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Han Solo VS Indiana Jones

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5-Jan-2005
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18-Mar-2009
Posts
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Post
#133293
Topic
Flash Gordon Rumor - now a 'general discussion' thread for Flash Gordon
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/133293/action/topic#133293
Time
Quote
Originally posted by: MeBeJedi
I can't wait until Flash Gordon comes out on DVD.


Actually they did put it on DVD, but then it got pulled and now you can't find it in stores. I managed to order a copy of Amazon, but it came with Spanish and Korean subtitles. The movie itself is still in English, but depending on which option you push when you first put the DVD in you'll have either Spanish subtitles or Korean subtitles playing all the way through.

We can always hope that someday it'll get a big spiffy special edition re-release.

Post
#133225
Topic
Flash Gordon Rumor - now a 'general discussion' thread for Flash Gordon
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/133225/action/topic#133225
Time

http://flashgordon.ws/new_movie.htm

Click here if you feel like reading some year old rumors stating that the guy who directed the Brendan Fraser Mummy films and Van Helsing collaborating with that guy who’s dating Demi Moore on a new Flash Gordon film.

Basically I got nothing better to post so I figured I’d take up some space with this.

Post
#132620
Topic
Superman Movie
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/132620/action/topic#132620
Time
Originally posted by: Commander Courage
First off let me say I am a HUGE Superman fan. It's my 'thing' in my circle of friends. Almost all of us like Star Wars, so that goes without saying.

I'm of course excited about a new Superman film at last, but like everyone else, I have my reservations. As it stands now, the best things to come out of this will be the release of previously unseen Marlon Brando footage from Superman II. Most of you probably are not familiar with the history behind II; it's the ultimate lost superhero film, as the film we have now is NOT the way it was originally intended. If anyone's interested in in-depth detail on the subject, check out the Superman Cinema website. The hope is that the use of Brando will open all new possibilities for a much needed Special Edition of Superman II. So other than that, hearing John Williams' theme again, and Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor, there's not much to get excited about.


I hear you, CC. I too know the long sad history of Superman II - the producers of the first three Superman films, father and son team Alexander & Ilya Salkind, fired the original director Richard Donner (who had previously made "The Omen" and would later give us "Ladyhawke", "The Goonies", "Lethal Weapon 1-4", "Maverick" and "Conspiracy Theory"), who had shot roughly 80% of "Superman II" back to back with the first Superman film (possibly the first time such a tactic was ever used) before he could finish #2 over "creative differences", even though he had made the first movie a hit come classic.

In other words, the Salkinds wanted a goofier, sillier, funnier, campier approach to "Superman II", while Donner wanted to keep the proceedings for #2 reasonably serious. True there were some [unnecessary] camp-humor elements in the first movie in the form of Gene Hackman's slumming stand up comedian take on Lex Luthor, but at least when Donner was in charge there was some sense of restraint.

So the Salkinds replaced Donner with Richard Lester, primarily a director of comedies responsible for stuff like "Help!" and "A Hard Days Night". Lester shot the 12 minute Metropolis fight and reshot a bunch of footage so that the Salkinds could ensure he get credit over Donner, intending to reshoot the whole damn movie and then they ran out of money before they could finish their Lester reshoots, so they just spliced together some of Lester's reshots with Donner's previous footage, resulting in an entertaining but somewhat jarring and choppily edited film.

They say some franchises take a bad turn at #3, but in the case of the Superman franchise they took a bad turn at #2. 2 was still entertaining but then Lester shot the whole of "Superman III" and that pretty much nailed the coffin shut on the Superman movies (but not before "Supergirl" and "Superman 4" assured us the franchise was dead).

Richard Donner has estimated that he shot about 80% of #2 and saw only 50% of his work in the film. Some of his footage was seen in a couple of extended TV versions during the 1980s (I own a copy, which, sadly, is getting a little scratchy in the sound department). They say the best way to tell Donner's footage from Lester's is that Margot Kidder (who, I must admit, I never liked as Lois Lane) generally looks healthy and normal in Donner's footage and looks extremely gaunt and pale in Lester's footage. Also any shot that is an upclose shot of Gene Hackman is a Donner shot; Hackman did not return for the Lester reshoots, so any shot requiring Lex Luthor they used a body double facing away from the camera with a voice impersonator dubbing him*. They also say that Ursa's costume is sexier in Donner's footage than in Lester's. And overall there's just an overall more serious air to the Donner footage, most notably the scene where the depowered Superman is standing in the green lit Fortress of Solitude trying to get into a conversation with the ghosts of Krypton ("FATHER!!!!!").

