Yet another script being written.

[daydreamer]

There seems to be yet another proposed film about Dusty in the planning. The interesting thing about this one is that Oscar nominated screenwriter, (for 'Carol'), Phyllis Nagy is the one working on it. Whether it will come to anything is anyone's guess but I wonder which week they will focus on?! Number 9 Films is also a well respected organisation.


Nagy received an Oscar nomination last week for Best Adapted Screenplay for Carol. She also wrote and directed the HBO film Mrs. Harris, which earned 12 Emmy nominations including Outstanding Made for Television Movie, as well as writing and directing nominations for Nagy. She is currently working on two new film adaptations — The Trap, a novel by Melanie Raabe, for TriStar; and The Luneburg Variation, a novel by Paolo Maurensig, for Colin Firth’s production company. Nagy is also writing an original screenplay, Middle Of Somewhere, about a week in the life of Dusty Springfield for Number 9 Films and Studio Canal.

[Sweetbaby]

Well actually I think this sounds like one for Dusty-fans to root for - of course it does depend what week will be the focus but it seems to me unlikely the focus would be on seven of Dusty's darker days. I'm somewhat puzzled that the project description on the official Number 9 Films site - cut & pasted above - doesn't corroborate the one-week focus: perhaps Ms Nagy only honed her project's focus some time into its development & the Number 9 site hasn't been updated to reflect this. I personally would hope any Dusty biopic would be "fantastic & wild" in the sense of capturing the energy of the Swingin' 60s but I realize that phrase might concern fans who fear a biopic might sensationalize Dusty's private life.

Any road - assuming this project will focus on a single week, anyone care to guess what we'd be seeing? If Dusty's hit In the Middle of Nowhere is in fact relevant time-wise then we're talking about a week in the summer of 1965 that being when the single charted- altho my impression is that said period didn't see Dusty kicking up a lot of dust!

[Douggie]

MiddleOfSomewhere.jpg

Well actually I think this sounds like one for Dusty-fans to root for - of course it does depend what week will be the focus but it seems to me unlikely the focus would be on seven of Dusty's darker days. I'm somewhat puzzled that the project description on the official Number 9 Films site - cut & pasted above - doesn't corroborate the one-week focus: perhaps Ms Nagy only honed her project's focus some time into its development & the Number 9 site hasn't been updated to reflect this. I personally would hope any Dusty biopic would be "fantastic & wild" in the sense of capturing the energy of the Swingin' 60s but I realize that phrase might concern fans who fear a biopic might sensationalize Dusty's private life.

Any road - assuming this project will focus on a single week, anyone care to guess what we'd be seeing? If Dusty's hit In the Middle of Nowhere is in fact relevant time-wise then we're talking about a week in the summer of 1965 that being when the single charted- altho my impression is that said period didn't see Dusty kicking up a lot of dust!

Hi.
I am always excited when I hear about a possible show or movie about Dusty. However I am also apprehensive
about what to expect as most of what has gone before has left a lot to be desired as far as I am concerned.
This I believe is because the people who are involved do not have anything like the full story, filling in the missing parts of her life with wild guesswork. They always seem to revert to the same old sources of information to write the show or film from. Unless they get other information from other people they will never get it right. Sadly these people are all getting older and not as keen to say too much out of love for Dusty.
Only new and different information can help this situation. I just get really frustrated when people who were not
around or apart of Dusty's life at the time continue to push certain aspects and opinions onto others believing they know all. Sadly! Dusty was not how many have us believe. There cannot be many more occasions where the story of Dusty can be right. I just hope that these current writers, producers and movies makers get it right this time, Ask the right questions of the right people and you may get the right answers. If not it will be the same as all the other projects about Dusty, an unfulfilled ad hoc story line surrounded by great songs and missing the passion of her love of music. I know that most of the Dusty supporters will love almost anything that is inspired by Dusty, but it's sad that it will only be partly true.
Hope everybody is well!!

Cheers Douggie.. Dusty

I have always had this tag:-

And

"The Truth is STILL out There"

[karen]

I think we are all a little apprehensive when we hear about new shows or movies about Dusty as we never really know what these people are going to concentrate on about her , not knowing her as Douggie has mentioned things are not what we want to see very often , not concentrating on her love of music , more about the difficult times , maybe Douggie you should be in touch , could help a lot , thanks for the reply here , and thanks to Carole and

sweetbaby for the posts too Not the best to read but if you click on it a little clearer .

