Now in our fifth calendar year
“Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith”
In 1983 the Jedi was going to unleash revenge, but that’s contradicts the Jedi Knight code of contact, doesn’t it? Well, the subsequent title change to “Return of the Jedi” was in the midnight hour.
Leave it to George Lucas to recycle another one of his ideas with the Sith enacting revenge leaving Anakin Skywalker as Darth Vader. Well, we’ll see.
Besides this release, the San Diego Comic Com plays home to the largest gathering of celebrities and filmmakers outside of Cannes. About 80,000 converge in southern California to the biggest comic show in the country to see Michael Chiklis (Thing in the “Fantastic Four”), Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy) pimping her film “The Grudge”, or “Constantine” director Francis Lawrence defending the film as a character piece not a CGI-fest.
Well, don’t let anyone tell you that comics aren’t popular, there’s only about half as many in Boston for the Democratic Convention.
The Future for “Spider-Man”
Is it too early to talk about “Spider-Man 3”? I hope not.
First off, I hate the fact the studio dumped the title for 2 (proposed to be “The Amazing Spider-Man” with #3 to be “Spectacular”) – Hollywood just doesn’t get it, do they?
So, Raimi and Maguire tease in interviews about the third installment. My favorite comments allude to incorporating Sandman as the villain.
Uh, what? Who cares about Sandman? First off, the story setup is right out of the comics leaving Harry Osborn to become the Hobgoblin or a new Green Goblin. Sam is talking about Sandman, maybe Electro or the Vulture.
Dylan Baker played the one-armed Dr. Curt Connors who develops regeneration from reptiles and ultimately becomes the horrifying Lizard. The dark, grisly tale that Todd McFarlane did in the early '90s would be well adapted for Raimi, but wouldn’t bode well with the Sony’s image of Spidey.
What would I like to see?
An intro that would include a summary of Spidey’s heroics: capturing the Rhino, Electro or Mysterio and the Jonah Jameson headlines painting Spider-Man as the menace.
Right out some recent comics, I’d follow that up with the Aunt May letter writing and campaign against the Bugle because of Jonah’s bias. Note, however, it is crucial to NOT reveal whether or not May know’s Peter’s secret.
There may some truth to the rumors from Sony that more that three Spidey films could be made. If that is even REMOTELY true, then there should be the intro and setup of Eddie Brock who becomes the super-symbiotic villainous Venom.
With Bryan Singer leaving the “X-Men” films to save “Superman” from the WB and Sony cashing in on “Spider-Man”, the king of the comic book franchises is just getting started.
Identity Crisis for “Catwoman”
If you hate the creative liberties Hollywood screenwriters use in recent screen adaptations of classic comic book characters, then DO NOT go see “Catwoman”.
She’s still a jewel thief with a conscious, but Selina Kyle is now a black woman named Patience Phillips played by Halle Berry.
The film is a little more than a series of MTV sequences between the predictable plot. Plot, well, there’s an attempt at suspense or a crime – nevermind. It’s such a mess – the film never could figure out what kind of film it wanted to be. Note to the filmmakers: if the audience knows what’s going on, they don’t care to watch the lead actress wander around clueless. It would be stale if it were ever interesting to begin with.
Then there’s the cliché, climax – well, it’s both really. Catwoman’s big escape and confrontation with the mastermind results into the moment where I just about walked out:
Detective Tom (Benjamin Bratt): "If Patience Phillips is back in her cell, then there’s no way she could be Catwoman."
Oh really? She’s the only black woman in town. She’s definitely the only HOT woman…nevermind.
My son commented at a commercial: "Hey Dad, I know why Catwoman and Batman fight the bad guys at night?"
My reply: "Oh yeah?"
The eight-year-old: "Because if it were daytime, they get a sunburn around their mask."
Brilliant. Maybe he should make the next film. Yeah, Halle commented in an interview about the possibility.
Ash In Comics
Army of Darkness: Ashes to Ashes #1 probably is on the comic stand as you read this. The cult favorite “Evil Dead” series serves up another serving of humor, action, fantasy and sci-fi that gave the Sam Raimi’s films an incredible following.
The 1993 Dark Horse mini-series is a diamond in the rough and will sell for significantly more than the $ 3-5 price tag. Expect these to be just as popular with four different artists serving up cover art and a photo cover also to be released.
Avengers Disassemble!!!
Yep, that’s the title for issue 500! Five hundred! Wow, I grew up loving the soap opera that was The Avengers, especially George Perez and John Byrne. Issue # 181 was a favorite of mine because it had about 50 or more characters crammed on the front. The August 28th issue will be number 500 and will have Marvel superboy Brian Michael Bendis shaking things up. If you need to get a comic fix, check it out – I will.
"Splash Page" is ©2004 by Brandon Jones. Webpage design and all graphics herein (except where otherwise noted) are creations of Nolan B. Canova. All contents of Nolan's Pop Culture Review are ©2004 by Nolan B. Canova.