comment #1

Rich S. says ...

But the real question is whether the ninjas will have big McDonald's arches on their uniforms.

D.Z., you have the floor.

comment #2

vansmith says ...

an original story about revenge, is that like Kill Bill revenge? they need to get away from silver..btw the new site contours suck. not the content mind you...

comment #3

actionman says ...

I wish they'd go back to smaller filmmaking, like what they did with Bound, which is still their best film

I remember seeing that film in the theater, opening day, with my dad, and being completely fucking blown away by what I saw. I watch it every year at least once, and it gets better each time. The use of color, music, and pacing is exquisite. Joey Pants is hysterical. And it has one of the hottest movie lesbian sex scenes ever.

comment #4

Edward says ...

Gotta love Joey Pants. Bound is very good, but so is the Matrix. I've seen it several times and bits and pieces on AMC and it's still engaging.

On the other hand, I'm with Jeffrey and the "originality" and necessity of Ninja Assassin.

comment #5

Howlingman says ...

Some years back a production company I had worked for acquired a pile of old late 60s HK martial arts films and we'd talked about doing a 'What's Up, Tiger Lilly' type spoof called "You Killed Teacher." It never came to be but I bring it up because that's exactly what this project sounds like -- another retread of a genre that could really use the cobwebs blown from it. I know we don't look to Hollywood for originality, but man, I'm actually looking forward to Speed Racer more than this.

comment #6

Movie fan09 says ...

I wish they'd go back to smaller filmmaking, like what they did with Bound, which is still their best film.
I remember seeing that film in the theater, opening day, with my dad, and being completely fucking blown away by what I saw.

really actionman?
wow.
just wow. and a tad creepy.

comment #7

MAGGA says ...

Blood Vessel, why is that creepy? For the record, I too think Bound is an amazing film, with some of the best use of camera movements and editing of the nineties as well as a really tight script and cool actors. The Matrix is also great, tainted only slightly by the dull sequels.

comment #8

rockne says ...

I don't think Silver is the problem. I think he is what helped guide the Matrix to the landmark film it is.
When filmmakers make a popular film, I don't think anyone would dispute they get a bit more leverage and leeway.
Some use it well (Bryan Singer, James Cameron)...some do not. (Matrix 1 and 2, Richard Kelly)
Of course the Producer always continues to put his name on it, but they have far less input.
Where they before could reign them in, they now only have to give "input", and where they before could play with the script, they can now only give "notes".
Of course they can always hold back money, but there are so many reasons they wouldn't do that, that they are most likely, in a sense, powerless.
They will never go back to what they were, as Tarantino never will.
I think many, many, many people don't count enough the role the producer plays in most big-budget films, and what keeps them on track and makes them good.
Many a filmmaker has fallen under the weight of his (or her) own ego.
But what do I know.

comment #9

actionman says ...

What's so creepy, Blood Vessel? At the time I wouldn't have been let into the film without a parent. My dad is a huge film buff and I followed his path. He took me to see some of the most important films of my lifetime, films that changed the way I look at cinema (Goodfellas, Heat, Pulp Fiction, Natural Born Killers, Fargo, Casino). So what's wrong with watching Bound with my pops? Because it has some simulated lezzie sex scenes? I'm not that much of a Puritan that I can't take a little movie sex in the company of my parents. Though, I will say, I was a tad uncomfortable watching Chasing Amy with my mother on dvd; don't know what I was thinking there.

This rant reminds me of the time my ex-roomate was entertaining his mom as she'd flown into LA for a few days. She wanted to watch The Squid and the Whale, of all films. So, we pop the film on, and then my roomate leaves(!) to go pick up some food. I sat there for almost 30 minutes as some of the most deeply perverted cinematic moments unfolded on screen, with my friend's mom just sitting there...silently...all I could do was laugh as I'd normally laugh at the film. She didn't seem too impressed with her son when he got back.

