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'Sopranos' creator David Chase returns to HBO with miniseries on early Hollywood

10:26 AM PT, Mar 16 2009

David Chase, whose series “The Sopranos” helped shape HBO’s reputation for high-impact dramas, is bringing another project to the network: a period miniseries about the birth and growth of Hollywood.

“A Ribbon of Dreams” will tell the story of two men with disparate backgrounds who get their start in motion pictures working for director D.W. Griffith. The men — one a college-educated mechanical engineer and the other a cowboy with a violent past — ultimately work with the likes of John Ford, Bette Davis and Billy Wilder as they rise through the nascent film industry.

Chase will write and executive-produce the miniseries and direct the initial episodes, HBO announced today. Paramount Pictures Chief Executive Brad Grey, who served as executive producer of “The Sopranos” with Chase, will also executive-produce “A Ribbon of Dreams.”

“It gives me pleasure to think of working, together with Brad, with HBO, again,” Chase said in a statement. “These are all people who, obviously, occupy a special place in my heart.”

The miniseries takes its name from Orson Welles’ description of a film as “a ribbon of dreams.” Starting in 1913, the series will trace Hollywood’s evolution from the purveyor of silent westerns to the powerhouse global industry of today.

“For seven years, David Chase dazzled and entertained the world with ‘The Sopranos,' ” said Richard Plepler, co-president of HBO. “He’s a remarkable talent, and we’re very excited to be working with both David and Brad again.”

— Matea Gold

Wonder who'll play Griffith. Charles Dance was pretty perfect in Good Morning Babylon, even though the film was kind of weak.

Ciaran Hinds, maybe.

I was wondering that too. I was at the Farmers Market yesterday I swear I seen his hispanic double! THE NOSE! It was fantastic.

I dont know why but Im afraid of this miniseries...will it be any good or will it be 'The Cats Meow'? I understand (I remember we all had this discussion on a Fatty Arbuckle thread) facts cant always get in the way of a film but I dont think great lengths always need to be taken either...these people were interesting enough we dont need to destroy all facts about them!

This is more of a press release from DEADLINE HOLLYWOOD DAILY website:

And it's not a moment too soon, since HBO has become a wasteland of anything worth watching. (Feel free to disagree with me...) Today's announcement says The Sopranos creator will develop a miniseries "about the invention of cinema and subsequent growth of the Hollywood film industry" entitled A Ribbon Of Dreams (which takes its name from Orson Welles’ description, “A film is a ribbon of dreams.”)

Beginning in 1913, it will follow two men, "one a college-educated mechanical engineer, the other a cowboy with a violent past, who form an unlikely producing partnership as employees of D.W. Griffith and together become pioneers and then powers for a time in motion pictures".

Crossing career paths with John Ford, John Wayne, Raoul Walsh, Bette Davis, Billy Wilder and others, the miniseries will cover the age of rough-hewn silent Westerns, to the golden era of talkies and the studio system, to the auteur movement, to television, and finally to the present day.

Chase will write and executive produce the miniseries, as well as direct the initial episodes. But wait: also on board is Paramount Pictures chairman/CEO Brad Grey, who executive produced The Sopranos with Chase, and will also serve as an executive producer on the new miniseries, too. What, they don't pay him enough at Viacom that Brad has to moonlight at HBO? What a slap in the face to Les Moonves, whose CBS Inc owns rival Showtime. Kary Antholis, president of HBO miniseries, will oversee the project. UPDATE: An insider emails me by way of explanation: "Brad is on the David Chase HBO project as an EP, but the deal is with Paramount -- and it's an HBO/Paramount/Chase Films production."

Michael F. Blake wrote:This is more of a press release from DEADLINE HOLLYWOOD DAILY website:

Today's announcement says The Sopranos creator will develop a miniseries "about the invention of cinema and subsequent growth of the Hollywood film industry" entitled A Ribbon Of Dreams.

Chase will write and executive produce the miniseries, as well as direct the initial episodes.

In the final episode, the characters sit around a table at the studio cafeteria, in a lengthy and pointless scene that abruptly cuts to black before the end credits roll.

The silent era portion of this sounds suspiciously similar to Bogdanovich's "Nickelodeon" and that film's basis, the reminiscences of Raoul Walsh and Allan Dwan.

Which one was college-educated?

Gary J.

gjohnson wrote:Which one was college-educated?

Gary J.

