Universal Studios have just placed this new TV spot for the latest ride to hit Universal Studios Hollywood and it’s the Transformers ride.which is no doubt set to blow your socks off! It’ll hit the park in May and is guaranteed to come equipped with Bayhem!

The ride follows on from the movie franchise directed by Michael Bay and which stars Shia LaBeouf running around with his friends, the Autobots while trying to defeat the evil Decepticons! I’ve not been to Universal Studios Hollywood for 14 years but maybe it’s time i went back!

Visit PrepareForBattle.com for more info!

I never read Vanity Fair…. except around this time of the year when they release their Hollywood issue and get numerous a-listers to appear on the cover! This year, it’s all about the ladies and features stars of forthcoming or recently released movies and as usual, they all look completely fabulous!

The 2012 issue features shots by photographer Mario Testino of Hollywood ladies – Rooney Mara, Mia Wasikowska, Jennifer Lawrence, Jessica Chastain, Elizabeth Olsen, Adepero Oduye, Shailene Woodley, Paula Patton, Felicity Jones, Lily Collins, and Brit Marling.

Click the image below to enlarge and scroll down for interviews with three of the lovely ladies and watch a behind the scenes video.

If you can’t remember what the 2011 issue look like, click here to view!

Source: Vanity Fair (with a nod to FTRC for the heads up)

We knew it was coming but Universal have just sent us the press release with the info for the brand new Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Hollywood! They’ve also detailed news of the expansion of the existing Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort.

I’ve placed the full press release below. Woop woop for all Muggles out there!

HOGWARTS IS COMING TO HOLLYWOOD!

Warner Bros. and Universal Parks and Resorts to bring The Wizarding World of Harry Potter to Universal Studios Hollywood

Significant Expansion Also Planned for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort

 Hollywood, CA (Dec. 6, 2011) – Warner Bros. Entertainment and Universal Parks and Resorts today announced a partnership to bring The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – the enormously popular themed entertainment environment which debuted in Orlando in June 2010 – to Universal Studios Hollywood.

The two companies also announced their plans to significantly expand The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood will be as impressive as what has been created in Orlando – and is expected to transform tourism in Los Angeles for decades to come. It will be a fully immersive environment for the entire family that brings the stories of Harry Potter to life and is faithful to the visual landscape of the films, including a majestic Hogwarts castle to serve as the centrepiece of the themed environment.  The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood will be created with the same commitment to authenticity and the same level of talent and resources as its Orlando counterpart.

“I am delighted that The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has been so popular with fans since the opening in Orlando last year and I am sure that the teams at Universal and Warner Bros. will bring their expertise and attention to detail to Hollywood to make this new experience equally as exciting,” said J.K. Rowling.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort opened in June 2010 and immediately captured global attention.  It is a spectacularly themed land that includes Hogwarts castle, Hogsmeade and multiple themed attractions.  Specific details of its expansion will be announced over time.

“The announcement of our partnership with Universal to bring The Wizarding World of Harry Potter to Hollywood and expand what already exists in Orlando is probably the best holiday gift we could give to the legions of Harry Potter fans worldwide,” said Barry Meyer, Chairman & CEO, Warner Bros.  “Everyone involved with these projects is committed to continuing the enchantment of J.K. Rowling’s masterful books as they were brought to life on screen in our eight films and dedicated to extending the magic of the experience for generations of fans to come.”

Announcement – 2

“This is an incredible moment for Universal Studios and the millions of guests who visit our theme parks,” said Ron Meyer, President & COO, Universal Studios.  “The Harry Potter stories are some of the most powerful of our time and we are honoured to expand our Orlando experience and bring The Wizarding World of Harry Potter to Hollywood, forever changing family tourism in Los Angeles.”

“The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is an entirely new level of themed entertainment that brings the stories of Harry Potter to life in incredible ways,” said Tom Williams, Chairman and CEO, Universal Parks and Resorts.  “We are thrilled to be able to share this experience with our guests in Hollywood.  And we are thrilled to take what has been created in Orlando to even greater levels.”

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Here at HeyUGuys, we aim to provide you with an all-encompassing look into the world of film. Whether you’re a fully-fledged cineaste, or just possess a casual interest, there’s something for anyone with our alternative A-Z of cinema, which starts today and runs through the week.

If you’ve ever wondered just what it is an Executive Producer does, or maybe if you’ve heard the ambient sounds of Tangerine Dream in an 80’s film favourite without knowing who you were listening to, this is the list for you!

Here are the letters F-J…

Fat City (1972) is an American character-based drama film directed by John Huston, and star’s Stacy Keach, Susan Tyrrell and a young Jeff Bridges. The film is based on the 1969 novel of the same name by Leonard Gardner, who also wrote the screenplay. Tyrrell received an Oscar nomination for her role as Keach’s bitter, alcoholic, sometime partner.

Set in Stockton, California (and shot mostly on location there too) the film offers a sobering glimpse at broke, disillusioned working-class figures on the edge of society. Keach plays a boxer past his prime who meets a younger wannabe fighter (Bridges) whom he takes under his wing, which eventually inspires the older pugilist to attempt to get back into the ring himself.

Director John Huston (1906-1987) was a filmmaker who worked on a wide variety of material throughout his career, ranging from classic Hollywood fare like The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The African Queen and The Maltese Falcon, to more grounded low-key, intimate pictures alongside the 70’s new wave like Fat City and 1979’s Wise Blood.

Gary Busey (1944 -) is an American actor who has appeared in over 120 films. He is arguably best known for two surfing-themed features, both two decades apart (1978’s Big Wednesday and 1991’s Point Break).

In 1988, Busey was severely injured in a motorcycle accident in which he was not wearing a helmet. At first thought to be minor, Busey’s brain injury was later diagnosed as having a greater effect on him than first realised, causing an affliction which makes the sufferer speak and act impulsively. As outlandish as this may seem, you only need to watch YouTube footage of Busey at any recent premiere or awards ceremony to see that there is something amiss.

Although he received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in 1978 for his role in The Buddy Holly Story, it’s been a case of diminishing returns for the last decade or so (where he’s cropped up in a number of cheap B-movies), although his surreal recurring cameo appearances on Entourage are frequently hilarious (no doubt exacerbated by his current mental state!).

Hollywood Walk of Fame (The). These popular tourist attractions can be found adorning a series of sidewalks along both sides of a 15-block segment of Hollywood Boulevard and a 3-block segment of Vine Street in Hollywood, Los Angeles. Serving as a permanent public monument to the achievements of figures from the entertainment industry, there are over 2,400 tiled and brass-lined stars across a combined 1.7 miles of pavement.

The stars recognise an eclectic mix of actors, musicians, directors, producers, musical and theatrical groups and even popular fictitious characters, and are said to attract around ten million visitors annually.

Many of the more egocentric celebrities who possess a star there probably breathed a sigh of relief when a $4.2 million restoration of the Walk was initiated in 2008. This came about mainly due to the wear and tear suffered over the years – from minor cosmetic flaws to damage severe enough to pose a potential trip hazard for member of the public. At least 778 stars will eventually be repaired or replaced during the ongoing project.

