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Friday, June 20, 2003
Chadzilla's News Roundup for June 20, 2003
Fangoria passes on the news that Kenneth Mader is working on two sequels to his direct to video thriller Carnivore. The first, titled Carnivore:Berserkers, picks up at the end of the first movie, with the monster heading to town. A trio of biomechanical beasts (aka Berserkers) are dispatched to kill the monster and everybody else. The second sequel is Carnivores (gee, where did he get THAT title), in which the Carnivore gives birth to mutant children who get loose inside a Nevada safe house. Luckily a group of commandos show up to help the heroes. Though no formal casting is announced, b-movie actress Robin (Alligator) Riker has agreed to appear in both sequels.
The official Star Wars web site reveals that actor Bruce Spence (the gyro pilot in Mad Max 2 and 3 ) has joined the Episode III cast. Spence will play a helpful alien, but helpful to whom? The site also previews Timothy Zahn's latest Expanded Universe novel, Survivor's Quest for details. Additionally, the official site announced today that Genevieve O'Reilly has been cast as a young Mon Mothma, leader of the Rebel Alliance.
The Halloween convention keeps growing. Now we have the thugs from The Last House on the Left crashing the party! David Hess, Marc Sheffler, Martin Cove, Jeramie Rain Dreyfuss, and Fred Lincoln all agreed to attend and discuss Wes Craven's landmark chiller. The Hilton is fully booked, the hosts recommend the Sheraton down the block. In related news, Anchor Bay has released the cover art for the upcoming 25th Anniversary edition of the original film.
–Chad H. "Chadzilla" Saxelid
posted by Christopher 10:50 AM | Comments
Thursday, June 19, 2003
Chadzilla's News Roundup for June 19, 2003
Fangoria reports that Bubba Ho-Tep has a distributor! Vitagraph Films will open the movie at New York's Angelika Theatre September 26th and in LA at the NuArt Theatre on October 2. Other venues are currently in negotiation.
Although Larry Cohen isn't directing much these days, he has two new scripts in development. New Line has Cellular going forward with David R. Ellis directing and Ashton Kutcher starring. Urban Entertainment picked up Captivity, about two strangers kidnapped and manipulated by a sociopath, and put music video director Hype Williams in charge.
Cinescape has an 'exclusive scoop' of cyborg photos culled from a recent comic book convention, where Arnold and crew appeared to field questions and hype the latest Terminator sequel. Check out the hyper-realistic battle mauled Schwarzenegger prop here.
Cinescape and the website JoBlo.com have unveiled the poster for Lion's Gate Entertainment's planned September 12th release, Cabin Fever (that is going to look so cool hanging in the home office). JoBlo also offers some pretty gruesome behind the scenes shots. Looking forward to this more and more.
–Chad H. "Chadzilla" Saxelid
posted by Christopher 6:50 AM | Comments
Wednesday, June 18, 2003
FoyWonder's News Roundup for June 18, 2003
Vampires galore at the video store, live action anime, and Jim Carrey proves he has a brain cell. What do these things have in common? They are all part of today’s update!
Only 3 more days until FROM JUSTIN TO KELLY is unleashed upon mankind. The movie will not be pre-screened for film critics. Gee, I wonder why? Speaking of American Idol, season 2 winner Ruben Studdard recently filmed a cameo in SCOOBY DOO 2. Yeah, that American Idol really does guarantee a path to movie stardom, doesn’t it?
A few days ago I wrote about Warner Brothers making a movie based on the '80s TV show The Fall Guy. Well, now comes word of just who Warner Brothers is in talks to play the role originated by Lee Majors – George Clooney. Umm . . . no. I’m sorry but speaking as somebody who actually grew up watching The Fall Guy; Clooney is all wrong for the part. The role of Colt Seavers ought to be played by a rugged Tommy Lee Jones type and not some aging, pretty boy, movie star like Clooney. Also, Jason Statham, who starred in THE TRANSPORTER, is being tapped to play Seavers’ sidekick Howie. Wonderful! Howie is supposed to something of a goofy dork and Jason Statham comes across as a bigger badass than Clooney ever could. No thanks! I think I’ll just wait for them to get around to making a Dukes of Hazzard film just to see how they manage to grossly miscast that one.
Looks like the woefully unnecessary TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE remake will be opening this year after all. They must have knocked out those massive reshoots real fast because the movie has been moved back from January to October. The film is now scheduled for an October 17th release date so it can capitalize on the Halloween season. Whether the movie is good (unlikely) or bad (most likely), this is probably a smart move on the studio’s part. This will have it opening one week after Tarantino’s KILL BILL, which from word of mouth will be ten times the bloodbath the TCM remake will be.
CNN confirms that the TRANSFORMERS live action movie will employ the designs of the original style machines and not the current designs. I’m still dying to see what this thing is going to cost to make.
Okay, this we can confirm – there is a new American Astro Boy cartoon in the works set to debut sometime next year. On the rumor front comes word of a possible live action Hollywood ASTRO BOY movie. Of course one must keep in mind that this live action movie rumor comes to us from IMDB, which is not exactly the most dependable movie news service on the web. Ironically, an all CGI animated movie was going to be made by the people responsible for FINAL FANTASY: THE SPIRITS WITHIN, but that one ended up costing so much and flopping so bad that production company went out of business afterwards.
