Welcome to the Matt Damon Column,
a forum for sharing news among Matt fans.

5/23/99 Out of sight, out of mind: According to Premier, polling indicated that Matt is among those who are not hot among teens.

From Felicity:

Bad news everyone. It looks like "All the pretty horses" has been delayed from November 1999 to the first quarter of 2000.
The change has been made on the official 'Pretty Horses' web-page at Sony Pictures, so it looks permanent. (Check out The Sony site if you're interested.)

Of course, it could still change, but we'll have to wait and see. If it's correct, the movie would be released in a 'dead' time for movies that have no hope of Academy Award consideration.

Yesterday, "Dogma" was screened at the Cannes Film Festival. How did it go?
Distributors do seem interested according to this excerpt from IndieWire.com:
CANNES '99: Distribs Circle Smith's "Dogma" by Anthony Kaufman
....At the same time there was talk over whether to pass on Jim Jarmusch's "Ghost Dog" and whether to pick up Kevin Smith's "Dogma" from Miramax before someone else does. They are, of course, not the only company vying for the new film from the director of "Clerks" and "Chasing Amy" which screens to the public in a late night 12:15 am screening slot tonight. While a top exec at one studio flew to New York for last week's screening (see indieWIRE May 17), and other distribs, including another LA-based studio, have also shown interest in the Ben Affleck, Matt Damon-starrer, claimed one Cannes source. The press will get a chance to see if the "comic fantasia" lives up to all the hype in a special industry screening this morning (Friday) at 11 a.m.

Mr. Showbiz reports:

Friday, Kevin Smith's supposedly controversial satire of the Catholic Church, Dogma, was screened to an enthusiastic crowd. Basically a teen-style study of faith with a lot of grossness and bawdy jokes, Smith, born, raised, and still a practicing Catholic, proved himself as witty in person at a press conference as he is scripting hit movies like Clerks and Chasing Amy.
"The Vatican contacted me and asked me to make a recruitment film for the Catholic Church," he joked.
Actually, Dogma came "From a time when I felt disenfranchised. It's a shout to anyone who has been through that crisis of faith. I think many have. I didn't want to get on a soapbox so I threw in the wacky angles and the stoners."
Ben Affleck is reteamed in the film with Matt Damon as a pair of devilish angels. Are they going to be the Bob Hope and Bing Crosby of the new millennium?
"More like Martin and Lewis," Affleck answered. "Working with Matt is something that has gotten a lot of publicity around Good Will Hunting. It made a great publicity hook: These guys are buddies, they did their movie, they're kids!
"Out of naked self-interest, it's much more pleasant and rewarding to work with people you know and have an existing relationship. Which is why I like working with Kevin, this is my third movie with him."
As for the new Affleck and Damon-scripted film, Affleck can see even without any religious guidance, "Everyone will say, 'It's no Good Will Hunting.'"
Will they star in what they've written? "Why would we write roles for anyone else!"

According to the Associated Press:
Cannes Screens Lynch, Smith Films
By JOCELYN NOVECK Associated Press Writer
....Smith's film could not be more different. In "Dogma," showing out of competition, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon play angels who try to return to heaven after they are banished. The film also stars Linda Fiorentino as a reluctant descendant of Jesus Christ, Chris Rock as a trash-talking 13th apostle, Alan Rickman as an angel who is the voice of God, and singer Alanis Morisette as God.
Smith, who previously directed "Clerks," "Mallrats" and "Chasing Amy," says he knew he was going to ruffle some feathers. But he told a news conference he hoped people would "see the movie for what it is."
To that end, the film begins with an amusing disclaimer, in which the filmmakers note that God, too, has a sense of humor -witness the platypus.
Then it apologizes to the platypus community. But the film may be offensive even to those who accept the religious satire. There is plenty of blood and guts, and it is a bit jarring to see charming Matt Damon blowing people away.

I was hanging out at the local Barnes & Noble magazine rack when my attention was caught by a picture of Matt on the cover of a bizarre little publication entitled, "Power Agent: The Film & Television Industry's Only Nationwide Guide to Agents--with an Astrological Twist." Marketed toward aspiring actors, it appears to list hundreds of agents and their astrological signs. Anyway, Matt is on the cover because of a one page article inside called "Astro Messages to Matt Damon." According to the piece, here's what a spirit named "Gallo" has to say about Matt, as channelled by psychic Michael Thalen:
"Matt, you are a true winner. You have the ability to let things come to you, which they indeed do--in droves.
A wise confidence in your own judgment allows you to accept success in a loving way, and this stays with you in almost everything you choose to do. You have the rare ability to discern by the sound of a person's voice, or the feel of a handshake, if something is right or not. You have definite psychic abilities--if you choose to use them.
You enjoy having your friends near, and there's loyalty there--although you really allow only a few into your "inner circle of thought." Earlier in your life, you may have let others lead you astray--but now with confidence and faith in self you say "No" when necessary.
An original thinker, you are a free spirit--you have a brilliant mind and sometimes even you are amazed at your own thoughts. You will continue to make movies, with great success, in the US and Europe. We also see you as a director and writer. We feel that the pursuit of writing will bring you great joy--it is a very healthy avenue, encouraging you to increase your understanding of self.
Keep trusting yourself because your "inner voices" are correct. If you proceed in this manner, we see success after success for you. We wish you continued success, love, health, happiness and prosperity.
These messages are meant for your entertainment. Please take them with joy and lightness."

Hmmm..... I guess Matt has fans in all sorts of places. :)
--V.

Here's a strange little quote off Mr Showbiz today:
English Patient's Oscar-winning writer-director Anthony Minghella showed up for the benefit with his wife and confesses, "I've fallen in love with Matt Damon." The young Oscar winner stars in The Talented Mr. Ripley as a murderous fortune hunter in Italy, a performance that Minghella says will surprise Damon's fans: "This isn't the Matt anyone's seen before, but in our version he's not playing a psychopath."
Ripley, due at year's end and adapted from Patricia Highsmith's classic novel, was made in a French version called Purple Noon in 1960, starring Alain Delon. Recent Oscar rivals Gwyneth Paltrow and Cate Blanchett co-star with Damon in Minghella's movie.

