With the recent successes of film adaptations of popular graphic novels like “Sin City”, “300”, “V For Vendetta” and “30 Days Of Night” it is safe to say that graphic novels are becoming the source materials and properties of choice for many film studios. Now that even more graphic novel film adaptations will be hitting the silver screen soon as “Wanted”, “Southland Tales”, “Persepolis”, “The Losers”, “Y: The Last Man” , "Ronin" and the highly anticipated “Watchmen” approach cinematic release there seems to be no end in sight to the sudden rise in graphic novel films.
The best thing about the graphic novel format is that it serves as a script, screenplay and guideline for the director, director of photography, art director and special effects team all in one. You have an idea of who to cast based on just reading the script and seeing the action for yourself as opposed to having to imagine it all. Theme, mood and visual aesthetic can all be gleaned by just reading the source material as opposed to reading it and hoping that someone “gets it” or not (as is with the case with the groundbreaking graphic novel series "Watchmen").
These factors are extremely helpful, but the main factor is that graphic novel films are cash cows right now and if a studio is wise enough to pick the right one the can attach a huge star, wirter and director to it and end up with a huge hit on their hands.
Aaron McGruder and Reginald Hudlin had developed an idea and a script for a film that they pitched to anyone who would listen but no one would take them up on it. They decided to turn it into a graphic novel instead and they released “Birth Of A Nation: A Comic Novel” (pictured above)...after reading it I was amazed that this got turned down while shit like “Soul Plane” and “Who’s Your Caddy?” (and any movie helmed by Tyler Perry) can find a studio with no problem. It’s a damn shame.
So in conclusion, if you have a good idea for a script you should hook up with an artist and set aside some money then just up and make a graphic novel. Show up to some conventions and pretty soon you can sell it to a studio for a shitlaod of money down the line (but for now, stock up on some Ramen Pride..it’s gonna be a while). For any studio execs/d-boys/girls that are looking for possible properties (like the Brian Wood one above called "Channel Zero" or MF Grimm's "Sentences below) to acquire just check back posts of my Dartflix blog or contact me directly for more ideas(I do this, man!). Back to the movie stuff, already in progress:
Top 5 Apple Trailers Of The Ides Of November (11.1.07-11.15.07):
Mr. Untouchable
http://www.apple.com/trailers/magnolia/mruntouchable/trailer/
Black Irish
http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/blackirish/trailer/
Darfur Now
http://www.apple.com/trailers/warner_independent_pictures/darfurnow/trailer/
Slipstream
http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/slipstream/trailer/
The Counterfeiters
http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony/thecounterfeiters/trailer/
Top 5 Imdb Trailers Of The Ides Of November (11.1.07-11.15.07):
Wanted
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0493464/trailers
Funny Games
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0808279/trailers
P2
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0804516/trailers
Awake
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0211933/trailers
10, 000 B.C.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443649/trailers
Recommended movies for rental (or adding to your queue early) through Netflix:
Killshot
Crime Story
Flight Of The Conchords - Season One
Sicko
I Know Pronounce You Chuck & Larry
Manufacturing Dissent
Up The Down Staircase
Chinatown (Special Edition)
Ocean’s Thirteen
Shrek The Third
Deceit
The Princess Bride (20th Anniversary Edition)
Endgame: Blueprint For Global Enslavement
This Is England
Cougar Club
These Girls
Help!
Little Chicago
Killer Of Sheep: The Charles Burnett Collection (good lookin' out to Brandon Soderberg on this one!)
Sesame Street Old School Vol. 1 (1969-1974)
Sesame Street Old School Vol. 1 (1974-1979)
The Best Of The Electric Company
Schoolhouse Rock (30th Anniversary Edition)
Oldboy (Bluray)
Battle Of Okinawa
Legend Of Seven Monks
Battle Warrior (Tony Jaa)
Live Free Or Die Hard
Angel-A
Drunken Angel (Criterion Edition)
Skinwalkers
Paprika
First Snow
Day X
Heart Of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse
Rescue Dawn
Ghosts Of Cite Soleil
Dart’s Picks:
American Gangster-Great flick. I’m sure you’ve already seen it..if not go see it. If youhave, this time go to the movie theater and PAY to see it. I know it’s the square’s way but whatever.