[daydreamer]

Karen has just said what I was going to say Douggie, contact the lady writing the script. If she knows anything about Dusty, she should know of you. If she doesn't, well, it could be another lost cause! Maybe you need to write about the Dusty you and people like Pat knew. Put it in print, don't leave it for someone else (yet again!) who never even met her. I definitely don't love everything inspired by Dusty, I try and see some positives but in the main I just get frustrated

I'm also confused by the one week thing as opposed to the Number 9 write up. You get the feeling that if it is based on one week, apart from South Africa, then it will just be an amalgam of bits and pieces of facts and fiction.

[pat.dunham]

Quote "A week in the life of Dusty.....a fantastic and wild take". What does this all mean?
The fact that Number 9 Films are interested could be an omen, as 9 is a significant number in Dustys' life.
1939 - Born
1949 - Last year at junior school in High Wycombe.
1959 - The Lanas, "Sitting on the back seat".
1969 - DIM
1979 - Very mixed year- cancelled UK tour-triumph at Drury Lane - OBs passing- but ending on a high at RAH.
1989 - "In Private" issued and reached 14 in charts.
1999

If this does come to anything I doubt it would be launched until at least 2019 as Ms Nagy seems a busy lady.

[Cardiff Bluesgirl]

Karen has just said what I was going to say Douggie, contact the lady writing the script. If she knows anything about Dusty, she should know of you. If she doesn't, well, it could be another lost cause! Maybe you need to write about the Dusty you and people like Pat knew. Put it in print, don't leave it for someone else (yet again!) who never even met her. I definitely don't love everything inspired by Dusty, I try and see some positives but in the main I just get frustrated

I'm also confused by the one week thing as opposed to the Number 9 write up. You get the feeling that if it is based on one week, apart from South Africa, then it will just be an amalgam of bits and pieces of facts and fiction.

Agree with you and so Douggie, go get 'em before it all goes up the wazoo.
The quote Richard put on just says up til Dusty in Memphis so we may be lucky and it wont be any of the later stuff.
We can but hope but i alway view these things with the same Cynical trepidation.

[trek007]

Come on Douggie...get talking to this lady, or get your book written so that the truth can be told !

That is the only way to stop all the assumptions and half truths.

[Dustymike]

Please Douggie get in touch.......................lets have the REAL story about the wonderful Dust.
A book from you would be Great!!

[Sweetbaby]

The fact that Number 9 Films are interested could be an omen, as 9 is a significant number in Dustys' life.
1939 - Born
1949 - Last year at junior school in High Wycombe.
1959 - The Lanas, "Sitting on the back seat".
1969 - DIM
1979 - Very mixed year- cancelled UK tour-triumph at Drury Lane - OBs passing- but ending on a high at RAH.
1989 - "In Private" issued and reached 14 in charts.
1999

Occurred to me that Pat's list of significant nines totaled seven: Ms Nagy's script could be of a surreal week where each day was based on each year!

Of course I don't expect that, but I'd think Ms Nagy's Dusty-week - despite the official blurb IMO there has to have been substantial grounds for that format to be reported - would have to be a melange of factors from different periods rather than an authentic recreation of an actual week as Dusty had likely lived it. And probably there'll be at least a sprinkling of benign (one hopes) fiction.

Given Ms Nagy's current high-profile being due to Carol I think some emphasis on Dusty's intimate life - inevitable anyway - is especially inevitable. But as I understand it there's nothing sleazy about Carol. And Dusty's fans seem to have enjoyed the recent bio-musical which was overt about Dusty's relationships with other women.

I don't mean to dismiss anyone's concerns but IMO it's unlikely that any biopic has ever presented anyone exactly as they truly were. I'll be happy with a Dusty biopic which evokes what the film-makers see as her essence, as long a the film-makers' heads are in a good space - & from what I've read of Ms Nagy she wouldn't bother with a subject where her head was not.

[Rob]

Fingers crossed, it could be good

R B

[smallworld]

<Double Post>

[Sweetbaby]

Well - I figured this project had long joined umpteen or so previous Dusty screen biopics in limbo but the announcement of Claudia Yusef as Number 9 Films new head of development does state: "Number 9 is currently in development on Dusty Springfield pic So Much Love, written by Phyllis Nagy". You can view the source at https://www.screendaily.com/news/number ... 92.article but there's no details as to the project's current state of development.

