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Evelyn DVD comes
out on April 15th, 2003!
The Special Edition DVD boasts two featurettes
including “The Story Behind The Story,” during which Brosnan, writer
Paul Pender, and producer Beau St. Clair explain how the true story of Evelyn
Doyle became a feature film. The “making-of” featurette contains in-depth
cast interviews with Brosnan, Margulies, Quinn, Rea, Bates and Sophie Vavasseur,
and behind-the-scenes footage. Other special features include an audio commentary
with director Bruce Beresford, an audio commentary with Brosnan and St. Clair,
a photo gallery and the original theatrical trailer. EVELYN
is a true story of family, love and courage. This moving, humorous
and inspiring film is about real-life hero Desmond Doyle, played by Pierce
Brosnan, and his young children, Evelyn, Maurice, and Dermot. Struggling
to raise his kids alone in Ireland in 1953, Doyle is devastated when the power
of the Church and the Irish courts takes his children away and put them in orphanages.
Vowing to reunite his family, he enlists the help of his friends and together
they attempt to do what has never been done before – challenge a law before
the Irish Supreme Court. Doyle’s fight to keep his family intact becomes
an uplifting testament to a father’s love and the power of the human spirit. Known
to most of us as James Bond, blockbuster movie roles like that enabled
Pierce Brosnan to create a production company, Irish DreamTime, with Beau
St. Claire in order to develop works that are artistically and culturally
challenging. He gives his character of Doyle warmth and humor, a man who loves
his children and would do anything to protect them. Directed by Bruce
Bereford, some of Evelyn's stars include acclaimed actors such as Alan
Bates, Stephen Rea, Aidan
Quinn, Julianna Margulies
and John Lynch. Nine-year-old
newcomer Sophie Vavasseur
stars as Evelyn. Shot in Ireland from a script by Paul
Pender, the film opens in more theaters in North America on December 25th,
a "perfect family film" to enjoy over the holidays. Visit the official
site at mgm.com/evelyn to view the trailer,
learn about the making of the film, send an e-card, or download some desktop wallpapers.
See the "Related Links" at the bottom of the page to learn even more. Pierce
Brosnan wrote in a letter dated October 2002 about this labor of love, Evelyn: "The
script for Evelyn came to Beau and myself when we first started our company,
Irish DreamTime, in 1996. Over the next five years, we went on to
produce The Nephew and The
Thomas Crown Affair, but all the while we kept Evelyn in our hearts. We
were finally set to make the movie after I finished my next Bond adventure (Die
Another Day). I had enlisted Bruce Beresford (who directed me in Mister
Johnson in Nigeria twelve years prior) but he also had another film to
do first. As chance would have it, Bruce's project fell apart and we at Irish
DreamTime had the same fate with one of ours. So we went to Ireland in the
Autumn of 2001 to make Evelyn at last. Within weeks, the tragedy of September
11th happened. Paralysis set into the heart of every community in the world. In
this time of pain, confusion and fear, we set our sights on making this special
film. I think every man and woman who worked on the project found some comfort
from the harsh reality of this terrible time. We were making a film about family,
the love and courage it sometimes takes to make a family. The story had a heartfelt
meaning to it that we all could relate to and, above all else, most importantly,
it had humor. It allowed me as an actor, for the first time in a long while,
a chance to play emotional beats that I felt has been lacking from my work. And
I also had a crack at singing. Thanks to the fine encouragement and coaching of
Ken O'Malley and Des Regan who helped me find "my voice." I thank you
for that gift. And to Stephen
Endelman who was a champion from the first meeting we ever had --
thank you."
Stephen Endelman and Music from the Evelyn Motion
Picture Remarkable musician and composer Stephen
Endelman lends his talents in multiple ways to the soundtrack. His works
have ranged from the rich orchestral score for The
Englishman Who Went Up A Hill, But Came Down A
Mountain, to his minimalist,
modern score for the comedy Flirting
With Disaster. He penned a new song "Angel Eyes" especially
for Evelyn, performed by the ethereal Norwegian vocalist Sissel who
the Associated Press recently called "a lyric soprano." No stranger
to the world of film, Sissel was also featured on the blockbuster Titanic
soundtrack, and has just released her self-titled U.S. debut on Decca
Records. The Nobel Peace Prize Concert will be broadcast on A&E in the U.S.
on Friday, January 10, 2003 from 7-9 p.m. and will include songs performed by
various musical artists -- including The Prayer sung as a duet by Sissel
and Josh Groban. Endelman also composed the original music that so dramatically
lends itself to the emotional tone of the film, while also acting as orchestrator
and conductor. Drawing inspiration from many aspects of life, he composes for
film, opera, and a variety of other musical collaborations covering a wide range
of genres. His past film projects include the score for Bride
of the Wind, as well as collaborating with Robert
DeNiro on the music for "A
Bronx Tale." Currently, he is re-teaming with Evelyn director,
Bruce Beresford (Driving Miss Daisy)
on their third collaboration, Pancho Villa, due for release on HBO in early
2003. In addition to Endelman's original music, The Decca soundtrack features
"Sitting On Top Of The World" sung by multiple Grammy®
winner Van Morrison. A
legendary singer and songwriter, Morrison released Down The Road on Universal
Records earlier this year. The Evelyn soundtrack CD includes two traditional
Irish songs, "On the Banks Of The Roses" and "The Parting
Glass," performed by Pierce Brosnan. From the Roger
Ebert Film Review: ""Evelyn" depicts Irish society of
50 years ago with a low-key cheerfulness that shows how humor cut through the
fog of poverty. The Irish in those days got much of their entertainment in pubs,
which often had a lounge bar with a piano and an array of ready singers, and it
is a true touch that Desmond Doyle takes a turn with a song (Brosnan does his
own singing, no better but no worse than a competent pub singer)."
The
CD was released on November 26, 2002 From Decca Records/UMG Soundtracks, and samples
can be heard by clicking
here.
Feature: Bernadette
Price
Original Web Design: Alexander
Servas
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