He's the mad-haired musical genius who's fall from grace was as spectacular as his trademark Wall Of Sound recording technique - and Al Pacino appears to have Phil Spector nailed if the new shots of him on set of the producer's new biopic are anything to go by.
The legendary actor is currently filming a movie about the troubled music legend in Long Island New York and looked uncannily like him on set yesterday.
The 71-year-old Godfather star has the same curly wig as Spector but even manages to look like him facially.
He was joined on the set by Helen Mirren, 66, who plays Spector's longtime friend and lawyer Linda Kenney Baden.
As previously reported by Mail Online, controversy has surrounded the as yet untitled biopic which is being made by HBO, the studio behind True Blood, The Wire and The Sopranos, before filming has even wrapped.
Helen has been threatened with awards snubs and worse for refusing to pull out of the film.
Friends of Lana Clarkson, who Spector was found guilty of shooting dead in 2009, are protesting about the project, which is being director by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, director and Spector supporter David Mamet, 68.
Mamet, of Glengarry Glen Ross fame believes Spector was wrongly jailed for murder.
The movie, which is about the relationship between Spector and Baden, has been filming in Long Island and Manhattan for the past month but the group Friends of Lana Clarkson are furious about it.
They have enlisted Hollywood publicity agent Edward Lozzi to organise a protest campaign and claim to have influential supporters who will stop actors who take part in the project being considered for prestigious awards.
Spector is serving 19 years to life after being convicted in 2009 of shooting 40-year-old Miss Clarkson at his mountaintop home six years earlier.
The eccentric producer, who worked on The Beatles’ final album Let It Be in 1970 also allegedly terrorised other women, holding them hostage at gunpoint.
Baden claims there is evidence Miss Clarkson was so depressed by setbacks in her career that she used a revolver owned by Spector to shoot herself.
However, PR Lozzi said The Friends of Lana Clarkson were ‘dismayed’ at Dame Helen’s involvement in the film.
Mr Lozzi described the film as ‘an insensitive attempt to portray the loathsome, lying, gun-abusing convicted murderer of our friend Lana Clarkson with some kind of sympathy’.
Mr Lozzi – a press aide to former US President George Bush – said that his group would mount a boycott of HBO unless the studio drops the project.
And he warned that influential backers would lobby judges of the Emmy awards, asking them not to consider Dame Helen or any other actors who take part in the film for awards.
‘We have great respect for Helen Mirren,’ Mr Lozzi said. ‘What we hope is that when she reads this script and sees Lana is being trashed, she will speak up and say, “This is not right.”
‘Helen Mirren probably didn’t know about The Friends of Lana Clarkson when she agreed to take the role – it would have been just another job to her. But now that she is aware, we ask her to examine her conscience.’
The group has sent a letter to Dame Helen, warning the 66-year-old, who won a 2007 Oscar for her portrayal of the Queen, that she should ‘do the right thing’ and demand script changes or face damaging ‘consequences’ including ‘no Emmy nominations’.
The letter adds: ‘Know that we are very serious.’ Mr Lozzi claims the campaign has already forced Bette Midler – who was initially cast as Mrs Kenney Baden – to drop out, although the actress said she had injured her back. ‘Maybe her back does hurt but I think what persuaded her to quit was she didn’t want to hurt her image,’ Mr Lozzi said.
A giant of music in the Sixties and early Seventies, Spector became increasingly reclusive following a car accident in 1974, in which he almost died.
He suffered serious injuries which left him with 300 stitches to his face and more than 400 stitches to the back of his head.
It's the scarring which lead to Spector's habit of wearing outlandish wigs.
As well as the Beatles, Spector is famed for producing the likes of The Ronettes, The Righteous Brothers and Ike And Tina Turner.
The biopic is set for release on HBO next year but a specific screening date has yet to be confirmed.
The legendary actor is currently filming a movie about the troubled music legend in Long Island New York and looked uncannily like him on set yesterday.
The 71-year-old Godfather star has the same curly wig as Spector but even manages to look like him facially.
Be my baby: Al Pacino looked uncannily like record producer phil Spector as he filmed the HBO biopic about him yesterday
Killer tunes: Pacino, (L) has donned the same kind of curly wig that Spector wore in 2009 when he was found guilty of killing Lana Clarkson
As previously reported by Mail Online, controversy has surrounded the as yet untitled biopic which is being made by HBO, the studio behind True Blood, The Wire and The Sopranos, before filming has even wrapped.
Helen has been threatened with awards snubs and worse for refusing to pull out of the film.
You've lost that lovin' feeling: The movie, written by playwright David Mamet, will focus on the relationship between Spector and his lawyer Linda Kenney Baden during the 2009 trial
He's a rebel: Al Pacino, centre, with co-star Jeffrey Tambor (L) on set
Mamet, of Glengarry Glen Ross fame believes Spector was wrongly jailed for murder.
The movie, which is about the relationship between Spector and Baden, has been filming in Long Island and Manhattan for the past month but the group Friends of Lana Clarkson are furious about it.
He's the don: The former Godfather star was wearing a bandana as he arrived on set to go into makeup and be transformed into Spector
Spector is serving 19 years to life after being convicted in 2009 of shooting 40-year-old Miss Clarkson at his mountaintop home six years earlier.
The eccentric producer, who worked on The Beatles’ final album Let It Be in 1970 also allegedly terrorised other women, holding them hostage at gunpoint.
Baden claims there is evidence Miss Clarkson was so depressed by setbacks in her career that she used a revolver owned by Spector to shoot herself.
However, PR Lozzi said The Friends of Lana Clarkson were ‘dismayed’ at Dame Helen’s involvement in the film.
Baby I love you: Dame Helen Mirren seen here in character on set yesterday, plays Spector's friend and lawyer Linda Kenney Baden
Unchained melody: Helen defiantly smiled as she arrived on set despite being warned not to star in the film
Mr Lozzi – a press aide to former US President George Bush – said that his group would mount a boycott of HBO unless the studio drops the project.
And he warned that influential backers would lobby judges of the Emmy awards, asking them not to consider Dame Helen or any other actors who take part in the film for awards.
Instant karma: Pacino and Helen discuss a scene on the movie's set
Tragic: Lana Clarkson was found dead in Spector's LA mansion in 2003
‘Helen Mirren probably didn’t know about The Friends of Lana Clarkson when she agreed to take the role – it would have been just another job to her. But now that she is aware, we ask her to examine her conscience.’
The group has sent a letter to Dame Helen, warning the 66-year-old, who won a 2007 Oscar for her portrayal of the Queen, that she should ‘do the right thing’ and demand script changes or face damaging ‘consequences’ including ‘no Emmy nominations’.
The letter adds: ‘Know that we are very serious.’ Mr Lozzi claims the campaign has already forced Bette Midler – who was initially cast as Mrs Kenney Baden – to drop out, although the actress said she had injured her back. ‘Maybe her back does hurt but I think what persuaded her to quit was she didn’t want to hurt her image,’ Mr Lozzi said.
Imagine: Spector and Linda Kenney Baden during his murder trial
He suffered serious injuries which left him with 300 stitches to his face and more than 400 stitches to the back of his head.
It's the scarring which lead to Spector's habit of wearing outlandish wigs.
As well as the Beatles, Spector is famed for producing the likes of The Ronettes, The Righteous Brothers and Ike And Tina Turner.
The biopic is set for release on HBO next year but a specific screening date has yet to be confirmed.
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