Paul Verhoeven.net - all about a unique director

Film director Paul Verhoeven has written a book that contradicts the Bible by suggesting that Jesus might have been fathered by a Roman soldier who raped Mary.

An Amsterdam publishing house said Wednesday it would publish the Dutch filmmaker's biography of Jesus, "Jesus of Nazareth: A Realistic Portrait" in September.

Verhoeven is best known as the director of blockbuster films including "Basic Instinct" and "RoboCop," but he is also a member of "Jesus Seminar," a group of scholars and authors that seeks to establish historical facts about Jesus.

Marianna Sterk of the publishing house J.M. Meulenhoff said the book included several ideas that ran contrary to Christian faith, including the suggestion that Jesus could be the son of a Roman soldier who raped Mary during a Jewish uprising against Roman rule in 4 B.C.

The book also claims that Judas Iscariot was not responsible for Jesus' betrayal, she said.

The movie director's claims were greeted with some skepticism among those who have dedicated their careers to studying the life of Jesus.

One issue is that there is very little information about the life of Jesus outside of the Gospels. The Gospels as understood by Christians for nearly 2,000 years do not support Verhoeven's ideas.

William Portier, a professor of religious studies at the University of Dayton, in Ohio, said the Jesus Seminar was known for making provocative claims, but "they are real scholars -- you have to deal with them."

John Dominic Crossan, a Jesus Seminar founder, agreed. He said that while Verhoeven was a member in good standing, there was little evidence for the view that Jesus was illegitimate.

Crossan said the claim was first reported in a polemic written in the second century against the Book of Matthew, intended for a Jewish audience.

"It's an obvious first retort to claims that Mary was a virgin," Crossan said. "If you wanted to do a hatchet job on Jesus' reputation, this would be the way."

The most likely scenario for people who don't accept that Jesus was literally the son of God and had no human father is simply that he was the son of Joseph, Crossan said.

Sterk said the book would be translated into English in 2009. Verhoeven hopes it will be a springboard for him to raise interest in making a film along the same lines, she said.

Verhoeven, 69, has dreamed of making a movie about Jesus' life for decades, she said.

Asked whether it would be difficult to follow Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" and Martin Scorsese's "The Last Temptation of Christ," she said Verhoeven knew he might be somewhat late to market.

"He is painfully aware of that," she said. "However, he has quite a different angle."

A video about the book (in Dutch) can be viewed here.

'Knielen op een bed violen' tells the story of the graduate decay of a kind father, who has a vision and converts to othodox Calvinism. This turn-around causes much grief for his next of kin. The book allready sold more than 330.000 copies. It was awarded the AKO Literature prize in 2005.

The screenplay will be written by long time friend and collaborator Gerard Soeteman. The budget for the movie will be around 10 Million Euro's. Shooting is scheduled for 2007. No actors have been chosen yet.

Writing credits
Mark Jean (screenplay)
Lawrence Taylor (book)

Paul Verhoeven marks his return to European filmmaking after 20 years in Hollywood with the WWII thriller BLACK BOOK.

VIP Mediafonds (MONSTER, UPSIDE OF ANGER, SEVEN DWARFS), the European market leader in motion picture funding and producing, has come on board as the majority financier of BLACK BOOK, which is scheduled to start principal photography in mid August on location in the Netherlands and at Studio Babelsberg. Cast includes the rising Dutch star Carice van Houten, award winning actress Halina Reijn and top Dutch actor Thom Hoffman. The lead German parts are played by Sebastian Koch and Christian Berkel.

The $20m picture is a Dutch/German/UK co-production between Fu Works, Egoli Tossell Film, Clockwork Pictures and Motel Films. San Fu Maltha (COSTA, TOO FAT TOO FURIOUS) is producing through Fu Works with producers Jens Meurer (SHOOTING DOGS, RUSSIAN ARK) for Berlin based Egoli Tossell and Teun Hilte (INFERNO) for London based Clockwork Pictures. Amsterdam based Jeroen Beker and Frans van Gestel produce for Motel Films (PHILEINE SAYS SORRY, IN ORANGE).

