Shopping christmas

Well, the film industry has heard you. Along with the speed of the internet, consumers have at present come to a new stage of demand. It wore to be that we WANTED every single thing immediately - at present we EXPECT it.

This isn’t the sort of thing that goes unnoticed by industries that cater to public reception. And at present it’s been announced that we might not be far away from just walking above to our computer and downloading the newest releases.

When you took a meeting at the Cannes Film Festival, Culture Ministers from across Europe, film industry representatives and Internet Service Providers were among those who met to discuss the possible policies needed to distribute movies online.

BBC news reports European Union media commissioner Viviane Reding as stating: “In Europe, as in more continents, the opportunities for people to enjoy films online are set to increase tremendously above the next couple years”.

Naturally there are however many issues to be resolved prior to movies are readily available to the public online. Piracy and broadband capabilities are however being questioned.

Piracy became the large issue when music files were being illegally shared across the internet. While the music industry fought against such services as Napster, it is however far away from recovering their market revenue and the film industry isn’t anxious to join them.

What cannot be debated is that there exists a market, and no industry likes to bypass that because of possible problems.

Right currently European broadband could not be higher to the task of downloading such big files however has plans to proceed with distribution soon.

In Us there has already been movie distribution with the inevitable legal proceedings against individuals facilitating unauthorized downloads.

Even given that the fight against piracy is being taken incredibly seriously per industry, it’s however parents who are at the forefront of setting the illustration and instructing kids on the ethics of downloading such material. Responsibility is learned.

In any event, the next time you see a neat movie advertised and you are convenient to the internet, perhaps you should stay in, avoid the lines and the traffic and check it out online!]]>

Actors don’t really have a choice, because they need to accept whatever roles are offered to them to get experience. They have to nod and accept any project that comes their way, even if it’s the worst thing they’ve ever read.

Of course, there are those occasions when our dear thespians go to those auditions and completely fall in love with the script. “I went in to audition because I heard about this project and the synopsis was really interesting. As soon as I got the script and I read the few words, I was totally into it. Then when I finished reading just those two pages… I knew I had to do this, I was in shock and in love with the writing,” says Martin Lobe, who auditioned for the role of Donald in Machiavelli Hangman (http://www.hangmanmovie.com).

“You go to hundreds of auditions and you hope you’ll hit that one gold mine… it’s not about the money as long as the writing is so good,” offers Martin James.

Having said all this, one would think that it’s definitely easier to work behind the camera than in front of it. Filmmakers make up their own destiny, they write or they find a good script and they go out actively looking for actors. Actors, on the other hand, have to simply wait there to be picked.

Casting Directors feel that it’s not so negative. If an actor is good, filmmakers will seek him out, it’s just a matter of polishing your tools and you will be found eventually. “Think of it as a more passive-aggressive approach to starting a career. You have to smile, and let them make the first step.”

While many would argue that Machiavelli Hangman or Pulp Fiction was all about the writing and it made the acting what it is, others claim that the acting made those films what they are. For instance, Lost In Translation would not have become the brilliant film that it is if it wasn’t for Bill Murray’s improvisational genius. The script is said to have been originally only 15 pages long and Murray had to fill in the gaps. That’s a lot of filling!

There is also a certain masochistic element to being an actor. You have to get used to getting rejected and you have to use it to get stronger. The rejection has to become a pleasure that you can turn into energy. “Some actors go in expecting to be rejected. They get a certain high from it,” Bob Fern-Jacobs, after auditioning for Lord of the Rings.

Actors, keep at it, get better. Build your experience, and they will come!]]>

A statement on the site said that “EON Productions angered fans around the world when they fired Pierce Brosnan at the height of his popularity as Bond. To add insult to injury, EON cast a short, blond, odd-looking Daniel Craig in the role of Bond.”

The site goes on to ask, “How can a short, blond actor with the rough face of a professional boxer and a penchant for playing killers, cranks, cads, and gigolos pull off the role of a tall, dark, handsome and suave secret agent?”

The angry group of Bond fans have threatened to boycott “Casino Royale” and any other Bond films that Craig will star in.

Though Craig may have a wounded pride from all of these happenings, he does have a big supporter in his predecessor, Pierce Brosnan.

“I think Daniel is a very fine actor. These are rocky waters, and they’re going to get him one way or another, but I think he will have the last laugh at the end of it,” Brosnan said.