Of the two, Allan Dwan. Notre Dame Class of 1906.

On the larger issue of a series like this - if it comes off at all, not a sure thing by any stretch - there's only so much anyone can do to get it right.

The things than can be done right - costumes with elements that didn't exist in 1913, using period music or someone with the skill to do period covers, props and sounds that belong to that time - should be done.

If it needs to be done slavishly authentic - give the $ to Kevin Brownlow and let him do it. If the HBO people keep the modern knowledge out of the characters and recreate the period as it was reported by those living it, then it may be okay. Until the next diary turns up detailing the set of Intolerance that contradicts Karl Brown's version of events.

But I wouldn't worry about it. No one will watch and HBO won't support it for very long. But I am open to being wrong.

MackSennett wrote:
On the larger issue of a series like this - if it comes off at all, not a sure thing by any stretch - there's only so much anyone can do to get it right.

The things than can be done right - costumes with elements that didn't exist in 1913, using period music or someone with the skill to do period covers, props and sounds that belong to that time - should be done.

If it needs to be done slavishly authentic - give the $ to Kevin Brownlow and let him do it. If the HBO people keep the modern knowledge out of the characters and recreate the period as it was reported by those living it, then it may be okay. Until the next diary turns up detailing the set of Intolerance that contradicts Karl Brown's version of events.

But I wouldn't worry about it. No one will watch and HBO won't support it for very long. But I am open to being wrong.

Ummmm...first up, why do you assume that these people were telling the truth? Many of them were spinning big, fat whoppers.

Carnivale was pretty darned good, I watched that and was sorry to see it end. I'll watch this and hope it's as good.

Fred

I have no doubt that much of the history was fabricated outright and all of it was filtered through subjective lenses. "Whoppers" are part of the storytelling tradition Before DeMille, there was Mark Twain telling tall tales. Truth with a small "t" is the description of real champagne and caviar being served on a Von Stroheim set. Truth with a capital "T" are the receipts proving it and hopefully a shot or two in the final product.

Given the general apathy towards the early days of film, I don't think the result will amount to much.

Frederica wrote:

MackSennett wrote:
On the larger issue of a series like this - if it comes off at all, not a sure thing by any stretch - there's only so much anyone can do to get it right.

The things than can be done right - costumes with elements that didn't exist in 1913, using period music or someone with the skill to do period covers, props and sounds that belong to that time - should be done.

If it needs to be done slavishly authentic - give the $ to Kevin Brownlow and let him do it. If the HBO people keep the modern knowledge out of the characters and recreate the period as it was reported by those living it, then it may be okay. Until the next diary turns up detailing the set of Intolerance that contradicts Karl Brown's version of events.

But I wouldn't worry about it. No one will watch and HBO won't support it for very long. But I am open to being wrong.

Ummmm...first up, why do you assume that these people were telling the truth? Many of them were spinning big, fat whoppers.

Carnivale was pretty darned good, I watched that and was sorry to see it end. I'll watch this and hope it's as good.

Fred

Since when have the words ''Raoul Walsh'' and ''truth'' come into the same sentence?

misspickford9 wrote:I was wondering that too. I was at the Farmers Market yesterday I swear I seen his hispanic double! THE NOSE! It was fantastic.

I dont know why but Im afraid of this miniseries...will it be any good or will it be 'The Cats Meow'? I understand (I remember we all had this discussion on a Fatty Arbuckle thread) facts cant always get in the way of a film but I dont think great lengths always need to be taken either...these people were interesting enough we dont need to destroy all facts about them!

In CAT'S MEOW's defense, it stated right at the outset that it was not necessarily what actually happened, but only the "most common rumor."

Mike S.

precode wrote:

misspickford9 wrote:I was wondering that too. I was at the Farmers Market yesterday I swear I seen his hispanic double! THE NOSE! It was fantastic.

I dont know why but Im afraid of this miniseries...will it be any good or will it be 'The Cats Meow'? I understand (I remember we all had this discussion on a Fatty Arbuckle thread) facts cant always get in the way of a film but I dont think great lengths always need to be taken either...these people were interesting enough we dont need to destroy all facts about them!

In CAT'S MEOW's defense, it stated right at the outset that it was not necessarily what actually happened, but only the "most common rumor."

Mike S.

Then let me grab a coke bottle and a virginal 20 year old brunette...I got a Fatty film to make LOL!