Entries Tagged 'throwback' ↓
December 22nd, 2009 — From The Feeds, throwback, vampires
Haven't seen this in ages, but I stumbled across it on IFC last week. First, I have to say, the trailer is god-awful, but surprisingly, the film still holds up -- save for some cheesy 80s synth music.
Near Dark suffers the unfortunate fate of being overshadowed by that *other* vampire flick released earlier in 1987,
The Lost Boys. Who could compete with the power of The Coreys back then?! The similar boy-meets-alluring-girl plot didn't help matters either. But once you get past that, there's a much more compelling story here. One uninterested in slick special effects or romanticizing vampirism. They're desperate, immortal junkies who sleep during the day, on the move at night, looking for their next fix. Their drug of choice just happens to be the blood of some poor, unfortunate soul. The vampires in
Near Dark don't sparkle in sunlight, they catch fire and burn.
Really strong cast here. Lance Henriksen and Bill Paxton are the standouts.
Kathryn Bigelow's gritty and unpleasant take on bloodsuckers was a turn-off to moviegoers looking for cool escapism. Grossed a little over $3 million at the box office.
30 Days of Night tried the same feral vampire route and had some modest success, but audiences (tween girls) went gaga for the sparkly stuff. If you didn't know, there's a remake in the works... *shudder*
I've written scripts with ghosts, werewolves, zombies, etc. but nothing with vampires. Guess it goes on 2010 to-do list -- just what Hollywood's looking for, another vampire spec script!
Now I have to pick up the 2 disc DVD for Bigelow's commentary and the making-of documentary. Probably gonna check out
The Hurt Locker as well...
September 24th, 2009 — comic book movie, From The Feeds, shyamalan, throwback
Dear M. Night Shyamalan,
You exploded onto the scene with the brilliant "Sixth Sense" and then avoided the sophmore jinx by following up with this fascinating thinking man's comic book film about a hero who rediscovers himself. In the past, you've said that sequels weren't your thing, but after "Lady In The Water" and "The Happening," ever thought about reconsidering? Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you're washed up or anything like that. I'm sure "Avatar: The Last Airbender" will probably make loads of dough. I'd just like to see you revisit one of your better ideas. I'm pretty sure Samuel L. Jackson and Bruce Willis are still game. So how bout it, big guy?
Favorite scene:
Mr. Glass' attempted foot chase. Makes me wince every time.
June 5th, 2009 — fantasy, From The Feeds, screenplays, throwback
Probably one of the best examples of cinematic lightning in a bottle. Far better known properties have come and gone over the years, but this quirky sword and fantasy franchise going back to 1986 has stood the test of time -- buckled on more than a few occasions. Immortal beings of obscure origin swordfight across the ages for an even more obscure Prize. That generic premise -- along with the help of some rockin' Queen songs -- spawned conventions, books, TV shows, cartoons, merchandise, etc. Every couple of years, there's a story in the news about some sword-wielding lunatic mouthing off about, 'There can only be one'.
So a reboot is in the works -- seriously this time, because there's always talk about another "Highlander" flick. I was intrigued by the lukewarm/negative script review that hit the net a few days ago, so I did a little digging and found a copy.... It's a decent action/fantasy that tries hard to satisfy the tastes of today's audiences. Think a less flashier version of "Wanted" with swords *and* guns.
Hard to say if it will work. I'm pretty sure fans of the original will be pissed at the changes -- especially characterization. Some of the charm is gone, but the thing is, we tend to remember our youth being sweeter than it actually was -- can't believe I paraphrased Michael Bay of all people. Like the original, the reboot will depend on casting -- I predict oodles of cameos for rappers and MMA fighters -- action and the soundtrack.
