Last year, the Nicole Kidman-starring biopic “Grace of Monaco” made history as one of the worst-reviewed opening night movies in the history of the Cannes Film Festival. This weekend, it notched another undesirable record when it became the first movie to go straight from competition at Cannes to the Lifetime channel. What went wrong? Last night, screenwriter Arash Amel took to his Twitter to offer a running commentary on the movie that could have been. Here are the highlights, which include Amel discovering as he’s watching that Lifetime is airing a third cut of the film he’s never seen before.
OK folks, so here I am. In about 20 minutes, @lifetimetv will be showing #GraceofMonaco I will live tweet the whole thing & take questions.
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
The purpose of this live tweet is to correct the record, an explanation, an apology and most of all a bit of light hearted fun. #GOMFacts
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
Also consider this to be the writer’s dvd commentary #GOMFacts
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
#GraceofMonaco live tweet will also be valuable lesson in how a script becomes a film. Coppola made Heart of Darkness, I lived it. #GOMFacts
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
In short #GraceofMonaco was my filmmaking Vietnam. I survived it, but I’ll never be the same. #GOMFacts
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
To clear up some inaccuracies. TWC was never a producer on the movie. Bought US rights after the film was shot and in edit. #GOMFacts
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
The movie was creatively produced solely by Stone Angels in France, and the vision is all the director’s and French producer’s. #GOMFacts
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
French cut was 103min, TWC cut (never finished) was 92 min. @Lifetimetv are showing in a 90min TV slot, I’m presuming with ads #GOMFacts
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
My views on French cut are well documented. But it did get standing ovation in the main screening. The press had booed it earlier. #GOMFacts
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
I wrote a Peter-Morgan-type biopic that became a Douglas Sirk melodrama. That’s your lot as a writer. All your dreams, right there #GOMFacts
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
Somebody help me #GOMFacts
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
The ADR. Oh the ADR. Who wrote and recorded this ADR? #GOMFacts
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
GUYS, THIS IS A NEW THIRD EDIT OF GRACE OF MONACO! #GOMFacts
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
This movie has had more edits than I’ve had films made. #GOMFacts
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
This is actually better than the version that played Cannes. If you can believe that. It’s tighter, better edited. #GOMFacts
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
Someone turn that fucking music off. We had it as Ennio Moricone in the temp. #GraceofMonaco
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
ok now, so if ads run every 20mins, we’re looking at Lifetime delivering a 75min cut. That’s almost 30 mins off the French cut #GOMFacts
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
TURN OFF THE MUSIC!!! #GOMFacts
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
Lesson for film grads: this is how you wash away what was actually a great performance in this scene with unnecessary music. #GOMFacts
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
The whole tone of this movie was for some reason Vertigo. Which Grace Kelly was never in. #GOMFacts
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
This movie’s moving at a tolerable speed. Bravo @lifetimetv #GOMFacts
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
That lunch scene was one of the few scenes that actually played as written. Except for the music, WTF. #GOMFacts
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
The lunch scene plays really well when you see it in full without music. Nicole and Tim played it brilliantly. V tense. #GOMFacts
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
Monaco royal family signed off on script after we removed reference to divorce (true) & rainier’s temper (true) #GOMFacts
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
Royal family then attacked the movie in the press before seeing it. Then the French contingent put it all back in #GOMFacts
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
Director boycotted collaboration. I got called in by Harvey as a producer to restore the movie as a ‘writer’s cut’. https://t.co/zwEosYILat
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
After I saw finished movie I complained to Harvey, and he heard me. But under French law, director say is final. https://t.co/zwEosYILat
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
I fought the good fight. But the law is the law. Sometimes you get Truffaut. Sometimes you get this. https://t.co/zwEosYILat
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
One day the world will see the US Writer’s Cut. I’m planning on being here a while … #GOMFacts
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
The music. Save me. Save me. #GOMFacts
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
KILL THE MUSIC #GOMFacts
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
Anyone know what’s going on? #GOMFacts
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
If you watch even this cut without music, it’s really very different. #GOMFacts
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
When you write a movie, and someone makes it, and you’re like … pic.twitter.com/MfapV7MeSH
— Arash Amel (@arashamel) May 26, 2015
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