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Saturday, July 20, 2002
Cloud Ten Productions' film adaptation of the second book in the endless End Times series from Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim La Haye has finished production and now has a video/DVD release date. Left Behind II: Tribulation Force is set to unleash plenty of biblical fury on October 29, 2002 - just in time for some ghoulish Halloween night fun (that is if all The Omen movies are checked out). Pam Wallace, who took home an Oscar for her script for the Peter Weir classic Witness, adapted the novel to the screen. Returning from the first Left Behind movie are cast members Kirk Cameron (Buck Williams), Brad Johnson (Rayford Steele), and Clarence Gilyard (Bruce Barnes) all of whom go a second round with Gordon Currie's Nicolae Carpathia, aka the Antichrist. For a look at the trailer in the QuickTime Format you can go to www.tribulationforce-themovie.com. Repent now!
Other Cloud Ten Productions include the evil space message movie Deceived (with Judd Nelson and Louis Gossett Jr.), another end time based thriller called Tribulation (featuring Gary Busey), Waterproof (with Burt Reynolds!), Judgment (with Mr. T!!), and others. Judging by the look and quality of their productions, I proclaim them the conservative Christian answer to Full Moon Pictures. This was only affirmed by one producer's interview comment that 'it isn't a movie until something blows up' (YEAH!) and a small behind the scenes detail on another production, entitled Vanished (www.vanished-themovie.com), which only furthered the point where they were quite pleased with reusing footage from previous productions... 'Viewers will also enjoy the live action portions of Vanished. In fact, to blend with their earlier projects, some actual scenes from the hit film Apocalypse and the Lalonde's earlier video, Left Behind, are woven neatly into the story.
Sounds like another Dollman versus Demonic Toys case of cost cutting and padding to me. For those brave souls eager to explore this new and apparently fruitful arena of bad movies, the complete details can be had at www.cloudtenpicures.com.
The official Phantasm site (www.phantasm.com) reports that Don Coscarelli's hot ticket movie Bubba Ho-Tep has been invited to screen at Toronto International Film Festival in September. No dates or confirmations, but I bet it will be there. The movie has pulled in some good reviews. To read them you can go to www.bubbahotep.com, the awaiting distributor movie's current official website.
With so many different versions of Dawn of the Dead out there, who the hell needs a remake? Anchor Bay pools its vast Dawn variants for a shopping mall sized edition that promises to be the ultimate in zombie heaven. A boxed set containing all three known versions...Romero's theatrical cut, the Cannes Film Festival cut (incorrectly marketed as the director's cut), as well as the Argento cut that was titled Zombi in Italy. Anchor Bay promises 16 x 9 enhanced transfers, DTS and Dolby EX surround sound, new interviews with the cast and crew, new commentary tracks, as well as trailers, and poster and still galleries. The Zombi print is planned to be available only in the boxed set, the other two versions will be released separately. The announced release date is August 19, 2003. Anchor Bay will also re-release Romero's Day of the Dead with all new features in a special edition set as well. Interviews, commentary, and behind the scenes footage are likewise promised. April 29, 2003 is the current planned release date.
While on the Anchor Bay subject, a 25th anniversary edition of John Carpenter's Halloween has been announced for August 5, 2003. No idea what will be included, but director Rick Rosenthal promises a unique bonus on the Halloween: Resurrection DVD release. One of the nifty little gimmicks will be multiple angling the disc so you can few the movie entirely through the cast's cameras. Hey, it will be even MORE like The Blair Witch Project! Deleted scenes are also promised. That should prove interesting to the Halloween fanatics out there. Also of interest is that American Movie Classics cable channel is producing a Back Story episode on Carpenter's landmark slasher as ghost story thriller. I bet it will air in October (duh) during their Monsterfest weekend horror movie binge. Hopefully a widescreen edition of the movie itself will be offered as well. Further explanation of Halloween movie news details can be found at www.halloweenmovies.com.
And, while John Frankenheimer may be dead, the Exorcist sequel he was working on is not. Or so says a 'mourning' yet hopeful Liam Neeson at Cinescape.
-Chad H. "Chadzilla" Saxelid
posted by Christopher 4:30 PM | Comments
Friday, July 19, 2002
Well, I'll be true to my handle and punch in this here link to a Godzilla X MechaGodzilla article over at Fangoria first.
Toho studios now has apparently mandated that each new Godzilla movie must be completely unrelated to any other movie in the series save the first (thus saving the screenwriters continuity migraines) and urges the recycling of the classic series villains. Sadly acclaimed director Shusuke Kaneko (GMK and the Gamera trilogy) used three of the most popular of the King of the Monster's nemeses, which left returning director Masaaki Tezuka (Godzilla X Megaguirus) with a short list to choose from, the old warhorse MechaGodzilla coming out for yet another go around (this will be its fourth appearance). Now I love both characters, but the recycling of such a select few makes me yearn for a return of some of the unloved Kaiju or yore . . . Hedorah the Smog Monster, Kumonga the giant spider (hey, Godzilla verus the Eight Legged Freak! Wow what a title), Gigan or even the doofy Megalon in a satirish remake of the King's less than finest hour. Is that asking too much? Evidently so, but with 26 movies and still going strong, Godzilla shows that he will always be the King of the Monsters.
No word yet on Tri-Star's developing Godzilla 2 (which I hear WILL NOT be related to the Emmerich/Devlin film, thank God), but with the sequel planned, perhaps the latest Toho productions will see release on this side of the ocean sooner rather than later. Anchor Bay has anounced Godzilla 1985 for DVD/video release on June 24, 2003. A new box set of classic G from Classic Media (all reissues of the Simitar titles) will be released September 17th, with Rodan (American version no doubt) thrown in for flavor.
Now, as much as I want to be witty about the just announced Seduction Cinema title Muffy, the Vampire Slayer (August 27), I just can't. I can only hope that Misty Mundae plays the title character. And for those like me who are eagerly awaiting the release of the low budget, mega-shark thriller Megalodon (As previously reported by Scott Foy - Ed.), it has a release date! Lion's Gate is slapping Shark Attack 3 over the title (so it will read Shark Attack 3: Megalodon) and shipping out November 26th, just in time for my wife to stick it in my stocking for Christmas.
–Chad H. "Chadzilla" Saxelid
posted by Christopher 2:30 AM | Comments
Thursday, July 18, 2002
Cut the ribbon and break that bottle of champagne across our bow – this here web site is live. Enjoy!
posted by Christopher 1:39 PM | Comments
Wednesday, July 17, 2002
Good evening, Mr. & Mrs. Fanboy and all the geeks at sea. . . . let’s go to press.
Two of the most anticipated battles in cinematic history will soon be making their way to the silver screen. Production begins this September on the long awaited FREDDY VS. JASON movie with Hong Kong gone Hollywood director Ronny Yu at the helm. Yu, whose most famous features include THE BRIDE WITH WHITE HAIR and BRIDE OF CHUCKY, better hope that whichever of the more than a dozen FREDDY VS. JASON scripts he and the studio have opted to film was the right choice or this showdown of the super slashers may end up being worse than my idea for a HELLRAISER VS. WARLOCK movie. “Give me the box!” “You give me the stones!” “I’m going to unleash Hell on Earth!” “No, I’m going to unleash Hell on Earth!”
But no bad idea can top this next one! For over a decade, fanboys everywhere have been drooling over the prospect of an ALIEN VS. PREDATOR movie. Well, it’s finally going to happen, but the drool has been replaced by tears as the man put in charge of the film is none other than Paul (MORTAL KOMBAT, EVENT HORIZON, SOLDIER, RESIDENT EVIL) Anderson. Seems Hollywood has gotten so bad they can now find a way to screw up a wet dream. The most reviled man in all of film fandom not named Dean Devlin is set to bring this clash of the titans to the big screen as soon as he finishes hacking…I mean writing a script. If he shocks the world by doing a great job, all will be forgiven. If he screws it up, he may want to invest in a bulletproof vest because this could the one that sends someone over the edge. That someone may be you.
And since we’re on the topic of screwing things up, let’s talk about remakes. Apparently the guy in Hollywood currently in charge of creativity is on a permanent leave of absence thus forcing the major studios to recycle like crazy. Currently in some stage of development are:
* THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE from producer Michael (ARMAGEDDON, PEARL HARBOR) Bay who has promised that this version will be less gory than the original thus proving he’s never actually seen the original.
* A proposed LOVE STORY remake with Britney Spears. Well, at least she’ll die.
* Arnold Schwarzennegger is Yul Brenner in WESTWORLD.
* WALKING TALL with hunky Matthew McConoughey set to play real-life lawman Buford Pusser, who is supposed to be a bulky, middle-aged man. Note to Hollywood: the kids aren’t going to flock to a tale of redneck justice. I reckon it could be worse. They could still cast Chris Klein.
* Halle Berry as FOXY BROWN. If it’s as good as that remake of SHAFT…
* Keanu Reeves as BILLY JACK. Everyone sing: One dumb actor rides away…
* Albert Brooks is looking to redo THE IN-LAWS. This may be the only one of the crop to actually be of any substantial quality.
* A megabudget, special effects extravaganza remake of FANTASTIC VOYAGE. Last time there was any word on this one, Dean Devlin was involved so the less we hear about it, the better.
* You up for an “urban” remake of AIRPLANE? I can see it now. Method Man & Redman in FLYIN’ HIGH!
* Insert Alfred Hitchcock movie title here. If he made it, somebody in Hollywood is considering a remake. I forgot what a critical and financial success that PSYCHO recreation was.
* Not ready to throw up yet? How about another big screen version of THE LONE RANGER? What if I told you they’re seriously considering making Tonto a hot, young indian girl?
* Just announced - a remake of I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF. Note to Hollywood: You already remade it. It was a comedy. It was called TEEN WOLF!
* Also just added to the remake and destroy list is a planned remake of SCANNERS. If this leads to a new crop of SCANNER COP movies, then it’s alright with me.
And the ones that I’ve just listed are just the ones I remember off the top of my head. Believe me when I say it is only going to get worse before it gets better. Somebody get an original idea to Hollywood or else every major Blockbuster in the next few years is either going to be a remake, based on a comic book, or a sequel to a remake or comic book movie. Personally, I will not be a happy man until I hear that shooting has begun on ABOMINABLE. I want to see Jean Claude Van Damme kickbox Bigfoot now!
TV Guide named its list of the 50 worst television shows of all time. Jerry Springer, My Mother The Car, and The XFL topped the list. They even dared to include Manimal, the bastards! As far as I’m concerned, any list of the 50 worst TV shows of all time that doesn’t Mama’s Family should be instantaneously discounted. At this rate, it won’t be long before TV Guide can do a list of the 50 worst lists compiled by TV Guide.
Onto better news, two of sci-fi fantasy’s best will soon be getting the dvd treatment. CLASH OF THE TITANS will feature a digitally remastered widescreen print of the movie and extras include a new introduction by the one and only Ray Harryhausen, a detailed map of Greek mythology (whatever that may be), and theatrical trailers. And then there’s THEM!, arguably the greatest of all the giant, atomic insect flicks of the 1950s. The studio has pulled something special out of the vault for this one, as it will feature rare archive footage of just how the giant ants were built and operated. Both dvds are set to hit shelves August 6th. I already pre-ordered mine.
And here are some upcoming movies that won’t be getting special edition dvds in the decades to come.
Now haunting your local video store - OCTOPUS 2: RIVER OF FEAR - This time, its a JAWS rip-off with a giant octopus terrorizing New York City and it wraps up with a rip-off of DAYLIGHT. I’m not kidding. Watch it with someone you hate.
