So this weekend, on top of packing boxes and cleaning up for the big move this week, I've been watching movies based on the directives from my story meeting - "Make it like this, but don't make it like this." So, I went to my local video store and bought a bunch of flicks in the "Used" bin and took them home to spur the creative juices a bit. I've gone through a bunch of them, picking up bits here and there, and noticed something:
A lot of them were the same story!
Transposed to a new setting of course, but there they were - the same! Same character archetypes. Same creature and rules. Same shots in some cases.
It got me thinking - Whatever happened to being unique or distinctive in moviemaking?
I started going through and logging the same shots, same lighting, same music. It was depressing, because there was little that was new or unique. The movies were all about laying story pipe, throwing in some scares and finishing up. Nothing "new."
(And the pros that are reading this are going, "You're JUST finding this out, Bill? Sheesh!")
I'm just saying that I have to set the bar higher with my story - that's all. Over on the Retromedia board, we were lamenting the fact that the art for the new D2DVD titles were far better than the movies (something I've always said). I'm repeating myself here, but there's no point in doing a scene the same old way. Alex Epstein was talking to Shelly Erickson about this very thing on his blog, Complications Ensue. She was talking about making a scene fresh by making it at odds with the information the characters need to relate.
This means that I'm going to have to really come up with a really new take on this idea. New visuals, new scares...something "distinctive."
That's really what they mean by a screenwriter's "Voice."
Enough rambling, back to work...
Monday, May 30, 2005
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Story Meeting
Had a great meeting today with David Tillman over at Velvet Steamroller for the film I'm writing for them. These are the guys that produced 2001 MANIACS and the upcoming LAST HORROR PICTURE SHOW (which I'm tangentially involved in).
We talked about the movie and what it was going to be like, and more importantly what it wasn't going to be like. I think we're on the same page story-wise and he's asking the right questions from me, and giving good answers to my questions. He's a smart guy and understands what it takes to make a movie. The relationship still the new car smell to it. We'll see how it goes after we get through the sweaty road trip that is developing a movie.
[Oh, by the way, I got this gig the old fashioned way by letting them see my work and knowing someone in the company to champion it. They read my stuff, liked what I had to offer, and sent me some material to make a pitch. So when they say, "You've got to have material and you have to know someone," it's true. ]
I won't tell you the title yet as it's a big clue to the type of monster we're developing, but I've spent the rest of the afternoon working on the characters and doing some research. I'm going to have to raise my game to make this all 'real' then 'really scary'.
Wish me luck...
We talked about the movie and what it was going to be like, and more importantly what it wasn't going to be like. I think we're on the same page story-wise and he's asking the right questions from me, and giving good answers to my questions. He's a smart guy and understands what it takes to make a movie. The relationship still the new car smell to it. We'll see how it goes after we get through the sweaty road trip that is developing a movie.
[Oh, by the way, I got this gig the old fashioned way by letting them see my work and knowing someone in the company to champion it. They read my stuff, liked what I had to offer, and sent me some material to make a pitch. So when they say, "You've got to have material and you have to know someone," it's true. ]
I won't tell you the title yet as it's a big clue to the type of monster we're developing, but I've spent the rest of the afternoon working on the characters and doing some research. I'm going to have to raise my game to make this all 'real' then 'really scary'.
Wish me luck...
Monday, May 23, 2005
Complications Ensue (?)
Alex Epstein has a few observations from his interview with Kay Reindl. In looking this over, he's relating to what I was saying about "Marketing from the Ground Up" - about communicating to your audience in the clearest way possible so that they may enjoy...
http://complicationsensue.blogspot.com/2005/05/some-thoughts-from-kay-reindl.html
http://complicationsensue.blogspot.com/2005/05/some-thoughts-from-kay-reindl.html
Learn, Baby, Learn!!!!!
John Rogers has an excellent post on story and structure and a lot of things we all need to learn.
Go forth and learn: www.kfmonkey.blogspot.com
Go forth and learn: www.kfmonkey.blogspot.com
Saturday, May 21, 2005
Hot as Hell
LA is a pit of hell itself this weekend as the temp has risen to blood boiling level. The good thing about that is the women are dressing for the heat and we're beginning to see the flesh the southland is famous for. Thanks, God!
Packing boxes and making plans for the big move to the new HQ next week. Didn't realize that I had so many books and whatnot (meaning: crap!). Very heavy and I really don't relish the move other than to get into a place I can really relax in and get some work done.
Speaking of work - I've been hired to rewrite a horror script for a production company. Something right up my alley as they liked my notes on the project and hired me with a minimum of muss and fuss. I'll keep you informed as much as possible, but I don't know if I'm able to talk about it yet. I'm also still waiting to tell you the name of that creature-feature I wrote back in January.
As part of the regular housekeeping, my business partner and I have been going through our library of scripts we have options on and/or own outright. We've been developing a lot of material into pitches and two page treatments. The goal is to get a lot of stuff out there and in as many hands as possible at a variety of budget levels. We want to lock in work for the next two years. That may include a trip to Romania to shoot something.
Some of this material may end up as comics or pulps as well as screenplays. That will be cool as the only "Big Two" comic credit I have is Adventure Comics #488. I have some indie stuff out there, but no clue as to whether the guys got it together to publish or not...
Still working on the Fascinax outline and haven't cracked the story yet. It has a beginning and a middle, but no end - at least not one which is satisfying to me. I do know that it's going to be dark with Fascinax tasked to kill the woman he loves because of circumstances from my first story Cadavres Exquis. I think I need to talk this one out with some folks to nail it. If you haven't read the first story then go to www.BlackCoatPress.com and order Tales of the Shadowmen: The Modern Babylon today!
Stay tuned...
