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Crowe and Scott reteam for NOTTINGHAM!!!

Published at:  Apr 30, 2007 8:50:08 AM CDT

Ahoy, squirts! Quint here. Sorry for the lack of updates over the weekend. I've been trying to 6 MILLION DOLLAR MAN my internet here... upgrade it, make it stronger, faster. Of course, Time/Warner doesn't make this easy, so I've had spotty connectivity to say the least.

Anyway, this is the biggest bit of news that hit this morning that has me the most interested. Looks like Russell Crowe and Ridley Scott are going to re-team (GLADIATOR, A GOOD YEAR and the upcoming AMERICAN GANGSTER) with a project called NOTTINGHAM, a twist on the Robin Hood character that paints the Sheriff of Nottingham as a noble and just lawman struggling under a corrupt king.

I've loved many Robin Hood movies... The Errol Flynn ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD is so much fun and the Disney ROBIN HOOD has always been one of my favorite Disney toons, but being the Robert Shaw geek that I am, I have to say that his portrayal as the aged Sheriff of Nottingham in ROBIN & MARIAN is one of my favorite takes of the character. That flick, if you remember, was a '70s film with Audrey Hepburn as Maid Marian and Sean Connery as Robin.

It's not an incredibly exciting movie, but the concept of Robin returning from the Crusades after being away for a long while and having to find and woo Marian again... with that cast... makes it an easy recommend from me.

I've enjoyed the Russell Crowe/Ridley Scott collaborations thus far, even A GOOD YEAR. I hope they make the most of this premise, but they're two of the best in their respective fields, so I'm sure we're in for an interesting flick.




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    Readers Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 8:53:06 AM CDT

    FIRST!

    by coen_fan

    Yeah, eat it. And this movie looks really badass.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 8:55:32 AM CDT

    Crowe plus Scott equals

    by grammaton cleric binks

    Here, please open my wallet and help yourself.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 9:00:09 AM CDT

    A Good Year

    by ye olde shiza

    Was fucking ridiculous. It should have been in black and white with no sound with written dialogue cards in between scenes ...

    "Oh no! The mighty stockbroker almost hit the lil' lady on a bicycle. He better mind his P's and Q's! Now, it's time for a ruckus game of the tennis! Au revoir!"

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 9:02:16 AM CDT

    yeah, i feel the love for Robin & Marian too:

    by newc0253

    but Scott and Crowe is meant to make me excited? Gladiator was such a fucking overrated film. Yeah, it looked great, the fight scenes were thrilling, Maximus was a cool character, blah blah. but, man, what a shit fucking screenplay. so it's kinda hard to get excited about Scott and Crowe's take on the Robin Hood story. i'd much rather see Crowe and Peter Weir take on Robin Hood, than see another cliched shitty story in the hands of Ridley Scott.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 9:05:21 AM CDT

    Hollywood out of Ideas?

    by mr_x

    Everything I do, I do it for you. that bryan admas song was number 1 for ages, so i'm all robin hooded out.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 9:06:54 AM CDT

    THIS YEAR'S LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE IN TIGHTS!!!

    by err

  • Apr 30, 2007 9:07:28 AM CDT

    Every town...

    by buffywrestling

    ...has it's ups and downs. And sometimes the ups, outweigh the downs. But not in Nottingham.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 9:08:10 AM CDT

    At least it can't be worse that the Beeb?

    by robe

    It can't be any worse that BBC1's Robin Hood or should that be "Robin Hoodie". It is so politically correct at times I thought I was watching the Marxist Peasants from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 9:09:12 AM CDT

    We're doing Robin Hood again?

    by i dunno

    I actually thought the Kevin Costner one covered it and wasn't too bad. Does that make me gay? If it helps, I vomit every time I hear the Brian Adams song.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 9:12:15 AM CDT

    Oodalally, oodalally...

    by raw_bean

    ...golly what a day.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 9:13:13 AM CDT

    Please NO MORE Robin Hood!

    by performingmonkey

    How many fucking times can it be adapted into films and series'?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 9:14:46 AM CDT

    Very good, raw_bean.

    by col. tigh-fighter

    Robin Hood and Little John went riding through the forest...

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 9:15:22 AM CDT

    God that Beeb show was

    by emeraldboy

    terrible. Kieth allen should fire his agent. or sue the bbc.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 9:15:26 AM CDT

    Every town, has its up and downs...

    by col. tigh-fighter

    not in Nottingham.

    Reply to Talkback

  • out weigh the downs...but not in Nottingham.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 9:17:21 AM CDT

    A good King Arthur re-make would be welcome,

    by grammaton cleric binks

    But I don't see anything being better than Excalibur. Patrick Stewart is in it for two second, and steals every scene he's in. Mists of Avalon was for wussies.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 9:20:28 AM CDT

    Ridley Scott has never been good

    by emeraldboy

    at big historical epics with the exception of Gladiator. That columbus movie with Signourney Weaver was a snoresfest.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 9:20:41 AM CDT

    THIS IS GOING TO BE HUGE!

    by the knight

    You know it.. Summer 2009 I'm assuming?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 9:26:19 AM CDT

    HE MIGHT HAVE AN ENGLISH ACCENT IN THIS?

    by connor187

    Instead of that fucking god awful Costner Yank bullshit last time out eh?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 9:26:25 AM CDT

