Category Archives: Marco Polo

Marco Polo and the Year of the Blue Sheep

During his 17 years as special emissary to Kublai Khan, Marco Polo celebrated the lunar new year in both the Chinese and Mongolian traditions, the former during his three years on political assignment in Quinsai (today’s Hangzhou) and the latter during his more frequent stays in the City of the Khan’ (today’s Beijing). The Mongolians… Read More »

The Blues Ain’t Nothin’ But A Good Man Feelin’ Bad

Back when my first movie Crossroads (1986) was produced, I remember feeling incredibly blessed to be able to bring my screenwriting and my music together. Things have come full circle now as I find myself working with Mick Jagger and T-Bone Burnett (Last Train to Memphis). So I’ve been in a bluesy state of mind… Read More »

Scouting Kazakhstan

We are officially 10 days away from starting production on Marco Polo, and I find it fitting that I’m flying from Kazakstan — the Silk Road city of Almaty– to Venice tonight. We start rolling in Venice on the 31st, shooting for 4 days where it all began and then returning to Kazakstan for the… Read More »