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Update on the I AM LEGEND News!

"Lady, you can't take away my wings." by RoyComplain	Nov 19th, 2001 08:06:11 AM
Just saw Pearl Harbour on video. Some of it was really, utterly, stinkingly dreadful. Once you got past the first hour and a half of pure drivel though, it was actually pretty good. Alec Baldwin is cool. Give that man a break.
My life is now complete! by Drak_Tanner	Nov 19th, 2001 08:16:16 AM
Oy. I haven't seen the script or read the source material for 'Legend', but it sounds cool, in spite of the rather boring vampire angle. Maybe I'm alone here, but to me, vampires aren't interesting. At all. Nor are they in any way threatening, thanks to them being transformed from lone blood-suckers to weak stake-fodder in things like 'Buffy' , 'Blade', and 'From Dust Till Dawn'. Don't get me wrong, those're great pieces of work in their own right, but they've really managed to trivialize the threat and menace vampires used to have. Now they're just glorified zombies with silly-putty faces that burst into flames in the sunlight. From what I know, 'Legend' won't change this at all, but it does have the last-man-on-earth thing going for it, which is good. Alas, Nosferatu and Dracula have been replaced by panty-waists.
If all this is true, then bring it on... by Roguewriter	Nov 19th, 2001 08:46:19 AM
... but I have a feeling any studio flak reading this right now is snorting and giggling like crazy. "Bay without the MTV glitz?" he's thinking. "Smith without the quips? Yeah, like we'll ever let that happen." ... But who knows. I would love to see this follow ALI as Smith's breakout performance, taking him to a new level. I'd still prefer Ed Harris or Lance H., tho. ;)
this just keeps getting dumber and dumber by ItsOver	Nov 19th, 2001 09:13:30 AM
dammit Harry I'm on pins and needles on what the next update on this clusterfuck will be. i love the book but i still don't see how it can be a poignant reaction to 9-11. Tragic terrorist attack = vampire movie. I don't get it. Bay was an assclown and always will be. His inability to grasp even the slightest bit of human nature, drama, and decency is mind boggling. **** By the way is the "Action, Fights, Bikini" pop up the single most low brow thing on the planet? Bravo. I'm amazed. I think "Action, Fights, Bikini" needs to be a new AICN catch phrase along with HAS A BEER AND CHEETS ON HIS WIFE. I'll try it out...
Michael Bay and I am legend by andreasingo	Nov 19th, 2001 09:19:49 AM
If Michael really is serious in what he is saying I'm the first one to root for him. This will be a new direction for Bay to be sure and a lack of Bruckheimer will certainly help. I wich you luck.
WHY IGNORE THE HARRY POTTER BOX OFFICE RECORDS??? by -mrbean-	Nov 19th, 2001 09:36:23 AM
I mean, this site did post the X-Men box office when it was first released, so the money not having anything to do with movie quality doesn't hold up here.
Every hack says they want to do it "gritty"... by eskimospy	Nov 19th, 2001 09:36:45 AM
...but they invariably keep churning out cinematic crap. If Bay and Smith do it for scale, if they have a budget of no more than $10 million, if they hire a real screenwriter (and maybe even include Richard Matheson in the story meetings) to take the four drafts of dreck floating around, incinerate them beyond recognition, then take the novel, read it a couple of times and then work on a new, more faithful draft...well, then I might give this edit-happy bastard some credit. Might. Harry, I'm surprised you were able to type this piece, what with Bay's sack bouncing off your glasses. Stop sucking up. It's embarrassing to witness.
if anyone making this thing is reading this...then read this by sundown	Nov 19th, 2001 09:43:23 AM
One thing that gets me about the Omega Man and Petrosevichs draft is this. The message and point of the book is that 'he is Legend' because the 'new society' will soon doubt his existance and he will become merely LEGEND. He will be as vampires are now...a boogey man....THEIR boogeyman. The roles reverse. Thats what I loved about the book and while Omega man had a down beat ending it didn't capture that. Petros draft had the axsion moobie ending. If you want a serious movie capture the true meaning of the story. If Potter taught us one thing its to ADAPT FAITHFULLY and not screw with a good thing.
