Monday, July 13, 2009

Doctor's Rounds 09


Doctor's Rounds 09: Guess who's back... back again... something something... tell a friend. Presenting for your readership, an all-new edition of Doctor's Rounds! Fresh outta the box like a shiny special edition Blu-ray, a pair of sturdy leather shoes, or Jacko's carcass for a "second opinion" (too soon?). Let's get on with it ,shall we...?

NIGHTMARE over already: It seems like mere weeks since we learned who would be helming the NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET redux for Platinum Dunes. It also doesn't seem that long ago that Jackie Earle Haley was announced as the FREDDY KRUEGER for a new generation. And yet, on Friday July 10th, producer Brad Fuller Twittered that filming had indeed wrapped and post-production was underway.

Now I've never made a movie in my life... well a horror movie anyway... but it doesn't take much to see that Fuller and co. must have shot that shit on the fly to be done already! If I was an optimist, I would say that this could mean that the script was tighter than a fish’s arse going into shooting (water tight) making things easy and efficient to get in the can. However, I'm a pessimist and have a feeling it's more likely that a huge percentage of work is still to be done as post-production... likely using those special effects machines that create video game dream-worlds and rubbish fake blood.

All we can hope for is that the storyline and screenplay don't conform to the Platinum Dunes trend of having more ugly kinks that Mega(n) Fox's thumbs. A promised peak at the goods (NIGHTMARE's not Megan's) during this year's Comic Con will no doubt shed more light on things.

BLADE prequel/spin-off trilogy: It's pretty much accepted that the only cool thing about the BLADE movies was... err... BLADE. Wesley Snipes brought us the most badass character since Snake Plissken. Everything in those movies merely existed to be smashed by him and all other characters simply turned up to have their balls soundly kicked up into their gut by the half-vampire with a shit-eating grin. So needless to say, this news baffles me...

Pint sized actor Stephen Dorff stated sometime last year that a prequel to the BLADE films was being planned and that the story arc would follow Deacon Frost's rise to power. For whatever reason the story re-emerged only for BLADE director Stephen Norrington to confirm that this is indeed that case, and that "the concept has evolved into a very interesting story".

Just one question from me: who gives a crap? I know Hollywood is suffering a bout of writer's block, but really? This is the best they have? Can't we have BLADE 4 already? With talent like Dorff (ALONE IN THE DARK, PROM NIGHT '08) and Norrington (LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN, upcoming and likely shite CROW remake) involved, this can only go one way... direct to DVD. Or am I being harsh?

UK set for another BLITZ: Lionsgate UK have announced that they are finalising negotiations with Jason 'The Stath' Statham to star in a horror-thriller, BLITZ. The film will see Statham hunt down a serial killer targeting cops (or police officers as us polite Brits refer to them). There's no news as to whether Statham's shirt will make an appearance so it's sensible to assume at least 70% of the running time will feature his abs also.

I have to admit to being a big fan of anything Statham shows up for. Part of my admiration is due to him being a reminder of the (almost lost) true action star who recognises his strengths and plays on them to great effect. Part of me loves the fact that the new Steven Seagal or Van Damme has turned out to be a cockney dive board pro. But mostly, it's because I fear him finding me and beating me to a mass of tender flesh-pulp before stealing my (suspiciously co-operative) wife if he hears of me not liking his films.

So long for now!

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