Title: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

Graphic Novel (Vol. 1) by Alan Moore (writer) and Kevin O’Neill (illustrator) . Published in 1999.

TV Movie directed by Stephen Norrington; Starring Sean Connery, Naseeruddin Shah, Peta Wilson, Tony Curran, Stuart Townsend, Shane West, Jason Flemyng and Richard Roxburgh. Released in 2003.

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is set in an alternate version of Victorian Britain where technology is very advanced, the supernatural coexists with the natural and characters from famous literary works are real people.

Miss Mina Murray has been recruited by the British Secret Service to bring together a group of individuals to work for a mysterious Mr M. With the help of an already recruited Captain Nemo (who had faked his death years ago and now is in search of new adventures ), her first stop is Egypt, where in an opium den, they find former intrepid hero Allan Quartermain now a hopeless, sick addict. Without much of a choice (especially when Mina is nearly raped and they have to fight to fight their way out) Allan is dragged to the Nautilus ship where so rehab is in order before they go to Paris to meet the next in their list. There, they must capture a man-beast who have been terrorizing prostitutes and who turn out to be Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde – once captured and turned over to their boss, the League moves in to the next target and visit a girl’s school whose pupils have been rumoured to have being impregnated by the “Holy Spirit” – in reality, The Invisible Man, who had been raping the girls.

They arrest the felon and return to London where they are informed of the purpose of bringing such a group together: Britain has been secretly planning a trip to the Moon using a key component called Cavorite which has been stolen – possibly by Britain’s enemies – and their mission is to recover the Cavorite, but for that they must learn to work together first under the leadership of gasp, a woman. In their path, they have to learn to trust each other, to let go of their pasts (is that even possible?) while dealing with plots twists and double crossings.

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is a ingenious work of fiction – Alan Moore doesn’t merely appropriate himself of known characters of fiction, he gives them new lives, playing the sensibilities of the time period whilst at the same time adding new flavourings – it is Steampunk after all, so the alternate universe serve the story by allowing for example a woman to be leader of the group, or the technological advances to be used by the characters in their pursuit of the villains.

I have to admit though at being completely surprised with some of the reviews I read which compare this League with say, the League of Justice and call this bunch of folks super-heroes.I think this is an utterly inapt description. There is nothing super about any of these folks (except perhaps Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde, but that is hardly a superpower to talk about) and hardly anything heroic about most of them, considering that we have at least a rapist and a murderer in their midst. A much more apt comparison in fact, would be with Alan Moore’s own Watchmen , that group of flawed vigilantes who in the end, can do something good. But still having some bad apples in the group (an easy comparison is between The Invisible Man and The Comedian or between Night Owl and Quatermain) .

They get together for pure lack of choice not heroics. Mina is now a ruined woman, after the scandalous incidents with that Dracula chap, incidents that are only alluded to in the course of the story, but which have resulted in her divorce from Jonathan Harker and to always wearing a scarf around the neck and that ruination is thoroughly exploited by M. As is Quartermain’s opium addiction and former glory for example. Similarly The Invisible Man and Dr Jekyll are in it because they are criminals and they need to be pardoned.

In the end, something might have changed for some of them and to follow each character arc is what it is all about – and THEN, they might become Extraordinary. Plus, you know, the fun of it all – the trying to see if you can get all the literary references (OMG the Invisible Man is raping POLLYANA when they get to the school) and to get to the bottom of the mystery. Who is this M? Who is the real villain of the piece?

As for the art, I don’t find it especially spectacular but it is certainly effective in conveying the gloominess and darkness of both characters and setting. It is also very graphic – torture, attempted rape, murders are all explicitly detailed.

Now, for the movie.

It is safe to say that whereas The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen the graphic novel, is a great work of fiction that I really enjoyed and can highly recommend, The League of the Extraordinary Gentlemen, the movie, is a veritable Masterpiece.

Of suckage.

Oh, the wrongness of it all. Let me count the ways.

For starters: Allan Quatermain is the one chosen to their leader. Of course, GOD FORBID , the ladyfolk be allowed to lead anything especially not this league of extraordinary gentlemen. The ladyfolk is there to be hot, speak with a raw, sultry voice and kiss the hot dude.

Speaking of Mina – there is nothing more unrefined than to have this scene right in the beginning? Yes, let’s make the character a blood-sucking fiend and forget all about the trauma and horror and the fact that it is never even revealed to the reader what happened to her in the book.

Since we are on the subject of subtlety , could this movie be any more obvious and crass? Starting with the addition of two new characters which do not exist in the comics: Dorian Gray and Tom Sawyer. Let me just say something before I go any further.

I can’t stand Stuart Townsend’s acting and any character he plays I will hate on principle

Thank you. Back to the matter at the hand – it is so obvious that these two characters have been added in an attempt to add “young” blood to the cast is not even funny – since most of the of original literary figures are former heroes in their later years, I guess Hollywood needed more commercial faces and I understand that, I do. But I also missed the great bickering and chemistry between Quatermain and Mina.

Moving on, moving on. Where was I? The godawful lines and dialogue: a mixture of overt clichés and dumb lines. Like for example, when they see Nautilus for the first time. In a scene that could have been good – because the visual effects here were rather cool, I like Nautilus, but the dialogue ruined it for me.

Tom Sawyer: Oh.

Nemo: Behold Nautilus, the sword of the ocean

Yeah, mind numbing.

Beyond that, the fact that the writers sucked all the fun and good things out of the original and made a complete mess of it all. None of the complicate issues exist any longer, Quatermain has no Opium issues, Mina is a bad-ass vampire, Invisible Man is just comic relief and so and so forth. I understand that adaptations do not have to follow the originals word by word but if you are not going to get the GOOD things out of it, then WHAT IS THE POINT???

In the end, an extraordinary disappointment. It is a horrible adaptation which does not stand on its own two feet. Not even the awesomeness of Sean Connery can save this one.

BUT IS IT STEAMPUNK? YES! Alternate history with advanced techonology which shapes and influences the world causing tension between nations, for example. Plus, cool gadgets!