Ichi the Killer (2001) is an adaptation of a popular manga comic which follows the hunt for a missing Yakuza boss by his fellow gang members, lead by the mutilated and masochist Kakihara (a visual precursor to Heath Ledger’s Joker). They cross paths with the mysterious Ichi, a shy and repressed soul with a dark childhood secret, whose alter-ego is a frighteningly effective psycho killer.

The film is very much in line with the Japanese horror (aka J-horror) from a decade or so back, and features liberal lashing of sexual violence and gore, all tied together with the most twisted comic book-inspired protagonist ever to grace screens.

Director by the tremendously prolific Takashi Miike (who at one point in the mid-noughties, was averaging four or five films a year!!) Ichi the Killer could be considered tame by his usual standards, but there is still enough here to entertain, disgust and enthrall in equal measure. A direct-to-video sequel and animated prequel followed a couple of years later.

Jerry Harvey (1949-1988) was the founder of the Z Channel, a US cable channel launched in the mid-seventies which was renowned for showing a wide range of eclectic and otherwise unobtainable film. It was also one of the first pay-to-view cable stations in America. Harvey was someone who ate, breathed and slept cinema, championing films which had been missed or largely ignored by the mainstream.

Coming across as a kind of cineaste groupie, he managed to befriend a number of his idols (including such luminaries as Sam Peckinpah and Robert Altman) before his personal life spiraled out of control, leading to tragic circumstances which resulted in Harvey shooting dead his second wife before turning the gun on himself.

A documentary about his life and accomplishments was made in 2004. Directed by John Cassavetes’ daughter, Alexandra, Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession features talking heads from contemporary filmmakers and fans of the long-defunct channel, including Jim Jarmusch, Alexander Payne and Quentin Tarantino.

Check out A-E here.

Last week we were invited to an event at visual effects and computer animation studio Framestore, which showcased the new cinema advert for LG Electronics 3D TV.

Richard Ayoade (best known for his role in The IT Crowd and the director behind the highly-anticipated, upcoming rites of passage comedy feature, Submarine) joined forces with Framestore’s digital team to direct the ad and the end product is a virtuoso, single take, in-camera delight which more than adequately demonstrates the advantages of having 3D in the home.

Designed to inform consumers and ease the confusion around this new domestic technology, a live-action FAQ has also been devised (embedded with the advert below). Comedy duo Tim Key and Lloyd Wolf deliver pre-recorded answers through the online interface in response to consumers’ questions.

LG’s vision of using fun and entertaining means of educating consumers was certainly reflected in the package here. Like the advert, it’s clear that Ayoade has been given the freedom to infuse this viral with his own quirky sensibilities, resulting in a wonderfully kitsch-style, which filters though to the art direction, and is brought to life by the performances of two comedians who have a real rapport together and are genuinely hilarious.

As a leading effects company, Framestore have worked on a variety of major Hollywood productions over the past 20 years or so, and guests were treated to a behind-the-scenes look at the digital processes involved in delivering the initial crew landing segment from Avatar – a brief minute or so of screen time, but a project which took the company months to create and perfect in accordance to James Cameron’s rigorous specifications.

The presentation proved to be a fun and informative hour or so, which provided an engaging glimpse into what big electronic companies are doing to ease consumers into an every-changing digital landscape.

The legendary racehorse Secretariat (who in 1973 became the first U.S. Triple Crown champion in twenty-five years, setting new race records that still stand today) gets the inevitable big-screen treatment in this Hollywood period-drama biopic.

Diane Lane stars as Penny Chenery, a strong-willed and fiercely independent mother of four who takes over her parent’s stables and horse breeding business after her mother passes away, and her ailing father (Scott Glen) is unable to cope. Initially Penny fears that she may have taken on more than she can handle with balancing both the demands of family life with the struggles and resistance she faces in the (then) predominantly male world of horse racing.

A carefully planned purchase of a racehorse she names Secretariat begins to turn her fortunes around when the steed proves to be a thoroughbred winner, bolstered by the help of flamboyant French-Canadian trainer Lucien Laurin (John Malkovich). As Secretariat begins to bring fame and prestige to Chenery and Co., can she continue to keep juggling her responsibilities in the home with that of the racetrack?

The film’s director Randall Wallace is known for playing fast and loose with historical events in the past (he wrote Pearl Harbour, Braveheart and We Were Soldiers) and there’s that same sense of Hollywood putting a happy spin on proceedings here. We get that familiar rose-tinted nostalgic view of 60’s culture and lifestyles, where everything looks so warm and inviting (Lane’s eldest daughter plays the kind of gentle, clean-living hippy which you only see in this type of film).

Such well-worn themes of triumphing in the face of adversity and never giving up on your ambitions are also present and correct, and the film is peppered with the kinds of inspiration speeches and corny nuggets of self-motivation wisdom that would make Rocky wince.

Despite all of this, the action on the racing field and the drama in Chenery’s life is nicely underplayed and the races themselves are well-executed and thrilling as Wallace (shooting on digital) is able to get up close and personal with Secretariat as he thunders through one winning race to the next. Lane is also well cast here and brings a dignity and a sense of resilience to the character she plays (although her Dr. Doolittle-like psychic connection to the horse she appears to hold, did raise a couple of unintentional chuckles between myself and the audience I was sitting with). Even co-star Malkovich is more restrained than usual, even if he runs the risk at times of being outshone (literally) by his gaudy-looking wardrobe.

As with any real-life event, the film occasionally suffers from the makers’ insistence of trying to inject drama into situations where it’s obvious that was very little in the first place. Secretariat doesn’t have much in the way of real competition from his fellow competitors and the introduction of a boo-hiss villain in the form of rival owner and trainer feels very (horse)shoe-horned in and artificial.

For the most part though, this is 90-plus minutes of relatively entertaining and undemanding mainstream Hollywood fodder, which only falls at the hurdle when it attempts to strive for Oscar-baiting displays of grandiosity.

OK, i’ll wait a minute for you to stop laughing. It’s understandable. Stallone has been considered somewhat of a joke by many over the past couple of decades. He doesn’t have the best reputation for range, choice of roles or quality of output but, when it comes down to it, he has been consistently one of the most popular personalities in the industry.

Whether you love Sly or hate him, the evidence of the impact he has had on Hollywood is compelling to say the least. You see, the success of The Expendables at the weekend wasn’t just a return to the star power-led successes of the eighties, it was a huge landmark in the history of the Silver Screen.

The Expendables won the box office at the weekend. This is special because it is the fifth consecutive decade in which Sylvester Stallone has starred in a movie that topped the box office in its opening week. That’s right, dating back from the seventies, every decade a Sylvester Stallone vehicle has opened in the number one position in theatres. This is a massive achievement, and Sly is the only actor to have done it.

