Nicolas Cage hopes to direct and star in Liberace biopic

[jimnysf]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 12:27am

Yikes! I saw him play a very swishy pimp in his last directorial effort, "Sonny". He was awful.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/07/25/DDGU2K3SIP1.DTL

Nicolas Cage plans to direct himself as Liberace, the flamboyant pianist who became a staple on network television and in Las Vegas during the 1950s and '60s.

"It's not 100 percent yet, so pray on a candelabra,' Cage said Monday, referring to the elaborate silver candlestick holder with several lights that perched atop Liberace's piano when he played.

Cage, who was in San Francisco to promote his latest movie, "World Trade Center,' said that if all goes well, production on the biopic will begin later this year, in Vegas. "Liberace is fascinating to me because I think he is the ultimate story of the struggle between the material and the spiritual,' he said. "He expanded classical music to pop audiences, which was great, but he also became incredibly self-indulgent and I think that injured him, and that is the mythology I want to explore.'

Cage, whose only directing credit is the little seen 2002 drama, "Sonny,' said he will portray Liberace's closeted life. The entertainer, known for his gold lamé jackets and excess of jewelry, never publicly acknowledged that he was gay.

"He lied about everything, really,' Cage said. "That was partly because of the times he was living in. The influence he had is pretty unsung. I don't think there would be an Elton John if it wasn't for Liberace. Elton is performing at a time when he can be open. When Liberace was doing it, it was career suicide.'

San Francisco filmmaker Philip Kaufman had been working on a Liberace screenplay for years with Robin Williams in mind. Cage said his film would be based on a different script.

[cturtle]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 9:19am

cage is the LAST person i'd think of for playing this role.

[romantico]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 10:31am

Last I heard Tim Burton & Jonny Depp were attached to this. WHile promoting Willy Wonka last year Depp said him & Burton were considering this as another film (this was before Sweeny Todd came into the picture) Who better than Burton & Depp tot ackle this? I agree, I can NOT see Nick Cage in this like I could not see him as Superman. If he does do this film, I pray he lets his ego go & cast someone right for the part. This reminds me of Lucile Ball casting herself in 'MAME'. Pure ego & nothing more. Sad.

[PB ENT.]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 1:48pm

"Liberace is fascinating to me because I think he is the ultimate story of the struggle between the material and the spiritual" ~ Nicholas Cage

Great! just when I buy into some of these male film stars talent ( Travolta, Gibson, Cruise), they get taken up by the aliens.

[Lamc16]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 5:43pm

That... wha... how... I don't know what to say.

[Jon]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 7:26pm

There were already two Liberace TV movies shortly after his death - one starring Andrew Robinson and one starring Victor Garber.