Packing boxes and making plans for the big move to the new HQ next week. Didn't realize that I had so many books and whatnot (meaning: crap!). Very heavy and I really don't relish the move other than to get into a place I can really relax in and get some work done.
Speaking of work - I've been hired to rewrite a horror script for a production company. Something right up my alley as they liked my notes on the project and hired me with a minimum of muss and fuss. I'll keep you informed as much as possible, but I don't know if I'm able to talk about it yet. I'm also still waiting to tell you the name of that creature-feature I wrote back in January.
As part of the regular housekeeping, my business partner and I have been going through our library of scripts we have options on and/or own outright. We've been developing a lot of material into pitches and two page treatments. The goal is to get a lot of stuff out there and in as many hands as possible at a variety of budget levels. We want to lock in work for the next two years. That may include a trip to Romania to shoot something.
Some of this material may end up as comics or pulps as well as screenplays. That will be cool as the only "Big Two" comic credit I have is Adventure Comics #488. I have some indie stuff out there, but no clue as to whether the guys got it together to publish or not...
Still working on the Fascinax outline and haven't cracked the story yet. It has a beginning and a middle, but no end - at least not one which is satisfying to me. I do know that it's going to be dark with Fascinax tasked to kill the woman he loves because of circumstances from my first story Cadavres Exquis. I think I need to talk this one out with some folks to nail it. If you haven't read the first story then go to www.BlackCoatPress.com and order Tales of the Shadowmen: The Modern Babylon today!
Stay tuned...
Thursday, May 19, 2005
Marketing From The Ground Up
So I received a question from the comments section of my Blade: Trinity review about my “marketing from the ground up” reference in the post. What that means in the simplest terms (which are the ones that are the most helpful) is asking the right questions so that the script and eventually the production stays on track, and tells a compelling story in the right way. It's about thinking of your audience and what they care about while you're writing.
It's about asking the right questions like:
1. What’s the story here anyway?
2. Who’s going to want to see this? Why?
3. What’s the clearest way to tell this story that has the most intriguing entertainment value?(What are we selling here?)
4. Does it have a fresh hook?
5. If this is a sequel or an adaptation, what does the audience expect?
6. Who would be the ideal director for this story?
7. Does every scene relate back to the central conceit(s) of the picture?
__________________
These are all questions that screenwriters should ask themselves when they are developing a project that they expect someone to spend money on. Because kids, it’s about show business. The entertainment industry. You, as the writer are developing a product and you have to know to whom you are going to sell that product. That’s how these producing decisions are made. As my friend Bill Martell says, “Buying a script is a 100% business decision.” I’ve ranted on some of this before so check in the archives. In the previous case it was regarding the use of title in a project to help its marketability.
So let’s get down to business and apply these questions to Blade:Trinity. This is important because we are dealing with a sequel here, and that means it brings with a TON of audience expectation and needs. Also, I have to remind everyone that much of this is subjective, and some of you may not agree with me, but when a group concurs (the important function of having a group of people reading your stuff) then you know that you either have it right or wrong and must take the appropriate steps from there. You want to get your story into the hearts and minds of as many people as possible. That means accessibility and marketability.
I also have to give props to Writer’s Boot Camp, which has in their methodology The Project Plan, which I have simplified and adapted for my own, easy-to-understand use. It is much more involved than what I’ve outlined here, but reinforces the concept that buying a script is a business decision. You have to have a great story that’s marketable, and every other aspect of the movie needs to back up the story and the marketability.
1. What’s the story here anyway?
The story as I gather it, is the vampires turn humanity against Blade so that they can complete their mission of resurrecting Dracula without interference, and subjugate mankind. Blade is stripped of his weaponry, contacts and even his mentor, Whistler, and must team up with a group of youngsters, the Nightstalkers, to take on Dracula and save the world.
Now this seems like a pretty cool story. I wish the movie had followed this premise and conceit more closely. The problem lies in several scenes, which don’t fit this central idea:
They resurrect Dracula to take out Blade – so why use humanity to do it? It’s not Dracula who kills Whistler, but the FBI. That takes all of the villainy out of Dracula doesn’t it? It also takes the fight out of Blade – he knows the FBI is being used, and he can’t fight back.
Why does Danika Tellos (Parker Posey’s character) make all the decisions? Once Dracula is resurrected then he should clearly be in charge and leading all the other vampires shouldn’t he? This is Dracula – the big bad of the movie.
The whole virus to wipe out all of the vampires seems too pat to me. I don’t have a clear idea as to how this could work in a movie like this, but I do know it doesn’t clearly work (for me) based on the above premise.
2. Who’s going to want to see this and why?
All of the people who saw the first two movies, horror fans, and new audience members who weren’t old enough to see the first and/or second movie. People see this as the third part of a trilogy, so they want to see the resolution of the Blade saga.
3. What’s the clearest way to tell this story with the most intriguing entertainment value?
Have Dracula come in at the Act One turnaround, and have everything go to hell as Dracula kills Whistler and destroys everything Blade has…or so he thinks. As the Vampires interrogate Blade, he is rescued by the Nightstalkers, who he must team up with in order to stop Dracula’s final assault on mankind.
This relates back to number one in that the clearer the story the better you can sell that story to the audience. That doesn’t mean you can’t tell the story in a new way (Memento?), but it means that the key concepts of the movie must be accessible by the audience.
4. Does it have a fresh hook?
Blade v. Dracula - the hip-hop vampire hunter versus the classic, king of all vampires in a final bloody showdown with the fate of humanity at stake. Let’s get ready to rummmmble! (I think this showdown occurred in the comics, but not here.)
