‘Lincoln’ Enters the Ring!
There’s a lot riding on the shoulders of legendary director Steven Spielberg. When the title was first announced, before seeing any footage or photos of Spielberg’s next project, Lincoln had been coined as an Oscar contender. Just two months before its release date, the world received its first look at a visually beautiful and brilliantly cast film.
As many may know, Lincoln has been on Spielberg’s to-do list for while now. It’s been ten years since the director announced that he wanted to make a film about our 16th president, and we’re finally seeing Spielberg’s take on history. Believe it or not, Liam Neeson was set to star as Lincoln, but by time they were ready to film, which didn’t happen right away due to conflicts, other interests, and unforeseen occurrences, the Taken star was deemed to old to play Lincoln. That’s when Oscar-winner Daniel Day-Lewis stepped in and slipped on the iconic stovepipe hat.
After optioning the rights to Doris Kearns Goodwin’s 2005 novel Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, Spielberg had playwright and screenwriter Tony Kushner (Munich, Angels in America) pen the script. I’ve been a huge fan of Kushner’s writing; it’s bold, true to the heart, and has a tendency to speak volumes about the world’s current state.
One Packed Cast
Daniel Day-Lewis, love him or hate him, has the perfect look for Lincoln. There’s been a lot of talk about Day-Lewis’s voice. When Lincoln comes to mind, we typically think of a man who spoke with a deep voice and little color and fluctuation in tone. While this may have been the voice associated with Lincoln throughout history, Lincoln scholar Harold Holzer explained that his voice may have been much higher than what we were led to believe:
“Lincoln’s voice, as far as period descriptions go, was a little shriller, a little higher,” – Harold Holzer – Smithsonian Magazine
You better believe Day-Lewis did his homework before day one of production. The talented actor is backed by a cast that includes Sally Field, David Strathairn, Tommy Lee Jones, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, John Hawkes, Jackie Earle Haley, Michael Stuhlbarg, James Spader, Bruce McGill, Jared Harris, Lee Pace, Adam Driver, Tim Blake Nelson, Hal Holbrook, David Oyelowo, and Walton Goggins. Talk about a cast! Sally Field makes the perfect Mary Todd Lincoln!
‘Lincoln’ Gallery
As far as potential Oscar contenders, across the board the promotion teams haven’t been as aggressive as in previous years. In all honesty, determining which films could possibly be nominated for Oscars and Golden Globes is anyone’s guess. Not that this wasn’t a strong year for films, in fact, it’s quite opposite; 2012 is a strong year filled with great and highly anticipated films – Lincoln, The Great Gatsby, Moonrise Kingdom, Django Unchained, Life of Pi, The Hobbit, Les Miserables, and many more. But judging by this trailer, Lincoln could be a heavyweight contender!
Check out the trailer below and let us know your thoughts by posting a comment below. Do you think Daniel Day-Lewis was the right choice for Lincoln. Better yet, could his performance earn him another Academy Award nomination?
Lincoln hits theaters November 16th, 2012.
‘Lincoln’ Movie Trailer
