While Spike Lee works to bring his feature directorial debut to Netflix as a series, Lee and the man who shot the film (also a director in his own right), Ernest Dickerson, are apparently working on a 4K restoration of “She’s Gotta Have It” for an eventual re-release – a move that’s likely being timed with the premiere of the upcoming Netflix series based on the film (although Netflix hasn’t announced a date yet).
Dickerson shared the news during a press conference at International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR), where his latest feature, the much anticipated “Double Play,” made its World Premiere.
“The last time we worked together in Italy when I did the ‘Miracle At St. Anna’ as second unit director but recently he (Spike Lee) asked me to take charge of the 4K restoration of ‘She’s Gotta Have it,’ which I supervised at Technicolor in Los Angeles right before Christmas,” Dickerson said.
“In doing it, there were deleted scenes, scenes I had not seen since 1985/1986,” Dickerson added.
He didn’t say much else about the restoration, but given the production timeline (filming began before the holidays), Lee’s “She’s Gotta Have It” Netflix series should premiere later this year, or early next year. It’s possible that the restored film is re-released in theaters (although limited) and on blu-ray in the fall, with the Netflix series premiering soon afterward.
During the press conference at Rotterdam, Dickerson also shared that he’s written an Edgar Allan Poe-inspired horror movie set during the Trump presidency, titled “The Haunted Palace.”
“I started it as kind of a cautionary tale hoping that Donald Trump wouldn’t become President and then, when I was almost done writing the screenplay, he did become President,” Dickerson explained.
It’s likely one of several projects on his to-do list, including an adaptation of Octavia Butler’s “Clay’s Ark” which we announced on this blog 3 years ago. As is the often the case when it comes to major hurdles that need to be cleared in filmmaking, financing is a struggle.
We can only hope that these intriguing projects Dickerson wants to make eventually become realities.
In the meantime, we can look forward to his next feature film, “Double Play,” which is complete and has now made its World Premiere.
Based on the the internationally lauded novel of the same name by Curaçaoan author Frank Martinus Arion, the film stars Lennie James, Colin Salmon, Alexander Karim, Isaach De Bankolé, and Mustafa Shakir.
Louis Gossett Jr., Melanie Liburd, Saycon Sengbloh, Bronson Pinchot and newcomer Dani Dare round out the cast.
Considered to be author Arion’s magnum opus, the story is set in 1973 and 2010, and follows Ostrik (Salmon)’s return to his childhood home, and the memory of a fateful day more than 40 years prior. Over the course of that day, and a long-standing game of dominoes, the fates of four men (James, Karim, De Bankolé, and Shakir) are revealed through a journey of love, loss and deadly betrayal.
Shot on location in Curacao, the film utilized its surroundings by emphasizing the beauty of the landscape, the music and the people.
Dickerson directs from a screenplay written by Evan Jones and Alaric Alexander Smeets.
Lisa Cortés and Gregory Elias produced.
Jay Wadley composed the “Double Play” score. The film also includes a stellar performance of classic songs performed by Aymee Nuviola.
It’s Dicketson’s first theater-bound feature film directing effort since “Never Die Alone” in 2004, so it’s been quite a while, and we’re all glad to see him back at that level. Since then, he’s been directing mostly TV shows (and at least one TV movie).
No trailer for “Double Play” yet; but the images below are from the film.
The 46th International Film Festival Rotterdam runs from January 25 – February 5, 2017.
News of the 4K restoration of “She’s Gotta Have it” was reported by Screen Daily.
Check out images from “Double Play” below:
