menggok blogs: 3D Movie

Showing posts with label 3D Movie. Show all posts

Monday, July 11, 2011

The First Photos From DRACULA 3D

Written By: Ken Hulsey

Classic movie monsters are all the rage these days with studios climbing all over themselves trying to make a new "Frankenstein" movie, Universal trying to get "The Wolfman" right, Legendary pictures making a new 3D "Godzilla" movie, a "Creature From the Black Lagoon" remake about to get under way, and enough Bigfoot movies to beat the band.

In prior articles I have talked about film maker James Baack's homage to Hammer horror films "Dracula's Orgy of the Damned" which of course features yet another classic movie monster Dracula. Now it seems that Baack is not alone in his quest to revisit the feel of 60s and 70s UK horror. Director Dario Argento is also well into production on "Dracula 3D" which from the looks of it has Hammer written all over it.

The film stars Rutger Hauer as Van Helsing and Argento's daughter Asia as Lucy.

It's normally a bad sign when a film maker casts his own family members in his films so watch out.

Here is the plot:

TRANSYLVANIA, 1893.

One night in the woods adjacent to Passo Borgo, at the foot of the Carpazi mountains, a couple of young lovers, Tania and Milos, secretly meet. On her way home, Tania is chased and overcome by a "dark shadow" that kills her. In those days Jonathan Harker, a young librarian, arrives at the village hired by Count Dracula, a nobleman from the area. Tania's body mysteriously disappears from the cemetery. In the meantime Harker, before going to Count Dracula's castle, takes the opportunity to visit Lucy Kisslinger, his wife Mina's best friend as well as the daughter of the local mayor.

Upon arriving at the castle, Harker is greeted by Tania, brought back to life from the dead and made vampire, who tries from the very beginning to seduce him; however they are interrupted by Dracula's entrance welcoming Harker. The following night Tania tries again to bite Harker, she is close to his neck when she is stopped by the count who gets the upper hand and it is he himself who bites Harker's neck, however allowing him to live. The following day, weakened but still conscious Harker attempts to escape, but as soon as he is outside the castle a large wolf with a white lock assaults and savagely kills him. Meanwhile, Mina, Harker's wife, arrives in the village and is guest for a few days at the home of her dearest friend Lucy Kisslinger, who will also be bitten and vampirized. The day after, Mina, worried about her husband, goes to Count Dracula's castle. Their encounter makes her forget the reason for her presence there. She is completely under the count's influence; the count had orchestrated the events leading up to their encounter; in fact Mina looks exactly like his beloved Dolinger, who died some centuries ago. Upon her return to the Kisslinger house, Mina learns of the death of her dear friend Lucy. The sequence of such strange and dramatic events summons the aid of Van Helsing, vampire expert of the techniques used to eliminate them. Van Helsing, aware of the circumstances decides to act swiftly and prepares the tools needed to combat vampires. He directs himself to the center of evil, Count Dracula's castle. Meanwhile Dracula, in the village, kills the inhabitants who rescinded their pact, while Van Helsing, inside the castle, is able to definitively eliminate Tania. Dracula, intent on his desire to reunite with his beloved wife, leads Mina, completely hypnotized, to the castle where Van Helsing is waiting. He has decided to engage in a deadly fight with his evil foe. During the struggle Van Helsing loses his gun with the silver bullet and Mina, still under Dracula's spell, gathers it and tries to aid Dracula, but she misses the target and involuntarily kills him. The special silver bullet transforms Dracula into ashes; but his spirit lifts the ashes into the air and uniting, they shape into a large bat with a mocking grin...

And here are the first photos from "Dracula 3D":

SEE MORE PHOTOS

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

The Look Of GREEN LANTERN Important To Film Makers

Source: Warner Bros

As with every superhero movie, the "Green Lantern" filmmakers knew that the fans' greatest concern was likely to be the visual representation of the world they know and love from the comics. Campbell and his creative team, led by production designer Grant Major, set out to make every location from Coast City to Oa, and each character from Abin Sur to Sinestro, just right. To that end, they took pains to faithfully recreate every detail and to enhance the imagery for the big-screen experience.

Co-producer and Green Lantern specialist Geoff Johns declares, "The first time I saw the production art, what they planned to do with the Corps and Oa and the Guardians, I was blown away. It was exactly what anyone who loves Green Lantern would dream of; my dreams for the film were realized when I saw it."

One of the oldest planets in the galaxies, the fictional Oa serves as headquarters for a race of omniscient humanoids who have dubbed themselves the Guardians of the Universe, a supreme court of sorts, who supervise the Green Lantern Corps. Oa also holds the Central Battery, the source of all energy, including the energy for the Green Lantern rings.

"Think of the universe as a sphere divided into 3,600 sectors," Johns explains. "Each sector is a kind of pie wedge, all pointing to Oa."

"Even though Oa is completely digital," Campbell says, "the design had to be organic and believable. And because it is alien, it couldn't be Earth-like in any way; the only thing from Earth would be Hal, when he arrives there. Everything else had to be fantastical, while at the same time plausible."

Major felt one of his tasks was "to make audiences believe that they were on Oa, going through this discovery with Hal. It had to have gravity and weight. We didn't want it to feel like being in a dream, but rather like an alternate reality."

The production designer relied on the film's researcher and resident comic book expert, Ozzy Inguanzo, who compiled everything the filmmakers would need to know to design the film.