5/16/99 Thus wrote Felicity:

>And so the promotion starts early...
The gossip columnists in the 'Boston Herald' have started the Ripley push early. No real news, and nothing that we don't know, but it's good to know that Miramax thinks highly of the film:

Studio counts on `Talented' Damon
by Gayle Fee and Laura Raposa
Sunday, May 16, 1999

Word from La-La is that Miramax - the studio that some say bought the Best Picture Oscar for ``Shakespeare in Love'' - reportedly is already gearing up for next year's Academy Awards. And the movie the studio is pinning its hopes on is ``The Talented Mr. Ripley,'' starring Cambridge homey Matt Damon and Best Actress Gwyneth Paltrow.
The movie won't be released for another six months but, hey, it's never too early for buzz! ``Ripley,'' which was filmed in Italy last year, is based on the Patricia Highsmith novel about a handsome young killer and was directed by Anthony Minghella in his first project since ``The English Patient.''
Reportedly it includes a singing sequence, and we hear Matt is quite the crooner! The film will be released in November, a prime spot for Oscar contenders, and already sources close to the project are saying it's a likely Best Picture nominee. Which, of course, revs up all that talk that Miramax bigwigs Bob and Harvey Weinstein are obsessed with the little gold guy. And we're sure Matt wouldn't mind another statue for his mantel either!

Matt on cover of People mag.--"suddenly rich"

Posting from Veriah on Planetdamon:
In the June issue of Movieline, Brendan Frasier has some interesting things to say about Matt:

Q: School Ties is one of those pictures that will be looked at to spot all the famous actors before they became famous. What were the dynamics between you and Chris O 'Donnell and Matt Damon and Ben Affleck? A: There was a healthy sense of rivalry in the group. Any time you stick young men together there's going to be competition, mock fighting, displays of attitude, jockeying for position. Either by accident or design. At that point I was expecting someone to hand me a towel and say, "Brendan, it's time to go back Seattle." I'd met Matt at my screen test. He came in from Boston to read with me. I was struck by his amazing ability to speak with such a natural quality no matter what you handed him. He owns what he says. I thought, "I'm never going to be able to do that." It was movie acting, and I came from the theater. All I knew came from a book by Michael Caine about tuning it down for the movies. I felt good that, if it was possible for me to get the role, I'd be going elbow to elbow, shoulder to shoulder, and ultimately toe to toe with Matt. He's a great, really solid guy.
Q: Did you pick up on the closeness between Damon and Affleck? A: They were a team, and I admired their friendship. They'd known each other since they were little knee biters. In my life, every thre or four years I was always moving to a new house and making a new set of friends, so I found it touching that they were really watching out for each other. I was standing on a chair making a complete ass of myself when they won their Oscar for Good Will Hunting. I was so happy for them.
Q: I heard that Damon and Affleck were considered for The Mummy. A: Really? I heard Chris O'Donnell was too, and Matt McConaughey. Every time a film comes up, these lists come out.
• Also in the issue: "Spotted: ...Matt Damon and Winona Ryder walking hand-in-hand down Beverly Blvd...."
• In an article entitled "100 Questions: We Honestly Want to Ask Hollywood": 53. Will Mat Damon ever do a better acting job than the one in Courage Under Fire?
• Next to a picture of Penelope Cruz, there's a tiny Good Will Hunting picture of Matt in a sidebar about foreign actresses.

5/11/99 According to Felicity, there is an insert photo of Matt on the cover of People mag, connected with a story on wealth.
Said Felicity: Here's the bit about Matt that was on the site:

Not everyone has the urge to splurge. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, the wunderkinds who shot from obscurity to Oscar stardom thanks to 1997's Good Will Hunting, seem more entranced by the romance of moviemaking than by the lure of cold hard cash. Just a few years ago, remembers their friend Rory Cochrane, "Ben and Matt were jumping up and down and going crazy because they won $12,000 on roulette." Now that $12,000 is chump change to them, the buddies from Boston stick close to their pre-fame pals. Instead of staying at ritzy Los Angeles hotels, for instance, "they like to come crash at my house," says Hunting producer and old friend Chris Moore. "I knew them before, and if I have to I'll tell them, 'Get your stuff out of the TV room, dudes -- you're making a mess.'"

5/10/99 Another Penelope Cruz interview on TNT Roughcut. Here's an excerpt:

Matt was one of the most generous persons, actors I have [worked with]. He is a great actor and I admire him very much and he is very generous, very nice to work with him and he helped me a lot. We had a very nice time.

Another small item in the New Mexican's 'El Mitote' column:

Santa Fe jeweler Marc Howard was called upon by the people making All the Pretty Horses to create a reproduction of a 1940s gold and silver belt buckle with a Western motif being worn by Matt Damon in the film - so that Damon's stunt double is shown wearing the same hardware. The buckle features a gold longhorn's head, a horse's head and horseshoes on a sterling background and what's called "wiggle" engraving. It's not Howard's first brush with celebrity. He's been called on before by filmmakers working on movies in the Santa Fe area. Other clients and recipients of Howard works include Robert Duvall, Tommy Lee Jones and Emilio Estevez. Howard, who has shown his work for years at local jewelry stores, will open his own retail outlet June 1 at his current San Francisco Street studio.

