Friday, July 13, 2007

Paul Haggis and In the Valley of Elah

After years of successful work in television with shows like "EZ Street" and "Family Law" Paul Haggis appears out of nowhere on the film scene with the small film Crash that went onto win him and Cathy Shulman the best picture award (pictured above). Paul didn't just win the best picture award, he also won for best original screenplay, and was nominated for best director.

In his 50s he wins his two academy awards for her first big screen film to direct. And he's only written the screenplay for another film at this point...oh yea, it was called Million Dollar Baby. Small time director named Clint Eastwood directed that one and Clint won the best picture award and best director, although Paul only received a nomination for his first film screenplay.

So in 2004 there was his writing for Million Dollar Baby that got recognized, and in 2005 it was Crash...what about 2006?

In 2006 Haggis again scored an academy award nomination as he worked on the writing for Clint Eastwood's double shot films Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima. Haggis got nominated for his adapted screenplay for Letters, while again Clint Eastwood picked up best picture and directing nominations.

Haggis also cleaned up the screenplay for 21st installment of James Bond, the successful film Casino Royale and also jump started a new television show "The Black Donnellys."

Paul Haggis' success hasn't seemed to stall out yet, which makes me think that his upcoming project In The Valley of Elah cannot be overlooked. Paul Haggis' involvement on the project made it an easy film for me to include in my best picture predictions I prepared a couple weeks ago.

The war drama In The Valley of Elah is directed and written by Paul Haggis, where he will have again the opportunity to test whether or not his touch is cinematic gold. The film is a war drama staring Academy Award winners Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, and Susan Sarandon.

In the film Tommy Lee Jones and Susan Surandon's son disappears in Iraq. Officer Tommy Lee Jones and Charlize Theron, a detective, go looking for him.

Related Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

6 comments:

Will said...

This is going to be incredible.

Terence Towles Canote said...

I just hope it's going to be the work of the Paul Haggis who wrote Million Dollar Baby, Flags of Our Fathers, and Letters From Iwo Jima we're going to see and not the work of the Paul Haggis of Crash...

elasticwaistbandlady said...

Some people just hit their peak and get better with age. Sadly, I just get more hairier with age. :(

Been a long time since I've seen you around, RC. Your comment the other day startled me!

J.D. said...

I like the fact I'm the only person in the Western hemisphere that loves Crash. :D

(*Original screenplay for Letters. *And he's a he, not a her.)

Marius said...

I did not like Crash. However, I understand why others liked it. And Haggis is certainly a talented individual. His success thus far is very impressive.

Attila the Mom said...

I'm really looking forward to this movie.

I never knew all that about Paul Haggis. Thanks so much for posting it!