Verdict :

Book: 8 Excellent. Recommended to fans of Steampunk, and of comics in general especially of the more darkish variety. If you liked Moore’s Watchmen you will probably like this one although it is nowhere near as good.

Movie: 1 One of the worst movie adaptations I have ever seen. and that’s about all I have to say on the subject.

Directed by Chris Weitz
Written by Melissa Rosenberg, based on the novel by Stephenie Meyer
Starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Anna Kendrick
Running time: 130 minutes
Rated: PG-13 (violence and action)

Well, folks, it’s finally here. The movie that ravenous Twilight fans, Robert Pattinson-aholics, teenage girls and apparently suburban moms alike have been awaiting with bated breath.

It’s time for New Moon.

The Twilight Saga has become a full-fledged, international phenomenon. Kind of like the Backstreet Boys or the Macarena. Twilight is massively popular and raked in the most money in terms of dvd sales this year, but it’s also one of those phenomena that lack the universal appeal of, say, Harry Potter. Despite the limited demographic and even though substantial mockage has been made of the Twilight Phenom (check out the awesome SNL Parody starring a brunette Taylor Swift in “Firelight“), it’s an international blockbuster – and the legions of fans busting down doors at midnight tonight and all day tomorrow care not what the cynical critics say! It’s New Moon! Shirtless underage boys on steroids! Chalky emo vampires with bad contact lenses, sparklies, and pixie hair! Cheesetastic lines about endearing, all consuming love!

Now while I’m obviously not a huge fan (Breaking Dawn was amazingly terrible), I’ll grant that Twilight has its own appeal. It’s one of those guilty pleasure, silly, I-probably-shouldn’t-be-watching-this-but-I-can’t-look-away films. So far as adolescent vampire love story films go, Twilight is an entertaining as they come. When I was lucky enough to get invited to watch an early screening of New Moon, I experienced a strange mixture of emotions. My hopes weren’t high by any stretch of the imagination – but I was expecting to be entertained, even if it was on a guilty pleasure level.

Sadly, New Moon just isn’t a very good movie. On any level.

At just over a draggy two hours, New Moon has some moments of intentional humor and genuine sweetness, but these are far and few between – not to mention, they are overshadowed by poor pacing, shoddy direction, and an abundance of unintentionally hilarity.

After a comically bugeyed Jasper (audiences burst into laughter at his “serious face” – no joke):

attacks Bella when she cuts herself opening a birthday present at the Cullens’, Edward decides that woah woah woah, this relationship is waaaaay too dangerous, so he tells Bella that this will be the last time she ever sees him. He lies and says that he’s bored with her and that he’s moving on without her (psh). Bella goes catatonic after the love of her life (at all of eighteen years old!) leaves her, and she has weird bouts of screaming in her sleep, gasping, sighing, morosely staring out her french windows as Chris Weitz decides to use awkwardly dizzying 360 camera techniques to illustrate the passage of time.

Doormat Bella never really gets over Edward leaving – though she does come to rely on best friend Jacob (a ridiculously ripped Taylor Lautner). After he helps Bella to feel human again, promising that he’ll never hurt her the way Edward did, OMG he turns into a werewolf (the curse of his clan, charged with protecting the innocent humans of Forks from the vampires that prey upon them). Jacob’s refusal to talk to Bella leads her to relapse into her funk – and she soon discovers that by taking idiotic, suicidal risks, she’s “gifted” with misty apparitions of her beloved Edward (giving her the very helpful advice “BE SAFE,” and other insipid cautionary remarks before dissolving into inky swirls of poorly CGI’d smoke). Bella eventually takes it too far, jumping off a cliff (for the ultimate rush, ya know), and via Alice’s visions, Edward thinks Bella has died, and decides to go off on a half cocked plan to reveal himself to humans in Italy, provoking the Volturi (a big bad association of vampire granddaddies) to kill him too. Only, Bella didn’t die when she jumped off the cliff, so she and Alice rush to Italy to stop Edward before it is TOO LATE.

Where do I begin with the problems New Moon had? Should I start with the hollow performances, even from the lovely Kristen Stewart (who is a fine actress, but feels sadly drab in this film)? The laugh-inducing choices for certain special effects (did you know that when Misty!Edward appears, his sweet Volvo does too)? The sloppy transitions and hilarious slomo scenes of characters running through the forest (yes, this really happens. Multiple times.)? There’s not a lot that’s very good with this film.

So far as writing goes, the script for New Moon is intensely loyal to the book, and in all fairness does a good job, weaving Bella’s depression with her growing friendship/romance with Jacob, ending in a dramatic encounter at Volturi headquarters. Though, one can’t help but think that one of the film’s greatest weaknesses – especially so far as the Edward fandom is concerned – is how absent Edward is from the film. A welcome surprise, however, is Taylor Lautner’s undeniably brawny Jacob Black, lending a warmth and humanity, an endearing, dogged (hardy har!) love interest for a decidedly wooden Bella.

The interactions between Jacob and Bella are alternately funny and touching, and comprise the best of the films few high notes – a scene where Jacob, Bella and Mike watch a movie on an awkward triple date, a ride home in Bella’s truck with Jacob driving, an almost kiss in the Swan kitchen. Too, the members of the Quileute tribe (or rather, pride) are decently entertaining in their shirtless uniform.

In contrast to the warmth of the werewolves of the Pacific Northwest, the vampires feel trite and, frankly, lame. Something happens with redhead vampire Victoria (who has it out for Bella because…Edward killed her mate and so she must kill Edward’s mate to MAKE HIM PAY!) and dreadhead Laurent because he’s helping Victoria…but that fizzles out into so much boring background noise. Though, I will say Rachelle Lefevre’s red hair looks pretty as it whips around in the forest. Robert Pattinson’s mopey Edward with his stupid hair and scrawny, (sporadically hairy) pale torso emerges late in the movie, giving the impression that he’s hollowly disinterested in the role.

The Volturi (for all five minutes they are in the film – all of which have basically been revealed already in the previews), with their blood red contacts and ornate hair and styling, feel ridiculously silly. In the age old vampires versus werewolves showdown, reimagined in New Moon, werewolves clearly win.

