Remember, remember the 5th of November

[Ladic]

IMDB Info

Trailer

Portman's 'Vendetta' To Keep London Explosion Storylines

Producers of Natalie Portman's forthcoming film V For Vendetta have refused to edit out scenes of bombings on the London Underground train network, despite the recent terrorist attacks in the British capital. Fifty-five people were killed and over 700 injured when a double-decker bus and three trains were blown apart by suicide bombers on July 7. Last week, one person was injured during four failed terror attacks on different underground railway lines and a bus in east London. In V For Vendetta, a futuristic London is the target of a terrorist attacks and sees the tube lines destroyed by bombings. Executive producer Joel Silver says, "It's a great time for this movie. It's a controversial film and it's a controversial time. It's going to make people think." Fellow producer David Lloyd adds, "In terms of what happened in London it's important to try and understand what leads people to terrorism. There should be lots of movies made about terrorists." Director James McTiegue explains, "Terrorism is one of those themes that never really goes away."

http://www.imdb.com/news/wenn/2005-07-25/#2

[Blaine23]

I'm looking forward to this, even though it could never be as good as Alan Moore's comic. Still, even if they kept 50% of the original material, it would be a great story.

[Twoducks]

The trailer looks like that of an action film... Hope they don´t screw the comic to much.

[Duke Togo]

How many more movies do we have to watch Natalie Portman sleepwalk through before we can say all of that "promise" she showed as a 12 year old in Leon The Professional was a bunch of BS? I know she has alot of fanboys because of her looks (I guess, if you go for that whole "I still look like I am 12" thing), but is there a more overrated actress working in Hollywood today?

[Nightbat]

Gee, let's edit the twin towers back in, when making a movie about

terrorist attacks in the US and see how many positive reactions that 'll bring

ofcourse that would be a NO-NO since it's it's only allowed to film such events in

other countries

[Golden Arms]

I'm looking forward to this, even though it could never be as good as Alan Moore's comic.  Still, even if they kept 50% of the original material, it would be a great story.

313925[/snapback]

Whats the premise of the comic? If Alan Moore did it then I'm sure it was a good story, I never read it.

Natalie only sleepwalked in Star Wars. But she wasn't the only one. I heard that she got good reviews from that flick she did with Julia Roberts and and Clive Owen.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

That looked intriguing, and serious...kinda like batman begins only a lot darker in that respect. So is she the person behind the mask or is that someone else? I know very little of the actual comic.

[F-ZeroOne]

I am British and I don't feel offended by the possible content of the film (though if I had personally been involved in the London incidents then I would almost certainly feel differently), but I think the producers comments are a bit insensitive.

[Mr March]

How many more movies do we have to watch Natalie Portman sleepwalk through before we can say all of that "promise" she showed as a 12 year old in Leon The Professional was a bunch of BS? I know she has alot of fanboys because of her looks (I guess, if you go for that whole "I still look like I am 12" thing), but is there a more overrated actress working in Hollywood today?

313941[/snapback]

Jessica Alba

Tara Reid

Elisha Cuthbert

Jennifer Lopez

...just to name a few. Portman may have a lot to answer for with Star Wars, but she's very low on the list of overblown actresses that need to leave popular culture.

Besides, Portman went a long way toward redemption with Garden State and Closer, IMO.

[Mr March]

IMDB Info

Trailer

Portman's 'Vendetta' To Keep London Explosion Storylines

http://www.imdb.com/news/wenn/2005-07-25/#2

313910[/snapback]

I read it when I got into work this morning. I'm getting tired of the special interest groups attacking films due to coincidental real life events. These censors are no where to be found during the usually ignored screenings of contraversial films, yet they feel playing off media tragedy is a great way to get a 15 minute soundbite on <insert your blow-dried, anchorman with an invented story here>.

Kudos for Joel Silver sticking up for his film. Same goes for Jackson and Co. during the Lord of the Rings Two Towers debacle. Allow the legacy of terrorists to leave a permanent scar on the face of great art? Never! No victory for terrorists...politically nor culturally!

