Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Get Ready for THE STRAIN

Here is the highest compliment I can give THE STRAIN: Its distracting me from my newborn son!


Good thing I am a multitasker and can find a way to love two things at once!

Seriously, though. Harper Collins is going to start ramping up a serious marketing campaign for this Vampire Horror meets CSI novel by Guillermo and Chuck Hogan. If the word gets out, I think it is going to be a SMASH hit. I'm only half-way through it, and its already one of the most entertaining horror novels I've read in a long time. Probably the last one I enjoyed as much as this one was I AM LEGEND, which I read about five years ago.

I'll save my review for when it is finished, but for right now I can only say that is satisfying my every expectation -namely, bizarre horror, vampire autopsies, and thrilling suspense. What more do you want?

Well, how about some trademark Del Toro motifs? Die hard fans will spot'em right away.
THE STRAIN comes out June 2nd. You can preorder it from the DTF Store here.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Reactions to EMPIRE magazine Hobbit interview

Have you read the Jackson and GDT EMPIRE interview yet? If not, read a transcript of it here.

The two quotes that I am most excited about are the following:

Del Toro: We've decided to have the Hobbit span the two movies, including the
White Council and the comings and goings of Gandalf to Dol Guldur.

AND

Jackson: We're developing a lot more character and personality in the villain side of the story, too. We are having to deal with Sauron a little bit more specifically in this; how exactly he manifests himself and what form he's in, and how that is ultimately going to lead into what he becomes in the trilogy - and what he has been in the ancient past. That is something we are absolutely dealing with, much more so than what's in the book.


I'm glad that GDT and Jackson have confirmed that THE HOBBIT will include not only Bilbo's journey, but Gandalf's as well. For a good portion of the book, Gandalf is out of the picture, investigating disturbing events in Dol Guldor. This is Sauron's first attempt at manifesting himself as the Necromancer.

Sauron has a very complex backstory. Telling Sauron's history and exposing his intimate threat will be a great sideplot. The details of the backstory are familiar to die-hard Tolkien fans - they are spelled out in THE SILMARILLION.

I am more excited about this part of the story even moreso than the prospect of seeing Smaug onscreen for the first time - I think the theatrical potential is rich. The Middle Earth story elevates to a cosmic level when we start to learn about Sauron and the origin of the White Council.

Its not LOVECRAFT cosmic (that wouldn't be appropriate), but Sauron's story certainly is on the same level as the spiritual works by Milton or William Blake. I can only hope that GDT, Jackson and the rest of the writing team take the opportunity to tap into the celestial elements of Tolkien's mythology.

Friday, April 10, 2009

A Sympathetic Rasputin


There is a moment in HELLBOY that occurs right before Kroenen murders Prof. Broom - Rasputin says, "It will be quick."


This a wonderful example of giving a character an added dimension - it is too easy to paint a villain just one color. Adding just the slightest evidence of a moral compass, no matter how askew, makes a character all the more interesting.


As it were, GDT's original script called for a different response-


BROOM

I am ready.


GRIGORY

Good. Now, I'll add two crumbs more:

(Kroenen displays his

knives)


Grief and revenge...


Kroenen's knife goes in.


I wonder what inspired the change?

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

What's Going On With the MIMIC Director's Cut?


Good question.

You may have seen some articles around the internet proclaiming the MIMIC Criterion Director's Cut was coming soon. Unfortunately, this was an April Fool's Day gag from Twitch Film that got picked up by various sites.

The truth is that the much anticipated MIMIC Director's Cut DVD has been suspended. My source says that budget cuts at Disney/Miramax is the reason the project isn't happening at the moment.

But hold on to hope, GDT fans. You never know what might happen - a little boost in the economy and tidal wave of HOBBIT publicity might put the project back on the map.

In the meantime, why not read the ORIGINAL script by GDT and Matt Greenberg. Its very different from the movie, including this nice little surprise at the end (SPOILERS):


MANNY

Dios mio...


The WHITE PILLAR BEHIND CHUY IS MOVING...

...unfolding...

...at last revealing...


AN ALBINO MIMIC!

Another leap for evolution...

Its form is different from the other Mimics. Sleeker, more

supple, almost beautiful. And while its movements are still

not completely human, there is a kind of unearthly grace to

them that at the very least entrance us.