edited by Jonathan Doyle

Cloverfield [BLU-RAY] (Paramount Home Entertainment, 6.3.2008) Disguised under deliberately goofy, yet deliciously edible-sounding, aliases such as Cheese and Slusho, Matt Reeves' Cloverfield was produced and rushed into theaters under an equally appetizing shroud of secrecy. From last year's incredibly elusive Super Bowl ad to the film's viral marketing campaign, Cloverfield had everybody scratching their heads and drooling in anticipation. Aside from the as-yet untitled title and the Blair Witch-ian visual style, the film's biggest appeal was the enigmatic creature who was last (un)seen hurling the decapitated head of the Statue of Liberty onto the crowded streets of New York City. All we knew about the mysterious beast was that it was big and angry. Now that the highy-anticipated project has come and gone, one question has fortunately been answered: Cloverfield was a major success. (continued)

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According to Tom Tapp on the newly launched Daily Beast, Steven Spielberg has said he'd like to start this Lincoln project in "early 2009, because it's Lincoln's 200th anniversary." And this is supposed to make sense to someone? Spielberg has been shilly-shallying on this thing for years but now he wants to "start" working on it -- filming, I presume this means -- because of a birthday in 1809? Which means the movie will come out in 2010 or '11, or a year or two after Abe's 200th anniversary. I have an equally brilliant idea. Why doesn't Spielberg delay shooting until 2013 or early '14 and then open it in 2015, or the 150th anniversary of Lincoln's assassination?

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on October 7, 2008 at 2:19 PM

comment #1

Edward Havens says ...

Spielberg has a history of expedient shooting. Schindler started production in March 1993, was done shooting ten weeks later and was completed and screening for critics in late November, if I recall correctly.

Hell, Munich had an even quicker turnaround. Started shooting in June 2005, finished shooting in September 2005 and was in theatres three months later.

Posted by Edward Havens at October 7, 2008 2:46 PM

comment #2

Teddy Tanner says ...

Wells bashing Spielberg for something that's hardly relevant anyway...I'll die from the shock!

Posted by Teddy Tanner at October 7, 2008 2:47 PM

comment #3

Sonic Boom says ...

As Edward pointed out, he could have it out six months after shooting starts if he wants. Not only Munich and Schindler's List but War of the Worlds started shooting in October and was out eight months later.

Posted by Sonic Boom at October 7, 2008 2:50 PM

comment #4

Mark says ...

Speilberg completed principal shooting of Jurassic Park 2 over a holiday-weekend, and was screening an unscored version the following Friday.

The real problem is that Neeson is now too old to play anyone but President Lincoln. They'll have to cast the guy who played young Kinsey in any scene that takes place before 1860. (I'm unsure how far a storyline Speilberg wants to depict.)

Posted by Mark at October 7, 2008 3:09 PM

comment #5

Chase Kahn says ...

He's too busy producing Shia Labeouf Hitchcock remakes and wondering how to shoe-horn INDY 5...

Posted by Chase Kahn at October 7, 2008 3:11 PM

comment #6

BurmaShave says ...

Anybody else who watched LEGAL EAGLES wish Speilberg had actually directed it? I think there was the seed for a wonderful pastiche techno-thriller in there, and with Steve at the helm I think he'd have insisted the script be a few drafts smarter. That said I still thought it was okay, but maybe it's just because I saw it at the beach in a nice old theater.

Posted by BurmaShave at October 7, 2008 3:21 PM

comment #7

BurmaShave says ...

Also Hugh Laurie for Lincoln, I'll say it 'til I'm blue.

Posted by BurmaShave at October 7, 2008 3:57 PM

comment #8

Deathtongue_Groupie says ...

I saw LEGAL EAGLES in Copenhagen because after 6 months of doing the world tour thing I needed a break. So, just about as starved as a person could get for an American movie starring Redford, Winger and Hannah I was still bored out of my mind and went back looking at the Little Mermaid until it was time for the train to get me fuck out of Denmark - sorry, but there's only so many candy-colored narrow houses on canals you can look at before you lose your mind...

Posted by Deathtongue_Groupie at October 7, 2008 5:46 PM

comment #9

Roman says ...

Well's you of all people know that tony Kushner WORKS slow and THAT IS THE REASON WHY LINCOLN hasn't happened YET. So please stop acting like a fucking retard. It's coming.

Posted by Roman at October 7, 2008 5:50 PM

comment #10

Aladdin Sane says ...

Maybe if Sir Steven had taken an extra month, we may have been spared the copout ending of WOTW. And I say this as one who loved everything leading up to it. Hell I love AI.
Anyhow I have faith that he will get the Lincoln pic done.

Posted by Aladdin Sane at October 7, 2008 6:00 PM

comment #11

p.Vice says ...

Random Spielberg bashing... I fucking knew it. I called this yesterday when Jeff got his hypocrite on bickering about the title of that vampire movie.

I know you better than you know yourself, Wells.

Posted by p.Vice at October 7, 2008 6:41 PM

comment #12

StoneFan1 says ...

HBO doing a miniseries of "Manhunting" with the "Homicides : Life on the Streets" and "The Wires" guy will be VASTLY better then anything Spielberg can come up with after nearly a decade.

Posted by StoneFan1 at October 7, 2008 9:19 PM

comment #13

Rich S. says ...

QT is finally making Inglorious Bastards. Guns & Roses is finally going to release Chinese Democracy. Hell, even Indy 4 finally came out. Anything is possible.

Posted by Rich S. at October 8, 2008 5:04 AM