[daydreamer]

I can't believe I wrote that first post on here and then two plus years later I don't remember a single thing about it! This week I would have said I hadn't previously heard of Phyllis Nagy writing a script. Help needed

[Cardiff Bluesgirl]

Join the club Carole, I dont remember writing on this either......

[JMFabianoRPL]

I'll believe it when I see it.

Agree on Douggie doing something, now, how long did the gag order concerning That Book mean to last until? Did it affect him in any way?

I'm trying to be over all this...just wanna remember Dusty how I want to not some fairweather friend or other leeches and vultures.

[Sweetbaby]

Dusty&Gemma.gif (245.97 KiB) Viewed 5574 times

Well I'd have thought they'd have gone with Lily James but Gemma Arterton has been announced for the lead in the biopic So Much Love: the photograph shows the brunette Ms Arterton made up for her 2018 role as Marilyn Monroe on the Sky Arts series Urban Myths.

The 32 year old Gemma has worked steadily on screens big & small and also stage since 2007 with her 2008 Bond girl turn in Quantum of Silence probably remaining her highest-profile screen role, her subsequent film career seemingly being "indie-focused".

Gemma's professional singing experience seems to be limited to playing the lead in the 2014-15 West End musical version of Made in Dagenham which caused TimeOut to compliment her "lovely, quavery" singing voice - hopefully boding well for a Dusty evocation.

And oh yes - she's 5'7".

The link below is to a Guardian article according to which the film's basis is the DIM sessions of 1968 (altho Dusty's anti-apartheid stand is also somehow dealt with).
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/s ... eld-biopic

[wally]

Thanks for the news and like everyone else I am a bit apprehensive and love and respect Douggie's comments and observations!

Personally, I would rather see the musical hit the West End rather than a bio pic!

[daydreamer]

From reading a lot of the news stories over the last day or so, it seems to be only based in the 60's and the 'week' in question being during the recording of DIM. If so, then I guess it could be that they will be using flash backs to tell the story of her Motown connections and South African trip. I'm actually pleased if it is just a story set in the 60's but I wouldn't be pleased to hear Gemma Arterton (or anyone else actually) trying to sound like Dusty, especially on the Memphis tracks. Just mime! Without Dusty's own singing voice in a film, I believe you lose what it was that made her so special.

[Sweetbaby]

Well it's not an either/or situation with the stage musical and this biopic - perhaps the latter's buzz will boost the fortunes of the former. I'm pretty sure Gemma will be doing her own singing, or else Number 9 would have gone with more of a "name". And the company seems to have no trouble attracting star power, beginning with Judi Dench and Maggie Smith in the inaugural Number 9 production Ladies in Lavender: of course Cate Blanchett portrayed Phyllis Nagy's Carol and no less than Keira Knightley is Colette in Number 9's current biopic about the French novelist.

That said - as an indie film company Number 9 probably has to be frugal: obtaining the rights for Dusty's recordings would likely be more expensive than cutting new tracks. As I recall the handful of Dusty biopic projects which have been "floated" since 2001 all planned to star an actress who'd do her own singing. Perhaps the owners of the original tracks just aren't forthcoming at any price.

[humboldt]

Yes well I shan't bother with this! Dusty's life has been fully chronicled and laid bare. There is nothing left to tell and I don't really want to watch anyone else singing Dusty's hits and I am unanimous in this! Still it will keep up her public profile and engage new fans so that's not a bad thing.

[pat.dunham]

Yes well I shan't bother with this! Dusty's life has been fully chronicled and laid bare. There is nothing left to tell and I don't really want to watch anyone else singing Dusty's hits and I am unanimous in this! Still it will keep up her public profile and engage new fans so that's not a bad thing.

Totally agree, but would love latest show to come to West end as a last hooray.. Look forward to Paul Howes updated "bible". Dusty, to me, is an adorable enigma and long may she remain so.

[daydreamer]

Well it's not an either/or situation with the stage musical and this biopic - perhaps the latter's buzz will boost the fortunes of the former.

I'm pretty sure Gemma will be doing her own singing, or else Number 9 would have gone with more of a "name". And the company seems to have no trouble attracting star power, beginning with Judi Dench and Maggie Smith in the inaugural Number 9 production Ladies in Lavender: of course Cate Blanchett portrayed Phyllis Nagy's Carol and no less than Keira Knightley is Colette in Number 9's current biopic about the French novelist.

That said - as an indie film company Number 9 probably has to be frugal: obtaining the rights for Dusty's recordings would likely be more expensive than cutting new tracks. As I recall the handful of Dusty biopic projects which have been "floated" since 2001 all planned to star an actress who'd do her own singing. Perhaps the owners of the original tracks just aren't forthcoming at any price.