5/9/99 Not a whole lot of Matt news anywhere. He is listed as #93 on Premier's list of 100 most power people in Hollywood, two places behind Ben Affleck, mind you.
5/2/99 This from the www.moviething.com website:
Comments posted by Martin Leal on March 25, 1999 at 10:14:03 I am working on All The Pretty Horses with Matt Damon and he is one of the nicest guys I have ever worked with. He takes the time to talk to all of the crew and extras. He always has a smile on his face and you can tell he is on top of the world. Even when he wrenched his back on the mechanical bull for some of the horse breaking scenes, he still had a smile on his face.
(Commented Felicity: "Presumably true. I hope his back is okay." )

From Jeanne Jakle's column in the San Antonio Express:
'Pretty Horses' adds up
Hooray for Hollywood! The movie business, thanks largely to the lengthy stop last month by Billy Bob Thornton, Matt Damon and the rest of the cast and crew of "All the Pretty Horses," has provided an especially large financial boost to San Antonio this year.
According to the San Antonio Film Commission, Thornton's big-budget Columbia Pictures project, the independent production "Party Girl" and various TV and commercial projects, have brought an estimated $15 million to San Antonio...
(My note: Let's hope the film draws as well at the boxoffice.)

4/29/99 From the LA Daily News (via Felicity), an article on Penelope Cruz:

She's on Cruz control
By Glenn Whipp, Daily News Film Writer
Spanish actress Penelope Cruz is still adjusting to the peculiarities of working in America -- the differences in language, the longer hours, the bowling lessons. "I know how to bowl now; I really didn't have a choice," Cruz says with a laugh. "Billy Bob (Thornton) almost requires it if you're in one of his movies, and it's actually kind of fun."
Cruz just finished filming Thornton's big-screen adaptation of the Cormac McCarthy lyrical western best-seller "All the Pretty Horses" in San Antonio. The film is her second cowboy picture. Cruz played Billy Crudup's consolation-prize girlfriend last year in Stephen Frears' little-seen "The Hi-Lo Country." With Matt Damon headlining, "All the Pretty Horses" should find a much wider audience.
Cruz, who turns 25 today, is due for much wider recognition, too. Already a star in Spain through movies like the Oscar-winning "Belle Epoque" and the recent favorite "The Girl of Your Dreams," Cruz will be seen by American audiences in at least three films this year ...
Of course, Cruz will still be able to roam the streets here largely unrecognized until "All the Pretty Horses" opens next year. And that suits her just fine since the Spanish paparazzi have been known to chase her all around Madrid...
Daily News: You spent more than a year going after your role in "All the Pretty Horses." What was the attraction?
Cruz: It's just so amazing, so rich and full of heart and soul. I had to convince a lot of people that I was right for the part because I have not made many movies in America. But it was worth everything I did. It's going to be a beautiful movie.
DN: The film has a lot of horseback riding. Have you spent much time on a horse?
Cruz: I have now! We began training four weeks before the movie started. I rode bareback five hours every day for almost that entire time. They gave us exercises that were supposed to help with the soreness, but the first few days were terrible. I didn't think my butt or my legs would ever recover...
DN: And how is Billy Bob as a director?
Cruz: Very interesting. He knows everything you're thinking so he can surprise you a lot. Sometimes he gives you directions that seem like the opposite of what you should do. But that's part of his plan. He asks you to do something else in order to get what he really wants. It makes you much more free and alert and in the moment.
DN: You didn't mind the bowling?
Cruz: It was a lot of fun. (Co-stars) Matt (Damon) and Henry (Thomas) had lots of tips. All the guys did.
DN: I'll bet. Did you improve? ...

El Mitote
By Hollis Walker
The New Mexican

Hello, dear readers, and welcome to El Mitote, back by popular demand for your Sunday morning edification...after church, of course! Mitote local Spanish speakers would agree, means something like gossip, or "what's happening." Now before all you Spanish teachers from Minnesota start calling to correct me, I direct you to the definition in that wonderful little book, A Dictionary of New Mexico and Southern Colorado Spanish (Museum of New Mexico Press, 1983) by Rub�n Cobos: "Mitote - A dance with drinking and a great deal of noise; noise, disturbance; gossip." In order to make a lot of noise, I need your help. Here's how it works: You call, fax or e-mail your scoop. I call you or the appropriate person back for verification. I choose the best of these tidbits every week, add my own biased take, and voila! - mitote. The very very best sources of the very very best scoop become my lifelong friends and/or receive a beautiful limited edition El Mitote coffee mug. Any questions?
Actor and Oscar-winning writer Matt Damon was seen in Santa Fe last week. Damon, of Good Will Hunting and Saving Private Ryan fame, was spotted walking near the intersection of Washington Avenue and Marcy Street. Our female, 20-something spotter is happy to report that Damon "looks as good in person as he does on the big screen." The actor is co-starring with Billy Bob Thornton, who is also directing the film of Cormac McCarthy's All the Pretty Horses, part of which is being shot in Santa Fe. Another "star" in the film will be the Santa Fe Southern Railway. The film's set crew is already turning several rail cars into a 1940s Mexican train for the movie; the red-and-yellow Santa Fe Railway engine will soon be black and have a faux stack on top. The engine will travel off its usual track to Las Vegas, N.M., where it will be filmed next Monday, April 19, at the old ATS&F station n ext to The Castaneda, the old hacienda-style hotel in downtown Las Vegas.

Damonites: Did any of you catch the short interview ET did with Penelope Cruz? The clip was on ET Weekend and featured Penelope visiting an art gallery showing Spanish art.
When asked about working with Matt, she just beamed! She said that Matt was the most generous actor/person she had ever worked with.
Penelope appeared to be very down to earth and committed to her craft--hmm, sorta kind Matty?
I'm curious to hear your impressions of her if you saw the interview!

