Ooh, here's one title that I fervently hope doesn't get changed for the big screen: Timothy B. Tyson's book Blood Done Sign My Name will be adapted into a film by Jeb Stuart, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The book tells the true story of a black Vietnam vet allegedly murdered by a white businessman, and also examines a young teacher's role in the civil unrest that followed. Rising young star Nate Parker (The Great Debaters, Pride) will star. THR says that the independently-financed production will be filmed in North Carolina in May and June.As described by the book's publisher, the story is explosive. It starts in May 1970 with the public murder of Henry Marrow in Oxford, North Carolina. The killing sparked street protests in the small Southern town. "While lawyers battled in the courthouse," the synopsis reads, "the Klan raged in the shadows and black Vietnam veterans torched the town's tobacco warehouses."
Stuart may be best known as one of the writers of 1993's The Fugitive (the other was David Twohy). That script was unusually intelligent, logical, and quotable. Stuart's first screen credit as co-writer was 1988's Die Hard (the other writer was Steven E. de Souza); he's also labored on Leviathan, Lock Up, Just Cause, and Fire Down Below. He wrote and directed Switchback in 1997, a decent, twisty thriller featuring a really fine performance by R. Lee Ermey. Stuart was born in North Carolina, so I'm looking forward to seeing how a native son handles this story.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-28-2008 @ 5:03PM
Claire said...
good book. can't imagine it as a movie though. the story is half about henry marrow and half about tyson's childhood and family in the segregated south. i don't know how the writer will manage both stories.
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3-29-2008 @ 10:54AM
Aberdeen said...
I love Switchback and am looking forward to this, too.
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4-14-2008 @ 6:27PM
Jerry Adams said...
I understand that this is going to be an exciting movie. The production company was scouting for locations here in Shelby, North Carolina, where I reside. I further understand that the movie is also going to be filmed here in Shelby, North Carolina, I signed up to be an extra April 12, 2008, at the Cleveland Mall.
I hope I get a chance to be in the movie as an extra. I’m looking forward to working in this film.
Jerry Adams
Shelby, North Carolina.
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