"I immersed myself in over 50 years of Green Lantern comics," Inguanzo says, "I worked hard to respect the integrity of the source material and to get even the smallest details into the film, for the diehard fans, and I now include myself among them."

"It was critical to have someone on our team who was aware of everything Green Lantern, and Ozzy was terrific from the word 'go,'" Major says.

Once the overall look of Oa was established, two areas of the planet's vast terrain had to be created: the Citadel, where the Guardians reign; and the Great Hall, where Hal and the audience would get to see the gathering of the entire Lantern federation—and where avid readers of the comics will recognize many of their favorite members of the Corps.

Those integral set pieces would ultimately be accomplished through CGI; however, Major's design team did construct large-scale models of each set to serve as reference points for Campbell's staging of the scenes. The visual effects team then turned the sets into a virtual reality, where the action unfolded.

In addition to the otherworldly places, the effects team was also charged with bringing to life thousands of otherworldly characters, including Tomar-Re, Kilowog and the rest of the Green Lantern Corps. One of the most prominent characters was the Corps' most formidable adversary, Parallax, who was entirely computer-generated.

"It was critical to convey the scope of Parallax's power and malevolence, because his entire existence depends on inducing fear," says John "DJ" DesJardin, who served as a supervisor for the film's numerous visual effects.

Back on Earth, the film would require a number of practical sets as well, which were achieved entirely in and around New Orleans. Major's teams designed and built both Hal's and Hector's apartments, the latter of which Major describes as "the type of space that he probably had as an undergraduate student, but never really left, so there are layers upon layers of his quiet, introverted life all around him."

They also built Ferris Aviation's office suite, which was influenced by the art deco terminal at the area's Lakefront Airport; a party sequence dance floor and stage, for which the production actually utilized the airport exterior itself; and the steely underground bunker laboratory where Hector autopsies the body of Abin Sur, inspired by a visit to NASA and a massive building which houses fuel tanks for the space shuttles.

On a much smaller, but no less significant, scale, Major's art department was also responsible for the design of two iconic props for the story: Hal Jordan's ring and lantern.

Although they'd been careful to adhere closely to the comics for most of the film's design work, Major wanted the lantern to take its cue from the script. "I wanted it to be a bit mysterious, and to look like it originated from Oa," the designer shares. He and key concept illustrator Fabian Lacey, to whom Major credits the final look, drew inspiration for a portion of the lantern from the Fresnel lens, devised in 1823 by the French physicist and engineer of the same name.

"The whole sense of willpower being part of the emotional spectrum, and green representing that particular emotion on the color spectrum, became a component of the lantern, which reflects something of a prismatic lens motif," Major illustrates.

Property master Andrew Petrotta took the final design and created eight copies out of resin, four battery-powered and four electric, each approximately 13 inches high and weighing about eight pounds. He then antiquated them by applying scarring and dark coloring, making them look as though they'd been through battles for eons.

Several ideas were worked through for the Green Lantern power ring, which also incorporated the prism motif. Each one was tried on Ryan Reynolds' hand, to ensure that the size and shape and fit were just so. The actor's opinion was important as they wanted him, like Hal, to feel powerful wearing it, as though he could wield the ring as a weapon.

After a period of trial and error, costume designer Ngila Dickson hit on what became the final look, a perfect balance of power and masculinity. The ring was made from brass, with nickel plating, while the green stone, which carries the Green Lantern symbol, was made from dyed resin, with the intent that it, like the lantern, appear to be a relic from Oa.

Campbell states that "because the ring is one of the most powerful weapons in our 'world,' and such an important part of who Green Lantern is, it was definitely worth the extra effort to get it right."

See Also: Going Nuts At DC Comics / Blake Lively - Hot Actress Profile / New Photos For GREEN LANTERN And HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS - PART 2 / New Photos From GREEN LANTERN

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Celebrate The 100th Birthday Of Vincent Price With HOUSE OF WAX in 3D!

Source: Downtown Independent

I just wanted to quickly pass along this information on a special screening of the Vincent Price classic "House of Wax" at the Downtown Independent cinema her in Los Angeles on June 11th.

Here are the details:

The Board of the Vincent Price Art Museum Foundation and the Family of Vincent Price invite you to celebrate
THE ONE HUNDREDTH BIRTHDAY OF VINCENT PRICE and THE GRAND OPENING OF THE VINCENT PRICE ART MUSEUM.

Join us for a 3-D screening of 1953's HOUSE OF WAX starring Vincent Price PLUS "THE LIFE AND ART OF VINCENT PRICE" slide show and talk by Vincent's daughter, Victoria Price.

Proceeds raised will benefit THE VINCENT PRICE ART MUSEUM.

Everyone will receive a set of commemorative 3-D glasses!

TICKET INFORMATION:
$85 VIP tickets or $150 for 2 tickets:
($50 per person is tax-deductible)
includes 6:30PM rooftop pre-screening celebration.
Beer, wine, and culinary selections from A Treasury of Great Recipes by Mary & Vincent Price.
Meet Victoria Price, Museum Director Karen Rapp, and VPAM Board Members.
$25 Tickets for: "The Art & Life of Vincent Price" and HOUSE OF WAX in 3-D.