And Felicity come across these bits from the LA Daily News site:

• They've done a few rounds of early Oscar 2000 predictions/best 1999 movies:
  ANOTHER VIEW: Blindly groping my way through a list of 200 movies, here are five that I'd actually pay money to see. (Not that I'll have to.) I didn't include the "Star Wars" prequel because the Force is strong enough without my plug...
  All the Pretty Horses: Again, I go for pedigree. Great book (Cormac McCarthy), accomplished director (Billy Bob Thornton) and a genre I can't get enough of (western). Matt Damon isn't Clint Eastwood, but he is a good bit of casting as John Grady Cole, the hero of McCarthy's border trilogy. (Holidays)
• Another story (badly cut here):
  Miramax is also co-producing a potentially strong candidate with Paramount, "The Talented Mr. Ripley," which stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett, Jude Law and Matt Damon and is directed by Anthony Minghella in his first project since "The English Patient." Due out in November, "Ripley" is set in Italy during the 1950s with Damon as an American expatriate specializing in murder.
  Several other projects look promising, according to studio insiders: ..... -- "All the Pretty Horses," directed by Billy Bob Thornton and starring Matt Damon as a cowboy coming of age in Mexico and Texas in 1949. Sony plans a November release.

• The Hollywood issue of Vanity Fair (last month or so), had a lengthy article on the CAA-Mike Ovitz? battle. Matt and Ben were mentioned (with photos, taken at the 98 Golden Globes), but there was a long section on the importance of Leo. It talked about how he had passed on "commercial sounding properties, such as 'All the pretty horses' and 'The Talented Mr Ripley.' Matt Damon has stepped into shoes that could have been worn by DiCaprio in both cases." It just continues to perpetuate that myth!
  (My note: This kind of talk about Matt taking up roles that DiCaprio passed up really irks me to no end. "Commercial sounding properties"? Does this writer know what the hell he's talking about? I say NOT!).
• This month's 'Premiere' has a short item on 'Horses.' There's a photo of Matt (Canadian Menz cover - brown suit, gold background), and says:
  In Darwinist Hollywood, most well-reviewed novels are adapted into screenplays even before the hardbacks hit bookstores, which is why Ted Tally was surprised to learn that Cormac McCarthy's All the Pretty Horses was still up for adaptation. "It's such a rich book,' says the screenwriter, who then did then honors. 'You hate to leave out a single moment. Even the little throwaway scenes, like the boys around the campfire.' Billy Bob Thornton directs Matt Damon as a young cowboy who rides to Mexico in search of work. The Oscar- winning Tally (The Silence of the Lambs) didn't presume to stray far from the book: "Cormac McCarthy doesn't have anything to learn from me about storytelling."
  The caption for the photo is 'Pretty' Boy: Damon plays an aspiring cowboy.
  They're going to just love that angle!

Damonites:
It's great having contacts in key places! My nephew is a student at Highlands University in Las Vegas, NM. He phoned last night to let me know that Matt and crew had spent Monday filming the "departure" scene between himself and Alejandra (Penelope Cruz) at the old train depot. Security was tight but after they were done, Billy Bob came out and talked with fans and took pics.
On Tuesday, the old downtown Plaza hotel was the setting for scenes with Matt and Bruce Dern who plays Matt's fathere. [This hotel is a historic landmark and the perfect choice for these scenes.] My nephew reported that before getting into his vehicle and heading for the airport, Matt took time to sign autographs and chat with mostly college students. Apparently, the cast is lodging in Santa Fe and treking to Las Vegas as needed--it's approximately 60 miles from Santa Fe.

• On the affleck.com board somebody asked Ben what his favourite Matt movie was. The response was "All the pretty horses (Coming December 99)." It's sparked a bit of debate on the film and Ripley, so hopefully Ben will give some more details on both projects.
  That's a pretty good source. Ben's said before that ATPH is his favourite book of recent times, and has heaped praise on Billy Bob, so there's his reasoning.
• The Sony website still has a release date of October 99 for Horses.
• From Corona.com again re Minority Report:
  April 20, 1999... We're sent an email from someone wishing to follow up on the earlier report that Matt Damon may be getting involved with this project.
  Quote the scooper: "I am told that Matt is awaiting the script to review before he commits to the project." Obviously the scooper means Matt's holding out for the latest draft by Scott Frank before deciding to sign on the dotted line. [Anonymous.]
• Also from Corona, this is a Fox press release on the plot of Titan A E (working title):
  "Fifteen years after Earth has been destroyed by a devastating alien attack, humans live scattered throughout the galaxies and struggle to survive. A rebellious teenager,Cale, becomes an unlikely hero when he learns that his father left him a map to a legendary missing Earthship, the Titan. In order to find the Titan, Cale teams up with a charismatic ship's captain, Joe Korso, his crew of renegade aliens, and a beautiful pilot named
  Akima. Together, they embark on a journey to find the Titan, which is believed to hold a secret that could ultimately save mankind."
  Cale apparently is the character whose voice will be that of our Matty.

  4/18/99 In today's Sunday Calendar of the Los Angeles Times, All the Pretty Horses was mentioned as one of the upcoming Westerns. Notable is that the writer listed this film as one coming out next year. This is the first time I saw that - up to now it has always been referred to as coming out in December.

  4/17/99 Yet another article from the San Antonio Express News via Felicity:

  Billy Bob's thoughts
  'Pretty Horses' director talks about sex, violence, S.A.
  By Jeanne Jakle
  Express-News Staff Writer
  Friday, Apr 16,1999
  Before leaving San Antonio after four weeks of filming "All the Pretty Horses" here movie actor and director Billy Bob Thornton made his feelings known about sex.
  Movie sex, that is.
  Asked about one of the most talked-about scenes that was shot at a private Hill Country ranch - a romantic skinny-dipping segment involving Matt Damon and his female co-star, Penelope Cruz - Thornton said it'll probably "turn up being a kissing scene."
  "I'm not big on graphic sexual scenes in movies. It doesn't do anyone any good. That's when I'd get up and get popcorn," he said Thursday evening after wrapping up his last day of shooting in a warehouse in downtown San Antonio.
  The "Sling Blade" director/writer added he just never got into watching "other people having sex."
  It makes him uncomfortable, he explained, "and people it doesn't make feel uncomfortable, well, I don't want them going to see my movie."
  As for violence in the film, he did say there were one or two scenes in "Pretty Horses" that could be called violent, but he doesn't believe in gratuitous violence.
  >hat is hardest to take in the movie, which was adapted from the 1992 National Book Award-winning novel by El Paso author Cormac McCarthy, is its "emotionally intense, heart-rending story." He said the main character, played by Damon, a young Texas rancher named John Grady Cole, learns "a lot of difficult things. He has to learn to live in the present; he realizes you can't hang on to the past. The movie's about leaving home; it's about life, about death, the things we all fear."
  The movie was adapted from the novel by Oscar-winning screenwriter Ted Tally of "Silence of the Lambs" fame.
  It's set in 1949. John Grady's mother sells the ranch where he grew up and he's forced to leave the only life he has ever known. The young hero and his pal, Lacey Rawlins, played by Henry Thomas ("E.T."), set off for the still-untamed lands of Mexico and eventually arrive at a hacienda where they're hired as cowboys, breaking wild horses.
  There, he falls into an ill-fated romance with the beautiful daughter of a wealthy ranch owner, which leads to jail, a killing in self-defense and John Grady's greatest test of maturity.
  After producer Mike Nichols bought the rights to the book, he approached Thornton to direct when the two were working on the political film, "Primary Colors," according to Thornton.
  As for the movie's cast, Thornton said he was glad to get Damon and added that he also fought hard to get the relatively little-known international actress Cruz for the female lead. Cruz's credits include Pedro Almodovar's "Live Flesh."
  "I met with her and saw her do two of the scenes, and that was all I needed," he said.
  Musician and actor Ruben Blades plays her father, he said, and Bruce Dern, who plays the judge, will shoot his scenes at the next locale, Santa Fe, N.M.
  "I like Santa Fe, but I'm sorry to leave here," he said of San Antonio and the surrounding Hill Country, which stands in for Mexico in "Pretty Horses."
  "I wish we were going to be here longer," he added, explaining San Antonio had "a lot of good people who were really helpful."
  "The land looked great, the locations fit like a puzzle" and the weather cooperated, he added.
  As for the audience he's shooting for with "Pretty Horses," Thornton couldn't resist having fun with his first answer: "We're aiming it at people who are between 74 and 79."
  Seriously, he believes the film's appeal should be wide: "It's not like a teen movie. The subject is an adult one, but it's about younger people. Actually, I don't think there's anyone who wouldn't relate to this movie."
  Did you catch this one from Yahoo News?
  Friday April 16 4:38 PM ET
  Bavaria Gypsies Call Gov't Racist
  >UNICH, Germany (AP) - Gypsies, also known as Roma and Sinti, accused the Bavarian state government of racism in a letter published Friday in U.S. and German newspapers.
  >he letter, which appeared in The New York Times and Die Welt, was signed by supporters, including the leader of Germany's Central Council of Jews, Ignatz Bubis; Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal; and actors Gregory Peck, Vanessa Redgrave, Tim Robbins, Winona Ryder and Matt Damon...
  Matt, the socialist, historian, and humanitarian.

  4/14/99 There is a major story by Harry Knowles (that's him to the left of Matty in the photo above) of The Ain't It Cool News. He talks about his on-location-visit to the filming of "All the Pretty Horses" in San Antonio. Apparently the scene he witnessed is one after the main characters have been released from prison. You may notice that there is a big gash on Matt's face in the photo. If you have read the book, you know where that gash comes from.
  You may not like that look of Matt, but, believe me, it could have been worse. I am actually relieved.
  (I thank all who wrote to alert me to the story.)

  And, from the San Antonio Express News

  Matt Damon, where are you?
  Movie star spotted at Barnes & Noble with Winona Ryder
  Where in San Antonio should fans look for actor Matt Damon when he's not on the set of Billy Bob Thornton's movie "All the Pretty Horses"?
  Here's a clue: He likes beer, billiards, basketball and, in the tradition of his super-smart character in "Good Will Hunting," books.
  Recently, he was seen browsing at a Barnes & Noble bookstore with his current gal-pal, Winona Ryder, by his side.
  The manager at that store (18030 U.S. 281 North, near 1604), Michelle Ruttan, said the famous couple was recognized by employees but didn't cause much of a stir.
  Damon also has been known to hang out at the Houston Street Alehouse with "Pretty Horses" co-star Henry Thomas and has been spotted drinking beer and playing pool there. The actor's face is frequently hidden under the bill of a baseball cap.
  His most high-profile stop to date was at a Spurs game last month in the Alamodome, where he graciously signed autographs and posed for pictures with fans. Afterward, Damon, a basketball aficionado, was escorted to the locker room by Spurs publicist Tom James; while there, he met several of the players.
  4/13/99 Batch of goodies from - who else? - Felicity:

  Item from Dark Horizons:

  All The Pretty Horses: The teamup of Matt Damon and Billy Bob Thornton should get indie film fans wild, as it did 'xWaver' who was on-set for this report:
  "Shooting has been going on in San Antonio, Texas for over 2 weeks. The ranch scenes in the movie were done at a nearby ranch, and the filmmakers have tried to duplicate the conditions of Northern Mexico. Conditions outside last week were perfect, but the semi-interior shots at the Cadillac Bar downtown have been plagued by bad weather both yesterday and today. As a result, production may have to be held back for another few days until they clear up. It would appear that there are no exterior shots of downtown SA that are useful because none of the area in which they've been shooting can be matched to the period. A friend of mine was called in as an extra, and said that Billy Bob thorton has been pleased with all the dailies. Rarely has there been more than 2 takes for each scene necessary. Local talent Henry Thomas (E.T.) has not drawn nearly as many crowds as Matt Damon, who doesn't fail to stop traffic crossing the street. Thorton was quoted in an interview saying that he really enjoys San Antonio, and is considering it as a locale for future movies."
  And this one is from an article entitled "Makers of TV commercial put squeeze on reporters" by MARK HUMMELS, The New Mexican
  The Santa Fe Southern Railway depot was sworn to silence Friday while crews filmed a television test commercial in absolute secrecy - except for the oversized product logos rolling back and forth on a flatbed railroad car for much of the day.
  ... A representative from Southwest Productions suggested a reporter from The New Mexican might better spend his time inspecting the nearby Santa Fe Southern rail cars being painted to resemble a 1940s Mexican train for filming next week of All the Pretty Horses in Las Vegas, N.M.
  "They use peel-off paint. The movie industry does it all the time," Bob Sarr, general manager of Santa Fe Southern, said of the two passenger coaches, engine and flatbed car being disguised for the shoot.
  "I've been told the engine is actually going to look like a steam engine, believe it or not," he said.
  The film, directed by Academy Award-winner Billy Bob Thornton and starring Matt Damon and Henry Thomas, will be filmed on ranch and Pueblo lands around Santa Fe and Las Vegas, and at the old state penitentiary southwest of Santa Fe...
  And here's from The Hollywood Reported:
  Cannes lineup sketchy as studios opt for low profile
  With the official news conference just nine days away, Cannes International Film Festival chief Gilles Jacob is still working to finalize the lineup for the 52nd annual fest that runs May 12-22. Jacob's difficulties are twofold. One is the curse of bad timing; many of the choice prospects won't be finished in time for him to screen. Among the titles that are out of reach are "The Talented Mr. Ripley" starring Matt Damon and Gwyneth Paltrow, Artisan's Roman Polanski-directed "The Ninth Gate," Mike Leigh's "Topsy Turvy" and Jane Campion's "Holy Smoke." The other problem stems from the fact that the major studios are going for a low Cannes profile.
  4/10/99 A thoughtful article on "Ripley" appeared in the Londan Guardian last Thursday. Read about it here. Unfortunately, it is not very flattering about Matt.

  This tantalizing bit came from - who else - Felicity:

  An Australian paper (Sunday Telegraph) has an item today about a new project for Matt, due to shoot in Australia in a few months time. I'll repeat it here:
  Forget Tom Cruise - the long-awaited sequel to Mission Impossible is likely to be overshadowed by a more stellar production. A second train from Tinseltown - with Winona Ryder, Meryl Streep and Matt Damon on board - is set to roll into Sydney mid-year. The cause celebre is Gillian Armstrong's new film 'Lambs of God", and assuming all goes to plan, production on the movie will begin in late June or early July. Ryder, Streep and Damon (a late addition) are attached to the project, which Armstrong will direct. Armstrong previously shot 'Oscar and Lucinda', which co-starred Ralph Fiennes, in Sydney.
  Added Felicity: I've done a bit of chasing, and it sounds reasonably legitimate. A project was announced in the 'Hollywood Reporter' in May 1998, but at that stage all it claimed was that Winona would star in a movie for Armstrong, but that no script or details were finalised. Winona previously did "Little Women" for Armstrong and got an Academy Award nomination for her role. She has repeatedly supported the director, and often says how much she enjoyed that movie and working with her.
  Winona has finished all of her current projects, and that's about the only 'rumoured' one left. I don't know if Matt would like to work with a current beau, but he definitely would want to work with Meryl Streep. I've found a plot outline on the book at Corona, and it's mighty weird (typical Winona project). I'll reprint their summary here also:
  Arriving to reclaim a monastery on a remote island that's been abandoned for thirty years, a Catholic priest makes a shocking discovery. Having taken vows of seclusion, three women never left the confines of the monastery and remained there for the entire duration. These feral nuns have corrupted their once strict Catholic rituals into pagan-like ceremonies. Now the priest must bring these women back into the bosom of the church.
  What a wild storyline!! This is starting to make a little less sense! Matt as a Catholic priest, with Winona and Meryl as feral nuns? The shooting deadline is what makes it a little suspicious for Matt. 'Pretty Horses' would have only just finished, and I don't think he would go straight from that into a heavy dramatic lead role (as it sounds, if he is the priest). And he's supposed to be having the summer off to write with Ben.
  Anyway, what do you think? It sounds mighty strange, and I don't know if Armstrong is the right person for the project. Her movies are very much 'women's stories' eg Little Women, Oscar and Lucinda. I'm just amused by the idea of Matt making a movie in Sydney. Our local press would go wild.
  It says in Corona that the film would be based on the novel by Marele Day, and that the production company is Fox 2000.
  (My comments: Matt as a priest???? No way, no how. Compared to that, "Ripley" would be like a typecast. If Matt is involved at all, I imagine it would be a cameo in a minor role. Even with Meryl Streep, this sounds like one weird storyline. If he is indeed part of this project and if it indeed will be shot in Australia, then I am mighty happy for Felicity, who will surely keep us all informed.)
  4/9/99
  • Finally some news on "Pretty Horses" from San Antonio.
  • DOGMA news, appeared in 4/8 Daily Variety:
    Miramax Films co-chairmen Bob and Harvey Weinstein intend to form a separate firm to buy the rights to "Dogma,'' saying parent company Disney felt the movie disparaged Roman Catholics and shouldn't be released under its label.
    The brothers will buy the film rights to director Kevin Smith's religious satire for about $11 million. They will then sell domestic rights to a third party and negotiate with international distributors.
    In "Dogma,'' Ben Affleck and Matt Damon play angels who try to return to heaven after they are banished. The film also stars Chris Rock, who plays a trash-talking 13th apostle.
    Among the picture's plot elements: a female descendant of Jesus works in an abortion clinic; a Skeeball-obsessed God; a Christ figure giving a thumbs-up salute.
    Religious groups, including the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, have complained about the film.

