rorschachs journal

Zack Snyder Speaks!!!

noreply@blogger.com (rorschach) — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 00:11:00 +0000

Thanks to eMMe from CinemaNotizie.COM for the link.

EXCLUSIVE: Colleen Doran Interview

noreply@blogger.com (rorschach) — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 21:11:00 +0000

Colleen Doran is an American comic book writer and artist, best known for her fantasy series A Distant Soil.

Doran broke into the comic book industry when still a teenager, in the 1980s. A Distant Soil was originally published by Wendy and Richard Pini's WaRP Graphics, publishers of Elfquest, but Doran subsequently left the company due to an acrimonious dispute with Richard Pini, whom she alleged was attempting to claim copyright on her work. The WaRP version of the story was never reprinted, despite its unusual all-pencil style, although Colleen Doran did reprint a short Distant Soil story that had appeared in a WaRP anthology. Doran has since illustrated hundreds of comics, graphic novels, books and magazines and dozens of stories and articles.

Rorschachs Journal recently had the opportunity to speak with Colleen about the forthcoming 'Watchmen' Film:

RJ: The Watchmen Movie, what are your greatest hopes and fears?

CD: Well, my greatest hope is that it will be a wonderful movie, true to the book! And my greatest fear is that it won't! I dread a Watchmen film that has little resemblance to the source material, but we've seen that time and again. I hope that the Hollywood people will trust Allan Moore's story enough to leave it as it is, as much as possible.

RJ: If you were chosen to storyboard the film, would you emulate Dave Gibbons' work or try a new approach?

CD: Oh, I would stick to what Gibbons has done. Definitely. It's a very clean, no nonsense approach. I've always thought that the more complex the story, the cleaner the approach should be on the art.

RJ: What do you think of the casting thus far?

CD: I was keen on all of the casting except for Ozymandius. I really had my heart set on Jude Law. Otherwise, everyone looks great.

RJ: In your opinion, what are some of the bigger script challenges the writers and Zack Snyder are facing?

CD: The massive content of the story, cramming it all into a feature film. Honestly, I'd have gone with a miniseries.

Frankly, the biggest challenge is always industry money people interfering with creative work.

RJ: Would you include the pirate sub-plot in the script if it were up to you?

CD: I don't see how they could fit in in there with everything else going on. I imagine they'll cut it, but frankly, cutting anything makes my hair go the wrong way.

RJ: Any last thoughts or comments on the film so far?

CD: Please God, let it be good!

www.colleendoran.com

Jeffrey Dean Morgan Talks Watchmen

noreply@blogger.com (rorschach) — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 03:14:00 +0000

From superheroflix.com: When you traipse through the (name removed) Hotel in Vancouver, B.C., there's no telling whom you might run into. Dubbed the (name removed) by Arielle Kebbel, on location this month filming A Tale of Two Sisters, its where most actors end up crashing when they are shipped off to the country of back bacon and Pilsner beer for a gig. As soon as I walked in the door of the swanky accommodations, I spotted Robocop's Miguel Ferrer heading off to a party. Then Kebbel waltzed through with a huge smile on her face. Later that night, a few fellow journalists from IESB.net, IGN.com, and I spotted Jeffery Dean Morgan hanging out in the lounge.

I went up to the man and chatted with him for a moment. He was a very pleasant and corrigible fellow, though I sensed that he could kill me in a heartbeat. If you didn't know, he is playing The Comedian in Zack Snyder's theatrical adaptation of Watchmen (not to be confused with Keanu Reeves' The Night Watchman). I asked how his shoot was going, and he said, "They have us all up here in Vancouver on a very regimented diet and workout program. We're all in training right now." About the actual movie, he claimed, "We're all being kept in the dark about what is actually going on with the production. Everybody is asking me about, and I don't know much myself. They are pretty much keeping me in the dark as well. You probably know more than me." [More]

Zack Snyder to direct 'Illustrated'

noreply@blogger.com (rorschach) — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 21:28:00 +0000