More Info: http://www.downtownindependent.com/events/the-one-hundreth-birthday-of

See Also: The Fly - Bobble Head Figure / Shock It To Me! Brings Two Classic Vincent Price Movies To San Francisco's Clay Theatre / Vincent Price Presents - A Wonderful Horror Comics Anthology From Bluewater / House of Wax (1953)(Warner Bros)

Bryan Singer Begins Production On 3D Remake Of JACK THE GIANT KILLER

Source: Warner Bros

Principal photography is underway in London on acclaimed filmmaker Bryan Singer's 3D epic action adventure "Jack the Giant Killer," with Nicholas Hoult in the title role of Jack, for New Line Cinema and Legendary Pictures.

"Jack the Giant Killer" tells the story of an ancient war that is reignited when a young farmhand unwittingly opens a gateway between our world and a fearsome race of giants. Unleashed on the Earth for the first time in centuries, the giants strive to reclaim the land they once lost, forcing the young man, Jack, into the battle of his life to stop them. Fighting for a kingdom, its people, and the love of a brave princess, he comes face to face with the unstoppable warriors he thought only existed in legend—and gets the chance to become a legend himself.

Hoult and Singer recently collaborated on the Singer-produced "X-Men: First Class," for release later this year. "Jack the Giant Killer" also stars Eleanor Tomlinson as Princess Isabelle; Stanley Tucci ("Captain America: The First Avenger," "Julie & Julia") as the deceitful Lord Roderick; Ian McShane ("Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," HBO's "Deadwood") as the besieged King Brahmwell; Bill Nighy ("Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows") as the giants' leader General Fallon; and Ewan McGregor ("Star Wars," "The Ghost Writer") as palace guard Elmont.

Singer will direct from a screenplay by Darren Lemke and Christopher McQuarrie and Dan Studney, story by Darren Lemke & David Dobkin. The film will be produced by Neal Moritz, David Dobkin, Bryan Singer and Patrick McCormick.

The creative filmmaking team includes Singer's longtime collaborators, director of photography Newton Thomas Sigel ("X-Men," "Superman Returns") and editor John Ottman ("X2," "Superman Returns"). The production designer is Gavin Bocquet ("Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith").

"Jack the Giant Killer" is filming on location in and around London, and is scheduled for a summer 2012 release.

A New Line Cinema presentation, in association with Legendary Pictures, the film will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

New Photos For GREEN LANTERN And HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS - PART 2

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: Warner Bros

Warner Bros has just released some new images from both "Green Lantern" and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2" to promote the summer release of both of those films.

Here is the skinny (info):

GREEN LANTERN
In 3D and 2D in select theaters on June 17

(Warner Bros. Pictures)

Director: Martin Campbell
Writers: Greg Berlanti & Michael Green & Marc Guggenheim and Michael Goldenberg
Story by Greg Berlanti & Michael Green & Marc Guggenheim
Based upon characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics
Producers: Donald De Line, Greg Berlanti
Executive Producers: Herbert W. Gains, Andrew Haas

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, Mark Strong, Angela Bassett, Tim Robbins, Temuera Morrison, Jay O. Sanders, Taika Waititi, Jon Tenney

Action Adventure. In a universe as vast as it is mysterious, a small but powerful force has existed for centuries. Protectors of peace and justice, they are called the Green Lantern Corps. A brotherhood of warriors sworn to keep intergalactic order, each Green Lantern wears a ring that grants him superpowers. But when a new enemy called Parallax threatens to destroy the balance of power in the Universe, their fate and the fate of Earth lie in the hands of their newest recruit, the first human ever selected: Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds). Hal is a gifted and cocky test pilot, but the Green Lanterns have little respect for humans, who have never harnessed the infinite powers of the ring before. But Hal is clearly the missing piece to the puzzle, and along with his determination and willpower, he has one thing no member of the Corps has ever had: humanity. With the encouragement of fellow pilot and childhood sweetheart Carol Ferris (Blake Lively), if Hal can quickly master his new powers and find the courage to overcome his fears, he may prove to be not only the key to defeating Parallax...he will become the greatest Green Lantern of all.

www.greenlantern.com

- and -

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS - PART 2
In 3D and 2D in select theaters and IMAX on July 15

(Warner Bros. Pictures)

Director: David Yates
Writers: Steve Kloves
Based on the novel Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
Producers: David Heyman, David Barron, J.K. Rowling
Executive Producer: Lionel Wigram

Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Jim Broadbent, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Tom Felton, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, John Hurt, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, David Thewlis, Emma Thompson, Maggie Smith, Julie Walters, Bonnie Wright

Fantasy Adventure. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2," is the final adventure in the Harry Potter film series. The much-anticipated motion picture event is the second of two full-length parts. In the epic finale, the battle between the good and evil forces of the wizarding world escalates into an all-out war. The stakes have never been higher and no one is safe. But it is Harry Potter who may be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice as he draws closer to the climactic showdown with Lord Voldemort. It all ends here.

www.harrypotter.com

And here are the pics:

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

THE HOBBIT Begins Filming In New Zealand

Source: Warner Bros

Production has commenced in Wellington, New Zealand, on "The Hobbit," filmmaker Peter Jackson's two film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's widely read masterpiece.

"The Hobbit" is set in Middle-earth 60 years before Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings," which Jackson and his filmmaking team brought to the big screen in the blockbuster trilogy that culminated with the Oscar®-winning "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King."

