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hbrennan
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
Philippines
1455 Posts |
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Sardu
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
1126 Posts |
 Posted - 12/04/2007 : 8:45:28 PM
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Well, I don't really have anything against Will Smith but his casting generally seems to be an indication of a mentality that is not in keeping with making a good sci-fi film but rather a big action blockbuster.
"Meeting you makes me want to be a real noodle cook"
--Tampopo |
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zombiewhacker
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
1475 Posts |
Posted - 12/05/2007 : 11:33:04 AM
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| hbrennan, is that a link infringing on Matheson's copyright? |
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Ericb
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
648 Posts |
Posted - 12/05/2007 : 11:57:53 AM
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Supposedly one is only supposed to "borrow" the books on that site. I'm not sure how they enforce that.
"I reserve the right to look as well as be boring." - Robert Fripp |
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R. Dittmar
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
420 Posts |
Posted - 12/05/2007 : 12:37:48 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Sardu
Well, I don't really have anything against Will Smith but his casting generally seems to be an indication of a mentality that is not in keeping with making a good sci-fi film but rather a big action blockbuster.
A big action blockbuster like ... Wild, Wild West?
Seriously though, Smith has worn out his welcome with me. He always plays the same character in his movies - the Fresh Prince of Bel Air. I know some say the contrary and I've not seen nor do I want to see all of his movies, but there is no other actor I can think of who strikes me as having such an unvarying one-note screen persona.
And since when did Hollywood start thinking that the genial stars of mildly successful sit-coms should being vetted for the lead role in action movies? Did they tap Bob Denver to take over the Bond movies from Sean Connery? Did they interview ALF to play the lead in Total Recall? I've always been pretty nonplussed that the guy has gotten the lead in the movies that he has. |
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Ericb
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
648 Posts |
Posted - 12/05/2007 : 12:45:03 PM
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Smith is a bit scrawny to be an action hero. Now they don't all have to be built like Arnie but shouldn't they be at least a little bit buff?
"I reserve the right to look as well as be boring." - Robert Fripp |
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Neville
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
Spain
1590 Posts |
Posted - 12/05/2007 : 2:51:44 PM
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I will see the movie, but being a fan of the novel I'm sure I will be disappointed. I read the Mark Protosevich script years ago and it was pretty much great, but I'm reading everywhere Akiva Goldsman (shudder) did his own script and didn't use any of Protosevich draft.
Add Smith (a good actor except when he does his Freah Prince persona) and the director of the dire Constantine and my expectations go even lower. |
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Ken HPoJ
Supreme Potentate
USA
1530 Posts |
Posted - 12/05/2007 : 3:47:42 PM
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I think the problem is that I Am Legend is not really an action novel. Making it into a movie with a number of huge explosions (I'm just guessing here) misses the point.
I think the scale of Last Man on Earth was pretty much spot on.
PEGGY: I don't see how having a girl on the team would ruin it. Did a woman judge ruin the Supreme Court?
HANK: Yes, and that woman's name was Earl Warren.
--King of the Hill |
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hbrennan
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
Philippines
1455 Posts |
Posted - 12/05/2007 : 4:38:52 PM
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Actually, "The Last Man on Earth" was the best adaptation. The settings were quite remarkable. The only things missing were a better explanation of the way animals were also infected (I felt sorry for the little dog, though) and a removal of the sexual taunting by the infected females (for obvious reasons). By the way - if you want to read the novel from the link I posted - just remove it from your hard drive after you're done reading it. That way you won't have to be concerned about copyright infringement (or you can borrow it from your local library).
"...yet it hadn't destroyed his brain."
re: Charles "The Butcher" Benton (1956)
http://www.henrybrennan.com/
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Sardu
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
1126 Posts |
Posted - 12/05/2007 : 6:22:39 PM
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Right- what I'm saying is that, for example, someone sits down and says "Let's make a movie of I, Robot!!" Eventually, executive Schmo says "Alright, this could work but no one knows who this Asimov is. This movie needs a star who can open it if it's going to get a budget. Get Will Smith." So, they get Will Smith. Now I, Robot is an A list film. Its profile means more executives look at it and go, hey, this is a big picture! It needs to be like Independence Day! Make stuff go boom and put some damn car chases in it!! Hey, does this movie HAVE to have robots?? Could they at least, ya know, transform or something??"
I contend that it's a vicious cycle- add the (alleged) action star to make the picture and then the picture becomes an awful mass appeal pile o' crap. The exception is The Matrix which was actually written to be fun action crap in the first place and wound up being pretty cool.
Oddly, Bruce Willis seems to be an exception as an actor. His casting didn't ruin 12 Monkeys and Gilliam was really paranoid about him taking over that film.
"Meeting you makes me want to be a real noodle cook"
--Tampopo |
Edited by - Sardu on 12/05/2007 6:23:57 PM |
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Terrahawk
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
644 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2007 : 5:24:02 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Ericb
Smith is a bit scrawny to be an action hero. Now they don't all have to be built like Arnie but shouldn't they be at least a little bit buff?
If Smith still looks like he did in I Robot, he's a pretty buff guy.
Anyways, Last Man on Earth really was the best adaptation.
- While science has societal benefits, science is not a social virtue. - |
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zombiewhacker
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
1475 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2007 : 8:55:00 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Ken HPoJ
I think the problem is that I Am Legend is not really an action novel. Making it into a movie with a number of huge explosions (I'm just guessing here) misses the point.
They tried that approach already with The Omega Man. The funny thing about that version: there wasn't nearly enough action to make it worthwhile.
Loved that musical score, though. |
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zombiewhacker
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
1475 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2007 : 8:56:40 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Terrahawk
If Smith still looks like he did in I Robot, he's a pretty buff guy.
He also played Ali, remember. |
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nshumate
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
464 Posts |
Posted - 12/07/2007 : 06:39:42 AM
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The recent positive AICN review from an German press screening was written by a good friend of mine, whose opinions I trust. Which means I'm probably gonna be finding time to hit the theaters sometime soon.
Nathan Shumate
http://www.coldfusionvideo.com |
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zombiewhacker
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
1475 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2007 : 09:49:53 AM
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| One more thing about adaptations... sometimes a faithful film treatment isn't always a good thing. If the makers of I Am Legend were to follow Matheson's novella to the letter, Ben Cortman would have to be played by a dead ringer for Oliver Hardy. |
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Zbu
Altar Boy of Jabootu
USA
4 Posts |
Posted - 12/14/2007 : 7:27:10 PM
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I agree with R. Dittmar. Will Smith has gone nowhere as an actor and all of his films have him playing himself as himself. While this could work in some cases where the actor has a charisma about him and enough talent to restrain it in some cases--Samuel Jackson, for a not so perfect but good example--Will Smith just isn't charismatic as much as he's a good punchline deliverer. And considering that he's dropped his whole schtick of being a family-friendly '90s rapper and gone with being more moody than a Spawn comic, there's just no reason to watch him anymore.
I have a feeling this movie is going to suck hard and that's sad. The novel is excellent but it's not an action flick by any stretch. Will Smith doesn't have the chops to act in this film in a manner that is expected by people who are going to see the flick because of its literary roots. |
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