And speaking of fresh, we have to look at the scenes in Trinity that aren’t fresh:
a. Whistler dies again. In their lair - again.
b. They are invaded in their own lair, just like in Blade and Blade 2.
c. Not only are they invaded in Blade’s lair they get invaded in the Nightstalkers’ lair. (And where were the anti-vamp devices? UV-lamps that pop on, Garlic sprays, etc.. It would have been cool to see the lamps pop on and everyone expect Dracula to get fried and he just smiles and shows his fangs. Cut to screams and bloodshed.)
d. Why did Dracula adopt Whistler’s form to invade the Nightstalkers?
e. We see the Pomeranian dog with a mouth like a Reaper from Blade2. Why? We’ve already seen it, and even the vampires agree that Reapers are a bad thing.
f. We see Blade again going after the familiars to get to the vampires, but in this case it’s during the day. It was neat that the Nightstalkers were able to de-crypt the software and trace all the medical supplies. Blade needs to be surprised by the talents of his newfound allies, and they need to be astonished at his old school ferocity, skills, and utter contempt for the vampires. This would have made the animosity between Blade and King much more real.
5. If this is a sequel or adaptation, then what does the audience expect?
The audience expects that this Blade movie will mix elements of hip-hop, blaxploitation, vampire movies, Japanese samurai and Hong Kong cinema and of course, superheroes. They expect that they will see scenes similar to, but slightly different from the above. They expect a continuation of the story elements presented thus far. They expect to be surprised, scared, astounded and shouting at the screen as Blade kicks Vamp ass.
6. Who would be the ideal director(s) for this movie?
Stephen Norrington, David Fincher, Joe Carnahan and a ton of other directors who’ve done movies, music videos, TV and commercials. My favorite out of this bunch would be Carnahan who has both his action and his character-driven story chops. Did anyone here see his short for BMW films’ “The Hire” series?
The reason you think of your director is that it inspires you visually to write something that has the same energy and tone as that director’s movies. It helps you develop those moments in the film that are needed to tell the story. It gets you excited. By adopting and adapting the techniques and habits of those you consider to be the “best” both in writing and directing, you develop your own style.
7. Does every scene relate back to the central conceit of the picture?
No. I’ve given examples above. If I give any more, my head’s going to explode, but I’ll try. There is just too much humor here for my taste. It’s good to have someone to play off the stoic Blade, but not at the expense of scares, action and drama. You also have a werewolf in this thing that looks silly.
We have to talk about casting and how each member of the cast has to relate to the others. I’m going to rag on Parker Posey a bit because she seems to be the odd duck here in terms of casting. All of the vampire women of the Blade series have been beautiful, gorgeous, and downright deadly. Posey is none of these. She would be a great librarian vamp or nun vamp, but not Danika Tellos. For the life of me, I can’t see Hannibal King wanting some from her. Her casting doesn’t reflect back on the other cast members - It sticks out like a sore thumb. (All this is NOT to say Posey is a bad actress – she isn’t. I like her work, just not here)
I’ll cop to the fact that a lot of this is Monday morning quarterbacking, but if they had taken the time to run through the script and break the mutherfucka’ down we would have had a better picture. This is why marketing it from the ground up is important and there are probably a multitude of reasons – political and otherwise – why this didn’t happen. The comments section alludes to a lot of it.
But the main thing is…
This is a big studio movie costing tens of millions of dollars!!!!
You would think that somebody in that system would have stood up and said, “Blade has no clothes, and doesn’t have any blood dripping off him either. We need to revise this script because it’s not a Blade movie.” This was a missed opportunity to send the series off with a high note because somebody/everybody didn't ask the right questions.
I’m not saying you should make everything ONLY to the audience expectation, but when you write something - a) keep the audience in mind, b) understand what your story is and c) make that story fresh and exciting . These are all good, simple questions so that you don't go off track and make a humorous Blade movie – oops!
So when you’re outlining your story for your script run through the questions above and knock out anything that doesn’t fit – not matter how good it is! When you write the treatment, ask those questions. After you’ve written the first draft, ask those questions. Send your polished first draft to at least four people who are good readers and can spot your bullshit, and have them ask the same questions. You will be surprised at what you discover…certain things you thought were perfectly clear – weren’t. Things you thought were cool – weren’t. Things you thought were original – weren’t.
It’s all part of the process of developing a script into a movie. If somebody doesn't ask the hard questions you get stuff like Blade:Trinity.
Now ask your questions. I've rambled far too long...
It's about asking the right questions like:
1. What’s the story here anyway?
2. Who’s going to want to see this? Why?
3. What’s the clearest way to tell this story that has the most intriguing entertainment value?(What are we selling here?)
4. Does it have a fresh hook?
5. If this is a sequel or an adaptation, what does the audience expect?
6. Who would be the ideal director for this story?
7. Does every scene relate back to the central conceit(s) of the picture?
__________________
These are all questions that screenwriters should ask themselves when they are developing a project that they expect someone to spend money on. Because kids, it’s about show business. The entertainment industry. You, as the writer are developing a product and you have to know to whom you are going to sell that product. That’s how these producing decisions are made. As my friend Bill Martell says, “Buying a script is a 100% business decision.” I’ve ranted on some of this before so check in the archives. In the previous case it was regarding the use of title in a project to help its marketability.
So let’s get down to business and apply these questions to Blade:Trinity. This is important because we are dealing with a sequel here, and that means it brings with a TON of audience expectation and needs. Also, I have to remind everyone that much of this is subjective, and some of you may not agree with me, but when a group concurs (the important function of having a group of people reading your stuff) then you know that you either have it right or wrong and must take the appropriate steps from there. You want to get your story into the hearts and minds of as many people as possible. That means accessibility and marketability.
I also have to give props to Writer’s Boot Camp, which has in their methodology The Project Plan, which I have simplified and adapted for my own, easy-to-understand use. It is much more involved than what I’ve outlined here, but reinforces the concept that buying a script is a business decision. You have to have a great story that’s marketable, and every other aspect of the movie needs to back up the story and the marketability.
