Movie News - Commando is Being Remade

20th Century Fox has hired David Ayer to write and direct a remake of the 1985 Arnold Schwarzenegger-starrer Commando. Erwin Stoff and John Davis will produce.

Ayer is a former Navy soldier who wrote Training Day and moved into directing with Harsh Times and Street Kings.

Deadline New York says Ayer "will put his own real-world spin on this original premise: a retired elite special forces operative sees his daughter kidnapped and is told she'll die unless he gets on a plane and kills the rival of a nasty exiled dictator. In the original, Schwarzenegger jumped off the plane before takeoff, and killed everyone involved in the kidnap plot."

Ayer's version of the character "will be less brawny, but more skilled in covert tactics and weaponry."

DVD Review - Mutants (R2)

If your jaded eyes cannot bear any further onslaught of virus-ravaged, rage-infected, turbo-charged zombies, and if you believe that the 28 Days Later-fashioned super-sprinting plague-ridden nasties are boring, de rigueur staples of modern horror, then you’ll probably run faster from new French horror movie Mutants than if you were the first meal of the day for the starving undead themselves.

Yet to cast it off as just another amphetamine-fuelled flesh-ripper would be a mistake, as there is much to cherish in David Morlet’s challenging movie, which is particularly impressive given that it constitutes a directorial debut (in terms of a full-length feature, at least; Morlet had already cut his teeth on a couple of horror ‘shorts’). As with many of the successful modern French horror films, proceedings adopt surprising depth with a refreshing and analytical approach to what initially seems to be well-trodden territory. Don’t be put off by the outwardly familiar theme and the somewhat misleading cover imagery; the resultant product represents a live dissection of the anatomy of love, loyalty, and the miserable dynamics of human suffering.

Morlet cements the foundations of the impending ordeal from the off, presenting a disturbing and exhilarating opening sequence against the beautiful but cold and isolated backdrop of the sprawling, snowy forest. Already, we are trapped within an agonising dichotomy; we have the dazzling white, innocent beauty of nature as our canvas, yet the bloody carnage of the virus, and the filthy, dilapidated buildings are splattered crudely across the surface. Before long, this is mirrored in the unfolding human tragedy; Sonia, our paramedic protagonist, is a rare subject of immunity from the terrifying virus that has decimated the population within three months, and her love for partner Marco is loyal and pure. Yet with cruel and unrelenting attrition, the virus slowly dismantles his body, spirit, and mind, inflicting a cruel and unthinkable torment for both parties.

In some respects, one of the greatest assets of the movie – its comprehensive analysis of love and suffering – places it in danger of losing its substantial engagement with the viewer. The overall delivery plays out like a movie of two halves, with the climatic and frenzied second half existing in stark contrast to the slow-burning build-up of the first. It’s a testament to its quality that this inconsistent pace doesn’t impact too heavily on the entire piece, but the line Morlet treads carries substantial risk and may frustrate some.

If the pacing can sometimes be questioned, it’s difficult to query the technical delivery of this accomplished production. Lighting is thoughtful; when Sonia treats Marco in the blanketed darkness of the hospital we see a glowing shard of light emanating from the machine gun she is using as a light source, and the result is clearly one of gentle, warm tenderness; yet surrounding the light strand is thick, solid blackness, and the unerring manner in which this envelopes the pair represents their predicament with unequivocal bleakness.

The composition and framing is also executed with considerable thought and precision. As Sonia endures the agony of witnessing Marco’s protracted deterioration, the camera slowly and accurately zooms towards a small round window in a closed door, and as Sonia walks across, she is framed within the circular glass. Our helpless position as a viewer behind the window echoes her own sense of despair, helplessness, and futility, as she watches the cruel demise of her loved one.

The score swings from murky, throbbing, B-movie intensity through to the beautifully clean and intricate guitar and piano sections, and provides an elegant aural backdrop. Effects are supremely well handled, and work in tandem with the measured lighting to provide an increasingly tense climax. Restraint is key, as we initially glimpse stunning flashes of mutant images in the darkness, particularly in the mind of the bitten. The transformation of human to mutant is especially gruelling and effective, and the increasing hordes of the infected are represented with impressive aplomb.

Ignore the well-worn subgenre categorisation and regulation cover art; Mutants is a deeply human and moving document of love, loyalty, and human suffering. The two-speed story construction lends itself to some strange plot pacing, which has a partially diluting effect on the overall impact, but this story has sufficient depth to largely transcend the limitations of the structure, and still manages to crank up the pace to unleash a devastating climax. When it comes to challenging, emotionally-charged, and stylishly-executed nerve-slicing shockers, the French prove yet again that they really are a hard act to follow.

This could have been just another amphetamine-fuelled zombie flick, but David Morlet instead opts for an impressive mutation of the subgenre by introducing a love story, and an in-depth analysis of the dynamics of human suffering. The contrasting frenzied explosion of blood-soaked carnage in the second half of the film results in a strange sense of pace, and the paucity of extras is a real disappointment, but this superb picture represents an intriguing addition to the subgenre that is all the more impressive given the debutant status of our French director.

Movie News - Clash of the Titans : Clash Harder

According to the site, Deadline, Clash 2 would bring back Sam Worthington as Perseus as well as most of the Greek gods, demi-gods and mortals that survived the first picture. Greg Berlanti (Green Lantern) has been hired to write the sequel screenplay, and while director Louis Leterrier isn't interested in a second go-around with mythology, he'll get an executive producer credit on the new movie. As they did with the remake, Legendary Pictures will produce Clash of the Titans 2. Warners wants to get this one ready for filming before James Cameron orders Worthington to go all Na'vi again for Avatar 2.

TV News - Legend of the Seeker

“Legend of the Seeker” has been cancelled after two seasons, according to sources speaking to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello.

The syndicated series is produced by ABC Studios, which also recently axed its syndicated “At The Movies.”

Based on the Terry Goodkind novels, it was overseen by the same Sam Raimi-led production company behind the “Hercules” and “Xena” syndicated series.

Find all of all of Entertainment Weekly’s story on the matter here.

The FilmMasons Interview - Jac Charlton

First off, thank you Jac for agreeing to this interview.

The FilmMasons: As a set dresser on Ghost Ship, what would your typical day be?

