Hitfix has an interview with Catherine Hardwicke about the new director’s cut DVD of her movie, Red Riding Hood. Here Catherine talks about the less than stellar box office and the “sexier” new version of the movie. Read more below:

You mentioned this cut is also a bit sexier than the first one while still maintaining the PG-13. Was that a tonal choice or had you tested it and the reaction was the first one was better and people thought there was too much romance in the other cut?

One of them is a bit sexier and there is a consequence to the sex, it really was about the choice. Which one is more fun? Which one is more provocative for the film? And Warner Bros. ultimately seemed to like the one we put in the theater better and I liked that one too. This one just takes it to another level. And some days I liked this one better and other days I liked the other one better.

Looking back at the whole experience what did you enjoy about making the movie? What do you look back at after the past year and a half with fondness?

I always love the casting process and I love working with actors and I love finding chemistry between two actors and making discoveries. I was very honored to work with Gary Oldman who I have admired forever, so I loved talking through scenes [with him]. love rehearsals and shooting too. We had a fast schedule. It’s still an adrenalin rush to be right there in that moment where we’ve got this much time to capture this moment on screen - that’s super fun. The design phase. I had always wanted to design a film that was from the imagination, a fairy tale setting that we got to design all the sets and the costumes and they were definitely creating a whole world. I did a lot of drawings myself and just getting into that. The music. Every step of the way you wish you had more time or money to make it better, but then you try to do the best you can in each moment. But you love it, so it’s a love/hate affair I think.

Read the full interview at Hitfix here.

Did you see Red Riding Hood?

Read On

Cassandra Clare was nice enough to chat with MTV’s Hollywood Crush in the wee hours of the morning (where she was staying in Australia), when the news of Jamie Campbell Bower landing the role of Jace Wayland in The Mortal Instruments broke in the US. Here Cassandra goes into great detail about Jamie, his audition tape, his screen test with Lily and why she thinks he is perfect for the role of Jace. Check out more below:

Let’s get down to the nitty-gritties. Why is Jamie so perfect for Jace?

I have seen his audition tape. They sent it to me because they were so impressed with it, and they wanted to get my feedback. People have been asking me what scene he filmed. The answer is a bunch of different scenes. He did scenes where he had to be funny. He did scenes where he had to be romantic. He did scenes where he had to be angry and badass and he pulled the all of amazingly.

He auditioned with Lily, and he and Lily had incredible chemistry that sort of blazed off the scene. I’m just sitting here watching this on my computer, and you know, he was not the only person they’ve ever sent me to look at. I’ve gotten lots of headshots and this and that, and I’m watching the audition and I literally started crying because that was my Jace and Clary on the screen. And it’s an incredible feeling to see that even as an audition. This is amazing. He was snarky funny where he needed to be snarky funny, and he was badass where he needed to be badass. And he and Lily were incredible together.

In fact, after all the auditions, because she’s done auditions with a bunch of different actors, she wrote to the head of the studio, Clint Culpepper of Screen Gems, and she was like, ‘It’s Jamie. It’s gotta be Jamie.’ He told me that, this was before he had seen the audition, he told me that he wrote back and he was like, ‘He’s a rock star hipster kind of guy. Do you think he can be a badass warrior-dude, as well?’ And she wrote back and said, ‘That is Jace standing there. When you watch the audition you’ll see what I see.’

I’m sure fans are dying to know if there was a kissing scene involved in the audition.

You can tell the fans that one of the scenes they rehearsed is the greenhouse scene.

I think people will like that.

I did. [Laughs]

One of the issues some fans seem to have is that Jamie is a bit…slight. What sort of makeover do you think he’ll have to undergo to embody Jace?

One thing is that he is less slight now than he used to be just form watching the audition. He has certainly buffed up for ‘Camelot.’ I think he was slighter before he did that, and I know he had to do some months of boot camp, which is like, you work out and you ride horses and you life heavy weights. I talked briefly to the producer today, and basically he said,’ He has the right build for it. He’s tall. He’s got broad shoulders. We’re going to put some more muscle onto him, so he’s more built. And, you know, we’re going to cut his hair and give him the golden eyes, and he’s going to be perfect.’ I’m not particularly worried because he’s got a beautiful face. I mean, yeah, he’ll probably have to drink protein shakes and life weights for a while. [Laughs] I’m pretty sure he’s down with it.

Read the full interview with Cassie at MTV here.

Go Jamie, go Jamie, go go, go Jamie! I think he’s perfect! He’s already got the look, all they need to do is a little polishing and buffing, and presto - Jace! I’m so excited Jamie got the part and now the movie can finally continue on and cast the other parts. Jamie obviously has Cassie, the author of the books, stamp of approval, so that’s what really matters. (And as a side-note, after meeting Cassie, she is truly awesome! Go to a signing if you can!)

What do you think of what Cassie had to say about Jamie?

Read On