Perhaps the most annoying thing about New Moon and the Twilight Saga in general is how insipid a message it projects – especially to teenage girls. It is not cool for you to go catatonic, severing all ties to your friends and family when a boy decides to break up with you. It is not cool to try to kill yourself repeatedly just so you can experience hallucinations of said boy, warning you to “be safe.” I understand that first love is intense, scary, and passionate. And experiencing those highs and lows are all part of growing up. But it is kind of ridiculous that the prevalent female role model right now is a doormat – a bland, no-personality girl whose idea of a good time is to jump into life-threatening situations in order to feel closer to the boyfriend that left her behind.

Leaving New Moon, I felt as though a literal lunar month had passed since the start of the film. If you’re a Twilight fan, you’re probably going to watch this anyway, regardless of what some reviewer has to say. If you’re on the fence, I’d recommend waiting for this one on rental.

Rating: 4 – Pretty Bad (Although I’m pretty damn sure the box office sales and Twilight fandom will disagree with this assessment)

Title: X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Movie directed by Gavin Hood; screenplay by David Benioff and Skip Woods; starring Hugh Jackman, Liev Shreiber, Danny Huston, Lynn Collins, Ryan Reynolds, Taylor Kitsch, Will I Am, Dominic Mognahan and Kevin Durand.

The first official blockbuster of the summer, X-Men Origins: Wolverine made its international debut on Friday to a bevvy of mixed expectations and reactions. Die-hard fans and the geekdom who have been following the production process of the film have not had so much to be excited about, from reshoots, to the internet leaked workprint, to a story that in no way fits the continuity of the X-verse. But on the other side of less-than-enthused fanboys (and fangirls), there was the pervasive sense of excitement, to once again see Wolverine and other mutants on screen doing their thing, in a bonafide special effects-mancandy-badassness bonanza.

So, it was with mixed feelings I went into the theater on Friday night. I told myself that even if the movie sucked on an overall movie scale, I’d still get some sweet action sequences and fights that would make it worth it (as well as the aforementioned mancandy). Would I let overall negative reviews from uptight movie critics or the lackluster fan reaction deter me? NAY! I walked into the theater with armed with popcorn, diet soda, low expectations and a defiantly hopeful mindset.

And, I can say that Wolverine was everything I expected it to be. In a cringeworthy but basically good way.

SPOILERS FOLLOW. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

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“Who Watches the Watchmen”

WE DO!

The most highly anticipated movie of 2009 (at least for us) is finally out in theaters, and of course we both went on opening night. So…what did we think? Was it everything we hoped for and more? Read on, friends, as we present you with our review of Watchmen.

Out of consideration for folks that have not read the graphic novel or do not wish to be spoiled, we are breaking the review into two parts. We’ll write our own spoiler-free review first, and then after the break we’ll include a spoilery discussion of the movie.

First Impressions

Ana’s Take: I haven’t been this excited for a movie for ages – if I have to pinpoint, I would say at least ever since The Return of the King premiered. I was giddy the entire day, I arrived early at the cinema to get a good place, something I haven’t done since the last Harry Potter. Popcorn and chocolate purchased I sat down and tensely awaited for the screening to begin. I could FEEL the tension in the audience – geek world, how I love thee. I could tell Dear Partner who never read the novel, was completely out of place.

The movie started and right then, I knew it was going to be awesome – the initial sequence with the Comedian and the opening credits were all kinds of awesome. The three hours flew by, I did not even feel it. I was completely enraptured by the movie, amazed at how they were able to capture the best of the novel, to be so loyal to the source material to a point where I say to myself “if all the books to movie adaptations were this faithful I would be a happier moviegoer” . Yes, there were a few points that were different, most notably the ending (ARGH. NO. I HATED IT.) and the character of Ozymandias was completely butchered by an actor who should go back to acting school or quit the profession altogether. But those weaker points are balanced by its strongest points: the atmospheric feel of the story, the almost frame-by-frame transposition from the book to the screen (it was so cool to see the images and recognize them from memory) and the most important: the spot on performance by some of the actors: Rorschach, The Comedian, Dr Manhattan and Nite Owl came to life in a way I did not expect. I loved it. I think the fans of the novel will like it (except maybe the die-hard ones that see it as holier than the Bible) but I also think the non-initiated will enjoy the movie. I know Dear Partner did (although he thought Dr Manhattan was sort of emo). Now all I wish is to watch it again!

Thea’s Take: Like Ana, I too was so very excited for this film, ever since seeing the first preview for it before last summer’s The Dark Knight. I have to admit, along with the rest of the Watchmen fanbase, I found myself incredibly excited but simultaneously terrified – inherently this is a complex work of literature and no matter how faithful an adaptation, there are some things that simply cannot be translated from the page to the screen. That said, the previews looked awesome and I was relieved to have someone who understood and appreciated the depth of the comic as director (Zach Snyder). So, I entered the theater, coffee and popcorn in hand, feeling the same palpable geek tension that Ana mentions (long live the geekdom!).

And…three hours later, I can safely say, that the film does the book justice.

It is incredibly loyal to the source material to the point where it is less a movie for the casual moviegoer and more a labor of love addressed to the fans. The movie’s highest notes were when the script stuck with the nearly frame-by-frame, word-for-word images and dialogue from the book; conversely, the weakest points were with some of the highly stylized sequences, and most notably, the changes to the ending. Because the film is so unwaveringly loyal to the book (for about 95% of the film), it’s hard to judge the movie on its own. The best gauge I have is the dear boyfriend — he refuses to read the book, and went into the theater a Watchmen virgin. While I was drooling over the awesomeness that was Rorschach and the Comedian, he wasn’t quite as into it. Leaving the theater, I overheard two girls talking about how they thought “the whole Mars thing was weird”. Once I got over my initial (ok, I’ll admit somewhat unfair) reaction (which was to punch said girls in the face, Rorschach-style, and snarl “The ‘whole Mars thing’?!?! READ THE F****** BOOK!”), I realized that this is probably a movie that will be loved by those who have read the book, and less by the unknowing moviegoer who saw cool previews and was expecting a reprise of Iron Man. As an homage to arguably the greatest comic ever written, Watchmen rocks. On its own as a film, in a Mars-like vacuum if you will, it’s not quite as good. What I will say for it, at nearly 3 hours long, the movie never feels tiresome, and I’m writing this review at 3 am having just returned home! That’s gotta stand for something.

