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Odeon West End 21st to 25th August 2008 |
It's so good it's scary - The Guardian |
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Having read with envious eyes the reports on the Frightfest all-nighter, it was made even worse when I realised that none of the films shown have been given an Australian release date! Every so often the Aussies are pretty much up to speed compared with US release dates but in the horror field at the moment, it’s not looking good. OK, Halloween beckoned 30 Days of Night, Saw IV and Rogue to the silver screen but I want more! Luckily I got to see a rough cut of I Know How Many Runs You Scored Last Summer to help ease the pain.
At the other end of the spectrum, Sydney has gone super hero crazy. Now I know it’s not really horror but for the Australian film industry and locally for Sydney, it’s a welcome shot in the arm and looks like Hollywood will be taking over the Harbour city next year. Not only is Hugh Jackman bringing X- Men Origins: Wolverine to Fox studios but his sideys and razor sharp nails will be battling for space at the cities premiere film studios with Australian director George Miller. Miller has a trio of projects in development that will be of great interest to many genre fans and one in particular will have them frothing at the mouth, and he’s planning to make them all at once! How this will all map out with the recent US writers strike who knows but if he pulls off this tri-factor than I’ll be mightily impressed.
Miller will also be juggling penguins with Happy Feet 2 but the most exciting of the bunch has to be Mad Max 4. The production office has been set up in Sydney but the majority of the location shooting will take place in Nairobi. Mel Gibson will not be taking part in the project as he now feels he is too old to play the role. There’s no news on casting yet or whether the feral kid will be bringing his razor sharp boomerang back for a second throwing but lets hope the film recalls the high octane thrills of Mad Max 2 rather than the Tina Turner pop video antics of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. Hopefully Miller’s new found productivity will be a major boost for the local film industry. Queensland has had The Ruins and Daybreakers, Melbourne, Storm Warning and Long Weekend but Sydney is in desperate need of some new blood. Rounding things off, last night I was lucky enough to see Blade Runner digitally projected at Sydney’s fabulous art deco movie palace The Cremorne Orpheum. It was breathtaking; if you have the chance to see it, no matter how familiar you think you are with Ridley Scott’s masterpiece, then you should take it. One of the cinematic events of the year. Talking of cinematic events I’ll finish with the joyous news that Brian Trenchard-Smith, the man who made Turkey Shoot is about to start rolling on the fabulously named Malibu Shark Attack, more news on that and a few other choice horror announcements next time. Right, after listening to Mr Jones advice I’m off to see Boewulf at the IMAX so until next time. Be lucky, Dave. |
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I’m happy to tell everyone who loved the trailer and got to meet the guys at this years Frightfest, that even in this rough form I Know How Many Runs You Scored Last Summer delivers everything you would expect from a cricket themed slasher movie and more! Batting way above average, the knowing nods at many classics of the genre will bring a smile to all of your faces. The combination of British sensibilities and brash Aussie humour with the hilarious use of cricketing implements is great fun. The gore, executed on a minimal budget, is top draw portraying a devilishly twisted imagination. Obviously its still early days, the weekend after I saw the film, Doug and Stacey were going shoot some additional gore scenes, but hey, the film does feature the most gratuitous shower seen in living memory, eat your heart out Brian DePalma!
Justice League of America kicks things off. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman and the Flash all in one movie. Casting this film and avoiding ego clashes galore must be a huge headache and at the moment we know more about who isn’t in it than who is. Christian Bale, Brandon Routh and Jessica Beal have all declined but as I type this it seems that the shapely form of Wonder Woman has been filled. Teresa Palmer, star of Wolf Creek and the forthcoming The Grudge 2 was hotly rumored to be donning star spangled hot pants and brandishing the lassoe of truth but now the name of supermodel Megan Gale is being bandied about. It’s doubtful either will be able to make the world forget about Lynda Carter from the classic TV show of the Seventies. Andy Whitfield, star of the Angelic Aussie action film Gabriel is also up for a role. Gabriel is being released here next week; I visited the set what seems like ages ago and will be interested how this one turns out. Despite the low budget they are pitching high and the filmmakers are aiming for a worldwide market. I’m sure angels with semi automatic weapons will be an easy sell!