I am Legend should not be made unless it's Rated R by Cooler-than-Thou	Nov 19th, 2001 09:54:50 AM
a PG rating shouldn't even be a possibility. I am Legend is a tale of terror and suspense. It's intense and Will Smith has yet to show the world that he's capable of being gritty. Now that doesn't mean he can't do it. I have more faith in him than I have in Micheal Bay. I think the book's action scenes are in reliable hands but as far as the dreary atmosphere goes, that's where the trouble may lie. oh and by the way DrakTanner, I Am Legend does not have a 'boring vampire angle'. the vampires ARE the story. if it weren't for them, they'd be no tale to tell. you should check it out, it's an excellent story.
What Jack Ass offered this guy Red Dragon? by Niaiserie	Nov 19th, 2001 10:06:30 AM
For that matter what Jack Ass gave it to Ratner? Anyways, the one hope I have in this project is at the least Bay seems to have looked back at his work and realized that its mostly crap. He's been given a couple hundred million dollar movies to learn what not to do, I think this projects developement will be something to watch.
we still have a BIG problem! by ms. x	Nov 19th, 2001 10:40:14 AM
hello? harry's acting like this is a good thing. for one michael bay wants to do a gritty rated r movie. well thats great for him but he wants to experiment with I AM LEGEND! not good. plus our other problem still remains...will smith IS NOT old enough! i know his ego has shot outta the roof because of ALI but he cannot do every role handed to him now (even though he seems to think he can)!!!!! this role is not for him. he is too young and he's not tough enough. neville is supposed to be rugged and edgy...will smith cannot do this. he's too pretty boyish. sorry, he needs to stick to his one-liners and alien hunting. this project is still in the red for me. dont think it can be any good with these 2 running things!
The script was pure Michael Bay! by i'mYOURman	Nov 19th, 2001 10:58:55 AM
For example, the ending with the train and the explosions and the close-call-jump-away-from-the- fireball thing!! Sounds like pure Bay. The Rock was the best movie Mikey B has done so far btw AND I HOPE WILL SMITH DOES NOT PLAY IN THIS MOVIE! He's not old enough. Use Ed Harris! YOU HEAR ME BAY!!! YOU WORKED WITH HIM ON THE ROCK!! He's THE MAN, and your man for the job. And me? I'mYOURman of course.
Sammy Petrillo or Eddie Deezen as "Robert Neville." by Uncapie	Nov 19th, 2001 11:02:09 AM
Duke Mitchell or Treat Williams as "Ben Cortman."
I can't believe I own 10,000 shares of this shit on hsx. by Mel Garga	Nov 19th, 2001 11:43:45 AM

Why not Bay & Arnold?? by saintarnold	Nov 19th, 2001 11:49:11 AM
I think that would be a match made in heaven. Bay's films are cool action movies and Arnold needs a cool director to get back on track in the action genre. C'mon Arnold... hook it up. It's a win-win situation. Bay shouldn't distance himself from Bruckheimer either, he's the man... as "Black Hawk Down" will prove once again. Middle row, dead-center - Saintarnold
Unfortunately I can hear it now.... by Dr.Zeus	Nov 19th, 2001 11:50:13 AM
DAAAMMMN! Yo sho are de whitest neck suckas I ever done seen! And shortly followed by that is the mass exodus from the theatre. There's nothing I'd like to see more than a faithful adaptation of "I am legend". It is possible to do, and these two might be able to pull it off. But if you want to get back to grit, then leave the high-grade paychecks, and the high-grade perks at home. Hell they both have more money than they'll spend in a lifetime. Do it for love or do us a favor and don't do it at all.
They should have asked ME to cast this movie... by HugoHeir	Nov 19th, 2001 12:04:22 PM
When you guys read the part in Harry's spiel about how Bay has to direct "a deeply textured and tortured portrait of the last man on Earth," did anyone else think that this would be a great part for Bruce Campbell? It's not too late Bay, there's still time to cast Bruce and make this a great movie!
Actually, wouldn't I AM LEGEND really be a terrific way to by Roguewriter	Nov 19th, 2001 12:18:15 PM
There ya go. Can Bay and Smith, pay Matheson oodles to write a script converting his vamps to Shemps, and hand the project to Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell. That way, if it has to be cheese, at least it'll be TASTY cheese. =)
And you believe him why Harry? by WFCall	Nov 19th, 2001 12:21:36 PM
Hollywood is all about empty promises. And here is the most empty-headed, shallow, mainstream director to come down the pipeline in ages, and he wants to make a hard-R rated film that's gritty? Don't believe it for a second! If it even gets made, it'll be full of wince inducing one-liners, and slow motion shots of Will Smith turning one way and the camera the other. In other words: a typical Michael Bay POS. I am officially non excited about this, and I don't believe a thing that Michael Bay says.