More Specifics, If You Please!

Here’s the part where spoilers will be involved. If you don’t want to know, LOOK AWAY!

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Title: It

Novel by Stephen King

TV Movie directed by Tommy Lee Wallace; teleplay by Lawrence D. Cohen & Tommy Lee Wallace; Starring Tim Curry, Richard Thomas, John Ritter, Annette O’Toole, Jonathan Brandis, Brandon Crane, and Seth Green.

It is one of my all time favorite novels, and remains to this day one of the scariest books I have ever read. When I get stranded on a desert island, It is one of the five books coming with me. Adjectives like graphic, powerful and emotional come to mind when trying to describe this novel. For me, It is King at his finest hour, writing about what he does best–a small Maine town, wracked with ugliness and hate, the endurance and strength of youth, and the loss of innocence, when faced with unspeakable horror.

“The terror, which would not end for another twenty-eight years–if it ever did end–began, so far as I can know or tell, with a boat made from a sheet of newspaper floating down a gutter swollen with rain.”

Thus opens the novel, with a story of two brothers–Stuttering Bill Denbrough and his younger brother Georgie. On a rainy afternoon in Derry, Maine, Bill makes his brother Georgie a paper boat. With Bill too sick to go outside and sail the the ship on its maiden voyage, Georgie plays by himself, setting it afloat in the rainwater flooding the street gutters. But, as boats afloat in street gutters are want to do, Georgie’s precious new toy falls into a storm drain, and Georgie is crushed…until a clown appears in the sewer, holding the boat. The figure in the drain introduces himself as Pennywise the Dancing Clown, and offers Georgie a balloon, and his boat back. Innocent, curious Georgie accepts, and pays dearly for his brother’s boat with his life.

It follows a group of seven misfits, the members of a self-proclaimed “Losers Club”, as they discover that some thing is very wrong in Derry, terrorizing and killing the town’s children. Bill Denbrough becomes the leader of the group, sharing his strength and determination to stop the murderer of his brother, no longer hidden by his stuttering. Eddie Kaspbrack is best friend to Bill, and by way of his domineering, manipulative mother is an asthmatic hypochondriac. Ben “Haystack” Hanscom, overweight and the new boy in town, joins up with Bill and Eddie after they help him evade local bully Henry Bowers. Richie “Trashmouth” Tozier is the joker of the group, doing impersonations and reeling off wisecracks; he has an impulsive, defiant streak as he mouths off to just about anyone. Beverly Marsh is the darling of the group, a beautiful girl but ostracized by her classmates because her family is poor, and her father works as a school janitor. Stan Uris is a very logical, methodical boy, who is bullied because he is studious, reserved, and Jewish. The last member of the club is Mike Hanlon, singled out by bully Henry Bowers because he is black. When Mike tries to escape their taunts, the seven ‘losers’ come together for the first time, standing down Henry and his gang, throwing rocks and landing blows (one of my favorite scenes of the novel). Mike, cataloguing and photography enthusiast, takes a picture of them that day–and the Losers Club is officially formed.

The seven soon realize that they have more in common than just being outsiders–each of them has had a first-hand encounter with something terrifying, and together they figure out that It is the same being, some kind of shapeshifting monster that feeds on children, assuming the form of their worst fears. It is the same creature that ripped Bill’s brother Georgie’s arm off as Pennywise the Dancing Clown and that devours Patrick Hockstetter as a swarm of leeches…and Bill is determined to fight and kill It.

The book is told in two parallel stories–one that follows the children fighting It back in 1957-1958, and then as adults in 1984-1985. The adult seven find out that they did not end up defeating It back when they were children, and they must return to Derry, to the nightmare reunited, and finish the job they started nearly thirty years before.

It is such a powerful book, not just because of the terrifying and graphic horror sequences with Pennywise (the drain scene, the photographs, the house and the sewers, etc), but because of the characters. Meeting the seven characters, both as adults and as children, learning what they had faced together, seeing them as successful adults, and the numbing horror that they physically could not remember their pasts in Derry–it’s strong stuff. I came to love each of these characters, fearing for them, hoping for them, rooting for them each step of the way. Who says that horror has no soul, no appreciation for intelligent characterizations and and emotions? I dare any one of those critics to read this novel and not be moved by it.

Not to misguide anyone, however, into thinking this is a book without its share of gore and horror–because it is. Pennywise the Dancing Clown, with his silver eyes, multitude of floating balloons and his sanity-stealing deadlights scares the crap out of me. Always has, always will. It isn’t just the monster that scares, though. It awakens only when cataclysmic events, of intense hate or pain or depravity occur–and in 1984, the story begins with the senseless murder of a homosexual man. The people of Derry, from folks like Beverly Marsh’s abusive father to the neighbors that simply look away from the violence and murder before their very eyes, get as good as they give. Racism, homophobia, and self interest drive the small town–as Don Haggarty says at the beginning of the novel, “[Derry's] a lot like a dead strumpet with maggots squirming out of her cooze…It’s a bad place.” Above all else, It is a story about the loss of innocence, and one that I love wholeheartedly.

Years later I would read The Dark Tower series by King and, having amassed quite a few King novels under my belt by this time, be amazed by how many of his different novels were related to the Dark Tower nexus. As Roland would say, all things serve the beam, and It (especially the origins of It and the importance of the Turtle) ties in beautifully.

In 1990, a television movie was produced based on the novel, titled Stephen King’s It. I have to confess, I first saw the movie before reading the novel (I was around 12 years old the first time I saw it, and pretty quickly afterwards I sped off to the library to find the book). Perhaps this makes me slightly partial to the film adaptation–I believe this to be (easily) the best Stephen King small screen adaptation, and one of my favorite television movies, period. Certainly, I think it is the scariest tv movie I have ever seen–as a kid the same age as those in the book and in the film, it held even more meaning for me.