    CHILDREN OF FUCKING MEN IN TIGHTS

    by err

  • Apr 30, 2007 9:27:47 AM CDT

    Emeraldboy

    by lost prophet

    I nearly fucked this post up due to your incoherence. He hasn't exactly done a lot of historical epics has he?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 9:36:50 AM CDT

    Joe D'Amato's ROBIN HOOD: THIEF OF WIVES is the best

    by godoffireinhell

    and it has Sean Michaels playing the Sheriff of Nottingham. For some reason he was later dubbed by what sounds like a drunken Scottish bum. Sheer brilliance! The only slight disappointment of the movie is Mark Davis as Robin Hood.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 9:37:30 AM CDT

    Love The Concept

    by saluki

    And the team here is worthwhile. Ridley always pulls through in some unique fashion at leasy warrant one viewing, but usually quite a few.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 9:38:52 AM CDT

    Well I dunno but...

    by chuknowz

    HE BETTER HAVE A MUTHA' FUCKIN' BRITISH ACCENT! They made such a big deal outta Costner not having one for his mediocre take on it.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 9:39:09 AM CDT

    Trying to make Nottingham the hero of the..

    by mr_sleep001

    Robin Hood mythos is like trying to make Blofeld the hero of James Bond, or Lex Luthor the hero of Superman. It's just not right...

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 9:43:34 AM CDT

    Double Date!

    by spandau belly

    These two should meet up with Scorcese and DiCaprio for a lovely meal and some chatter about the joy of professional monogamy!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 9:43:52 AM CDT

    Sherwood forest lives forever, Ridley's the master

    by pipergates

    does that mean Robin Hood is the villain? Probably not, since the king is still corrupt. Sounds like it will be an interesting realistic take on the story instead of the usual black and white good guy/bad guy sillyness. Will be looking forward to this very much indeed.
    And ridley is the best at doing historical movies. Hope he gets Hedningarna to do the soundtrack!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 9:45:00 AM CDT

    ITS A FUCKING ENGLISH ACCENT DICKHEAD!

    by connor187

    What is a fucking British accent anyway? English sound nothing like the Scottish, Irish or welsh accent, and Robin Hood is fucking ENGLISH!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 9:48:11 AM CDT

    "He's a cop on the edge . . . of the forest"

    by mullah omar

    An honest lawman trying to protect a town from bandits while fighting against a corrupt system? I'm interested to see what (if anything) will make this film more than simply a cop film or Western set in the Middle Ages.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 9:49:06 AM CDT

    Spider Man 3 review over on Empire Online and..

    by connor187

    It dosnt look good my friends.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 9:51:14 AM CDT

    To balance the dialect problem ...

    by boris baddenov

    Since Costner made NO attempt to sound English, let's have the opposite effect: An American actor who chews up the accent and incomprehensibly spits it out (like Nick Nolte's attempts at sounding Italian in LORENZO'S OIL, eh?).

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 9:51:44 AM CDT

    I was being facetious connor187

    by chuknowz

    Besides... you all sound alike to me anyways.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 9:59:05 AM CDT

    Fuck Empire

    by lost prophet

    that sloppy review is typical of them. If we had seen it posted here we would all be screaming PLANT. also, I especially like the ham-fisted attempt to divorce themselves from their initially glowing TPM and AOTC reviews.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 10:08:56 AM CDT

    Lost Prophet....

    by emeraldboy

    Let me clarify. I do realise he has made 4 historical movies. The duellists, Christopher COlumbus and Gladiator and kingdom of heaven. Duellists was a small budgeted movie. Christopher Columbus was not. He went overboard on that movie, it looked great but god was it slow-moving. I loved Gladiator and Still do. the performance he got from all the actors and especiall olly reed were magnificent. That and the insider were crowes best performances. When he makes Big budget movies Scott gets lost in his own vision of what the film should look like . Kingdom was a great looking film but again it was a chore to sit through. Ed norton was superb in that movie.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 10:12:31 AM CDT

    Empire could be wrong and I hope they are...

    by connor187

    But if it was posted on here why would it be considered a Plant? sounds a bit fucking negative to me.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 10:14:50 AM CDT

    to begin with-

    by lost prophet

    that was not clarification. Secondly, The movie you loathe is 1492. Although you may be right in this case.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 10:17:48 AM CDT

    It was.

    by lost prophet

    The point I was making is that it is poorly written contradictory crap. The man didn't like it and still gave it 3*. Fucking idiots. Hopefully, they are wrong about Grindhouse as well. But that looks like a press release.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 10:18:25 AM CDT

    The reaction between what the media thinks and

    by emeraldboy

    what the people think is always going to be different. Who really cares if Empires gives Three stars to spiderman or whatever. Take the new musical from the people who made riverdance. All the critics hated it. yet the public loved it. the public will keep going back reagdless of what the NYT thinks of it. the same apllies to film.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 10:20:07 AM CDT

    It won't work with an audience

    by darth fart

    Simply because the Sheriff is the guy we sneer at! Rickman is the definitive Sheriff, and quite frankly, this project sounds boring to me.

