UT audience gets sneak peek at Linklater's 'Bernie'

Jack Black on the 'Bernie' set in Lockhart.

Word on the streets is John Pierson's Master Class at the University of Texas had a big treat last week: a full viewing of Richard Linklater's upcoming film Bernie. My tipster says the film starring Jack Black and Shirley MacLaine is impressive. Linklater said we should look for the movie to premiere at a film festival soon.

Based on a true story as chronicled in Texas Monthly, it also stars Matthew McConaughey as the district attorney out to nail Black in the title role of Bernie Tiede for the murder of MacLaine as wealthy widow Marjorie Nugent.

My source sez Linklater indicated the film had fought for financial backing and ended with a slew of executive producers (aka investors). Financing has been a continuing problem for Linklater, who of late was reported to be circling a remake of The Incredible Mr. Limpet in exchange for financing for more of his 12-year project, which should be, what, in year eight now?

There are also rumblings about Liars (A-E), Linklater's almost adaptation of screenwriter Emma Forrest's book about a breakup that semi-mirrors her real-life one with Colin Farrell. Telephone-tosser and producer Scott Rudin recently said the project is still alive and may yet be made. In 2009, changes at Miramax reportedly killed chances for the film.

Here's a description of that project, which was about to shoot a while back before financing collapsed: "Liars (A-E) follows a girl who’s so swept up by President Obama’s supposedly perfect marriage to Michelle that she travels across America to the inauguration."

Jack Black hams it up in Lockhart

Rob Moreno took these pix of Jack Black during the filming of Richard Linklater's Bernie recently in Lockhart, Texas, at the restaurant Mr. Taco. You can see more about the shoot in this article. Thanks to Rob for allowing me to post them!

Pix from the 'Bernie' set

Jack Black with Bastrop locals.


Shirley MacLaine arrives on the set and is greeted by Richard Linklater. (Photos from Bastrop Advertiser)

Richard Linklater has been filming Bernie, the story of foppish murderer Bernie Tiede in recent weeks in Bastrop (including a day at Spiderwood Studios) and Carthage--the spot of the murder of an 81-year-old woman whose body was stashed in a freeze for many months.

Interesting note not included in this article, which includes info about Matthew McConaughey shooting a scene: My source says Shirley MacLaine has received a number of letters from Tiede in which he proclaims his innocence. The actress is also said to be very impressed with Jack Black's portrayal of Tiede.

Also, is it true that Rip Torn was fired from the show? Send me your tips from the set...

Matthew McConaughey joins Linklater's 'Bernie'

Yes, Richard Linklater and Matthew McConaughey are reuniting (it would be a lot cooler if they did). Linklater gave McC his big break in Dazed and Confused, now Double M is joining the cast of Linklater's Bernie, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

McC's other big early break was as an attorney in A Time to Kill. He's back to lawyering, this time as the district attorney out to nail Jack Black in the title role of Bernie Tiede for the murder of Shirley MacLaine as wealthy widow Marjorie Nugent.

Also joining the cast is Taylor native Rip Torn. The shoot is expected to start next month in East Texas. Wooderson, uh, McConaughey is from Longview.

You can see the real Bernie and Marjorie here.

My latest SHOT IN TEXAS column

Most of this has been covered in my blog, but here's my latest Dallas Morning News SHOT IN TEXAS column for your reading pleasure.

Linklater finally confirms 'Bernie'

The real-life Marjorie and Bernie

When filmmakers wants to officially announce a new project, they traditionally toss a press release to Variety or The Hollywood Reporter. That's what Richard Linklater finally did in making official Bernie, his upcoming project about convicted murderer and small-town Carthage, Texas, dandy Bernie Tiede with Jack Black (a dead ringer for Tiede) in the lead role.

As we told you back in June (with the first hints in April), Linklater has described this East Texas tale as his Fargo, with multiple characters and a bit of a murder mystery involving Tiede's odd relationship with the much older (and later much dead) Marjorie Nugent.

What's the new info? It is indeed based on Skip Hollandsworth's Texas Monthly story, Shirley MacLaine will play Nugent and the whole thing will get going in East Texas (and partially in Austin, of course) in October.


And here's the film's official casting notice:

Character Breakdowns:

Townspeople – Linklater plans to hire Texans who are not necessarily professional actors. “I’m trying to make as authentic a portrayal of small town East Texas life as possible, so I’m looking for the real deal – funny and interesting folks. There are a lot of small parts in the movie, mostly for people over 40,” says Linklater.

OPEN CASTING CALL FOR RICHARD LINKLATER'S FILM
HOPKINS ICEHOUSE
SATURDAY, AUGUST 7, 2010 (11am-5pm)
301 East 3rd Street
Texarkana, AR 71854
Please bring a non-returnable photo to get on file.

Meals/Transportation Provided: Meals, Beverages

PHONE:
CONTACT: Sheila Steele at Beth Sepko Casting (512) 472-5385 Ex.1

Meet the real couple behind Linklater's 'Bernie'

The real-life Marjorie and Bernie

See an update with new details here.

Richard Linklater's planned next feature starring Jack Black is called Bernie, and apparently the Bernie in question is Bernie Tiede, a 39-year-old Carthage ex-undertaker who admitted to the 1996 killing of wealthy widow Marjorie Nugent. Here's Texas Monthly's take on the crime.

Linklater is appaently looking at a fall shoot.

The story was also the subject of a TV drama that aired on the USA Network in 2006.

Richard Linklater, Jack Black and a baseball film?

That's maybe what's next for Richard Linklater, but this article is a bit murky about it (read the very bottom). What we do know is he's been wanting to do a semi-autobiographical film about baseball--Linklater played briefly at Sam Houston State. Jack Black? School of Rock 2: East Texas Twang perhaps? It's all so confusing...

Mystery solved. It's called Bernie.