Jac Charlton: On Ghost ship my direct Boss was Bev Dunn Head of Set decoration, usually i would check in with Bev and see what sets needed to be dressed that day, that may of included lagging of the ships pipes 50's style with fake asbestos lagging, painting and putting them into the set, or dressing the Ballroom or Kitchen with dressings that the set buyers had previously bought. All the floors you see in Ghost ship, i laid with linoleum or carpet. All the wires and cabling that run from switches and through roofs, all the small stuff you see.
Pretty much everything you see in that film i had a hand in dressing, from down into the ships laundry to the ships bridge and beyond, On Ghost ship there was a lot of ageing down on Ghost Ship, from the pristine liner in the beginning to the rusting hulk as the story progresses. Some days and nights i even spent in the ocean wrangling flotsam, jetsam and luggage that needed to be in the scene. Somedays i would even cross over an lend the scenic's a hand painting or ageing. Bev Dunn and Grace Walker, production designer were wonderful to work for. There was never a dull moment on Ghost ship a hell of a lot of fun.


TFM: House of wax was a fantastic movie, you were a set dresser again on this movie, how different is one film from another?

JC: Different movies have completely different "feels" when you are working on them. From the personalities with the crews to the way the sets are dressed, lit and presented. Even though both of these shows are horror they are chalk and cheese in terms of their look. This can be attributed to the genius of the Production Designer and Art Directors. Grace Walker was the Production Designer on Ghost ship and House of wax, yet he and the team gave those movies their own stamp and identity. My role on House of wax was slightly different to Ghost ship, even though i helped dress the sets in both movies, on the House of Wax i was the "on set dresser" which means during shooting i was the one responsible for the look of the set that the camera sees. On set dressers also move items as necessary to make room for the filming equipment. During the shoot, the prop department works with an on-set dresser to ensure that the props and furnishing are in the proper location for the script and to maintain continuity, as scenes are often shot out of order.


TFM: What single piece of work are you most proud of?

JC: Wow, i think thats a toss up between Daybreakers and The Pacific, for completely different reasons.
Daybreakers, because when i got into the film industry 15 yrs ago my goal was to do make Vampire teeth for a really cool Vampire feature film. Daybreakers provided much more than this. Daybreakers allowed me to have a huge creative input to what the Vampires aesthetics were, it allowed me to have my own dept, with my Brother Robert and friend and talented technician Renata Loren. I am proud of Daybreakers because we also pushed our skills as Dental Technicians. Daybreakers was also great because the crew was mainly Queenslanders, crew that i have worked with many times over the years, and proud to have made it here in Queensland. Its a great feeling when you achieve a life goal. I cannot wait to see the film.
I am also proud of the 10 months of Prosthetic work i did for Jason Baird and The JMB FX team on Steven Spielbergs Mini series The Pacific. These were long days sometimes 16, 17hr days, 5, 6 days a week, the amount of Blood, Guts, wounds and dead bodies we produced for that show was staggering. I was pretty much front and centre on set, in the make up/ prosthetic firing line every day. I am so proud to be a significant part of this awesome project.


TFM: With your work on Sea Patrol, do you find television different to film?

JC: Working on a feature film usually means more money in the production budget which should in theory should mean a better product on screen. Hmmmm, sometimes.
Tv can be fast paced which can mean a different kind of creative improvisation to that of a Film production. All in all its pretty much the same formula. And that usually means , "do anything to get the job done."


TFM: Everyone has a skeleton in there closet, can you mention any jobs you would rather forget, or would like to leave off the resume?

JC: I put everything on my resume, each job has very different hurdles to get over, and the people that may be hiring you, i feel should see the big picture in what you have done up to that point. Im sure there are things i should leave off and things that are not CV kosher, but i don't want to forget anything i've done, while some of it might not be considered note worthy, i am happy with pretty much every thing i've done.


TFM: Who gave you your first break in the business?

JC: Gillian Butler a set dresser pushed me forward into working within art depts along with a Production Designer called Michael Ralph. They also pushed me headlong into standby props and making props, We did a lot of American movie's of the week back in the 1990's.
Jason Baird from JMB FX Studio here on the Gold Coast gave me my first break in Prosthetics, and i have been working with Jason for the last 15 years. His company does amazing prosthetics.


TFM: For H2O: Just add water, how much prosthetic work needed to be done each day?

JC: To give you some background to the mermaid tails JMB FX have built in a long line of tails for various movies over the last few years. It has been a massive research and development program of testing and retesting of materials and designs. These tails are hundereds maybe thousands of hours of work. Most of the tails JMB FX have made have over 5,000 individual scales hand punched and detailed,. It takes about 8 to 10 weeks to build , its very labour intensive.
With H20 over the years the on set work with the tails has become pretty streamline, and while filming can be as simple as transporting the tails, and putting the girls in and out of the tails, as required. if something goes wrong with the tails then you have to know how to fix them or the crew may be standing around for hours or even loose day shooting, so while on set with the tails i am constantly doing minor repairs to keep the tail looking pristine, always on the look out for potential problems.


TFM: You designed the teeth for the vampires in Daybreakers, can you run us through the process?

JC: I met with the Directors Michael and Peter Spierig, Producer Chris Brown and Steven Boyle (creatures designer and supervisor ) and Kym Sainsbury (makeup department head) about 8 months previous to Shooting, we discussed how they wanted to portray the Vampires, and Subsiders, I offered up ideas on Vampire Aesthetics, Dental Techniques etc and what we would bring to the table in regards too our expertise to get the job done. From my point of view i wanted to try and keep the look as anatomically correct to what i think Vampire should be, Michael, Peter and Steven were also keen to see this happen and also wanted the Vampires to have a Human element so we can empathise and relate with them, this meant putting the Vampire Fangs onto the lateral incisors, rather like Lost Boys Vampires instead of the typical Canine style Vampire teeth. Steven Boyle had concepts of how the Subsiders ( Vampires that feed on themselves) would look, we obviously put our own design into it, making the teeth that were not fangs, rotten and decayed and effects that gave some of them oral deformities.
Michael, Peter and Steven would make regular trips to our effects studio to view the progress of the work, they were very interested in the whole dental process, but pretty much i think they had faith in what we were doing and left us to our own devices. The directors had a lot on their plate with a very tight pre production and shooting schedule. I would keep in close contact with Steven Boyle creatures designer and supervisor and Kym Sainsbury makeup department head and their feedback was invaluable.