The two films, with screenplays by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Guillermo del Toro and Peter Jackson, will be shot consecutively in digital 3D using the latest camera and stereo technology. Filming will take place at Stone Street Studios, Wellington, and on location around New Zealand.

"The Hobbit" follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakensheild. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers.

Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever ... Gollum.

Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum's "precious" ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities ... A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.

Martin Freeman takes the title role as Bilbo Baggins and Ian McKellen returns in the role of Gandalf the Grey. The Dwarves are played by Richard Armitage (Thorin Oakenshield), Ken Stott (Balin), Graham McTavish (Dwalin), William Kircher (Bifur) James Nesbitt (Bofur), Stephen Hunter (Bombur), Rob Kazinsky (Fili), Aidan Turner (Kili), Peter Hambleton (Gloin), John Callen (Oin), Jed Brophy (Nori), Mark Hadlow (Dori) and Adam Brown (Ori). Reprising their roles from "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy are Cate Blanchett as Galadriel, Andy Serkis as Gollum and Elijah Wood as Frodo. Jeffrey Thomas and Mike Mizrahi also join the cast as Dwarf Kings Thror and Thrain, respectively. Further casting announcements are expected.

"The Hobbit" is produced by Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, alongside Carolynne Cunningham. Executive producers are Ken Kamins and Zane Weiner, with Philippa Boyens as co-producer. The Oscar®-winning, critically acclaimed "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, also from the production team of Jackson and Walsh, grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide at the box office. In 2003, "The Return of the King" swept the Academy Awards®, winning all of the 11 categories in which it was nominated, including Best Picture — the first ever Best Picture win for a fantasy film. The trilogy's production was also unprecedented at the time.

Among the creative behind-the-scenes team returning to Jackson's crew are director of photography Andrew Lesnie, production designer Dan Hennah, conceptual designers Alan Lee and John Howe, composer Howard Shore and make-up and hair designer Peter King. Costumes are designed by Ann Maskrey and Richard Taylor.

Taylor is also overseeing the design and production of weaponry, armour and prosthetics which are once again being made by the award winning Weta Workshop. Weta Digital take on the visual effects for both films, led by the film's visual effects supervisor, Joe Letteri. Post production will take place at Park Road Post Production in Wellington.

"The Hobbit" films are co-produced by New Line Cinema and MGM, with New Line managing production. Warner Bros Pictures is handling worldwide theatrical distribution, with select international territories as well as all international television licensing being handled by MGM. The two films are planned for release in late 2012 and 2013, respectively.

In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit...

Friday, February 11, 2011

Ryan Gosling To Play Logan 5

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: Variety
Artwork By: Lauras Muse

Variety is reporting that the Ryan Gosling (The Notebook, Fracture) is in negotiations to step into the shoes of fellow British thespian Michael York to play Logan 5 in the upcoming "Logan's Run" remake.

Reportedly Warner Bros is also in negotiations with Nicolas Winding Refn to direct the film which has been various stages of development for over a decade. Refn would join a long list of film makers that have been attached to "Logan's Run" throughout the years, a list that also includes Carl Erik Rinsch and Bryan Singer.

Producers Joel Silver, Andrew Rona, Akiva Goldsman and Kerry Foster have already been in place for some time.

Last year Silver revealed that "Logan's Run" was going to be produced in 3D, which should come as no surprise to anyone due to the fact that just about all upcoming fantasy film projects are slated to be produced in that format.

Logan's Run Plot:

In the distant future the survivors of the apocalypse live in a giant domed city where their every need is taken care of by overlord computer. People live in world of pleasure, but there is one catch. At the age of 30 (21 in Johnson and Nolan's novel) all citizens are required to report for a ritualistic murder ceremony known as "Carousel". The populace has been fooled into believing that this ceremony leads to reincarnation and a new life though its real purpose is population control. To insure that citizens don't "chicken out" on their way to Carousel there is a police force in place known as "Sandman" who terminate those who attempt to run.

Logan 5 is one of the elite Sandmen. During one of his routine terminations he retrieves an anch, a symbol for a mythical place called Sanctuary where runners can find refuge, off the body of a would be runner. Upon placing the item into the computers scanner he is instructed to undergo a process to alter his "Life Clock", a symbol of a persons age embedded in the palm, to the blinking red of a person on last day so that he may pose as a runner to infiltrate Sanctuary. During the process he learns that 1036 runners had managed to escape the city and that Carousel is a ruse.

Along with his companion, Jessica 6, Logan attempts to flee the domed city in search of Sanctuary.

Let's see if Logan really gets running this time.

See Also:Logan's Run Remake Update - Logan 5 And Jessica 6 In 3D? / Carl Erik Rinsch To Direct LOGAN'S RUN Remake / Universal Courting Carl Erik Rinsch To Direct "Creature From The Black Lagoon" / The Death Of An American Icon - Farrah Fawcett - 1947-2009 / Logan's Run (1976)(MGM)

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Gareth Edwards Talks About GODZILLA To The Press

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Sources: London Evening Standard / Shock Til You Drop

In a recent article I posed the question whether "Godzilla 3D" director Gareth Edwards was the right man to take on "The King of the Monsters" due to the fact that he had only one major film under his belt? I also pondered on whether or not the film maker was a Godzilla fan and if he knew the source material from the monsters 50-plus year movie career?

