So... why post this rumor? Because... it is delicious... the sort of rumor that I so want to be true it isn't even funny. As I watched SAVAGE STREETS at the Drafthouse Wednesday night, all I could think while watching that badass Linda Blair taking them punks that done done her wrong and making them bleed and burn... well all I could think was.... MY GOD! QUENTIN IS MAKING ONE OF THESE.... BUT WITH GREAT DIALOGUE, ACTING AND CINEMATICS...

Now here's the thing... the story is about an American Indian and a Black Man that escape from Prison in the old west in this Elmore Leonard novel... and just thinking about it... Who would he of cast if he was going to do it on the QT? How could he assemble a crew? Keep it quiet? I don't know... Sounds like bullshit, but I tell you... the whole time I'm at Cannes... somewhere I'll be hoping for this to come true!

...

Folks... Harry here again... I haven't been able to shake this rumor from my head, that's why the percent went from 2% to 3 and 9/16%! Someone below says, "How could NO ONE let it slip?" Well, technically... here's someone... And, the rumors have been solid for years now.... Since early 1999. Hell Hollywood Reporter and Variety announced that this was Quentin's next film. Then all word disappeared... But Quentin finished the script... I've heard that. BUT... when Quentin was recently asked about THE VEGA BROTHERS, he stated that THAT film was pretty far off because he had to shoot his next film, KILL BILL and then his WORLD WAR II film.

What the hell happened to FORTY LASHES?

It was to be Quentin's Western... A genre he loves! The last QT fest was heavy on the male male friendship, escape and conquer flicks... Festival before that was heavy on the 'Jackie Brown-esque' films...

I think the reason I'm reacting so strongly to this RUMOR is that I have gotten to know Quentin a bit and it sounds like the sort of thing he would do. Quentin comes in and out of the country, states, cities on a whim... kinda like Kane from Kung Fu... But he was in Mexico... Why?

Well, his producing partner, Bender was producing THE MEXICAN... he could have just been visiting... but I remember getting reports from Guadelajara Newspapers saying that Quentin Tarantino was directing a film called THE MEXICAN with Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts... Well I knew it was bunk, I knew Gore Verbenski was directing it... so I never paid it any mind... WELL... What if Quentin was shooting with an extremely small crew... What if Quentin, used the umbrella of THE MEXICAN, dubbed the shoot THE MEXICAN and figured any escaping press would simply think... "Stupid Mexican Newspapers... Gore Verbenski is directing that!!!!" and just dismiss it as bad reporting?

Quentin sunk a lot of time into FORTY LASHES the script... did it just suck and he decide to never make it... or to walk away from it for years then revisit it? Could be... But FORTY LASHES has completely disappeared off his development slate... He doesn't bring it up as a potential future film. And he has been disappearing without a trace in the papers for months at a time.

Like I said, this could very well be wishful thinking and probably is... But this rumor has been being whispered about (minus the Cannes part) and given the location (that I must protect) that my source claims to have heard it... well... That's why I raised it to 5 & 11/23% chance of being true... Though I must say, I've almost talked myself into totally believing it... (that's the wishful thinking part of me).

UPDATE

Talked with a fella at MADE tonight that actually approached Tarantino about 40 LASHES at the last Quentin Tarantino Film Festival here in Austin, and apparently Quentin told him something to the degree of:

"Well I've just been..." He smiled and said, "I don't want to talk about this right now," and moved the conversation into a totally different direction which was allegedly thoroughly entertaining.

NOW... This doesn't mean a damn thing... Could be he didn't want to talk about it because he was really jazzed about the film he just screened and would rather talk about that.... Or it could mean that.... AH HELL, HE'S MADE IT! WE ALL KNOW IT! Ahem... Sorry, brainfart... Anyone notice the gap in his PULP FICTION cinematographer's schedule at IMDB? Can anyone trace any of his other old crew members? The mood amongst folks I've been talking with is that... it is a very real possibility... But I've had no solid sources on this and everything seems up to interpretation regarding... the scenarios... Thus the minor increase in the percentage.

Stay tuned for further updates... I've got several calls out to people.... that should have a clue. So far NO calls back, and usually the calls get returned pretty quickly... Once again though... non-communication does not lend credence, merely suspicion and paranoid conspiracy fuel.

If nothing else I think we're all learning exactly how much we want Quentin to shoot or release another of his films!

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