TFM: We all love the extras on DVD's, do you think all these making of's ruin the illusion of movie magic, or are a great insight for the fans?

JC: I like to see the extras on the DVD's, i think it gives a great insight to how hard the film technicians really do work, i am a big fan of passing the knowledge on. And i think DVD extras is a great start for those who want a little more for their entertainment dollar or those that are interested in taking the next step into the industry.


TFM: What is the best piece of advice you can give to up and comers?

JC: I think its as simple as do what you love and be persistent.


TFM: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

JC: I would like to see myself acting, in a film with a script i have written or at very least breaking new ground in whatever i put my mind too, as long as i don't settle for being mediocre or boring i will be a happy man, maybe i should take some of my own advice from the last question.


TFM: Do you have any projects on the boil that you can let us in on?

JC: My brother Robert is writing a road trip horror script at the moment that we might shoot one or two scenes for just for fun, I have one or two scripts in my head i might like to have a crack at writing, the studios look as though they will be busy this year, fingers crossed that i can get on something that keeps the grey matter active and that pays the bills.

Jac Charlton thank you so much for your time.

DVD News - Hamlet

Title: Hamlet (IMDb)
Starring: Kenneth Branagh
Released: 17th August 2010
SRP: $34.99

Further Details:
Warner Home Video has announced a Blu-ray release of Hamlet for the 17th August. “Hamlet has the kind of power, energy and excitement that movies can truly exploit,” actor/director Kenneth Branagh says. In this first full-text film of William Shakespeare’s play – shot on 65mm film and exhibited in Panavision Super 70, power surges through every scene. The timeless tale of murder, corruption and revenge is reset in a lavish 19th-century world, using sprawling Blenheim Palace as Elsinore and staging mich of the action in mirrored, gold-filled interiors. A landmark cast (Julie Christie, Kate Winslet, Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, Charlton Heston and more), the excitement of the Bard’s words and an energetic filmmaking style lift the story from its often shadowy ambience to fully-lit pageantry and rage.

The Blu-ray will retail  around $34.99. Extras will include an introduction by Director/Star Kenneth Branagh, a commentary by Kenneth Branagh and Shakespeare Scholar Russell Jackson, a To Be on Camera: A History with Hamlet featurette, a 1996 Cannes Film Festival Promo, and a Shakespeare Movies Trailer Gallery. We've attached our first look at the official package artwork.

Movie News - Spider-Woman

As the story goes on the UK's MTV website, High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens is supposedly keen on starring in her own Marvel superhero movie: Spider-Woman. Believe it or not, it's not such a crazy idea after all.
While this is the first that anyone's heard of a potential Spider-Woman movie, there are three items which are conductive toward making as assumption that Hudgens may have had a meeting with someone at Disney about the idea:

• Five days ago CHUD's Devin Faraci broke the story that Marvel Studios is "currently taking meetings with writers and directors to work on small scale movies based on some of their third tier characters. The movies would cost in the range of 20 to 40 million dollars (very small when we're talking studio films) and would allow them to take risks with less obvious characters and with interesting talent." That lines up with MTV's UK report, doesn't it?
• Hudgens, as it doesn't need pointing out, was made a star by Disney through her HSM appearances. Taking a meeting with a Disney creative executive that she knows about playing one of the company's newly acquired Marvel characters isn't that big a stretch to imagine.
• There's also Coming Attraction's report from last year to consider about Marvel allegedly interested in giving their female superheroes more of the cinematic spotlight.

MTV says little else about its source except that the supposed take on Spider-Woman is "comedic" and in the movie the character is "strong and sexy but in this case hilarious."
In the Marvel comics Spider-Woman isn't used for comedic effect but it's not outside the realm of possibility either for the superhero maker to go this route. A recent retake on the She-Hulk character was played up for comedic sensibilities.
I guess we will just have to wait and see....

Movie News - Fragment

Australian horror is about to get another exciting entry and over the next few weeks we are going to be covering this film in depth.

Director Andrew Miles and producer Kelvin Crumplin have brought us something that is going to set the Australian horror scene on fire.

The film centers around a bizarre series of events that leads a man to believe he has the power to resurrect the dead. After a visit to the doctor he is told they are hallucinations caused by a brain tumor that is slowly killing him. When it appears he has unleashed something dark the man starts to fear not just for his sanity, but his life.

DVD News - The Lovely Bones Blu-ray Glitch

We had a reader report of a glitch in The Lovely Bones Blu-ray release. It would seem the first disc failed to load past the Paramount Logo on a Sony BDP-S350. The reader was interested to know if anyone else was having a problem with this disc.
Looking into it, it seems The Lonely Bones problem can be fixed via the latest firmware upgrade for the Sony machine, so if you are having problems upgrade your firmware!

The FilmMasons Interview - Brinke Stevens

The FilmMasons: First off, let me thank you Brinke for taking the time out of your busy schedule to do this interview.

TFM: You have had a huge career in film, but it could have taken a very different turn in the beginning. How did you go from a master’s degree in marine biology to something like Slumber Party Massacre?

Brinke Stevens: In the late-1970s, I was kicked out of graduate school (with a Master's
degree) for doing unauthorized communication experiments with dolphins... forbidden research at that time. I then married my college sweetheart, artist Dave Stevens ("The Rocketeer") and moved to Hollywood in 1980. While I was looking for a science job, I fell into doing "extra"-work in movies to pay the bills. Quickly, I landed a major role in Roger Corman's "Slumber Party Massacre" (1981). When I sat in a movie theater and watched myself on the big screen, I realized that I actually could act! I continued to pursue movie jobs, until my science aspirations eventually faded into the past.


TFM: You have many feathers in your cap, a writer, a producer and of course an actor; do you have plans to direct next?

BS: I accidentally became the assistant-director on a movie called "First Loves" in the mid-1980s. Originally, I was hired by the Italian director to rewrite his script. Later, I helped him to audition the actors by reading scenes with them -- and sometimes offering my own suggestions to better their performance.The director, Antonio, was so impressed that he invited me to their shoot in Salt Lake City, Utah. He lacked a certain confidence in his ability to speak English, and thus to clearly communicate with the cast and crew. In Utah, Antonio would take me aside to explain what he wanted, and then I'd step on-set to block, rehearse, and ultimately "direct" the scenes. Unfortunately, after five weeks of shooting, I came in one morning to find the stage-doors locked -- they'd run out of money, and everyone was sent home. I'm not sure if it was ever completed and released. (Monique Parent starred it it, by the way.)
It was a great experience for me, and gave me a good taste of how to direct a movie. So far, the offers just haven't come in -- but I'd love to do it again someday.