1. What’s the story here anyway?
The story as I gather it, is the vampires turn humanity against Blade so that they can complete their mission of resurrecting Dracula without interference, and subjugate mankind. Blade is stripped of his weaponry, contacts and even his mentor, Whistler, and must team up with a group of youngsters, the Nightstalkers, to take on Dracula and save the world.
Now this seems like a pretty cool story. I wish the movie had followed this premise and conceit more closely. The problem lies in several scenes, which don’t fit this central idea:
They resurrect Dracula to take out Blade – so why use humanity to do it? It’s not Dracula who kills Whistler, but the FBI. That takes all of the villainy out of Dracula doesn’t it? It also takes the fight out of Blade – he knows the FBI is being used, and he can’t fight back.
Why does Danika Tellos (Parker Posey’s character) make all the decisions? Once Dracula is resurrected then he should clearly be in charge and leading all the other vampires shouldn’t he? This is Dracula – the big bad of the movie.
The whole virus to wipe out all of the vampires seems too pat to me. I don’t have a clear idea as to how this could work in a movie like this, but I do know it doesn’t clearly work (for me) based on the above premise.
2. Who’s going to want to see this and why?
All of the people who saw the first two movies, horror fans, and new audience members who weren’t old enough to see the first and/or second movie. People see this as the third part of a trilogy, so they want to see the resolution of the Blade saga.
3. What’s the clearest way to tell this story with the most intriguing entertainment value?
Have Dracula come in at the Act One turnaround, and have everything go to hell as Dracula kills Whistler and destroys everything Blade has…or so he thinks. As the Vampires interrogate Blade, he is rescued by the Nightstalkers, who he must team up with in order to stop Dracula’s final assault on mankind.
This relates back to number one in that the clearer the story the better you can sell that story to the audience. That doesn’t mean you can’t tell the story in a new way (Memento?), but it means that the key concepts of the movie must be accessible by the audience.
4. Does it have a fresh hook?
Blade v. Dracula - the hip-hop vampire hunter versus the classic, king of all vampires in a final bloody showdown with the fate of humanity at stake. Let’s get ready to rummmmble! (I think this showdown occurred in the comics, but not here.)
And speaking of fresh, we have to look at the scenes in Trinity that aren’t fresh:
a. Whistler dies again. In their lair - again.
b. They are invaded in their own lair, just like in Blade and Blade 2.
c. Not only are they invaded in Blade’s lair they get invaded in the Nightstalkers’ lair. (And where were the anti-vamp devices? UV-lamps that pop on, Garlic sprays, etc.. It would have been cool to see the lamps pop on and everyone expect Dracula to get fried and he just smiles and shows his fangs. Cut to screams and bloodshed.)
d. Why did Dracula adopt Whistler’s form to invade the Nightstalkers?
e. We see the Pomeranian dog with a mouth like a Reaper from Blade2. Why? We’ve already seen it, and even the vampires agree that Reapers are a bad thing.
f. We see Blade again going after the familiars to get to the vampires, but in this case it’s during the day. It was neat that the Nightstalkers were able to de-crypt the software and trace all the medical supplies. Blade needs to be surprised by the talents of his newfound allies, and they need to be astonished at his old school ferocity, skills, and utter contempt for the vampires. This would have made the animosity between Blade and King much more real.
5. If this is a sequel or adaptation, then what does the audience expect?
The audience expects that this Blade movie will mix elements of hip-hop, blaxploitation, vampire movies, Japanese samurai and Hong Kong cinema and of course, superheroes. They expect that they will see scenes similar to, but slightly different from the above. They expect a continuation of the story elements presented thus far. They expect to be surprised, scared, astounded and shouting at the screen as Blade kicks Vamp ass.
6. Who would be the ideal director(s) for this movie?
Stephen Norrington, David Fincher, Joe Carnahan and a ton of other directors who’ve done movies, music videos, TV and commercials. My favorite out of this bunch would be Carnahan who has both his action and his character-driven story chops. Did anyone here see his short for BMW films’ “The Hire” series?
The reason you think of your director is that it inspires you visually to write something that has the same energy and tone as that director’s movies. It helps you develop those moments in the film that are needed to tell the story. It gets you excited. By adopting and adapting the techniques and habits of those you consider to be the “best” both in writing and directing, you develop your own style.
7. Does every scene relate back to the central conceit of the picture?
No. I’ve given examples above. If I give any more, my head’s going to explode, but I’ll try. There is just too much humor here for my taste. It’s good to have someone to play off the stoic Blade, but not at the expense of scares, action and drama. You also have a werewolf in this thing that looks silly.
We have to talk about casting and how each member of the cast has to relate to the others. I’m going to rag on Parker Posey a bit because she seems to be the odd duck here in terms of casting. All of the vampire women of the Blade series have been beautiful, gorgeous, and downright deadly. Posey is none of these. She would be a great librarian vamp or nun vamp, but not Danika Tellos. For the life of me, I can’t see Hannibal King wanting some from her. Her casting doesn’t reflect back on the other cast members - It sticks out like a sore thumb. (All this is NOT to say Posey is a bad actress – she isn’t. I like her work, just not here)
I’ll cop to the fact that a lot of this is Monday morning quarterbacking, but if they had taken the time to run through the script and break the mutherfucka’ down we would have had a better picture. This is why marketing it from the ground up is important and there are probably a multitude of reasons – political and otherwise – why this didn’t happen. The comments section alludes to a lot of it.
But the main thing is…
This is a big studio movie costing tens of millions of dollars!!!!
