but it's ironic that in real life, he's rather a pacifist.

According to Variety, Sam's love will star in a feature version of the 1960s television series "The Big Valley". She will play Victoria Barkley, the widowed matriarch of the wealthy, influential Barkley family living in 19th century Stockton in California's central valley. The role was originally made famous by Barbara Stanwyck. Daniel Adams has written the screenplay and will direct the movie, which will begin shooting this summer in Baton Rouge, LA. The  matriarch role was originally made famous by Barbara Stanwyck.

We all know the history of Patti Smith and Sam Shepard and since they coincidentally have published books at about the same time, there's much to be compared between the two artists. I came across this anonymous blog this morning and will share it here:

Patti Smith’s “Just Kids” is a sweet memoir and a tribute, I think, to her soul partner, the late Robert Mapplethorpe. I say sweet because Patti’s voice is soft & clear throughout, its tenderness pervades her storytelling and her passions for things spiritual. Her courage to leave her loving family home without nearly enough money to go to NYC and to brave the obvious challenges for a new start there. Her quest to make it as an artist and the creative heights it may lead her to, will demand much for her climb. She’s resilient, courageous, passionately faith-filled, and tender. You root for her, and Robert.

Another approach... not defined enough to root for... another journey is Sam Shepard’s “Day Out Of Days”. Sam’s voice undercurrents his prosaic tales as he wanders America’s not-so-well-known highways, two-lane blacktops, less beaten paths. The characters that use them, like the author himself, are characters indeed.

Instead of Patti’s exalted & reverential renderings of a majestic world where young artist gods stumble into a future where something/anything can happen…Sam is one hardened cynic, one stoic watcher of human folly and devastation around him (including the guy in the mirror). He eloquently tells his short troubled tales (nightmares almost) with too few words that expand & expound on too much. His dismal, beautiful glimpses raise many questions, while raising consciousness.

One book is fueled by a cool hope, another by a warm hopelessness.

Sam has been named the 2010 Janet Weis Fellow in Contemporary Letters at Bucknell University. The award was established in 2002 to honor and recognize individuals who represent the highest level of achievement in the craft of writing within the realms of fiction, non-fiction or biography. Previous recipients have been John Edgar Wideman, David McCullough, Toni Morrison, John Updike, Salman Rushdie, Tom Wolfe, Joyce Carol Oates and Derek Walcott. Sam is the first playwright to receive the award.

He will be present to receive the award on October 5 and will also give a talk in the Weis Center for the Performing Arts at Bucknell. The event will be free and open to the public. Information on tickets to reserve seating will be announced in the fall.

In Bucknell President Brian C. Mitchell's announcement, he said, "Sam Shepard has been a prominent fixture on the literary landscape for decades. His plays, books and movies address the issues that are relevant to all of us at Bucknell, whether we are students coming of age or adults getting older. We are delighted to welcome him to Bucknell for a lively discussion about his work and the role of his craft in our world."

Gary Grant, a professor of theatre at Bucknell whose research and teaching has focused on Shepard and his works, says the interesting thing about Sam Shepard is that he attracts a really diverse audience. I suppose that's true because people relate to him through different channels - his brilliant plays, his seductive presence on the big screen, all his wonderful short stories and poetry and, last but not least, the fact that he's been Jessica Lange's love for over 25 years!

Let's have some fun today. For those of you who think you know "Sam, the actor", here's a film quiz to test your knowledge. If you obtain a score of 17 to 20, I salute you as a bona-fide Shepard movie fan! (This quiz includes questions from both cinema and tv films)

Answers: 1. Bandidas 2. The Pelican Brief 3. Ruffian 4. Days of Heaven 5. Thunderheart 6. The Right Stuff 7. Voyager 8. Fool for Love 9. Safe Passage 10. Baby Boom 11. Resurrection 12. One Kill 13. Steel Magnolias 14. Crimes of the Heart 15. Dash and Lilly 16. Frances 17. Don't Come Knocking 18. The Assassination of Jesse James... 19. The Pledge 20. Black Hawk Down

I've added the BLACK HAWK DOWN film page to the Shepard archive. Directed by Ridley Scott, this harrowing war drama tells the story of an October 3, 1993 military event, in which 18 US soldiers and as many as 500 Somalis were killed in a 17-hour battle in the capital city of Mogadishu. Scott proves once more that he's a genius at directing action films. The camera work by Slawomir Idziak and the editing by Pietro Scalia are as outstanding as they need to be in re-creating the mad tempo of sudden combat while Hans Zimmer's score accompanies the action to perfection. Sam stars as mission commander Major General William F. Garrison, who heads a team of heroic Rangers played by Josh Harnett, Ewan McGregor, Tom Sizemore, Eric Bana and William Fichtner. Absolutely, it was one of the best films of 2001 and one of the best war films ever made. Rent it today if you haven't seen it.