In a group of online interviews Edwards was asked about these very subjects and I want to let his own words speak for themselves:

Here is an excerpt from an interview with Edwards from the London Evening Standard

And then there'll be that attempt to reboot the Godzilla franchise after the disastrous 1998 offering.
"I am attached and we are just starting the process," he says.
Will his Godzilla be battling Mothra or another monster, as rumoured?
"Everyone involved knows what the film has to be," he says judiciously.
"What's important to me is that, as well as spectacle, you have to give a shit about what's happening and why."
Godzilla, like the Bekmambetov project, will have a big budget.
So what about the digital revolution? Edwards is sceptical about its imminence.
True, he says, anyone can pick up a camera and make a film tomorrow, and computers are gradually picking up speed to match the sophistication of the CGI software around.
But Avatar remains the most expensive and the most successful film ever, and therefore the paradigm for the movie business.
"But the gap between the $100 million movie and the hundred-grand movie is getting smaller," he concedes.
"What we need is a hundred-grand movie that looks like a $100 million movie and makes the kind of money that a $100 million movie makes. When that happens there will be a lot of head-scratching. Obviously Monsters isn't in that category. But I think it probably will come."

Edwards also had this to say to a writer for the Shock Til You Drop Website:

"I'm a big fan, I guess I will say I'm highly aware - and everyone involved is incredibly aware - of everyone's opinions on what this film has to do and what it has to be. And no one will do anything but the right thing. Without addressing anything specific, everyone knows how important is to get it right."
"My earliest memories was channel 4, they showed them (Godzilla movies) every Friday night. As a kid I wasn't quite sure about the dubbing, the English-dubbed versions. They threw me for a bit. I love science fiction and, well I call them B movies but they're not, but I love '60s and '70s sci-fi. But these would come on and be dubbed and it would take my kid brain to adjust to the dubbing. It took me some time to get through that."

Edwards also revealed to Shock that he will not be writing the script for "Godzilla 3D" as many people, including myself had speculated.

Okay, so Edwards is a fan of the Godzilla movie franchise and he seems to well aware of what all of us fans have been saying about what we expect from this film. That, at least on the outset, is very encouraging news. Now lets see how all of that translates into a movie.

Gareth Edwards Talks About GODZILLA To The Press

And then there'll be that attempt to reboot the Godzilla franchise after the disastrous 1998 offering.
"I am attached and we are just starting the process," he says.
Will his Godzilla be battling Mothra or another monster, as rumoured?
"Everyone involved knows what the film has to be," he says judiciously.
"What's important to me is that, as well as spectacle, you have to give a shit about what's happening and why."
Godzilla, like the Bekmambetov project, will have a big budget.
So what about the digital revolution? Edwards is sceptical about its imminence.
True, he says, anyone can pick up a camera and make a film tomorrow, and computers are gradually picking up speed to match the sophistication of the CGI software around.
But Avatar remains the most expensive and the most successful film ever, and therefore the paradigm for the movie business.
"But the gap between the $100 million movie and the hundred-grand movie is getting smaller," he concedes.
"What we need is a hundred-grand movie that looks like a $100 million movie and makes the kind of money that a $100 million movie makes. When that happens there will be a lot of head-scratching. Obviously Monsters isn't in that category. But I think it probably will come."

Edwards also had this to say to a writer for the Shock Til You Drop Website:

"I'm a big fan, I guess I will say I'm highly aware - and everyone involved is incredibly aware - of everyone's opinions on what this film has to do and what it has to be. And no one will do anything but the right thing. Without addressing anything specific, everyone knows how important is to get it right."
"My earliest memories was channel 4, they showed them (Godzilla movies) every Friday night. As a kid I wasn't quite sure about the dubbing, the English-dubbed versions. They threw me for a bit. I love science fiction and, well I call them B movies but they're not, but I love '60s and '70s sci-fi. But these would come on and be dubbed and it would take my kid brain to adjust to the dubbing. It took me some time to get through that."

Edwards also revealed to Shock that he will not be writing the script for "Godzilla 3D" as many people, including myself had speculated.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Is There Going To Be A New "Japanese" Godzilla Movie In 2012?

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: The Examiner (Pittsburgh)

Is Toho planning to release a brand-new "Godzilla" movie in Japan at the same time that the new Legendary Pictures "Godzilla 3D" is released here in America?

Well, according to a Pittsburgh film industry reporter ........ yes, that is exactly what Toho is planning to do and actually has been planning to do for some time.

According to Fiore Mastracci of Examiner.com Toho had originally wanted to produce a new "Godzilla" movie for a 2012 release, but due to issues with the script and other aspects of the film the studio was having trouble getting things moving. When the Japanese movie company was approached by Legendary Pictures about making another "American" Godzilla movie they viewed it as a way to get the monster back into theaters without having to produce a film themselves.

Now, however, the studio may be looking to go forward with their own Godzilla movie after all.

According to the report, Toho may still be aiming for a December 2012 release date for their film, which may mean that the Japanese movie and Legendary's "Godzilla 3D" may be released within months, or weeks, of each other creating an international Godzilla vs Godzilla cinema battle.

Here is an excerpt from the original article:

Toho may scrub its planned 2012 release and attempt to satisfy fans with the new American version. This will allow them to keep to their original decade of retirement. The American version will satisfy clamoring fans and give the parent company the needed time to work out its difficulties. But, as of now, both movies could be released within months of each other, creating an on-screen battle of epic proportions.

