Send me your 'Little Ashes' movie reviews!

'Little Ashes' starring Robert Pattinson, Javier Beltran, and Matthew McNulty as Salvador Dali, Federico García Lorca and Luis Buñuel respectively opens in select theaters tonight. Although, several sisters are at the theater as I type, I am not so lucky to have it in my town....GASP! So, please send your reviews to me at ami@twilightsisterhood.com. I look forward to hearing all about your 'Little Ashes' experiences!

Robert Pattinson talks Cullen, Dali & fame

The amazingly talented and versatile actor, Robert Pattinson, sat down with London's The Independent (not sure when) to talk about the roles he's played/playing and how things have changed for him.

Rubbing his sleepy eyes, he admits he's still trying to get his head round it all. "So many people have watched Twilight or heard about it, you can be sitting anywhere and the chances are someone will come up and recognise you." This, he adds, included coming out of a sandwich shop in Yorkshire, and being accosted by the only person on an otherwise empty street and being asked for a photo. "How can you have immediate recognition in Guisborough coming out of Benjis?" he giggles. "That was very strange!"

According to Pattinson, Dali's whole character is sleight of hand. "I guess in a lot of ways, it's the story about him putting a mask on," he says. "In the rest of his life, a lot of the time he forgets he's wearing the mask. Or he's aware he's wearing the mask but he can't get it off. I found that the most interesting part of him. Someone who's wearing this mask, which is destroying everything in their life... they can't get it off and they can't remember how to get it off. They can't remember who they were before. And if they go back to who they were before, it'll probably destroy them too."

Pattinson admits there is some comparison between Dali and Twilight's Cullen, who endures a similarly fraught affair with a teenage girl. "I think both of them were terrified. Especially Dali. He had so many sexual hang-ups. He was crippled by so many different things.

"If you read some of his early-life autobiography, it's horrible... the amount of mental anguish he has to go through, just to have any kind of even vaguely sexual relationship. It's really depressing what he's going through in his head. Dali had a massive fear of penetration – penetrating someone or being penetrated."

Certainly, when Pattinson tells you that things haven't "really changed so much in my head" since Twilight came out, you can believe him. Willing to please, he carries the bewildered air of someone who still can't quite believe what has happened to him. Yet it'd be unfair to dub him "lucky", for his is not simply a case of 'right place, right time'.

Pattinson knows that the female attention will not diminish with the Christmas 2009 release of Twilight sequel New Moon. He's pleased it doesn't feel like a mere money-spinner. "It feels like we're making a stand-alone movie." He's even at ease that his life is going to be turned upside down once again, having accepted how impossible it is to control his public image. "You can never be known for what you want to be known for," he notes. "People will know you for whatever they want to know you for." For a 22-year-old, that's surprisingly perceptive.

[Source]

Robert Pattinson Transforms in Salvador Dali

Little Ashes was shown tonight at the Cine Lumiere in London as part of the “Lorca on Film” film series. The film was introduced by director Paul Morrison and screenwriter Philippa Goslet. Anja was there and sent us her report:

What can I say, I laughed and cried, I love when a film moves me like that. Outstanding performances by both Rob and Javier, beautiful settings, music and supporting cast. At first I just saw Rob, then I began to see Saldavor. Rob really put his heart and soul into the role.

After the film, Paul and Phillipa did a Q&A. Phillipa said she drew the first draft back in 2000. Someone asked if they had considered filming the movie in Spanish to which Morrison replied “every other day!” He continued “the story has been around for over 20 years and no Spanish film maker has ever told it. These two great artists belong to the world and we wanted to tell their story to a wide audience. The poetry readings were kept in Spanish, we had to do that for Lorca.”

When asked about the casting, Morrison explained that to begin with, they had a big budget which drew some big names but it just never felt right. After careful consideration and changes to the budget, Rob was approached - originally for the role of Lorca! But soon Morrison realized that Rob could identify so much better as Dali, as they share the same kind of intelligence. Rob “completely immersed himself into the role of Dali”. Morrison spent a lot of time with Javier and Rob on his own, until the chemistry was right.

During the break before the Q & A, I spotted Rob’s parents and had a chance to say hello. I told them how much I loved their son’s work. They told me it was their second time of seeing it. Rob’s sisters were also there. The theatre was at full capacity and I think a lot of people will spread the Little Ashes love!

Anja

Source: Pattinson Online