Adele sings new Bond theme
It's been rumored for quite some time now, and it has just recently been confirmed that English soul singer Adele is doing the theme song for the new James Bond movie Skyfall.
Was there anyone who didn't see this coming?
I guess it just goes to show that sometimes the most obvious and predictable thing is the best thing to do.
Go to SuperHeroHype to hear the song.
Was there anyone who didn't see this coming?
I guess it just goes to show that sometimes the most obvious and predictable thing is the best thing to do.
Go to SuperHeroHype to hear the song.
Guillermo del Toro and the Swamp Thing
In a recent interview with ShockTillYouDrop, director Guillermo del Toro listed several comic characters he would be interested in being involved with adapting to television or movies. Among the characters were Swamp Thing and Etrigan The Demon. It very much excited me to read this.
Aside from Batman, Swamp Thing is my favorite comic book character. I especially love Alan Moore's work on the character.
For some time now I've thought the story would make a great television show with today's special effects. I know the character has been featured in his own live action television series, an animated series, and the live action movies Swamp Thing and Return Of The Swamp Thing, but the character and his story have a lot more potential than was achieved with any of those adaptations. I also know Alan Moore seems to hate having his comics adapted into movies, but I think this could really work, especially if it stuck very closely to the source material. I hadn't thought of it before, but I think Guillermo del Toro would be perfect to create this television series. I don't think anyone could make the argument that the director of Pan's Labyrinth wouldn't be perfect to adapt Swamp Thing. I think I like this idea even more than the idea of him working on The Hobbit.
Besides getting to use the Swamp Thing character, if sticking to the source material, del Toro would of course also get to use Etrigan The Demon, who would probably be a recurring character. It would also be an opportunity to do the characters Jason Woodrue and John Constantine the right way since they've both been featured, not so faithfully in the movies Batman & Robin and Constantine.
Anyway, it probably wouldn't ever happen, but if it did, it could be really amazing, and it sure was fun daydreaming about it today.
Aside from Batman, Swamp Thing is my favorite comic book character. I especially love Alan Moore's work on the character.
For some time now I've thought the story would make a great television show with today's special effects. I know the character has been featured in his own live action television series, an animated series, and the live action movies Swamp Thing and Return Of The Swamp Thing, but the character and his story have a lot more potential than was achieved with any of those adaptations. I also know Alan Moore seems to hate having his comics adapted into movies, but I think this could really work, especially if it stuck very closely to the source material. I hadn't thought of it before, but I think Guillermo del Toro would be perfect to create this television series. I don't think anyone could make the argument that the director of Pan's Labyrinth wouldn't be perfect to adapt Swamp Thing. I think I like this idea even more than the idea of him working on The Hobbit.
Besides getting to use the Swamp Thing character, if sticking to the source material, del Toro would of course also get to use Etrigan The Demon, who would probably be a recurring character. It would also be an opportunity to do the characters Jason Woodrue and John Constantine the right way since they've both been featured, not so faithfully in the movies Batman & Robin and Constantine.
Anyway, it probably wouldn't ever happen, but if it did, it could be really amazing, and it sure was fun daydreaming about it today.
FILM + photography = FILMography
I saw an interesting tumblr called FILMography today. It has been getting a lot of press the past few days, so you might have already even seen it, but I wanted to post it here anyway.
It was created by Christopher Moloney, who I guess prints out black and white screenshots from movies, goes to the real location of the shot, holds up the screenshot, and takes a picture of it framed by the real location. The one above is from The French Connection.
There are shots from some terrible movies featured, but there are plenty of great movies as well. Unfortunately sometimes the achieved effect isn't as strong as it could have been due to the screenshot not being held in the exact position it should, or because not enough details are shown in either the movie screenshot or the real location. Some of these are really quite striking though, and it's especially interesting with some of the older movies. Seeing black and white photos of characters from several decades ago framed in the present version of the setting they're in, and surrounded by modern people is really interesting to look at. For example this one of North By Northwest and this one from Arthur.
I'm looking forward to seeing more.
It was created by Christopher Moloney, who I guess prints out black and white screenshots from movies, goes to the real location of the shot, holds up the screenshot, and takes a picture of it framed by the real location. The one above is from The French Connection.
There are shots from some terrible movies featured, but there are plenty of great movies as well. Unfortunately sometimes the achieved effect isn't as strong as it could have been due to the screenshot not being held in the exact position it should, or because not enough details are shown in either the movie screenshot or the real location. Some of these are really quite striking though, and it's especially interesting with some of the older movies. Seeing black and white photos of characters from several decades ago framed in the present version of the setting they're in, and surrounded by modern people is really interesting to look at. For example this one of North By Northwest and this one from Arthur.