The movie is pretty loyal to the source material, at least, as loyal as it can be given time, budget, and ratings restrictions. The homophobia is cut out, some of the more graphic scenes (Henry cutting Ben’s stomach, for example) are deleted, as are certain portions of the book altogether (the whole Patrick Hocksetter character, the entirety of the scene in the decrepit house, the scene with Beverly after they defeat It for the first time as children). But, where it does stay true is capturing the camaraderie of the seven “losers”, tempering the fear of It with the strength of friendship, balancing horror with the happier aspects of young kids on summer vacation, finding strength and happiness with each other. And, for all that it cuts down on the gore and more graphic nature of some of It’s violence, the film proves that it doesn’t always take buckets of blood to terrify–relying on it’s awesome score and soundtrack, strong acting performances, and more ominous symbolic methods (bloody footprints, a lone balloon that explodes with blood). I’ve always been a proponent of claymation and stopmotion, as well as more hands on make-up and prop methods for special effects (as opposed to a lazy reliance on CGI) so far as horror movies are concerned, and It does this very well, also by relying on atmosphere and acting over costly (and often ineffective) effects. *Although I think the film could use an update, especially for that last battle and the visualization of the deadlights.*

Casting-wise, It strikes solid gold with Tim Curry as Pennywise.

His voice, his maniacal smile, his laugh, his delivery, the way his eyes get all red from the thick layer of makeup…holy crap, Tim Curry scares the shit out of me with his Pennywise! His script also sticks very closely to many of Pennywise’s lines from the book (“They float, Georgie. They all float.”; “You’ll die if you try to fight me. You’ll die if you try…”), and perhaps I have been spoiled by his performance. Certainly I cannot picture Pennywise any differently than Tim Curry in terrifying makeup and costume.

So far as the rest of the cast, I like the child actors they picked, in particular Stuttering Bill, Ben, and Richie (Bill played by Jonathan Brandis–who I used to have a crush on; Richie by a very young Seth Green). I would have chosen a different Beverly, but the young actress who plays her still does a great job. The adult actors for the children, however, are not so great. Annette O’Toole is a fine adult Bev, and the other actors for Mike, Stan, and Eddie I think are well selected. John Ritter as older Ben is fine by me, but not my ideal choice. I think Bill is the biggest miss–not that Richard Thomas (of The Waltons fame) does a bad job, but he’s just not Bill. Still, Tim Curry’s excellence is enough to overshadow any casting shortcomings!

The only other huge notable change from the book to the film is the nature of the battles with It, including the ultimate adult showdown–and if you’ve read the book, you have to admit there really isn’t much you can do to translate that more metaphorical, dream-like confrontation to film. The ritual of Chud is not an easy thing to visualize on screen–especially not in a relatively low budget tv movie. The special effects could use some work, as I mentioned earlier, but for the most part, I am pleased with the way both confrontation scenes are handled.

What else can I say about the book and the film? They are both superb–and I hope that everyone gives It a try.

Verdict:

Movie: 9 Damn Near Perfection, suffering only from some off-kilter casting, dated effects, and PG rating

Stick around as later Ana gives her take on the book–I get to grill her about her opinion! But for now, I leave you with a clip.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Title: ‘Salem’s Lot

Book by Stephen King

Movie directed by Tobe Hooper; Screenplay by Paul Monash; Starring David Soul, James Mason, Lance Kerwin and Bonnie Bedelia

Stephen King’s sophomore novel, following his debut Carrie, is ‘Salem’s Lot. Ben Mears is a small town boy who hits the big time as an author (a common theme in a lot of King’s work)–he returns to his home town of Jerusalem’s Lot after his wife dies. Ben is intent on writing a novel about the Marsten House, a decrepit, old mansion in the town, in which he had a terrifying experience as a young boy. Upon his return to The Lot, Ben tries to stay in the home, but he finds that it has been rented out to a mysterious duo–a Mr. Straker and a Mr. Barlow.

In the meantime, Ben strikes up a romance with the young and beautiful–and hero-worshipping–Susan Norton, and meets a local teacher named Matt Burke, and a young boy named Mark Petrie. In true King fashion, the cast of characters of this novel is very large, and well developed. As the evil–that would be vampires–assails the town, we see from the layered crew of townspeople, from the children to their parents, and how one by one they disappear.

Something is wrong in ‘Salem’s Lot, and Ben and his new friends discover that the evil traces back to the Marsten House…and the vampire that resides there. Matt (the teacher) is the Van Helsing of the group, convincing and preparing the others for the vampires that await them. Young Mark Petrie, after losing a friend and seeing him reappear begging for invitation into his room, knows that vampires do exist, and they are devouring The Lot, victim by victim. Joining their motley crew is an alcoholic priest, Father Callahan. His already faltering faith is tested here–and he figures into other King works (The Dark Tower series, baby!) later as well, for fans. When darling Susan meets a terrible fate, things come to a head as Ben and co. are forced to fight back, daring to kill the vampires that have taken over the quiet Maine town.

‘Salem’s Lot is a book that draws heavily on classics, such as Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House. And yet, it has the stamp of Stephen King firmly on it–from the eccentricities of a small town (particularly how people are more likely to close their doors and pretend that nothing is wrong as opposed to acting), the large cast of assorted characters, the involvement of youth impervious to the failings of age. I love this book–I don’t think there is much I can find fault with. Even though this book is by no means perfect, neither is any of King’s work–and I mean this in the best way possible. My favorite books in the universe are his Dark Tower series, though I know the series is deeply, deeply flawed. In the case of the DT universe, and with books like ‘Salem’s Lot, it is the flaws that make the book seem more…real.