You would think that somebody in that system would have stood up and said, “Blade has no clothes, and doesn’t have any blood dripping off him either. We need to revise this script because it’s not a Blade movie.” This was a missed opportunity to send the series off with a high note because somebody/everybody didn't ask the right questions.
I’m not saying you should make everything ONLY to the audience expectation, but when you write something - a) keep the audience in mind, b) understand what your story is and c) make that story fresh and exciting . These are all good, simple questions so that you don't go off track and make a humorous Blade movie – oops!
So when you’re outlining your story for your script run through the questions above and knock out anything that doesn’t fit – not matter how good it is! When you write the treatment, ask those questions. After you’ve written the first draft, ask those questions. Send your polished first draft to at least four people who are good readers and can spot your bullshit, and have them ask the same questions. You will be surprised at what you discover…certain things you thought were perfectly clear – weren’t. Things you thought were cool – weren’t. Things you thought were original – weren’t.
It’s all part of the process of developing a script into a movie. If somebody doesn't ask the hard questions you get stuff like Blade:Trinity.
Now ask your questions. I've rambled far too long...
Monday, May 16, 2005
Blade: Trinity – A Case of DISC/ontent
Okay, so as I hinted the other day in my “Rant,” I purchased the Blade: Trinity DVD over at Amoeba Music in Hollywood. Let it be said here and now that I am a bargain hunter when it comes to DVDs and Amoeba is my second home for finding great DVDs (and some not so great) at bargain prices. They have Kmart sized stores in Hollywood, Berkeley and San Francisco. You can find stuff there you can’t find anywhere else as people sell back their used DVDs, and when you factor in all the people in “the industry” who get free DVDs from everyone else in the industry you begin to understand the smorgasbord that is Amoeba Hollywood. On occasion you can see Mike Meyers, Elijah Wood, Glenn Danzig, Henry Rollins, Bill Lustig, Lindsay Lohan and I’m sure a whole host of “young Hollywood” I just didn’t recognize as I always have my head buried in the bargain bin.
So I’m flipping through the bins (the same bins where I found Jungle Jim, The Hills Have Eyes SE, Texas Chainsaw Massacre SE – all at bargain prices) and I come across this Blade DVD for $14.99. I reason it’s a good deal since I still have about $8.99 in store credit from the last time I was there. Six bucks and some tax money and I’m good to go. I think this is a really good deal since the package was pristine, still in the plastic wrap with the bar coded security wraps. It was also a good deal since it was a two-disc set. Sold!
I want my money back…
Before I get into the review itself, I’m going to set up the parameters of my review process so that you guys and gals don’t think I’m bitching and moaning and throwing sour grapes everywhere. When I give a review of a DVD, I do so with the idea of reviewing both the film itself and the DVD content. Both are extremely important in my industry as they feed one another.
In addition, my reviews will contain my thoughts and opinions as to how it could have been a better movie (and a better DVD). I want to be constructive here and not just spout off at the mouth (though there will probably be some of that too). I’m also going to relate some of this stuff back to my own work, thoughts and philosophy of moviemaking, writing and design – There is a reason this blog is called DISC/ontent.
The Movie:
I didn’t see this one at the theater, perhaps it was a sixth sense or whatever, but I knew it was going to stink enough for me not to waste my money at the Arclight Cinemas ($14 reserve seating, popcorn with real butter, great picture and sound especially in their digital theater – and ironically a stone’s throw away from Amoeba).
I guess what tipped me off to the potential borefest that is B:T, is the fact that Blade isn’t really center stage in this movie – he shares the limelight with Jessica Biel (hottie) and Ryan Reynolds (an even bigger hottie and more of a girl than Jessica). In the first movie, Blade found out his true origins. In the second, he overcame prejudice to deal with an even greater threat. In this installment…what?
Another major gripe I have with this movie is the fact that, oh yeah, Blade goes up against Dracula (played with some sexual ferocity by Dominic Purcell) the “Father of all Vampires”. And you know what? Nothing much happens there either except for the fact that he turns into a big horny demonoid and trashes a Vancouver penthouse office.
B:T is a movie about missed opportunities. Just when you think that the movie is going to come on strong and be really cool – it misses the mark. We don’t understand why exactly the vampires have resurrected Drac, excuse me, Drake. We expect some blood curdling scenes and instead get one-liners. In his final battle with Drake, Blade doesn’t have a hair out of place or a scratch on him. Not a mark on his scarlet turtleneck and leather vest anywhere. At the end, Blade should have bloody wounds across his naked, scarred chest. His clothes should be in tatters. Though he’s nearly dying he calmly gets to his feet and sheathes his bloody samurai sword and stands tall. And then he should say, “Next?” as the other vampires scramble for cover. After all, Blade just took out the “Father of all Vamps” right? He is the Father of all that they know – their myth, their legend, their God.
Oh wait, sorry. That’s the movie I was hoping to see. This wasn’t that movie. Instead we get a bunch of stuff we really don’t want to see:
1. Lots of Ryan Reynolds spouting off at the mouth.
2. We get Dracula as a demon, waaay too early in the show. That should be held for last. We also see Drac running away from Blade in the sunlight. Nope. We never want to see Drac in the sun. It takes away from the sexual predatory image that the character projects. I know Stoker said he could do it, but understand there’s always more mystery surrounding something that’s in the darkness.
3. They use Drac as an errand-boy? The other vamps should worship Dracula.
4. That stupid looking laser bow device.
5. Parker Posey as a vampire.
6. In the extended version of the movie we see the Nightstalkers hunting werewolves. Silly, silly werewolves in a Vegas casino.
The DVD:
This is where New Line cinema excels and almost makes up for the movie. Great behind-the-scenes features, audio commentaries and a DVD Rom feature that really expands on the movie (not that you’d really want that). You even get a comic book inside, the only problem is that it features lackluster art that looks cartoony. It’s a bad comic in that it looks like my niece drew it. It’s poorly colored and just shoddy. Marvel should be ashamed.
