Archive for July 10th, 2008
July 10th, 2008
Jim Emerson has an interesting post up at his Scanners blog that examines, of all things, the changing color of movie blood.
In the late ’60s and ’70s — the first time you really saw a lot of blood onscreen in color — the liquid was bright red. But as time marched on, movie blood got darker and thicker. Now, Emerson points out, it’s often nearly black.
It’s a fascinating essay, especially if (like me), you’re an aficionado of violent films. One warning: The pictures — from SISTERS, TAXI DRIVER, THE CONVERSATION and others — are bit bloody. But really, given the topic, what else would you expect?
Incidentally, can anyone tell me who I’m quoting in the title of this post? Extra credit bonus points if you can!
July 10th, 2008
… but Eddie Murphy — you know, the guy who stars in MEET DAVE – didn’t even show up at the film’s premiere Tuesday, according to this report at Cinematical.
The site also reports that, in a bit of typical Hollywood flackery, a producer claimed Murphy couldn’t attend because he was too busy filming his next masterpiece, A THOUSAND WORDS. Trouble is, Brian Robbins, the director of that movie (and MEET DAVE) was at Tuesday’s premiere. Hmmm.
I guess this is one thing Eddie Murphy and I have in common: Neither of us wants to sit through MEET DAVE. (Also, we both had torrid affairs with Scary Spice.)
Remember when Eddie Murphy was one of the funniest guys on the planet? So do I, but it’s getting tougher and tougher.
July 10th, 2008
If you’ve been wondering how Quentin Tarantino was going to follow-up DEATH PROOF, his too-talky half of the GRINDHOUSE double feature, wonder no more. According to the Hollywood Reporter (and other sources), he’s apparently going to finally make INGLORIOUS BASTARDS, a World War II epic he’s been talking about since the 1990s. Filming is slated to start in October, with a release date sometime next year — maybe in time for Cannes?
New York Magazine apparently has a copy of the screenplay, and it looks good (aside from the misspelled “INGLOURIOUS” on the title page). One quoted section has a commander demanding “one hundred Nazi scalps” from his men, and the whole thing finishes with a chapter called “Revenge of the Giant Face.” Movie? Heck — I just hope someone publishes this screenplay.
The cast, at one time or another, has included Sylvester Stallone, Adam Sandler, Michael Madsen and, most intriguingly, Arnold Schwarzenegger, who would be playing an actual German. No report on who’s going to actually be in the current cast (I’d bet against Gov. Schwarzenegger), but Brad Pitt’s name has been floating around the rumor mill. I think it’d be a nice move for Pitt. He’s got the very promising STRANGE CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON coming out this Christmas, but a crazy, over-the-top action movie would be a refreshing change of pace from all those tabloid reports tracing the imminent birth of Angelina’s twins.
If the title of QT’s movie sounds familiar, you’ve got a good memory. INGLORIOUS BASTARDS  was originally a crazy 1978 action flick that promised “Whatever the Dirty Dozen did, they do it dirtier!” I remember seeing it as a kid on HBO back in the very early 1980s, and I’ve never forgotten it. The (very) good news: It finally arrives on DVD July 29. Look for a review in my Tuesday column as soon as I get my grubby little hands on a copy.