It began nearly 35 years ago with Rocky. Now, there don’t seem to be accurate records for Rocky’s opening gross, so we have to skip to Rocky II which won its opening weekend with $6.3m in 1979. In the eighties, it was a handful of box office wins with Rocky III and IV, and First Blood and Rambo II amongst others.

Sly followed this up in the nineties with success in Cliffhanger, the Specialist, etc… with Cliffhanger the biggest opening at $16.1M. It gets a bit thin in the noughties, when Driven, despite being an awful movie, won its opening weekend before fading into obscurity. The Expendables makes up the fifth decade, but at Sly’s age, it is difficult to see him making it six decades in a row – he’ll be 74 in 2020.

I realise, of course, that you’re screaming at me by now, that success can’t be measured purely in monetary terms. How can he be Hollywood’s biggest star when he has been nominated for more Razzies than you can shake a stick at? You’re not wrong, and his biggest award success, worst actor of the decade at said Razzies in 1990, is not indicative of a great actor.

It is somewhat difficult to defend Stallone’s quality of work, but i’ll certainly have a go. He was nominated for Best Actor in a Lead Role at the Academy Awards in 1977 for Rocky, as well as for Best Screenplay. It has gone downhill since then, but there have been some really good performances over the years as far as i am concerned, with Demolition Man, Assassins and Cop Land particularly standing out for me.

I don’t think the man gets a fair shot a lot of the time, he has been tarred with the brush of talentless action hero, and whilst he has made some stinkers, i don’t think he gets the benefit of the doubt because of who he is. I think there are times when he does a great job, but people don’t see it, because they just don’t like him.

There is no doubting that Stallone has not made a genuinely good film for a long time now, and if he continues to pursue sequels like Rambo and Rocky Balboa, not to mention ‘original’ action movies like The Expendables, he is not going to change that. I’m hoping that as a result of The Expendables’ success this Summer, he might get offered some more diverse parts again, and get one last crack at showing the world that he does have some chops, and is not solely suited to shooting scores of extras with dozens of squibs for a living.

I am not a massive fan of Sylvester Stallone, and i don’t find myself particularly anxious to go out and see his latest action blockbuster. I did like him in Rocky and the underrated Cop Land, however, and if he gets to play some more interesting parts i would be much more likely to give him a shot one more time.

Whatever your feelings on Stallone, there is no denying that financially he has been one of the industry’s most successful performers, and regardless of the quality of his output to date, and whatever his future holds, he will always be remembered as one of Hollywood’s biggest stars.

Bazmann – You can follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/baz_mann

Deadline.com is reporting the extremely reassuring news that Inception has passed the $100 million barrier after just 7 days at the domestic (US) box office.

On the surface, this may not be considered a huge feat for your average summer blockbuster, but when you consider that the film is an original piece of work, competing in a season stuffed with comic book adaptations, sequels, remakes and film versions of well-established property, this figure is really impressive. Add to the fact that Inception’s dense, layered narrative doesn’t exactly scream mainstream, and we’re looking at one of the year’s genuine success stories.

Warner Bros took a big gamble on this and must be happy that they have a film which has won over both audience and critics, whilst still reaping a tidy profit in the process. Its early days, but I think Inception has earned the right to sit amongst the classic, distinguished titles in the studio’s back catalogue.

I wonder if Hollywood will start dusting off those original screenplays once considered ‘confusing’ and ‘too challenging’ and produce more original material like this.

Inception proves there is an audience out there who don’t mind pondering over their popcorn.

It was reported last week that MGM may have finally given up on Bond 23, and it has now apparently been cancelled. MGM have been in turmoil for some time now, with financial problems slowing projects, and no sign of a buyer. This is sad news for many people for several reasons.

On the surface, it is clearly a shame for the Bond franchise. James Bond is one of very few enduring British characters in recent cinematic history. Bond movies have been made fairly consistently over the last 50 years, and have always allowed a place for British film in the North American film industry. Bond is not only the most iconic British movie character, he is one of the most recognisable action heroes in cinema.

The Bond movies have never really been considered  high art, and are more popcorn action mixed with elaborate stories of conspiracy and espionage than they are compelling drama and complex characterisation. There had been an improvement in this recently, with Casino Royale considered by many as the best of the Bond films, taking a very serious and gritty Bourne-like view of the gentleman spy.

The news that an Academy Award winner, in the shape of Sam Mendes, was going to take control of the next installment gave hope that Bond would take another step up. The promise of exciting action being linked up with Mendes’ characteristic emotional storytelling style certainly increased my interest in the next film, despite the fact that i really have never been a fan of the series. How much of a blow it is to Mendes himself is unknown. I have no idea whether he had definite ideas of where he wanted to take the character, or if he thought it would just be an interesting project to take on. It is probably more of a blow to Daniel Craig. He had appeared in films before Casino Royale, but his appointment as Bond is what has really elevated his status, and the parts he has taken on inbetween have not had a great deal of impact. With the Bond gig now out, i wonder if he’ll struggle to get big roles in the coming months to replace it.

As i said though, i am not really a Bond fan, and to me the greater issue here is seeing just how far MGM has fallen. Founded in 1924, MGM were the dominant Hollywood studio until the beginning of the 1950′s. Beginning with their first version of Ben Hur in 1925, the studio was responsible for many movies that are still considered classics today. Northwest Passage, The Wizard of Oz and Gone With The Wind were all MGM releases.

The studio were famous for being one of the first to make use of Technicolour, in its different forms, and at its height was releasing up to 50 movies a year. It wasn’t until just after World War II that it started to go wrong. Demographics, sensibilities and popular genres were changing. MGM however continued to cling onto their past, producing elaborate, overly expensive musical productions, whilst rivals like Warner Bros were making more and more lower budget, dramatic films. This lead to the beginning of their financial problems. With debts beginning to mount up, production was forced to slow down, and no movies were released under the MGM brand between 1973 and 1980.

In 1981, as part of their attempt to turn around their fortunes, they began making movies again. As part of this plan, they purchased United Artists, and with it the Bond license. Over the next ten years or so, MGM was bought and sold many times, running into greater debts with each sale. With hits few and far between, they only managed to survive thanks to their extensive film library, combined of both MGM produced films, and properties acquired over the years. They produced less and less new pictures, however, and now the back catalogue isn’t proving enough to sustain them. Now, with only the Bond franchise, and a half share of the two Hobbit movies to their name, things are looking desperate.

With Bond all but cancelled, The Hobbit currently looks like their only possible in-house financial lifeline. It is fortuitous for the property that MGM are only hold a part stake, as it means production should still be able to go ahead as long as the other parties stay afloat…

MGM have gone from being the biggest player in Hollywood to a broken brand, in many ways a victim of their early success. By making their name with huge productions, they made a rod for their own back, and a reluctance to change led to the beginning of their financial woes over fifty years ago. Many movie studios come and go, but few with as rich a history as MGM. I personally hope they find a buyer to lead them out of their problems, and make a new beginning. It would be a desperate shame to lose such a big part of Hollywood history.