  4/7/99 A small item in Jeanne Jakle's column in the San Antonio Express: On a more positive note, another prominent director-actor team, Billy Bob Thornton and Matt Damon, will bring production of "All the Pretty Horses" to downtown San Antonio later this week and early next week. I understand all the filming will be done within buildings.
  But there's a good chance of spotting some of the famous folk in the movie, Damon and S.A.'s "E.T." star, Henry Thomas, included, at various hot spots around the River Walk, Houston and Commerce street areas. Lately, sightings of these celebs have been scarce because the filming has been essentially limited to a private ranch in the Hill Country.
  Though Bruce Dern also is part of the cast, I'm told his portion of the period Texas-Mexico film will be shot in Santa Fe, N.M., where cast and crew head next.
  Added Felicity: So, all thee who can should get to San Antonio this week!

  4/4/99 From Felicity: Here's another update on the Zinn project from the Boston Herald. I do like the quality of the people they've got involved, and the note about the boost GWH gave the book - 100,000 copies!!

  Fox gets radical with Zinn miniseries
  by John McMurtrie
  Sunday, April 4, 1999
  The times they are indeed a-changin'

  In the 1960s, Howard Zinn went from little-known Boston University history professor to hotly controversial intellectual leader of the anti-war movement. When his ``A People's History of the United States'' was published in 1980, many schoolteachers were not allowed to assign such a radical book to their students. The book took a new look at American history through a far-left lens, going so far as to challenge the Declaration of Independence.
  Nearly two decades later, however, Zinn's epic work is not only a must-read in classes across the country, but it is being made into a 10-to-12-part TV miniseries.
  No, Ken Burns and PBS have nothing to do with the ambitious project. It's actually being undertaken by Fox Television, home of ``The Simpsons'' and ``World's Scariest Police Chases.'' Fox also happens to be run by Rupert Murdoch, a tycoon not often associated with socialist causes.
  Zinn, not a big fan of big money, and a man who knows more about Bolshevism than Bart Simpson, can't get over the irony.
  ``I still think it's funny,'' he said recently, looking relaxed in a denim shirt and corduroys in a Harvard Square coffeehouse.
  Turning serious, he added, ``I say this with some reluctance - that maybe my book isn't as radical as I thought . . . In other words, my book is easier to accept now than it was 19 years ago, and therefore doesn't cause as much fear and trepidation in these higher circles.''
  It's true, for instance, that before Zinn's book came out, few thought of Christopher Columbus as anything but a benevolent sailor who ``discovered'' America. Now, thanks to Zinn, there's an alternative view of Columbus as a ruthless raider.
  And where Zinn was once a cult hero in the academic and activist worlds, his popularity now extends as far as the film and music industries, where he is treated as a sage of sorts. Much of this is due to Matt Damon, an old Newton Corner neighbor of Zinn's whose R-rated praise of ``A People's History'' in ``Good Will Hunting'' helped boost book sales by 100,000 copies, to a total 600,000.
  Zinn, now retired from BU, attributes Damon's kind words to two things: ``One is, Matt Damon is a very socially conscious kid - that was the way he was brought up. And the other is, he's paying me back for the cookies we used to give him when he came around the house.''
  They must have been very good cookies, because Damon, along with his equally ubiquitous friend, Ben Affleck, have joined Zinn as co-producers of Fox's dramatization of ``A People's History.''
  It was Fox, no doubt hoping for a ``serious'' series, that approached Zinn. The company then went after some star power, asking Damon and Affleck to sign on to the $50 million project.
  As Zinn recalls, ``Once they said yes, I was being flown out to L.A., first class, of course. I said, `You know, I always travel first class, but usually it's Greyhound.' ''
  Zinn and company now have a writer, Jeremy Pikser, who co-wrote ``Bullworth'' with Warren Beatty. Pikser was completing a treatment outline of the series late last month.
  Zinn said a number of actors are ``very interested'' in joining the project, including Tim Robbins, John Cusack and Winona Ryder, and, yes, Damon and Affleck.
  Eddie Vedder, the lead singer for Pearl Jam, recently told Zinn he'd also like to contribute. Vedder, in fact, seems to have struck up quite a kinship with Zinn. When Interview magazine asked Vedder to do a Q & A with someone for last month's issue, he chose Zinn.
  Zinn, in turn, attended a Pearl Jam concert in Los Angeles. It's likely that of the concert-goers that night, only the silver-haired Zinn could claim Air Force combat experience in World War II.
  ``It was a wild, crazy experience, believe me,'' Zinn, 76, said of the show. ``I liked (the music), which surprised the hell out of me.'' ...

  4/2/99 From Felicity - This is from a Cate Blanchett article for Detour:
  It's not unusual for a talented young woman to fall in love deeply and marry, but it is highly unusual in the insanely competitive world of international screen acting to find a rising star who is so sensibly immune to the narcissistic sexual and emotional pitfalls of the movie industry. Blanchett spoke sparingly to me of what she admired and whom she revered--no affected gushing here. Fellow Australian Judy Davis was highly rated, as were Rupert Everett, Matt Damon, and Ralph Fiennes--all of whom she's worked with. But she reserved her real praise for the abstract-expressionist painters who we discussed as we wove our way through the West End tourist crowds. "My hero is de Kooning--I would've loved to paint, would've loved the solitude," she confides.
  (Commented Felicity: That's the first article in which she's praised Matt. My note: Matt is certainly in pretty good company there - he's the only American in the list, by the way. I do sense a mutual respect between these two actors, far more so than between Matt and his best bud or Ms. Paltrow - but then I am just speculating.)

  The following posting appeared in the Usenet newsgroups rec.arts.movies.current-films via DejaNews, I did a cursory check on the L.A. Times site and didn't find the article mentioned. Could be an April-Fool joke.