    What do you think, guys?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 10:20:14 AM CDT

    If that is true Emeraldboy

    by lost prophet

    then stop quoting Empire. BTW reviews serve as a guideline to whether or not a film may be worth seeing. So bullshit reviews like that one are a hindrance.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 10:22:46 AM CDT

    Kingdom Of Heaven director's cut is magnificent

    by osmosis jones

    But a "revisionist" take on Robin Hood? Ugh, I'm getting King Arthur flashbacks...

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 10:29:20 AM CDT

    I read a book that tried to discover the "real"...

    by rbatty024

    Robin Hood and it included some of the earliest poems and legends, and interesting enough Robin Hood didn't start out stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. He was just a rogue thief, there was nothing noble about him. So this has some backing from the earliest legends.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 10:32:11 AM CDT

    I have read that review of Spiderman three

    by emeraldboy

    Everyone should be very weary of reviews in Empire. Last year in their magazine and online, they posted two totally different ratings for Superman Returns, In the mag, they gave it 5 stars and yet on thier website they gave it 4. One reviewer, slated Dead mans Chest and gave three stars and was berated and thrashed by a very angry reader. So empire are extremely inconsistent. Empire in there summer movie section, rated movies by how well they are going to do at the box office. that is a very dangerous thing to do. Becuase no amount of hype prepared anyone for how well Dead mans chest was going to do. I though that was best movie of last summer. Dont go along with reviewers, ever. Magazine ratings are a bunch of crap. or talkabckers for that matter.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 10:34:13 AM CDT

    lost prophet

    by emeraldboy

    I didnt qoute empire! someone else did.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 10:37:20 AM CDT

    Emeraldboy- you are prone to citing it

    by lost prophet

    you did repeatedly last year over SR. If a film has a high budget and is intended to be a blockbuster then there is no point at all looking at an Empire review. Look at the bullshit over AOTC- they gave it 5* and then when there was a backlash published an article defending giving it 5* on the basis that they had to because they gave TPM 4*. When it comes to blockbusters they have all the critical faculties of a small melon.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 10:43:41 AM CDT

    Nobody qouted Empire..

    by connor187

    I was just pointing out that they had a review up. I personaly make my own mind up and I will on friday. But apart from a few eyebrow raises such as AOTC AND TPM, they are prety much on the money most of the time. Then again it is just another persons opinion at the end of the day.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 10:43:46 AM CDT

    BEST EVER...

    by kbass

    Robin Hood movie was "Virgins of Sherwood Forest." Shannan Leigh..whoo..what a babe. For the record, my second favorite is Kevin Costner's Robin Hood. I don't care about his accent...and I like the song, too.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 10:47:58 AM CDT

    No they aren't

    by lost prophet

    granted it is subjective, but among British reviewers there seems to be a massive short circuit in their brain as soon as the clocks change that is only rectified when winter time comes back. To be fair, it isn't just empire. That egotistical tool that masquerades as a reviewer on Film2007 is just as bad

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 10:51:31 AM CDT

    Anyway to make a point.

    by connor187

    I do not tend to come on this site for reviews I tend to come for movie news. So I like to read reviews that dont consist of Fanboy, American views such as, 'It will own your ass' etc...No it wont its a fucking movie...point made.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 10:58:38 AM CDT

    fair nuff

    by lost prophet

    I come here for the TB banter- which is easily the most amusing way to kill a working day. Reliable reviews can be got elsewhere- and not from Empire.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 11:01:08 AM CDT

    fair nuff, my good fellow.

    by connor187

    fair nuff.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 11:06:01 AM CDT

    Please, please, please...

    by kid z

    ... Hire some friggin' English actors for once. I still can't watch Prince of Thieves because of Costner's inability to do even a passable Dick Van Dyke-in-Mary Poppins-level British accent... and I'm not even British! And let me pre-empt any nerd-criticism that "...but the English in the 12th century didn't have the same accents that they have today..." Yeah, but Robin Hood takes place in England, the accents are there to provide a sense of place, historically inaccurate though they may be. Robin Hood lapsing into a California drawl is just irritating!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 11:09:19 AM CDT

    I will say it again...

    by connor187

    There is no such thing as a fucking British accent. its an ENGLISH accent English. It pisses me off when people say that.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 11:16:01 AM CDT

    wah!

    by board shitlez

    Must be different. check out the release.


    LONDON (APRIL 27): The Weinstein Co. today announced that Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez’s highly anticipated Grindhouse double bill will be released as two separate movies in the U.K.

    Tarantino’s Death Proof will be released via Momentum Pictures/Dimension Films on September 21 with Robert Rodriguez’s Planet Terror released at a later date to be confirmed shortly.

    Death Proof will screen In Competition at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, May 16-27 2007 continuing the festival’s long and successful collaboration with the filmmaker whose 1994 movie Pulp Fiction won the coveted Palme D’Or.

    Tarantino’s Death Proof is a white knuckle ride behind the wheel of a psycho serial killer’s roving, revving, racing death machine.

    Rodriguez’s Planet Terror is a heart-pounding trip to a town ravaged by a mysterious plague.

    Inspired by the unique distribution of independent horror classics of the sixties and seventies, these are two shockingly bold features replete with fake trailers, missing reels and plenty of exploitative mayhem.

    Rodriguez and Tarantino set out to make two very different, very complete movies which will be distributed separately internationally where the culture of grindhouses grinding out movies back to back is not familiar.