Bazmann- You can follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/baz_mann

Recently HeyUGuys sat down with the trio behind one of this week’s most unusual new releases, Kites: The Remix, to bring you the back-story of this intriguing Las Vegas action romance and how it became a  Bollywood/Hollywood cocktail!  Remix producer Brett Ratner joined the film’s stars Bárbara Mori and Hrithik Roshan to tell us more about the unique project.

Bona fide movie star Hrithik Roshan is from a famous Bollywood dynasty and, together with his director father Rakesh Roshan, has produced some of the most memorable onscreen characters in contemporary Indian cinema.  A pioneer of modern twists on Bollywood staples, he won awards and critical praise for his role in Bollywood’s first Sci Fi, Koi… Mil Gaya, working once again with Rakesh.  With Kites: The Remix he has proven himself more than able to don action star garb and once again push boundaries to broaden the appeal of Indian film.  In the flesh he certainly had the twinkle of fame – tanned, preposterously muscular, smoothly confident and gracious he was undeniably a Bollywood Prince and more than happy to embrace his nickname – The Greek God.

Bárbara Mori was rather more self-contained.  The stunning former model rose to fame in a remake of Mexican telenovela Rubi.  Since that time she has established herself on the big screen with roles in several feature films.   She was cast by Rakesh himself to play Linda to Hrithik’s ‘J’ – the couple destined to be together but doomed to be apart – with such anticipation for the double release we wondered  how she would be feeling.  The original Bollywood version of Kites was opening within days of our interview, the Americanised Remix the following week.  The pressure of opening two films didn’t seem to weigh too heavily on Mori though, she was calm, modest and sweet throughout, listening to her colleagues with eyes downcast.  Undeniably lovely, it was easy to see how Hrithik had fallen under her spell.

Hollywood wunderkind Brett Ratner by contrast was a study in nervous energy, his excitement for the project evident.  The director who introduced Hollywood to the genius of Jackie Chan found the opportunity to tweak a Bollywood movie for a worldwide audience irresistible.  When we left the hotel suite we saw him pinballing away down the corridor and realised he reminded us of another, fictional, director – Coming Home in a Body Bag’s Lee Donowitz from the magnificent conclusion of True Romance!  If his passion for Kites: The Remix, Bárbara’s beauty or Hrithik’s brawn persuades you to investigate this modern cinematic phenomenon you may see the result for yourselves when it opens on Friday.

Yesterday, to coincide with Ridley Scott’s adaptation, starring Russell Crowe and released this week, i looked at the legend of Robin Hood, and why so many movies and TV shows have been based around the popular character. The story of the outlaw that robs from the rich and gives to the poor is certainly compelling, but it got me to thinking. Surely there must be other characters from English folklore that are conducive to great storytelling, and fantastic filmmaking? So i had a bit of a look around, and chose five other legendary characters that have, to date, been unfairly ignored by the Hollywood machine.

Spring Heeled Jack

 The Lore

 According to various folklore sources (or as i like to call them, Wikipedia), Spring Heeled Jack existed in Victorian London, and was so called because of his unique ability to jump very high. There are many descriptions of his appearance, the generally accepted one was of a tall, slim built man, dressed in black. Sometimes said to have claws, he was apparently a terrifying figure to behold. Jack’s MO differs in numerous accounts. Some involve simple feats of leaping, in some he attacked and groped women, and in other stories he was said to jump up and slap people in the face, quickly disappearing into the night.

 The Pitch

 Due to its macabre content, and Victorian setting, this project is perfect for the gothic king Tim Burton. His dark, creepy take on the streets of Olde London Town would set the perfect tone for this tale. Spring Heeled Jack himself, a dark, mysterious figure with obvious psychological issues, is the perfect role for Crispin Glover. What’s that? Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter? Oh, go on then. Bonham Carter plays a victim that Jack has taken a particular interest in, and he begins to revisit her, developing an obsession. Johnny Depp is the newspaper man on the trail of the shadowy figure, desperate to uncover his identity in order to further his journalistic career. The trail leads him to Carter’s doorstep, and he finds he must try to protect her whilst discovering the deep, dark secret at the heart of Spring Heeled Jack’s actions.

Brute of Troy

 The Lore

 Brute was either the great grandson, grandson or son of the Trojan Aeneas, depending upon which source you follow. Born in Italy, as a young boy he accidently shot and killed his father with a bow and arrow. He was subsequently banished from the country, and formed a small army with a group of Trojans enslaved in Greece. He apparently travelled through India, and after many battles in Gaul sailed to Britain. There, his army kill a population of Giants, and Brute becomes the first king of Britain.

 The Pitch

 Michael Bay could bring his distinctive brand of high voltage action to this ancient mythic story, with Gerard Butler as the mighty Brute. We’d be treated to his early years, the accidental death of his father, played by Liam Neeson, and his subsequent adventures. Along with his Trojan followers, he would battle great CGI armies, Giants and other mythological creatures. Following a heavy defeat at Gaul, the army retreats to the seas, and as all their skilled navigators were killed in battle, find themselves at an unknown island. They begin to explore, and are forced to fight for their lives against the vast giants that call the land home. Eventually emerging victorious thanks to Brutes leadership, his followers make him king, and he names the island Britain, a derivation of his own name.

Hereward the Wake

 The Lore

 In the 11th century, Hereward was supposedly part of the Anglo-Saxon resistance to William the Conqueror, and his Norman army. He is said to have initially rebelled against Edward the Confessor, resulting in exile to Europe, and being named an outlaw. He returned to England to try and help repel the Normans, along with a small Danish army. He was part of an alliance based on the Isle of Ely, and participated in attacks on the enemy around the Fen region of England. The Normans eventually launched an attack on the Isle of Ely, which ended in victory, though Hereward and and a number of others escaped, continuing the doomed resistance.

 The Pitch

I would be interested to see Paul Greengrass take on this kind of historical story. The guerrilla style attacks of the outlaw’s band, filmed in Greengrass’ traditional shaky-cam would be awesome, truly conveying the brutality of these brutal skirmishes, and the horror inherent in this kind of uncivilised warfare. Who else but Matt Damon to play Hereward, initially forced to live as an outcast, bravely returning from Europe with the Danish army to take on William and the Normans. Winning over his fellow warriors through valour and great leadership, Hereward quickly rises to General of his own squad, and his successful ambushes raise the ire of William the Conqueror, played by Hans Lander. William orders the attack on the Isle of Ely to end the constant harassment of his troops. We are treated to a Helm’s Deep type battle, but through the unique lens of director Greengrass. Hereward fights bravely, but is forced to retreat. He continues in vein to attack the Norman forces, and his legend begins when he is eventually killed in battle.

Guy of Warwick

 The Lore

 Guy was apparently a commoner who fell in love with a woman above his station, Lady Felice, a woman of noble birth. In order to prove he is a worthy suitor, he travels the land, fighting giants, dragons, a Dun Cow and various other mystical creatures. He becomes a knight, and returns for the Lady’s hand in marriage. However, overcome with guilt for his killings, he travels to the Holy Land to make amends. Eventually he returns, and lives as a recluse in a cave over the River Avon.

