Posts Tagged ‘Cloverfield’
Posted by dominie in Films, News, Reviews on September 30th, 2008
Last week Hammer and Overture films announced an English-language remake of Swedish director Tomas Alfredson’s Let the Right One In, the original coming of age vampire film that hits theaters October 24. According to Bloody-Disgusting, Cloverfield helmer Matt Reeves will direct the remake, and Alfredson’s thoughts don’t come with open arms.
“Remakes should be made of movies that aren’t very good, that gives you the chance to fix whatever has gone wrong,” Alfredson tells Moviezine. “I’m very proud of my movie and think it’s great, but the Americans might be of an other opinion. The saddest thing for me would be to see that beautiful story made into something mainstream. I don’t like to whine, but of course – if you’d spent years on painting a picture, you’d hate to hear buzz about a copy even before your vernissage!”
If you’ve been following our coverage of Let the Right One In (review), you will understand how furious this news makes me. I’ll agree that an English-language remake may expose the film to millions more fans, but potentially sacrificing everything we have loved about the movie seems too great of a risk (seems likely the way Hollywood is nabbing remake rights). Can we not read subtitles anymore? If the film gets proper exposure (something Magnet Releasing may want to reconsider), the film could be a potential masterpiece even in the states. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ring a bell? Alfredson’s stunning success in the film comes from being subtle and leaving more to the viewers’ imagination for the scare, something we used to see in the good ol’ Hollywood days.
Posted by bob in Films, News on May 19th, 2008
After the seeming teases that have been discovered about a potential sequel to Cloverfield, J.J. Abrams commented this week that he’d rather do something fresh with his pals, writer Drew Goddard and directed Matt Reeves.
“My dream is to work with [Goddard and Reeves] again, but do something that’s [new],” Abrams told the press. “Having said that, Drew and Matt both, separately, have really good ideas for what [Cloverfield 2] could be. So I don’t know. We’ll see. I know the studio wants it.
“But the truth is there’s another idea that I’d rather do with the same people than do a sequel. It’s a whole new thing.”
Posted by bob in Films, News on May 10th, 2008
In an interview with Rolling Stone, J.J. Abrams confirmed a few details about Cloverfield, the film and the monster. The creature was indeed named Clover and was absolutely killed at the film’s end.
“Yes, he’s dead. Ultimately the bombs kill him,” he said.
The producer admitted that his crew has two theories about the object seen dropping into the water during the final flashback at Coney Island. Either one could spawn the sequel, which he admits is being discussed but not actively being prepped.
Posted by bob in Films, News on May 3rd, 2008
Amusement has been delayed yet again by Picturehouse, now going from late 2008 to sometime in 2009.
Cryptologists analyzing Paramount Home Video’s Cloverfield DVD have found links to a viral website complete with blurry images and a partial transcript of communications. One look at the image here should give you a clue. For the rest, check out
http://www.usgx8810b467233px.com/access.htm
MGM mentioned back in March that they were taking a fresh look at the Robocop franchise. Original director Ed Neumeier told Fangoria, “People have been talking about another Robocop for a long time. It’s not the first time. People have been discussing it for years. Robocop is currently controlled by MGM, but it’s a complicated rights situation that’s a little bit boring to get into. But Robocop is something I would love to go back to at some point.”
Posted by bob in Films, News on April 30th, 2008
Speaking of Cloverfield, which has banked $166 million in worldwide box office receipts, word is spreading that a sequel is definitely on people’s minds. Apparently, new clues to the key characters’ fates can be found hidden in the Blu-ray release coming June 3.
Some of the known survivors including Jessica Lucas and Mike Vogel are said to have been asked if they are interested in returning.
Director Matt Reeves told MTV that he’s focused now on his film and a sequel would be mere speculation for now.
Posted by bob in News on April 30th, 2008
Paramount Home Entertainment announced their first round of Blu-ray DVD releases, kicking off in late May. Coming May 20 will the first wave will include There Will Be Blood, Bee Movie, Face/Off and Next. Cloverfield will follow on June 3. On June 24, The Spiderwick Chronicles will be released in both standard and Blu-ray editions in what is now the standard day-and-date simultaneous release.