(Note: My niece is really talented - for an eight year old. My comment above is actually a slight on her for which I should apologize. She can draw better than the Marvel Blade DVD comic)
The interesting thing about the DVD is that in seeing all the features and whatnot you begin to see where this movie went so, so wrong. It boils down to the approach derived from the script. Yes folks, the writer’s to blame.
Goyer being in the director’s chair on such a big movie (his first was a smaller, intimate drama) is a mistake. Him directing his own material was a mistake. He was too close to it and didn’t give it that left brain critical view that a director gives a script. It was also not marketed from the ground up, meaning we didn’t know (or they didn’t tell us) the story. I really didn’t know why they resurrected Drac – was it to get rid of Blade? Was it to lead the vamps against the humans for good? Was it so that we could have a scene where Drac fucks Parker Posey? This story is so far off the tracks that it didn’t even get out of the station.
And that’s the great thing about DVD – you get to see these interviews and material after the movie and put the pieces together for yourself. Great fight segments, great special effects segments, casting, costuming – all leading into a bad story.
It seems everyone interviewed was touting the company line, “we wanted to do something different.” Well, guys, you did. You made a shitty movie out of what could have been a tremendous cap to the franchise. You went and did something different at the expense being good.
So I’m flipping through the bins (the same bins where I found Jungle Jim, The Hills Have Eyes SE, Texas Chainsaw Massacre SE – all at bargain prices) and I come across this Blade DVD for $14.99. I reason it’s a good deal since I still have about $8.99 in store credit from the last time I was there. Six bucks and some tax money and I’m good to go. I think this is a really good deal since the package was pristine, still in the plastic wrap with the bar coded security wraps. It was also a good deal since it was a two-disc set. Sold!
I want my money back…
Before I get into the review itself, I’m going to set up the parameters of my review process so that you guys and gals don’t think I’m bitching and moaning and throwing sour grapes everywhere. When I give a review of a DVD, I do so with the idea of reviewing both the film itself and the DVD content. Both are extremely important in my industry as they feed one another.
In addition, my reviews will contain my thoughts and opinions as to how it could have been a better movie (and a better DVD). I want to be constructive here and not just spout off at the mouth (though there will probably be some of that too). I’m also going to relate some of this stuff back to my own work, thoughts and philosophy of moviemaking, writing and design – There is a reason this blog is called DISC/ontent.
The Movie:
I didn’t see this one at the theater, perhaps it was a sixth sense or whatever, but I knew it was going to stink enough for me not to waste my money at the Arclight Cinemas ($14 reserve seating, popcorn with real butter, great picture and sound especially in their digital theater – and ironically a stone’s throw away from Amoeba).
I guess what tipped me off to the potential borefest that is B:T, is the fact that Blade isn’t really center stage in this movie – he shares the limelight with Jessica Biel (hottie) and Ryan Reynolds (an even bigger hottie and more of a girl than Jessica). In the first movie, Blade found out his true origins. In the second, he overcame prejudice to deal with an even greater threat. In this installment…what?
Another major gripe I have with this movie is the fact that, oh yeah, Blade goes up against Dracula (played with some sexual ferocity by Dominic Purcell) the “Father of all Vampires”. And you know what? Nothing much happens there either except for the fact that he turns into a big horny demonoid and trashes a Vancouver penthouse office.
B:T is a movie about missed opportunities. Just when you think that the movie is going to come on strong and be really cool – it misses the mark. We don’t understand why exactly the vampires have resurrected Drac, excuse me, Drake. We expect some blood curdling scenes and instead get one-liners. In his final battle with Drake, Blade doesn’t have a hair out of place or a scratch on him. Not a mark on his scarlet turtleneck and leather vest anywhere. At the end, Blade should have bloody wounds across his naked, scarred chest. His clothes should be in tatters. Though he’s nearly dying he calmly gets to his feet and sheathes his bloody samurai sword and stands tall. And then he should say, “Next?” as the other vampires scramble for cover. After all, Blade just took out the “Father of all Vamps” right? He is the Father of all that they know – their myth, their legend, their God.
Oh wait, sorry. That’s the movie I was hoping to see. This wasn’t that movie. Instead we get a bunch of stuff we really don’t want to see:
1. Lots of Ryan Reynolds spouting off at the mouth.
2. We get Dracula as a demon, waaay too early in the show. That should be held for last. We also see Drac running away from Blade in the sunlight. Nope. We never want to see Drac in the sun. It takes away from the sexual predatory image that the character projects. I know Stoker said he could do it, but understand there’s always more mystery surrounding something that’s in the darkness.
3. They use Drac as an errand-boy? The other vamps should worship Dracula.
4. That stupid looking laser bow device.
5. Parker Posey as a vampire.
6. In the extended version of the movie we see the Nightstalkers hunting werewolves. Silly, silly werewolves in a Vegas casino.
The DVD:
This is where New Line cinema excels and almost makes up for the movie. Great behind-the-scenes features, audio commentaries and a DVD Rom feature that really expands on the movie (not that you’d really want that). You even get a comic book inside, the only problem is that it features lackluster art that looks cartoony. It’s a bad comic in that it looks like my niece drew it. It’s poorly colored and just shoddy. Marvel should be ashamed.
(Note: My niece is really talented - for an eight year old. My comment above is actually a slight on her for which I should apologize. She can draw better than the Marvel Blade DVD comic)
The interesting thing about the DVD is that in seeing all the features and whatnot you begin to see where this movie went so, so wrong. It boils down to the approach derived from the script. Yes folks, the writer’s to blame.
