Silence Is Golden

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (2005) - The original 1920 German silent film is one of my favorites, and as much as I dreaded seeing writer/director David Lee Fisher's new version I have to say I was mightily impressed.

While filmed in black and white on green screen sets which were projected onto the original sets to delightful effect, the disappointment comes with the addition of sound. I suppose it's a necessary evil now that we've left the silent era decades behind us, but in my opinion the story loses a bit of atmosphere with voices.

The lovely Lauren Birkell is worth the price of rental if only to gawk at. I just can't get my head around veteran voice actor Daamen J. Krall as Caligari however. The acting is fair, and there's enough screaming to give this one honorary Hammer status, but it doesn't make it uninteresting or involving.

Still, see it for the amazing backgrounds of the original transposed with new actors and dialogue. Better yet, just rent the original, it's a masterpiece.

Catfight, I Mean, Chat Night

Live Chat with Brian Reed tonight - Saturday, June 30, 2007

WHO:
Brian Reed, Writer for the Ms. Marvel and New Avengers: Illuminati titles

WHERE:
Avengers Forever Chat Room
http://www.avengersforever.org/chat/

WHEN:
Saturday, June 30, 2007

US Eastern Standard Time: 8:00 PM
US Central Standard Time: 7:00 PM
US Mountain Standard Time: 6:00 PM
US Pacific Standard Time: 5:00 PM

HOW:
The chat session will be in an organized format where in the first 30 minutes or so Brian will be interviewed/asked questions by the chat room host which will then be followed by questions from the chat room so that you folks can ask him questions directly, one on one.

If you plan on attending the chat or even don't plan on attending but will be reading the transcript aftewards and would like to ask Brian a question please feel free to to send them on in to Avengers Forever!

WHY:
Because Brian Reed and the Avengers Forever Website kick ass!

1408

Stephen King hasn't had a very good record having his work translated to the silver screen. Somehow folks in Hollywood just aren't creative enough to get his words from the page to images on the screen.

Even when adaptations are good, they're not what he wrote. Stanley Kubrick made a movie of "The Shining" that was about alcoholism and domestic violence while King wrote a book about a haunted hotel. Not that other media have been that kind to Stephen either, cases in point: the USA Network's "The Dead Zone" and Marvel Comics' "Gunslinger." Like a literary Rodney Dangerfield, the man just can't get any respect.

Now we have 1408, based on one of King's more recent short stories. Writer Mike Enslin writes books about haunted places, staying there and then writing debunking tales of them. Now, Mike stays in a hotel room that is actually evil. Hilarity ensues, as they say.

The basic idea of the story is here but with some extra frills as well. John Cusack is wonderful in the lead, and really, when in his almost three decade career, hasn't he been? The brilliant Samuel L. Jackson serves up a chilling performance, and while he doesn't shout he does deliver his patented F word.

It's a writer movie so I appreciated the book signing scene. But more than a writer movie, it's a 'horror' flick. There are some predictable scares as well as some elaborate and unexpected ones. Happily, unlike a lot of 'horror' flicks there is little gore or violence. And while the ending isn't King's, the essence is, and it's a great watch. Check it out, King fan or not.

Live Chat with Writer Dwayne McDuffie

Avengers Forever Live Chat

WHO:
Dwayne McDuffie, Writer for the Avengers Classic and BEYOND! titles

WHERE:
Avengers Forever Chat Room
http://www.avengersforever.org/chat/

WHEN:
Tuesday, June 26, 2007

US Eastern Standard Time: 2:00 PM
US Central Standard Time: 1:00 PM
US Mountain Standard Time: 12:00 AM
US Pacific Standard Time: 11:00 AM

HOW:
The chat session will be in an organized format where in the first 30 minutes or so Dwayne will be interviewed/asked questions by the chat room host which will then be followed by questions from the chat room so that you folks can ask him questions directly, one on one.

If you plan on attending the chat or even don't plan on attending but will be reading the transcript afterwards and would like to ask Dwayne a question please feel free to to send them on in to Avengers Forever!

Summer Three-Quels III

Fact - filming began before the script was finished. You know where under the rating they list things like ‘cartoon violence, some rough language, sexual content’? Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End should have had these words in there as well: “Filming began before script was finished.” Maybe add the word “Beware” just in case.

I love the first PotC flick, great adventure, great romance and great characters. Initially when I saw the second one I also loved it … until after I went back and watched the original afterwards. Number two was still a pretty good movie but lacked most of what its predecessor had. Mostly it lacked the romance, and that was sorely missed. There was also a good deal of unnecessary gross-out working against it with Davy Jones and his crew, and the overall dental hygiene of most of the pirates. Not that it wasn’t a great flick, it just paled in comparison to the original. It’s what I call the ID4 Effect, you don’t realize it’s a shitty movie until you’re leaving the theatre, cuz while you’re on the rollercoaster, it’s a lot of fun.

Number three, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, doesn’t even have the advantage of the ID4 Effect. You are well aware you are watching a shitty flick throughout most of the movie-watching experience. There are meaningless plot twists, plot twists that are obvious to even the most green movie-goer, special effects for no apparent reason, and most insulting of all – special effects that should be great, but you can’t even see!!!

The saddest part of all is that all three movies were written by the same folks. To me that only means one thing... that the good movie in the trilogy must have been a fluke. Avoid Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End at all costs. If you must know what happens, trust me they all live happily ever after, except the bad guys, they get what they deserve. Hmmm, at least they got that part right.