After buzz, rumor, speculation and in the past few weeks, some pretty explosive headlines thanks to a pretty saucy New York Times Magazine profile, as well as word that both Sundance and SXSW turned down the low budget film, Paul Schrader's "The Canyons" has indeed found a home.
IFC Films has snapped up the North American rights to the movie with a planned day-and-date theatrical/VOD release planned. Penned by Bret Easton Ellis, the film is described as a cross between "American Gigolo" and "American Psycho," exploring the dark side of Hollywood, in a story centered on a scheming and very wealthy movie producer Christian (pornstar James Deen) who makes movies to satisfy his father's demands that he maintain a viable career. Lindsay Lohan plays Tara, his girlfriend who's hiding an affair with an actor from her past. Christian becomes more and more demanding, inviting various sex partners to join him and Tara in his luxurious Malibu Canyon lair.
Whether or not this news will make it more enticing for Deen to sign onto the porno version of the movie he's been offered by Vivid Entertainment remains to be seen. That would certainly be a meta-ending capper to the saga of the film. Now, after all the hype, audiences will be able to decide for themselves whether Schrader has managed to put together a compelling indie genre flick despite the documented difficulties.
IFC Films plans an early summer release for "The Canyons" in conjunction with a Special Presentation at the Film Society of Lincoln Center where the film will be screened and followed by a conversation with Schrader and Kent Jones, Director of Programming of the New York Film Festival.