Craig has had roles in “Munich” and “The Jacket.” He accepted the role of Bond last October, and filming for the movie began last month in Prague. Last week the producers of the film cast French actress Eva Green as Bond girl Vesper Lynd and Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen as the villain le Chiffre.]]>

Crowe and Kidman have signed on to star in what is being called an epic Australian Outback film set in the years up to and including World War II. The film, codenamed “Project Oklahoma,” will begin in the 1930s and stretch to the 1942 Japanese bombing of the tropical city of Darwin.

“We’ve talked a bout it for over seven years, that we must do something together in Australia.” Luhrmann said to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Kidman said that she was looking forward to making a “uniquely Australian story” with Crowe, who she calls her “good friend.”

Luhrmann compared the film to “Gone with the Wind” and “Lawrence of Arabia.” “Collateral” screenwriter Stuart Beattie will work with Luhrmann on the script for the film.

Kidman has had a working history with Luhrmann, who directed the three minute, multimillion-dollar Chanel No. 5 commercial in which Kidman starred.

The rumored budget for the film is said to be about $40 million in Australian currency, which is equivalent to about $30 million in U.S. dollars. Filming is set to begin in August, and the film is projected to be released in 2007.]]>

There is no prescribed method for estimating accurate value or condition of a product like it is with most collectible products. The current market can determine the price of a poster, based on the number of buyers and sellers. There are certain factors to consider for estimating the value of posters.

Rarity

Certain posters are rarely sold especially when only a few copies exist, that too in museums and private collections. Every time a rare poster comes up for sale, collectors scramble for it. The more easily found posters keep prices from appreciating.

Condition

Condition of the poster is directly related to how rare it is. If the poster is extremely rare, even the poorest condition will be acceptable. The condition alone can influence the price by thousands of dollars.

Condition Table

Mint: When the poster print is as good as new. For posters as old as 40 years, mint condition can seem like a dream come true.

Near-mint: The reality of mint condition. It’s about as good as it gets, minus fading, tears, tape stains, ink stains, pinholes, folds, etc. With folded sheets practically impossible, the folding alone does not classify it under near-mint condition. More likely to be found are rolled half sheet inserts and window cards for which folding is not acceptable.

Fine:

A relatively good condition that is free of any major damage. However the definition of significant damage is a much-debated topic.

Very Good:

This refers to posters, which still possess bright colors to be appreciated. Framing may reduce the defects, which are bound to be visible.

Good:

A more damaged yet still presentable specimen that has a well-used appearance with prominent fold marks, fading and browning.

Fair:

Where the damage is severe enough to erase parts of the image.

Poor:

A total mess but capable of restoration in case of exceptional value.

Authenticity

Collecting movie posters can be alternatively thrilling and nightmarish. Fakes and reprints of originals can be difficult for even poster dealers to distinguish. Naturally the fakes will be worthless.

Fakes

Thanks to technology, fakes have becomes extremely easy to reproduce. There are certain indications to identify outright fakes.

Printers’ names at the bottom of posters denote fakes. These are not to be mistaken for lithographers’ names that legitimate posters bear.

Zip codes on posters prior to 1960s are not possible, as the codes didn’t exist before 1960.

Low and bargain prices are likely to indicate reproductions and fakes.

Ensure that the dealer is a reputed one with a fairly long history in the business.

Fakes can also be identified on the basis of the size, graphic design, design and text integration, artists’ signatures, film title, featured actors and the marketability of the film.]]>

After his great success from the Lord of the Ring trilogies, Peter Jackson dove right back into filmmaking with this great and popular character in the history of cinema. There had been so many films made based on the original that it was difficult to know where to begin and where to end and still keep the audience on its toes. After a long casting period, the main players were chosen and moved to New Zealand to begin production. Adrian Brodey and Jack Black were the first to step on the boat.

Jackson completed principal photography a few months ago in New Zealand he is now working with his team of editors to polish the rough ends. While a trailer was released recently, many people criticized the fact that King Kong was revealed to the audience as opposed to extending the teaser and suspense period.

Recent poles and statistics have shown that the trailers that give away the least amount of information on the film are the one to bring the more people to the theatres. “And it’s quite understandable. People go to see what has been marinating in their imaginations… With King Kong, the trailer doesn’t leave much room for anything else. We know what he looks like and how he moves. I think that this was a very bad move on part of the marketing team,” says Brian Copote.

