Cool News
Two Fascinating Announcements! Palahniuk! Shyamalan! The Dowdles! And Mortier!
Hey, everyone. “Moriarty” here.
Adapting Chuck Palahniuk is a tricky prospect. Many have tried and failed. I haven’t seen CHOKE yet, but I am an avid fan of FIGHT CLUB. I think he writes books that offer great opportunities to a filmmaker, even when they’re not great, but his best books could make amazing movies. He sets a very full table for anyone trying to write an adaptation. He’s like John Irving in that way. His books require two hands and then some. HAUNTED is a very rich, very well crafted entry from him, and there have been rumors of it being made before now. Finally, we’ve got more than a rumor, and I’m not just interested in this film... I’m officially dying to see it starting right now.
Why? Because Koen Mortier is now signed to write and direct the film version of HAUNTED. And Koen Mortier is a psychopath with a deadly eye, a neo-Kubrickian in the school of most of the Propaganda graduates and music video craftsmen who make up the A-list these days. He’s meaner than Gaspar Noe. He’s funnier than Danny Boyle. He’s dirtier than David Fincher. I’ve actually got my review of his first feature, EX DRUMMER, going up later today.
And while I’m just recently converted to Mortier’s fan club, I’m on record for quite a while now as a big fan of the work of John and Drew Dowdle. I’m glad QUARANTINE is going to put some money into the pockets over at Screen Gems. It makes them more bankable. It’s a fun film, even if it is a genuinely unnecessary remake. They did exactly what they were hired to do, and they did it well. It may have been the thing that got them this new job that’s being announced, that they’re going to be the first writer/directors involved in NIGHT CHRONICLES, a series of branded motion pictures where someone will work from a new premise by M. Night, and he’ll produce, but they’re writing and directing.
In other words, this is him making the shift from working writer/director to Rod Serling/Alfred Hitchcock/Walt Disney/Steven Spielberg, branding his name onto a style of entertainment so that it’s about an overall flavor that is recognizably and definably his. I think Rod Serling is absolutely the biggest influence on the way Shyamalan writes, and I mean that as a compliment. I’ve definitely not liked everything he’s done over the years, but I remain resolutely interested in him. I like this as a choice for him, and I’m thrilled that he’s picked the Dowdles as the guys to kick off the series. I hope he gives them a great place to start and the environment to make an original movie with a certain amount of freedom. If so, I’m willing to bet that all the promise they’ve shown so far in their films is going to finally be cut loose.
The NIGHT CHRONICLES announcement came courtesy of Bloody Disgusting,, and the HAUNTED news was announced in the trades.
Drew McWeeny, Los Angeles
Drew McWeeny, Los Angeles
-
+ Expand All
-
Keep the phrasing simple for us review plebes, please. I had to read that fucker twice, and Im no slouch. At least, I think not.
-
He's right but you should keep it up Moriarty. :)
-
And if done correctly, will struggle to write itself down to an 'R' rating. I'd be very curious to see how "Guts," for example, plays out to an audience. And that's only the first story. Thoughts?
-
I agree with Onusbone, a simple and succinct [Director] is directing [Movie] based on [Book] would have been handy!
-
...done wrong, it could be Four Rooms 2.
-
And I'd say this is just ONE fascinating announcement. The M.Night news would have been damn fascinating in the year 2000.
-
that he's got to pawn his ideas off onto other crappy filmmakers?
-
Not as spectacular as it could have been, but it's a smaller story than FIGHT CLUB. It was still enjoyable.
-
Ohh! Look how gross and disgusting I can be! Aren't I, like, totally pushing boundaries???
-
I love his reviews, but in his news articles it gets pretty dicey. It's like he's crossing streams of his consciousness.
-
Oct 21, 2008 8:30:39 AM CDT
"a simple and succinct [Director] is directing [Movie] based on
by o_goncho
Take note Mr. Beaks.