 The Pitch

 The various and obscure creatures involved in this story make it ideal for a filmmaker like Guillermo Del Toro. He has great skill at mixing fantastical beings with personal, emotional drama, and he is a uniquely gifted storyteller. The part of Guy could be played by an actor like Aaron Johnson. The Lady Felice is the kind of part that Gemma Arterton would be perfect for. Regular Del Toro collaborator, the fantastic Doug Jones is highly skilled at portraying wondrous, fantastical creatures. As such, he would be a great choice to play the creepy, unworldly beings Guy has to face.

So Guy, in our movie, falls in love with the Lady of higher standing. Her father, the Earl of Warwick (played by Michael Gambon) sends him out to prove his mettle. He does not want his daughter to marry a common man, however, as he has planned to marry her off to a rich nobleman in a position of power, as his own fortune has run dry. So he tells the nobleman, played by Mark Strong, to follow Guy, and ensure he is hampered in his quest. If the nobleman succeeds, he will win the Lady’s hand. After several complications arise during his quest, Guy eventually realises what is afoot. He allows Strong to be killed by the Dun Cow, before slaying it himself. When he returns and Strong doesn’t, the Earl is forced to allow the marriage. Guy however jilts Lady Felice at the altar, overcome with remorse at not saving the nobleman, and sales off to the Holy Land, leaving the franchise open for the inevitable sequel…

The Pedlar of Swaffham

 The Lore

 The titular pedlar, who indeed lived in Swaffham (or Soffham) in Norfolk, is said to have had a dream that if he travelled to London, and stood at London Bridge, he would receive beneficial news. He ignored the first dream, but as they persisted he decided to make the trip to London for better or worse. Once there, he spent several days at the bridge, but nothing happened. Eventually, a curious shop owner approached him, and asked why he had been at the bridge waiting for so long. The pedlar explained his story, and the shopkeeper thought him a fool. He told the pedlar about his own dream, in which he travelled to Swaffham, and dug underneath a tree, behind a pedlar’s house, discovering great treasure. He explained to the pedlar that he was too wise to embark on a similarly foolhardy errand in the opposite direction, in pursuit of a nonsensical dream. The pedlar returned to his home, and found sure enough the treasure under the tree. With his new found wealth, he paid for the rebuilding of the crumbling Soffham church. His effigy can be found to this day in stained glass windows in the town.

 The Pitch

 This story is suited to a quirky, personal drama, perhaps directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. The dream sequences would be surreal, then we would follow the Pedlar’s journey, played by Jude Law,as he set out to London. Once there, he could meet an odd selection of different people who live and work around London Bridge. The pedlar would interact with their lives, getting to know them, helping them out, all the while chasing the thought that anything they say could be the news he is waiting for. It would allow for some hilarious situations, as several times he could get involved with some sort of mis-adventure, believing it will lead to the information his dreams prophesised. Once he finally gets the news, and subsequently the treasure, he could pay for the Swaffham church, then move to London to live amongst his friends. Using his newfound wealth to help them with the trials and tribulations he became a part of during his three days there, he discovers the real treasure is the people he has met, and the new life he has found.

So, what do you think? What other folk tales would make great Hollywood movies?

 Bazmann – You can follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/baz_mann

The big news this week has revolved around JJ Abram’s next project, and the rumours and half truths surrounding it. Did he just direct the teaser, is he directing the full film? Is it a Cloverfield sequel or prequel? Right now we have as many questions as answers, but we do know that JJ Abrams is directing Super 8, Steven Spielberg is producing, and we’ll see it in Summer 2011.

We also know that it will be set in 1979, and will revolve around an extraterrestrial happening of some sort, reminiscent of Spielberg’s movies from that very period, speaking of ET and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. It is an interesting and exciting idea. You don’t get the kind of alien movies Spielberg made any more, filled with mystery and wonderment. We are much more cynical nowadays, and demand grittier, more realistic storylines. As intrigued by the movie as i am, whilst reading the post, and the others around it, i felt an odd feeling come over me. It was kind of like Deja Vu, only, not.

Scanning over the news articles from Friday, there was a very definite theme. A Planet of the Apes prequel is in the works. Titled Rise of the Apes, it shows the lead up to the events of Planet of the Apes, made in 1968. Also on the page, more posters from Tron: Legacy, which picks up the story from the original movie some 25 years on. There were also some TV spots for the characters from the new A-Team movie. Due out in July, it is based on the TV series, which like the original Tron originated in the eighties.

There were further stories covering Mission Impossible 4, a movie series based on a sixties and seventies TV show, and Predators, continuing on from the series that began in 1987. The Nightmare on Elm Street remake was also mentioned. There’s a lot of resurrection going on, revolving mostly around the seventies and eighties. Trends, fads and particular periods do tend to come back in fashion, but there are much older properties being exploited too.

The highest grossing movies so far this year have been Alice in Wonderland, based on stories from the 19th century, and Clash of the Titans, a remake of a movie from the 1980′s based on ancient Greek mythology. Next week sees the opening of Ridley Scott’s latest film, Robin Hood, about a semi-fictional character purported to be around in the 12th or 13th century, just one movie in a long line made about the character.

Even cinema’s big innovation, the current 3D movement, is rooted in a 50 year old plus concept. 3D movies were released in the fifties, then again in the eighties. The technology has been improved upon, but it still isn’t really innovative. The current state of the movie industry is mirroring that of the fifties and early sixties, when big spectacle was being employed to draw in an audience.

The only stories about modern, original movies were the news that Kick-Ass was getting a sequel, and a new poster for Christopher Nolan’s Inception. Kick-Ass is a contemporary take on the comic book movie, it subverts the genre somewhat and is a very original movie in many ways. It was the first great movie of the year, but turned out to be not what mainstream audiences were looking for, and disappointed at the box office. Inception is an original sci-fi movie directed by one of the best filmmakers in the business. Nolan used  modern Imax cameras for The Dark Knight, a much newer innovation than 3D. Unfortunately Inception hasn’t made use of this technology, though apparently some scenes were shot in 65mm. Inception should fare far better than Kick-Ass at the box office too. Lets hope it does, because if original work isn’t succeeding, we may lose it altogether!

Is there a genuine lack of good, original material out there, or is Hollywood just reluctant to risk money on it? It isn’t unusual in times of economic recession to see attempts to bring about nostalgia. It gives people a warm feeling inside, and reminds them of better times long past. And don’t get me wrong, i’m not against remakes, rehashes, reboots or sequels per se. There is a definite place in the industry for all the projects i mentioned at the top. But if you look at all the other movies being released this year, an overwhelming percentage of them have some tie to the past. It looks to be getting a little out of hand. It seems to be a little short sighted too. For instance, will Nightmare on Elm Street really make any more money than an original horror movie could have made?
 
