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What is going on in the world of David Twohy'
Hey there all you rascals, Harry here. As you read last week in the trades, David Twohy just signed onboard with Miramax to direct the Darren Aronofsky and Lucas Sussman scripted, PROTEUS. And that he has a 3 film write/direct deal there. Well, about a month ago I was checking up on a rumor about David Twohy possibly being involved with the alleged ALIEN VS PREDATOR project that 4Filmmakers.Com claimed was being produced by Cameron's LIGHTSTORM. Twohy's been busy with the international release of PITCH BLACK, and has only just now responded, but boy he gave us a doozy... I'll meet ya down at the bottom after the letter...
Hey, man.
Sorry for not replying sooner, but I was in Australia opening "Pitch Black" down there. Re "AVP," Fox did inquire about my availability awhile back, but since they didn't want to shop existing scripts around, it didn't come to much. (I understand they're cranking out a new script, or are about to.) Anyway, the timing looks off for my involvment with AVP, since I just signed with Miramax to write/direct three pix and possibly produce more.
First up will be "Proteus," original script by Darren Aronofsky and Lucas Sussman. I'm retooling that script now; expect to be shooting end of this year. Haunted house on a submarine -- which solves the basic problem of most haunted house moves: "Why don't you just fucking LEAVE?" Execution is fairly different from Darren's script, which veers off into monster-flick territory. And I've done that. New title forthcoming, too.
After that, I'll shoot a Harlan Ellison piece that he'll script for me. Classic science fiction, towering ideas, terrific jeopardy -- it's a fast ball right down the center of the plate. Can't name the title just yet, as we're just now in negotiations and the rights are complicated. But stand by. This one'll be a beaut.
David Twohy
Hey folks, Harry here. Maaaaan, Harlan Ellison science fiction, translated into a screenplay by Ellison. "Classic Science Fiction, Towering Ideas, Terrific Jeopardy" "Complicated Rights?" Oh man... I wonder what the heck this one is? For Science Fiction enthusiasts, this is good news. For anyone that has ever read Harlan Ellison's "I,ROBOT" screenplay, I'm sure you are quite aware that the man is quite able to translate science fiction into screenplay form. This could very well be one of those projects that makes you go.... "Ahhhh, now that's Science-Fiction!"
Now the horrible thing is, I have now opened up TALK BACK to the subject of Harlan Ellison, about whom we often find the most rabid angry back and forths you ever did read. I've been fortunate enough to have a couple of conversations with Harlan, and sat on one panel with him, Ray Bradbury and Ray Harryhausen. Often times, Ellison is depicted as having messiah complexes, delusions of grandeur, etc. This was not the man upon this stage. Ellison stated for the world to hear, that his work would be forgotten over the passage of time, in stark contrast to Bradbury and Harryhausen. He then went through a list of science fiction authors that a great many people on this planet have no knowledge of whatsoever. Names like Theodore Sturgeon, Robert Silverberg and the great Gerald Kersh. Now hardcore science fiction fans, the ones that will dig through deteriorating pulps, flipping through Ace Doubles and so on.... They know these names, but Harlan felt his name will eventually be forgotten. This from an egomaniac? Hmmmm....
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Yikes! It's a ghost pirate!
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Gee, I haven't read the "I, Robot" script Harry mentions, but I remember watching in the new Twilight Zone the episode "Gramma", with a script by Harlan Ellison, based on the Stephen King short story, and boy, it reeked!. Really, really awful. Akiva Goldsman awful. Don't get me wrong, I like Ellison's books, but based on this scripting sample... pew!. On the other hand, his scripts for his "Dream Corridor" comics were pretty good, but they were based on his own stories. Ah, whatever. I'll go see anything science-fictiony, anyway. Off-topic: just saw John Waters' "Pecker" on cable... highest recommendation. A truly good natured freaky film. "Full of Grace! Full of Grace"!. He he he.
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Let's see, complicated rights, classic science fiction? Don't suppose Harlan's trying his hand at a script for the short story Cameron ripped off for Terminator, do you? I mean, Harlan's certainly got the yin-yangs to go for it, but does Twohy? Incidentally I think Twohy doing another wee little B-movie (haunted sub, woooo scary) is peachy keen. The man knows from fun.
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Harlan is GOD! I'm hoping it's "Mefisto in Onyx". I remember hearing that Sam Jackson was involved at one point. But whatever it is I'm sure Harlan will knock it out of the park. This is officially a movie I would kill for.
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Reminds me a bit of Event Horizon, which I thought was good. This sounds promising.
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Hmm... No one wants to say the title. Maybe that'd jinx it. Oh well, we know what's being talked about.
Anyway, that would just be... to much. It's one of the best short stories ever written, IMHO, and I'm not sure if it could ever translate to screen and be half as effective as the page.
On the other hand, if he incorporated some of the extensions to the story that were in the computer game a few years back... And he did lend a great voice... -
Hope It Kicks Ass like Pitch Black did!
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It was such a good movie. Shockingly profound and very powerful. Wonderful characters. Twohy has the potential to become a major player. I love his original style. This is what we need in a world full of Michael Bay's who seem to think that lunar landers floating over asteroids make for good action scenes. Twohy actually bothered to create intricate action scenes that aren't just action driven, but character driven. The best seen in Pitch Black is not an action scene, however, but rather a confrontation between Vin Diesel and the heroine in the rain. It was a strong scene, and much more interesting than any action scene could ever hope to be. That is the key.
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Ellison is an asshole, but he's an asshole who knows what he's talking about (sometimes) and is a very good writer. Actually, I hear the guy's nice in person, but his public persona is unarguably abrasive. Fortunately his bile is usually targeted at folks who deserve it, like studio executives who refused to make "I, Robot" from his script with Irvin Kirshner directing, which would have been freakin' GREAT...anyway. I raise my glass to Twohy for trying to make actual SF movies, even though Pitch Black was just throwaway fun. The Arrival, however, was underrated brilliance.
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Ellison is an asshole, but he's an asshole who knows what he's talking about (sometimes) and is a very good writer. Actually, I hear the guy's nice in person, but his public persona is unarguably abrasive. Fortunately his bile is usually targeted at folks who deserve it, like studio executives who refused to make "I, Robot" from his script with Irvin Kirshner directing, which would have been freakin' GREAT...anyway. I raise my glass to Twohy for trying to make actual SF movies, even though Pitch Black was just throwaway fun. The Arrival, however, was underrated brilliance.
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From what I've heard about this film in the past, It's a re-make of a 1995 British horror/monster flick set on an oil rig, Starring cockerney twat, Craig Fairbrass.
If this is true then I just hope it's better than the original. I'm not going to splatter you with hyperbole here, bit this movie was bad. No, really. It was embarrassing watching it. If you don't believe me look at the review on IMDB.
After watching Pitch Black (which I was disappointed with) I think Twoohy will have a hell off a job ressurecting the original script. My advice would be to burn it and start with a new name.
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Just a quick comment aside, not a critisism, but do people have to use the terms "kick ass" and "Suck ass" so often?
It used to be "Awsome", what happened to that one??!!
Cool it with the hyperbole, either that or be a bit more original. It really grates.
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I want the title of this one, Harry. That Towhy guy is a great visual director, maybe not on par with Cameron yet, but hey give him a real budget. Wasn't "Pitch" made from something like 20 million? And Ellison is one of the fountainheads of sci-fi. Whatever this film is, I already in line. PS: Aranofsky is sick too.
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