Post by nervouspete on May 6, 2005 23:40:43 GMT
At the risk of sounding staggeringly reasonable, I say, "Fair play to C.T Howell, David Latt and company!"
I'm not deluding myself here. The main reason why C.T, David and his team were given the money to make this film is because Spielberg's effort is on its way in the Summer. It is a movie that is being marketed to ride the coat-tails of the big budget effort.
However...
It looks to me that C.T, David Latt and Asylum are genuinely trying their best to pull of an entertaining and interesting film. It probably won't be a classic, or in anyone's top ten scif-fi films of recent times - but if their production matches the tone and promise that David Latt has set out in his interviews, we could be in for a fun ride.
H. G. Wells wrote the original invasion. Essentially he gave birth to the science fiction genre. Are we to begrudge these fellows filming a small budget version to the best of their ability? We've all wondered about what it would be like if Well's tripods attacked our modern day setting, UK and US. Spielberg certainly has. David Latt and his friends are merely lovingly trying to make a film of their vision.
Of course, they could TRY do a period setting - and perish in development hell immediately. The budget they can muster from their investors forbids such an attempt - one million dollars, even four million, will not allow an American independant film company to remain faithful to the book.
At the same time though, from the pics and the interview I've seen, it seems that they're trying to retain sections from the book and keeping some of the dark ambience and nature of it. True, they have six legged walkers, but that's probably wise of them. If Spielberg's using tripods, then they don't want to ape him in doing the same, even if the novel dictates it. It has to still have a character of its own, despite the commercial effort in riding his wave.
Don't get me wrong, they're not entirely out there for the art. They want to make a commercial product. I can't say I'm head over heels in love over this film, but I am interested, and I hope that it makes some showing in the UK in the rentals market.
So far David has been very generous, and quite funny, with his courting of our forums. His answers to our questions were gracious and funny. It also seems as if this film was a pet project of his for quite a long time, and it has happily come to fruition for him because of Spielberg's movie. The amusingly cynical market of straight-to-DVD releases has happily allowed him to try his hand at a story genuinely close to his heart, and it sounds like he's giving it his best shot with a strong knowledge of how to get the most out of his budget.
And it's good that he's so up-front about the film's nature, budget and delivery to us avid Well's fans too. It'll be budget pulp, but I reckon it'll be pretty entertaining budget pulp - and if he's crafty he might even get a few classic scenes in there.
At first I was very cynical, but after this mini-blitz of promotion, on this site, I'm more reassured. After all, who would have thought the first film of Tremors would have been any cop? And from its low widdler budget we got a bona fide classic!
(Don't mention the abhorent sequels and series though, please)
So if you're reading this, I say good luck C.T and David Latt! And pass the message on to the rest of the cast and crew next time you bump into them. This if from a Brit who read the novel at the age of eight and has adored it ever since. The book means a lot to me...
... but your shot at this certainly means a lot to you, too, so I hope you succeed with your efforts!
Anyone else feel the same?
Pete
P.S: Yes, I am fully aware that I am a foolish sentimental underdog supporter, and having had my heart broken by You Know Who (no, not Voldemort) I am happy in transferring my hoorahs to this plucky effort. Life's far too short to whine about this sort of fun exploit of theres, why not kick back and embrace it?
I'm not deluding myself here. The main reason why C.T, David and his team were given the money to make this film is because Spielberg's effort is on its way in the Summer. It is a movie that is being marketed to ride the coat-tails of the big budget effort.
However...
It looks to me that C.T, David Latt and Asylum are genuinely trying their best to pull of an entertaining and interesting film. It probably won't be a classic, or in anyone's top ten scif-fi films of recent times - but if their production matches the tone and promise that David Latt has set out in his interviews, we could be in for a fun ride.
H. G. Wells wrote the original invasion. Essentially he gave birth to the science fiction genre. Are we to begrudge these fellows filming a small budget version to the best of their ability? We've all wondered about what it would be like if Well's tripods attacked our modern day setting, UK and US. Spielberg certainly has. David Latt and his friends are merely lovingly trying to make a film of their vision.
Of course, they could TRY do a period setting - and perish in development hell immediately. The budget they can muster from their investors forbids such an attempt - one million dollars, even four million, will not allow an American independant film company to remain faithful to the book.
At the same time though, from the pics and the interview I've seen, it seems that they're trying to retain sections from the book and keeping some of the dark ambience and nature of it. True, they have six legged walkers, but that's probably wise of them. If Spielberg's using tripods, then they don't want to ape him in doing the same, even if the novel dictates it. It has to still have a character of its own, despite the commercial effort in riding his wave.
Don't get me wrong, they're not entirely out there for the art. They want to make a commercial product. I can't say I'm head over heels in love over this film, but I am interested, and I hope that it makes some showing in the UK in the rentals market.
So far David has been very generous, and quite funny, with his courting of our forums. His answers to our questions were gracious and funny. It also seems as if this film was a pet project of his for quite a long time, and it has happily come to fruition for him because of Spielberg's movie. The amusingly cynical market of straight-to-DVD releases has happily allowed him to try his hand at a story genuinely close to his heart, and it sounds like he's giving it his best shot with a strong knowledge of how to get the most out of his budget.
And it's good that he's so up-front about the film's nature, budget and delivery to us avid Well's fans too. It'll be budget pulp, but I reckon it'll be pretty entertaining budget pulp - and if he's crafty he might even get a few classic scenes in there.
At first I was very cynical, but after this mini-blitz of promotion, on this site, I'm more reassured. After all, who would have thought the first film of Tremors would have been any cop? And from its low widdler budget we got a bona fide classic!
(Don't mention the abhorent sequels and series though, please)
So if you're reading this, I say good luck C.T and David Latt! And pass the message on to the rest of the cast and crew next time you bump into them. This if from a Brit who read the novel at the age of eight and has adored it ever since. The book means a lot to me...
... but your shot at this certainly means a lot to you, too, so I hope you succeed with your efforts!
Anyone else feel the same?
Pete
P.S: Yes, I am fully aware that I am a foolish sentimental underdog supporter, and having had my heart broken by You Know Who (no, not Voldemort) I am happy in transferring my hoorahs to this plucky effort. Life's far too short to whine about this sort of fun exploit of theres, why not kick back and embrace it?
Is the HTML corrupted? 
