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.

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.

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?

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.

A Sign of a Great Director

I was fortunate enough to speak with Luke Goss while he was in town for the HorrorHoundWeekend, and we talked about, among other things, working with Guillermo. I have never seen GDT on the set, but I told Luke that I bet he was pretty demanding on his actors and crew. Luke said that was definitely the case, and told me a short story about having to spend an entire day on set sleeping on a bean bag chair while in full costume because Guillermo wouldn't let him leave (just in case he was needed). But he added, "I would do things for Guillermo that I wouldn't do for any other director."

A great director holds his cast and crew to the same high standards that he holds for himself. That can be very difficult at times - but there is an understanding that it is not about being a "difficult boss" - it is about demanding the best effort and the best performance to produce the highest level of achievement. Nothing less than that should be acceptable.

I believe this is a big reason why GDT is considered one of the best in the business right now.

As a side note, if you are not familiar with Luke's work, he is a fantastic actor. I think his performances as "Nomak" (Blade II) and "Prince Nuada" (Hellboy II) are mindblowing. Please take the time to visit his official site at http://www.lukegossforum.com/.

Does Guillermo Love THE HOBBIT?

This question has come up on several occassions, most recently on the DelToroFilms message board - people are wondering if Guillermo shares the same passion for The Hobbit as, say, Peter Jackson, and the rabid LOTR fanbase.

The source of the debate is this statement from GDT:

I was never into heroic fantasy. At all. I don't like little guys and dragons, hairy feet, hobbits -- I've never been into that at all. I don't like sword and sorcery, I hate all that stuff.

Talk about painting yourself into a corner! GDT made these statements in Cannes to Salon in 2006 while promoting PAN'S LABYRINTH, and LOTR fans have had it in the back of their minds ever since.

Guillermo finally responded to this statement in May 2008 during an online chat with fans:

Guillermo del Toro: ...I stand by the general lines of my statement in 2006. When that statement was made- at different times during PANS LABYRINTH’s promotion, many a time I made the distinctive call to say that althought I had not read Tolkien outside THE HOBBIT I had been fascinated by the Trilogy films. A statement that I already had the chance to make in 2005 when PJ, Fran and I met about HALO.

So, no, generally I am NOT a “Sword and Sorcery” guy or a “Fantasy” guy- By the same token, I’m not a sci-fi guy but I would make a film based on Ellison in a second- or on Sturgeon or Bradbury or Matheson.

I’m not into Barbarians with swords but i would kill to tackle Fafhrd and Grey Mouse… and so on and so forth… I’m a believer but not a Dogmatic.

Allow me to put a final, finer point to our discussion. The aesthetics of HELLBOY II are completely Pop and color-saturated, much more comic book / modern than I would ever use in THE HOBBIT but- I spend two years creating a world of Fairies, Elves, Trolls, etc.

Two Years. A career / creative decision that precedes any inkling of THE HOBBIT. I wrote the script years before I met with PJ or Fran. In other words I dedicated the last 6 years of my career (between PL and HBII) to create Fantastical world inhabited by Fairies, Fauns, Ogres, Trolls, Elves, etc.

In that respect- I guess I am a Fantasy guy when the particular world appeals to me. Back in the Jurassic Period (1992 / 1993) when CRONOS won the Critic’s Week at Cannes I was referred to as an “art house guy”- I followed that with a giant cockroach movie that proved successful enough to spawn two sequels and allow me to co-finance THE DEVILS BACKBONE which send me back to being an “art house guy”.

Then I did BLADE II and people thought of me as an “Action guy”- PJ went through a similar mercurial career with HEAVENLY CREATURES, BAD TASTE, DEAD ALIVE, etc I squirm away from a tag and I hope I can avoid being just a “Fantasy guy” after PL, HBII and H…

I do the tales I love (regardless of what shelf Barnes & Noble classifies the book under) and I love the HOBBIT.

I love it enough to give it half a decade of my life and move half a world away to do it.

Guillermo's commitment to this project (a big chunk of his life and substantial relocation) says a lot. But let me underline his statements about why he loves this project - Guillermo LOVES fairy tales - and he considers THE HOBBIT as a Fairy Tale. Here is a statement from his introduction on the TORN message boards:

At the age of 11 I read THE HOBBIT and it enchanted me as only a classic Fairy Tale can- it had enough darkness and dread and emotion to make a profound impression that lasted me until now. Beorn, Mirkwood, the Wargs, Smaug, the Riddles in the Dark, they all have lived in me for many years... Nevertheless at that early age, the rest of Tolkien proved to contain Geography and Genealogy too complex for my prepubescent brain... I was never propelled into an aleatory addiction to sub-genres like Sword & Sorcery or indiscriminate fantasies about magical this or that- Like any other genre or subgenre there's a great abundance that makes it hard to discern when a new "trilogy" or "chronicle" comes from as genuine a place as Tolkien's...

GDT sees themes in THE HOBBIT that are very interesting to him, specifically, "the illusory nature of possession, the sins of hoarding and the banality of war". I believe Guillermo's attraction to these themes will lend considerable gravitas to this story, elevating it above a mere "fantasy adventure tale." Guillermo has done some of his best stuff when working in fantasy metaphors, specifically when relating to war, namely DEVIL'S BACKBONE and PAN'S LABYRINTH.

I believe for the reasons mentioned, Guillermo will bring the same love and passion to THE HOBBIT as those two deeply personal projects.

Get Hellboy a Chainsaw!

FANGORIA is letting you vote for their "2009 Chainsaw Awards" - which we might call a bloodier version of the Oscars. Below is the list of nominees for HB2's competing categories:

BEST WIDE-RELEASE FILM
CLOVERFIELD
HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY
QUARANTINE
THE RUINS
THE STRANGERS

BEST ACTOR
Leo Bill, THE LIVING AND THE DEAD
Kare Hedebrant, LET THE RIGHT ONE IN
Trevor Matthews, JACK BROOKS: MONSTER SLAYER
Ron Perlman, HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY
Marc Senter, THE LOST

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
A.J. Bowen, THE SIGNAL
Robert Englund, JACK BROOKS: MONSTER SLAYER
Doug Jones, HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY
Vinnie Jones, THE MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN
Michael Pitt, FUNNY GAMES

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Beatrice Dalle, INSIDE
Lou Doillon, SISTERS
Jennifer Ellison, THE COTTAGE
Lauren Roy, THE CHAIR
Anna Walton, HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY

BEST SCREENPLAY
Guillermo del Toro, HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY
John Ainslie, Jon Knautz, JACK BROOKS: MONSTER SLAYER
John Ajvide Lindqvist, LET THE RIGHT ONE IN
John Strysik, STUCK
Mitchell Lichtenstein, TEETH

BEST MAKEUP/CREATURE FX
Mike Elizalde, Cliff Wallace, David Martí, Montse Ribé, HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY
Jacques-Olivier Molon, INSIDE
David Scott, JACK BROOKS: MONSTER SLAYER
Robert Hall, QUARANTINE
Todd Tucker, Drac Studios, TRAILER PARK OF TERROR

Click on this link to get information on how to vote, and to view all nominees. Votes are due in by April 27!