The collaboration comes at a significant moment for the German film industry, as BLACK BOOK illustrates how the German media funds can operate successfully within the European arena. "The media funds' German investment heralds a powerful future for the German and European film industry", said Andreas Schmid, CEO of VIP. The film will be made in its authentic languages: Dutch, German and English. Verhoeven: "Having made Dutch and American movies, I'm looking forward to making my first European film"

An original screenplay by Verhoeven and his longtime collaborator Gerard Soeteman, BLACK BOOK tells the story of a young German Jewish woman, who herself narrowly survives the war in Holland, but in the last days of the hostilities has to discover who betrayed her family.

BLACK BOOK is backed by the Netherlands Film Fund, CoBO Fund, AVRO, Studio Babelsberg Motion Pictures, Medienboard Berlin Brandenburg, FFA, Pro7/Sat1 and Eurimages. The Netherlands' No. 1 independent distributor A-Film will be releasing along with Timebandits, Tartan, Pathé and others. The film will be ready for delivery in June 2006.

The Dutch Film Fund (

) presented Paul Verhoeven the Bert Haanstra Oeuvre award yesterday in the Paradiso Theatre in Amsterdam. It is the fourth time since 1996 that someone has been selected for this very prestigious Dutch film-award. Connected to the award is an amount of 45.000 Euro's.

Verhoeven was selected for this award "because of his consistancy and broadness in his work", according to the jury. Additional comments by the jury were: "Paul Verhoeven has managed to surprise movie go-ers worldwide with awesome moments in the darkness of the cinema." "Verhoeven's unstoppable energy and charisma has stimulated the careers of many." "This creative filmmaker, provocative and emotional, will leave nobody untouched." "With all the superb work that he has delivered, his craftmanship is simply undeniable, and his approach virtually unprecedented. He is an example to a younger generation of filmmakers, here in Holland as well as in Hollywood"

Friday 21 May 2004, Cannes
'Zwartboek', Verhoeven first full Dutch feature in 20 years (shooting in The Netherlands in the native Dutch language), is most probably a go.

During the Film festival in Cannes, the international sales agent Katapult Film guaranteed the international part of funding with an amount of 6.850.000 euro. The remaining budgetary funding, an amount of 9 million euro, should come from The Netherlands.

Producer San Fu Maltha stated that at this very moment a funding request is being assessed by the Dutch Film Fund (for an amount of 450.000 euro). San Fu Maltha is also setting up a résumé to attract other Dutch investors to the Zwartboek project, they are seeking an additional funding amount of 2,7 million euro.

Paul Verhoeven, who will be presented the Bert Haanstra Award for his entire oeuvre on the 1nd of June, and is currently attending the Cannes Festival, was delighted by the news of the successful outcome to this international deal.

"It means that I can start shooting for 'Zwartboek' as soon as October. I expected to be shooting by December, also because of the setting of the story, which is in winter. But the Dutch landscape will probably look wintery enough in October allready."

Verhoeven made this announcement last Tuesday. Homma was the army leader who commanded the so called 'Bataan Dead Marsh' in 1942, a horrifying journey made by thousands of American soldiers in the Philippines, after the capitulation of the Americans in that same country. Most of them died along the way of malaria, dysentery en the shortage of water and food. Those who just couldn't go on, were shot on site. The title of the movie is supposed to be 'Beast Of Bataan', a nickname Homma inherited because of this journey. After the war Homma was executed by the Americans.

The script is being constructed at this moment. The copyrights of the story belong to Mel Brooks Films, the company that was previously responsible for projects like 'Frances' and 'The Elephant Man'. The story circulated around Hollywood for quite some years. Six months ago Verhoeven was approached and asked if he had interest in the project. The budget of this movie is approximated around 25 million dollars. The producer is currently trying to finance the movie.

The project has the working title: 'Zwartboek' and will be his first Dutch movie since 1983. The script is being written by Verhoeven and Gerard Soeteman. They collaborated on various Dutch films before, the latest being 'The Fourth Man' in that same year. Recent reports indicate that they are working on the final draft of the script, and Verhoeven hopes to start shooting later this year. 'Zwartboek' will be produced by San Fu Maltha, who are also responsible for other Dutch blockbusters such as 'Costa' and 'Phileine Zegt Sorry'. 'Zwartboek' will have a budget of 9 million euro. The story is about a Dutch female heroin, situated in the final months of World War II.

Lately Verhoeven's name was mentioned in multiple poductions; filming a novel by the Russian writer Boris Akoenin, an English-spoken Swedish thriller for a German producer. It seems clear; Verhoeven wants to return to Europe.
Verhoeven: 'A lot of plans are on the table, but 'Zwartboek' is more than that. I always carried the desire for making this movie with me during my years in America'. 'I did American action and science fiction for 17 years. I feel like doing something real again.'