[JKeats]

Jessica Alba

Tara Reid

Elisha Cuthbert

Jennifer Lopez

...just to name a few. Portman may have a lot to answer for with Star Wars, but she's very low on the list of overblown actresses that need to leave popular culture.

Besides, Portman went a long way toward redemption with Garden State and Closer, IMO.

314063[/snapback]

As usual, I agree with Mr. March.

[Sundown]

Jessica Alba

Tara Reid

Elisha Cuthbert

Jennifer Lopez

I personally can't stand Jessica Alba, but I'm not sure she's ever been accused of being a good actress, or at least enough to be overrated as one.

I haven't seen enough of Cuthbert to say one way or another, but I do think she would have made for a better Sue Storm in F4.

It's not that Jennifer Lopez can't act. It's that she doesn't. She's shown that she's a great actress when she actually cares to act, putting out decent performances in what were otherwise crappy little movies back in the day when her career didn't consist only of dating celebrities and showing up on magazine covers. But I guess "can't" and "won't" doesn't make much difference in the end.

-Al

[Duke Togo]

Jessica Alba

Tara Reid

Elisha Cuthbert

Jennifer Lopez

...just to name a few.  Portman may have a lot to answer for with Star Wars, but she's very low on the list of overblown actresses that need to leave popular culture.

Besides, Portman went a long way toward redemption with Garden State and Closer, IMO.

314063[/snapback]

Except none of the actresses you listed are considered "serious actors". Portman is, and she's more wooden and Mark Hamill. I own Closer, and I thought she was putrid in that, too.

[EXO]

Jessica Alba

Tara Reid

Elisha Cuthbert

Jennifer Lopez

...just to name a few.  Portman may have a lot to answer for with Star Wars, but she's very low on the list of overblown actresses that need to leave popular culture.

Besides, Portman went a long way toward redemption with Garden State and Closer, IMO.

314063[/snapback]

Except none of the actresses you listed are considered "serious actors". Portman is, and she's more wooden and Mark Hamill. I own Closer, and I thought she was putrid in that, too.

314078[/snapback]

You're hate for Portman scares me... it's not her fault she grew out of the range of age you're interested in. She's a capable actress, she did well in Beautiful Girls and Garden State. Maybe you should just stop going to her films. Specially this one.

[Hikuro]

maybe I'm just reading this wrong, but I don't think its a smart thing to capitalize on someones misfortune such as this....I really wouldn't like it if some big shot film director had a camera all set up when the towers fell 4 years ago...infact it'd probably piss me off and cause me to boycot the director and all his films past, present and future.

[Duke Togo]

You're hate for Portman scares me... it's not her fault she grew out of the range of age you're interested in.  She's a capable actress, she did well in Beautiful Girls and Garden State.  Maybe you should just stop going to her films.  Specially this one.

314089[/snapback]

I know she has alot of fanboys because of her looks (I guess, if you go for that whole "I still look like I am 12" thing), but is there a more overrated actress working in Hollywood today?

I'm don't go to her films.

[Gaijin]

Duke hates everything...

[JsARCLIGHT]

If anything it sounds like this movie might end up like that ill-fated Schwarzenegger movie "Collateral Damage" due to untimely real world events. People made giant stink here in the US when that movie was coming out and the Oak himself kept telling people "the movie will be released" and it was. Then again Collateral Damage was a stinkburger of a movie that would have tanked 9/11 or no... who knows, perhaps this movie will have legs.

From the sound of it Portman is a small part in the movie... then again I have not seen the source material this is supposed to be scripted from.

[Mr March]

Jessica Alba

Tara Reid

Elisha Cuthbert

Jennifer Lopez

...just to name a few.  Portman may have a lot to answer for with Star Wars, but she's very low on the list of overblown actresses that need to leave popular culture.

Besides, Portman went a long way toward redemption with Garden State and Closer, IMO.

314063[/snapback]

Except none of the actresses you listed are considered "serious actors". Portman is, and she's more wooden and Mark Hamill. I own Closer, and I thought she was putrid in that, too.

314078[/snapback]

You mean like Scarlett Johansson, Anna Paquin, Angelina Jolie, and a host of other "serious" actresses that are depositing less than desirable droppings of performance for audience enjoyment?