*Gene Hackman was appalled when he heard about what the Salkinds did to Richard Donner, whom Hackman credited with being the main reason he was persuaded to do the movie, and in response he vehemently refused to appear in "Superman III" (a similar predicament came up regarding Margot Kidder). They must have offered him a lot of money for Superman 4.

Typing www.supermancinema.com should do the trick for enquiring minds.
Post
#132437
Topic
Superman Movie
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/132437/action/topic#132437
Time
I heard that they were using the guy who did the music for the X-Men movies to score "Superman Returns".

Personally I think trying to connect this to earier films is dumb, considering that it's supposed to be a NEW Superman film for a NEW generation, therefore, it should start out on a clean slate all its own, like "Batman Begins". Also I think the use of Marlon Brando's archive footage is lazy and distasteful; there are plenty of good LIVING actors who could play Jor-El, why dig up the dead?

I also find the casting of Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane a dreadful one. It's like Katie Holmes in "Batman Begins" - she doesn't come across as this experienced news woman, she just comes off like a snotty little teen.
Post
#131669
Topic
Brosnan is no longer Bond, Daniel Craig is now Bond.
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/131669/action/topic#131669
Time
I agree - the Brosnan Bond films just sort of coasted on Brosnan's ability to do the Bond traits. The best of his run was probably "Goldeneye".

I hear they want to cast someone young so as to attract younger audiences, probably a feeling of competition with films featuring young protagonists like Spider-Man. I hear that Ioan Gruffud (Black Hawk Down, King Arthur, Fantastic Four and Horatio Hornblower) is a contender along with Gerard Butler, Eric Bana and, the guy they've been carting for years, Clive Owen.

Hugh Jackman recently counted himself out of the 007 bid, or so I've heard.
Post
#131410
Topic
Stunt Men VS the Oscars
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/131410/action/topic#131410
Time
Quote
Originally posted by: PSYCHO_DAYV
THE STAUNT MEN AND STUNT WOMEN DESERVE AN ACADEMY AWARD CATEGORY FOR SURE. MY OLD BASS PLAYER IN THE LAST BAND THAT I WAS IN WAS THE ASSISTANT TO MEL GIBSON'S STUNT DOUBLE. WILL HAD TO LEAVE THE BAND, BECAUSE HE AND THE STUNT MAN GOT A CONTRACT. I THINK THAT IT WAS FOR LEATHAL WEAPON 4.


Talk about a brush with greatness - or something like it.
Post
#130704
Topic
Lucas prequel decisions in hindsight
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/130704/action/topic#130704
Time
Quote
Originally posted by: Gillean
Quote
Originally posted by: jawaewokgungan
- choosing Jake Lloyd over Mason Gamble to play Anakin.

Did Dennis the Menace even audition for the role?
Quote
Originally posted by: jawaewokgungan
- casting Natalie Portman. An inexperienced child actress at the time who had no sci-fi or action film experience to play a pivotal role in the movies.

'Inexperienced'? Oh, do you mean 'critically acclaimed'? Actually, since Natalie Portman had both sci-fi and action film experience before playing Amidala, I think you must be thinking of a different teen actress and movie, my guess is Carrie Fisher in ANH.
Quote
Originally posted by: jawaewokgungan
q]

Natalie Portman wasn't exactly up on sci-fi lore when she was cast in the prequels, though that probably shouldn't have been a requirement.

Post
#130282
Topic
Ewan McGregor being blamed for failure of "The Island" by producers (along with the Johanasson girl)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/130282/action/topic#130282
Time
That's what IMDB has to say quote:

The Island's producers have blamed the movie's stars Scarlett Johansson and Ewan McGregor for the critical-mauling its received. Producer Walter Parkes and his wife Laurie have used their website to stage a vicious attack on Johansson and McGregor, claiming their half-hearted efforts have resulted in a poor reception for the high-budget sci-fi epic. And Johansson's talents take the biggest beatings, with the husband and wife team claiming a television actress could have done a more professional job. They write, "Listen those are superstars of the future, not superstars of the present. Even lesser television actresses, quite honestly would have more connection to that audience."

Courtesy of -
http://www.imdb.com/news/wenn/2005-08-12/#3
Post
#129868
Topic
Batman special edition DVDs due in October
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/129868/action/topic#129868
Time
Don't remember the exact day, but Warner Brothers is supposed to release special edition DVDs of the 1989-1997 Batman films with audio commentaries by directors Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher, cast interviews and a whole mess of behind the scenes stuff for all four films.

Certainly has taken them long enough... the only special features on the current Batman DVD's are production notes and an alternate French language track. How cheap is THAT?