Once Upon a Time in Hollywood...

I’ve already made it known that Forbidden Planet is one of the few film do-overs that I am excited about. Well, last night I learned that the script for the remake had leaked to the internet. What is it about human nature that we have to ruin and spoil? (I, too, am guilty to a degree. But generally I have limitations on how much I am willing to uncover about a work. I certainly don’t understand leaking a whole script!) And so, the entire screenplay is being scrapped and started up from scratch.

J. Michael Straczynski had this to say:
Meanwhile, on a wholly different note…not of triumph but of annoyance….because so much of the Forbidden Planet screenplay was leaked out, Warners and I have decided to chuck the screenplay in its entirety and start over. This is the direct result of the leaks that showed up on the nets, including detailed script reviews of a project that was barely a week old, and which would effectively destroy any anticipation of the movie because by the time it finally reached the screen in 2010 or thereabouts, the story would be old news. So we're starting fresh, and we're going to keep a tight lid on the script this
time.

So to the sites that say, "Where's the harm, it's not like they're gonna toss out the script because we blew the contents of same all over the nets," well, yes, that's exactly what it's like, and it's precisely your responsibility that a year's worth of work was destroyed.

So we start anew, with the determined hope that the next draft will be even better, and far more secure, than the last one.

Let’s hope it’s for the better, eh? Come on now, InterWeb Info Stalkers, don’t cause another delay. I really want to see this movie!

Another remake with merit is A Nightmare on Elm Street. I spoke about this one briefly in this post. It’s rapidly becoming more than a dream project. The director (Samuel Bayer), script (Wesley Strick) and location (right here in Chicago!) are set. I read a little about the changes to this one. Just enough to whet my appetite, unlike those who have to devour the whole feast like FP. Elm Street is being “updated.” That can be a dirty word sometimes. Or at least hackneyed. But in this case it seems they are using their heads. For instance, in this day and age of instant access to info, it stands to reason that the likes of an event such as your parents as teenagers taking down a child molester/killer would not be a hushed up secret to the Elm Street kids. In other words, they might as well just look it up instead of dragging the riddles of the past out of their parents. One of the kids will now have a podcast. Sounds about right. Bring it on. [Currently April 16, 2010]

And the other horror remake which I guess I am on the fence about, but holding slight hopes for is Hellraiser. Recently, Gary Tunnicliffe took a stab at a redesign of Pinhead, the head honcho Cenobite. I didn’t think he did too bad a job. No, I didn’t love it, but I could “see” it. Apparently, I had been dead wrong. Hellraiser creator Clive Barker spoke out about it, citing his reasons why the new version entirely missed the point of the character. And having heard him explain, it became clear what part of it didn’t sit right. I’m not going to outline it here (nor is there a picture) for this character, his visage and details are certainly not for the faint of heart. Quite horrific. If you’re interested, it’s out there in the ‘net. I just rather enjoyed an author saying, ‘Nope. That’s not my character.’ Let’s hope they find a suitable re-design. (Or maybe Pinhead should remain the same? [It should be noted that Tunnicliffe had stated that Pinhead did not need reinvented but tried it for the sheer challenge.])

Lastly, Heroes will be back for another season after Fugitives.

Well, amen.

I Dare You to Visit...

It’s about time to watch a scary movie to summon and instill the Spirit of Halloween.

My recommendation is The Changeling. No, not the Clint Eastwood thriller starring Angelina Jolie written by J. Michael Straczynski which comes out this month. The Peter Medak haunting starring George C. Scott from a story by Russell Hunter.

The Changeling scares me more than any other fright flick. Sure, I’ve experienced the willies from other movies. But in terms of a cohesive whole, I believe The Changeling has more bang.

And banging is just one of the unsettling aspects of the house in the movie. I’m not going to bother to relay the plot to you. It’s standard ghost story fare…except expertly crafted. It balances psychological terror and “jump-out-at-you” without relying on either too heavily. An element of mystery abounds, as George C. Scott endeavors to know what event happened in the house. It’s giving me the creeps thinking about it now.

I’d been peripherally aware of the film, but first gave it notice at a Halloween party. Well, a little. Due to the lively party, the television merely provided an eerie glow to the festivities. Attention waned, drawing us in every so often. Then, during Winter Break, I saw it scheduled as “The Million Dollar Movie” after the 11 o’Clock News. Remembering it seemed quite good, I decided I should pay it full attention. I didn’t sleep very well that night. Then, a year later, during Winter Break, what should be scheduled as “The Million Dollar Movie” right after the 11 o’Clock News? Yes, you guessed right. Since I did not have cable, my choices were slim. So I opted to watch it again. My rationale? “It’s a great film. I’ve seen it before, so I won’t be scared this time if I know what’s coming. I can pick up nuances.” Well, I very quickly learned. The movie is more frightening the second time around. You see, once you know what that banging sound IS, you’re hard pressed to not be in knots inside. And since the rest of it is downright creepy, your chills are only blanketed with gloom. Yep, it’s worse (in the good way) upon another viewing.

I also noticed a filming technique which escaped me the first time around. Perhaps I’m slow for not having realized it, but there is something about the way it’s filmed which…yes, you guessed right…makes it even scarier. Do forgive me not stating said technique. Trust me, you really want to figure it out on your own.

To be fair, I have known people to not be affected by this movie. So please don’t hold it against me if you’re not impressed. But if you do decide to give it a whirl, please, do so under the right conditions. Such as in the dark, late at night, maybe even alone. As I did. Twice. And allow yourself into the story…if I’m right it will engage you right off the bat.