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I don't want gore.

   

....Sorry, Point taken though.

Laugh it up, fuzzball.

No, seriously though, I couldn't care less whether I see blood and guts splatter on the screen. 'Gore' is not the same as 'violent' and film-makers can scare and sicken you with the brutality of it all, without gore, and still be realistic.

That said, if Dredd is gory, I'll still be happy.

Basically, I have no point except yay Dredd.

I don't want gore. I'd like a Dredd that can handle combat with the minimum of fuss and max effect, and if that means blood spurting, fine, but I'm actually after great technique. If they want guts floating towards the screen cut out, they'll get no complaints from me.

It's Feb and I'm actually at the stage now where I'm all zen about it all. I really don't think there is anything to worry about re Dredd. Not anymore anyway. Whatever the holdup was, it all seems to be sorted. Some posts back, there was an estimate for a trailer around March (Joe Soap's estimate, I think) and I'm happily, and calmly, waiting for that to happen.

Besides, been rewatching a lot of the Garland works, and he can tell a good story, and I love me a good story. I can take a helluva lot of probs elsewhere if the story sucks me in.

[Fifth Element]

It really is all subjective; I absolutely loved Fifth Element, thought it was funny as hell, fell in love with Milla, fell in love with Gary Oldman all over again and adored Ian Holm. And I liked Tucker too.

Whereas Argo? I'd run the other way.

Looper, I'd see that, but I think crushing is a bit extreme. There's a likely overlap of target audience there, so I'm still optimistic. I can't be the only one who'll see both.

And re Wagner - the man's been burnt once already. If I were him, I'd definitely be cautious too. I'm trying to imagine myself in his shoes - dream come true, something you create is getting the big movie treatment, and what happens? In your face codpiece. Gutted.

Deserts!

*joins the edit-button-pitchfork-posse*

Jennifer Lawrence? I have no idea who that is.

Hotel Transylvania? Again, no idea, except it sounds vampish and oh my lord, will they not die already?!! I have had it up to - here - with vamps. Despite the fact I didn't like Priest much, it was still the best vamp movie just for the post-apocalyptic vibe, the barren desserts, walled cities, steampunkish gear and, more importantly, total downlow on smouldering vamps in silk and whatnots.

I hope the dvd release is packed with specials ala LOTR style. I doubt it but I'm hoping desperately for it. I want to see at least an hour spent on Dredd's helmet alone. Commentary of course, but a choice with the option to hear the director/prods/Anthony Dod etc, another with the actors. Wagner and others behind the comic would be good too, but failing that, a special on them alone.

Weirdly, there's a chance that I might be living in America by the time Dredd comes out!

Extradition huh.

*g*

Word from John Wagner:



The reshoots went well and the editing, I'm told, is now complete. VFX are looking cool. They expect to have the score, sound and other technical stuff finished in February.

This is great news and explains a lot.No way would John Wagner give his verdict on a film that wasnt completely finished ,so thats reassuring why he hasnt done so to date.Glad to see he thinks he FX are cool as well

So, bearing all that in mind, what's the guestimate now on when a trailer is likely? I'm not badgering, just curious - all this industry talk is totally new to me, and it's interesting.

[Dredd]

^

normally i wouldn't mind but i check on this every morning and get excited that theirs something new.. but no it's about people trawling the internet trying to find a nobodies comments, so they can be offended by it.

Ditto. So much.

But I think it's a lost cause because as soon as someone tries to bring it back on track, someone else veers it off to nutter land again.

Changing the subject from that annoyance.

I don't recall anyone mentioning Michael Biehn autioned for the lead in Dredd.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1343727/trivia?tab=tr&item=tr1414182

AUDITIONED- Why is there no edit facility in this! 

I quite like Biehn (in Alien, Terminator, even that Mag7 tv series where he played Chris), but he's getting on and I think Dredd was intended to start off the story when Joe was still youngish. Still, prefer Urban if it came to a tie - saw Red and Doom recently and I'm still happy with him as Dredd.

Loved Demolition Man - fantastic actors like Snipes, Bullock, Leary all managed to shine. Still don't know what the three shells was supposed to do though.

Back to the point - love me some grit. Bring on the grit. Gritty gritty grit. I definitely don't want some feelgood hero and bright colours or kissy faces - asskicking is where it's at.

Pick-up shots? Is that mentioned in the Empire article? A friend told me she saw him in Soho a few weeks ago, so maybe that was why he was about.

