Low/no budget filmmaker blogs daily on subjects like video production, HD cameras, screenwriting, etc.
Harrison Ford has just confirmed he has joined the cast of Ender’s Game. This is one of my favorite books, even when it was just a novella.
Now, the boards at IMDB are full of disparaging comments about Harrison Ford’s acting. There’s even suggestion about Jeff Bridges taking over as Colonel Graff.
Frankly, I can’t think of a better match for the cold Colonel. Jeff Bridges was fine in Men Who Stair at Goats, but you cannot take him seriously as a military establishment kind of guy.
Canon has done quite a bit of “different” thinking when coming up with its new EOS C300 camera/camcorder. Some in-depth reviews can be found here and here.
If you are one of the people who own a DSLR from Canon, you are aware of their current trend to allow the camera to function as a camcorder as well (especially, the 5D Mark II). So the new C300 shows that the Canon can drop their hybrid approach and focus fully on a camera that is like DSLR in terms of form factor but has the feature set of a full-frame movie camera.
The important question is this: “Is Canon EOS C300 going to replace Canon X line, HVX200 or Sony’s new generation of indie video camcorders“. I think the answer is pretty clear – only if you have a pretty impressive budget! The list price of the new camcorder is 20,000 USD with the “real” price being in the 14,000-15,000 range.
So amateur filmmakers can forget about this camera but if you are shooting even a (semi) professional documentary, you could definitely go for it.
Last night was the Hollywood premiere of Conan.
There’s a ton of photos at IMDB.
Apart from Jason Momoa, we get Ron Pearlman, Stephen Lang, and Rose McGovan (rumored to be groomed for Red Sonya at one point).
The world premiere is set for August 19! I cant wait to see the end of this swing in 3D:
I’m talking about Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.
Yes, the title is quite long and the release date is still a few months off but I’m very excited about seeing Gary Oldman in a meaningful role, i.e. not as a madman (from Azkaban or wherever).
If you are a fan of “Roman” movies, you might consider yourself lucky this year. Both Centurion and The Eagle have focused on the fate of the IX Legion (that’s ninth legion for the Roman numeral impaired).
The only piece of reliable historical information is that in second century AD, this legion was removed from the legion list. It was stationed in Britain, hence novelists ran wild with the idea that the whole legion perished in the Northern highlands (i.e. today’s Scotland). No amount of recent evidence about the Ninth appearing in the Rhine region has been deemed adequate so that storytellers move to greener pastures.
You could view the the movies in succession (like I did) starting with Centurion and watching the Eagle next (telling yourself, it’s now 9 years later). In Centurion, you witness the slaughter of Rome’s heavy infantry by the Pictish tribes and the hunt for the few Romans that survived. Which explains why no one knows what happened to the Ninth.
Except that in The Eagle, some survivors have actually set themselves in the highlands. One changed his name from Marcus Barbutus Ridiculus to the simpler “Guern”! So you see how it all comes together … the quest for simpler names.
The Eagle deals with the quest for the Holy Gr… I mean, the Ninth’s Eagle. One man and his slave go where no (Roman) man has gone before and came back to tell the tale. In short, the Eagle is recovered and delivered to the Senate’s British branch (preposterous last scene).
So what’s my recommendation? Should you see one or the other, or maybe both? The Eagle is the less annoying one by far. Except for the testudo formation in Act I and the Senate branch, the movie is generally true to the period.
Centurion, on the other hand, is basically a horror movie where everyone is dressed in rags (except in the opening battle where the legionaries still wear armor). These Romans drop four letter words every few lines and the Picts are mostly mute (especially Olga’s character). Do not expect any historical accuracy beyond the costumes… I mean rags.
I’d say that HBO’s ROME is still a better choice in terms of character development, intrigue, and overall “historical goodies”.
If you are fan of the video game series and the TV series, you might want to check Mortal Kombat – web series!
As Cinematical put it: “Video game fans were happy to see a film adaptation that actually tried to match the tone and impact of its video game predecessor.”
Conan’s release date has been set for August and the good news it’s in 3D.
Of course, fans of Robert E. Howard have been dissecting the casting choice of Jason Momoa for the last year or so.
Looking at the poster, however, I felt the chills of this being a REAL Conan movie. The teaser trailer below isn’t bad either.
On a side note, there’s an amazing community of Conan (and online RPGs) fans, at Conan.com!
Steven King’s Dark Tower is being turned into a movie. So who’s gonna play everyone’s favorite gunslinger Roland?
Right now, the rumormill places an even bet on Christian Bale and Javier Bardem. Personally, I’m Christian’s biggest fan but at the same time, I must admit Bardem’s perfomance in No Country for Old Men was amazing. What’s even more amazing is that his character is close to Roland in a way.
Turning the book into a movie is great and all, but I’m salivating for an online RPG based on the adventures of Roland. Some of those universes simply beg to be explored personally!
After the commercial disaster that was Revolver (check out the Revolver explanations!), Guy Ritchie moved on to Hollywood projects. Sherlock Holmes was a mediocre movie, although I must admit the art direction was OK.
So the news that Guy is re-making the classic 1981 Excalibur (directed by John Boorman) is met with a lot of hostility on movie buff forums.
The funny side is to the whole thing is picturing Vinnie Jones as Merlin. Excalibur parody? Why not!
I saw TRON Legacy last night and I still see some of the scenes in my head. I guess I’m an 80s child.
For some much needed perspective, check the Lightbikes scene from the original TRON (1982). I’ve played Snake a few times but it is far from my favorite retro game. I’ve always preferred the tactical games and fantasy RPG’s that came out in the 90s. Yet, watching this scene makes for some Snake on steroids fun.