    Harvey Weinstein stated, “We are very proud of “Grindhouse,” which earned overwhelming rave reviews for its audaciousness and boldness. Based on US audience's positive reactions to Quentin Tarantino's 'Death Proof' and Robert Rodriguez's 'Planet Terror' combined with their resistance to the three-hour running time, we’ve revised our UK release plans to allow audiences the chance to see the films separately, like they will be shown in all international territories. We are really excited about launching the new version of 'Death Proof' in Cannes and about the international release for both movies.”

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 11:18:25 AM CDT

    everyone forgot....

    by brassai2003

    The BEST Robin Hood of all....John Cleese in Time BAndits. Serioulsy, check that shit out tonight! He has an awesome British accent.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 11:19:04 AM CDT

    The Disney 'toon version is the best.

    by catvutt

    "Rob? Why, that's such an ugly word. We never rob. We just sort of borrow from those who can afford it." Actually, it's probably my favorite Disney traditionally animated film, and definitely Peter Ustinov's most memorable performance. It was great to see the Ken Anderson storyboards from the alternate ending on the new DVD, but it was still an underwhelming package as there's SO much more great concept art and storboards out there (hell, I own two fantastic James Coleman boards, and I know there's a bunch more that are equally stunning)and considering it was the first feature that Walt wasn't directly involved with, you'd think there'd be documentary material there that it really deserves a 2 DVD release.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 11:33:50 AM CDT

    Shottingham

    by darth_binge

    as the kids call it nowadays. I hope they make Robin Hood really evil and sinister, with maybe supernatural elements like Robin of Sherwood TV series had. The BBC series is rubbish, I knew it from the moment he put a arrow in a horses saddle via a looping shot in the first episode, an impossible shot. Rubbish. I remember the final fight from Robin and Marion, great because both combatants as so old, weighed down by the armour and still hate each other. Can;t remember the rest.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 11:36:38 AM CDT

    Touche brassai2003..

    by connor187

    Touche indeed.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 11:37:10 AM CDT

    Here's hoping Crowe's Robin...

    by kid z

    ... has to fight a crack team of mercenary woodsmen who are sent to chop down Sherwood Forest, thus denying Robin and his Merry Men the benefit of their hidden woodland lair... Real hardcore lumberjacks, the same guys that did the Sahara Forest job! "In the mountain greenery... where God paints the scenery..."

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 11:38:07 AM CDT

    CatVutt I agree that the Disney version is still tops.

    by rbatty024

    Whenever I think of Robin Hood I think of him as a fox, not as Kevin Costner. Disney also had a bunch of great voice actors back then (none of this celebrity voices b.s.) and they used them to great effect. That movies holds up surprisingly well too, Pixar has nothing on the animated Robin Hood in my opinion. I can't sing that movie's praises enough.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 11:44:30 AM CDT

    I can't believe people are so hung up on the accent

    by i dunno

    I'd rather they not even try than do a sucky job.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 11:46:25 AM CDT

    Costner's Version?

    by homer40

    I don't hate a lot of movies, but Prince of Thieves was a piece of unmitigated shit. Remember that scene where Rickman is trying to rape Maid Marian, and his inability to penetrate her is played for laughs? Yea, that was great. I assume Scott's version is based on a novel from ten or fifteen years ago that was told from the point of view of the Sheriff. I liked the idea of the novel, I can't remember the title, but the book itself was a little dense and not as much fun as the idea would have lead you to believe. I understand that Robin Hood is a character in Shrek III, so I'll be interested in that. Let's not forget Mel Brooks worst film was about Robin Hood, and actually made Dracula Dead and Loving It look hilarious by comparison.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 11:53:46 AM CDT

    Interesting and risky + 80s British TV show

    by kevred

    I have to give these guys some credit for tackling what could turn out to be a crazy concept. Not sure I see the need for it, but I do really like Crowe in these types of things (his 'Master & Commander' performance is still my fave of his). Personally I think the best angle to take on this has already been done by the absolutely brilliant 80s British TV version of Robin Hood (Michael Praed/Jason Connery, Clannad music, etc). They portrayed the sheriff as a complex fellow who's greedy, insecure, and unhappy with his lot, and who takes it out on those around him--in other words, a real person who's neither a villain nor a hero. When he's the heavy, he's unsympathetic, and when he's having to deal with worse higher-ups or violent interlopers, he becomes more sympathetic. I thought that was a really effective way to do it, rather than trying to just shuffle around who's good and who's bad. On an unrelated note, I also really liked the religious themes they wove into the show--the pagan/nature-worship angle for the regular folk and the cynical business-like angle they used with the Church (not to be confused with an individual's religion). It added up to a fresh, clever take that just missed today's PC age, where stories are so self-consciously warped by agendas that they're hard to stomach.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 11:55:15 AM CDT

    "2 of the best in their respective fields"

    by potsmokinalien

    that would be the respective fields of "overrated hacks who havent made a good movie in 25 years" and "overracted actors who play the same character in every film", right?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 11:55:43 AM CDT

    Peter Pan Re-imagining

    by cuppa_ace

    First off...