Warner Bros. has tattooed Zack Snyder's name on its redo of "The Illustrated Man." The helmer, busy prepping "Watchmen" for the studio, is attached to direct and produce the remake based on Ray Bradbury's collection of short stories by the same name. "Watchmen" scribe Alex Tse will tackle the screenplay. The collection, first published in 1951, is narrated by a mysterious man with living tattoos that predict the future. Rod Steiger starred in the title role for the 1969 bigscreen adaptation, distributed by Warner Bros.-Seven Arts; Claire Bloom co-starred. Di Novi Pictures and Snyder's shingle, Cruel and Unusual Films, are producing the remake. Denise Di Novi, and Deborah Snyder, the helmer's wife and producing partner, are also producing, along with Frank Darabont. Cruel and Unusual's Wesley Coller and Di Novi's Alison Greenspan are exec producing. [More]

René A. Guzman: A 'Watchmen' T-shirt to die for

noreply@blogger.com (rorschach) — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 00:20:00 +0000

From blogs.mysanantonio.com: If you love "Watchmen" (and c'mon, who doesn't?) then you must, must, must vote to get this T-shirt made.

The designer notes the watches (natch) symbolize the major "Watchmen" characters, adding that the watches were also "symbolically placed, again with allusion to the storyline." Now that's true fanboy love. [More]

Tyler Bates Interview

noreply@blogger.com (rorschach) — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 16:19:00 +0000

From shocktillyoudrop.com (via comics2film.com): Composer Tyler Bates scored '300' for Zack Snyder. He's since been invited to work on 'Watchmen' with the director as well. In an extensive interview with ShockTilYouDrop.com, Bates talks about his process, his films and what he has in store for the controversial comic book adaptation:

You can't talk about the modern horror movie without discussing the remakes, and while there have been many dogs, one of the remakes that still stands up three years later is Zack Snyder's Dawn of the Dead. Before you start up on the tired fast-vs-slow zombies debate, that's not what we're here to talk about. No, this is about the musician who composed the film's score, Tyler Bates, who has been making waves in Hollywood after a number of breakout hit movies. Soon after doing the score for Dawn, Bates was working with Rob Zombie on his 2005 sequel The Devil's Rejects and with Dawn writer James Gunn on his directorial debut Slither, placing Bates firmly among the pantheon of modern horror movie composers. [More]

Watchmen Shares 'Smallville' & Other's Space

noreply@blogger.com (rorschach) — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 03:17:00 +0000

Officials in the Vancouver suburb that is a hub for runaway production insist that the strength of the Canadian dollar is not scaring away any of their greenback business. After Montreal for 300, it's Burnaby for Watchmen. According to a recent report by the British Columbia Film Commission, film and TV production in the province during the first quarter of 2007 was down about 20%, with 34 projects in production compared to 42 for the same period last year. But don’t tell that to folks in Burnaby, B.C., a suburb of Vancouver that owns 56% of the Lower Mainland region’s soundstage space. “We’re not seeing any shift at all; if anything, it’s business as usual,” the city’s filming coordinator Susan Rae tells the Burnaby News Leader. “I don’t know if it would make any difference if it [the Canadian dollar] goes to [U.S.] par. We’re so set up now with really good crews and studio space.” Productions currently camped out in Burnaby include the TV series Smallville and the 2009 feature Watchmen, Zack Snyder’s follow-up to 300. The latter is currently in pre-production there, with plans to roll from September through February, 2008. [More]

Billy Crudup Interview

noreply@blogger.com (rorschach) — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 02:45:00 +0000

Billy Crudup was recently interviewed in WireImage's latest podcast. Take a listen/look. [More]

'Watchmen' adds Gugino as do-gooder

noreply@blogger.com (rorschach) — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 02:40:00 +0000

Carla Gugino has joined the cast of "Watchmen," Warner Bros. Pictures' adaptation of the DC Comics limited series being directed by Zack Snyder. Gugino joins Patrick Wilson, Jackie Earle Haley, Matthew Goode, Billy Crudup, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Malin Akerman in the movie, which is set in an alternate America that has passed a law banning costumed crimefighters. When one is murdered, the remaining members set out to solve the mystery. Gugino will play Sally Jupiter, a burlesque dancer-turned-costumed heroine and sex symbol the Silk Spectre who is part of the Minutemen, a group of heroes who preceded the Watchmen. She also is the mother of the new Silk Spectre (Akerman). [More]

Back.

noreply@blogger.com (rorschach) — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Back from out of town trip.

more updates soon.

