Masters on Valkyrie

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Slate's Kim Masters has taken a poke at the Valkyrie postponement, reporting the United Artists position that the bump to the Presidents' Day weekend "represented an opportunity to cash in, [although] many see the move as a very bad sign, and, indeed, the buzz on the film is not good.

"What's not in dispute is that filming remains unfinished, which is remarkable for a movie that started shooting in September 2007. One piece not yet shot is a battle sequence that begins the movie. An insider says director Bryan Singer will film a scaled-back version of what was originally conceived as a Saving Private Ryan-type opening.

"According to this source, the sequence was abandoned at one time as a cost-saving measure -- and this movie is racking up the bucks -- but when it became clear that the film was too talky, the battle was reinstated."

comment #1

Geoff157 says ...

For once, I think everybody should just trust that given the proper amount of time and budget, Singer will come through with a solid film. After LIONS FOR LAMBS, nobody wants another talky picture from UA.

comment #2

insidah says ...

Singer = cold. Cruise = scary

what a winning combination. bombs away.

comment #3

Spacesheik says ...

"Bryan Singer will film a scaled-back version "

Can Singer do any action scenes that are not scaled back, that are longer than 2 minutes?

Now if he wanted to turn SUPERMAN RETURNS into a religious parable, full of angst, tedium, devoid of action and thrills and capped with a "climactic" visit to the hospital - then that his is prerogative but I hope he isn't allowed anywhere near SUPERMAN MAN OF STEEL. VALKRYIE, however, should have been doable by him, part HBO'S CONSPIRACY, part NIGHT OF THE GENERALS - he has a great cast with Terence Stamp, Bill Nighy, Kenneth Branagh etc - why couldnt he pull it off?

They really need to get rid of the Cruise-with-baggy-pants-and-patch-Nazi-studmuffin publicity picture - it makes the flick look like something out of Jerry Zucker's TOP SECRET! --

comment #4

p.Vice says ...

Spacesheik -- If Night of the Generals is what Singer is after, we're really in trouble.

And the film is too talky but they think it's going to be a February blockbuster? Makes perfect sense. After this fiasco the opening weekend probably won't crack $15 mil.

comment #5

erniesouchak says ...

I don't think anyone minds a talky picture if the words are good & the people delivering them are talented. Some of the British actors in "Valkyrie" are great. The problem is probably that Cruise has to share the screen with them.

comment #6

Edward says ...

A talky film, good heavens what are they thinking? I'm sure it hardly made any money, but "My Dinner With Andre" is one of the great films and it could definately be considered talky. Not that "Vakyrie" will be even close or similar, unless there's a dinner scene.

comment #7

clancy says ...

Tom Cruise wearing a swastika and an eyepatch. What the fuck are these people thinking? They should have spent sub $5 million on this, shot it dogma, and hoped for an art house success... trying to make a hero out of a man who only camr to the right side when the end was near and obvious for the Nazis may be one of the great miscalculations in the history of cinema. If they'd gotten Will Smith, however, it may have been different.

comment #8

Reedyb says ...

Remember that big opening sequence on Krypton he supposedly filmed for Superman Returns and then took out. Sounds like the same sort of thing to me.

Although I would really like to see the Superman Returns footage if it actually exists.

The Usual Suspects didn't need a big opening action sequence and that was pretty much a"talkie," right?

comment #9

T. S. Idiot says ...

In this era of impaired attention spans, if The Godfather was new, people would complain it is too talky and long.

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