    Robin Hood: Men in Tights >>> Dracula: Dead and Loving it

    Second...
    Off topic, but what ever happened to that re-imaging of Peter Pan where Hook is a detective in modern day new york and has to catch Peter Pan who is a psycho who can fly and is killing people.....

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 11:58:00 AM CDT

    "In a world where men wear tights..."

    by doctor_sin

    Only one man is big enough to fill them.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 12:12:21 PM CDT

    Have been a empire magazine for a long time and

    by emeraldboy

    The problem is that theie list of the one hundred greatest movie polls are so dumbed down you would not believe. They only seem to cater for the modern movie goer who was born after the year 1975. So anything before that doesnt get a look although they tried to re-balance things last year with comprehensive guide to acting, directing, writing etc and without going to filmschool. If I did mention empire on this site too much it was only becuase, i tried to introduce some balance. that is all. Because, i did feel the large majority of the commentary was slanted in a negative way. There were some positive comment but over all it was highly negative.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 12:14:02 PM CDT

    I hate to be that guy

    by lando griffin

    but this was news months ago

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 12:16:26 PM CDT

    No shit Emeraldboy

    by lost prophet

    Empire fan? really? could have fucking fooled me. BTW Empire is not balanced, it is a useless piece of ridiculously optimistic sub-journalism that employs morons with the critical faculties of a small melon (to repeat myself) and has the editorial style of Hello! Whoever said it stopped being worth reading when the number of double page glossy ads outnumbered the articles and every interview was a challenge to bury the interviewer's stongue far enough up the subject's arsehole to taste what he had for breakfast is bang on. useless.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 12:17:18 PM CDT

    Summary

    by motoko kusanagi

    My 2 cents on the previous posts: Best R'HOOD movie: Prince of Thieves from 1991 Empire: mediocre movie mag Gladiator: good but overrated Scott+Crowe: slightly overrated Ridley Scott: way too overrated -- remember, this is the director of 1492, G.I. Jane, A Good Year, Hannibal & Legend (I know, a classic. I say: a classic but shit)

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 12:21:27 PM CDT

    The best Robin Hood of the last 20 years...

    by broosethescharuk

    ...(and it still wasn't that terrific) was the version with Patrick Bergin that got relegated to TV movie status to make way for the bloated junk that was Prince of Thieves. The Costner movie was just a typical Hollywood mess that sacrificed any semblance of historical authenticity for the condescending "progressiveness" of the early 90's (sorry, but an Englishman from the Crusades would not have had the noble, inclusive mindset that would have allowed him to befriend a dark-skinned man from Africa, any more than a black man would have been able to travel amongst so many white people in the post-civil war era- yes I'm talking about Unforgiven- without hearing the N-word once or being dealt with in terms that were dictated by the colour of his skin) and a "hip 'tude". Prince of Thieves was just a misguided vehicle for Costner, who was- at that time- being pidgeon-holed (without any protest from him, I'm sure) as the stalwart, stoic "people's hero". However, he just didn't have the pluck and spark needed to play the character the way he should be played (not to mention the skills to manage even an attempt at an English accent). If they really wanted to cast an American actor named Kevin to play Robin Hood in the early '90's, they should've got Kevin Klein. As far as the Scott/Crowe thing goes, I'm sure it will have lots of beautiful, clean fabrics and atmospheric lighting. And folkie choral music. And some of that multi-culturalism that was so prevalent in the England of the middle ages.
    Once again: it's not that I think the Bergin version was so great, just that Prince of Thieves was comparatively so awful. I really don't think that you can improve on the '38 version with Errol Flynn.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 12:39:46 PM CDT

    nearly right MK

    by lost prophet

    Empire- useless magazine. Other than that spot on.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 12:46:23 PM CDT

    Robin Hood is for...

    by mrtwig48

    ...little kids and gays who like big arrows.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 1:06:53 PM CDT

    ROBIN HOOD = BLEEDING HEART LIBERAL?

    by mysteryperfecta

    At least in the Disney version (which isn't nearly as good as Harry remembers), Robin Hood stole from a government that imposed oppressive taxes on the poor. High taxes + Big government = Liberal. Opposing it made Robin Hood conservative (he was even a friend of the church!) :)

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 1:15:25 PM CDT

    ROBIN HOOD GOTTA EAT!

    by newc0253

    why else do you think he steals?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 1:18:11 PM CDT

    also, what's wrong with a British accent?

    by newc0253

    there's not just one "english" accent - there's lots of them: posh, scouse, geordie, cockney, west country, brummie, etc. so what's wrong with the term "british" accent? it just brings scots and welsh accents into the mix.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 1:21:16 PM CDT

    British accents

    by valebant

    I suppose you could group Welsh, English, Scots &c. as being "British accents." Anyhow... the whole idea of requiring an accent for a history piece has always seemed ridiculous to me. For this lazy researcher (Wikipedia), some language from the villain's day...

    Hear undernead dis laitl stean
    Lais Robert Earl of Huntingtun
    Near arcir der as hie sa geud
    An pipl kauld im Robin Heud
    Sic utlaws as hi an is men
    Vil England nivr si agen.

    Obiit 24 Kal Dekembris 1247

    AND, don't forget that American English retains more elements of Elizabethan (Shakespearean) English than modern day British English does.
    So, seriously, I don't fault actors (Kevin Costner) for not using a fake accent when even John Cleese would have the accent wrong.