One live action movie version of a popular anime series that is most definitely being made is TETSUJIN 28-GO. We in the United States probably know it by it’s Americanized name – GIGANTOR. This one may actually get done right because the film will be a Japanese production. According to Yomiuri Online, the movie will begin production in July with a possible 2004 release scheduled. They say possible because the producer’s are still trying to cast the lead role of the young boy who controls the colossal robot. And don’t expect this to be another ROBOT JOX because the giant robot will be brought to life via CGI.
Jim Carrey is smarter than we may give him credit for. While in Britain promoting BRUCE ALMIGHTY the subject of another ACE VENTURA came up. Carrey stated that it had been talked about in the past couple of years but he has no interest in reviving the character again. He’d much rather move on with his career than revisit the past. Good call, but I bet if his movies start flopping then he’ll go running back to the butt-talking detective in the blink of an eye.
On his web site, Bruce Campbell reported on his role in SPIDER-MAN 2. "I play the 'Snooty Usher,' another pivotal role where I deny Tobey Maguire access to see Kirsten Dunst in her first big play. Sorry, no Lizard for me...I'm not a reptile guy.” Not a reptile guy, eh? Then how’d he manage to work those scenes with “Macho Man” Randy Savage in the first movie? Savage’s skin is so leathery he’s practically reptilian.
In addition to the great Hume Cronyn, Hollywood and b-moviedom lost another star yesterday as veteran character actor William Marshall, who may be most famous for having played BLACULA, past away at the age of 78.
For those of you who loved DRACULA 2000 (I know there has to be at least one or two of you), you’re definitely going to want to rush out to the video store today and rent DRACULA II: ASCENSION. With a cast that includes Craig Sheffer, Jason London, Roy Scheider and Jason Scott Lee as a kung fu fighting, sword-wielding, vampire-hunting, Catholic priest, this movie screams direct-to-video turkey. And if you don’t watch it then you’ll be totally lost when DRACULA III: LEGACY comes out later this year. In that one, Rutger Hauer will play Dracula because Dracula is like Dr. Who and turns into a different actor every time he dies or something like that.
Yesterday was apparently “Vampire Day” at the local video store because in addition to the above film two other vampire movies are being released as well. The first, in nothing else, should at least have some decent action scenes. Entitled TSUI HARK’S VAMPIRE HUNTERS, even though Hark only just produced the film, this Hong Kong production is set in the 17th century and features shaolin vampire hunters. The second is something called FROST: PORTRAIT OF A VAMPIRE and is apparently based on some indie comic I’ve never heard of. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of renting it and you can go ahead and read the review of this horrendously bad snoozefest at Creature Corner. Hopefully this will save some people some time and money.
Finally, and continuing the vampire video theme, I have another new review up at Creature Corner for SANTO & BLUE DEMON VS. DRACULA & THE WOLFMAN, a most disappointing foray into the Mexican wrestling horror movie genre that turns into a total dead zone following a great opening half hour. You can read the print version of my crushed enthusiasm for the film by clicking here.
–Scott Foy
posted by Christopher 7:51 AM | Comments
Tuesday, June 17, 2003
Chadzilla's News Roundup for June 17, 2003
Cinescape has a plausible 'scoop' with regard to Paul Anderson's Alien Versus Predator movie (the project that forced him to step down as director of the completely unnecessary Resident Evil 2). According to unnamed sources, a first draft script is finished and casting is in the works. A release in Fall of 2004 is planned. Filmjerk reports that the franchise builder will by set in Antarctica, where scientists use Alien eggs as bait to lure in a Predator. Of course things go wrong and the humans end up in a bloody crossfire between the two killing machines. The article lists characters (all new, none returning from previous movies), but no performers have yet signed on to play them.
Superhero Hype got a set visit to the now-filming Hellboy. Evidently director Guillermo del Toro is creating enough material to pack in a three DVD special edition when it eventually hits that market, got to love it when they plan ahead.
Hulk smash or Hulk crash? Early reviews are getting posted and the word is...goood. Ebert and Roper compare the effects to Spiderman, in that half look fantastic and the other half look, well, like effects.
The completely unwanted remake of Dawn of the Dead (anybody who thinks it is capable of being better than the Romero version is certainly not from my generation) has begun filming in and around Toronto. True to American Cinema tradition, Canada is supposed to be the US (this time Wisconsin). Cinescape has the plot description (I refuse to describe it here), which seems to borrow more than just a little from Philip Nutman's Romero inspired zombie novel Wet Work. Producer Richard Rubenstein seems to be going the route of John Russo, producing work that clings to Romero's coattails. Are the former business partners even talking to each other? About the only thing of interest in this report is that Denise Cronenberg is doing the costume design. I hope it flops, and flops badly.
–Chad H. "Chadzilla" Saxelid
posted by Christopher 7:31 AM | Comments
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