Ben Parker To Tutor "Bel Ami" Cast


From BelAmiFilm.com

EXCLUSIVE

Ben Parker, a London-based musician, has been tapped to tutor the cast of Bel Ami with singing and music lessons.

Ben confirmed his appointment with BelAmiFilm.com and we are excited to share this news with you and also to make you aware of Ben’s music.

“I’ve more recently been involved in the John Lennon biopic ‘Nowhere Boy’ and am currently in discussion about a number of other film projects both on a tuition and compositional level,” says Ben Parker.

Ben has promised to keep us updated on his experience working with stars like Uma Thurman, Christina Ricci and Kristin Scott-Thomas for us to share with you at a later date. For now he has only been given a small brief in what is the pre-production stage of making the Bel Ami movie.

Filming of Bel Ami is set to begin February 15. We will keep you posted!

And Ben Tweeted about it today

52 comments:

  1. Well George doesn't sing, so I doubt he will be working with Rob directly. Exciting that it's happening right now though, can't wait for Bel Ami!! :D

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  2. What kind of musical tutorials will be required for the cast of Bel Ami? I don't see anything in the script that would require that. Can anyone enlighten me?

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  3. Kate--maybe that someone doesn't need music tutoring?

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  4. What would they need musical tutoring for? Is it going to be a musical? That would be strange.

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  5. Wha..??? Who sings in Bel Ami? There's no singing character in the book nor in the copy of the script I saw.

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  6. I haven't read the script, but my guess is that there might be some music and songs from the ladies of the house during social entertainment evenings...

    I do hope they are not turning it into a musical! Hahahaha!

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  7. Marna--I asked AP that on an older thread, when she told me who Ben Parker was and what he would be doing. I detest musicals! I cannot recall in the book where ayone was singing or playing instruments, but as I said in the other posting,
    it would fit in setting with the time period -no TV or radio or stereos or internets; what DID they do for entertainment? ;-)
    I wonder if Georges 'Bel Ami' would have had such an -ahem-'active' life if he were in these times--would the women have said, 'Now is not a good ti'me; Lost is on soon.' ? or--I have to catch up on the Robsessed blog'? :-D
    But I still hope it won't be a musical. Ugghhhh

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  8. There's a scene or two when the ladies sing around the piano at dinner partied and the like :)

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  9. I read this a few days ago & I don't get it either....

    There's nothing in the book or script that required music... Unless they've made a dramatic change somewhere....

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  10. Oh Matilda, you may be right about the dinner party....forgot about that....

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  11. Definitely a musical! I demanded the change as I'm tired of not hearing Rob sing anything new and threatened to pull all my backing out of the production unless he has at least seven musical numbers with the ladies backing. I thought Nine would seem a little tacky. They agreed, so I left my um...massive contribution in the pot.;)

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  12. Oh sorry I haven't read the script or the book so I don't know !
    And yes Solas you're right ;-)

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  13. there's always singing and playing the piano at dinner parties...also, mentions of singing in the script: page 5 (The Gavotte), 41(dinner party where Suzanne sings/plays piano)...I imagine there's always singing at The Gavotte and this establishment is mentioned several times...George does not sing...or play an instrument...a musical instrument that is because well...women he does play ;)

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  14. Oh, and I hope Ben realizes he's about to have an influx of insatiable followers, and no rest for the next month or so...lol

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  15. Ap-you've left me cringing and cold with the mental picture---and
    Nine a little tacky!!!!ROTFL!!!!
    I say flush your contribution in the pot and have the lad do an album and keep the musicals on Broadway where old folks can get their NYC kicks with the rockettes.

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  16. No musical pleas.......

    @RPG,new pic? link to the big one?

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  17. annie,

    I put it on my blog-but I already changed again-

    I love his wonky feet!!!!

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  18. @Solas: I'm not averse to musicals - there are some great songs and performances that came from the genre, but Bel Ami's already been done as a semi-musical anyway, so I doubt they'd go that route. I agree, let's have that album! :)

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  19. Oh, I forgot about The Gavotte. I didn't "hear" the music over my own heavy breathing! LOL

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  20. RPG! No, put the WetRob Manip back! (Gwen whines.) So shudder-worthy!!!

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  21. LOL @ Gwen.

    It is a hot manip. However, knowing it is not Rob's body in manip's always greatly reduces the sexy for me.