Goyer being in the director’s chair on such a big movie (his first was a smaller, intimate drama) is a mistake. Him directing his own material was a mistake. He was too close to it and didn’t give it that left brain critical view that a director gives a script. It was also not marketed from the ground up, meaning we didn’t know (or they didn’t tell us) the story. I really didn’t know why they resurrected Drac – was it to get rid of Blade? Was it to lead the vamps against the humans for good? Was it so that we could have a scene where Drac fucks Parker Posey? This story is so far off the tracks that it didn’t even get out of the station.
And that’s the great thing about DVD – you get to see these interviews and material after the movie and put the pieces together for yourself. Great fight segments, great special effects segments, casting, costuming – all leading into a bad story.
It seems everyone interviewed was touting the company line, “we wanted to do something different.” Well, guys, you did. You made a shitty movie out of what could have been a tremendous cap to the franchise. You went and did something different at the expense being good.
Sunday, May 15, 2005
Spring Cleaning
You'll notice in the sidebar area I've rearranged a few things, put them in their "proper" categories and such. I've also added a few new sites to the roster:
Query Letters I Love: a development executive's blog about the "stuff" she wades through to find produceable material.
Hot As Love: My friend James Felix McKenney's site reviewing exploitation movies.
Scripts Wanted: a nifty little site that contacted me. No explanation required.
Retromedia Forum: Fred Olen Ray's message Board. Sign up and listen to us D2DVD "workhorses" rant about our flicks.
But if anyone can tell me how to get rid of those silly dotted lines on the bottom, then it would be much appreciated.
You'll also notice the sitemeter, which will tell me how many of you visit me and what holds your interest. Useful information for the future of this blog.
I'll finish up the Blade: Trinity review tonight / tomorrow, but expect light blogging from me as I am moving in two weeks from Pulp Central here near the Silverlake reservoir to a new undisclosed secret HQ.
Stay tuned...
Query Letters I Love: a development executive's blog about the "stuff" she wades through to find produceable material.
Hot As Love: My friend James Felix McKenney's site reviewing exploitation movies.
Scripts Wanted: a nifty little site that contacted me. No explanation required.
Retromedia Forum: Fred Olen Ray's message Board. Sign up and listen to us D2DVD "workhorses" rant about our flicks.
But if anyone can tell me how to get rid of those silly dotted lines on the bottom, then it would be much appreciated.
You'll also notice the sitemeter, which will tell me how many of you visit me and what holds your interest. Useful information for the future of this blog.
I'll finish up the Blade: Trinity review tonight / tomorrow, but expect light blogging from me as I am moving in two weeks from Pulp Central here near the Silverlake reservoir to a new undisclosed secret HQ.
Stay tuned...
Thursday, May 12, 2005
I'm On A Rant
Busy day today -- working on some great PR for a DVD client. Working on the outline for my next FASCINAX story for Randy and Jean Marc Lofficier's Black Coat Press SHADOWMEN series, AND SENDING OUT A BUNCH OF EMAILS looking for work. The usual.
Then, for some reason, I started going off on various things -
I went to GROOVY AGE OF HORROR and ranted about how I thought the Drac stories Curt was running on his site should be in black & white.
I also ranted about how VAN HELSING should have been in B/W. At least it would have taken some of the sting out of those awful scenes...
Then I went over to Fred Olen Ray's RETROMEDIA FORUM and ranted about all the silly filmmakers I've seen in my career and the stupid shit they've done (I include myself in that number sometimes because, yes dear reader, I make mistakes too!)...
I decided I was going to take a break and watch a new DVD I purchased last week at Amoeba for only $14.99 still in the wrapper - BLADE TRINITY.
I don't even know where to begin with this rant, so I'm not even gonna start it. I'll wait til tomorrow.
Then, for some reason, I started going off on various things -
I went to GROOVY AGE OF HORROR and ranted about how I thought the Drac stories Curt was running on his site should be in black & white.
I also ranted about how VAN HELSING should have been in B/W. At least it would have taken some of the sting out of those awful scenes...
Then I went over to Fred Olen Ray's RETROMEDIA FORUM and ranted about all the silly filmmakers I've seen in my career and the stupid shit they've done (I include myself in that number sometimes because, yes dear reader, I make mistakes too!)...
I decided I was going to take a break and watch a new DVD I purchased last week at Amoeba for only $14.99 still in the wrapper - BLADE TRINITY.
I don't even know where to begin with this rant, so I'm not even gonna start it. I'll wait til tomorrow.
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Chapter 2: "The Man of Tomorrow"
Captain Future was the man! (Photos courtesy of Planet of Sardines)
The World of Tomorrow - Then
Warren Ellis posted this on his site and as soon as I saw it I realized how the Lydecker Bros. came up with those whacky aircraft designs back in the thirties for the Republic serials like DICK TRACY, SPY SMASHER and the like. There must have been something in the water back then because all of these designs just rock!
http://www.adventurelounge.com/aircraft/
I was in the USAF for four years trying to figure out what to do with my life, and even though I worked on the F-117A stealth fighter (our highest security asset throughout the eighties) and held a top secret clearance, I still like this stuff better - and it's not real!
How is it that all those designs back then look more futuristic than the stuff we have today (at least to these eyes)?
How come we never got to see these designs in action?
I want my friggin' flying jetpack! Food pills! Atom ray disintegrator pistol! A moon base!
Where the hell is the "real life" Captain Action? Billy Blastoff? Major Matt Mason? Commando Cody/Rocketman? Captain Midnight?
Oh sure, we got Rutan and Spaceship 1, but he's been long overdue...
What's been holding us back all these years?
Ideas, percolating in the head...
http://www.adventurelounge.com/aircraft/
I was in the USAF for four years trying to figure out what to do with my life, and even though I worked on the F-117A stealth fighter (our highest security asset throughout the eighties) and held a top secret clearance, I still like this stuff better - and it's not real!