This quote is from one of the news articles....but it doesn't say anything about who is singing on that soundtrack.

The “Dusty in Memphis” album was released in 1969. It featured tracks including “Son of a Preacher Man” and “Just a Little Lovin’,” both of which will feature in the film. Number 9 is working with Universal Music on the soundtrack.

[Sweetbaby]

Universal Music seems to have for some time routinely handled the soundtracks for Number 9 productions, including those for Carol and the original movie of Made in Dagenham. We'll have to wait and see if the plan is to make new recordings of the DIM songs or if Universal intends to license the original tracks from the owner (Atlantic Records? Tom?).

As I've said I suspect Number 9 would have gone with a bigger name than Gemma Arterton if they were simply casting an actress rather than a singer. But I could - gasp! -be wrong: it is true Gemma has previously starred in two Number 9 films. However those were films with multiple leads - it just makes sense to me that for Gemma to be assigned what's logically a sole lead role the film-makers must feel she's especially suited, and with a Dusty biopic that would mean they feel she can sing the role as well as act it.

[IWannaBeABluesSinger]

Here's some idea of the new movie's content:

"An official synopsis reads: 'It will follow her as she navigates her way through the politics of the recording studio and the city, and will also explore her encounter with the music of Motown, her stand against apartheid policies during her aborted South African tour and her thorny brushes with men in the music industry."

That's a lot to cram into one week, if you ask me.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-6143465/Gemma-Arterton-portray-Dusty-Springfield-biopic-Love.html

Maggie

[edjames]

I hope everyone should keep in mind that this script will be a fictionalized version of the real event.

We all know Dusty showed up in Memphis and became quite intimidated and nervous about recording at Muscle Shoals Studios, given it's history with people like Otis Redding and Aretha (although, quite surprisingly, Aretha also bolted from Muscle Shoals without recording her vocals and also completed them in NYC (probably Groove Sound Studios on West 55th St(?)! Apparently, Aretha's then-husband got into a fight with one, or more, of the band members and they left Memphis the next day.). Dusty famously went on during her stay to throw the motel room TV into the pool, and finished her vocals in NYC a few months later. Most importantly, the album went on to be a classic and has won many awards.

I'll keep a note of cautious optimism that perhaps they'll do Dusty justice in this film, but I don't hold out much hope. Fingers crossed.

ED

[Sweetbaby]

I'm eagerly awaiting casting updates on this project - my interest being more in what characters besides Dusty will be featured rather who'll play them!

With Carol screenwriter Phyllis Nagy writing and directing I'd be surprised if Dusty's personal life isn't touched on, which I understand may set off alarm bells for fans. Still no one who saw the recent musical seemed discomfited with its take on Dusty's personal life - while Ms Nagy's take may differ I see no cause for fear it might be one Dusty's fans would find distasteful.

[Douggie]

Hi All

I did make a few comments last time this film was spoken about.
I still do have my concerns that it will probably concentrate on
Dusty's bad times. I must say though looking at Gemma Arterton
I do see certain things about her face that are or could be very Dusty.
They can do some wonderful things with makeup so she could do Dusty
acting & looking wise. I have never heard her sing which is probably the
thing that she won't be able to do, and we all know the reason why.
Her height you can live with camera shots.
The time frame could be a problem as it seems they want to cover a very
broad time spectrum. South Africa was December 1964, Motown show 1965,
and the the Memphis album 1968. I read somewhere that they wanted it to
be when she was at her greatest height in (They say) 1968.
If the movie finished here we would not have to deal with the bad days.
It was only after this she went to live in America where things went wrong.
She did such a lot during her life it will be hard choosing what not to put in.
I also come back to how much do they really know about her that is not in
any books!
I know for a fact that there will be many things left out, through only looking
at one part of her life and not knowing other parts.
Many things have been brought to my attention from other people,
which I have thought about and have agreed with whole heartedly.
Which in my opinion is a must that should be included in any Dusty story as I
believe may answer many questions that have never asked before, but should have!!
This angle has never been approached before but an integral part of her life.
This information was given to me, but is not mine to elaborate on or talk about.
Thank you again for your trust! I am sure you know who you are.
We have all read various books covering the same (Dusty) subject, but with different conclusions.
If you base your story on questions to the same people, you will get the same answers, maybe!!
Research has always been the answer, but only if the right questions are asked!!
To the right people that is!!
No point in asking a deaf person if they liked the melody or if a blind person liked the sunset.
It would be great to get things right and something real would be good also. We'll wait and see..