Verhoeven receives prestigious Dutch film-award!

The Dutch Film Fund (Nederlands Fonds voor de Film) will be presenting Paul Verhoeven the Bert Haanstra Oeuvre award. The prize will be presented to Verhoeven on the 30th of March in the Paradiso Theatre, located in Amsterdam. It is the fourth time since 1996 that someone has been selected for this very prestigious Dutch film-award. Connected to the award is an amount of 45.000 Euro's.

Verhoeven was selected for this award "because of his consistancy and broadness in his work", according to the jury. Additional comments by the jury were: "Paul Verhoeven has managed to surprise movie go-ers worldwide with awesome moments in the darkness of the cinema." "Verhoeven's unstoppable energy and charisma has stimulated the careers of many." "This creative filmmaker, provocative and emotional, will leave nobody untouched." "With all the superb work that he has delivered, his craftmanship is simply undeniable, and his approach virtually unprecedented. He is an example to a younger generation of filmmakers, here in Holland as well as in Hollywood"

Verhoeven asked to make an international thriller

The German producer Constantin Film has asked Paul Verhoeven to direct a film based on the book Midzomermoord (One Step Behind) by the Swedish crime-author Henning Mankell. The story is about a murder on three teenage girls and a fellow-detective. Mankell wrote a whole series of detective-novels on inspector Kurt Wallander, the main character. The film is in pre-production and shooting is supposed to start this fall.

Paul Verhoeven: "The book has a very European mentality: the characters are much better profiled then most American stories."

Verhoeven wants to make Dick Bos documentary

Paul Verhoeven and Jan Bosdriesz will make a documentary about the Dutch cartoon-hero Dick Bos and it's creator Alfred Mazure. The screenplay about the detective Bos will be written by Gerard Soeteman. Bos was famous during the 50's of the previous century. The little books are worth a fortune by now.

Paul Verhoeven will work with screenwriter Gerard Soeteman once again! Soeteman wrote all of Verhoevens major Dutch projects starting with Floris and ending with Flesh & Blood. The two are currently finishing the script for a Dutch thriller set in 1945. It will be the first Dutch movie for Verhoeven since he went to Hollywood in 1983.

The working title for the project is Zwartboek (Blackbook) and the setting is the liberation at the end of World War II. The film is to be shot in the Netherlands. Verhoeven names The Hague and the Biesbosch as some of the locations. He does not want to name any actors yet, although he wants to make the film with a Dutch cast and crew. "Since I left for the States it has been my heart's desire to make another Dutch movie", Verhoeven says. "If we put our backs into it, we should be able to start shooting the film next year. The plan is to create a traditional Dutch movie, but one good enough to compete on an international level."

Get Reel Productions is currently developing Montyn, the film version of Dirk Ayelt Kooiman's novel about the controversial life of the Dutch artist Jan Montyn. In the Second World War, things took a critical turn for Montyn when he volunteered for service in the German navy. Paul Verhoeven wants to direct. The screenplay is to be written by Edwin de Vries (The Discovery of Heaven, Left Luggage).

Paul Verhoeven is negotiating to direct Solace for New Line Cinema. Written by Ted Griffin (Ocean's Eleven) and The Core producer Sean Bailey, the film centers on a psychic detective tracking a killer who leaves behind no clues while terrorizing New York.

Previously attached to direct were Nick Cassavetes and British musicvid helmer Miguel Sapochnik. Variety says New Line hopes third time's the charm for the project, which the studio is eager to see in production.

French moviesite AlloCiné writes Paul Verhoeven was hired to direct "Void Moon", a thriller in which a gifted female robber gets into trouble with the mob when she steals a fortune in Las Vegas. The film will be produced by the company Franchise Pictures. The story is based on a novel by Michael Connelly, the author of "Blood Work", and rewritten by Michael Cristofer, the scenario writer of Original Sin. Dark Horizons confirms this story.