In an industry that claims to hold reputation so dear, you'd be hard pressed to defend any of the known/made actresses with the distinction "serious" in the eyes of the "serious" film philes. Most would fit your definition of overrated, many moreso than Portman, your own opinions of her work not withstanding.

IMO, any venom you would throw towards female pop culture icons for their overrated careers, film or no, is better spent on a lengthy list of names that wouldn't include Portman. Trendy hatreds aside, the pop culture hit list has a lot bigger fish to fry.

[Mr March]

maybe I'm just reading this wrong, but I don't think its a smart thing to capitalize on someones misfortune such as this....I really wouldn't like it if some big shot film director had a camera all set up when the towers fell 4 years ago...infact it'd probably piss me off and cause me to boycot the director and all his films past, present and future.

314105[/snapback]

You are aware that this film in particular has been in production pre, during, and post the London attacks yes? The number of years ago that the plotlines and terrorist scenes that will feature in the film were published in a graphic novel? Are we honestly to beleive this entire film was conceived and planned in advance to capitalize on a terrorist attack of which the producers were aware was going to happen midway into post-production?

[Mr March]

Duke hates everything...

314124[/snapback]

NOT TRUE! He likes me

[Mechwarrior]

Looks like something I would watch, thanx for the info. Oh yah, I like Portman, i think she is a hottie, some actresses are cast for looks for guys like me, lol, which why I think Jessica Alba should win a Osacr too. But thta's my Opinion

[Dachande16]

Hmm, not really sure that it's all the fault of the actress (or to be PC - Actor ), just look at the drivel that Hollywood has been putting out for the last 10 years. A lot of times I leave the movies thinking that once again I just watched a formula film made for the lowest common denominator.

Too many good ideas / comics / books ruined by lazy directing / producing.

Of course I can't wait to see Britney Spears start acting ... hey would Portman make a good "Miria" in a non-cartoon version of Macross?

At this point methinks I'll run for the hills and hide under an inconspicous piece of SDF proof armour!

[Ladic]

i'm gonna buy the tpb, the trailer looks good

[Guest Bromgrev]

Alan Moore rocks! V for Vendetta is my favourite graphic novel of all time. If you haven't read it, DO IT NOW!

Having said that, films based on Alan Moore's comics have generally been pants. The man himself, being something of a long-haired weirdo, doesn't have anything to do with the film versions, and it shows. As for Portman, she probably looks the part, but I'm dreading her 'English' accent ...

Probably will see this, but I'm not expecting much.

[Ed.Coli]

I seriously doubt that this film will amount to anything, especially given that Alan Moore has personally disowned the film, and strayed away from Hollywood for good.

"Alan On The "V For Vendetta" Movie

Alan gave some details about bits of the V For Vendetta shooting script he'd seen. "It was imbecilic; it had plot holes you couldn't have got away with in Whizzer And Chips in the nineteen sixties. Plot holes no one had noticed."

What Moore found most laughable however were the details. "They don't know what British people have for breakfast, they couldn't be bothered. 'Eggy in a basket' apparently. Now the US have 'eggs in a basket,' whish is fried bread with a fried egg in a hole in the middle. I guess they thought we must eat that as well, and thought 'eggy in a basket' was a quaint and Olde Worlde version. And they decided that the British postal service is called Fedco. They'll have thought something like, 'well, what's a British version of FedEx... how about FedCo? A friend of mine had to point out to them that the Fed, in FedEx comes from 'Federal Express.' America is a federal republic, Britain is not."

"The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen" was a series Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill created for Wildstorm, a comic studio and then part of the publisher Image Comics. The series takes the entirety of Victorian pulp fiction as a backdrop for new adventures for a team of very familiar characters. As part of his ABC line for Wildstorm, the comics continued even after DC Comics bought Wildstorm. Moore's history with DC Comics over creator ownership and corporate attitudes had seen him swear off working with them, so a "firewall" was built up so Moore could continue the line, but never have to deal with DC Comics. However, DC editorial occasionally interfered with published work, leading Alan Moore withdrawing cooperation from an anniversary reprint and CD of his iconic superhero work "Watchmen."

