I'll keep this short. You may or may not be familiar with American McGee's "Alice". For those of you who aren't, it was a dark, twisted Silent Hill-esque version of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, in the form of a PC game.
A movie has been planned for some time, but has been stuck in development hell. Today, sniffing around for updates, I've discovered that the movie is officially off. That's it. There isn't going to be a Dark Alice any time soon.
Not five minutes before, I found out that Saw 5 (yes, Saw FIVE) is being released this month.
IS THERE NO JUSTICE!?!? STUPID BUM HEADS!!!!! I like Hollywood flicks as much as the next guy - brainless entertainment is fine by me - but finally, when a chance to make something different and original and potentially stunning comes up, they drop the whole thing and focus on sequels that spawn like rabbits. Hear that Saw? You're a rabbit! And rabbits are, for the most part, not scary! So put THAT in your pipe and smoke it!
NO JUSTICE AT ALL.
Full Version: Hollywood, you've let me down.
That saw ever got made is enough of a reason for me to loathe Hollywood. That it gets 4 sequels, with god only knows how many more in the works, is reason enough to have Hollywood burned to the ground, and a massive exorcism performed on the ashes.
Although, that business with Alice may have been for the best. Video game movies don't tend to come out very well, and not just because of the source material.
I remember an interview with the creator of Advent Rising, which was meant to be part one of a trilogy, but the publisher rushed the game, screwed up the marketing, and then axed the sequels when the first didn't sell well enough to end the companies financial woes. And even though they refused to make the games, they wouldn't let go of the rights, so the creator couldn't finish the trilogy as a game, so he tried to remake it as a movie. But in every meeting with every studio, he'd mention major stars and directors, and they'd reply by offering the same crews that make all the other video game movies.
If ever there was a game that deserved a movie, Advent Rising is it, but Hollywood doesn't get it, they just see an opportunity to exploit an existing intellectual property and fanbase.
Although, that business with Alice may have been for the best. Video game movies don't tend to come out very well, and not just because of the source material.
I remember an interview with the creator of Advent Rising, which was meant to be part one of a trilogy, but the publisher rushed the game, screwed up the marketing, and then axed the sequels when the first didn't sell well enough to end the companies financial woes. And even though they refused to make the games, they wouldn't let go of the rights, so the creator couldn't finish the trilogy as a game, so he tried to remake it as a movie. But in every meeting with every studio, he'd mention major stars and directors, and they'd reply by offering the same crews that make all the other video game movies.
If ever there was a game that deserved a movie, Advent Rising is it, but Hollywood doesn't get it, they just see an opportunity to exploit an existing intellectual property and fanbase.
QUOTE (makeitstop @ Oct 10 2008, 09:56 PM) 
That saw ever got made is enough of a reason for me to loathe Hollywood. That it gets 4 sequels, with god only knows how many more in the works, is reason enough to have Hollywood burned to the ground, and a massive exorcism performed on the ashes.
...
If ever there was a game that deserved a movie, Advent Rising is it, but Hollywood doesn't get it, they just see an opportunity to exploit an existing intellectual property and fanbase.
...
If ever there was a game that deserved a movie, Advent Rising is it, but Hollywood doesn't get it, they just see an opportunity to exploit an existing intellectual property and fanbase.
What hurts the most is that it's true.
Yeah. I just don't understand how they can be so out of touch with reality.
Everyone wants the big blockbuster franchises these days, because they are a moneymaker, and once established, they are a safe bet. They'd rather make a horrible sequel to a terrible movie, than take a chance on something new and different that might actually be interesting. And when they do make something new, it's only because something similar worked in the past. I've wanted to see a prince of persia movie for years, but they are only making it now because someone said "Jerry Bruckheimer" and "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "2.7 billion dollars" when pitching it. Now, I have a lot of faith in Jordan Mechner, the creator of the series, but I am not that confident that it won't be ruined by the powers that be, who just want to copy their previous successes. In fact, I am assuming it's ruined until proven otherwise.
And they wonder why they keep having trouble. If they'd focus on quality and actually approach films as an art form, they wouldn't have nearly as many bombs.
And don't even get me started on the message movies that only 5 people see but they just can't stop making. It's enough to make you sick.
I think if millions of years ago, primates had known that there would be studio executives (as well as lawyers, politicians, journalists and bureaucrats) they would have stayed in the trees and written off evolution as a bad idea.
Everyone wants the big blockbuster franchises these days, because they are a moneymaker, and once established, they are a safe bet. They'd rather make a horrible sequel to a terrible movie, than take a chance on something new and different that might actually be interesting. And when they do make something new, it's only because something similar worked in the past. I've wanted to see a prince of persia movie for years, but they are only making it now because someone said "Jerry Bruckheimer" and "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "2.7 billion dollars" when pitching it. Now, I have a lot of faith in Jordan Mechner, the creator of the series, but I am not that confident that it won't be ruined by the powers that be, who just want to copy their previous successes. In fact, I am assuming it's ruined until proven otherwise.
And they wonder why they keep having trouble. If they'd focus on quality and actually approach films as an art form, they wouldn't have nearly as many bombs.
And don't even get me started on the message movies that only 5 people see but they just can't stop making. It's enough to make you sick.
I think if millions of years ago, primates had known that there would be studio executives (as well as lawyers, politicians, journalists and bureaucrats) they would have stayed in the trees and written off evolution as a bad idea.
The people responsible for Date/Scary/Epic/Superhero/Distaster Movie should have horrible things done to them.
Hollywood always lets people down....its all about the illusions.
I've been waiting, for over two years now, for Killshot, based on the novel by Elmore Leonard, but it's been stuck waiting because the Weinsteins are dragging their heels. Its finally being released in January 2009, but the only reason for that is because Mickey Rourke, who has a leading part in Killshot, is a major Best Actor contender for Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler. I'm glad we're finally getting this movie, but I wish it were on the movie's own merits (whatever they may be) rather than another film's potential awards value.
Hollywood... what a system.
Hollywood... what a system.
QUOTE (CRJakes @ Nov 2 2008, 06:17 PM)
I've been waiting, for over two years now, for Killshot, based on the novel by Elmore Leonard, but it's been stuck waiting because the Weinsteins are dragging their heels. Its finally being released in January 2009, but the only reason for that is because Mickey Rourke, who has a leading part in Killshot, is a major Best Actor contender for Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler. I'm glad we're finally getting this movie, but I wish it were on the movie's own merits (whatever they may be) rather than another film's potential awards value.
Hollywood... what a system.
Hollywood... what a system.
Wow, that's just messed up.
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