Bay, you worthless ass, if you want to make "change" try doing i by SethShandor	Nov 19th, 2001 12:33:13 PM
And don't ruin a classic book. Here's how you do it... listen up all you shitty "big time " directors... you get NO STARS, with NO BUDGET, with a GREAT SCRIPT, and you MAKE IT WORK.
You know what, guys? HARRY POTTER just made $93.5 million in thr by Roguewriter	Nov 19th, 2001 12:42:52 PM
... so, in all honesty, I don't think we can ever again expect big Hollywood studios to give so much as a mousefart for small, integrity-driven art-house projects (which is what I AM LEGEND properly should be). I'm not knocking HARRY, which was cool, but most Hollywood studios are only going to look at the numbers, the mass-market lure, not the internal story elements or solid cast/crew choices that lead to that success. We can probably forget the superlative horror of the 70s and 80s, unless it's coming out of Australia or other countries where the film industry is still more about the product than the revenue... (and personally, I'm still more revolted by the idea of Schwarzenegger as Neville than Will Smith in the role. At least Smith LOOKS like a human being, whereas Arnie will always be a Slimfast-era Terminator...)
You know what... by _pi_	Nov 19th, 2001 12:43:35 PM
If Bay is really serious about cutting the slo-mo-commercial scenes, throwing away the lip-gloss and making this a really good movie, then I think he might be able to do it. I've always hated Bay. I did like Bad Boys, but The Rock, Armageddon and Pearl Harbor? All dreadful, boring and inane. They're just awful, but then again they're all Jerry Bruckheimer films and all Bruckheimer films look alike. So perhaps Bay can do something special with Bruckheimer's talentless claws away, and perhaps he can't. But I'm all for giving him a chance, though I Am Legend might not be the right film for that chance. But I don't like Will Smith and I don't think he's up to the task. Kurt Russell is my man. Or, as someone has already mentioned, Lance Henriksen.
Michael Bay by EggShen'sRevenge	Nov 19th, 2001 12:55:36 PM
The more I read from AICN talkbackers, the more I have to laugh. You continually trash Michael Bay because his direction doesn't fit your definition of art. For some of us though, Michael Bay is one of the greatest directors working in Hollywood right now. How can I say this? Because my first love of cinema is the action film. I think "Die Hard" and "Hard Boiled" are two of the best films in the last 20 years. Action films. That's what I want to see. That's what I love. In that genre, Bay has excelled. His frantic shooting and manic editing have changed the game. Visually, he's a bad ass. And he's got box office to prove it. You guys continue to rip him, but know that there are those of us out here who still think his movies rule.
Ratings and "meatier" by Palhaco	Nov 19th, 2001 12:58:31 PM
Michael Bay feels that a hardcore R-rated film is necessarily "meatier" than a PG-13 film? Unfortunately, that's a typically uninformed opinion. Hard-core violence and vulgarity do not equal "meatier", if by that term you're talking about emotional depth and drama. You CAN have all of these things together, certainly. But it is a sorry (but prevalent) fallacy that you have to be vulgar to be "serious".
WS is the MAN! by cityofnight	Nov 19th, 2001 01:50:07 PM
I'll watch any movie that will smith does, but I think twice about mikebay films. he should know who he is and not get artsy-fartsy. just stick to shoot-em-up blow hard movies and he'll work forever. if he wants to be james cameron, he needs leo , not will to be in his movies. best of luck will, but you need to be pickier with your directors. you're better than that.
The penultimate paragraph by dastickboy	Nov 19th, 2001 02:10:53 PM
"I pray that he can direct a deeply textured and tortured portrait of the last man on Earth out of Will Smith... and not make him a stereotyped action god..." ...but you just know that the studio won't be able to resist this move. "Ok guys, we're gonna release this mofo for the summer, and we're going CGI all the way! The kids'll love it!!" I'm depressed already - I just hope that Bay can surprise me...