  [Calendar Live!]
  4/1/1999
  "Let There Be Lights, Camera, Action!" DreamWorks announces Prince of Egypt prequel -- Children of Eden
  By RICHARD A. SLOAN, Times Staff Writer [Religion]
  LOS ANGELES - With "The Prince of Egypt" reaching over $220 million in domestic and overseas markets, DreamWorks SKG founders Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen return to the Bible for the new animated feature "Children of Eden," based on a screenplay by John Caird. [Image] Plans for the film were officially announced Wednesday in a DreamWorks press release.
  Music and lyrics are by Stephen Schwartz, a double Oscar winner for "Pocahontas." His credits also include "Godspell," "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," and "The Prince of Egypt." Songs in the new film include: "Let There Be," "The Tree of Knowledge," "The Naming," "Precious Children," and "Children of Eden." Producer Hans Zimmer, who won an Oscar for "The Lion King" and teamed with Schwartz on "Prince," will arrange the songs and score the film.
  The two hour film -- slated for release December 2001 -- will feature a stunning array of talent: the voices of Matt Damon (Adam), Gwyneth Paltrow (Eve), Edward Norton (Serpent), Woody Harrelson (Cain), Tom Hanks (Abel), Christopher Plummer (Noah), Denzel Washington (Abraham), Lauren Bacall (Sarah), David Schwimmer (Issac), and Leonardo DiCaprio (Joseph).
  In "Prince of Egypt," the voice of God was one of the more difficult choices. "Every race and color and creed has a claim to the voice of God," Katzenberg says. Initially, sound engineers put together a track that was an eerily effective chorus of every character in the film, with the dominant voice morphing from man to woman to child. But consultant Tzivia Schwartz-Getzug, a civil rights attorney with a background in interfaith relations and religious studies, vetoed that approach, saying some people would be offended if the voice of God sounded -- even momentarily -- like a woman's. Val Kilmer (Moses) ended up supplying the voice. For "Children of Eden," God's voice will be computer- generated -- blending the voices of Patrick Stewart, Liam Neeson, and James Earl Jones.
  Reviews for "The Prince of Egypt," released last December, were generally favorable. Film critic Michael Medved said the film represents Hollywood's most serious attempt to dramatize a Bible story in several decades.
  "Children of Eden" begins with the creation of the universe, then moves to the major figures and events in the book of Genesis, including -- Adam and Eve, Noah's Ark, The Tower of Babel, Abraham and Sarah, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the story of Joseph.
  Katzenberg says the new project, when completed, "will have more special effects per minute of screen time than in any film ever made...even more than Prince of Egypt." The seven-minute opening sequence -- depicting the seven days of creation -- will take a team of 14 special effects artists more than two years to complete.
  DreamWorks' next Bible epic was to be the direct-to-video project of Joseph, but according to Katzenberg, the studio has now opted "for a much wider sweep of biblical history," up to the time of Moses, where "Prince of Egypt" begins...
  4/1/99 More on Pretty Horses, from Valerie in New Mexico:
  Here's another short article which appeared in today's JOURNAL:
  FILM TO FEATURE FORMER CELL BLOCK
  A famous cell block at the Penitentiary of New Mexico near Santa Fe is about to see the light of the silvery screen.
  State officials say a building housing the cell block, site of the February 1980 riot that left 33 inmates dead, has been leased as a movie set for 16 weeks this spring and summer.
  The movie, All the Pretty Horses, directed by Billy Bob Thornton and starring Matt Damon and Henry Thomas, is in production in Texas.
  Producers expect filming to occur at the prison during one week, according to the state Economic Development Department. The other 15 weeks are dedicated to building and dismantling the sets, which will alter the building to look like a 1930's era Mexican jail.
  Added Val:
  NOTE: This cell block was indeed the scene of several horrible murders during the Santa Fe Prison riot referred to in the article. The block has been closed down for years and just recently has been promoted to Hollywood scouts as a set by our Economic Development Office. ATPH will be the first production to use the block as a set. Although it appears there will be some additional "scenery" added to the block to resemble a 1930's jail, it is already a grusome looking place! The setting will definately reflect the horrid conditions and the emotional trauma that John Grady Cole endured while imprisoned. I can bet that Matt will pull off an emotive, performance!

  Here's a nice quote of Matt: In an interview in the December Juice Magazine of Australia (Thanks, Felicity) -

  Do you worry about a backlash (from your phenomenal success)?
  Matt: I expect it. I expect it. And I'm sure it's on its way. [Laughs] I didn't particularly order the front-lash, so I'm not particularly worried about the backlash.

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  This is a no-frills web site dedicated to a weekly (or so) column on Matt Damon , the actor.
  The columns are written by a fan of the actor and are stricly for the reading pleasure of others who admire Matt. Each column will address a specific topic, along with tidbits and news on Matt.
  Readers' emails are welcome. Write to me at [email protected].
  Guest columns are invited. If you have a column that you want to be considered to be published here, write me.
  

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  Click on a column

  March 99 Movieline "Party of Five" article
  March 99 items
  Late Feb. 99 items
  Early Feb. 99 items
  Jan. 99 items
  mattamorphosis - The Gear magazine article
  The "Rounders" Effect
  A book review which appeared in the 9/14 This is London and which refers to Matt as a math genius.
  The Power of Two
  An article by Phillip McCarthy contrasting Matt and Ben
  "Good" Moms worry about sons' success
  an article which appeared in a Cambridge paper back in Feb., on the moms of Matt and Ben
  The Rounders page
  The Talented Mr.Ripley page
  The All the Pretty Horses page
  The Details magazine article, as appeared in the London Telegraph.
  Janel Maslin's NY Times Review of GWH , in which she called Matt "very much the supernova".
  An article about pre-GWH videos of Matt Damon/
  Archive of Past Matt Columns

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