Coming August 13, 2002 - CROCODILE 2: DEATH TOLL - There was a trailer before OCTOPUS 2 for this one. Small plane crash lands in a Mexican swamp and the survivors are now being hunted down and eaten one by one by a big, hungry crocodile. This one looks really, really bad.
Coming September 24, 2002 - SPIDERS 2 - This is going to look really weak following EIGHT LEGGED FREAKS. Basically the same military scientific experiments create giant spiders that run amok killing people. However, in what is clearly designed as a cost saving move, the film takes place on a cargo ship adrift at sea during a storm. Imagine VIRUS with big spiders. The trailer for this one screamed ALIEN rip-off.
Coming Soon - SHARK ATTACK 3: MEGALODON - No trailer for this one, but I believe this is the same MEGALODON movie previewed at the American Film Market now saddled with being the latest in the SHARK ATTACK series as if the first two would really make you want another. The number of SHARK ATTACK, TURBULENCE, and WISHMASTER sequels is currently tied. Which will take the lead? Whoops, we already have a WISHMASTER 4.
Coming ??? - PUPPET MASTER VS. DEMONIC TOYS - This one is actually listed on IMDB with a 2003 date and made for TV specification. I wonder if this will be like DOLLMAN VS. DEMONIC TOYS of which about half the film's 58 minute run time was composed of stock footage from the original DOLLMAN and DEMONIC TOYS films? One can only hope.
Alas, there is no sign of any new entries in the WITCHCRAFT or LEPRECHAUN series.
Finally, all Godzilla fans need to click this link right now - The grandmaster of online Godzilladom, Monster Zero, has got pics from the latest G flick in production, GODZILLA X MECHAGODZILLA. What are you waiting for?
More news, views, and skews to come.
–Scott Foy
posted by Christopher 7:53 PM | Comments
Tuesday, July 16, 2002
Sad news: Albert Band, b-movie director, composer, and producer has died.
See John Thonen's excellent memorial essay to Band on the Cinescape site.
posted by Christopher 10:03 AM | Comments
Monday, July 15, 2002
The first batch of capsule reviews went up last night. I'm just now posting the news about it (not that anyone is reading this yet, as the site hasn't yet gone live). We got yer Ice Pirates, we got yer Blind Fists of Bruce Lee, we got yer Bionic Woman. Go check 'em out.
And speaking of pirates: Ahoy mateys! Eagle-eyed BMMB member MarvellousM has spotted a new flick on the horizon from his post in the crow's nest: Ghost Ship, starring Gabriel Byrne and Julianna Margulies. Is this the long-awaited remake of Death Ship? There's nothing to indicate that there are actually any pirates involved, but a guy can hope, right? Of course, it'll be rated Arrrrrrrr!
posted by Christopher 8:35 AM | Comments
Sunday, July 14, 2002
Hollywood sure can crank 'em out: the trailers attached to Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course at the theater last night were practically a "Who's Who" of crappy movies coming up.
Swimfan stars Jesse "Xander Lite" Bradford in yet another teen Fatal Attraction rip-off. The trailer itself shows the entire film, scene by scene, in half-second snippets. Nothing new here, and the trailer saves you the seven bucks.
What I've seen so far of Master of Disguise makes me wonder if Dana Carvey was ever funny. And if so, does his current overwhelming unfunniness cancel out the comedy he created years ago? Topic for discussion: compare and contrast the careers of Mike Myers and Dana Carvey since the days of Wayne and Garth.
Of course, the big brains behind ID4 and Godzilla have their latest opus coming out this week: Eight-Legged Freaks. I feel the need once more to repeat the words of Megalemur from the B-Movie Message Board:
"Every moment David Arquette isn't being eaten by a giant, mutant spider, the baby Jesus cries."
posted by Christopher 10:47 AM | Comments
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