I’m in 2 minds when it comes to films produced by Joel Silver. What’s got me interested is the directing team of the Hughes brothers. Even though it seems like another apocalyptic sci-fi film similar to the Mad Max films, the trailer seems more concerned with explosions then building a visual barren landscape where the protaganist comes across fringe desperate characters. As a sci-fi western it seems all the characters are going to end up in a mexican stand-off of retribution. I still haven’t forgiven Joel Silvers damaging influence on THE INVASION. Once Silver fired the original director of making a cerebral paranoid take on the alien mind-controlling genre Silver sacked the director for making a thinking persons movie. I hope the Hughes brothers have the backbone to get their vision across then having the studio making test screenings to teenagers who would ultimately damage the film. Studios have mangled so many of thier own films to test screenings in shopping mall cinemas where teenagers try to be smart with answers in intentionally damaging the film. Studios for some reason listen to the cult of test screenings and force the filmmakers to mangle their own film with deletions and cuts. The Wachowski brothers got to make the film they wanted under Silver in THE MATRIX. I hope Silver will let the Hughes brothers make the film they want with THE BOOK OF ELI. The post-apocalyptic genre has become a crowded genre in the marketplace. From the MAD MAX films to GLEN AND RANDA to THE OMEGA MAN and the badly made I AM LEGEND, to PLANET OF THE APES, to the horrendous WATERWORLD and the appallingly self-indugent THE POSTMAN. Let’s not forget the video game RESIDENT EVIL movies. 2 of the better apocalyptic scenarios would have to be Danny Boyles 28 DAYS LATER and the good sequel in 28 WEEKS LATER. There was also the recent BLINDNESS which had me glued to the screen. Probaly one of the highlights of the genre to come will be John Hillcoat’s THE ROAD with Viggo Mortenson, based on the Cormac McCarthy novel. This is the man who wrote the book of NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN. Seeing the trailer THE ROAD has cult classic written all over it. THE BOOK OF ELI seems more of a film for a multiplex audience in shopping malls. With Denzel Washinghton starring I’m sure it will have an impressive opening weekend.THE ROAD is the film I’m waiting for where THE BOOK OF ELI will be more of film to watch and then probaly forget about it. I hope the Hughes brothers can make it as visceral and intense as MENACE 2 SOCIETY and THE DEAD PRESIDENTS. I hope they can prove me wrong. On the other hand there’s Joel Silver hanging over their shoulders watching their every move, waiting to snip and cut and rearrange. HARRY GEORGATOS
I agree, 28 DAYS LATER is a great film in the genre, and THE ROAD looks like a far better movie than THE BOOK OF ELI. I love your thorough response! Keep em coming!
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I’m in 2 minds when it comes to films produced by Joel Silver. What’s got me interested is the directing team of the Hughes brothers. Even though it seems like another apocalyptic sci-fi film similar to the Mad Max films, the trailer seems more concerned with explosions then building a visual barren landscape where the protaganist comes across fringe desperate characters. As a sci-fi western it seems all the characters are going to end up in a mexican stand-off of retribution. I still haven’t forgiven Joel Silvers damaging influence on THE INVASION. Once Silver fired the original director of making a cerebral paranoid take on the alien mind-controlling genre Silver sacked the director for making a thinking persons movie. I hope the Hughes brothers have the backbone to get their vision across then having the studio making test screenings to teenagers who would ultimately damage the film. Studios have mangled so many of thier own films to test screenings in shopping mall cinemas where teenagers try to be smart with answers in intentionally damaging the film. Studios for some reason listen to the cult of test screenings and force the filmmakers to mangle their own film with deletions and cuts. The Wachowski brothers got to make the film they wanted under Silver in THE MATRIX. I hope Silver will let the Hughes brothers make the film they want with THE BOOK OF ELI. The post-apocalyptic genre has become a crowded genre in the marketplace. From the MAD MAX films to GLEN AND RANDA to THE OMEGA MAN and the badly made I AM LEGEND, to PLANET OF THE APES, to the horrendous WATERWORLD and the appallingly self-indugent THE POSTMAN. Let’s not forget the video game RESIDENT EVIL movies. 2 of the better apocalyptic scenarios would have to be Danny Boyles 28 DAYS LATER and the good sequel in 28 WEEKS LATER. There was also the recent BLINDNESS which had me glued to the screen. Probaly one of the highlights of the genre to come will be John Hillcoat’s THE ROAD with Viggo Mortenson, based on the Cormac McCarthy novel. This is the man who wrote the book of NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN. Seeing the trailer THE ROAD has cult classic written all over it. THE BOOK OF ELI seems more of a film for a multiplex audience in shopping malls. With Denzel Washinghton starring I’m sure it will have an impressive opening weekend.THE ROAD is the film I’m waiting for where THE BOOK OF ELI will be more of film to watch and then probaly forget about it. I hope the Hughes brothers can make it as visceral and intense as MENACE 2 SOCIETY and THE DEAD PRESIDENTS. I hope they can prove me wrong. On the other hand there’s Joel Silver hanging over their shoulders watching their every move, waiting to snip and cut and rearrange. HARRY GEORGATOS
I agree, 28 DAYS LATER is a great film in the genre, and THE ROAD looks like a far better movie than THE BOOK OF ELI. I love your thorough response! Keep em coming!