TFM: The term ‘Scream Queen’ was a crown you and a few of your friends wore for many years. Which actress would you say could wear the crown now, if any?

BS: I'm a huge fan of two younger actresses, Debbie Rochon and Tiffany Shepis. Debbie is wonderful in everything she does, and she's such a delightful, intelligent, spiritual woman. Tiffany's highly-charged emotional performance blew me away in her recent Rolfe Kanefsky film "Nightmare Man". She's a gifted natural actress, as well as a fun-loving person. I also like Suzi Lorraine, another sweet and talented gal, though I've only worked with her once and haven't yet seen many of her films.


TFM: You've had a few small roles in films like Naked Gun, Three Amigos, and This Is Spinal Tap, but most of your work has been in horror. Is that something you have always been attracted to, or is that just the way the cards fell?

BS: After I arrived in Hollywood in 1980, I started out doing "extra"-work on major films. Inevitably, I would be singled out for a bigger walk-on part, such as in Brian De Palma's "Body Double". When the video-boom hit in the mid-'80s, a lot of my filmmaker friends started churning out low-budget horror movies -- and they hired me for leading roles. I quickly became known for my horror films, and then I got so much B-movie work that there simply wasn't time to pursue any "mainstream" movie jobs. In a sense, I think it was just my fate and destiny to become a "cult"-celebrity. I always say, "My career chose me, I didn't choose it."


TFM: My favorite film of yours is Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama with Linnea Quigley & Michelle Bauer. It looks like it was a fun shoot. Can you take us through a typical day on the set?

BS: We shot on-location at a bowling alley near San Diego, CA. Since it remained open for business during the day, we had to begin shooting at 9pm (when they closed) and work all night till 9 am. As such, we felt like real-life vampires, sleeping all day and eating "breakfast" about 5pm! For that reason, it was difficult. But it was truly a lot of fun, too. I shared a hotel room with Michelle Bauer, and really enjoyed working with Linnea and Robin Stille on-set.


TFM: What’s your opinion of where horror is now as opposed to the hey days of the 80’s?

BS: The 1980s were more known for horror-comedies than now. In my opinion, the films I did then were more innocent and fun-loving. Later, horror got much gorier and even went into the "torture-porn" realm.


TFM: Will we ever see a re-teaming of you and your fellow scream queens, Linnea & Michelle in the future?

BS: Recently, the three of us were guests at "Monsterpalooza" convention in Burbank CA (April 2010). It was so much fun to be together again! Michelle and I pored over old "Femme Fatales" magazines that she was selling, and reminisced about those glorious days back in the 1980s. Michelle is mostly "retired" now, though Linnea and I continue to work a lot in films. A couple of years ago, we co-starred in "It Came From Trafalgar" in Indianapolis, which I hope will be released soon.


TFM: Filming 4 to 5 films a year must leave you with very little time for friends and family; what do you do to relax?

BS: My local LA friends are my cherished support-group, so I visit with all my pals when I'm home for any length of time. I love to cook gourmet meals and watch DVDs with friends. I'm also an avid hiker and enjoy exploring the scenic canyons around Los Angeles. I'm a pretty good sketch-artist and dearly want to take up oil painting eventually; I just acquired an easel and some canvases, so I'm well on my way. I think painting for a few hours every day would be incredibly relaxing.


TFM: If you had the choice, what role would you kill to do, or to have done?

BS: It's no secret that I'm a big fan of Christopher Walken. He's an amazingly talented dancer, as well. I'd be so happy to work with him on a horror film, and maybe do a dance with him too!


TFM: The Coffin is in pre-production at the moment and sounds fantastic. What can you tell us about it, and when will it be out?

BS: I wish I could tell you more, but it's been in pre-production for quite a while now. I suspect they're having trouble raising all the financing. I'd play a gypsy, and it is indeed a fun, creepy script. With any luck, we'll shoot it soon in Florida.


TFM: Brinke Stevens, thank you so much for your time.

Movie News - The Professionals

Neil Marshall ("The Descent," "Doomsday") has revealed he will direct a film adaptation of classic late 70's British TV cop series "The Professionals" in an interview with Empire.

The hard-hitting action series followed CI5, a law enforcement department allowed to use any (and invariably illegal) means to solve serious crimes that didn't fall under the purview of the secret service or military.

Martin Shaw and Lewis Collins played the two best agents - a hotheaded but compassionate ex-detective constable, and a patient but ruthless ex-SAS mercenary. Together they tackled terrorists, hitmen, racist groups and espionage suspects.

Marshall says he wants to contemporise this buddy cop duo - "They deal with anti-terrorism, assassinations, political intrigue. The slogan, or kind of the tagline for the film, is 'Fight fire with fire' and that was their whole thing... Primarily, its going to be an exciting movie, but there's an inherent political angle on the story. We want to contemporise it but keep everything that made the original great, just turn it into a real wham-bam rip-roaring adventure movie."

A writer is presently at work on a script. Marshall is also attached to the Sam Raimi-produced 3D splatter film "Burst".

Movie News - Mickey Rourke

Taking time out from shooting Greek gods epic "Immortals", Mickey Rourke talked to The Orlando Sentinel about his upcoming projects and revealed a few new ones along the way.

Rourke says Walter Hill's "St. Vincent" is "not gonna happen". Tony Scott's German crime thriller remake "Potsdamer Platz" however is happening, as is a potential Hell’s Angels movie with Scott.

Most interesting though is a biopic of Mongol warlord Genghis Khan which famed filmmaker John Milius ("Conan the Barbarian," "Red Dawn") penned and will direct.

Rourke says “I read his script and you know, the man is known for his tough writing. He wrote Conan and Dirty Harry and Apocalypse Now, and it’ll be interesting to see how he works behind the camera. John wrote as a piece told from the son and grandson’s point of view, how they saw this mythic figure from their family. You see him in flashbacks, back when he was in his mid-40s. And back then, being in your mid-40s was being REALLY old.”