Now compare it to the modern take. Frankly, the lightbike scene is not even close to being an effective adrenaline rush. Same as modern games, it’s not about player skill anymore. It’s about effects. Which is saying a LOT about how games have changed. Instead of games of reflex like Pong and Snake, kids nowadays play Assassin’s creed and WoW – button mashing which rarely makes a big difference.
Back to the movie. This time around we get an improved story and somewhat better acting, courtesy of Jeff Bridges. Olivia Wilde is very easy on the eyes. The main character can be anyone from the audience, which I guess is the idea.
Verdict: Watch the movie but keep in mind it will PLAY a lot better as a video game!
Uwe Boll has done another movie, this time he hasn’t massacred a video game but history itself. The movie is about Auschwitz.
It seems Uwe is hellbent on keeping the title Worst Movie Director Ever and The Guardian confirms it:
Uwe Boll, who has been described as the world’s worst film director and a “schlockmeister”, said he felt it was time to present the Nazis’ crimes in their “full horror” in his film Auschwitz.
Trailer for Auschwitz (not recommended):
Dino De Laurentiis, one of greatest film producers of all time, has died on Wednesday at 91. According to this, he has produced over 500 films, including Fellini’s “La Strada” and “Nights of Cabiria” – he has received Oscars for both.
He produced cult classics such as “Serpico” (1973), “Three Days of the Condor” (1975), “King Kong” (1976), “Blue Velvet” (1986) and “Hannibal” (2001).
Yet, his most memorable appearance for me was on the B-side of my Conan the Barbarian – Collector’s Edition DVD. I found the whole production back story fascinating, especially the hiring of Arnold Schwarzenegger.
To paraphrase Mao, Dino has let a thousand flowers blosssom. Rest in peace.
P.S. Speaking of Conan, you must check out Conan’s soundtrack, Dino has hit the jackpot hiring Basil Poledouris.
It’s probably every indie filmmakers wet dream to lay his (or her) hands on an Arri film camera. Well, you got something better – the new Arri ALEXA camera!
Jason Momoa is Conan for the 2011 movie version. The production is currently under way, shooting on location in Bulgaria.
The biggest question is WHAT will the new movie be about. Here’s the answer according to an insider:
A remake implies a new version of an original script. This movie has no connection to any previous Conan movies, it is a franchise restart, like “Batman Begins”. It is a brand new adaptation of the original Conan stories by Robert E. Howard.
So it’s not a remake or a sequel, it’s a RESTART 
Solomon Kane is a character created by Robert E. Howard. However, unlike Conan, he has remained a cult “classic”, being more of an adventure hero.
It looks like the movie will follow a similar trajectory. It has been released in Europe, but it’s less and less likely it will get to screens in the USA. Of course, it will eventually end up on DVD (and video-on-demand), so you still be able to see it.
The movie starts with a great scene where Solomon Kane is going after the gold, as a typical pirate. Much to his surprise, the gold is “guarded” by the Reaper who has come to claim Solomon’s soul. Obviously, his soul was damned for his many crimes.
Solomon manages to escape and retreats to a monastery. This is the new Solomon Kane, who has repented and wants nothing more but peace. We wouldn’t have a movie, if everyone got what they wanted, so Solomon is thrown into the world and forced to confront violence.
I wouldn’t go into spoilers but the story arc is very interesting and paints Solomon’s childhood in a harsh light.
It’s a nice little movie, with a budget that’s probably 10% of Prince of Persia’s. James Purefoy does an amazing job, as always. If you haven’t seen him in Rome, you should definitely do so.
Sidenote: If you’re a fan of the Diablo games by Blizzard, you gonna love it. It plays a lot like the Diablo movie that’s in the works!
Yes, usually I review movies, but for once, Robin Hood has not earned the right to a review. More of a rant really.
I was excited to see the Gladiator crew reunite for another movie. They even amped up the female presence by going with Kate Blanchet.
Max von Sydow is another supposed upgrade, well, let’s just say that playing Kins Osric in Conan was better.
Putting all of English history in one movie was bad enough (Magna Carta in a Robin Hood movie??). Twisting history in unimaginable ways was even offensive.
Exhibit A: French troop carriers doing the invasion were a virtual rip-off of D-day craft. Even Caesar in his invasion of Britania knew he needed ships with a keel because crossing the Channel was impossible otherwise.
I even joked to myself that if I see German machine guns on the cliffs, it will be exactly like Saving Private Ryan. Well, you know what? The English archers lined the cliff and the arrows produced EXACTLY the same effect. Even the sound effects were similar.
So my verdict? Go see any other Robin Hood movie. Or go rent Saving Private Ryan, the battle scenes are much better.
Depending on where you are, Canon’s new flagship might carry different letters but the the bottom line is the same: this photo is GOOD news for aspiring indie filmmakers.
According to DPreview:
The EOS 550D redefines the boundaries of Canon’s consumer DSLR range, incorporating technologies and features more commonly found in semi-professional DSLRs into the compact, lightweight body favoured by consumers. With a newly-developed 18 Megapixel (MP) APS-C CMOS sensor, coupled with Canon’s advanced DIGIC 4 image processor and the ability to shoot Full HD movies, photography enthusiasts are empowered to explore new levels of creativity.
Yes, full HD and an ISO range of 100 – 6400 (expandable to 12800) means you’ll get a lot mileage from scenes with natural (often poor) lighting.
The camera itself is too new, so the previews have been based on pre-production units but I’m pretty excited!
I have mixed feelings about the return of the Ridley Scott & Russell Crowe. The Robin Hood trailer seems like a remake of the Gladiator.
Cate Blanchett as Maid Marian? All my doubts are suddenly washed away by a torrent of relief!
Update: It turns out Gladiator 2.0 is about as bland as a Flash RPG game about Robin Hood.
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