Paul Harvey Says Harry Potter Critics Are Wrong by Hate_Speech	Nov 19th, 2001 02:25:28 PM
Yeah, just today on Paul Harvey's radio bit, he said the Harry Potter movie made 93 million dollars in three days and because of that all the critics discredited themselves.. What a moron.. THe film could be a giant pile of steaming crapola and still make 93 million in 3 days due to the hype machine and the fact that the studio is one of the largest conglomerates which controls the info you get regarding magazines, TV, Radio, billboards, and the internet. America has been primed for MONTHS to go see this film.. I almost expect people to walk out of the theater after seeing it in a catatonic state, eyes wide open, when asked how they like the new Harry Potter film they say "IT WAS BETTER THAN CATS".... America love crap.
It IS inconceivable. by Roguewriter	Nov 19th, 2001 02:39:41 PM
You keepa usink that word. I doona theenk it means what you theenk it means. =)
This is what I'm thinking by 14byit	Nov 19th, 2001 02:52:52 PM
No Will Smith. To young, not reserved enough, (we don't want him punching a vamprye, throwing a cigar in his mouth and saying "Not THAT'S a pain in the neck") I would have to agree with other talkbackers and say either Ed Harris, or Lance Henrickson (to bad he doesn't get more roles) maybe, just maybe Alec Baldwin. Or a longshot, Sam Niel. AND PLEASE DO NOT put Chuck H. in a cameo as a vamprye. Bay is an OK director, i think that this would be better if it was directed by Gulliermo Del Toro (sp?)
Pearl Harbor... by Monkey Lover	Nov 19th, 2001 03:33:04 PM
The dude up there somewhere who talked about Pearl Harbor being Bay's chance for artistic integrity was spot-on. Before the film was made Bay was mouthing off about how it was going to be a tribute to the real people involved and how it was gonna be a sweet piece of serious cinematic brilliance, and look what happened there. A comically hilarious mess of a film. With a Faith Hill ballad. So don't get your hopes up until Slick Senor Bay shows what he can do, coz so far, he hasn't.
Chris Cooper is my perfect Neville. by Cash Bailey	Nov 19th, 2001 03:33:53 PM
He has that quiet, haunted, world-weary everyman thing down pat (watch LONE STAR or MATEWAN for further proof), and he's one of the world's great unsung character actors. I reckon he'd tear shit up as Neville, and he'd cost about a tenth of what Arnie would, who (admit it, Fanboys) would absolutely SUCK in this role. Protosevitch's script had a great first and second acts, but the third act was rancid Hollywood tripe.
Michael Bay gets his hands dirty by Billy Talent	Nov 19th, 2001 03:34:47 PM
I thought that 'Pearl Harbor' was his and Jerry's attempt to dazzle the critics and the academy, sort of like Jerry Lewis with 'The Day the Clown Cried'. Oh well, 'The Rock' was sort of good.
MAYBE HARRY CAN GET A ROLE AS A TEACHER WHO CUTS HIS FINGER ON A by 14byit	Nov 19th, 2001 03:56:38 PM
True about the Pearl Harbor comment. I don't think subject matter gets more gritty than that. And he still fucked it up. And how many shots are there going to be of Will Smith slowly rising up as the camera pans around him. Wouldn't be a Bay movie without it.
Death from above, or... by Johnny Smith	Nov 19th, 2001 04:21:12 PM
Hugh Jackman, Jim Caviezel, Guy Pearce, Robert Patrick, or Lance Henriksen as Neville. Roxanne Dawson as Ruth. Elizabeth Mitchell as Virginia. Christopher Walken as Ben Cortman (How freaky would that be? You're the last man on earth, you look out your window, and Christopher Walken is out there, calling for your blood?). And as a tip of the hat, someone put in a cameo for Lincoln Kilpatrick and/or Anthony Zerbe. That's all there is to it. Bay CAN do this, but can he whilst abandoing his pop-style moviemaking? One can only hope. Though she spent many mind-numbing years on Voyager for reasons I can't fathom (probably contractual), I believe Dawson has the acting chops to pull off the final scene between Ruth and Neville. And please, someone use a version of THE OMEGA MAN's tagline for this film's...it still holds up after all these years. Pray for the last man on Earth...because he's not alone...