The production itself sounds like an adventure. “It’ll be a fascinating experience, maybe shooting in parts of India, they tell me, and China. I’ve never worked in either of those countries, so that’ll be new. Historically, if you read about the guy, he was a mystery. There’s a lot of myths surrounding him, but also some true stories. Milius went through that in prepping this, so he’ll be a fascinating character to play" says Rourke.

Movie News - Ghost Rider 2

Will Ghost Rider 2 go ahead without Nic Cage? There may be a chance according to this article from Vulture...

How badly does Columbia need to get the motor running on its Ghost Rider sequel? So badly that if Nicolas Cage can't commit to making it this year, they may have to make it without him. Insiders confirm to Vulture that Columbia is facing a ticking clock on the rights to the BBQ-skulled Marvel Comics character: Legally, if the studio isn't in production on a sequel by November 14, 2010, the franchise automatically reverts to Marvel — which means the comic company's new owner, Disney. Insiders tell us that Columbia is asking Marvel for an extension. (Asking, pleading, it's a fine line.) But time is running out. Cage has spoken about his desire to make a second Ghost Rider; the issue is whether his schedule will be free before the deadline. Disney is also hoping to get him for a third National Treasure with Jerry Bruckheimer, which could be shooting as early as this fall and would presumably earn the star a hefty paycheck. And considering Cage's well-documented money troubles, that cash may trump his deep love of comic books. But Columbia (which would not comment on this story) desperately needs a blockbuster for 2011, now that Spider-Man has been pushed to 2012 — not to mention that no exec wants to lose a moneymaking franchise to a rival studio. We hear that FlashForward writers Scott Gimple and Seth Hoffman, overseen by their show's creator (and Batman Begins scribe), David S. Goyer, have just turned in a draft of a GR2 script, which Columbia will bring to a still-evolving list of potential directors. (Earlier this year, producer Mike De Luca told Collider that the original film's director, Daredevil besmircher Mark Steven Johnson, will not be handling the sequel.)

The clock is ticking, and I really can't see the studio letting this go without a fight, i'm sure we will hear something in the coming months....

Movie News - Ninja Turtles

This may or may not be news, it could just be a pic of some guys halloween mask he is making for a kick ass turtle costume for this years Halloween.

This pic landed in the in box of Latino Review. Is it a fake, is it what turtles c0-creator Peter Laird is talking about in this quote....

"The basic idea, as I understand it, is to do an all live action shoot, with actors and stuntmen in full Turtle suits,” explained Peter Laird, co-creator of the original comic series, to MTV News. “To add expressiveness to the Turtles’ faces which would be difficult if not impossible to get with animatronics and/or puppetry, there would be ‘face replacement,’ with CGI Turtle faces superimposed on the live action performers’ heads."

TMNT was ment to be getting rebooted for a 2011 release, in a tone closer to the original comic series. In the original comic series all the turtles had the same colour bandanna, so this could be any of the turtles we are/might be looking at here.

In the end, if its fake then its a really original spin on the turtle design. If its not then we have a really exciting look at what might be a kick ass reboot.

DVD News - Ninja Assassin

Warner Home Video have announced the UK DVD and Blu-ray Disc release of Ninja Assassin on 17th May 2010. Korean pop star Rain plays heroic, deadly Raizo. Trained from childhood in the way of the Ozunu Clan ninja, he is stalked by fellow warriors and their dojo patriarch (martial arts legend Sho Kosugi)…and is on the run with a Europol agent (Naomie Harris) who has proof the clan sells assassination services to governments.

Available on DVD (£19.99 RRP) and Blu-ray Combo (£26.99 RRP, includes Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Copy), extras include....
-Deleted ScenesBD Exclusive
-The Myth and Legend of Ninjas – The story of the ninja
-Myth, Lore, Training and Combat BD Exclusive
-The Extreme Sport of a Ninja – an elite group of noted freerunners, martial artists and gymnasts brings to life the breathtaking and bloody action BD Exclusive
-Training Rain – Transforming a singer/dancer/actor into a powerful ninja

Scripts - Kick Ass

This is the first of what may turn into a regular section. I will try to introduce you to scrips for new release films, older drafts or simply, never got made.

Let me know what you think.

Without further ado and thanks to Shadow and Act you can read the second draft script of KICKASS (pdf format) by Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn.

Movie News - Arthur

To save time today I've decided to combine two hated subjects into one story, remakes of older classic films & Russell Brand.

Two extremes of British classes may be about to collide head on.

The grand dame of acting, Helen Mirren, is in negotiations to star opposite the one-time stand-up duke of debauchery, Russell Brand in "Arthur," Warner Bros.' remake of the 1981 comedy, with Brand stepping into the role originated by Dudley Moore.

Larry Brezner is producing with Kevin McCormick and Chris Bender. The original movie centered on a boozy playboy who is set to inherit a fortune if he marries an heiress his family thinks will make something out of him. However, he falls in love with a working-class woman and turns to his valet for help when his family makes him choose between money and love. In the original, Arthur's foil was his valet, portrayed by John Gielgud, who won a best supporting actor Oscar for his performance. In the new movie, the part has been reconstructed as that of Arthur's longtime nanny. The movie is eyeing a July start in New York.

So says the Hollywood Reporter.

DVD News - National Lampoon's Vacation

Warner Home Video is tickling your funny bone this summer with the high definition debut of National Lampoon’s Vacation and National Lampoon’s European Vacation, when both films arrive on Blu-Ray in August.

National Lampoon’s Vacation will feature a 1080p high definition transfer with high definition audio will also include a Griswold Family Commentary Track with Chevy Chase, Randy Quaid, Anthony Michael Hall,Dana Barron, Director Harold Ramis and Producer Matty Simmons.

National Lampoon’s European Vacation has no extras announced yet, but we would expect to see Chevy Chase’s Commentary Track from the DVD version to make a return here. “National Lampoon’s Vacation” and “National Lampoon’s European Vacation” will arrive in the heat of summer - August 10 to be exact. Each disc will be available for $24.98.