As is the pattern these days, the Blu-ray discs will offer some features not found on standard DVDs. For example, there will be an exclusive feature-length “Special Investigation Mode” and two additional Easter Eggs tucked into the Cloverfield release and Spiderwick will have additional behind-the-scenes featurettes, an exploration of the Spiderwick world, an exclusive peek inside Arthur Spiderwick’s Field Guide and much more.
Posted by bob in News on April 7th, 2008
Red Banded Trailers no Longer Taboo
What’s the difference between a green-banded trailer and a red-banded trailer? Blood, gore, nudity…the usual. Red-banded trailers have always existed but are restricted and most theater chains have avoided using them. However, now that Judd Apatow and company have been promoting their movies via links to red-banded trailers on line, Regal Cinemas has been reconsidering the matter.
The Hollywood Reporter says today that Regal will be permitting their use, where appropriate, in their theaters.
Cloverfield DVD out April 22
Cloverfield will be a single disc DVD chock-full of features nearly equaling the film’s brisk 84 minute running time.
The extras include
- Commentary track by director Matt Reeves
- “The Making of Cloverfield” featurette
- “Cloverfield Visual Effects” featurette
- “I Saw It! It’s Alive! It’s Huge” featurette
- “Clover Fun” featurette
- Six deleted scenes
- Multiple easter eggs
Posted by bob in Reviews on April 7th, 2008
America originally imported its monsters, bringing over vampires and werewolves as Europeans moved here from the “Old World”. We didn’t really have any monsters of our own until H.P. Lovecraft gave us the product of a fevered imagination. Since then, we’ve gotten pretty good at generating creepies and crawlies but monsters of any magnitude seemed to elude us.
J.J. Abrams recognized that while in Japan, seeing the enduring appeal of Godzilla, and came home determined to give America a monster it could call its own. He unleashed Cloverfield to a highly anxious world in January. The marketing, starting with the untitled teaser trailer last summer, was superb and cutting edge, heralding that this was going to be unlike the monster movies that preceded it.
The movie delivers on all its promises and makes the waiting worthwhile.
As we know from the trailer, six twentysomethings are part of a going away party when Something Happens. We also know from the trailer that whatever it was was big and strong enough to knock the head off the statue of Liberty and send it to SoHo. Right there we know we’re dealing with something that dwarfs Godzilla and any monster film from the 1950s.
Shot entirely from a camcorder’s POV, former Buffy writer Drew Goddard and director Matt Reeves manage to match an intimate love story with a world-shaking crisis. Our six friends are exactly the target demo for this film and audiences will buy into their relationships and genuinely care for the characters as the story unfolds. Goddard cleverly devotes the first twenty minutes or so to establishing our characters, their intertwined friendships and their personalities so when Something Happens, we’re invested in them for the remainder of the story.
Unlike the tried and true horror films from the 1940s forward, this one sticks with the rank and file as opposed to the military or the scientists who generally hog the spotlight in these affairs with just a token civilian or two. As a result, they’re left in the dark as to what It is and how It came to trash Manhattan and the audience is left to piece things together since we’re not running for our lives, left with little time to process the events glimpsed while rushing from falling buildings.
Why they remain in New York when evacuation is possible goes back to the love story and reasons why this will endure to repeated viewings. The video is actually being recorded over a previous tape that shows the idyllic day Rob and Beth enjoyed the day after they finally Did It. As a result, we understand their strong bond as glitches in the taping reveals moments still preserved from the day. So, when they’re separated during the initial attack, and Rob subsequently learns she’s hurt and can’t move, he risks everything to rescue her. Since he’s surrounded with friends, they accompany him, thinking there’s safety in numbers.
Also, unlike the traditional monster movies, bad things happen to good people. As a result, the sextet is winnowed down throughout the film’s second half, but in totally plausible ways. They act like real people, imperfect, and rising above that to help one another.
The cast of six are accomplished performers all in the early part of their careers but they are attractive and play well together. Fellow critics give a lot of credit to T.J. Miller’s Hud, our cameraman whose heard more than seen, and he deserves it but Michael Stahl-David’s Rob and Lizzy Caplan’s Marlena are the two standout performances for me.