Dusty Douggie

[Sweetbaby]

If it's not surprising enough that this movie is on the verge of active production two and a half years after it was first announced - Number 9 Films actually had a Dusty biopic in the planning stage nine years ago!

Remember the buzz about Nicole Kidman playing Dusty? That project - announced in January 2009 - was to be produced by Stephen Woolley and Elizabeth Karlsen. the husband-and-wife team who founded Number 9 Films in 2002 and who still head the company. I don't know if Number 9 has actually had to fight a nine year battle to get a Dusty biopic project off the ground but it's nice to have evidence of strong commitment.

BTW: one of Stephen Woolley's pre-Number 9 productions was Scandal, the 1989 parent film of Dusty's hit Nothing Has Been Proved: I'm not sure if Woolley actually rubbed shoulders with Dusty but, according to Paul Howes, Woolley did endorse their recommendation that Dusty cut the movie's theme. I also happened to see another of Woolley's 80's films: Shag, and as I recall - like Scandal - Shag evoked its mid-60s time frame most effectively, and also its locale, which in Shag was the American South.

[donellac]

Hi Douggie,

Great to get your angle on this production.

I always wonder, though, what you mean when you say

Many things have been brought to my attention from other people,
which I have thought about and have agreed with whole heartedly.

.

Why do you tantalise with such words as:

This information was given to me, but is not mine to elaborate on or talk about. Thank you again for your trust! I am sure you know who you are.

and

Research has always been the answer, but only if the right questions are asked!!
To the right people that is!!

Douggie, who are the right people? What are the right questions?

[Douggie]

Hi Douggie,

Great to get your angle on this production.

I always wonder, though, what you mean when you say

Many things have been brought to my attention from other people,
which I have thought about and have agreed with whole heartedly.

.

Why do you tantalise with such words as:

This information was given to me, but is not mine to elaborate on or talk about. Thank you again for your trust! I am sure you know who you are.[/quot] and

Research has always been the answer, but only if the right questions are asked!!
To the right people that is!!

Douggie, who are the right people? What are the right questions?

Hi Donellac

When people trust you with certain information that they have, you must respect what should be done with this information. I felt that I didn't want to share it at the time or now. However if these people wish to tell others it is their choice and not mine to discuss it with others. I will trust whatever decision they choose make. If it becomes common knowledge then I will voice my opinion.

I am sure that these people (as above) will read what I have posted. So I Thanked them for their trust in me.

Part of my past jobs have been research, be it music, ancestry (A Hobby of mine) or general
information. Research is to find out more about things you may not know! Like to know more about Dusty you need to look outside the box. What I mean by that is every book, show, musical and whatever always seem to come from the same sources from a small collection of the same more or less people. Without new information you will almost certainly come up with what has gone before with maybe some variations. I know there are many who could add to what is already know about Dusty. Nobody has ever asks them, sadly some have died waiting. I really mean this they died waiting to be asked.
It is the job of the researcher to think outside the box and find the people who can give the answers that they (the researcher) seeks.

This is another thing the researcher has to find the who and which questions? I know that there are people connected to this web site who would be a must to interview, but they probably haven't been or won't be interviewed. As regards to what questions! There are a million things that people don't know of Dusty's life.
You have to think outside of the box!
Because the researcher only thinks that what has been written is all there is, and doesn't look beyond what they have been told or read. Not very good research if this is the case. They must think of other angles.
Question that have not been asked before.
I hope that I have answered your quires.
Sorry if I seem guarded but when you are told something that is in confidence you are trusted to keep it so, I hope you understand..

Dusty

Douggie

[daydreamer]

The problem is Douggie, and I don't meant to be flippant but we're all going to die waiting for all these people to tell us the truth! I don't want to know any more about Dusty's personal life, especially the American years, but I certainly would love to hear whatever you refer to when you say to think out of the box if it concerns the Dusty I 'knew' back in the 60's.

[Sweetbaby]

Gemma's told the press (at least implicitly) she won't be before the cameras as Dusty til 2019 so it'll probably be quiet on the info front for awhile (altho I'll be on the look-out for casting updates). Gemma's also stated: "If I wake up in the morning and I've smoked the night before and I am a bit hungover then I sound more like Dusty". I don't think anyone would consider Dusty's speaking voice husky, so is this confirmation of Gemma doing her own singing?