DVD News - Unthinkable

Title: Unthinkable (IMDb)
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson
Released: 15th June 2010
SRP: $24.96 (DVD)

Further Details:
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has announced DVD ($24.96) and Blu-ray ($30.95) releases of Unthinkable for the 15th June. Extras will include an extended version of the film with an alternate ending, and a commentary with Director Gregor Jordan. The Blu-ray release will also include BD-Live features that connect you to real-time information on the cast, music, trivia and more while watching the movie. We've attached our first look at the official package artwork to the right.

The FilmMasons Interview - Jonathan King

The FilmMasons: First off The FilmMasons would like to think you for taking the time and effort out of your busy schedule to do this interview.

TFM: How long did it take to get from first draft of Black Sheep to the first time you called action?

Jonathan King: It probably took about two years or so. The potential in the script was there from the first draft ... after that, it was many drafts of trying to get the script to a place that would deliver the experience people hoped to get when they heard the idea (if you know what I mean?).


TFM: Group member Kellie wants to know why you chose sheep?

JK: I didn’t think ‘I want to do a killer animal movie’ and work through every animal in New Zealand (‘cow, goat, cat, bird ...’). The idea popped into my head and because it made me laugh and because it’s one of the things NZ is most famous for, that’s why it was worth pursuing.


TFM: As you wrote and directed Black Sheep did you change the script much as you shot, or is what we see on the screen almost exactly like your final draft?

JK: It is much the same. There was about a page in the third act i had to rip out for budgetary / practicality reasons ... but otherwise it is the film is much like the script. There are a few scenes we shot that we cut in the edit room, mostly for pace - up the front of the film and in the last 30 mins ...


TFM: It must have been a relief to get FX giant WETA on board to do the effects, was it like they could throw away the suits and ties and get down and dirty Braindead style again? Did they handle all the effects?

JK: They did all the physical effects, yes. They didn’t do the (tiny handful of) digital effects in the film. Yeah, the people on BS had just come off films like Star Wars and King Kong – I think they really enjoyed making a little splatter film - especially one that was small enough that everyone knew their work was an important part of what would end up on screen.


TFM: Is your approach to shooting an effect the same as shooting actors?

JK: I’m more likely to storyboard an FX shot really closely – and that will have played a part in how the effect was built and planned. Actors it’s more a case of knowing what you want from the scene dramatically and covering that/ I certainly storyboarded Black Sheep a lot more than Under the Mountain, my second film - where I was more relaxed about discovering how dramatic scenes might play on the day.


TFM: How many weeks was the Black Sheep shoot, and what was the hardest part?

JK: The shoot was six weeks, I think. The hardest part was getting sheep to do ANYTHING!! That and the bloody weather!


TFM: You appear and are killed in the film while trying to find your car keys, were you talked into the cameo, or did you have it planned from the start?

JK: Yeah, I had planned that. I was going to have a more elaborate brains-being-eaten prosthetic effect ... but we had to cut that for budgetary reasons.


TFM: With everything being prequeled or sequeled these days is there a future for another Black Sheep?

JK: Maybe as a comic! Don’t hold your breath for a movie ...


TFM: Under the Mountain stole many nights sleep from me as a child growing up in New Zealand, what drew you to the project?

JK: I’d loved it when I was a kid (and even played the boy in a radio adaptation of the story when I was 13!). Matt Grainger - who I work with - had been writing it for other people when I first met him ... though that version of it never got off the ground. After BS we thought, let’s give it a go ...


TFM: Is this closer to the book, or a remake of the TV series?

JK: Definitely an adaptation of the book. I haven’t seen the TV series since it first aired in 1981.


TFM: Steve Boyle designed the creatures for the film, being more of a fantasy and adventure film did you have to pull back on the creatures much or were you allowed to go wild?

JK: We definitely wanted to go as wild and creepy as we could. There’s no blood, swearing or sex in the film ... so we allowed ourselves to go as creepy as we could with scary monsters. We wanted to make our own Alien / Thing / Cthulu creature! Steve – and everyone at Weta Workshop – did an amazing job!


TFM: Being also a producer on Under the Mountain, what were some of the other tasks you had to undertake?

JK: It really flowed as an extension of my job as the director - something I’ve done, really, on everything I’ve ever made – work out the best place to put resources, bring the right people onto the project, make difficult choices about how to achieve what we hoped to. Between Richard Fletcher and Matthew Grainger – the other producers – we had a really good spread of skills and focus.


TFM: For all the budding writers out there (myself included) what is the most important thing they should do?

JK: Get that draft finished! Don’t get bogged down rewriting the first half over and over ... finish it, print it out, read it, get other people to read it ... then do the tough rewrites ... again and again. The thing to remember is ‘what is the minute-by-minute entertainment an audience is getting from this?’. Then get it made – direct it yourself or hook up with other filmmakers. Don’t wait around for someone to discover it and make you famous and rich. Cos it’ll never happen.


TFM: Do you have any projects on the boil you can let us in on?

JK: Lots of things at early stages – an adaptation, another original, some projects Matt Grainger and I are producing with other writers and directors ... But it’ll be a little while till anything shoots, I think.


TFM: Jonathan King, thank you so much for your time.

Movie News - I Am Number Four

Teresa Palmer is learning to count for "I Am Number Four," DreamWorks' adaptation of the upcoming young-adult science fiction book by James Frey and Jobie Hughes. D.J. Caruso is directing.

Palmer will play Number Six, one of nine aliens who escape their home planet before its annihilation by a rival species and hide out on Earth disguised as human high schoolers.

Alex Pettyfer, a British actor making his American debut with "Beastly," will play the title role of Four. Sharlto Copley, the star of last year's hit "District 9," will play Pettyfer's guardian and mentor.

Michael Bay is producing with Steven Spielberg. Chris Bender and J.C. Spink are executive producing with David Valdes. Al Gough and Miles Millar wrote the screenplay.

Movie News - Avatar 2

Now that Avatar has hit the home market James Cameron has started to tell people about his ideas for a sequel. Here's a bit of what he had to say...

We created a broad canvas for the environment of film. That’s not just on Pandora, but throughout the Alpha Centauri AB system. And we expand out across that system and incorporate more into the story – not necessarily in the second film, but more toward a third film. I’ve already announced this, so I might as well say it: Part of my focus in the second film is in creating a different environment – a different setting within Pandora. And I’m going to be focusing on the ocean on Pandora, which will be equally rich and diverse and crazy and imaginative, but it just won’t be a rain forest. I’m not saying we won’t see what we’ve already seen; we’ll see more of that as well.