five-tone films presents 'i am legend' by tommy5tone	Nov 19th, 2001 05:28:42 PM
first up, let me just reiterate what i always say when someone like schumacher or bay wants to go all gritty and indie - YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE ROOTS BEFORE YOU CAN RETURN TO THEM, OK? neither joel nor mikey was ever a struggling artiste trying to make their neo-surrealist remake of 'biycle thieves' starring giovanni ribisi and parker posey before selling out to hollywood. they've been part of the machine since day one, and for them to whine for their old days of low budgets and "keepin' it real" is disingenuous bullshit. in all honesty, i didn't mind 'tigerland' but calling it joel's artistic redemption after years of flashy, commercial hackwork is a goddamn lie - no-name cast aside, it's a proficient, soulless piece of work with some "daring" nudity and that pre-fab "grungy" look the kids just love. YOU NEED TO HAVE ROOTS BEFORE YOU CAN RETURN TO THEM! likewise, mikey is a dab hand at making the pretty pictures but he can't string them together into anything coherent and a fuckin' chimp would get better performances from the actors. look, "will smith in michael bay's 'i am legend'" may sound kinda fun if you've had a few beers and a few bowls and you're playing "what if...?" but wouldn't you rather see george clooney as neville versus viggo mortensen as cortman in the stephen norrington version? you know it makes sense.
"He is tired of the up-beat and happy sort of films" by lostvegabrother	Nov 19th, 2001 05:35:12 PM
...huh? Never saw "Pearl Harbour" (I'd already seen "Titanic" so what was the point) but I can't imagine it was "Upbeat & Happy"... what I'd say he's tired of is making movies for the sole purpose of making money. And Saintarnold, c'mon... Will Smith can act (See "Six Degrees of Seperation") Arnold cannot (See ANY of his movies). As I wrote on the board yesterday, if Arnie wanted to make a comeback then "Collateral Damage" needed to be released in September when Blockbuster's highest renting titles were "anything where terrorists get their arse kicked"....
Loosen your belts you uptight whiners! by seth maxim	Nov 19th, 2001 06:18:49 PM
Man you guy's need to learn to just relax sometimes. Micheal Bay is not a bad director, Will Smith is still a badd ass. There human and occasionally things don't work out in their favor, so no lifes like you beat the crap out of them from a safe distance. Bay's movies have not been bad they were fun and exciting and dramatic at times, they weren't trying to make a character driven epic, just a fun film adventure. What's wrong with that? Does every movie have to be an oscar winner? Now don't get me wrong, I hope this film is tooken seriously and is made into an action and character driven epic. Let's show some support and ideas not demands and scrutiny, positive criticism that encourages his ego to do better, instead of tearing his self esteem down, then the film gets greenlit, and we get the worst film evermade. Is that what you want?
Oh yeah, good luck Bay and Smith! by seth maxim	Nov 19th, 2001 06:28:24 PM
That's all I wanted to say,plus I can't wait for L.O.T.R. and Smith's ALI. Now I have to get back to living my life!
Won't someone kill me? by Jfutureman	Nov 19th, 2001 06:52:08 PM
Never posted before, but this warranted it. This is THE WORST IDEA EVER. And there are a lot of them floating around on movie rumor pages. No book deserves a classy film treatment more than I am Legend. I'm sorry. I don't share your optimism about this, Harry. Bay is the schmaltziest, hackneyed, disrespectful, green-eyed monster in the business. Spielberg at least started out with a heart- Bay skipped right to the lump of coal. Anybody read the Time article where it talked about his credo on the set of Pearl Harbor? "Trust the box office." If he calls you again, beg him to leave Hollywood forever and go make independent "gritty" films in Alaska where we never have to see them. This really isn't a mean letter- I'm just sad that my favorite horror story will suck up the screen again...
Suicide is your only option Michael...PULL THE TRIGGER!! by Uncle Jesus	Nov 19th, 2001 07:27:21 PM
I've got bullets!!
Michael Bay does a hardcore "R" and cheets on the mainstream by Darth TJ Mackey	Nov 19th, 2001 09:11:17 PM
Sure, why not? I don't think the success of Harry Potter signals the death of modern film or anything; it made a lot of money this past weekend but cost lots more to make/promote...ideally the studios also like to have some films that cost very little to produce and push but become "breakout hits" in which the profit is purer, so to speak. Bay has done enough successful work in the former to be granted a shot at something a little more meatier, so what the hell? Let's see what he can do with it.