I’d argue there is no real evidence that these ‘nostalgia’ movies are more likely to be successful than new films with no pedigree. Just last year, the highest grossing movie of all time was released. The general storyline may have not been particularly original in itself, but the property held no tie-in to previous work. Completely new characters and settings proved not to be a barrier to financial success. This should be proof enough that new ideas are worth exploring. Unfortunately, it took a powerful filmmaker like James Cameron to get it done. Lesser known writers and directors are struggling to bring their ideas to fruition.

Recently, it seems the most effective way to get attention for great new ideas is to put together a brilliant short film. Last year, Shane Acker’s 9 was released. A truly unique animated film, it came together because a short film he made in college several years ago caught the attention of some big name producers. It was a similar story for District 9. Director Neill Blomkamp’s short film Alive in Joberg came to the attention of Peter Jackson, who put together the financing for a feature length movie. Then just last month, one of the five shorts made for the Philips Parallel Lines project made a big impression, and now Carl Erik Rinsch’s futuristic The Gift looks to be developed into a full length movie. It’s easy to see why short films are replacing independent features as the calling card of choice. If you spend the same amount on a short as you would a proper length indie movie, the production values are infinitely more impressive, and it is much easier to see how good a full length, big budget version would look.

Going back and revisiting great concepts from the past is fine, and the practice shouldn’t be eradicated altogether. But powerful movie producers should try to be a bit more broadminded, and seek out more all new material. There is money to be made from the future as well as the past, and if Hollywood goes back to the well once too often it could result in a jaded movie-going public. Some of the biggest and best films of recent years have been based around great original ideas, and i hope that will continue. Possibly starting with Christopher Nolan’s Inception, potentially the film of the year, coming to cinemas very soon.

Bazmann – You can follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/baz_mann

Robert Downey Jr has had a very up and down (and up again) career, and whilst he has been hugely popular with a large set of fans for the duration, his fall from grace meant that he wasn’t a big box office draw for most of it. This has changed in the last couple of years. His charismatic and comedic performance was a big part of the reason for the first Iron Man’s success, and also contributed to Tropic Thunder’s decent numbers.

Then over Christmas Sherlock Holmes shocked the industry by making a huge amount of money. Holmes isn’t the most exciting of properties, director Guy Ritchie was coming off of a series of flops, and co-star Jude Law could never be considered a big seller (as evidenced by Repo Men). This means that the presence of Downey was the main driving force behind the movie’s financial success. Is he the last of the big box office stars, or does he signal the return of the bankable actor?

 Last year’s box office draws were big licenses, not big stars. Consider the highest grossing movies of 2009. There’s no denying Robert Pattinson is hugely popular with a particular set of fans. But this popularity is down to his association with the Twilight franchise, so the success of New Moon can’t reasonably be attributed to his presence, it is actually the other way around. Transformers II: Revenge of the Fallen was the highest grossing film of last year, but this could actually be considered to be despite Shia Labeouf’s appearance rather than because of it. He has his fans, but just as many can’t stand him, and the performance of Jennifer’s Body rules out any influence Megan Fox could be said to have had. The other big grossers, Star Trek, GI Joe and 2012 featured casts that were almost B-list, so their success is surely down to property recognition, marketing and blockbuster appeal. There is no denying money goes to money, and that was certainly the big theme last year.

 Back in the eighties and early nineties, there was a set of actors considered to be superstars. Action heroes like Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger were paid a huge amount of money, because the movies they starred in did big business at the box office. When these actors went on to try different types of movies, however, their fan bases didn’t follow them. Leading men like Tom Cruise, Kevin Costner and Mel Gibson were given great power because of their popularity, but they all suffered high profile failures, and the illusion was shattered. It seems clear now that it was the types of movies these actors made, as much as the stars themselves that drew audiences in. The notion of the box office superstar was a fallacy.

 How about the new generation of ‘big names’? Sam Worthington starred in Terminator: Salvation and Avatar last year, both of which drew hundreds of millions of dollars. So were all the people who went to see Clash of the Titans paying to see Worthington? Or the 3D action? Disney’s next big tentpole is Prince of Persia, but lead actor Jake Gyllenhaal, though respected, has never been in financially successful movies, and his last movie Brothers made less than $40M at the worldwide box office. Anyone could have been cast as the star of Prince of Persia, it will make a lot of money regardless.

 The man considered to be the last big bankable star, the actor who could guarantee big box office was Will Smith. But Big Willie was smart. By his own admission, he noticed that the highest grossing movies throughout his childhood were big sci-fi movies, so he followed a formula for his career. Save the world in one big blockbuster movie, then take on a smaller personal part for the next. By alternating like this, he remained a huge star whilst making movies on a regular basis that didn’t take in a huge amount of money. Whilst smaller personal project The Pursuit of Happyness made hundreds of millions, his last dramatic picture Seven Pounds performed disappointingly, and his most personal project of all, his Ali biopic, made a loss.

 This is borne out by Downey himself. Yes, his movies have made a lot of money in the last couple of years, but not his low profile drama The Soloist. His presence wasn’t enough to draw audiences in, and that is clearly proof that even the hottest stars can only sell a movie with a big marketing push to back it up. The other ‘bankable’ star still plying his trade is Johnny Depp. The Pirates of the Caribbean movies were hugely successful, and sold almost singularly on the presence of Depp and his massively popular Jack Sparrow character. This year’s highest grossing movie to date, Alice in Wonderland, also starred Depp. But his appearance in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus didn’t help it make any dent in the pockets of the movie going public.

 The notion of guaranteed box office stars is crumbling. Maybe the bankable box office star NEVER existed, and movie studios have been throwing money away for years on huge pay packets for big name actors. Based on the casting of last year’s hits 2012, Star Trek, GI Joe etc.. Hollywood may actually be beginning to wise up to this. Why pay out $20M plus for a successful actor with a huge ego, when that money can be better spent on additional marketing, the true star of any tentpole movie. There’s no doubting Iron Man II will make a whole lot of money this weekend, and i personally believe the presence of Robert Downey Jr is definitely a factor. I’ve seen the movie, and the performance and sheer presence of Downey elevates the movie. However, i can’t help also feeling that the $100M+ spent on marketing is a bigger factor, and if his paycheck had been instead used on a shoddy post-production 3D conversion, Iron Man 2 would make just as much money. And that is really a very sad thought.

Bazmann – You can follow me on twitter at www.twitter.com/baz_mann

Iron Man 2 is already on release around the world, and this weekend opens domestically. It has already passed the $100M mark before it even hits screens in the US. Arguably the most highly anticipated movie of the year, it could quite conceivably turn out to be the highest grossing, and has already enjoyed a good critical reception. A comic book movie, the biggest film of the year? It hasn’t always been this way, and superhero movies have been looked down upon in the past, but in the last couple of years Hollywood has been forced to sit up, and take notice of costumed adventurers. So how did this happen?