Berlin - At the 100th. birthday of Leni Riefenstahl numerous considerable directors appreciated the talent of their disputed colleague.
"Basic Instinct" director Paul Verhoeven attributed the director's film "Triumph of the will" of the Third Reich Party Congress of the NSDAP in the year 1934 "innovative and effective". The Dutch director Verhoeven who grew up during the German Reich said "the film is so innovative and intelligent that I see Riefenstahl as one of the most talented artists of the first half 20th Century".
Riefenstahl was at that time just as seduced as other prominent contemporaries whether Martin Heidegger, Ezra Pound or C G. Jung, said Verhoeven. "Therefore I firmly refuse to treat Leni Riefenstahl differently. It cannot be shown why she got no more new chances after the war. (This is) contrary to a Herbert of Karajan. One case from many was selected. Riefenstahl had to play the scapegoat, because she is a woman. In judaeo-Christian thinking it does not allow itself for a woman to raise publicly her voice", avowed Verhoeven.

Variety reports that director Paul Verhoeven has himself optioned screen rights to Azazel, a detective novel written by the popular Russian author Boris Akounin. The trade adds that Verhoeven has optioned the principal character Fandorin from the 10-book series and hopes to create a franchise revolving around the young detective in 1876 Russia who investigates a series of apparent suicides and winds up taking on terrorists -- the kind who would later murder the czar and start the Russian Revolution.
Verhoeven hopes to be in production next summer and that the film will harken back to the spirit, humor and characters of the Dutch films he made before coming to Hollywood. Verhoeven has drafted screenwriter Gerard Soeteman, who wrote the director's early films Soldier of Orange and Turkish Delight.
"The book has political intrigue, but not the harshness and sexuality that has been dominant in my Dutch and American movies," said Verhoeven. "The character is a cross between Sherlock Holmes and Indiana Jones. It is light, and with the exception of 'Robocop,' I've not been able to inject much lightness in my U.S. films."

You've got to hand it to director Paul Verhoeven; clearly the man doesn't know when he's beat. Despite negotiations for Basic Instinct 2 having ended acriminously in the courts, Verhoeven is still convinced that a sequel is do-able.
'I've met with the writers,' Verhoeven tells Variety today, 'and despite the unpleasant business that went on, I think Sharon would do it under the right circumstances. Clearly, you need a script strong enough to compete with the first one, otherwise, you make it and look at yourself in the eye and say, 'what the hell did I do?' But I've never refused to think about it, and have become more opening to listening in the last couple of years.'
While Verhoeven's friends and family try to get him to see sense, the director has been busy optioning more novels to film - this time securing the rights to a Russian detective novel Azazel, which he's hoping to turn into a film franchise.'

'The character is a cross between Sherlock Holmes and Indiana Jones,' Verhoeven explains. 'It is light, and with the exception of Robocop, I've not been able to inject much lightness in my U.S. films.'

FilmFour has announced that it has signed Paul Verhoeven to direct this true story of an astonishing 17th century shipwreck and mutiny off the coast of Western Australia. The Batavia, the flagship of the Dutch East India Company, ran aground on an island atoll and while the captain sailed off for help - the rest of the crew ended up falling into a miniature Fascist regime which split and lead to a battle between two rival camps - a real life "Lord of the Flies" but with adults. The world's most authentically reconstructed historical ship is a replica of the Batavia which the filmmakers are in negotiations to use. Scribe Gerard Soeteman is currently preparing to adapt the book about the incident by Mike Dash - Verhoeven has been trying to do the project on and off for ages but only now, with the English-language book published and access to the boat, are things coming together. Verhoeven said in the release "It has taken twenty years, but Gerard and I finally have the two crucial elements for a spectacular film, and I am delighted to be partnered with FilmFour in this venture". Work will likely start after production on "Azazel" is complete.

"Azazel" is the title of Verhoevens latest project. If and when filming starts is still not certain. The somewhat disappointing Hollow Man left the fans wondering... What will Verhoeven do next? The man always has dreams and plans, but nothing seems to happen... But now Verhoeven has written a script based on the first of a series of books by Boris Akounine, a Russian detective writer. "Azazel", which is ‘scapegoat’ in Hebrew, is about a Russian detective in 1876. Verhoeven describes the main character, Fandorin, as a Russian Sherlock Holmes having "maybe a little bit of an Indiana Jones touch." "It is light, and with the exception of Robocop, I've not been able to inject much lightness in my U.S. films."
read the interview >>

Director Paul Verhoeven is considering making a film about Adolf Hitler.
The Robocop director's proposed movie would cover Hitler's early political career and the rise of the Nazis. Verhoeven said he may have to seek support for the project in Europe.
He spoke to UK magazine Hot Dog about his interest in it.