He also says he think he can do it in half the time and budget..... yeah right...

Movie News - The Crow

I'm getting the sense that the latest version of The Crow is dragging its feet. But director Stephen Norrington appears hopeful, he says the project is now seeking locations.

Michigan is a contender, particularly Detroit - where the Brandon Lee-starring first entry took place (filming occurred in North Carolina and L.A., if you recall). "Part of the new story is set in Detroit and we've been discussing the logistics of shooting on location," Norrington says.

Montreal is also being considered.

Norrington adds script tinkering is taking place, and so is the usual budget and casting talk. Nothing final, however.

The FilmMasons Interview - Todd Masters

The FilmMasons: First off The FilmMasons would like to think you for taking the time and effort out of your busy schedule to do this interview.

Todd Masters: Thanks for having me.


TFM: Let’s go way back to Night of the Creeps, you’re credited with dimensional animation effects, what exactly did that entail?

TM: I was one of few, on a small team creating the miniatures & miniature creeps for the the basement set, re-shoot...Diana Williams, Tony Rupprecht & Anthony Laudati...working for Ted Rae, out of Jim Danforth’s animation & FX studio. (I had just finished working with Mr. Danforth on a Twilight Zone episode...so I just rolled into this). We made a small animation set and a pile of these little critters, approx 4” long out of foam & wire...and this large mass of creeps, a pyramid of creeps, seen in the basement at the end of the movie. Ted did the animation, I animated the camera on a couple takes...and the flashlight...I think. But I who knows which take’s finally in the movie.


TFM: How much of your work do we see in A Nightmare on Elm St 5?

TM: Actually quite a bit from our team is sprinkled throughout..let’s see if I can remember : Greta’s Nightmare sequence was our sequence (the MUFX sequences for the whole show were divided between: David Miller, myself, Rick Lazzerini, & Chris Biggs...and these new guys, Kurtzman, Nicotero & Berger.) When the show was going long, into pick-ups and add-ons, we started contributing to nearly every sequence in the film, notably Chris’s Motorcycle Sequence (I even played Freddy for this sequence – but then got cut-out)... & the ending sequence...dang, need to watch this again to remember.


TFM: Going through the movies & TV shows you have worked on, you seem to have an attraction to bloodsuckers, is this just how the cards fell, or do you have a soft spot for the undead?

TM: Haha, no soft vein for the fang-bangers; however I find them very entertaining characters for film...As long as they don’t start sparkling.


TFM: There was a lot of talk of how horrible the shoot for Hellraiser : Bloodline was, so much so the director chose to remove his name from the picture, what was your experience?

TM: Yikes, you have done some research...well, I came on after Kevin had left the building. I was working for Miramax on some other shows as Visual FX Producer, and they asked me to step in for some Hellraising help. I review what was shot, which was epic, but in a complete jumble; it needed a reboot...as the Weinsteins didn’t want to loose the franchise. We were unfortunately stuck with many FX that were already shot and poorly designed...and jumped in as best we could. We ended up dumping a few of the FX shots that they had started...added a few more MUFX for the new edit, and I stayed around to keep a pulse on the VFX in Post as long as I could.


TFM: Your work has a huge range from awesome work in Demon Knight, or subtle work on shows like Six Feet Under, which do you find harder and which do you prefer?

TM: Honestly, it’s all good...and having the creative range of opportunities is what we like best. Subtle and real can be as challenging as creating a unique and original creature. Ultimately preference comes from the teams and productions we work with. Demon Knight & 6’ were both amazing experiences, creatively and otherwise. Great Producers & crew.


DA: A member from our group, Kellie, would like to ask you what the cast of Vampire Diaries is like to work with especially Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley?

TM: Well, I personally was onset for the Pilot, but not any of the following episodes...we support the show with FX, here and there, but since the Pilot, they relocated to Atlanta. Conor McCullagh leads the MUFX out in Atlanta for the series.


TFM: I have recently discovered Carnivàle on one of our cable networks here in Australia and it’s a fantastic show. What did you have to create for the show?

TM: We did the MUFX for the first season...Gecko, the twins, age makeup's, FX, etc... I can share pix if you’d like.


TFM: Looking back at all the movies and TV shows that have come and gone, what is the one project you wish you had been involved in and why?

TM: I wish I was part of Baywatch.


TFM: Another member from our group, Traci, is very interested in your work on Stargate & True Blood. How do you approach projects that are polar opposites such as these two?

TM: Pretty much the same approach in terms of script breakdown, understanding the tone of the show, what designs would be appropriate...and go for it. It helps to not have an evasive style that limits the work. Each show should have it’s own style and maybe even signature of deign that fits (or doesn’t fit.) Some of this comes from Production (as in Stargate has a great Art Dept) and some of it comes form us – I ilke to draw out everything possible to communicate. Much like designing sets or many other aspects of filmmaking, the piece that we are contributing has to marry into the other pieces. It’s often an invisible puzzle that only reveals itself in the final edit.


TFM: Now moving to something a little less serious, can you elaborate on your work with the Robot Chicken team?

TM: Dang, where do you get your info!!? I’m buds with one of the show’s creators, and they asked me over to watch some ‘weeklies’ once (since it’s animation, they don’t really show ‘dailies’, instead compile it all together for an end-of week social, group review: ‘Weeklies” I had so much fun at a few of these, I said...”hey if you guys ever need any help...I used to build animation puppets.” And before I knew it, I was their newest P/A...on the puppet assembly lines. I made some flying monkeys and a few other things for them, during only a couple visits to their shop. Lots of fun, but not really a large element to their team. I just eat their pizza.


TFM: King of Vampires is not only your latest effects project, but also I believe your first project as producer, how did this come about, and what can you tell us about it?

TM: Not much yet unfortunately. Hopefully soon.


TFM: You received a special thanks nod on the Puppet Master II credits, what was that for?

TM: I have no idea!!? That’s funny, I wonder...


TFM: What would the biggest no-no be for someone starting out in the make-up industry?

TM: Selfishness and a sense of entitlement kinda can suck away any good stuff of a starter-up. But confidence is a must. Individuals who go far in this biz, seem to know when one begins and the other ends...personality is often as important as skill & art abilities. Other big no-no is waiting for shit to stink...


