Peter Jackson has confirmed that he is already working on his new project, a nine-hour documentary about the creation of Coolio’s classic Gangster’s Paradise.
Beginning with Coolio popping to the shops and seeing some local toughs, it will chart the entire creative process of the creation of Gangster’s Paradise culminating in Coolio’s legendary 1995 performance on Top of the Pops.
“I was as shocked as anyone to discover quite how much footage of Coolio was available,” said the legendary Lord of the Rings director.
“Certainly, the most exciting film is of Coolio on the toilet in early 1995. Stevie Wonder’s Pastime Paradise comes on the radio and Coolio, who is just sat there, flicking through the TV Guide, begins singing along.
“After a minute or so, he holds up the TV Guide and looks quite quizzical. He’s obviously seen something, then he starts singing along to the song using the phrase ‘Gangster’s Paradise’ rather than ‘Pastime Paradise.’ He smiles to himself, flushes and washes his hands.
“There. Right there, is the moment that classic song is created, and we see it happening before our eyes. It’s quite something.”
Other fascinating moments from the documentary include an Coolio writing some lyrics on the bus, Coolio singing Pastime Paradise in the bath, and the middle part of the film is just the whole of terrible 1995 film Dangerous Minds, which featured the song as its theme tune.
It seems like Jackson has the bug for music documentaries as well, because he has already confirmed that his next project after the Coolio documentary will be a nine-hour documentary about the creation of Tony Hadley’s 2006 Big Band album Passing Strangers.
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Who will be starring as the teacher?