The article also states that Toho may plan to make a new Godzilla movie, then put its release on hold to see how the American film does. If the Gareth Edwards helmed 3D "G" film does well, then Toho would release the Japanese movie, if not, then they may opt to scrap it or release it only in Japan.

Another excerpt:

No official word from Toho yet if it will still release its project in December 2012 or add the two remaining years to Godzilla’s forced retirement. Speculation is that Toho may release its new version of Godzilla, but only in Japan, allowing them to gauge reaction to Edward's treatment first and providing the opportunity to compare fan reaction and acceptance.

I want to point out that this is the first time that I have heard anything about this. Could it be that somehow with all the excitement surrounding Lengendary's "Godzilla 3D" Toho was able to slip this one under the radar?

Maybe.

Then again Maybe not. It is hard to gauge whether Fiore Mastracci may have gotten a scoop that has eluded just about everyone in the monster movie media, or that he may have simply gotten his facts wrong, confusing the ill-fated "Godzilla 3D To The Max" with a new Toho Godzilla movie.

Hopefully, this is all legit and we can all look forward to possibly two new Godzilla films in the next couple of years.

Here is the original article - Battle of Godzillas may be newest screen battle.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Reflections On The Hiring Of Gareth Edwards As The Director of Godzilla

Written By: Ken Hulsey

By now your probably aware that Legendary Pictures has hired the British film maker Gareth Edwards to helm their upcoming 3D "Godzilla" film. As the news broke on Tuesday I was caught off guard by the hire.

As I’m sure many of you out probably felt, the news was sort of a disappointment. Not to knock Edwards too much, but I had hoped for a more prominent director to take on "the king of monsters". Though, I had high hopes, things transpired much as I knew deep down in my heart as the would, Legendary Pictures would opt to go with somebody ‘trendy’ instead of somebody with a long pedigree.

Again, I really don’t want to take this time to bash on Edwards, for all we know he may indeed be the right man for the job and after all is said and done all of us "G" fans may be singing his praises for producing an excellent monster film. Only time will tell on that one.
In preparing this little piece I took some time to do some research on Edwards to gather some background info to try and put together a kind of feeling for what he may have in store for "Godzilla 2012." As many of you already know Edwards has only one major film title to his credit, "Monsters" which was released in 2010 besides that he has only two other projects under his belt, two short films, "Factory Farmed" and "Attila the Hun", both produced in 2008.

Granted, that isn’t a very long resume for someone who is about to take on the world’s most popular monster and his legions of fans around the world.

Now in regards to "Monsters" I have to admit that I haven’t seen the film, though I will undoubtedly seek it out now that Edwards has signed on for "Godzilla". I did, however, do quite a bit of searching online to see just what other "arm-chair" movie critics thought of the film. To be honest, those reviews that I happened to find were all over the place. Some critics loved it, some didn't, and yet others were on the fence. Granted, I’m certain that if I looked up reviews on just about any film I would find the same type of results. Regardless of all that Legendary Pictures must have seem something in "Monsters" that they really liked to hand a film like "Godzilla" over to Edwards.

On the plus side:

Edwards is a film maker who understands both special effects and cinematography, due to the fact that he handled both for "Monsters", and undoubtedly "Godzilla" is going to be a film heavy in both of those elements.

On the negative side:

Like with any film like this one can only hope that Edwards has a good working knowledge of the "Godzilla" movie series. If a survey of the film makers DVD library includes several Godzilla, and other giant monster genre, films then we can all rest a little easier, if not, then this good be just another crappy film in a growing list that has been churned out by Hollywood over the past decade.

Again, only time will tell.

First order of business for Edwards, find a replacement writer for the script to replace the ousted David Callaham. Then again, maybe that is why Legendary brought him on board, to write the story for the film as well? That seems like a stretch, but besides handling the directing duties, cinematography and effects for "Monsters" Edwards also wrote the darn thing.

Understandably the burning question is whether Legendary Pictures "reached" with the hire of Edwards or not? Was the director one of their fall-back choices? If you recall way back in March of last year when the studio initially announced that they were going forward with "Godzilla" they had stated that news on a director was coming shortly. Monster movie fans around the globe waited, and waited, and waited some more, but that news took almost a year. It would be safe to assume that the studio was actively pursuing a selected director, or group of directors at that time that either opted out of the running or had other projects that they had committed to.

So here we are, Legendary Pictures has locked on to Gareth Edwards to launch a new American Godzilla franchise. With any luck the film maker will soon begin to look for a creative team to aid him in making a monster film that lives up to vision that the studio talked about last year. My advice? Find out what the fan base wants to see in a new "G" film". Remember, despite what Michael Bay may think, they are your bread and butter. I know the idea is to make a Godzilla film that will appeal to the masses, but just don’t forget the core fans. It’s a razor thin line, I know, but if Abrams can make it work for "Star Trek" it can be done. Just for Gods sake do your homework on this one!

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Putting Legendary Pictures Godzilla 3D (2012) Into Perspective (Part 2)

Written By: Ken Hulsey

Not too long after the rumor about Legendary Pictures proposed "Godzilla" movie hit the net back in August of 2009, fellow MIN writer Armand Vaquer published a very insightful article about his attempts to verify the rumor through his contacts at Toho and what he thought of a Hollywood reboot of the beloved monster franchise.

