Twist
he started with nothing but the boy wanted more
synopsis
Oliver Twist is propelled into present day London in an energetic, high-concept, modern twist in 3D.
Seventeen year old Oliver falls in with an organised street gang in London who use Parkour to carry out daring art heists for shady stolen goods dealer Fagin.
Spectacular Parkour set pieces – as well as bike-Parkour, car chases, bike chases and sheer unadulterated energy – are seamlessly woven with traditional Dickensian themes of love, temptation and danger. Add a kick-ass soundtrack and a familiar cast of colourful characters – Bill Sikes, Mr Bumble and 19 year old Nancy, a skilled parkourist in her own right – to create a truly iconic reimagining of the classic novel to coincide with the bicentenary of Dickens’ birth in 2012.
cast and crew
Sébastien Foucan is the film’s Parkour advisor. Sébastien, best known internationally for the groundbreaking opening sequence opposite Daniel Craig in Casino Royale, is the founder of freerunning, and is arguably the most famous Parkour star in the world.
Director Matthew Parkhill’s credits include Dot the I and The Caller starring Rachelle Lefevre and Stephen Moyer, acquired by Sony for North America. Writers are Parkhill, Grabbers writer Kevin Lehane, Tom Grass (Beyond the Rave), The Brothers Lynch and Simon Thomas. DoP, Alex Melman shot The Caller for Parkhill and Johnny Depp starrer The Libertine. A massively experienced and award winning commercials photographer, Alex has already shot a Parkour commercial for Italian brand Perfetti (check it out here).
Twist is produced by Ben Grass of Pure Grass Films, the multi-platform production company part-owned by Endemol, alongside Salt’s Piers Tempest. Pure Grass’ credits include When Evil Calls (the world’s first horror series for mobile phones that was subsequently sold to Sony Pictures and Lionsgate as a feature film); Beyond the Rave (MySpace’s first digital series outside the US, which was financed by Hammer Films). In October, 2010 Pure Grass announced a digital publishing partnership with Hachette which will see four PGF properties turned into novels, e-books, apps and games. Piers Tempest heads Salt’s financing and production team whose recent credits include Killing Bono, The Caller and Grabbers.
