Actor/director James Franco is set to next tackle adaptations of Charles Bukowski’s semi-biographical novel “Ham On Rye” and a modern biopgrahy of poet Hart Crane, “The Broken Tower.”
‘Rye’ partially centers on Bukowski’s younger self and follows the coming of age of Henry Chinaski in depression-era Los Angeles. “The Broken Tower,” meanwhile, will likely be based on Paul L. Mariani’s biography of the same name that “illuminates previously shadowy corners of [Crane’s] life.”
Both projects would prove interesting subjects for the prolific film-school student who most recently helmed a documentary on “Saturday Night Live” that will debut at SXSW and shorts based on Anthony Hecht’s homoerotic poem “The Feast Of Stephen” and Frank Bidart’s “Herbert White,” starring Michael Shannon. His last feature length film was 2007’s family-drug-drama “Good Time Max” which he also starred in.
The adaptation of Bukowski’s novel also sees Franco work with up and coming brother Dave Franco. In an interview last year, the younger Franco revealed that “one of my favorite books of all time is, ‘Ham On Rye,” by Charles Bukowski, which my brother and I are actually adapting right now. It’s like a dream come true. Hopefully that will amount to something. Definitely with Bukowski’s material, it’s pretty dark, and it’s not going to be a movie that appeals to wide audiences, but we love it so much.”
Any chance either Franco may lead the film as well? Surely, there’s advantages in the casting process when you’ve co-written the project with your brother.