    As a side note, I've been watching Flying Circus... Americans aren't alone in failing accents, "Eh, Luigi?"

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 1:35:14 PM CDT

    Liberal =/= High Taxes + Big Government

    by err

    People need to distinguish the difference between Democrat and Liberal.--------Note the top 10 definitions of liberal by www.dictionary.com -------1. favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs.
    2. (often initial capital letter) noting or pertaining to a political party advocating measures of progressive political reform.
    3. of, pertaining to, based on, or advocating liberalism.
    4. favorable to or in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, esp. as guaranteed by law and secured by governmental protection of civil liberties.
    5. favoring or permitting freedom of action, esp. with respect to matters of personal belief or expression: a liberal policy toward dissident artists and writers.
    6. of or pertaining to representational forms of government rather than aristocracies and monarchies.
    7. free from prejudice or bigotry; tolerant: a liberal attitude toward foreigners.
    8. open-minded or tolerant, esp. free of or not bound by traditional or conventional ideas, values, etc.
    9. characterized by generosity and willingness to give in large amounts: a liberal donor.
    10. given freely or abundantly; generous: a liberal donation.-------For whatever reason, some Republicans and others have made "liberal" a bad word. Well, guess what, there are some Liberal Republicans just like there are Conservative Democrats.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 1:49:13 PM CDT

    Yeah but..

    by connor187

    I would not expect the film to be in old english. Even if that was the lanuage of the time. What would be the point? But what I would like is the next best/closest thing to that, and that would be an English accent, not fucking American not Australian not Scottish and not a fucking brittish accent, that dosnt exisist.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 1:53:26 PM CDT

    One rule with Empire reviews...

    by palimpsest

    ...they're reliable only if Kim Newman writes them. Seriously, that man knows his movies. The rest of them? Fuckwits. Newman's the best movie reviewer in the UK. Mark Kermode comes in second.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 1:55:20 PM CDT

    Agreed Err.

    by valebant

    I tell people that if I had to claim a party, I'm probably a liberal Republican because the party tends to be more accepting of diverse views. Really, I'm not registered with a party anymore. I was registered Libertarian, but then I started getting mail.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 1:57:23 PM CDT

    Valebant...

    by err

    I am a registered independent. Therefore I am not attached to a single political party and I can choose to vote for who I deem is best and not feel obligated to vote for one person because they belong to the party I registered for.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 2:06:24 PM CDT

    And were did you get that bullshit from?

    by connor187

    about American English retaining more elements of Elizabeathan English than modern day English. I suggest you wait till Fall(Autumn), take a walk along the sidewalk(path), get to your shrink's(physciratist's), take the elavator(lift) up to his office, and get your fucking head looked at my friend..good day to you.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 2:18:22 PM CDT

    um, valebant?

    by badmrwonka

    "I'm probably a liberal Republican because the party tends to be more accepting of diverse views."the biggest typo in talkback history? or...um...?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 2:19:01 PM CDT

    Um, Broose, racism was a lot different back then.

    by rbatty024

    There wasn't a hierachy based on physical appearance, an Englishman would have been just as wary about an African as he would have been wary about the Irish, Scotts, Danish, or any other non-English white. Go read Othello, where an African is a flawed, but heroic leader. Sure, there was xenophobia, but no more than between the English and the rest of Europe. It was only around the time of slavery that Africans were viewed as less than whites in general.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 2:24:02 PM CDT

    Ridley, make my day and just get us to the ALIEN homewo

    by future help

    Alien 5, Alien zero, whatever.
    take a break form the past and take us back to the future.
    pleassssse. we need good sci-fi.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 2:26:25 PM CDT

    "racism was a lot different back then"

    by newc0253

    yeah, they had slaves but they were lots of different colors!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 2:32:39 PM CDT

    There is only one ultimate robin hood adaptation

    by mcbane

    http://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Maid_ Marian_and_her_ Merry_Men

    Maid Marian and her merry men. I used to love that tv show as a kid in england. A comic retellin of robin hood where marian is actually the one who is in charge while the stupid, vain robin takes all the credit. With Danny John Jules (Cat - Red Dwarf) as a Rasta Merry Man and Tony Robinson (Baldrick - BlackAdder) as a scheming yet cowardly sheriff of nottingham, it took awesomeness to a new level!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 2:33:39 PM CDT

    Costner's flick

    by bizarrojerry

    I, too, liked Costner's Robin Hood when I first saw it. But go back now, and rewatch it. It sucks. I think it was well received by some because it was different than other robin hoods, and no one was running around in bright green tights and silly hats. But once you get past the superficial stuff, it's bad. And yeah, that Sheriff / Marian "near-rape" scene and it's tone were very inappropriate.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 2:35:30 PM CDT

    Calling it "Nottingham"...

    by bizarrojerry

    What an unoriginal, boring title. It's supposed to be cool in the same way "Smallville" is cooler than "Superboy", I guess.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 2:49:15 PM CDT

    According to signourney weaver....