[Q: What can you tell us about Dredd?ADM: Kevin's brother, producer Andrew MacDonald, approached me a while ago. It's written by Alex Garland, a very astute, creative writer, who I've known since 28 Days Later. It was shot in South Africa on 3D – around 13 weeks principal, and seven weeks 2nd unit photography. It's a dangerous film, in the sense that the story places itself precariously on the floorboards of an action sci-fi genre film whilst underneath there's a no less entertaining allegorical comment about this kind of cinema and the violence that tends to come with this kind of product. Visually we have gone at it hammer and tongues. We shot entirely digitally, in scope, using RED MX cameras and SI2Ks, Phantom Flex highspeed, and multiple rigs shooting at the same time on first and second unit. I built some new cameras rigs that can take you very close to the action. It's won't look so much like the action films we're accustomed to, and the audience won't have things thrust in their faces every five minutes. I hope it will be more painterly. If we get it right, it will be a cross between Blade Runner and Clockwork Orange.]

From the link above, the Dredd bit -

Q: What can you tell us about Dredd?

ADM: Kevin's brother, producer Andrew MacDonald, approached me a while ago. It's written by Alex Garland, a very astute, creative writer, who I've known since 28 Days Later. It was shot in South Africa on 3D – around 13 weeks principal, and seven weeks 2nd unit photography. It's a dangerous film, in the sense that the story places itself precariously on the floorboards of an action sci-fi genre film whilst underneath there's a no less entertaining allegorical comment about this kind of cinema and the violence that tends to come with this kind of product. Visually we have gone at it hammer and tongues. We shot entirely digitally, in scope, using RED MX cameras and SI2Ks, Phantom Flex highspeed, and multiple rigs shooting at the same time on first and second unit. I built some new cameras rigs that can take you very close to the action. It's won't look so much like the action films we're accustomed to, and the audience won't have things thrust in their faces every five minutes. I hope it will be more painterly. If we get it right, it will be a cross between Blade Runner and Clockwork Orange.

Don't have a clue on the allegorical - too deep for me - but I love his use of the words 'dangerous' and 'hammer and tongues' - although isn't that supposed to be tongs? - but still, tongues work too *g* - ... what was I saying? Seriously, in one paragraph that's very techy and vague-ish elsewise, he's still managed to reassure me and get me even more hyped up.

Thank you, Dod.

Hunted down that Total Film interview, and she says Urban's 'completely a dude' or totally a dude or something along those lines anyway. What the hell does that mean?

Although I suppose if I were one to grasp desperately for anything Dredd news, and I am, I'd lean towards taking it to mean Urban plays Joe Dredd as a tough man and that's good because he is. Tough. And a man.

I swear, the secrecy is doing my head in.

I know we all see things differently, but still - seriously, some prefer the pic on the right??

Squished comes to mind.

*g* So would I.

You're kidding, surely? I don't think Karl Urban's starred in a hit film yet.

The only real thing any of us can hope for in the way of the film doing well enough to deserve a sequel is for it to be entertaining. There are too many factors that make no rational sense when it comes to box office takings, so as long as it's good, it will find an audience somewhere. Remember Dredd is known and loved outside of America, and many films today are made hits by their performance in foreign territories. The beauty of it being so low budget is that it could easily do that.

At this point no one can  tell what will happen, but I find it pointless throwing in the towel and giving up at such an early stage, because a success definitely doesnt come from such defeatest talk. The more people like sc*j* do that without seeing the finished product, the more likely it is that lazy journalists will pick up on  a negative buzz.

Well put. This is what I was trying to say and failing to do so.

Some big movies with big names and budgets have done badly, all expectations and net buzz and critics meaning sweet FA. It's in no way predictable. Smurfs and Cowboys and Aliens come to mind.

I'm just saying Urban has his own appeal, and yes, even with his face covered up they are going. Some are wailing and rending their clothes over it, but they are still going.

As for Trekkers, even those who hated nuTrek were mostly won over by his McCoy, and liked him over even Captain friggin' Kirk himself. Myself, I thought Chris Pine did a fantastic job. Very impressed.

No, I'm not saying he will draw the masses in and make Dredd a success, although good for him - and us -  if it does; I'm just saying Dredd will appeal to a wider audience than die-hard fanboys who haunt the net/comic fans/ sword and sorcery fans/ sci-fi fans. Dredd doesn't appear niche or cult - comic Dredd, yes, but not this film Dredd.

I actually liked Pathfinder and Doom and Riddick (which is getting a sequel and he will be back for it), all could be better but still, far from terrible fare. Priest, not so much, at all, which was a shame because the imagery was, as mentioned by others before, pretty good post apocalyptic Dreddesque. The scriptwriter needs a good spanking.

All in all, I'm saying we have a good cast, a good scriptwriter, a good director even if only hired for his technical skills, and a strong assurance that they care for Dredd - and a film that should appeal to a wide audience rather than niche. Frankly, optimism makes more sense than this pervading sense of doom that's colouring some opinions now.