I'm looking forward to seeing more.
Tony Scott
June 21, 1944 - August 19, 2012
The news of Tony Scott's death is quite a shock. He truly left us much earlier than he should have. I know it's probably silly talking about movies when someone dies since their death is a big loss for many other reasons, but I think he had a lot of movies left in him that will never be made now. I like several of his movies, but there's one in particular that really affected me.
The movie True Romance is easily one of my favorites of all time. It was directed by Tony Scott. There are definitely other movies I love more, but I first saw that movie when I was a teenager and really fell in love with it. Those later teen years are a time of discovery and development where I think things have a greater chance of affecting you, and like so many other pieces of art have done, that movie made an indelible mark on me. As indelible as the tattoos that the characters Alabama and Clarence got in the movie.
Now I'll leave you with these somewhat relevant words from those characters:
The news of Tony Scott's death is quite a shock. He truly left us much earlier than he should have. I know it's probably silly talking about movies when someone dies since their death is a big loss for many other reasons, but I think he had a lot of movies left in him that will never be made now. I like several of his movies, but there's one in particular that really affected me.
The movie True Romance is easily one of my favorites of all time. It was directed by Tony Scott. There are definitely other movies I love more, but I first saw that movie when I was a teenager and really fell in love with it. Those later teen years are a time of discovery and development where I think things have a greater chance of affecting you, and like so many other pieces of art have done, that movie made an indelible mark on me. As indelible as the tattoos that the characters Alabama and Clarence got in the movie.
Now I'll leave you with these somewhat relevant words from those characters:
ALABAMA
I kept asking Clarence why our world seemed to be collapsing and
everything seemed so shitty, and he'd say, "That's the way it goes.
But don't forget, it goes the other way too."
everything seemed so shitty, and he'd say, "That's the way it goes.
But don't forget, it goes the other way too."
"A Conversation With My 12 Year Old Self"
When Jeremiah McDonald was 12 years old, he filmed himself having one side of a conversation with his future self. Now, twenty years later, he finishes the conversation.
I'm writing some of my thoughts about the film below the embedded player. If you'd rather just let the film speak for itself, feel free to skip reading the rest of this post after you watch. I won't be offended.
I couldn't possibly love this short film more than I do. I can relate pretty easily to the themes explored, and I love it from a filmmaking point of view as well. The way Jeremiah used the twenty year old video (certain parts of which I'm sure were taken out of their original context) to create this conversation is inspiring. He has used the footage a few times before, but I think this time he really met the potential of the whole concept and made something truly special with it. It's funny, charming, and even incredibly touching and thought provoking. Especially for being only 3 minutes and 47 seconds long. I love the contrast in personality between the 32 year old and 12 year old Jeremiah. It perfectly illustrates the kind of change one goes through as they leave childhood and enter adulthood. The 32 year old Jeremiah's performance is also brilliant. I love the way he seems so impatient and even slightly bitter toward his younger self for being responsible for how he turned out. My favorite part and easily the most poignant part is when the 12 year old Jeremiah holds up a piece of artwork he did of a cartoon rabbit named Roy (that seems to be inspired by Roger Rabbit) and asks his older self if he still draws Roy. It's kind of heartbreaking.
I'm writing some of my thoughts about the film below the embedded player. If you'd rather just let the film speak for itself, feel free to skip reading the rest of this post after you watch. I won't be offended.
I couldn't possibly love this short film more than I do. I can relate pretty easily to the themes explored, and I love it from a filmmaking point of view as well. The way Jeremiah used the twenty year old video (certain parts of which I'm sure were taken out of their original context) to create this conversation is inspiring. He has used the footage a few times before, but I think this time he really met the potential of the whole concept and made something truly special with it. It's funny, charming, and even incredibly touching and thought provoking. Especially for being only 3 minutes and 47 seconds long. I love the contrast in personality between the 32 year old and 12 year old Jeremiah. It perfectly illustrates the kind of change one goes through as they leave childhood and enter adulthood. The 32 year old Jeremiah's performance is also brilliant. I love the way he seems so impatient and even slightly bitter toward his younger self for being responsible for how he turned out. My favorite part and easily the most poignant part is when the 12 year old Jeremiah holds up a piece of artwork he did of a cartoon rabbit named Roy (that seems to be inspired by Roger Rabbit) and asks his older self if he still draws Roy. It's kind of heartbreaking.
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