    by emeraldboy

    as reported on Dark Horizons some weeks ago, there will be no more alien movies and niether will there be another Ghostbusters film, though she did state that Ackroyd was working on a CGI film. She wont be involved. and she wont be involved in anymore alien films, asked if she saw Alien Vs Predator, she said she hadnt and didnt want to.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 2:54:56 PM CDT

    the only good thing about robin hood:prince of thieves

    by emeraldboy

    was the Sherrif of Nottingham, played by rickman Costner is so boring. One of worst interviews parkinson, ever did on the BBC was with Costner. Awful, just awful. Thirteen days a great film but when costner started to talk about Diana, princess of Wales, I wanted to throw up. Fawn, fawn, fawn fawn, hurl!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 3:01:09 PM CDT

    Here is what working title should do

    by emeraldboy

    Pay tony robinson a shitload of money after the blackadder movie if there is one, prise him away from God awful, time team and Beg him to do a Maid Marion Movie. Best thing he has ever done.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 3:09:35 PM CDT

    Okay, let's ask a real question - Who was

    by grammaton cleric binks

    The hottest Maid Marian. Call me old fashioned, but I gotta go with Olivia De Havilland. For me it was the eyes.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 3:17:50 PM CDT

    Elizabethan elements?

    by valebant

    from Albert C. Baugh.

    I'm not "afear'd" to say it, I'm from the land of the Ozarks, so I'd "reckon" that I use more Elizabethan words than others.

    In any event, I did speak generally in saying "American English." It is more accurate to say that in dialects of American English, more Elizabethan elements are seen than in British English.

    Dialects are strange: If you go down to New Orleans, you'll hear people who sound like they're from Brooklyn. Depends on where y'at.

    And no, Mr. Wonka, not a typo. I'm in what you might call a "hyper-political" environment and my observation stands. I'd say the 11th Commandment has worked wonders for the GOP. (I noted that the Dems gave it a try themselves the other night).

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 3:22:28 PM CDT

    SoylentMean

    by catvutt

    The RH soundtrack in full ain't on official CD to the best of my knowledge. LP only, the Disneyland 1353 version'll run you about 15 bucks. I think the Buena Vista one is pretty rare, though. Maybe not. Not too sure. There are probably some of the tracks scattered throughout Disney compilation CDs, though.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 3:22:36 PM CDT

    Outrageous Accents!!!

    by gosensgo

    Not to be a know-it-all prick, but Robin Hood was Norman, like every other 'English' Lord, so as a French-speaking Viking he should use the Paris-talk.
    I'm just sayin'.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 3:23:45 PM CDT

    Can't get past...

    by jimmy rabbitte

    ...an announcement about a Robin Hood film without thinking of the Costner version; and spending the next half-hour puking my guts up.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 3:35:11 PM CDT

    More Disney Robin Hood.

    by catvutt

    In case it ain't clear, I'm a big ol' Disney Robin Hood geek. Anyway, the 2 aforementioned Coleman storyboards are up on a gallery I set up at rubberslug.com ages ago, if anybody's interested. Search for 'Cat's Stuff', and it should bring it up. I haven't updated it in forever, but I know those are up there, along with some cels and drawings and crap.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 4:39:01 PM CDT

    Wonder if

    by skimn

    John Boorman's still around somewhere?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 4:44:19 PM CDT

    Didn't like A Good Year... made my airplane

    by russman

    trip that more miserable.

    Funny how the studios just keep remaking old movies...

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 4:51:23 PM CDT

    Pruitt Taylor Vince

    by flossygomez

    http://z.about.com/d/movies/1/0/H/U/2/idnt10b.jpg

    Friar Tuck?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 5:23:04 PM CDT

    Keira Knightley was awesome as Robin's daughter

    by carmillavondoom

    It was a made-for-TV movie years and years ago. Crowe is playing the Sheriff, right???

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 5:42:59 PM CDT

    Will they get Jonas Armstrong for Robin Hood?

    by drath

    He's doing a good job on the admittedly cartoony BBC Robin Hood--and him playing a bad guy to Crowe's "good" Sherif of Nottingham would be kind of funny. Maybe that's not what they want though. I know everyone bitches on the Prince of Thieves because it suffers from so many new Hollywood cliches, but you can't beat Alan Rickman's Sherif of Nottingham or Michael Kamen's uncharactertistically exciting score, or Morgan Freeman making a cliche politically correct token character into a character that commands the screen every time he appears. But yeah, Robin and Marion was a nice unusual Robin Hood movie even if it made the morbid unhappiness of 70s cinema feel downright quaint and formulaic (existential tragic ending? Check!) I can honestly say I've enjoyed all the big takes on the character--even both of Disney's versions. And although I do wish some one would make a kick ass version with Ewan McGregor as Robin Hood, Kate Winslet as Maid Marion, Brian Cox as the Sherif of Nottingham, Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Guy of Gisbourne, James McAvoy as Wil Scarlett, Brendan Gleeson as Little John, Timothy Spall as Friar Tuck, Anthony Hopkins as King Richard and Nigel Terry as Prince John (both reprising their Lion in Winter roles), I know that no one will ever top the Errol Flynn version.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 6:03:02 PM CDT

    As long as Orlando Bloom stays.......

    by jimmy jazz

    far FAR away from this, I will first in line. Kingdom Of Heaven was one of the biggest dissapointments I have ever experienced in the theater due to that uncharismatic, prettyboy plank of wood trying to play leading man. Say what you want about Crowe, but at least he has a presence. The concept of this movie sounds great. I hope they retain the historical concept instead of just making it a transplanted western.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 6:03:43 PM CDT