But anyways, I really want to know why it was creepy of me to have seen Bound in the theater, opening day, with my dad.

comment #10

erniesouchak says ...

Are they still the Wachoswki brothers? What happened with that?

comment #11

renorambler says ...

I'd also like to speak up for V for Vendetta. One of the better "graphic novel" adaptations and it felt true to the spirit of the original. I remember thinking I should remember the director's name to keep an eye out for forthcoming projects.

comment #12

actionman says ...

I love the last 15 minutes of V for Vendetta. I enjoyed the film overall but there's something uniquely thrilling about that finale.

comment #13

BurmaShave says ...

Why? As Ebert said, surely the enemy was the government, not the building. Shallow piece of shit.

comment #14

BurmaShave says ...

The film I should say, not you action. Also it's possible my opinion of it is so low because I watched it on DVD the morning after I saw CHILDREN OF MEN.

comment #15

Ross says ...

"Ebert said, surely the enemy was the government, not the building."

Really? You can't really blow up the "government". But you can blow up a building that stands as a symbol of the government, which might induce a revolution to overthrow said Government. Which is what they were obviously getting at. - Very underrated flick.

Ninja Assassin sounds generic, but I'll wait to pass judgment till I at least see the trailer; so far there's a good track record.

comment #16

CinemaPhreek says ...

Have to weigh in and say that V FOR VENDETTA was a text book case in how to adapt a graphic novel. The Bros. W. knew what to keep, what to update and what was non-essential. It made me think of the Declaration of Independence (& I guess by extension the Constitution) - 2 pieces of paper that should be burned just to remind people that its the fucking IDEAS written on them that is important and not the goddamn parchment they are written on.

And it goes without saying, that as long as you keep Don Murphy away from a Alan Moore project, it has a good chance of being alright (fingers crossed for Snyder and WATCHMEN)

comment #17

BurmaShave says ...

Fratboy Philosophy. Spare me.

comment #18

D.Z. says ...

Rich: Personally, I think they should just get the film rights to http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0409591/ , and be done with it.

vansmith: "an original story about revenge, is that like Kill Bill revenge?"

You mean the remake of Lady Snowblood and They Call Her One Eye.

reno: V for Vendetta the movie was a wankified version of the source material, though not as much so as "A History of Violence". Nonetheless, I can clearly understand Alan Moore's reason to take his name off that one.

Cinemaphreek: Yes, I really love their apt use of Benny Hill music which demonstrated their appreciation for British satire and dark comedy. The book was just too serious, and needed to be turned into the Kubrick Clockwork Orange, because audiences need to be spoon-fed every fucking idea within an adaptation.

comment #19

MPNeeb says ...

There was no way to faithfully adapt 'V for Vendetta.'
What was produced was pretty good.
In 30 years somebody might come along and get it 'right.' But until then, the current version is the best possible way to enjoy a movie made from that material.
It's a much better version of an Alan Moore story than ;From Hell' or LOEG, or "LXG.".

And while 'Ninja Assassin" has my interest, the idea of an "original martial arts movie is a bit mad. I'm hoping for entertaining. If I get entertaining- I'll be happy.
(An original martial arts movie might involve a main character that is a master of some lethal discipline but prefers to talk and reason himself out of situations instead of cracking heads. Later he finds himself amasses with large group of adversaries turned allies that do all the fighting for him.
I love that idea, but it could never get made. The main character would spend all the time preparing tea and biscuits for his "adversaries instead of fighting)

comment #20

D.Z. says ...

MP: No one expected it to be faithful. They just didn't want it to be turned into a parody. And if Gilliam could "get it right" with Brazil on a fraction of the budget, the Wachowski Siblings can easily pull off the same thing. Anyway, some people might differ about "From Hell" being inferior to V, but it doesn't take much effort to be better than LXG. If that's the standard you're looking for, then you might as well say the Fantastic Four movies are the best adaptations.