Trailering: Falco, Philip Roth, Bill Maher.

Es war um 1780, und es war in Wien: I understand not a word of it, but I'm totally entranced by this trailer for Thomas Roth's Falco biopic "Falco - Verdammt, wir leben noch!". And really, what is there to understand? It's a musical biopic: humble beginnings, "Rock Me Amadeus," rise to fame, wild Austrian debauchery, untimely death by bus. Actually, I would like to know how Grace Jones fits into it all, as she's somehow in the trailer too. The film just opened in Germany, having hit Austrian theaters a few months ago, with, of course, no U.S. distribution in sight. [Hat tip to Twitch]. Here's a trailer for "Elegy," the sixth feature from director Isabel Coixet, of "The Secret Life of Words" and "My Life Without Me." It's based on Philip Roth's "The Dying Animal," the third in a trilogy about the character David Kepesh, all three of...

Es war um 1780, und es war in Wien: I understand not a word of it, but I’m totally entranced by this trailer for Thomas Roth’s Falco biopic “Falco – Verdammt, wir leben noch!”. And really, what is there to understand? It’s a musical biopic: humble beginnings, “Rock Me Amadeus,” rise to fame, wild Austrian debauchery, untimely death by bus. Actually, I would like to know how Grace Jones fits into it all, as she’s somehow in the trailer too. The film just opened in Germany, having hit Austrian theaters a few months ago, with, of course, no U.S. distribution in sight. [Hat tip to Twitch].

Here’s a trailer for “Elegy,” the sixth feature from director Isabel Coixet, of “The Secret Life of Words” and “My Life Without Me.” It’s based on Philip Roth’s “The Dying Animal,” the third in a trilogy about the character David Kepesh, all three of which have, as they say in the literary world, squicked me out. No one’s adapted Roth to the screen to any sense of general satisfaction, but this work is one that would seem to pose an interesting challenge to a female filmmaker — at the very least, it looks like the film may downplay Kepesh’s boob fixation, though maybe that’s just not trailer friendly. Ben Kingsley plays the aging professor, Penélope Cruz his younger lover, Peter Sarsgaard his son and Patricia Clarkson his not as young lover, and the film’s due out August 8th.

Here’s one for “Religulous,” Bill Maher’s not at all controversial anti-religion documentary set to open October 3rd. Fine use of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” during a montage; the title is apparently a combination of “religion” and “ridiculous.”

And here’s a trailer for “Boy A,” a brilliantly depressing film about a young man trying to start anew after having spent most of his life in juvenile prison for the murder of another boy. It’s directed by John Crowley, whose last feature was the intersecting Dublin lives drama “Intermission,” featuring Colin Farrell in one of the few roles in which he’s actually looked comfortable.

[Photo: "Falco - Verdammt, wir leben noch!", MR Filmproduktion, 2008]

+ Trailer: Falco – Verdammt, wir leben noch! (Falcoderfilm.at)
+ Trailer: Elegy (Yahoo)
+ Trailer: Religulous (Apple)
+ Trailer: Boy A (Apple)