Any road: here's the blurb: click to enlarge if you wish.

(The orginal web address is https://www.express.co.uk/celebrity-new ... mes-cordon)

[trek007]

I don't think having a hangover and lots of ciggies is going to help Gemma sing like Dusty....is she having a laugh!

[trek007]

Pleasant, but thats all.

[mas]

Well said, Carole. Dusty's beautiful voice could never be replicated by anyone no matter how hard they may try.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Michele

[Sweetbaby]

Well said, Carole. Dusty's beautiful voice could never be replicated by anyone no matter how hard they may try.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Michele

well - we've never heard Gemma when she's hungover!

In fairness to Gemma I think she is being light-hearted: certainly I hope her mom - or anyone else - didn't seriously think not being blonde precluded playing Dusty. Mater likely did say that as a knee-jerk reaction, or she may have felt being blonde was a state of mind - I think Dusty was a "true blonde" even if it wasn't her natural hair color.

Any road - there's media interest in the project and Gemma's not shy about promoting it. As she indicated it won't be 'til next year that she'll start filming as Dusty: Gemma's scheduled to start filming her lead role in the movie Summerland this month and is also voicing two animated films plus the BBC-Nextflix mini-series of Watership Down.

[Sweetbaby]

In a recent interview the producers of So Much Love briefly discuss the film:

During the making of Carol, we mentioned to Phyllis [Nagy, the screenwriter] about wanting to do Dusty Springfield. We’d had a couple of false starts on it. We couldn’t get it quite right. We pitched this idea to her and now we have this wonderful script. It’s a great way of examining the real Dusty, in the way that Scandal and Backbeat - the latter being a 1994 film based on the Beatles' early 60s Hamburg sojourn - did with their 60s subjects. Hopefully it’s going to be really reflecting what the world was like for Dusty, and what Dusty was like in that world.

The main focus on the interview is on Number 9's Colette biopic but Elizabeth Karlsen and Stephen Woolley do discuss their underlying philosophy of film-making which is interesting and IMHO will be reassuring to Dusty's fans. You can read the entire interview at https://spotlight.picturehouses.com/rec ... n-woolley/

[Douggie]

In a recent interview the producers of So Much Love briefly discuss the film:

During the making of Carol, we mentioned to Phyllis [Nagy, the screenwriter] about wanting to do Dusty Springfield. We’d had a couple of false starts on it. We couldn’t get it quite right. We pitched this idea to her and now we have this wonderful script. It’s a great way of examining the real Dusty, in the way that Scandal and Backbeat - the latter being a 1994 film based on the Beatles' early 60s Hamburg sojourn - did with their 60s subjects. Hopefully it’s going to be really reflecting what the world was like for Dusty, and what Dusty was like in that world.

The main focus on the interview is on Number 9's Colette biopic but Elizabeth Karlsen and Stephen Woolley do discuss their underlying philosophy of film-making which is interesting and IMHO will be reassuring to Dusty's fans. You can read the entire interview at https://spotlight.picturehouses.com/rec ... n-woolley/

This is all very well!
However nothing has changed since I posted last on this subject.
If they do their research right it should be good, If not they missed the boat.
I doubt very much that they have spoken to anybody, that hasn't
already had their say on other occasions.
So there will be no new inclusions towards Dusty's story!
Much as I love Gemma Arterton I don't think her singing "I Don't know How to Love Him"
cuts it for me. We all know that Dusty was a Great, great singer! Gemma hasn't shown me
that she can sing well enough to do the songs that Dusty sung, even the easy ones with a small
vocal range. Smoking a cigarette certainly wouldn't help! I am sure she will be great at being
Dusty, but singing is another question. Lip-syncing is IMHO the way to go with whoever does
Dusty with her voice being so very distinctive. Copying how she looks, talks and her mannerisms is one
thing, singing is a whole new ball game. This could be a golden opportunity to get it right.
I will not hold my breath that this will be for me the ultimate Dusty movie.
I am sure there will be some who accept anything to do with Dusty. I can not!
Working with Dusty for all those years, some of her perfectionism for having things being right!
Must have and did rub off on me!
So if it's right, it's right! If it's not, IT IS WRONG!
This was how she thought, this was Dusty's philosophy.
Near enough is not good enough.
I am just trying to follow through on this for HER, and how may have she felt.
I hope you get it as many before never did.
This includes many of those who have spoken in the past.

