Published at: March 9, 2005, 9:35 p.m. CST by staff
Hey folks, Harry here... Recently I read an article over at Jeffrey Wells' Hollywood Elsewhere that got my brain drooling. First off... There's this story about this mid-forties Michael Davis bloke, who just landed a film at New Line off of a 17 minute personally drawn animated pitch for his live-action screenplay. Apparently this thing was kinetic and cool as all hell - and got Bob Shaye excited enough to put the film into high speed over at New Line.
I remembered the Variety story which essentially was just something about it being the ultimate gunplay flick. At the time I thought... riiiiiight... I'd never heard of this Michael Davis, well, not entirely true, I'd seen EIGHT DAYS A WEEK which was pretty cool. But that was, by no means, an action spectacular. But there was a giddy excitement at the way Jeffrey Wells wrote about the story that made me think he giggled all the way through the 17 minute pre-vis pitch made me get excited. I mean - Jeffery Wells giggling is a glorious thing!
So I realized I had to see this insane 17 minute video. So I began calling, IM-ing and doing my best googly-eyes and hang-dog expression to cute-ify myself a tape. Just got it yesterday. HOLY SHIT THIS ROCKS!
Now - I haven't seen the script yet, but any film that has the live-action representation of the 17 animated minutes on this tape... It'd pretty much blow your mind. The tape I got was actually about 35 minutes or so - but some of the animation is re-presented in different formats. The first thing that plays is this essentially a teaser - high octane pitch reel. On Wells' story you'll see frame grabs from it like "THIS IS JOHN WOO'S WET DREAM!" - This section, while awesome as hell - the phrases that pop up from time to time are pretty eye-rolling. I mean, this isn't John Woo's wet dream - John Woo's wet dream is probably a cool as hell musical directed by him, there's a fairly major part of John Woo that wants to leave that balletic action style behind him. I know, I wish he'd just go balls to the wall again too. Personally - I'd love for Woo to go back to Hong Kong and make one last HOLY SHIT flick, to remind Hollywood what an unfettered John Woo can do.
That wet-dream aside... it'll never happen. But what is the story regarding SHOOT'EM UP? This reel shows about 9 major gun-centric action set pieces that are incredible. This reel isn't about character development, it feels more like a male AEON FLUX action piece done in a Don Herzfeldt-like line drawn - but more detailed than pure stick figures. What commences?
Well my first reaction was - HOLY SHIT THIS IS COOL!!! Next I realized that all of the action was completely possible, yet wildly inventive. Next I thought - The MPAA would have a field day with this. Then I watched it again... and watching it I realized that the tone of what was happening was so fanciful, that I think everything save the gunfight-love scene (which is just... god I hope they can film that!) should get through.
You remember those BMW / Clive Owen short films that kicked unholy ass online? This reel feels like those times 10. It feels like a mixture of that and the Matt Damon "BOURNE" films, John Woo's HARDBOILED and lastly Tom Tykwer's RUN LOLA RUN. From watching this reel - I'm dying to get my hands on the script now. IF this is handled right this could be the best and most fun action we've seen in a film in quite some time. I mean... how the umbilical cord is cut... EWWWWWWW - OUCH! We'll have to keep our eyes and ears wide and open regarding this project. It reeks of coolness!