Other films that are said to be released around the same time as King Kong are Machiavelli Hangman (http://www.hangmanmovie.com) and Wedding Season with Nicole Kidman. Whether these two smaller films will be completely crushed by the size of Jackson’s mega-motion picture is to be seen.

So far, Peter Jackson, has enjoyed a great amount of following for the Lord of the Rings mainly because there was such a huge fan base of the book and there had never been a movie made from the books. In this case, King Kong was never based on any novels and it has been shown on the silver screen several times. This may or may not be a handicap but one thing’s for sure. It will certainly not equal the $300,000,000 success of the Lord of the Rings.

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In the movie Koyaanisqatsi director Godfrey Reggio tries to show the imbalance between man and nature. Shots showing the destruction of mankind are coupled and set against images of nature’s beauty and force. The images are very moving and provoke many thoughts in viewers. The musical score of Philip Glass is unconventional, as his scores often are, and yet it is a good balance to the images.

The images are shot by Ron Fricke who later went on to make the movie Baraka. Baraka has a similar theme to Koyaanisqatsi, but a slightly more spiritual theme. It was shot using 70mm, which gives a warmer and cleaner feel than Koyaanisqatsi. Koyaanisqatsi was shot between 1975 and 1982. Some of its scenes are stock footage, such as explosions and space rocket launches.
Koyaanisqatsi has its own page at http://www.spiritofbaraka.com/koyaanis.aspx with all of the details of the film and images of most of the scenes.

In 2003 Koyaanisqatsi was re-released after ownership disputes where settled. The re-mastered DVD image greatly improved the quality but bizarrely lost its original aspect ratio.

Koyaanisqatsi has gone on to be an underground cult movie, and often studied by film students looking to explore a deeper side of the film world.

A small genre of films has been spawned by Koyaanisqatsi. Baraka, as mentioned above has become the most popular. Other movies in the genre include Chronos: also by Ron Fricke, Powaqqatsi: the sequel to Koyaanisqatsi, Microcosmos: about insects, Naqoyqatsi: the less popular final part of the Qatsi trilogy: Winged Migration: about birds, Samsara: the Sequel to Baraka, Dogora: about the young people of Cambodia.

All of these movies where originally created to by viewed in theatres, where one gets the maximum effect. Larger and clearer televisions, as well as home cinema systems have allowed all of these movies to be enjoyed at home.]]>

Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton made the first popular silent films by utilizing music as if it were their dialogue. Music accelerated the rhythm of the film, accentuated the comedic beats, it lingered on the sadness and it wrapped every emotional scene in a nice little bow.

Through time, some movies have seen a tremendous amount of success more because of their music than the acting or directing or anything else for that matter. A great example is one of Steven Spielberg’s earlier efforts Jaws. “It was the music that really made the movie… every time you heard the babam babam, you could imagine the shark biting off the swimmer’s leg. It was ingenious.” Another favorite horror film that used music in such a way was Alfred Hitchcock class “Psycho.”

Ennio Morricone, is one of the most prolific musical composers for film. He has been nominated for the academy award over eleven times, but he has never received the gold. His films are characterized by a strong sense of music that fills in the gap wherever the writing lacks. In Once Upon a Time in the West, Sergio Leone recounts how Morricone composed a unique piece for each character and how that music would play in different variations every time the master character would enter the scene.

Morricone is also responsible for the music in Once Upon a time in America, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Malena.

John Williams is Morricone’s American equivalent and while the previous concentrated on sweeping love themes, Williams had sensibilities leaning towards the action-adventure genres. He composed the well-remembered themes for Indiana Jones, Superman, and Star Wars.

In more contemporary times, films like American Beauty, Million Dollar Baby or Machiavelli Hangman (http://www.hangmanmovie.com) have offered a new trend of musical flavors ranging from simple acoustics to just drums creating a strong new breath of originality. Whatever the case may as long as filmmakers understand and use the power of music, their films will only be better off because of it.]]>

In recent years, there were films such as Lord of the Rings that relied heavily on special effects and the already great fan base that the novels generated. Crash was an independent film that almost made it to the classics category, but the lewd essence and “rough around the edges” quality of the filmmaking cut its chances in half.