The Ain't It Cool website reports that after being asked whether he was still interested in making a Hitler biopic, Verhoeven said: "Well, I've been talking to Ian Kershaw, who wrote two Hitler Books that came out last year, and yes, I am pursuing it."

When asked which angle the film would come from, Verhoeven said: "The original plan was placed on a proposal from Bobby Shriver, Schwarzenegger's brother-in-law. He came to me years ago with a proposal to do something about Hitler, notably the time between 1918 and 1925. The idea would be to show that charisma is not identical with good. So basically you would see how a charismatic person would be able to seduce 50 or 60 million Germans.
And I think Bobby was also looking at American politics, probably at the Reagan period, to make a point through another piece in another time. I think he thought that would be a metaphor for part of American politics."

Verhoeven said he was not optimistic about the chances of the film being made.
The Dutch director is also said to be interested in making a Cross of Iron style film about the German v Russian side of the Second World War from the German perspective.

Ah, the power of the internet! When a Robocop fan site began a petition to MGM to resurrect the Robocop series, little did they suspect that their efforts would reach the film’s director Paul Verhoeven and spur him to action.

The Robocop Database already has a 95 page petition ready to send to the film studio, begging them to make another Robocop – but their plea was given greater clout when UK magazine DVD Monthly brought the petition to the attention of Paul Verhoeven in an interview this month.

Asked whether he would be interested in revisiting the seminal sci-fi classic, Verhoeven got pretty animated, saying; ‘About four weeks ago I was having lunch with Ed Neumeier, writer of Robocop and Starship troopers, and during our conversation we got into Robocop again and we both felt that it would be interesting to do something again, especially that we are now 15 years later nearly in time and a lot of things have happened to the American economy, the American military, politics and whatever.’

‘I would not redo the first one, I would probably do a sequel, the first real sequel. Both of us thought it would be very interesting, so I think if the internet petition were to go to MGM studio that might help.’

At this point, the interviewer mentions that they’ve already asked the star Peter Weller for his reactions, which were positive. ‘Well, yes, I think it should be Peter Weller,’ agrees Verhoeven. ‘But he would have to be resurrected, like he was asleep for so many years and they didn't use him anymore and now in this time of terrorism or whatever they would say OK, he can be resurrected again. he would be laying like a mummy in a warehouse basically and... something like that. I think if you were to do it now you would have to reflect the world we live in now. I would start from scratch and find an inovative story that would satisfy all the people that are basically longing, like me, for a good sequel.'

Source: EmpireOnline
Go to source >>

----

October 2000

Verhoeven Declares Eszterhas A "****Ing" Liar

Paul Verhoeven has hit out at Basic Instinct (1992) screenwriter Joe Eszterhas over claims that Sharon Stone sat on his back with no panties on, massaging him. The director has dismisses the saucy claims as outright lies. He says, "I know Sharon so well because I worked so intensively with her, and I know that is a f***ing lie! He invented that!" Eszterhas also claims that he discovered Stone and made her a star although Verhoeven, who first worked with the actress on Total Recall (1990) sneers at this. Verhoeven claims the writer came to him when Stone was chosen for Basic Instinct (1992) and said, "I really feel we should have someone else, because I don't feel she can do it." These and other claims were made in Eszterhas' book American Rhapsody.

Source: WENN
Go to source >>

----

August 2000

Verhoeven Calls Sharon Stone A Liar And A Nightmare

Director Paul Verhoeven is refusing to take on the sequel to smash hit Basic Instinct (1992) because star Sharon Stone is a "liar". Stone is reported to be desperate to work with the Dutch director but he is refusing to get involved with the sequel because sexy Stone is "a nightmare" to work with. He says, "I have expressed little interest because the first one was so hard to make." He says Stone's claim that she didn't know about the infamous shot of between her legs is a lie. He explains, "Sharon, as much as I love her, I hate her too, especially after the lies she told the Press about the shot between her legs, which was a straight lie. I would never be able to do the sequel unless I checked out whether Sharon was still a nightmare or not. Maybe now that she has a baby, she might have settled down."

Source: WENN
Go to source >>

Note from the webmaster: absolutely no copyright infringement is intended. The source of the article is mentioned and linked. I just copy the text in case it gets removed from the original location. Please read the copyrights/disclaimer.