Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
Bruce Timm is one of those guys that can do it all including the drawing above. Timm is a writer, penciler, inker, character designer, animator and more. This and a lot of other cool Bruce Timm artwork was published in the July 2006 issue of Rough Stuff. I’d say that this piece alone is worth the cost of what a copy of the issue would probably set you back.
The Hollywood Reporter has some interesting behind-the-scenes photos from the best show on tv – “Justified” – and you can see them all right here.
“Sly Stallone‘s still the man for international buyers. IM Global’s $40 million-budgeted Sylvester Stallone action project Headshot attracted heat here at the European Film Market with German giant Constantin taking the hit for local territory rights in a major pre-sale deal.” – that’s a quote from The Hollywood Reporter and you can read the full piece here.
Since some of you may not be regular readers of my StalloneZone site, I thought I’d share this cool Stallone poster here too.
I found this overseas movie poster for “Capone” and really liked the art. Of course the poster design is pretty deceptive in that Sly doesn’t star or even play Capone in the movie. Most SZoners know that Sly had a small, but important role as Frank Nitti. Ben Gazara played Capone. Did you notice that Sly was even given top billing in the poster credits?
Oh well, that doesn’t change the fact that it’s still a pretty cool poster.
I’ve never heard a word about “Blood Out” until I say the poster above. Odds are it’ll be a “drive-in” movie or what folks today would call straight-to-dvd. Still, there’s nothing wrong with an action-packed B movie and that’s exactly what “Blood Out” looks to be. So, yeah, I’ll give it a shot when I get the chance. [Via IMPAwards]
If you’re a fan of Justified, then you may be interested in a the great bargain that Amazon is offering on Season One. The complete first season on blu-ray is only 21.99 [56% off the retail price] and the regular dvd for the complete first season is just 19.99.
While we’re on the subject of excellent tv shows which are coming to dvd, let’s not forget that The Walking Dead: Season 1 dvd drops on March 8th. Since season 2 won’t start until the fall, there’s a strong possibility that “Dead Heads” are going to want to pick up this one to ease their wait.
I don’t read many comic books these days, but one I am really looking forward to is, Who is Jake Ellis. Written by Nathan Edmondson and with art by Tonci Zonjic, this comic series looks to be not only a change of pace, but a lot of fun. Here’s how Josh Wigler at CBR.com describes, Who is Jake Ellis?…
And speaking of CBR.com, they are running the first eight pages of issue one with commentary by Nathan Edmondson and Tonci Zonjic. Who is Jake Ellis? #1 is available at comic shops now.
Yesterday I suggested that we get ready for the relaunch of Dark Horse Presents. Dark Horse announced that the first issue would feature work from Frank Miller [Xerxes, the prequel to 300] and Paul Chadwick [Concrete]. Today CBR.com has a preview page [two panels shown above] for Marked Man — a story that Chaykin will write and draw.
Miller, Chadwick, and Chaykin — I can’t wait to get Dark Horse Presents in my mitts.
I like this poster. Shows a bit more creativity than a couple of photoshopped heads, right?
Although I’m looking forward to seeing this updated “The Mechanic”, the original which starred Charles Bronson and Jan-Michael Vincent is going to be hard to top. This remake, at one point, was touted to star Sylvester Stallone in the Bronson role and Statham as the J-M Vincent character. I think THAT would have worked. Statham is a bit young to be the “older” hitman… then again, maybe he was to old to be the younger one. [Poster via IMPAwards.com]
I can’t wait to see Faster. It needs to get here, uh, faster.
Back in September I posted about the dvd release of the 1960’s tv series Thriller. You know, the series that Stephen King called…
“Probably the best horror series ever put on tv.”
My guess is Uncle Stevie’s quote is better known than the series itself. But that doesn’t mean that it ain;t true. Over at Mulholland Books, writer David J. Schow [Internecine], makes a case that King was on point with his assessment of the series. And don’t forget that
A passerby found the severed head on Feb. 10, wrapped in two plastic bags and stuffed inside a backpack in Barstow, Calif. Authorities still haven’t identified the victim or her killer, but the circumstances point in a particular direction
So begins Blake Morrison’s article on highway serial killers for the USAToday. According to Morrison…
,…In the past four decades, 459 deaths and 41 attempted homicides are believed to be linked to serial killers who are using the nation’s highways to find and dispose of their victims.
Although the story has the makings of a very creepy movie or novel, it’s even more frightening to imagine that it’s true. You can read the full article and check out how many “highway killings” in each state are thought to be the work of serial killers by clicking here.
Darwyn Cooke’s adaptation of Richard Stark’s classic crime novel The Outfit is now available. In case you’re late getting in the game, The Outfit is Cooke’s follow-up to his award-winning adaptation of Richard Stark’s The Hunter. Stark aka Donald Westlake gave his blessing to the original plus three additional adaptations. In honor of the release of The Outfit Darwyn Cooke sat down for an in-depth interview with Tucker Stone for the Comics Alliance. Here’s a taste:
Palance was Westlake’s only visual reference. When I changed Parker, the idea was always to use plastic surgery as a metaphor for his emotional regression. He’s meant to look like a rawer, more stripped down version of himself… His jaw, and most importantly, his eyes, are the same. The rest is meant to reflect a man drained of things like remorse and compassion. A loveless, unadorned man.
I’ve got two more of these books to do. My plan is to finish the fourth one for my 50th birthday… I can tell you that it’s not wearing on me, working on this character. I can see him being a part of what I do for a long time. Maybe not constantly, but he’s going to be there.
Again, this is the benefit of having a few exchanges with Donald. One of his concerns was that I understood that Parker doesn’t operate out of anger. He never commits a violent act out of anger. He does it because it’s the expedient thing to do. It’s the practical thing, a survival mechanism.
I could continue to pull interesting quotes from the interview, but why not just read it. You’ll get insight into Cooke’s process in adapting the Stark novels, his [and Stark’s] take on what makes Parker tick, which crime movies were influences [and which modern crime classic Cooke thinks is over-rated], and so much more. Congrats to Tucker Stone and Comic Alliance for a great read and thanks to Darwyn Cooke for bringing Parker back.
CBR.com also has a nice little interview with preview art from Darwyn Cooke’s adaptation of Richard Stark’s The Outfit.
The Town is one of my all-time favorite crime movies. Ben Affleck, as director and star, surrounded himself with a great cast [Rebecca Hall, Jeremy Renner, Jon Hamm, Pete Postlethwaite, Chris Cooper] and terrific story [and adaptation of Chuck Hogan’s Prince of Thieves].
Part of the reason that I love The Town so much is that it feels real. This was Affleck’s goal in both casting the roles and filming. When casting the female lead, Affleck said it was really important…
…that she feel like a real person. If you dropped a very recognisable Hollywood whoever-it-is or starlet that everyone knows into that role, somebody who depends on a certain kind of acting that was sort of “recognizable”, the immediately the audience would know “Okay, it will be hard for her, but then she’ll come back and she’ll be winning and we’ll all go home happy” and it would allow the audience to feel comfortable…
Affleck believes that his decision to use security camera footage also helped with the feel that the robberies were real…
…The security camera footage, I wanted to use so that the audience would subconsciously feel as if it were more realistic. I think we’re actually used to seeing crime and violence through that prism, that 15 frames per second, no sound, black and white security stuff. So when you see that happen, “this feels real” and then you cut into the 35 stuff and maybe at some level in your mind you’re feeling like it’s more kind of authentic.
You can read more about Ben Aflleck’s contributions to the success of The Town at Bleeding Cool’s post.
