Al Pacino Stars as 'Phil Spector' in New Mamet Film for HBO

The New York Times reports today that MERCHANT OF VENICE star Al Pacino will star in a new movie from HBO about Phil Spector, the famed music producer who is not in prison (possibly for life) on murder charges. David Mamet will write the script for the as-of-yet-untitled project.  Rain Man director, Barry Levinson, is executive producing.

Phil Spector is a record producer and songwriter. The originator of the "Wall of Sound" production technique, Spector was a pioneer of the 1960s girl group sound and produced over 25 Top 40 hits between 1960 and 1965 alone. After this initial success, Spector later worked with artists including Ike and Tina Turner, John Lennon, George Harrison, and the Ramones with similar acclaim.

He produced the Beatles' Academy Award-winning album Let It Be, and the Grammy Award-winning Concert for Bangladesh by former Beatle George Harrison. In 1989, Spector was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer. The 1965 song "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'", produced and co-written by Spector for The Righteous Brothers, is listed by BMI as the song with the most U.S. airplay in the 20th century.

The 2003 shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson in his Alhambra, California home led to his being charged with murder in the second degree. After a 2007 mistrial, he was convicted in 2009 and given a prison sentence of 19 years to life. 

Says Pacino's rep John L. Burnham of his interest in the project "He just saw a very interesting character to play, and he likes the sensibility of David and Barry."

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