In 1979, the book was made into a television movie, directed by Tobe Hooper. Starring David Soul (Hutch from Starsky and Hutch–and hey I know his daughter!) as Ben Mears and James Mason as Mr. Straker (the human familiar for Barlow’s vampire), Salem’s Lot (note the missing apostrophe) stays pretty close to the book, in a truly terrifying TV movie. **On a Side Note: Honestly, what has happened with TV movies in the past 10 years or so? Think It, ‘Salem’s Lot, The Haunted–and then compare to recent tv movies. It’s pitiful I say. PITIFUL!**

Casting-wise, I felt the movie did a great job–from the actors to the ’70s style editing, special effects, etc, I couldn’t be more pleased.

From the first moment Mark Petrie is terrorized by ghosts–the tapping at his window, guh!–I knew I was a goner. There isn’t much I can say about the TV adaptation, except that it is exceedingly loyal. The main difference, however, lies with the depiction of Master vampire Barlow. In King’s book, the vampire is ancient and deliciously creepy, and this remains true in the film adaptation. However, the TV movie decided to take a much different approach with the vampire, creating a more Nosferatu-inspired version.

Although King criticized this interpretation, I found it terrifying–and still do. If you haven’t seen it, you really need to get onboard. Seriously. Immediately. DO IT.

Verdict: Both Book and Film are classics, and definitely add to the vampire-horror genre. If you haven’t read the book or seen the film, you should get on top of that. Stat.

Rating:

Movie – 8 Excellent

Reading Next: Demon Night by Meljean Brook

Title: The Dark Knight

Movie directed by Christopher Nolan; screenplay by Christopher Nolan and Johnathan Nolan; starring Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Morgan Freeman

Somehow, some way, someone upstairs must’ve decided that I deserved an early birthday present, and I got some free passes to see The Dark Knight yesterday evening. As you probably have surmised from the header and the fact that we are having a Batman weekend, my expectations for The Dark Knight were astronomically high.

And The Dark Knight was everything I could ever have wanted. And more. It blew my expectations out of the water.

Examining the summer blockbusters so far, we have Iron Man, Indiana Jones, Wall-E and Hellboy II. While arguably Wall-E deals with deeper issues, all these movies have in common a summer blockbuster-y levity to them. The Dark Knight says ‘eff-you’ to all that nonsense–this is a winter movie masquerading as a summer blockbuster. Take this as a caveat–if you go to watch The Dark Knight this weekend (as you all should do), do not expect the light, super fun flicks we have come to expect. This is a film that lives up to its name and relishes in the darkness of its subject material–and at 2 and 1/2 hours long, the oppression is complete. Rest assured that it is tempered with hope, but know that this is not your light-hearted Tony Stark or delightfully camp Indy flick.

As Wayne Manor has been destroyed in the events of Batman Begins, Bruce and Alfred take up residence in a penthouse. The Batcave has been relocated and revived in an underground lair, beneath a Wayne Enterprises construction site. And Batman is busy at work, dismantling Gotham’s money laundering and mob scene criminal by criminal. With old mob boss Falcone indefinitely incapacitated, new bosses, like Marconi, have taken up the reins. The thing is, the criminals of Gotham are hitting a slump. The masked Batman has become a symbol of hope for the people, and noble minded folk like District Attorney Harvey Dent and Lieutenant Jim Gordon are not afraid to take a stand against crime and the criminals they might have been coerced into shutting up for in an earlier time. So, the bosses face a common problem. And a solution presents itself.

The Joker crashes the party. With his moldy colored hair, his smeared, creased makeup, and scarred face, he tells the bosses that in order to stop the wave of hope mucking up their plans, they have to treat the cause, not the symptoms. That cause would be the Batman. At first, the criminals dismiss this as the machinations of a madman, a freak. But when Harvey Dent, Rachel Dawes and Jim Gordon manage to bring a serious case against ALL of the major criminals in Gotham, they decide to take the Joker up on his offer, and let the proverbial dog out of his cage…and Gotham needs all the help it can get.

Heath Ledger’s Joker blends the comical flair of Jack Nicholson’s portrayal, but manages a terrifying edge that speaks true to its source material–the Joker of The Killing Joke, The Man Who Laughs and The Dark Knight Returns is personified flawlessly here. The late Mr. Ledger is not overhyped in the slightest–his performance is perfection, simply put. He makes this movie, and manages to blow Jack Nicholson’s version outta the water.

The Joker cares nothing for ends or purposes; his only purpose is chaos. As the Joker says to Harvey, he’s like the dog that chases a car in the street: should he ever CATCH the car, he would not know what to do with it–it’s the DOING, the CHASE that matters. And thus, his fixation with the Batman. All his actions in this movie helping the mob bosses, all stem back to his fixation with the man behind the mask, who he sees as a freak…like him. In a particularly morbid line lifted from Jerry Maguire, the Joker tells Batman–”You complete me.”

Perhaps the best thing about this film is the feeling of futility in the face of madness. The Joker is a man that has no agenda other than anarchy–as Bruce Wayne tries to find SOME way to get through to him, Alfred tells him that there are some men that do not need reason for their madness–they just are. As the demented schemes the Joker concoct escalate, the darkness is choking, oppressive. How can you deal with a man that has no remorse, or personal ties? A sociopath this complete and this intelligent is capable of unspeakable acts, and The Dark Knight conveys this with aplomb. What can you DO with a criminal that wants nothing but death in return?

The other very notable entry here is Aaron Eckhart, in his role as Gotham’s knight in shining armor, the honorable Harvey Dent. In all invocations of his character, Mr. Eckhart plays to perfection. He has that trustworthy charm that one sees in good politicians, reminiscent of his role in Thank You for Smoking, in the role of the D.A. As for his fate…well, as they say, that is history. Fans of the comics, particularly of the Frank Miller arc, will not be disappointed.

And what about the Dark Knight himself? Christian Bale’s reprisal as Bruce Wayne is, as expected, brilliant. He is an actor that fills out his roles to the fullest, and his Batman here is no exception. The characterization of Batman here holds true with graphic novels Ana and I have been reading and reviewing this long weekend. He makes some questionable decisions in this film, and sees just how far he will have to go to catch a madman like the Joker. The question is, is he willing to go there? Batman isn’t a ‘hero’, like say Superman. He is masked and dwells in darkness and shadow–he watches and protects Gotham, and will be whatever he is needed to be. The conclusion of the movie only exemplifies this.