The "League" was very well received, critically and commercially. Moore had sold the movie options before the first issue had been solicited. But the lawsuit shocked him to the core. Moore seems amused by this now, though at the time he was not.

"They seemed to believe that the head of 20th Century Fox called me up and persuaded me to steal this screenplay, turning it into a comic book which they could then adapt back into a movie, to camouflage petty larceny." This led to Moore giving a ten-hour deposition - he believes he'd have suffered less if he'd "sodomised and murdered a busload of children after giving them heroin."

source

[dr_vandermeer]

I love Alan Moore's work, but he can be a real tw@t sometimes.

The only way he'd probably be happy is if his movies were slavishly made panel-to-panel like Sin City was, and even that wasn't quite the total success, storytelling-wise.

Anyways, there's a lot there in the trailer that catches my interest. I'll probably catch it.

[Blaine23]

I love Alan Moore's work, but he can be a real tw@t sometimes.

The only way he'd probably be happy is if his movies were slavishly made panel-to-panel like Sin City was, and even that wasn't quite the total success, storytelling-wise.

314268[/snapback]

No offense, Vandermeer, but you're pretty off in that assessment.

Alan Moore stance on film adaptations of his work is that he'd just rather not be involved in them. He states pretty clearly that his job is writing comic books, not movies - and unlike most comic creators, he doesn't want to pretend otherwise.

Once the material is optioned - which usually the writer DOES NOT own the rights to (they are owned by whatever company published them), the filmmakers can essentially do whatever they want with it.

Seems to me, that Moore knows this - and gets it. Instead of bitching like Anne Rice, Frank Miller and million other authors who've had their work "changed" by film directors - Moore simply stays out of it.

I don't think that's being twattish at all. That's just a smart writer who knows he can't control the movie process, doesn't want to control the movie process, and decided it's better to be uninvolved than be held responsible if the movie is a steaming pile of crap. He knows he wrote a great comic - Fu%k Hollywood if they can't make a decent movie out of it.

Here's an interview with Alan Moore on Onion AV, talking about From Hell -

I think at an early stage, I was asked if I did want any involvement, but whenever there's been films proposed of any of my books, my answer has been pretty much the same. If someone's going to butcher my baby, I'd just rather it wasn't me. And also, I don't really have any great interest in writing for movies. Comics, to me, is a much more promising field. There's still a lot of ground to be broken in comics, whereas movies, to a degree... I don't know. They're a wonderful art form, but they're not my favorite art form. They might not even be in the top five of my favorite art forms. So my energies, I think, are best put into a medium I understand and enjoy and have enthusiasm for.

I suppose that the way I keep all that straight in my head is by keeping this kind of detachment, and by realizing that the film and the book are very different entities. Apparently, someone asked Raymond Chandler once what he thought of Hollywood ruining all of his books. And he took them into his study and pointed up to the shelf where they all were, and he said, "Look, they're there. They're fine. They're okay." That's the attitude I have to take. The film hasn't ruined my book.

Seems pretty smart to me. A film adaptation is what it is... the comic still kicks ass.

[Blaine23]

But the man is definitely a hippie.

He's just an insanely smart and talented hippie.

Seriously, if you've never read his comics, you really, really, really should.

[EXO]

Yeah, Alan Moore pretty much said he just takes the money and run when they make movies out of his books. The problem here was that the producer, Joel Silver, made an announcement that Moore saw the movie (or an early version) and he loved it, which totally pissed off Alan Moore. He then wanted a retraction of the statement, and when Silver refused, Moore demanded that they remove his name from the credits. Of course Moore went on and slammed Warner Bros., the company putting it out, also DC comic's parent company.... and you know about Alan Moore and DC Comics.

Edited July 26, 2005 by >EXO<

[Mr March]

Alan Moore's stance on film adaptations is his own, but he has a rather naive view of what effect a film adaptation has upon the source material.

Film, for better or worse, is a more pervasive form of entertainment than books or comics. A popular film will see everyone and their dog talking about it. You don't have to be an intellectual, well-read, or cultured to watch a film. Pay your money and watch entertainment for two hours. Film is nearly a zero effort medium for most people and hance, it appeals to the instant gratification, fast-food, self-centered public of modern society.