On Monday evening Broadway's newest play, "Fences", starring Denzel Washington, premiered at the Cort Theatre with many celebs in attendance, including Jessica accompanied by her daughter Shura's father, Mikhail Baryshnikov. Apparently those April showers that bring May flowers didn't make entering the theater easy with its tiny marquee and lobby. According to Playbill, "Soggy celebs huddled in puddles and then scurried inside to their seats without so much as a comment, requiring fast lenses from the photographers and track shoes for the print press." Also sprinting through the spring rain were Mike Nichols, Gabourey Sidibe, Joan Didion, Ruby Dee, James Gandolfini, Natalie Cole, Harry Belafonte and Emily Blunt. Sam was not in attendance as he is filming in Bolivia though we all know Ms. Lange attends most public events without him. Occasionally the papparazzi do catch up to the famous couple now that they live in Greenwich Village. In the photos below, they are seen walking their poodle on two occasions.
 

We have our first look at Sam starring in BLACKTHORN. The photo below shows him on location is Peruvian actress/singer Magaly Solier, who confesses - "Sam Shepard is lovely! I'm definitely in love!" She goes on to comment particularly on his kindness and treating her so well. In an interview with Bolivian's newspaper La Razon, Ms. Solier explains that she got very excited when she won the role in Mateo Gil's film because she would be sharing scenes with Sam, whom she had seen in Terrence Malick's "Days of Heaven". The film will continue shooting for nine weeks in Bolivia.

I came across this news nugget but have no idea whether this film proposal might just be sitting on the back burner for an extended period. Martinique director/writer/producer Euzhan Palcy is planning to re-unite Sam and actress Ellen Burstyn for a comedy drama, a project close to her heart called "Midnight's Last Ride". Palcy is best known for having prodded Marlon Brando to come out of self-imposed retirement. Because he was inspired by her commitment to social change, he agreed to act in her 1989 film "A Dry White Season" without compensation. SS movie fans will remember that thirty years ago Sam and Ellen co-starred in "Resurrection." Janet Maslin of the NY times wrote, "The playwright Sam Shepard, who showed such promise as he made his acting debut in 'Days of Heaven,' realizes that promise here. As Edna's hot-tempered lover, he brings a keen, nervous alertness to the role, and a presumptuousness that turns very appealing."

Shepard Theater remains alive and vibrant throughout the country. In the past week the following productions took place:

• God of Hell - The Blue Room Theatre in Chico, CA

• Curse of the Starving Class - Guilford College in Greensboro, NC and Lock Haven University in PA

• Fool for Love - Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, KY and the University of Florida

• True West - Pendulum Theatre Company in Houston, TX

The LA Theatre Works Radio Theatre Series is also presently featuring an audio broadcast of  "True West" at their web site: latw.org. The cast include Alfred Molina, Francis Guinan and Charlotte Rae. What a special treat!

Since  Day out of Days was published in January, more excellent reviews continue to trickle in. Here's Kathe Connair of the Minneapolis Star Tribune:

Sam Shepard knows how to spin stories out of next to nothing and make them mesmerizing, gleeful, spooky, puzzling or heartbreaking. This collection of more than 100 sketches, poems and short stories is a delight throughout, as he illuminates horse trainers and actors, aimless travelers and bored spouses, and the disconnect, literally, between our brains and our bodies. "Saving Fats" is a rollicking story in which an overweight airline passenger draws a quiet-seeking seatmate into his account of personally helping save a tuxedo-clad Fats Domino - and his white baby grand - from Hurricane Katrina's roiling floodwaters. In 'Knoxville, Tennessee,' a solitary driver meditates on the history that informs the light 'yips' in Ralph Stanley's singing. These ruminations add up to an aging man's still vibrant sense of yearning and wonder. As Shepard says in 'Tops,' 'Things like these just come floating in these days. Uninvited.' But welcome, nonetheless.

In a review in Edge New York, contributor Robert Israel makes the following keen observation on Sam's writing - "If there is a key to understanding Shepard and his prose, it can be found in the short piece titled 'Chatter,' which gives as much insight as a reader is going to get when struggling to learn why Shepard writes the way he does, with such uncompromising intensity:"

"I now have an almost constant swirling chatter going on inside my head from dawn to dusk," Shepard writes. "I never could have foreseen this when I was five, playing with sticks in the dirt, but I guess it’s been slowly accumulating over all these sixty-some years; growing more intense, less easy to ignore. I wake up with it. I feed chickens with it. I drive tractors with it. I make coffee with it. I fry eggs with it. I ride horses with it. I go to bed with it. I sleep with it. It is my constant companion."

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January - March 2010
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July-December 2007
January-June 2007
November 2005 - December 2006