Sean Lennon played a huge role in in making star-studded indie flick “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Undead” become a reality, the film's director and writer revealed to Niteside over the weekend.
Speaking at the Gramercy Park Hotel's Rose Bar where members of the cast, crew and friends feted the reimagining of Tom Stoppard's tragicomedy Friday night, writer and director Jordan Galland said the rocker son of John Lennon -- who scored the film -- was the impetus for getting him to pen the script.
“We’ve known each other forever," Jordan said of Lennon. "I told him about the idea for the film a long time ago. One day he was actually having dinner with Sir Tom Stoppard. I joined them for dessert and Stoppard told me he loved the title. He even asked me if he could read my script. Funny thing, I didn’t have one."
He added, "But I definitely wrote one after that."
After finishing the script, Galland brought the movie to C Plus Pictures, mostly because he didn’t have the courage to show it to Sir Tom.
“Yes, if you can’t get your material to Sir Tom Stoppard just send it to us at C Plus Pictures, we’re right there in the same level,” joked Mike Landry, who co-founded C Plus with Carlos Velazquez.
After the picture was in development, the cast began to form with formidable actors like Dustin Hoffman’s son Jake Hoffman, Ralph Macchio, Devon Aoki, Jeremy Sisto and Waris Ahluwalia. One of the easier stars to get sign on? Ralph Macchio.
“He was just excited to be a tough guy. Apparently his agent has been having him take sissy roles for the last 15 years,” Landry quipped.
Attendees of the Alma Tequila-sponsored bash rocked out to a performance by The Ghost Of A Saber Toothed Tiger, a band formed by Lennon and his model girlfriend Charlotte Kemp Muhl. Lennon, who closed out the night with a lively set, released an album inspired by the storyline.
The film is a tragicomedy that involves two characters from Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” The major change being that the two characters are undead or, more specifically, they are vampires.