'ryan gray' emails not from me.

Watchmen Deviantart

noreply@blogger.com (rorschach) — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 17:46:00 +0000

Awesome Deviantart from Willian Abreu, click on any image to check it out.

New "Poster" Images Added

noreply@blogger.com (rorschach) — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 02:18:00 +0000

new images added.

poster campaign going well.

need more images.

mail yours in today.

Zack Snyder At Comic-Con: We Join An Epic Director For An Epic Day

noreply@blogger.com (rorschach) — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 14:49:00 +0000

By Larry Carroll: SAN DIEGO — One year ago, "Dawn of the Dead" director Zack Snyder walked the halls of Comic-Con unnoticed, telling anyone who'd listen that his weird little flick "300" would be something worth watching. Late last month, the tattooed, affable auteur returned to San Diego much like King Leonidas — a revered hero whose box-office triumph has led to the glorious snagging of "Watchmen," the Con's most beloved graphic novel, as his next project. In just 12 months, Snyder has gone from another behind-the-camera wannabe to the most promising director in Hollywood with only two films in his catalog. His humor recalls Tarantino, his style is downright Kubrick-ian, and his rare ability to appease the commercial aspects of filmmaking is reminiscent of a young Spielberg. [More]

Win a super rare signed 300-Edition Xbox 360 Elite and 300 HD DVD!

noreply@blogger.com (rorschach) — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 14:37:00 +0000

From engadget.com: We've given away any number of Xbox 360s on Engadget in the past, but never one with the level of awesome turned up to 11 (or, in this case, 300). Today we're giving away one of just 20 super rare Xbox 360 Elite consoles printed with blood designs from 300 -- but rarer still since it's friggin' signed by Frank Miller and Zack Snyder. The details of what the winner takes:

300-Edition Xbox 360 Elite (120GB drive, wireless controller, etc.)
Console is signed by 300 creator and comic legend Frank Miller, as well as Zack Snyder, director of the eponymous film
300 combo DVD / HD DVD (which is, incidentally, out today) to go right along with it.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE CONTEST!

Arts and Leisure: The big battle - It's edge versus respectability as graphic novels go mainstream

noreply@blogger.com (rorschach) — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 16:21:00 +0000

by Peter Rowe: Look, on the horizon! Is that a bird ... a plane ... or perhaps the final comics crisis? Is this Armageddon for artists, Gotterdammerung for graphic novelists? GRAPHICS AND CULTURE - Graphic novels -- essentially comic books with an extended narrative -- are continuing to gain fans, and respectability. CNS Photo by Laura Embry. In the 20th century, comic books endured congressional hearings and parental condemnation. The industry, like Plastic Man, always bounced back. The 21st century, though, has ushered in a relentless new foe: Respectability. "We need some of that air of disrepute," said Tom Spurgeon, editor of The Comics Reporter, an online site. "I think that it retains a little bit of a cool factor that way." Bad news, then. Graphic novels - essentially comic books that tell an extended narrative - continue to gain fans. Even among, alas, the cultural elite. [More]

Zack Snyder presents 'Watchmen' at Comic-Con

noreply@blogger.com (rorschach) — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 16:13:00 +0000

Didn't make it out to comic-con to hear what Zack Snyder had to say about 'Watchmen'? No worries. Just watch Comics2Film's complete video of the event. [More]

Comic-Con Footage

noreply@blogger.com (rorschach) — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 01:53:00 +0000

From grrrace.vox.com: Steve took quite a bit of footage of the panels at the con. If you're interested, click this link to watch zack snyder present the info on the Watchmen movie. Stay tuned... there will be more stuff to watch soon! :) [More]

Brit Actor Matthew Goode on 'The Lookout' for 'Watchmen'

noreply@blogger.com (rorschach) — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 18:52:00 +0000