There have been great books made into terrible films. As a result, the majority of people look upon any mention of said film or book with disdain. No distinction is made between the book or film, they become synonymous with a reputation of poor quality. Granted, some people will become interested by the potential of the book caught in glimpses or moments from an otherwise poor film; you experience some renewed interest in a previously published work as a result. However, compare that to the incredible sales increase Tolkien's Lord of the Rings enjoyed during the very popular run of the films (I beleive I read an atricle stating sales increased a thousand fold).

Consequently, this is the same phenomena that affects fans of a franchise when they view a poor sequel to an otherwise beloved saga. Need I even bother to mention Star Wars, Alien, or the Matrix as vivid examples of fans anger when the material is triffled with. Even as times goes on, appreciation for the first of the line is nearly overshadowed by the hatred for the weaker sequels.

Simply in the interest of helping to sustain a proper popular culture perception of the original works, I wish Moore would be "more" involved in the film adaptations. Least he could do is act as an advisor and perhaps veto the really bad ideas that make medicore films into downright embarrasing insults to celluloid.

[dr_vandermeer]

Sorry, wrote that kinda quick.

Anyways, I've kept up on the comic and movie news involving Alan Moore.

My personal general feeling is that it's tw@t-ish to slam anything before having seen the final product. I understand he's the author of the work, and as such, is close to and protective of his babies. But if you're going to choose to distance yourself from all movie adaptations, then shut the hell up. He has a choice. You can't say that you don't care about it, and then talk poo about it. He obviously cares how his work is interpreted.

Don't like the past track record? Don't be such a pussy standing on the sidelines then. Do something about it.

The tw@t comment is meant to be separate from the next statement.

The second part was simply imagining what scenario could possibly make Mr. Moore happy with a movie adaptation of his work. So what do I think could make him happy? Really, I think nothing. Because nothing could possibly be the same as the comic, which is all the story needs to be in his mind. But the next best thing would probably be what I wrote. What do YOU think would make him happy?

That said, I do respect the man's work and a lot of his positions regarding taking care of co-creators, etc. Sure, the guy also believes in magick, but he's talented, absolutely.

[chrono]

Apparently, someone asked Raymond Chandler once what he thought of Hollywood ruining all of his books. And he took them into his study and pointed up to the shelf where they all were, and he said, "Look, they're there. They're fine. They're okay." That's the attitude I have to take. The film hasn't ruined my book.

That's just a beautiful statement!

It's just a shame that writers no longer think of their works in that light any more. Damn you Stephen King!

Though I agree with you March, Moore is also quite right.

[Mr March]

Though I agree with you March, Moore is also quite right.

314472[/snapback]

As the biggest promoter of art that I know, it really bothers me when the popular perception of my favoured works is lacking. I've never subscribed to artistic elitism or other such fanboy snobbery. When I find a really great book, film, or animation, I want to tell everyone I know how great it is and encourage them to enjoy it as much as myself.

In many cases, my attempts to encourage enjoyment of a work is hindered by negative public perception. We all like to think we care less about ignorant people and their opinions, but it does matter. It can be frustrating to lsiten to disillusioned, jaded people like Moore on occassion who just aren't even bothering to try. Still, I love the man's work and this is just a minor criticism.

[Isamu Atreides 86]

Whats really scary is that they wanna make Watchmen into a movie. they're gonna screw it up, and its gonna loose any poignancy it had as a GN, just like they did with LOEG (I refuse to say LXG. Damn! i Just did!!) and From Hell. Moore is one of the best all time writers in the business, and its sucks hes gonna swear off DC. i would have loved more Top Ten and more LOEG. Seeing him tackle a Napoleonic LOEG would have been awesome. Sharpe and Harper, Hornblower, Aubrey and Maturin would have been awesome. LOEG's from other times was an idea i heard he was toying with at one time.

As for Portman, shes talented i think, and now that shes outta the Star Wars shadow, maybe she can take more challenging roles. I did like Closer and Garden State, though.