To the production company a:-
Quote from Yoda " Do. Or do not. There is no try."
Dusty
.. Douggie

[wally]

Brilliant Douggie.....just brilliant!

[Dustymike]

Absolutely spot on Douggie. No one will ever be able to sing like Dust. I agree with everything you said.

[daydreamer]

From reading a lot of the news stories over the last day or so, it seems to be only based in the 60's and the 'week' in question being during the recording of DIM. If so, then I guess it could be that they will be using flash backs to tell the story of her Motown connections and South African trip. I'm actually pleased if it is just a story set in the 60's but I wouldn't be pleased to hear Gemma Arterton (or anyone else actually) trying to sound like Dusty, especially on the Memphis tracks. Just mime! Without Dusty's own singing voice in a film, I believe you lose what it was that made her so special.

Just quoting my own post from September and I obviously still stand by it. It has to be Dusty's voice in a film, the voice is the whole reason a film is being made about her. She isn't just any old singer whose voice can be reproduced at the drop of a hat.

[Sweetbaby]

I think there's at least a strong possibility that the original tracks aren't available for soundtrack use - at least not to facilitate a portrayal of Dusty as opposed to being incidental music. So either Gemma sings herself or mimes to third party remakes of Dusty's tracks - and at this point IMHO we can't say for sure that Gemma can't approximate Dusty's vocals at least as well as a singer who's known to vocally resemble Dusty such as Mari Wilson.

I don't mean to tubthump for the film - my last post was just passing on info - but I would suggest that if the film can't showcase Dusty's original vocals it shouldn't be faulted for that. Perhaps - however impressive the producers' track record and good their intentions - the film will prove "faultable" on other scores. A Dusty biopic is - apparently - and finally! - being made with or without her fans' approval: as with the SOAPM musical and the Katherine Kingsley vehicle I think Dusty's fans can only wait and hope for the best.

[Douggie]

I think there's at least a strong possibility that the original tracks aren't available for soundtrack use - at least not to facilitate a portrayal of Dusty as opposed to being incidental music. So either Gemma sings herself or mimes to third party remakes of Dusty's tracks - and at this point IMHO we can't say for sure that Gemma can't approximate Dusty's vocals at least as well as a singer who's known to vocally resemble Dusty such as Mari Wilson.

I don't mean to tubthump for the film - my last post was just passing on info - but I would suggest that if the film can't showcase Dusty's original vocals it shouldn't be faulted for that. Perhaps - however impressive the producers' track record and good their intentions - the film will prove "faultable" on other scores. A Dusty biopic is - apparently - and finally! - being made with or without her fans' approval: as with the SOAPM musical and the Katherine Kingsley vehicle I think Dusty's fans can only wait and hope for the best.

Hi
I am absolutely sure the original multi tracks are not longer with us.
However with the way that modern technology is today and with everything being digital.
I would trust a really professional sound mixing technician with what is around in Dusty tracks, to mix them
in a professional way for a movie. A friend of mine here in Australia was the sound engineer on many of Dusty's original recordings in London. He now has the Top Movie sound studios here in Melbourne. Doing a few Oscar winning movies. I would give him without fear or favour a 100% tick that he could and maybe should be involved with this movie for the above reasons. If you wish to check out what I'm saying his company is called "The Soundfirm"
As against anyone who you can mention that you think sounds like Dusty. If so "Houston we've got a problem".
It is great that you pass on information regarding Dusty but we all have opinions. Mine is that I have never in all my time in the music industry heard anyone even closely sounding like Dusty. Dusty was a very distinctive singer, you knew in one or two notes it was Dusty. This was observed by Burt Bacharach in one or two of his interviews. So unless the singer can do this forget it. Her Story should be about HER voice. Please read again what I had to say in my last post.
quote.............
" So if it's right, it's right! If it's not, IT IS WRONG!!
or YODA "Do or Not do! There is no try!!
Close enough is not good enough, means it's not right.
Funny the records are right!
If these people could sing like Dusty why don't they??
Maybe they need to have another listen to Dusty, then to themselves. But they need to know, and be honest.
Do I (they) really sound like her??
I know that you seemed to be the flag bearer for the "Son of a Preacher man" Juke Box Musical. Stage shows are one thing. As you can get away with lots & lots of things and mistakes. Movies are something else.
Once it is made everyone will think this is her story, and judge it accordingly. It will then be around for as long as we all live. IMHO I would like it correct to be the best it can. People who may in the future see this movie will judge her singing and think that it is Dusty, you must use the original tracks!!