Over the last decade, a huge amount of movies based on comic book and graphic novel properties have been released. The quality of these movies has varied wildly, and they have never really been considered guaranteed box office. This situation has begun to change greatly however.

Spider-Man was the first big comic book movie that demonstrated that superheroes can simultaneously score big box office and critical acclaim. Thanks to great review scores, word of mouth and a main character that was well established even outside of the comic book fraternity, Spider-Man was a huge success. It proved that comic book adaptations were not only financially viable, but able to make huge profits.

Numerous other comic book movies were subsequently released that did not necessarily enjoy the same success. Spider-Man had convinced Hollywood that superhero movies were a good idea, but there was very little quality control in evidence amongst the lion’s share of the various adaptations. Storylines were bastardised, and the differing franchises picked up by different studios had no clear vision.

The Spider-Man series continued its success, but reported studio interference meant that the subsequent movies struggled to match the first film for quality. Meanwhile, Batman Begins was released. Christopher Nolan mixed the Batman mythos with a contemporary setting and ideas to create one of the best comic-book movies to date. Another critical and commercial success, it kicked off another successful superhero series based on a character already well known to the general public.

The big turning point came with 2008′s Iron Man. It was a risky movie to make, a big budget action movie based on a superhero that had no previous cinematic exposure, almost completely unknown outside of the comic fan’s world. The success of Iron Man, again both commercially and critically, was a surprise because it wasn’t based on one of the big four or five comic characters. It showed that second tier characters could also be successful, and paved the way for more adaptations based around less high profile characters, allowing the set-up for the forthcoming Avengers movie.

Parallel to this, The Dark Knight was released. It had already been proven that Batman could make big money, and that Nolan could make a great movie to boot. But The Dark Knight took it up a level. It just missed out on an Academy Award nomination for best picture, but Heath Ledger was not only nominated posthumously for best supporting actor, he actually won the Oscar. Not only could comic book based films make huge profits, and wow movie goers, it had now been proven that they could garner real critical acclaim, and be considered for the biggest awards.

With Marvel now at the helm of movies based on their own properties, quality control can be greatly increased. That has been shown with Iron Man 1 and 2, and with a clear vision in place for the future of not just the property, but the shared universe of the Marvel characters, the future is looking brighter than ever for comic book movies. DC  look to be following Marvel’s lead. By taking control of their own characters cinematically, in partnership with Warner Bros, future movies look set to enjoy better, more faithful storylines, and properties that are over 50 years old finally look to be allowed the respect that they deserve. Marvel’s plans allow for at least one movie a year, and now with The Green Lantern, Batman 3 and The Man Of Steel set for annual release over the next few years, DC’s output looks to be set at around the same frequency.

Add to this the movies made outside the control of DC and Marvel like the Spider-Man and X-Men reboots, and it looks like we are set to enjoy 4 or 5 big comic book movies a year, all with the potential to break box office records and gain critical success. Superheroes have found themselves in a position to dominate the industry. News articles based around comic book adaptations are filling  web space on a daily basis, speculation is rife wherever a new project is mentioned, and some of the biggest hit counts are for trailers and clips from forthcoming comic book movies.

With Marvel and now possibly DC working towards a unifying vision for their respective universes, it looks like adaptations of their properties will continue to be a dominant force at the box office for years to come, and the other Hollywood studios are sure to continue looking for other comic book and graphic novel licenses to pick up in order try to replicate the current success these companies are enjoying. It is a great time for comic book fans, and with a rich history of amazing storylines for the movies to draw from, mainstream audiences can also enjoy the benefits of years of great work from the comic book writers and artists.

Bazmann – You can follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/baz_mann

It’s been a funny couple of weeks with news of one of the greatest landmarks in California facing the chop – or at least being obscured. The 450ft-long Hollywood sign that overlooks Los Angeles was under threat from developers that were planning to buy the land that stands in front of the famous sign. The land was put on the market two years ago and unless $12.5m (£8m) was raised by this coming Friday, the sign could be in danger of being seen by the millions that look up at it everyday.

Well, it seems that Playboy Magazine tycoon has come to the rescue just days before the money needed to be paid. The non-profit organisation called Public Trust For Lands have been campaigning for the land and will now turn it over to the city of L0s Angeles, preventing construction going forward.

Hefner said: “My childhood dreams and fantasies came from the movies, and the images created in Hollywood had a major influence on my life and Playboy. The Hollywood sign is Hollywood’s Eiffel Tower and I’m pleased to help preserve such an important cultural landmark.”

Not all the credit goes to Heff, Tom Hanks and his partner in crime, Steven Spielberg also gave money with more coming from 50 US states and 10 foreign countries.

The Governator, Arnold Schwarzenegger who’d also been campaigning for the sign said

It was “the Hollywood ending we hoped for. It’s a symbol of dreams and opportunity. The Hollywood sign will welcome dreamers, artists and Austrian bodybuilders for generations to come.”

I concur! Hooray for signage!

It’s been a great year for the British film industry. It kicked off with the British invasion of the Oscars, with notable wins for Kate Winslet, and Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire. The huge amount of British Actors plying their trade successfully in Hollywood continued to grow, with Scot Gerard Butler particularly in demand with parts in Gamer, The Ugly Truth and Law Abiding Citizen.
 
British filmmakers have been responsible for some of the more interesting films this year. Duncan Jone’s Moon was a brilliant yet under appreciated sci-fi drama. Fish Tank and Harry Brown lead the way for low budget drama. Terry Gilliam’s The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus finally found a distributor. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince became the highest grossing British movie of all time.
 
British film festivals Raindance and the BFI London Film Festival saw record attendances, and showcased some great films from home, like An Education, and abroad, like The Road. Attendances were also up for cinematic audiences in general across the country. Buoyed by the slew of Hollywood blockbusters released this year, the box office thrived despite the global economic crisis (or maybe because of it).
 
In fact, movies were a big source of revenue across the globe, with the US also reporting a bumper year at the box office. Big budget studio pictures made a lot of money, despite the majority being panned by critics. 2009 was possibly the culmination of the recent trend of franchises drawing more revenue than big name stars. It used to be that the presence of one of the big A-List stars, like Gibson, Hanks or Willis, guaranteed a big opening weekend. However, this year saw franchises with almost B-list casts, like Star Trek, G.I.Joe and The Twilight Saga: New Moon out grossing star vehicles like Bruce Willis’ Surrogates. Even the highest grossing movie of the year Transformers 2, despite what Shia Lebouf and Megan Fox might like to think, was sold on the big-ass robots and not the cast. One of the last remaining bankable stars, Will Smith, was notably absent from theatres this year.
 
It’s hardly been a vintage year for great films, ironic considering the Academy Award for best picture has been opened up to allow ten nominations. The Hurt Locker has been the most successful so far in the end of the year awards stakes. Other critically acclaimed films this year have included Tarantino’s glorious return to form with Inglourious Basterds, surprise hit of the summer District 9, the prolific Coen Brother’s A Serious Man. Two of the big Oscar contenders have yet to be released in the UK. Precious based on the novel Push by Sapphire. And Jason Reitman’s Up In The Air, starring George Clooney, who also featured in outside award contenders Fantastic Mr Fox and The Men Who Stare At Goats.