-
I'm concerned that he may be a bit late with this move. He should have done it five years ago.
-
That's right, get it all down on paper so you remember >:(
-
I agreed when I first started reading it, but by the end, I really appreciated how he could tell a story, especially something so vile and disgusting, but keep our interest not based on shockvalue, but rather on storytelling.
-
I apparently, it would appear, prefer the use of commas, and run-on sentences, too, to standard, normal sentences. Like Moriarty.
-
Oct 21, 2008 8:34:10 AM CDT
Anyone who still calls him "Shymalamadingdong" should be ignored
by brokentusk
Honestly, "Shyamalan" isn't hard to spell or pronounce. You're just making yourself out to be a simpleton.
-
is pretty fucked up in some places. A lot of that stuff's strength is in the writing though. Not sure how Guts will work out visually.
-
It's my second favorite Chuck book after Survivor. It's very underrated. This sounds promising.
-
I agree. If there was anything remotely clever in these people, at least they could come up with an Office Space reference or something.
"Naga... Naga... Naganna work here anymore anyway." -
I don't really see the point of attaching him to the project if he's not writing. His cred is more damaged than good at this point, no? Mori are you hoping/fishing for the writing phone call?
-
Can Haunted be made as one movie? It'll have to be like 3 hours long to do it any justice at all.. I always saw it as more of a multi-part HBO miniseries.
-
If he follows the format of the book and opens with the story of Guts, I'm curious to see how many people stick around the theater.Palahniuk said himself that he first read the story Guts at a creative writing group he attends and judged everyone's reactions in thinking about how to write his book. He said he put Guts first to make sure people could handle the rest of the book.To keep an 'R' rating, does the movie do the same?
-
I will be basing my judgements on this movie on whether or not Guts will have the same effect for me as the book did: whether or not I can look at peanuts and corn the same way again.
If the filmmakers can evoke the same gut-wrenching reaction as the book, then they will have done a decent job already. -
It's EASY to see something that grosses you out. It's the description by Palahniuk that is most impressive. I will not be impressed by simply showing me something gross. I need the storytelling that kept Haunted interesting.
-
was one of the worst books I have ever read.
-
And I thought the Shyamalamadingdong thing was a reference to that song from Grease.
-
the interesting thing about Guts wasn't that it was gross, it was that it was also kind of hysterical. The ability to make a reader laugh while at the same time fighting the urge to wretch is not something you find very often, and lost in all they hype about people fainting and vomiting at readings was the fact that Guts is probably the funniest thing Palahniuk has ever written. "If I ever told you what it tasted like, you'd never eat calamari again." Fucking priceless.
-
It would be tough to adapt, but it would be a fantastic movie, I think.
-
the first novel i ever bought with my own money. and the only novel of his i've read. Guts is teh best eva
-
its the narcissistic insistence that his text be red in color that makes it hard to read.
Seriously the guy has a major Jesus Complex going on. Red text gimme a break. -
Oct 21, 2008 10:23:16 AM CDT
you have got to be kidding me. M. Night? Relevant still?
by geraldbeans
M. Night has become a walking punchline in this town. Anything he puts his hands on is likewise a punchline. Although a tad too into himself, he genuinely does seem like a nice guy. But each movie of his has gotten progressively worse. Just goes to show. Write/direct one great movie in this town, they give you the keys to the kingdom for a loooooong time.
-
lame lame lame. everyone needs to stop hating on this guy. yes, he's made some really rough failures, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have some really awesome films in his future. also, his producing films for up and coming film directors is an excellent idea. can't wait to see how that pans out. i love when new directors get a shot!
-
Not. Possible.
-
Shyamalan should start directing some OTHER people's scripts. He's a talented filmmaker, but his scripts suck.
-
Has nothing to do with spelling or pronunciation...but has everything to do with scorn and ridicule.Having said that, I agree, it's tired.