    "I will BE first in line..."

    by jimmy jazz

    I mean. Whoops. Damn no edit feature.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 6:11:13 PM CDT

    Richard Carpenter is writing a "Robin of Sherwood" film

    by salvatoregravano

    And that's the only Robin Hood news in cinema that is worth any attention. A film based on the best telling of the Robin legend, from the man who did it in an unmatched way - and rumoredly with Nickolas Grace, the greatest Sheriff of Nottingham in the history of the movie industry. "Robin of Sherwood" will remain the immortal classic for decades... and will probably be plagiarized by Hollywood again, as they did when they made that Costner atrocity. Even though Anthony Hackowitz damaged the series with his horrid "writing", he still did not manage to spoil the magic. It is not forgotten.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 6:54:27 PM CDT

    THAT'S MY WIFE CRONE!!!!

    by doc_strange

    Alan Rickman was the best thing about Prince of Thieves. I think however he knew he was just collecting a paycheck but his line delivery was just awesome. That whole scene with Marion was supposed to be sickly comedic as it was. I wonder though why they decided to delegate Little John's role to second tier when it's pretty clear there was no Azeem nor should there have been. Seriously, if those people at the end heard that speech the dark infidel gave about fighting for your freedom, they would have kept on running through that hole in the wall.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 7:04:09 PM CDT

    Maybe they'll get this one right...

    by the eskimo

    I mean, the other movies had positive moments, but in all ot was too fairy tail for me. You know, the original Robin Hood legends portrayed him as a pretty nasty theif and rebel...and his merry men? A bunch of weirdo gypsy pagan ritualists exiled from Nottingham...THAT would make for a good movie.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 7:28:58 PM CDT

    Gladiator and A Good Year were crap

    by bronx cheer

    And since we have not seen...fuck it, since I have not seen American Gangster, I don't think there's any sane way to expect anything good from this pairing.
    As for Robin Hood, leave it alone. Do something else, like "Henry the Eighth in Detroit."

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 7:52:00 PM CDT

    That does it

    by ewokstew

    I'm officially done with Scott until he does another sci-fi. He's got this quasi-medieval fetish that's just plain worn out. And to think this was the same guy who made Alien and Blade Runner.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 8:13:04 PM CDT

    Reversing the characters...

    by s00p3rm4n

    completely negates the theme and message of the story. Dogs and cats living together! MASS HYSTERIA

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 8:22:28 PM CDT

    Shannara

    by flaggg

    Ridley Scott needs to stop fuckin' 'is 'and and direct The Elfstones of Shannara via Warner Bros. Then maybe a worthy fantasy movie would be made.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 8:58:58 PM CDT

    I for one

    by vergil

    Am interesting in seeing a new take. I like the political stuff in period pieces. I know people like the arrow splitting "Yoikthhhh, and away!!!" stuff, but Errol Flynn won't be topped (the Costner stuff is garbage and not worth debate). If they are going to do a different take I hope they include the intrigue of the royals. I have yet to see it demonstrated in a movie that John was actually a better king than Richard (Not more popular, definately not a better general and probably not a better person, but a much at day to day running of government.) If it's a redo make it a real redo and not a rehash.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 10:01:58 PM CDT

    The Disney Robin Hood was weak

    by osmosis jones

    Only good thing to come out of that film was Don Bluth.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 30, 2007 10:33:09 PM CDT

    re: CatVutt

    by beamish13

    I took a peek at your Rubberslug page. You have some amazing pieces. I especially love the "Wish for Wings That Work" cels (I just met Berkeley Breathed yesterday at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books) and the "Nightmare Before Christmas" storyboards. While my collection isn't nearly as impressive as yours, I do own one cel a piece from "Porco Rosso" and "Evangelion", a "Black Cauldron" model cel signed by Andreas Deja, and a conceptual piece that Tim Burton drew for "Black Cauldron".

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 01, 2007 1:02:22 AM CDT

    reversing....

    by the eskimo

    The light is green, the trap is clean....oh, and by the way, lord Sylvia is sexy despite her worms!

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 01, 2007 4:03:33 AM CDT

    Liking A Good Year COMPLETELY destroys your credibility

    by polyh3dron

    That movie was COMPLETE SHITE.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 01, 2007 8:56:43 AM CDT

    beamish13

    by catvutt

    Thanks! Berke's a great guy. I've traded emails with him a couple of times. I was looking for a cel of Milquetoast, the cross-dressing cockroach, and nobody could tell me if Universal even released any of him, so I finally dropped him a line to ask him if remembered signing any. He got back to me within hours. (I finally did find a great one.) Turns out he wasn't real happy with the way AWFWTW turned out (which blows me away...I love the thing, and it's a Christmas staple for me), and was hoping for better success with a CGI feature, but that's looking less likely again after it was pulled from Wildbrain, I guess. If you're interested, I'm pretty sure Van Eaton galleries (vegalleries.com) still has an Opus and Ronald Ann cel for sale, and they're great to deal with.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 14, 2007 7:32:11 PM CDT

    test

    by latauro

    This seems like a good place to test out some html code in talkback.
    Really did he say test?
    He sure did.

    Reply to Talkback

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