To Tender Heart by rubby	Nov 19th, 2001 10:52:22 PM
Regarding what you said about Harry, the same can be said for Pauline Kael if you've ever read Easy Riders, Raging Bulls though Kael like everybody else portrayed in the book (George Lucas, Spielberg) denied that it ever happened. As for me, I thought the Vincent Prince film of I AM LEGEND was fine but not Price's best (I loved him the most in The Great Mouse Detective) and the remake with Will Smith in the role could be good. Smith can do drama as proven by SIX DEGREES OF SEPERATION and ENEMY OF THE STATE which he starred did have some laughs but was played pretty straight. I think Smith could pull it off and maybe Bay if he's working more akin to The Rock (characters and tension in the situation they're in) instead of Armageddon which was just bleeh blaah. But hey what do I know ?
guys... by jeff bailey	Nov 19th, 2001 10:57:01 PM
...come on. If this was '93 and they said Fincher was gonna do it...every TB in here would be littered with how Alien 3 was a turd (it wasn't. flawed but WAY underrated). He just needed that right script. Bay and Smith are very talented. But they tend towards crowd pleasers. But they have to realize they have walk the walk...not simply talk the talk. The previous poster was right. Schumacher fails to impress. He is all talk. Grabbing a handheld and doing gritty subject matter ain't it. You gotta do it RIGHT. Fincher refused to compromise on se7en and his stars backed him up. they all proved they had balls. You want respect for making a great movie then MAKE one. Don't pussy out. It's GREAT book. It's all there...and oh yeah no offense Will. But Clooney would be perfect. And he wouldn't pussy out. Don't you either.
Rollerball. Tomb Raider. by Mishima	Nov 19th, 2001 11:19:10 PM
When thinking of Director's promising quality, then delivering the same ol' stuff, go read Harry's reports on these movie.
Thoughts by Sodomy Redux	Nov 19th, 2001 11:41:20 PM
First of all, Michael Bay does have talent. He can do action, he can do editing. This I will give him. Unfortunately, his characters are always shmaltzy, his "downtime" directing (i.e. when things aren't happening bam-bam-bam or blowing up) is not very strong. This is just my frank appraisal of the man. Here's the problem, though. "I Am Legend" is ALL downtime. It's introspective, slow, and tense. It's all about atmosphere. I haven't seen Michael Bay do ANYTHING like that. Maybe he has it in him. Maybe it's just a matter of the right script. Or maybe...maybe he just isn't capable of it, and the string of slamming blockbusters he's released are as talented as he gets. I'd like to believe that's not true, and that he can deliver a great movie in a different genre. I just wish he would use something other than "I Am Legend" to cut his teeth on. As for Will Smith, he would make a good Neville. He can deliver monologues and this is a big part of Neville's character. But will the audience be ready for Will lying in bed with a revolver to his head and tears streaming down his face? I'm not sure. I do know that "I Am Legend" is a beloved book and a thrilling novel, and if Bay were to mess it up...he would lose his fanboy cred and have to retire to the island of Schumacher. And at the dock, I would be waiting to fuck him up the ass. This has been Sodomy Redux.
i will not be silenced, amazing larry! by tommy5tone	Nov 19th, 2001 11:44:41 PM
don't get me wrong - if we must have studio hacks churning out mass-market product, we could do far worse than schumacher. at least he can emotionally engage you into a story or tell a coherent tale (well, except those batman movies, but i blame akiva goldsman for those turds). but bay...well, aside from 'the rock', which was so stoopidly wham-bam that it became a laugh, he's just taking himself too seriously, and lacks the storytelling talent to back it up.
Give the man a break ! At least he's LISTENING !! by SilenceofFreedom	Nov 20th, 2001 12:38:47 AM
Sure, many of his last films have been lacking in a lot of departments, but at least he's listening to people. At least he reads talkbacks and is planning to go with the better of the scripts and he's leaving Jerry Suckheimer behind. It'll at least be better than we first thought.