As for the other main roles: Maggie Gyllenhaal does a fine job transitioning to the role of Rachel after Katie Holmes, Michael Caine is a cynical but funny Alfred, and Gary Oldman does an impeccable Jim Gordon. Gordon’s role here is larger and more significant than in the first film, to which I say, Thank Goodness.

The plot is multilayered and incredibly complex. At 2.5 hrs, this is not the fastest, easiest movie to watch, but it is so very worth it. And, lest you think that it is all death and corruption–at the end of the day, the message is one of hope, despite bleakness. In the words of Harvey Dent, “the night is darkest before the dawn.” And the dawn is coming.

Indeed, The Dark Knight delivers on every level. This is my favorite movie of the summer, and of the year so far.

Additional Thoughts: The previews for this huge blockbuster ain’t too shabby either. Case in point, the first ever Watchmen trailer! Fittingly set to Billy Corgan’s (The Smashing Pumpkins) song from Batman and Robin (the only good thing to come out of the movie), ‘The Beginning is the End is the Beginning’, Watchmen is another one of those movies I am peeing my pants over. It looks awesome. You can check it out HERE

Rating: 10 Perfection – My favorite movie of the year thus far. Worth watching by everyone, and I highy recommend it.

Title: Iron Man

Book (Iron Man Vol. 1: Extremis) by Warren Ellis and Adi Granov

Movie directed by Jon Favreau; starring Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, and Gwyneth Paltrow

Last weekend, Iron Man hit theaters full force, repulsor rays blazing. This is the first major motion picture adaptation of the comic—akin to Lord of the Rings syndrome, Hollywood wisely held off on this particular superhero until special effects technology had the capability to handle some of the really cool stuff.

I have to admit, I’m not well versed when it comes to Iron Man. I have read a lowly single Iron Man book—Extremis Vol. 1, which is a newer revival of the character and updated for the 21st century. I had always heard of Iron Man, but never really knew anything about Tony Stark, his origins, etc.

In fact, my first introduction to Iron Man was just very recently. After playing X-Men Legends II, Iron Man is an unlockable character after you finish beating the game—and once I had unlocked him, I proceeded to replay the entire game with Iron Man as my go-to character. The Invincible Iron Man indeed—he could take on serious fire without being damaged at all, due to his sick exoskeleton suit. From there, I was very interested indeed. I knew nothing of Iron Man, and wanted to learn a bit more about the character, so I borrowed a copy of the first graphic novel I could find—Iron Man: Extremis, a collection of the 6 previously released issues. Side note: If anyone is into video games (I’m not a pro or master gamer or anything of that nature, but I do dabble), I highly recommend the X-Men Legends games. Not only is the history of each character well defined, but the gameplay is pretty cool too. AND in X-Men Legends II you get to play as both X-Men and Brotherhood characters, as they team up (and there are some less popular characters on there as well; Bishop, Scarlet Witch, Sunfire, to name a few). But I digress…Back to Extremis.

The story opens with three unknown men, one of which receives an injection to the back of the neck—of what we learn is Extremis—and has a…violent reaction. The serum is causing changes to his body, which he is slowly adapting to. Meanwhile, Tony reunites with an old friend named Maya, who also is a brilliant inventor. As it turns out, she is the one who developed Extremis, and then realizes to her horror that the secret weapon has been stolen. With nowhere else to turn, Maya asks her old friend Tony for help.

Extremis presents the reader with an extremely disillusioned Tony Stark. The public has turned on Stark International for its somewhat mercenary position by mere virtue of being an arms dealer and weapons developer. Stark himself has long since assumed the Iron Man identity (however, this is unbeknownst to the general public)—and he is haunted by the repercussions of his weapons use because, let’s face it: arms manufacturers/dealers have long dark shadows on their consciences. Stark tries to justify his early inventions and the harm they have caused by reconciling this with the good intent behind their creation—and by donning the Iron Man suit to rectify the shadow on his conscience. Through this moral dilemma, we learn of Tony Stark’s past and flashback to how he became Iron Man (exceedingly helpful for me, as I had no knowledge of his origins at all). This is a story that has clearly been updated for the modern American world—instead of the Vietnam War and the Imminent Threat of Communism as the central conflict setting, Tony is in Afghanistan when the fated accident occurs and shrapnel is lodged in his chest, progressing slowly to rip into his heart. A friend and newfound mentor saves Tony’s life by constructing an electromagnet that keeps the shrapnel from entering his heart. However, they are both imprisoned by fundamentalists who demand Tony to build them weapons. And build a weapon Tony does—it is here that he builds his Iron Suit, and uses it to escape.

Extremis works up to a final showdown that is pretty gorram stunning. Stark realizes that this is a new age, and that the Extremis injected villain is insanely powerful and cunning…and he comes to a drastic conclusion. Well, perhaps it’s not the most unexpected twist (you pretty much know what’s going to eventually happen from the first issue), but it’s executed with aplomb, and holds some very important repercussions for Tony Stark in the future.

This reimagined Iron Man was my first glimpse of the character, and one I enjoyed very much. Not only is the writing and characterization in Extremis sharp and rich, but the art itself is stunning. Even if the glossy, sort of airbrush CGI style isn’t my favorite, there’s no denying the high quality and beauty of the illustrations. Very, very cool. As I understand it, old fans of Iron Man were very pleased with this revival of the character—and similarly, as a newbie, I didn’t find myself lost or confused. For those who are new to Iron Man, this is a fine starting point!

So, understandably, I was enthusiastic to watch the movie on opening night. I bought my tickets online, made sure to get to the theater early, and scored some pretty good seats (there is nothing more irritating than being forced to crane one’s neck at an impossible angle for 2 hours, due to showing up late to the theater late and not being able to find any good seats). Popcorn and large diet soda in hand, I was ready to be amazed…and I’m happy to say that Iron Man did a pretty damn good job.