-
It's impossible to translate onscreen, unless the character merely narrates and tells the GUTS story to the viewers, in a "My dinner with Andre" way. And how about the Frostbite story? HAUNTED is a broken piece, difficult to translate to the screen and with some brutally violent stories. I say this will either be INSPIRED by HAUNTED, or be one fucked up gruesome film.
-
Palahaniuk is always better when he goes full Gothic.
-
M. Night is no different.
He'll be back. And so will you. Probably for The Last Airbender. -
Other then Zooey being lickable, the movie blows horse cock.
It was nice to see people cow-necking themselves, but the suspense, well there's wasn't any. The most boring suicide movie I've seen. Good idea/premise. Poorly executed.
I like the idea of "Gaia" Earth shaking off the pests and parasites that leech off of it, just add some sack to it, that's all. I don't mean a kid's head getting a hole blown through it.
-
I love the way he directed a couple of those movies, the way he moved the camera around. But with LADY IN THE WATER and THE HAPPENING it's clear that he has lost his mind. Usually I don't understand it when people make a big deal out of a director's ego, but you couldn't have a more clear cut case than LADY IN THE WATER, where he cast himself as a dude whose writing is so brilliant it is literally going to save the world. With THE HAPPENING it seems like he has just completely lost track of what is not laughable in a movie and how human beings react to things and speak to each other. I was really hoping he would take a step back, find a really good script by someone else and direct the hell out of it. But I guess not.
And isn't the twist endings the reason people got sick of him before his movies even turned terrible? Now he wants to just spread those around to other directors?
Also, thank you Brokentusk for calling out the "Shamalongadingdong" idiots. Calling people names in general is playground bully/George Bush league shit, but that one's especially lame because the premise of why it's supposedly funny is "look at these cultures different from my own, with their crazy names, it is so funny and silly how the name is not Jones or Smith, ha ha ha". -
..like to see Survivor before anything else.
-
Is being made into a movie? Not a HBO or Showtime miniseries? That's stupid, plus Haunted is Chucks lamest book. Its like Chuck for dummies. Choke was good, but it was Chucks second worst book as well. Hopefully is Invisible Monsters or Survivor are ever made they are made better then the book like Fight Club was.
-
Should make a Twilight Zone series update for one of the cable networks. Or make the inevitable Walking Dead series (hopefully Kirkman is smart enough to not turn it into just a couple of movies). Again needs to be a series on one of the cable networks, I think M. Knight could do a decent job at making them.
-
SHAMALAMADINGDONGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
-
I dug The Sixth Sense, I loved Unbreakable, and I throughly enjoyed Signs (which was on TV last week and held up very well). I just don't know what happened. I haven't enjoyed the last few attempts. Maybe it's time for an Unbreakable 2 or something.
-
Oct 21, 2008 1:20:31 PM CDT
Ex-Drummer was one of the most fucked up, craziest films I've ev
by bungion boy
That said, Koen Mortier is the perfect match for Palahniuk. While I disagreed with some of the adaptation choices Clark Gregg made with Choke, I liked the film overall. I thought he nailed the tone and it was one of the best parts Sam Rockwell had ever had. Mortier certainly is in the same world as Chuck. This is very interesting news. Oh. And cool. Definitely cool.
-
This was a very convoluted post that I also had to read several times to get what was going on. It's as if you've assumed we've already read the news story, giving us stream of consciousness tangents before you outline the actual story. As an English comp teacher, I have to cry foul!
-
and I've read it 6 times. What I can gather is this... Koen Mortier is adapting and/ or directing Palanhiuk's Haunted. MEANWHILE, The Dowdles are writing and directing a MNS produced thing (movie, anthology, tv show, what? I don't know) called Night Chronicles.
Am I right? -
Yes, it's two different stories, and I believe Moriarty thought it would be easier to just tell about both of them at the same time. Unfortunally, Moriarty has some problems with writting and keeping distinct subjects on deparated paragraphs, while confusingly rambling opinions mixed with the facts he wants to communicate. Sad to see an illiterate grown man. Sad.