How is it that all those designs back then look more futuristic than the stuff we have today (at least to these eyes)?
How come we never got to see these designs in action?
I want my friggin' flying jetpack! Food pills! Atom ray disintegrator pistol! A moon base!
Where the hell is the "real life" Captain Action? Billy Blastoff? Major Matt Mason? Commando Cody/Rocketman? Captain Midnight?
Oh sure, we got Rutan and Spaceship 1, but he's been long overdue...
What's been holding us back all these years?
Ideas, percolating in the head...
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
All in color for a dime...
I was just wondering something...
If you've been reading this blog you know my love for all things pulp and comic book, and how I sometimes try to relate that stuff back to the DVD world and screenwriting. In the comments section of the Marvel post below, I made a quick list of some of the Marvel comics that I thought should be movies (actually the Marvel movies I would want to write).
So I put the question to you, what comic book or pulp story would you like to write as a movie? It could be anything from Ant-Man to Sweet Annie Fanny.
So turn your imaginations loose, dream those four-color dreams, then tell us about it...
If you've been reading this blog you know my love for all things pulp and comic book, and how I sometimes try to relate that stuff back to the DVD world and screenwriting. In the comments section of the Marvel post below, I made a quick list of some of the Marvel comics that I thought should be movies (actually the Marvel movies I would want to write).
So I put the question to you, what comic book or pulp story would you like to write as a movie? It could be anything from Ant-Man to Sweet Annie Fanny.
So turn your imaginations loose, dream those four-color dreams, then tell us about it...
POST SKULL
Nothing much has been happening post-SKULL. Working with a PR client on a top secret project. I'm up for some rewrite work that I'll hear about soon.
I'm just taking it semi-easy and trying to shake out all of my preconceived notions about SKULL before I read it again. I want it ugly fresh - like a newborn all bloody and screaming and needing air and warmth - before I go in and rip its guts out and divine its secrets. I know it has secrets, its just not telling them to me yet. But I vill make it talk, yes I vill.
I was also reading Alex Epstein's blog, COMPLICATIONS ENSUE, and he noted a new screenwriting site: http://www.imsdb.com which is another access portal for everyone to read produced scripts. No excuses not to do your homework. You can read them right online and it's all free. A coach once told me that you won't get better unless you go up against the best and test yourself. Same goes for screenwriting, so READ, READ, READ. In fact, as much as you write - you should double that time for reading.
It's DRAC MONTH over at GROOVY AGE OF HORROR so go over there right now and have a look-see. Tell Curt I sent you. He's running reviews of the Dracula Horror Series of paperbacks that I read as a kid. [ Boy I'm feeling old. Gonna have to get a girlfriend half my age to get the blood pumping again].
I'm just taking it semi-easy and trying to shake out all of my preconceived notions about SKULL before I read it again. I want it ugly fresh - like a newborn all bloody and screaming and needing air and warmth - before I go in and rip its guts out and divine its secrets. I know it has secrets, its just not telling them to me yet. But I vill make it talk, yes I vill.
I was also reading Alex Epstein's blog, COMPLICATIONS ENSUE, and he noted a new screenwriting site: http://www.imsdb.com which is another access portal for everyone to read produced scripts. No excuses not to do your homework. You can read them right online and it's all free. A coach once told me that you won't get better unless you go up against the best and test yourself. Same goes for screenwriting, so READ, READ, READ. In fact, as much as you write - you should double that time for reading.
It's DRAC MONTH over at GROOVY AGE OF HORROR so go over there right now and have a look-see. Tell Curt I sent you. He's running reviews of the Dracula Horror Series of paperbacks that I read as a kid. [ Boy I'm feeling old. Gonna have to get a girlfriend half my age to get the blood pumping again].
Friday, May 06, 2005
Screenwriting That Pops! part 2068...
USE THE PRESENT TENSE ...
If you want the reader to feel your story and be "in the moment" - then write it that way.
NOT:
Johnny is pointing the gun at his wife and pulling the trigger...
BUT:
Johnny points the gun at his wife, pulls the trigger and...
Lesson brought to you by two scripts I read today.
Now all you little pulpsters have a good weekend. And remember, if you can't be good, then don't get caught!
If you want the reader to feel your story and be "in the moment" - then write it that way.
NOT:
Johnny is pointing the gun at his wife and pulling the trigger...
BUT:
Johnny points the gun at his wife, pulls the trigger and...
Lesson brought to you by two scripts I read today.
Now all you little pulpsters have a good weekend. And remember, if you can't be good, then don't get caught!
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Sunday, bloody Sunday!
Off to have lunch then come back to the crib to watch movies. I've got a selection of DVDs to watch before I go into revisions on THE SKULL (or maybe just SKULL?). I do this to refresh my thinking process, find what others have done so I won't repeat it (or so I do repeat it but in a new way).
I'm watching:
SOME SANTO MOVIES
AVP
RESIDENT EVIL: APOCALYPSE
BRUCE LEE'S GAME OF DEATH
BOURNE SUPREMACY
BLADE RUNNER
CATWOMAN
PRINCESS DIARIES 2 (What? I like Anne Hathaway!)
FILM NOIR
GOOD, BAD, AND THE UGLY
Stay tuned...
I'm watching:
SOME SANTO MOVIES
AVP
RESIDENT EVIL: APOCALYPSE
BRUCE LEE'S GAME OF DEATH
BOURNE SUPREMACY
BLADE RUNNER
CATWOMAN
PRINCESS DIARIES 2 (What? I like Anne Hathaway!)
FILM NOIR
GOOD, BAD, AND THE UGLY
Stay tuned...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)