Since that time we have learned that the rumor was indeed true and Legendary Pictures officially announced it's plans for a new "Godzilla" film several months later in March of this year. However, many aspects of the film have remained top-secret, leading to many unsubstantiated rumors about what we could expect to see come 2012.

Now, after hearing Brian Roger's comments from the 3D Entertainment Summit in Los Angeles this past weekend, I thought it would be a good idea to once again try and put some perspective on what we now know about "Godzilla 3D 2012"

As many fans had already speculated Legendary Pictures upcoming "Godzilla" film actually had it's roots in the unmade Yoshimitsu Banno film "Godzilla 3D To The Max". After Banno tried, and failed, to get his sequel to "Godzilla vs Hedorah" (1971) produced by two separate independent digital film studios he just so happened to cross paths with Rogers, who thought the idea would work if it was produced by a bigger studio. In 2007 the two film makers approached Toho about their plans and were able to secure the rights to produce a 3D Godzilla film here in America.

Though all of these negotiations took place in private behind closed doors, rumors of a 3d Godzilla film were still persistent throughout 2008 and 2009 leading many people, including myself, to speculate that "3D To The Max" was still going forward. Imdb even listed a 2011 release date for the film that lead to more rumors and speculation among American Godzilla fans.

The first thing the interviewer wanted to know was whether Legendary Pictures was going to redesign Godzilla? Rogers was quick to point out that they had no intention of following in the footsteps of Tristar's "G98", the film would feature the Japanese Godzilla, end of story.

Rogers was also quick to put the 'man-in-a-suit vs CGI' battle to rest, stating that this time around Godzilla would be a computer generated monster, not an animated character, but a live-action monster.

That, of course, probably won't sit well with many G purists out there, but in the modern world of film making, that's how it goes.

I don't agree with it, but they didn't ask me for my input did they.

Ever since the film was first announced there has been a lot of heated debate amongst G fans on whether the film should be a modern remake of the original "Gojira" (1954) or a totally original reboot of the monster franchise? Roger's stated that the film would indeed be a reboot, not a remake. The film maker also noted that he believed Legendary Pictures was the perfect studio to handle the delicate job of reinventing Godzilla in the same way that Christopher Nolan reworked the "Batman" franchise and J.J. Abrams reinvisioned "Star Trek" for a modern audience.

I'm sure that we can all breathe a little easier after hearing those comments. It would seem that Legendary Pictures is taking the whole thing seriously.

Rogers also revealed that Godzilla would not be the only monster in the film and that there would be a fight between Big G and another monster, possibly monsters, stating that he knew that is what the fans would want to see. The film maker, however, did not reveal whether or not these monsters would be from Toho's library of creatures, like Mothra or Ghidorah, or brand-new creations.

Let the rumors begin on that one.

Oh, and before I forget, that alleged Godzilla pic that was floating around the Net a few months back is not the new Godzilla. Rogers squashed that one as well.

Okay lets recap, the film will be in 3D, a CGI Godzilla, Japanese Godzilla not GINO, Godzilla vs unknown monsters and it will be like Nolan's "Batman" films.

Sounds pretty damn good to me!

Of course, what Rogers didn't talk about was a director, which has also been the subject of much debate and speculation. I guess that we will still need to be patient on that front.

According to the film maker "Godzilla" is still scheduled for a 2012 release, though he did leave the door open for a possible change.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Godzilla 2012: Brian Rogers On Legendary Pictures Film Plans

Brian Rogers answers questions on "Godzilla 2012 3D"!

Godzilla to be CGI ....... and will fight another monster!

Praise God!

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

GODZILLA 2012 Producer Brian Rogers To Speak At 3D ENTERTAINMENT SUMMIT

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: 3D Summit.com

To say that any news on Legendary Pictures upcoming 3D "Godzilla" film has been scarce is an incredible understatement. After the studio announced the film way back in March, and promised that news on a director was forthcoming, it went into total silence mode.

Since that time there have been a few rumors, one that Tim Burton was being courted as either a producer or director, a t-shirt at this years Comic Con, and that's about it.

Now, possibly, we may get some 'real' info about the film from producer Brian Rogers who will be speaking at this years 3D Entertainment Summit in Los Angeles. The event, which will be held at the Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City on September 15th and 16th, will feature a all the big names in the 3D entertainment field from video games to movies.

It is certain, that if Rogers is going to be in attendance, then he will undoubtedly be talking about "Godzilla 2012 3D", and for the first time since the film was announced we will be getting some real 'meat-and-potatoes' information to talk about ............. let's hope.

Here is Rogers info from the event's website:

Brian began producing 3-D projects in 1992. His latest project is the motion picture "Godzilla" for Legendary Pictures and Warner Brothers Studios. He has an extensive background in visual effects driven, ground breaking, new technology projects and has worked in all 3-D formats including 65 mm; 35 mm and High Definition digital capture including producing the world’s first high definition digital 3-D production. He has worked for several Visual Effects houses including Digital Domain, Rhythm & Hues and R, Greenburg / Imaginary Forces.