-
You're right on. Making fun of names is something most of us outgrow in the 6th grade... but a lot of people with severely arrested development have still figured out how to get online.
-
I guess I'm now in the minority who eagerly await Night's latest movie. I still feel like when I go to see his films I will see something I have never seen in a mainstream movie. His structure, set ups and pay offs and dialogue are unique to him. And of course his direction. He makes the most of his influences. And here's the thing...it's all out of his head. No video game, no comic book, no tv remake. And it's not an art film. It's designed to be entertaining and appeal to a broad audience. I'm always surpised how much people have turned on his films. His ego is huge. But so is his talent. I get the gripes. But it all comes together for me. Yes Village and Lady in the Water were flawed but I really enjoyed the Happening. I mean versus what? Max Payne? Maybe it's just me. I still can't wait to see what the guy does next.
-
I'll do a Night Chronicle.
Go on, Night. Gimme a shot.
Ahem. -
WE are alone. I also look forward to anything Night will do. Even the failures are fascinating. "The Happening" didn't work; it was one of those failures... but it was still a Hell of a lot more interesting than "Transformers".
-
Had no f'ing idea what he was trying to get across here.
-
The Happening is HILARIOUSLY AWFUL.
-
... okay, let's try the version for those of you who this this is "too hard" to read.
There is a book called HAUNTED. Koen Mortier will make a film version of it.
There will be a film series called NIGHT CHRONICLES. The Dowdles will make the first one.
Sorry if I used big words or offered some opinion or analysis. God forbid. -
...It was the order they were in.
-
just the other week... I have no idea how they'd adapt this. In fact, I even thought that WHILST I was reading it, with no idea that it was going to be made. It's not just the utterly, ridiculously graphic nature of it, it's the whole structure of the book (essentially largely a collection of short stories) - it REALLY doesn't lend itself to a feature adaptation easily. Nevertheless, I've gotta say I'm intrigued...
-
Mori, I particularly like the post criticizing your use of red text - which apparently makes you a pretentious asshole - when it's clear the only reason you've ever used the different colour is to distinguish yourself from every other writer on this site.
I'm an M. Night apologist, but there is no excuse for LADY IN THE WATER and THE HAPPENING. Wasn't he offered the chance to adapt THE LIFE OF PI at one stage? Now THAT would have been a perfect match of director and material.
The best part about THE HAPPENING is the way Mark Whalberg's voice rises in pitch the more puzzled he is. It makes for a great drinking game. -
Quit talking down to your audience you prig. Also, everyone knows you're real name. Why are you still using the goofy username. Yeah, yeah, great villain's name but grow up already.
-
but I can't vouch for Happening and Lady in the Water. I saw Signs the other day and just wondered, what the hell happened? But I still get excited whenever I see his name attached to something.
-
I like you, you're my favorite reviewer on this site but lately, you really have been talking down to the talkbackers on here. What ever happened to freedom of speech? People are going to say what they're going to say and just talking shit back to them is something a child does. Just ignore it, it's not hurting anyone.
-
You haven't seen many films, have you?
Check out this guy, "Alfred Hitchcock"! You might enjoy his stuff!! -
They tried and died.
-
But you know that was his first choice. Honestly, the man has lost his ever-loving mind. M. Night should make a romantic comedy.
-
Oct 21, 2008 10:50:08 PM CDT
okay, let's try the version for those of you who this this is "t
by monkey butler
OK, I understood it perfectly the first time, but that is hilarious
-
should be the rest of the headline
-
unforutantly that doesn't always pay the bills, sometimes you have to take shit jobs in order to do what you want to do. Look at John Cassavettes, he acted in a lot of shit just so he could have the money to make projects that were close to him
-
You are the best man on this site with your critique of things and passion in conveying them. When you post on here I will read it even if I could care about its content. You are well trusted by me with film. Honestly. But, I do think that with this post, you could have given a brief 1 2 3 first. Thats all. done.