Quentin Tarantino wasn’t able to duplicate his masterpiece tour-de-force Pulp Fiction with his following tries. Jackie Brown was too talky and it lost its audience’s attention after the first 10 minutes and Kill Bill was the exact opposite and could never be taken as a serious cinematic work.

Sixth Sense was an innovation in the world of cinema but it didn’t have enough solidity through out its whole body to complement the great conclusion. The Usual Suspects had the same situation by having a powerful ending but nothing so impressive leading up to it.

How about all those comic book adaptations? It seems like filmmakers these days make films to make money and there is really no drive toward creativity and taking risks. One of the films that was recently nominated for the Oscars was Lost in Translation - which although so small managed to stand on its own too feet. It was a breeze of fresh air and it didn’t feel like two hours; it felt like a casual and satisfying conversation with a person across the dinner table.

Machiavelli Hangman achieved that magic even though it was also swimming in the same low-budget waters as Lost in Translation. When there is so much at stake, there seems to be an awkward sense of restriction placed on how far the film can take you. The high budget and production values place that limitation on risk and spontaneity and it doesn’t leave the story any room for breathing.

Napoleon Dynamite was made just like Machiavelli Hangman (http://www.hangmanmovie.com), on a thread-thin budget but it felt real and that’s the reason for its tremendous success. The irony is that no matter how many of these “real” movies prove successful at the box-office, studios continue to make motion pictures that depend mainly on special effects and visuals.

Learn from the amateurs. Focus on story.]]>

have been exploited by movie production companies for
years. Hollywood has been creating feature length comic
book movies, movie serials and TV shows to continue to whet
our appitites. But as special effect technology and costume
designs became better and better, Hollywood kicked it up a
notch with feature-length high budget productions.
Superman, the Movie and the 3 sequels started in the 1970s
and the ’90s and beyond brought us Batman, The Hulk, the
X-Men and the now infamous Spider-Man, to name a few.

Why all this interest in producing comic book superhero
movies? Big bucks!! The two Spider-Man movies alone have
netted about 800 million dollars apiece in worldwide ticket
sales. That’s not chicken feed. This kind of income could
not be generated without an avid public interest in comic
book movies. So if you feel you are alone in your voracious
passion for your own comic book collection, think again.

And now a new twist has been added. Directors, screenplay
writers, and even actors are writing for, of all things,
comic books now. Big name Hollywood writers are helping to
sell more comics. For example, Joss Whedon, perhaps best
known for creating Buffy the Vampire Slayer, has written
stories for Marvel in the series Astonishing X-Men. Back in
the 90s, who would have known that all these fan boys had
been hiding in the Hollywood woodworks waiting for comics
to gain some cultural credibility?

If you haven’t followed some of the comic news of the last
several months, Stan “the man” Lee has been fighting his
personal battle with His life long employer, Marvel Comics.
Stan is probably one of the most well known character
creators in the comic book industry. He has characters like
Batman, Spider-Man and the Hulk credited to his creative
imagination.

Seems Stan had a contractual agreement with Marvel for 10%
of any revenue acquired by Marvel from comic book superhero
movies and TV projects centered on Stan characters. But
apparently the high dollar superstructure of the corporate
mind doesn’t want to part with all their income. Now this
is nothing new, but Stan Lee managed to win the first round
for the little guy. The judge presiding over Stan’s case
agreed that Stan should receive his share of the agreed on
profits.

Now maybe Stan will get his share and maybe he won’t.
Sounds like Marvel will be appealing the decision. At any
rate, if there weren’t big bucks involved in the production
of comic book superhero movies, this case would not have
been such an issue.

I believe the near future is going to bring many more of my
favorite comic book superheroes to the silver screen. I
have already started my own DVD collection and as more
comic book superheroes get transferred from the screen to
round disc, I will continue to increase the size of my
collection. Do you think a DVD comic book movie collection
will be worth as much as a comic book collection in the
future? Probably not, but that won’t stop me from building
my collection anyway.

What does the future hold for comic book superhero movies?
It almost seems that we can call the present and near
future the Golden Age of the comic book movie. I spend a
lot of time researching comic book superheros and creating
new content for my comic book site. Is there a movie in the
planning stages for your favorite comic book superhero? A
frequent visit to my site may inform you as to when you can
expect the next comic book movie. See you there.]]>