Here is some more information about the event from their press release:

Unicomm, LLC and The Bob Dowling Group announced today that the 3D Entertainment Summit(TM), presented in association with Variety and featuring an all-star lineup of entertainment and business executives, has already more than doubled attendees and sponsors/exhibitors over last year's record event. The third annual Summit will be held September 15-16, 2010 at the Hilton Los Angeles in Universal City, CA.

"The 3D revolution across all entertainment mediums is driving unprecedented interest in this industry leading event and we are expecting a sold-out conference," said John Golicz, CEO of Unicomm, LLC. "Particularly exciting will be the record number of senior executives attending from the major Hollywood studios, TV broadcasting companies, consumer electronics manufacturers and national cinema chains."

Keynote Speakers at the Summit include Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO of DreamWorks Animation SKG; writer/director M. Night Shyamalan (The Last Airbender; The Sixth Sense), Chris Cookson, President of Sony Pictures Technologies, John Rubey, President, AEG Network LIVE, Michael V. Lewis, Chairman/CEO RealD, David Bishop, President, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Vince Pace, CEO, PACE and Bryan Burns, VP, Strategic Business Planning and Development, ESPN.

In addition to keynote addresses and panels, the Summit will feature a state-of-the-art 3D Entertainment Lounge(TM) where attendees can experience a variety of interactive 3D Entertainment systems and see what they just heard about. The sold out exhibits area features leading edge entertainment companies showcasing everything from 3D display cell phones, the latest 3D TV's and video games to even a thirty foot Dome presentation system.

The highly interactive, discussion-driven environment of the Summit allows entertainment professionals the opportunity to gain practical insight into 3D technology, market considerations, adoption rates, creative and production strategies, and talent and licensing issues to gain a better sense of how 3D relates to their future.

Here is the address:

Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City
555 Universal Hollywood Dr.
Universal City, CA 91608

To Register Online Click Here

Don't get your hopes up about attending this baby, unless you have a lot of spare cash lying around, tickets range from $845 to $1,145 per day.

Geez, and I thought the tickets to Star Trek conventions were high?

Thursday, June 17, 2010

A Reason To Be Optimistic About Godzilla 3D (2012)?

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: The Wrap

Ever since Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros announced their plans to produce another American made "Godzilla" movie back in March, fans have been waiting quite patiently for any news about the film to surface.

And still they are waiting.

At the time of the official announcement, Legendary execs stated that word of the films director would be coming, 'very soon', but here we are some three months later, and still no word on that front.

Sorry.

In fact, since that initial announcement, there has been nothing coming out of the studio about "Godzilla" at all. Not even rumors.

Well, I wish I had HUGE announcement for you today, but alas, all I have is tidbit, a scrap, a mere morsel of "Godzilla" movie news, and even this is a bit of a stretch.

At the 3DNext Summit on Monday, "Godzilla" producer, Brian Rogers, spoke out about how he thought that the medium (3D), was misused in "Clash of the Titans", stating, “’Clash of the Titans’ is important here, because it made the industry realize that you cannot do substandard 3D and charge full pricing.”

Well , like I said, not much 'meat' there, and I'm certain that many of you are scratching your head wondering why I even brought up this quote in the first place?

Though it has not officially been stated, it is a forgone conclusion that "Godzilla" is going to be made in 3D, and why not, all new fantasy and sci fi films are being shot that way since "Avatar".

Now, this is why I think Rogers statement is reason for some optimism in regards to the upcoming "Godzilla" movie. Since the film is being produced by Legendary Pictures, the same folks that brought us, "Clash of the Titans", it would appear that the film makers are taking a good hard look at the mistakes made in that prior film, in hopes of not repeating them.

Which should come as very good news to all "Godzilla" movie fans around the globe.

The echoing theme for "Godzilla" seems to be, 'don't make another G98' and 'give the fans what they want', again more reasons for optimism.

Also, if you want to read into it, the fact that Legendary Pictures hasn't rushed the selection process for a director, echoes these concepts. Meaning, that they are taking their time to find the right guy for the job instead of going for someone 'trendy' or 'hot at the moment', kinda like the Ryuhei Kitamura hiring at Toho for "Final Wars".

Not that the hiring was totally wrong, just Toho had other directors in their stable that probably had a better understanding of "Godzilla" movies than Kitamura did, and who could have produced something a little more, fan-friendly, than what the action movie director did.

And no, I'm not picking on the director. I'm just using the situation to hammer home a point about how I feel that Legendary Pictures, in all likelihood, is taking the right approach here.

There is no need to rush things, and even though "Godzilla" movie fans have been getting ulcers waiting for some news, they ultimately would rather wait, and have things done right, then have the studio rush into things and make a movie nobody likes.

Geez, for such a small bit of information, I really ran with it. Guess it just goes to show how excited we all are to see an American "Godzilla" movie, right?

Maybe in this case, no news is good news?

See Also: Godzilla 2012 Facebook Group Update - 500 Members And The Thread Of The Week!/ Godzilla 2012 (And Gamera) In The News 05/06/10 - A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Rumors / What Went Wrong With Godzilla 98? - Inside The Mind Of Dean Devlin / Godzilla 2012 In The News 04/15/10 - The Angry Edition! / Godzilla 2012 - A Plot Idea That, I Think, Will Make Everyone Happy / Godzilla 3-D, Godzilla 2012, Rumors And Misinformation Abound / Godzilla 2012 Going To Be In 3D And Screened At IMAX Theaters?