-
from the point of view it's not an horror movie. Blame Disney, but not the movie. It's not flawed, it's not bad. It's just a fucking masterpiece. Lady In The Water, a bit down, but still pretty well directed. The Happenning, just bad.
-
On one level it is lowest common denominator shock value. But at the same time, the structure implies something larger. And he goes to great lengths to allude to important philosophical ideas and historical references that will confuse and bore anyone reading just for the gory bits.----It will be very interesting to see how they do Venus and how they visually display the fact that the magic box clearly contains a portal to Venus. Also, I wonder how they will do the melding of the reality and the fiction that occurs at the end. hmm
-
is that every character speaks and writes just like Chuck. He makes no attempt to differentiate their voices. This is in part due to the fact that the book started as a short story collection (until his agent told him that short story collections don't sell). It is also due in part to the fact that Palahunuik writes novels on a template. A good template, but a template all the same.
-
Prig? WTF is that? And yeah, Moriarty uses that moniker instead of Drew. What's that got to do with growing up? You just insulted every talkbacker on this site.
-
theres too much good stuff in there for it to be a 2-2.5 hour movie. i cant imagine a world in which that makes a good movie.
-
The article is convoluted. What does the Night Chronicles have to do with the Haunted film adaptation? It's still not clear. Child rearing getting to you? You've been such a shit lately. No disrespect. Get some sleep.
-
Name, yes. But everyone knows Moriarty was actually Holmes.
-
prig: one who irritates by rigid or pointed observation of properties. Now a prig would have just replied to you "Don't you know what a dictionary is?"
-
In case you are somehow missing the inherent hypocrisy of your post: Do not attempt to champion freedom of speech while telling someone else to keep their comments to themselves.
-
I love Haunted. Lullabye and Survivor are my favorites, but Haunted is with Invisible Monsters as one of my second-favorites. However, it is essentially a bunch of short stories linked by a through-line, and the through-line is the weakness of the book. The individual stories are generally outstanding, but there are like 20 of them. A movie would have to focus on just a few of the stories and the throughline. I imagine the movie would almost totally ignore the stories, which defeats the purpose.
On another note, just watched The Happening on PPV and it was laughably horrible, which is just what I was expecting. I can't believe anyone can defend MSM at this point. He did one very good (though overrated) movie with th Sixth Sense. He has been on a steady decline ever since. He actually is sort of like Chuck P, except the Chuck's humor is intentional while M. Night is deadly serious and actually thinks his terrible, laughable work is profound. He blows. -
usernames are for the childish and/or cowardly. It used to be that If you wrote a letter to the editor of a magazine or newspaper and wanted to see it printed, you either provided your name or requested that it be withheld. In the case of McWeeney, my point is why does he still use it when his real identity is known? He's a professional now and time to act and write like one. That's where the "grow up" comes from. Username's allow people to make the most vile, insulting, and dishonest comments without fear of reprisal.
-
When reading it, pretend you have no idea what it is about. That will help you see that you often don't structure paragraphs coherently.
-
I believe he still uses "Moriarty" because he is somewhat embarrassed by his last name, McWeeney. That's the way it seems, anyway.
-
did it not occur to you that your username comment above perfectly matched the previous post where you defined "prig"?!
-
I never thought of that but you're probably correct. At least his folks had the good sense not to name him Richard (Dick) or Peter. A girl in my neighborhood growing up had thew last name of Hood. Her idiotic parents named her Robin. Every time her name was called out over the PA in school t was met with howls of laughter not unlike Quasimodo's reception at the Festival of Fools
-
Of course it did. Ain't hypocrisy grand?
-
And seeing as you keep mixing up specific (directed at Mori) and generic (including TBers) opinions about usernames, does it not seem ridiculous to have thousands of Tbers all posting under "name withheld"?!