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  22. AP--the only musical I liked -other than Disney movies like Mary Poppins and Pollyanna from when I was a little girl- was CATs. I also would love to see Jersey Boys, but that is logical as a musical. Other than that, I'm gagging and groping for the exit. I want to see 9 only for DDL but don't know if I will be sit through it.

    BelAmi was done as a musical??? Even semi-musical???? That sounds positively grotesque!!!

    Now I REALLY need Rob to do an album to whitewash that auditory nightmare from my mind!

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  23. sorry--that should have been=able to sit through it-

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  24. Solas, Sound of Music? THE Best Musical ever! ; ) I heart Julie Andrews!

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  25. I need to read the book but dont know where i can get it...

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  26. sorry Gwen-- other htan the part of their escaping/tricking/not wanting to cooperate with the nazis (may they be blotted out),couldn't stand it.

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  27. Cindygal, here you go: http://www.classicreader.com/book/1525/

    And you can order Bel Ami from Amazon, if you like hardcopy books better! ; )

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  28. oh sorry--i DID LOVE LOVE LOVE the movie Fiddler on the Roof; never got to see it on stage.

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  29. Bummer, Solas! ; ). Gwen read way too many Harlequin Romances (and Barbara Cartlands) way back then. Sound of Music was pretty much a romance novel set to music with lots of singing! ; )

    All my guys---Hubs and both sons---love musicals. Chicago, Phantom, and (LOL) Dr.Horrible...

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  30. Solas, Oklahoma? Seven Brides for Seven Brothers? Hello Dolly?

    Yeah, the common theme here, besides music, would be the HEA. (Happily Ever After.)

    Gwen likes those. ; )

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  31. Thank G-d my kids don't like musicals (other than Fiddler on the ROof which they all loved), although my son has (IMHO) the weirdest taste in music (aside from liking the great stuff that he learned from myself. ;-)) and my older daughter, aside from also liking the good stuff, likes (shudder) country music.
    My ex got rid of most of my vinyl albums (that was all I had in those days) as he considered them unholy. :( He had no taste. But I wouldn't be surprised if he liked musicals.

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  32. gwen--nope, nope, and nope :D

    Look at my blogger profile for music taste and you will see where I am at. :-D

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  33. Well, each to his or her own, of course, but I liked Chicago on stage, and recently watched Uma in "The Producers" on film. She was surprisingly funny. Some of my fav musicals are not so mainstream - Threepenny Opera, Jaques Brel Alive and Well, Candide, Sweeny Todd (cabaret version)and...um..Tommy. I also like "Fiddler." Look, if Rob did a musical, I'd be in the front row! lol

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  34. ooo Tommy!!! I never saw it, but I had the album way back in the day (one of the ones tossed as evil). It inspired me to becomea pinwall wizard :-D and also influenced my work with children on the spectrum and selective mutism. JC superstar was also very good, but again, only heard the album.
    So if those are considered musicals, I am guilty-- I DID like some.

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  35. I had thought of Tommy and JCSS as rock operas, not musicals--or were they made into musicals??? AM so confused!

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  36. Rock operas/rock musicals - pretty much the same deal to me, but if calling them operas helps enjoyment overcome the guilt, then operas they are. ;) I know its nostalgia camp but I confess I had a phase when Rocky Horror was big in my life. I'm over it. lol Richard O'B is a little scary at times...
    Gonna go and listen to something a little classical right now for study. Well, its a lot classical...Nite.

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  37. I guess Declan Donnellan is going to really change Bel Ami as it was written by Guy de Maupassant. He got an award in the 90's for best musical Sweeney Todd.
    He could make Bel Ami into a kind of "Moulin Rouge", giving it a brand new perspective and this could be really great, instead of just making a boring adaptation of the novel!
    I'm looking really forward to seeing this movie and where it's gonna take Rob.

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  38. yeah I don't recall too much singing or music in the script but Rob won't need tutoring in either of those areas will he?? lol

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  39. Considering I cannot stand opera either, it doesn't less the guilt to thnk of Tommy or jcss as rock operas, just never thought of them as musicals. It is the rock that made them bearable and enjoyable, and again, I listened to the albums, didn't view them as musicals.

    I will be really bummed out if they make BelAmis into a musical of any form. The idea just disgusts me. It is almost sacrilege--and considering what is in the story (esp. Church madeline and the portrait), that is pretty strong.

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  40. Sacrilege? Wow. Can't say I view Bel Ami as a text in that light. I'm open to most forms of music, with preferences. I've found I learn from all sources. As I said, to each their own.

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  41. @Sissidelyon: Curious - where did you hear Donnellan's going to do a "Moulin Rouge?" I think it was Bennette who made any changes so far. Yes, Donnellan directed S.Todd but it already was a musical. He has directed Three Sisters and Macbeth recently, too, but didn't turn them into musicals.
    Kinda bemused there's so much discussion about something that no-one, including Ben, has said is happening. Portman's scored a lot of films that aren't musicals. If you've heard that's not the case would like to know where you heard it...

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  42. Rob nominated by music website ~
    Vote Rob award: nominated in cathegory "Hottest Male" by Shockwaves NME Awards 2010 (ceremony 24 February, London, at Brixton Academy)
    www.nme.com/rate/hottestmale2010/97
    Vote New Moon award: Nominated in cathegory #12 Best Film
    www.nme.com/awardsvote/11/

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  43. More twits from www.twitter.com/benparkermusic
    ~ some more film work has slipped my way. this time it's Thurman, Scott-Thomas and Ricci in 'Bel Ami'. 19th century France darling
    ~ crazy. something to do with some kind of robert pattinson film. never heard of him.
    ~ not score. that's the wonderful Rachael Portman. I'm tutoring actors for music scenes.
    ~ scene 30. music. that's all for now ;-)
    ~ nope. not RP. i think he can handle himself

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  44. Jeez peeps :D For tenth millionth time, although it will be spoke over at least another ten million times no doubt, it's not a bloody musical ! lol ! Ben Parker said he was needed for 'scene 30', that's one scene and it's been discussed how they're around a piano during a dinner party. George doesn't sing but the women do and I'd imagine that they need to be trained to sing differently as the singing voices at the time would have had a different style/pitch to them depending on what was considered 'fashionable' or 'high society' etc :)

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  45. More www.twitter.com/benparkermusic
    ~ the book is supposed to be great. I had the production manager give me a brief plot synopsis. sounds amazing.
    ~ ooh, just got the Bel Ami script. All I can say is it's one hell of a story!
    ~ now I'm a straight man, and even i'm starting to turn the Pattinson way ;-)

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  46. AP- I get the idea that people can appreciate most if not all forms of music; I simply don't. I am sure some of it is pyschological--My parents played opera, cantorial and classic music and I used to run to my room with my little record player and escape-- rock, esp metal and later forms like grunge, meet the force and rage I have managed to keep inside so I can be sweet and mellow to the world. Some of it is just taste, though-- like any art, there is what I like, and what I don't--even if i can intellectually appreciate it. As for BelAmi- Aside from the fact I said ALMOST sacriligious, not that the text itself is religious G-d forbid, but IMHO good well-written literature ought to be appreciated as that, and not messed up into a form that detracts from the prose, details of character, etc, which I see musicals as doing. As you say--to each his/her own, and we already know I am strange anyway. :-)

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  47. Did I miss something in the script???

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  48. Purple83- I just saw your comment. Thanks for the reminder.

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  49. Sleeper- OMG. That that last tweet from Ben is too funny. LOL

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  50. www.twitter.com/benparkermusic
    ~ I hope the Bel Ami clan aren't just interested in my film connections. I'm great at juggling too.
    ~ at the moment it's just great that my music is being heard out there on a wider level
    ~ are we using the hashtag? is that the best way when i talk #BelAmi ?
    ~ currently thinking I might be on set for scene 30 #BelAmi RP, UT, CR, all present
    ~ good night my twilights. tomorrow is a fresh new day of opportunity and rumour ;-)
    ~ wow. i've put on some pounds followers wise and it feels good. maybe i'll have to do that naked speedo photo shoot i've always talked about.
    ~ 793 followers. how did that happen?
    ~ darn. i just lost one. my #BelAmi folk i know you're still with me.
    ~ can't believe the reaction to my new connection with mr pattinson. this man has the world in his hands.
    ~ life before Robert Pattinson. that's how my career will be dissected
    ~ @pattylust not at all. it's flattering. esp because you all seem to be genuinely lovely
    ~ ROB FACTOR 9 [reply after: @MiraTL ~ It's called The Rob Factor :)]

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