So, about the monster. It’s big. It’s creepy. It’s unlike Godzilla and most other movie monsters and kudos go to the SFX team for creating something so unsettling, especially as we see only bits and pieces for most the time. Our few full figure shots are so fleeting that we don’t have time to process its exact anatomy so there are some things left to our imagination. And it didn’t come alone. It came with parasitic beasties that come loose and scuttle across Manhattan and when we encounter them along the way, we’re genuinely spooked.
The movie, complete with lengthy end credits, is a crisp 84 minutes. Any longer and the conceit would have stopped working. When the camcorder cuts out at the end, we’re satisfied. We’re also somewhat emotionally spent given the rush and since most of the film is in real time, it feels right. There shouldn’t be a sequel that would dilute the original’s impact, but since the creature’s origins remain murky, continuing elements can be done. I hope not, though, because this has the chance to endure as an American Original.
The DVD is crisp but obviously watching on a television screen is nowhere near as cool as the theatrical experience. It’s still a thrill ride. The assortment of Special Features are fascinating for film buffs, clearly showing how much effort was put into the technical aspects. In fact, sifting through the Making Of… mini-documentaries it’s interesting to contrast how tightly organized they had to be given the CGI involved while we see how the story morphed during filming. The alternate endings, for example, show director Reeves discussing why things seemed to fit. Suggestions during production from J.J. Abrams also strengthen some of the film’s story.
Posted by admin in News on April 4th, 2008
Frank Herbert’s epic 1965 science fiction tale Dune has been announced as a Paramount Pictures project. Peter Berg (The Kingdom) will direct with no writers or performers as yet named. Kevin Misher will produce and is said to have spent a year obtaining the rights from the Herbert Estate.
Dune has not only spawned numerous sequels, but it has provided his son Brian with a career as Brian Herbert has continued the saga, cowriting alongside Kevin J. Anderson (Seven Sons Saga). Both men are co-producing the film. Also along for the ride are producers Richard Rubinstein, Sarah Aubrey, John Harrison and Mike Messina.
This will be the third adaptation, following 1984’s David Lynch film for Universal and the Sci-Fi Channel’s miniseries approach in 2000. The latter was produced by Rubinstein who also oversaw the sequel, Children of Dune.
Posted by admin in News on April 1st, 2008
Word has begun to leak across the web that the Aliens vs. Predator franchise is going for the trifecta. With the second chapter headed for an April 15 DVD release, 20th Century-Fox is now discussing getting the third installment up and running which makes sense given the $128.8 million the last one hatched worldwide. No details yet on who or what will be involved.
Justin Long Joins Lohman in Hell
Sidling up alongside Alison Lohman in Sam Raimi’s Drag me to Hell will be Mac spokesman Justin Long. He gained geek acceptance with Galaxy Quest before making his horror debut in Jeepers Creepers and added to his cred with roles in The Sasquatch Dumpling Gang and Strange Wilderness (we’ll forgive him for Alvin and the Chipmunks).
Dimension Films adds Snaked
Snaked a comic book written by IDW Comics’ Executive VP of Strategies/Editorial Clifford Meth, has been optioned by Dimension Films. Producer Richard Saperstein (The Mist) will handle the adaptation while Meth will craft the screenplay. Meth and Ted Adams, IDW’s President will co-executive produce with Shara Kay aboard as co-producer.
IDW’s website describes Snaked this way: “In a world of dirty politics, backstabbing friends and unfaithful women, Bill Timmons discovers that being a Snake is more than a metaphor… but he’s unprepared for what will happen when he sheds his skin and the fangs start to show… and so is everyone else.” The interior art is by Rufus Dayglo and the five issue miniseries features covers by Ashley Wood. Three issues are out now.
Camp Crystal Lake’s First New Camper
Odette Yustman, who caught our eye in Cloverfield, has been signed to star in the New Line remake of Friday the 13th. No other casting has been confirmed although Scout Taylor Compton (Halloween) has told reporters she too has been approached to appear in the film. If true, we’re hoping they keep the strip Monopoly scene.
Last week Hammer and Overture films announced an English-language remake of Swedish director Tomas Alfredson’s Let the Right One In, the original coming of age vampire film that hits theaters October 24. According to Bloody-Disgusting, Cloverfield helmer Matt Reeves will direct the remake, and Alfredson’s thoughts don’t come with open arms.