Dan In Real Life-This movie wasn’t a hold your sides laughfest. It was a great story with an excellent cast that was well written. Dan’s a writer and a widower raising three girls by himself and then he runs into a woman who he later finds out is dating his little brother. Hilarity ensues.
Beowulf-I’m seeing this shit as soon as possible.
Lions For Lambs-A well written, well directed political thriller with an A list cast. I’ll be watchin’ this one.
Sicko-See why America is a worldwide joke when it comes to our healthcare system. We can still bomb the shit out of every other country, though (but where will I get my international movies from?).
Dart’s WTF?/Watch this bullshit at your Own Risk Awards:
Fred Claus-Fuck holiday movies.
Deck The Halls-Read the above statement, nod your head and keep it moving.
I Told You I Was Trouble: Amy Winehouse Live-Amy Winehouse is one of my favorite singers (both of her albums stay in my iPod) but seeing her perform live is a mixed bag at best. Sometimes she’s really on and really funny on stage and other times...she’s just sloppy drunk. This aptly named (Winehouse) lady adores Billie Holiday a little TOO much. Put the drink down, Amy. Now, please slowly back away from the sauce and eat something...We’re all concerned about you *People pop out of the woodwork and start an intervention*
Some movies studios SHOULD greenlight remakes for in the near future:
Logan’s Run (Sorry..The Island didn’t do it justice)
Big Trouble In Little China
They Live
Fahrenheit 451
Solyent Green
A Boy And His Dog (good lookin' out once again Brandon!)
Alphaville
Metropolis (apparently, a Metropolis remake is in the works)
One.
7 comments:
A Logan's Run remake is set for release all the way the fuck in 2010. I hope it falls through because Logan's Run is one of my favorite movies and I'm sure Hollywood will fuck it up. If they followed the book more closely than the original did, they'd have a chance at a good movie, but I doubt they will, because the book deals with like 14 and 15 year olds doing drugs and killing each other and having sex.
Same goes for Soylent Green. Really don't need/want to see a remake of that.
Westworld is also supposed to be getting the remake treatment, and I can already see Will Smith as the James Brolin character, which again saddens me.
oh, and Deathrace 2000 too, which is completely dumb because the new plot only slightly resembles the original, so they could have just titled it something else.
As you can see, I'm not really into remakes. I thought the Dawn of the Dead remake was pretty good, and so was Rob Zombie's Halloween, but outside of that I could do without all this remake bullshit.
Who takes the Don Johnson role in the remake? Who is the dog?
I'll take a few days to ponder this one...
@ Mike Dikk:
I'm not really with the remake craze, either. Some of my favorites from the 70's like Rollerball and Planet Of The Apes have been redone and they ended up sucking donkey balls. In some cases the remake can have a great team behind it and add elements that were missing from the original because of the limitations of the technology of the era (in rare occasions they're better than the original).
I agree with you on the Logan's Run movie as far as the book adaptation goes as well. I'm REALLY not feeling that Deathrace remake (tentatively called Deathrace 3000 starring Jason Statham). I liked Westworld A LOT the way it was (that's why I skipped to Futureworld).
I just found out that they're gonna update/remake The Day The Earth Stood Still...Oh, God no.
@ Brandon: I'd suspect the dog would be CGI. I know, it makes me wince just thinking about it as well.
One.
Perhaps I'm a cult film poseur, but I had no idea there was a Futureworld movie. I am bumping that shit up to the top of my Netflix up right now, even thought the reviews on IMDB aren't too favorable.
I spoke too soon, Futureworld doesn't even have a legit Region 1 DVD release.
CGI Dog voiced by Mr.Pheeny from 'Boy Meets World' and the role of the man is Corey from 'Boy Meets World'.
The Island was actually a remake (or an outright ripoff, not sure if it was official) of a movie called Clonus, not Logan's Run
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