TFM: Apart from King of Vampires, is there anything up and coming you tell us about?

TM: Uh, can’t really...


TFM: Todd Masters thank you so much for your time.

TM: Thank you!

DVD Review - Bronson (R4)

Hardened English career criminal Charles Bronson (born Michael Peterson) has spent most of the past 35 years behind bars. Initially sentenced in 1974 to seven years for robbing a Post Office at gunpoint, Bronson’s penchant for violence and the many crimes he’s committed while incarcerated have seen his prison terms continually extended. And that’s the way he seems to like it: released in 1988 he spent just 69 days outside custody before being arrested for robbery and once more imprisoned. The same thing happened following a 1992 release during which he spent just 53 days as a free man. There are echoes in his story of our own Chopper Read; after so many years in Her Majesty’s Service the man clearly has no idea how to live outside the prison system that gives him status, security and an identity. During his time on the inside Peterson has committed countless acts of violence against guards and fellow inmates and been involved in numerous hostage situations, including one notable instance where he kidnapped and badly beat a deputy governor.

Having taken on the Bronson moniker as a young bare-knuckle boxer, the now 57-year-old seems to revel in his notoriety and loose cannon persona, and due to his countless instances of dangerous behaviour has spent all but four years of his prison time in solitary confinement.Which is why it is hardly surprising to learn than prison officials in the UK are extremely displeased with Bronson’s portrayal in director Nicolas Winding Refn’s latest feature. Refn is highly enamoured with what he perceives as the theatrical nature of the Bronson persona, and so it is that over the course of the film we see Bronson as a makeup-clad harlequin, at times literally delivering his lines from a stage in front of a rapt audience like the most seasoned of thespians. It’s a point that is hammered home repeatedly, that the character Peterson has created over the years has overshadowed his own identity to the point where Bronson the creation and Peterson the man are now indistinguishable. It’s a unique and unexpected tone for a British crime flick to take, and some of its more theatrical conceits might have come across as faintly ridiculous were it not for Refn’s flair for elegant storytelling and a strikingly charismatic performance from Black Hawk Down’s Tom Hardy, who attained the requisite bulk for the role by matching the real-life Bronson’s schedule of 2500 pushups per day.

As it stands this gritty examination of criminality and the thirst for celebrity is a beast as formidable as the character it attempts to dissect.Comparisons with Andrew Dominik’s Chopper are unavoidable, but whereas Chopper more often than not comes across as an irascible larrikin Peterson is, by his own admission, little more than a ‘horrible, nasty, violent man.’ This is evident from the outset and initially does little to ingratiate him to the viewer, but Hardy’s performance is so striking and the Bronson character so complex and contradictory that we can’t help but be drawn in to the remarkable world conjured by Refn. All in all it’s a hallucinatory and highly operatic work, and most of the most beguiling and original films in the Madman oeuvre.

Movie News - Oz the Great and Powerful

After this week's announcement that the next James Bond movie has been completely stalled due to the sale of MGM's assets, the movie's director, Sam Mendes, now finds himself free and available for new work. According to Production Weekly, Mendes might have that new job soon.

In one of the outlet's exclusive tweets about new productions, PW mentions that Mendes is the "front runner" to direct Oz the Great and Powerful for Walt Disney Pictures. The project was one formerly known as Brick, and as written by Romeo Must Die screenwriter Mitchell Kapner, it would tell the story of how the man who became the Wizard of Oz came to that world and became the man behind the curtain in the emerald city.

Furthermore, Production Weekly reports that Robert Downey Jr. is "circling" the part of the Wizard. Needless to say, with the interest of two heavy-hitters like Mendes and Downey, Oz the Great and Powerful could quickly become a go picture for Disney.

Movie News - Star Trek

Leonard Nimoy says he’s completed his role as William Bell on J.J. Abrams’ “Fringe” and he won’t be playing Spock in Abrams’ next “Star Trek” movie.

Nimoy, 79, also says he is finally done with acting altogether.

“I want to get off the stage. Also, I don’t think it would be fair to Zachary Quinto,” he tells the Toronto Sun. “He’s a terrific actor, he looks the part, and it’s time to give him some space. And I’m very flattered the character will continue.”

He tells the Sun his Bell character was never meant to be a permanent fixture on “Fringe.”

“I love the idea of going out on a positive note. I’ve had a great, great time.”

Disappointing words. Leaving aside how much we'll miss Nimoy, Spock Prime -- with his knowledge of technology from the other timeline's late 24th century -- is arguably the most important figure in the new "Trek" universe.

DVD News - A Prophet

Optimum Home Entertainment have announced the UK DVD and Blu-ray Disc release of A Prophet on 7th June 2010. Tahar Rahim stars in this prison drama directed by Jacques Audiard.

Extras include:

• Trailer
• Deleted scenes with Director’s commentary
• “A Prophet – Revealed” cast & crew featurette
• Tahar Rahim screentests
• Rehearsals
• “Derrière les barreaux” from Antonin Peretjako
• “Un Prophete à Chatenay” from Jean-Michel Correia

DVD News - Percy Jackson

Title: Percy Jackson (IMDb)
Starring: Logan Lerman
Released: 22nd June 2010
SRP: $29.98 (DVD)

Further Details:
Fox Home Entertainment has announced DVD ($29.98) and Blu-ray/DVD Combo ($39.99) releases of Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief for the 22nd June. The DVD will include 5 deleted and extended scenes, a Discover Your Powers Quiz, and The Book Comes To Life featurette. The Blu-ray release will also include all that, along with 5 additional deleted and extended scenes, 4 featurettes ("Secrets of the Gods", "Inside Camp Half-Blood", "On Set With Brandon T. Jackson", "Meet The Demigods"), and a digital copy of the film. We've attached our first look at the official package artwork.

DVD News - Shutter Island

Title: Shutter Island (IMDb)
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio
Released: 8th June 2010
SRP: Prices TBC

Further Details:
Paramount Home Entertainment has announced DVD and Blu-ray releases of Shutter Island for the 8th June. No extra material will be included on the DVD release. The Blu-ray release will include a Behind the Shutters featurette that follows the film from its inception as an acclaimed novel through the production process and to the big screen, and an Into the Lighthouse feature that discusses the historical landscape of psychiatric therapies during the 1950s through interviews with cast and crew.