Pixar’s poignant and touching Up continued the growing trend of animated movies addressing adult issues, along with Waltz With Bashir. Shane Acker’s 9 presented a unique and visually stunning animation style, but sadly fell down on story.
 
Thanks to the afore mentioned trend of casting relative unknowns in big movies, this year has produced a bumper crop of ‘next big things’. Sam Worthington stole the plaudits from Christian Bale in Terminator: Salvation, and should now come to public attention following his lead role in this year’s biggest movie. Chris Pine took on the monumental task of replacing William Shatner as Jim Kirk, and may now be the next Jack Ryan. Zoe Saldana has appeared alongside both, and is everywhere next year, including the comic adaptation of The Losers. Carey Mulligan impressed with her performance in An Education, and appears in next year’s Wall Street 2.
 
A couple of known actors also did enough to show they could make it big next year. Sam Rockwell’s one man show in Moon once again showed his great acting talent, and a part in next year’s Iron Man 2 may help to cement his A-list status. Following his great performance in Rian Johnson’s Brick in 2006, Joseph Gordon-Levitt  impressed in relationship de-construction 500 Days of Summer, and he gave a truly entertaining performance in G.I. Joe. His turn in Christopher Nolan’s Inception next year may be the part that brings him to mainstream recognition.
 
It’s been a mixed year for directors. Richard Kelly made it big in 2001 with Donnie Darko, but followed the woeful Southland Tales this year with box office flop The Box. Zach Snyder’s Watchmen was panned and failed to recoup it’s budget. McG talked a good game, but his Terminator: Salvation was uninspired. The usually consistent Sam Mendes got mixed reviews for Away We Go, as did Peter Jackson’s The Lovely Bones. Newcomers Neill Blomkamp and Ruben Fleischer scored big with debuts District 9 and Zombieland respectively. Comedy director Judd Apatow made his most mature film to date, Funny People, and Oren Peli’s feature Paranormal Activity broke the record for biggest profit to budget ratio.
 
The year’s biggest story, however, was saved until last. After nearly 15 years and $500m, James Cameron’s technological masterpiece reached the big screen. Avatar revolutionised 3D technology, polarised the industry in (almost) unanimous praise, and looks set to be in the list of ten when Oscar season comes around. So will the example set by Avatar, big box office from an original concept, set the trend for 2010?
 
That looks unlikely. With sequels like Iron Man 2 and the next Twilight, remakes/reboots like Clash of the Titans and Robin Hood, and adaptations like Kick Ass and The Losers on the way, franchises will again rule the roost. There’s even talk of sequels to come for Avatar itself in the future. Hopefully original concepts like Christopher Nolan’s Inception and Sylvester Stallone’s The Expendables will also meet with great success.
 
I’d like to thank everyone that has visited the site. It’s our continuously growing readership that allows us to do what we do. I’d also like to thank the press officers and studio representatives that have helped us to our achieve success. And i’d like to thank the great Heyuguys team, led by Dave. It’s been an incredible year for the site, and next year looks to be even better. All that remains is to wish everyone a very merry Christmas, and the happiest of new years.
 
 
Bazmann – You can follow me on Twitter at www.heyuguys.co.uk

It’s the ten year anniversary of The Blair Witch Project, which was released in the UK to coincide with Halloween a decade ago. On Thursday, i looked at the impact it’s release had at the time in The Blair Witch Project: Ten Years On – Part 1, and yesterday reviewed the movie itself in Did you ever see… The Blair Witch Project. Now, on Halloween night, we’ll see how Blair Witch still impacts the movie industry even now.

 Blair Witch immediately set small independent filmmakers off attempting to recreate/replicate the success of the movie. Indeed, a sequel, Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows was also produced. Inevitably, no success was found in any of these endeavours. Blair Witch had come at the end of the nineties low budget independent film boom. Perhaps more surprisingly, Hollywood executives wisely resisted the temptation to commission a raft of imitations. Common sense dictated that to pull off the same kind of marketing campaign artificially would be an exercise in futility.

 The seeds of change had been planted however. For the first time, it had been shown that handheld camera work had a place in film other than just a cost saving technique. It could be used to create atmosphere. The most successful applications of the ‘shaky cam’ style over the last ten years have remained in the supernatural/horror genre.

In 2003, Open Water used the same idea, but the other way around. The movie is based on true events, and the film is shot on handheld cameras. But the finished movie is a fictionalised account of the events, and not purported to have been shot by the protagonists.

 In 2007, the Spanish Zombie film REC, it’s 2008 American remake Quarantine, and Romero’s own Diary of the Dead again in 2007, all made use of the handheld, documentary style technique. Whilst not purported to be ‘real footage’ like Blair Witch, within their respective movies it was shown as documentary footage shot by the movies’ characters.

 Last year’s Cloverfield also used the same idea, with the whole movie as the ‘footage’ recorded on a camcorder during a Godzilla-style monster attack on New York. A group of friends are at a birthday party when the attack starts, and film their journey across town to find the lead character’s girlfriend. Again, this wasn’t marketed as real, but it did involve a huge viral marketing campaign bigger in size than Blair Witch, and there was a similar frenzy of interest when the film was finally released.

 Then this year, almost ten years to the day after Blair Witch, Paranormal Activity echoed the style, budget and marketing campaign to great effect. Supposedly ‘real’ video of events in a haunted house, and filmed using cameras positioned around the residence, Paranormal Activity is an internet frenzy and as i write this, tops the US box office chart. And just last week, rumours began of a potential third film in the Blair Witch franchise.

 Whilst Blair’s distinctive camerawork has had influence over many films, it’s the movies’ breakthrough marketing campaign that now affects nearly every movie released. Blair Witch was the advent of viral marketing for the Hollywood film industry. Since then, internet promotion and advertising of the latest movies has gone from being advantageous to necessary. Every blockbusting film now has at the very least it’s own website, with back stories and clips released in the run up to the films opening to create as much buzz as possible.

 Now, even just an on set photo or promotional publicity still released to select websites can generate literally thousands of hits. In the last few months, pictures from forthcoming movies like Twilight, the A-Team and The Expendables have accounted for a bigger number of hits than full reviews and features.

District 9 was the surprise hit of the summer and internet buzz had been building on it for months. Everywhere you looked, you could see the Warning – No Aliens posters publicising the film. It had gotten to the point that by the time the movie was released, i didn’t need to see it, i already knew everything about it.

 So, whilst people now may curl their lip at the very mention of the Blair Witch, there’s no denying the huge impact it had, changing the face of the movie industry, and altering the very foundations of Hollywood marketing. The Blair Witch Project deserves it’s chapter in Silver Screen history. Just don’t go back and re-watch it knowing the truth, you’ll destroy a golden cinematic memory.

Bazmann