There is no lengthy exposition to the story; immediately, in the opening frame the audience is plunged into the Afghan desert, Tony Stark sipping on a scotch on the rocks, riding in the back of a tanker, and charming some star struck young soldiers. Then…BOOM! In dramatic fashion, the audience is blindsided just as Stark is, by a surprise ambush. Stark is seriously wounded, taking shrapnel to the chest, and then taken as prisoner by a terrorist group…

The movie flashes back to 48 hrs prior, at an awards ceremony in Las Vegas. Tony is supposed to receive an award, but instead blows off the ceremony to hit on some hot Vegas babes and gamble and drink, in true multibillionaire playboy fashion. We are introduced to Lt. Colonel Rhodes (“Rhodey” to Tony), played by Terrence Howard, as Stark’s good natured military friend, who puts up with Stark’s scandalous ways—including standing him up onstage while presenting the award. We are also introduced to Obadiah Stain, played by the always brilliant Jeff Bridges, long time family friend and business partner to Stark—who accepts the award on his behalf. And later, when Tony makes it back to his Malibu mansion, we are introduced to Pepper Potts—played by the usually annoying Gwyneth Paltrow—Tony’s personal assistant, who comes makes sure to take care that the “trash” is taken out.

Tony Stark tests his repulsor ray

Immediately, you cannot help but feel drawn to Robert Downey Jr.’s invocation of Tony Stark. He is lecherous and self-centered, unapologetically so. He is also incredibly charming, with a sneaky, sort of subversive air of naughtiness—he’s the guy that you know you shouldn’t ever date or sleep with, but do anyways in spite of your better judgment. Robert Downey Jr. manages to bring a sensitivity and carefree flair to a character that easily could have come across as a total douche, or bogged down in boring brooding-ville. I was somewhat wary of the actor choice when I first heard he was to play Stark because in past roles, RDJ (Mr. Downey Jr.? Mr. Junior? I’m sticking with RDJ) struck me as somewhat delicate, almost to the point of being effeminate, and not exactly the stuff superheroes are made of despite his considerable acting chops. However, I am proud to say that RDJ completely surpassed my expectations—his Iron Man is what MAKES this movie.

As for the rest of the cast, I’m less than completely enthusiastic, although they all did very solid jobs. Terrence Howard as Rhodes seems a weird choice for me—not that he isn’t a good actor, but he just doesn’t quite feel like a military man. His soft voice and easygoing personality work well across from Stark, but he isn’t exactly believable in the role. In one scene, after Stark launches off in his cool new suit, Rhodey sees the older suit prototype in the garage and says, “Next time, baby”—in a sequel, which is hinted at with all the subtlety of a freight train, it seems Terrence Howard will be playing War Machine. Mmm, I have yet to be won over by him, but I will not give up hope. At the very least, the dynamic between he and RDJ was entertaining, and believable as an old friendship. Alls I know is, in the theater when Rhodey is facing a room full of military personnel, I found myself chanting (in my head of course), “Whoop that trick! Whoop that trick!” Similarly, I was not crazy on Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper–although she was markedly less annoying than usual in the role. I did not appreciate the uncomfortable mushiness between her and Stark–although it was mercifully brief. When she presents Tony with his old power source, put in a display case and emblazoned with the message “Proof that Tony Stark Has a Heart”, my gag reflex was in full swing. However, I believe I am on the minority on this one, as many fans seemed to enjoy Gwyneth’s role and her Pepper as a foil to RDJ’s Stark. Certainly, there were humorous and lighthearted interactions between the two that I enjoyed. I felt slightly cheated as Obadiah didn’t get as much screen time or character development as I would have liked…but Jeff Bridges does well with what he gets.

Visually, this movie was a true treat. The special effects are flawless—and there is nothing cooler than seeing Iron Man in his red and gold flying at supersonic speeds. I also loved Jon Favreau’s direction—there was very little over the top cue-music-explosions-commercial slow-mo cheese, and instead favored a more restrained, intelligent approach to the story. The script wasn’t overly serious, and I was delighted with the moments of humor (Tony Stark having a test run of his new flying shoes) that were sprinkled throughout.

The movie takes a safer road politics-wise—cutting out any conservative right-wing rhetoric that Stark would have had, trying to maintain a more neutral territory. Which is a-ok by me! I didn’t go to watch Iron Man for the political metaphors, I went to be completely entertained. Which I am happy to report, I was. My only major qualm with this movie was the anti-climactic final showdown, and the lack of a strong villain. The terrorist baddies are incredibly stupid, and their leader Raza (played by Faran Tahir) was pretty lame, in this viewer’s estimation. He speaks perfect English—more along the lines of Naveen Andrews’ Sayid accent, minus the badassness. The big bad baddy is pretty predictable, even if you have never heard of Iron Man before, but…I’ll spare the identity of the villain, just in case. (Although, on a side note, I did enjoy the one line thrown out by the villain when talking to Stark—“We are Iron Mongers!”, even though the model at the end is not referenced as the Iron Monger) Also, the final battle scene is highly abbreviated, and I have to agree with other reviewers’ assessment that it felt very Transformers-y, and dare I say formulaic–but again, this comes with the territory for comic book films. The real fun of the movie is when we are in Tony’s garage while the brilliant, charming genius works on his suit and then takes his fated first flight.

Overall, I was thrilled, entertained, and I really enjoyed the film. I’m not gonna say this is the BEST superhero movie ever—that spot still is reserved for Bruce Wayne in this gal’s heart, and I still think that Batman Begins is a superior film—but it’s pretty darn good, and worth the hype!

Rating:

Book: 7 Very Good. The graphic novel gave me a great introduction to a character I had known basically nothing about. I highly recommend any newbies like myself to buy it and get educated!

Movie: 8 Excellent! It’s everything you could ever want in a summer blockbuster, and RDJ plays a brilliant Iron Man. Go out and see it already! Also, I should mention that there is an extra scene after the credits roll—SO STAY FOR IT.

Plus—there are some SICK trailers before the film starts: an extended Dark Knight preview (awesome, and what I’m banking on as the best superhero film of the year) and the new Hulk preview (I’m scared. It looks…not good.) among them.