Oh and ;) BTW. Just being a prig. User names also let comments stand for themselves without identity getting in the way where the TBs are concerned. How many times have we seen comments that are so biased against thye person the original point is forgotten for a character assassination, and conversely if some celeb posts here most become sycophants and backpeddlers. Your comments are myopic. You don't even mention the whole 'spy' naming thing of the early days, which seems to have pretty much passed now.
Finally, I AM aware of the irony of posting this under my own username (although I admit that one only works if you're English or Aussie/Kiwi - should I change it to "name withheld?!). But considering I am in the industry, AND I've worked on some big/shit films, at least I can say things without being railroaded by "what would YOU know, those films SUCKED!" every time. NOW do you start to see the advantages? Why did King start writing as Bachman? Huh?
Do you also understand the concept of 'fun'? Sure ten years laer we're all getting old and grumpy and the newbies are stupider than ever, but I will stand by user names for the simple joy of gifting the world with monikers like "Paddy O'Furniture"! Gold, I tells ya!
Where "Mori" Is concerned, I don't see the hypocrisy regarding the names. "Moriarty" is a film fan and critic, Drew McWeeney writes scripts. Probably not in red. Zing! -
Sorry, posted before I saw your last one. I take back the sense of humour comments.
-
I had a teacher named Miss Hore. And in the same class, a girl with the initials V.D. Lots of sniggering in that class.
-
On a public forum such as this is to protect ones identity, yes? I say that is rather prudent, unless you want everyone on the net to know who you are? This day and age it is way to easy to track people's private information. Identity theft is rampant. So i use a nick name/username, so that I am am not vilified or harrassed on another forum, or worse still, REAL LIFE. I like my private life private. As do you, I am sure Paul. Just because we choose not to have our full names broadcast to the world doesn't mean we have to grow up! This site is about movie fans discussing, arguing about and loving movies. It's meant to be F.U.N. But then, there always has to be a "Prig" to spoil that. Enjoy your life Paul. Hope you get to smile every once in awhile without having to be the social conscience dictating who is in need of growing up. Take a look in the mirror first. deanbarry...over and out :)
-
And in the case of Moriarty...fuck! Let the dude have some friggen fun with it.
-
I had all of the mirrors removed after my last birthday. Sorry.
-
Lol....whatever dude. I said my piece.
-
I'm just having fun. Isn't that what you want. Fuck you and saying your piece. You can go back to blowing "Mori" now.
Readers Talkback
User Login
Top Talkbacks
- To Commemorate The 3D Release Of STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE, George Lucas Wants You To Know...Greedo Shoots First!! -- 435 total posts 435 posts
- There's a STAR TREK video game that is going to lead into JJ's STAR TREK 2 apparently... -- 88 total posts 88 posts
- AVENGERS enemy revealed as pink boardgame pieces... You might suffer some form of elation... SPOILERS!!! -- 86 total posts 80 posts
- Rest In Peace Bethesda’s Adam Adamowicz -- 76 total posts 76 posts
- The Sensorties Revisit The Friday Docback (And Still Smell)!! DOCTOR WHO Story #7 Again, The Coming Of Season/Series 7, And More!! -- 69 total posts 69 posts
- Quint travels to Barsoom and visits the John Carter set!!! -- 127 total posts 62 posts
- SPACE 2099!! -- 159 total posts 61 posts
- Friday Brings SWEEPS DAY NINE!! Gab Here About Tonight’s FRINGE!! Plus Einstein on TIM, Wiig On PORTLANDIA, MAHER, CLONE, GIFTED, GRIMM, SPARTACUS, SUPERNATURAL, GOLD RUSH And More!! -- 88 total posts 60 posts
- Wanna smell like the Hulk? What about Cap? Consider yourself a Thunder God or a unisex God of Mischief? -- 58 total posts 57 posts
- Ridley Scott's Next Will Be Cormac McCarthy's THE COUNSELOR! -- 50 total posts 50 posts