Pinewood Spins With The Catherine Wheel...

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The upcoming historical feature "Catherine of Alexandria" is prepping to start at Pinewood Studios UK.

Following the recent discovery of the 4th Century diary of 'Saint Catherine', the film will tell the story of her torture on a wheel of spikes at the hands of the Roman despot Maximus in 329 AD.

Saint Catherine of Alexandria, also known as Saint Catherine of the Wheel and Great Martyr Saint Catherine, is claimed to have been a scholar in the early 4th century.

What is told of her life is composed of legends, that she was the daughter of 'Costus', governor of Alexandria and one day announced to her parents that she would marry someone who surpassed her in everything, such that "His beauty was more radiant than the shining of the sun, His wisdom governed all creation, and His riches were spread throughout all the world."

She visited the Roman Emperor and succeeded in converting his wife the Empress, but after 'pagan wisemen' were sent by the Emperor to dispute with her, only to convert as well, they were killed and she was placed in prison.

When people visiting Catherine also coverted as well, she was condemned to death on the breaking wheel instrument of torture.

According to legend, the wheel broke after she touched it and she was beheaded instead.

The 'Catherine Wheel' fireworks, symbolizes the instrument of torture designed to break her prior to execution.

Cast includes Peter O’Toole and Steven Berkoff.

Pinewood Studios recently hosted several high-profile pictures at their UK lot including "Me and Orson Welles", staged at Pinewood, "Cracks", staged/mixed at Pinewood, "Nine", staged at Shepperton and "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time", also staged at the studio...

DreamWorks Gears Up For "Real Steel"

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DreamWorks' Steven Spielberg and Stacey Snider have green-lit the $80 million, sci fi feature "Real Steel", starring Hugh "Wolverine" Jackman.

The film will be the first picture for the studios since raising $650 million production funding from J.P. Morgan Securities and India-based Reliance Big Pictures. Disney also contributed $175 million, for the exclusive distribution of new DreamWorks titles."Real Steel" will be set in the future, where human 'blood-sport' boxing has been outlawed for being ultra violent and high-tech 'rock 'em sock 'em ' robots pound each other out in the ring instead. In the 1963 "Twilight Zone" episode "Steel", adapted by Rod Serling, based on author Richard Matheson's short story, boxing involving human fighters has been criminalized in the future, with the field now dominated by 'fighting robots'. Former boxer 'Steel Kelly' manages an older model 'B2-model' robot called 'Battling Maxo'. When another robot gets damaged on the way to a fight event, Kelly is contacted to see if Maxo can fight in his place. Kelly assures the promoter that Maxo is up to the task, as he and his partner use the last of their money to get to the venue, for big prize money and one last shot at the big time.

But as Kelly faces the facts that Maxo's functions are broken down from years of wear and tear, he desperately disguises himself as the robot to continue with the fight, almost getting himself killed in the ring by a battling 'B7 robot'. But Maxo is awarded half the prize money for an amusingly 'poor' performance, with loyal Kelly planning to use the money to get parts to fix up Maxo, good as new.

For this latest adaptation of the Matheson story, "Real Steel" will be scripted by Les Bohem and John Gatins.
The property is one of 17 projects Spielberg and Snider retained as part of DreamWorks' split from Paramount. The studio will finance the film entirely, though not opposed to Paramount wanting to finance half, as part of their 'first-look' deal.
Spielberg has always been fond of the project, reading "Famous Monsters Of Filmland" magazine as a kid and thrilling to "Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots" TV commercials, with "He knocked his block off!" becoming a catch-phrase in the schoolyard.
DreamWorks initially acquired the project in 2005 for a reported $850,000, with writer John Gatins handing in the most recent draft screenplay.Production of "Real Steel" will start June 2010..
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Twilight Zone: Steel" and "Rock 'Em Sock' 'Em Robots"...