Dare I say it? by CappyMorgan	Nov 20th, 2001 12:56:25 AM
Michael Bay and Will Smith suck. Hey, somebody had to finally say it.
finding myself getting merciful...must resist...must rip bay new by tommy5tone	Nov 20th, 2001 01:24:24 AM
it's hard, i tells ya, larry. i kinda like marky mark as an actor (he's even good in shite like 'rock star', which just opened down under) and your words have made me understand that everyone deserves a second shot at greatness. why, if i was in charge in hollywood back in the day, i would have dissed marky mark as a cut-rate vanilla ice and told him to fuck off back to the mall that spawned him. we would have had leo dicaprio as dirk diggler and, i dunno, luke perry in 'three kings'. damn! sure, we would have been spared mark's dull-ass performance in 'planet of the apes' but we would have been worse off in the long run. so maybe i shouldn't be so quick to disrespect mikey bay. hey, 'the rock' didn't completely suck, right? and if i use the marky mark example, it becomes clear that everyone has the potential for greatness...even bay. right? right? WRONG! because marky mark ALWAYS kicked ass! he kicked ass from day one! 'good vibrations' was da shit! he was always marked for glory, while mikey bay is marked for obscurity...if not a slow, painful, unlubricated buggering from the other inmates of movie jail. no justice, no peace and no bay/smith combo in 'i am legend'! give me clooney, mortensen and norrington or give me another drink, damn you! oh, and cast mia kirshner (mmmmm...) as the female lead while you're at it! you know it makes sense.
I can only see two reasons Bay and Will would want to make this by Cash Bailey	Nov 20th, 2001 02:15:55 AM
Bay wants to make it so the fanboys will like him again and Will wants to do it so he can have a movie all to himself. I'd be happy to be proven wrong, and Bay can start by burning the last twenty pages of Protosevitch's script. I almost vomited at that "You can go to hell" line. Anyone else just know that Anna, the last normal woman on earth, will miraculously be black, or latino. I thought that Protosevitch (jeez, ain't that a bitch to type) making her a 20 year-old hard-body came straight from the desk of a producer (in this case, hack producer extraordinaire Neal Moritz) drooling over the latest issue of Teen People and polishing his casting couch.
My 2cents by thevision	Nov 20th, 2001 02:30:09 AM
Michael Bay doing an atmospheric, moody horror flick starring the Fresh Prince? I don't think so! M. Night Shamalyan, Guillermo Del Toro, David Fincher, John Carpenter-YES!! How about the guy who did the Winona Ryder flick "Lost Souls?" Weak film, but the atmosphere was creepy. Mind you, unlike others, I don't think Bay is a hack. He's good in LOUD, BIG, ACTION FILMS! If they would've kept the shitfest Arnold script-renamed "American Legend"- then what the hell, go for broke and let Bay do it! Since "American Legend" is thankfully history and the suits want a dark, moody flick, Bay is not the guy. And for Christ sake, Will Smith?! Did somebody have amnesia and forget "Wild, Wild, West?" He is a fair actor and supposedly really good in "Ali" but since I have no interest in seeing "Ali" I could give a shit! Call me politically incorrect, but I don't see a black guy as Neville. If they're gonna cast a black man, why not a dramatically believable actor like Denzel Washington? I always pictured the underrated Michael Biehn as Neville. Michael Biehn should've become an A-lister but has since been relegated to direct-to-video so he probably won't even be considered. Another suggestion is Ralph Fiennes. And howzabout Kevin Spacey as Ben Cortman? Anyhoo, I feel sorry for Richard Matheson; least in the fifties, the producers tried to be faithfull to his vision, i.e., "The Last Man on Earth" and "The Incredible Shrinking Man." Speaking of the Shrinking Man, I read that Eddie Murphy was supposed to be in a remake and it would be comedy- If this film is made, I wouldn't be surprised if ol' Rich eats a bullet! I probably would!!
What Exactly Is Some Of You Guys Problem With Will Smith? by The Founder	Nov 20th, 2001 03:33:18 AM
I think he's a one of the few talented actors in his age group, and not to mention the only lead African American young male in Hollywood. I'm for one is glad he isn't reduced to the cliched casting that hollywood does for young black males, so more power to Will Smith. One more thing I met Will at a Cheesecake Factory, and though it was good that it wasn't a huge crowd gathering to prevent the man from eating, it was enough people crowding him, and the guy was nice to everyone, and people stop by his table the whole time he was there, and he wasn't the least bit annoyed, and took the time to be personable to everyone. Will Smith is the man, and rather or not he's the right man for the role I can't say, because I know nothing about "I Am Legend", but I'm confident if the script is right, then Will will do a good job, but then againn Bay is attached, so we can only hope.