Dusty Douggie

[daydreamer]

Totally in agreement with you Douggie, you can get away with so much in a stage show, and they do, but a film is a permanent record that can't be erased. I've no idea how much of Dusty's life will be covered by this but from what I've read, it seems to be only the 60's and sounds like a story rather than a bio..but we'll see. I don't know of any singers who can sound like Dusty and Mari Wilson didn't even try to when she did that early stage show.

[Sweetbaby]

I may be totally wrong - perhaps I should stop there! But I believe there's at least a good possibility that there's a licensing issue over the use of Dusty's original tracks in a biopic. Remember - Anne Murray had to go to the wall to get access to a single track by Dusty.

I'm not weighing in one way or another on if a Dusty biopic shouldn't be made if it can't or just won't feature her real voice. I am posting info on a Dusty-related project that is in progress - which is all I ever meant to do about the SOAPM musical. BTW several of my board buds saw the SOAPM musical and perhaps to varying degrees enjoyed it - I don't think anyone regretted seeing it. If in some cases the impetus for people attending the show was the admittedly heavy number of posts I made on it, I've no qualms about that but it wasn't my intent. I passed on info on the Katherine Kingsley musical when it was a work in progress - happily that particular Dusty project seems to have turned out to be one that's met with fan approval but that's impossible to foretell. The announcement of Karen Bartlett's 2014 Dusty bio launched a very positive thread here - that thread's tone turned 180 degrees when the book actually appeared.

Any road - if anyone truly objects to the film and would like it to be canceled or at least amended I've provided the contact info for Number 9 Films below:

Number 9 Films
8-9 Stephen Mews
London
W1T 1AF

Tel +44 (0)207 323 4060

info@number9films.co.uk

[JMFabianoRPL]

At this point, I'll believe it when I see it. I must say, after seeing Bohemian Rhapsody, it makes me think a Dusty movie would at least be safe, to a fault. I mean, BR didn't totally slag on Freddie Mercury and judge him or anything. So I have a bit more faith in that.

Of course, it was a Hollywoodized version of the Queen story and was more like it was based on that story than totally following real life. But it was really good still.

[Sweetbaby]

I realize there's been a few Dusty bio-projects that got polished off (levity attempt) but none of them had developed as far as this one already has - bar a major upset I think it's a given that Gemma will be seen as Dusty on at least a reasonable number of movie screens by the end of next year. And as with the Freddie Mercury biopic - and as with the Dusty stage musicals - one can't really judge its worth before it's out there. I'm not saying it wouldn't be preferable for Dusty's true voice to be heard in the film but I think Gemma can likely perform Dusty's songs attractively enough for viewers previously unfamiliar with them to check out the real versions which fortunately in this day and age are just a few keystrokes and clicks away. And if the critics don't mention that Gemma however game can't imbue the songs with Dusty's magic, again in this day and age there's plenty of leeway for fans to tout Dusty online - this film's publicity can serve as a platform to raise some Dust...y! (levity attempt II)

Anyway - I think I've likely expounded as much as even I can for now. Check this space for info updates re co-stars, plot points, shooting schedule, release date etc. And please don't feel I'm trying to sell tickets: I wouldn't under any circumstances, but I suspect virtually all my board-buds plan to see this film.

[Sweetbaby]

Well - while not everyone may love it so much, So Much Love has had what I'd deem an official inaugural shoot date posted: according to the Film & Television Industry Alliance Site (FTIA) the film will begin shooting in London a week from Sunday next - hopefully it's a positive portent filming commences on the 50th anniversary of the release of Dusty in Memphis which "dropped" 31 March 1969.

The FTIA entry has a blurb which mentions the concept of the film covering a week in Dusty's life at the time of DIM's recording - that time-frame was mentioned in the earliest reports of the film but I believe has been absent from recent dispatches. As I've said FTIA states the film will be shooting in London: the reports of Gemma's casting mentioned that the film will shoot in the UK and US so likely the production will move to Memphis later in the year.

And Number 9 Films is either "playing its cards close to their chest" or is in the midst of any extremely busy two weeks - the FTIA entry for So Much Love has no entries for cast or crew other than the four already reported: star Gemma Arterton, writer/ director Phyllis Nagy, producers Elizabeth Karlsen and Stephen Woolley.

The FTIA entry for So Much Love can be viewed here: https://productionlist.com/production/so-much-love/ - I'm not sure if it will be updated as things develop.