Warner Bros. has landed its "Watchmen" for the big-screen adaptation of the hugely popular graphic novel. British actor Matthew Goode ("Chasing Liberty") joins Billy Crudup and Patrick Wilson in the film as retired superheroes tasked to watch over humanity. Based on Alan Moore's 1980s comicbook series, the adaptation will be set in an alternate 1985 with plenty of Cold War overtones. Goode nabbed the part of the glamorous Ozymandias, a role once tagged for Jude Law. In the meantime, Goode can be seen in Miramax Films' critically acclaimed thriller "The Lookout" which will be shown exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas (Glorietta 4 & Greenbelt 3) starting August 8. [More]

SDCC 07: Zack Snyder Interview

noreply@blogger.com (rorschach) — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 02:33:00 +0000

From IGN: August 1, 2007 - On Friday, July 27, 2007, Zack Snyder spoke to Comic-Con attendees about his forthcoming adaptation of the Alan Moore comic book Watchmen. Following his presentation at the Warner Brothers panel, Snyder spoke to a handful of journalists about his progress on the film, indicating that he wants the film to function in a world conscious not only of political realities, but cinematic ones as well. [More]

Gerard Butler as The Black Freighter’s Castaway in Watchmen?

noreply@blogger.com (rorschach) — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 19:38:00 +0000

From beyondhollywood.com: Will Gerard Butler be in Zack Snyder’s “Watchmen” after all? Snyder has said in the past that he wants Butler to be in the movie in some capacity, and Butler himself has all but agreed that he would like to have some part in the movie, even if it wasn’t a big one (his schedule would seem to preclude a too-big role that would require too much commitment). The guys over at UGO has the lowdown on the possible/probably Butler appearance (cameo?) in “Watchmen”. [More]

Snyder talks Watchmen production

noreply@blogger.com (rorschach) — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 15:51:00 +0000

From Rope of Silicon (via filmstalker.co.uk) Zack Snyder has been talking some about his work on Watchmen and where they are so far. He sounds very positive about it all, although the previous talk that nothing would be changed seems to be slipping slightly.

Now before I go on I'm expecting things to change. Despite his word that the setting and such would remain the same, there's no way it could be identical. After all if it is then where's the uniqueness, where are the surprises, where's the suspense? Are only new fans going to find it that exciting and the other Watchmen fans will view it thinking how wonderfully each frame has made it to the screen? [More]

Zack Snyder and Quint have a brief conversation about WATCHMEN! Pirate storyline! Rorschach! More!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (rorschach) — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 19:04:00 +0000

From AICN: Ahoy, squirts! Quint here. I was one of the select few who was granted a one on one interview with Zack Snyder. I think Devin from CHUD snagged one as well, but one of the concessions of doing a 1:1 instead of a roundtable interview was that I only had about 5 minutes. Luckily for me, Snyder’s excited about this project and loves to talk, so I was able to squeeze out a few more minutes with a little conversational final question. Enjoy and look out for the sound-o-text links!!! [More]

Stephen McHattie IS Hollis J. Mason

noreply@blogger.com (rorschach) — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 18:50:00 +0000

One of the overlooked casting additions from this weekend was veteran actor Stephen McHattie, who will be taking on the role of Hollis J. Mason (Night Owl I) in Zack Snyder's 'Watchmen'. McHattie, a 60 year old Canadian actor, was last seen as the deformed Spartan known as "Loyalist" in '300'. He has racked up hundreds of TV credits from Kojak to Guiding Light to Quantum Leap, Enterprise, The 4400, Seinfeld, The X-Files and more. He voices 'The Shade' in the Justice League cartoon and can next be seen in 'Shoot 'Em Up' with Clive Owen, Monica Bellucci and Paul Giamatti.

Select Few 'Comic-Con' Images Posted

noreply@blogger.com (rorschach) — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 18:19:00 +0000

A select few images from the Warner Bros. Comic-Con panel have been posted online, click on the image for more. If you have some, or wish to point me in the right direction where there are more posted, drop me a line.

Zack Snyder's "300" on DVD Today

noreply@blogger.com (rorschach) — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 17:58:00 +0000

Zack Snyder's "300" is out on DVD today, pick it up for a great thrill ride of a movie.

300 (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)

300 [Blu-ray]

300 (Combo HD DVD and Standard DVD) [HD DVD]

300 (Widescreen Single Disc Edition)

300 (Full Screen Single Disc Edition)