Enough of this tripe... Harry, isn't it about time we starte by Roguewriter	Nov 20th, 2001 09:04:40 AM
Jesus, that one's solid gold. You just can't do any better than Whoopi in a red hat. I've got all three VCRs set to tape, and my fansite will also be up by the debut date: http://www.whatthefuckhappened towhoopiscareer.com
by Alec Cawthorne	Nov 20th, 2001 11:05:54 AM

Dear Harry: thanks for checking yo self, this time by Alec Cawthorne	Nov 20th, 2001 11:36:14 AM
Thanks for providing some more information about sources in your posts Harry. You're on the way to gradually developing some credibility. I say that not out of malice, but hoping that this site truly finds a way to become at least a semi-reputable place of journalism. I have long complained that this site posts without providing reliable source information. Without this the 'scoop' is nothing but gossip (and even then it is still presented as 'news'). The problem with your original post on I AM LEGEND, despite your assurance that your had multiple sources, is that this assurance does not account for much. ---My explanation why: A lot of people, for whatever reason, will not (and really should not, at least yet) take your word that what you post is 'true'. How are we to trust that your source is reputable? You frequently post 'scoops' by people who are nearly impossible to verify (though I realize that this site depends on such posts, it would be wise to point out the questionable reputability some times). On your own 'scoops', if you would provide some names, or if you cannot do that, at least some inkling of where the source comes from, then perhaps these initial posts might begin to become trustworthy. Aside from that, your sparing use of words like 'might' and 'are developing', in favor of words like 'will' and 'are making' only further the fuel for your detractors. (For example: your "Micheal Bay to direct Will Smith in I AM LEGEND..." provides no indication that this is still in development. The inference here is that it is 'a done deal'. While many people, perhaps including yourself, already assume that when you post something like this, that it is still in the development stage, you should still provide this information!). I really like this site. I just wish that you would save yourself the task of having to justifiably defend yourself, when all you have to do is provide a little more information. That's the business you're in - providing information. With the nearly infinite amount of it out there, you need to realize that you hold a responsibility to filter such information as truthfully and credibly as you can. While I realize you are also in the business of attempting to stay one-step-ahead-of-the-game, by which many times the eventual truthfulness of your posts really is out of your hands, you can easily protect your credibility (and your source's) by providing the information that such and such a deal is not finalized, in the process of development, in talks, etc. While the post may not be as exciting (read: sensational) for the readers, it will certainly be more credible - and I think that is the better choice, don't you?
Michael Bay...rofl by the_pissboy1	Nov 20th, 2001 05:11:30 PM
This guy makes Ralph from Happy Days look like a shining talent.
Yes, a THIRD version of the book! by 2GOLD	Nov 21st, 2001 01:30:23 PM
Yes, you know the FIRST TWO FILMS weren't enough! NO! WE NEED MORE! A THIRD VERSION OF THE SAME FILM! Only this time we get a goofball who will want to sing the soundtrack with a hack who couldn't even make a good Pearl Harbor film with 800 times the budget. YES, this is great news! It's wonderful cause I was starting to get worried and think Hollywood might get new ideas but I'm much calmer now that I know that's not true. This is great news, another 90's hack remaking a book into a film that's been made two times already into a film. Here's an idea, LEARN TO WRITE NEW STUFF YOU HOLLYWOOD HACKS! I WISH YOU WRITERS WOULD GO ON STRIKE! You write nothing new, you should all be on the unemployment line singing "I'm an Oscar Meyer weiner".
i've read A script of IAL by ross_guild	Feb 11th, 2002 07:57:35 PM
Well last week the script or one of the scripts for this film by Mark Protosevich and i was mighty impressed. If this movie goes ahead which i am praying for i think we may have one of (the) best action/horror films, thats of course if someone decent will get of their ass and make it. When reading the script i thought Will Smith would be perfect for the role of Neville but the character is supposed to be 42 so changes probably would have to be made there. All in all this will be good if it ever makes it to the silver screen. You can recieve the script from drews script o rama, check it out!

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