May 30 2009
Tony Head on the new Buffy movie: "It may be a bit like watching a car wreck".
He tells USA Weekend's The Who's News Blog, "the Kuzuis didn't do a great job on the movie the first time around".
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gossi | May 30, 14:26 CET
Good to hear someone (from the show) actually talking about it though.
maxsummers | May 30, 14:27 CET
"But it would be madness to do it without him."
Madness, I tells ya. Lunacy. Bedlam.
Welcome to Hollywood. (Though as I've posted, I think this lil' stinker will go kaput.)
QuoterGal | May 30, 14:28 CET
Good to hear someone (from the show) actually talking about it though.
Aye I'm trying to hold back on the coverage of the movie unless Buffy cast or crew say something about it or something major happens. The endless blog posts/news items/cartoons saying exactly the same thing did get old rather fast.
Simon | May 30, 14:30 CET
UnpluggedCrazy | May 30, 14:34 CET
While the Kuzuis
Dream of success with Buffy,
Fans and crew implode.
Have a nice weekend!
cabri | May 30, 14:35 CET
maxsummers | May 30, 14:36 CET
I wonder if any of the other actors will speak up about it...
SteppeMerc | May 30, 14:38 CET
UnpluggedCrazy | May 30, 14:39 CET
is what Joss-less Buffy'd be,
but I hope it's cool.
@theonetruebix | May 30, 14:43 CET
Tonya J | May 30, 14:44 CET
I think @drhorrible tweeted "oy".
@theonetruebix | May 30, 14:44 CET
Simon | May 30, 14:44 CET
Numfar PTB | May 30, 14:50 CET
RCM | May 30, 14:53 CET
druzilla | May 30, 15:06 CET
cronopiogal | May 30, 15:24 CET
ETA: if a series cast or crew member...
[ edited by WhoIsOmega? on 2009-05-31 00:33 ]
WhoIsOmega? | May 30, 15:30 CET
mouse | May 30, 16:03 CET
Now, more haiku-like train wrecks:
Kuzui-ku
I hear tell that it
Was funny when he wrote it.
Don't blame the Jossir
QuoterGal | May 30, 16:09 CET
CrazyKidBen | May 30, 16:14 CET
onthedrift | May 30, 16:58 CET
Or, as they say over the pond, first series.
redeem147 | May 30, 17:01 CET
nna_funk | May 30, 17:06 CET
ShanshuBugaboo | May 30, 17:07 CET
says Anthony Stewart Head.
Giles cleans his glasses.
doubtful guest | May 30, 17:28 CET
Put another way, I think it's more important that the Kuzuis stay out of the creative aspect than for Joss to actually be in it, if the goal is just "good movie", ignoring canon concerns. Does that make sense?
KingofCretins | May 30, 17:41 CET
Rowan Hawthorn | May 30, 17:42 CET
"Kuzui and Vertigo are looking to restart the story line without trampling on the beloved existing universe created by Whedon.
One of the underlying ideas of "Buffy" allows the filmmakers to do just that: that each generation has its own vampire slayer to protect it."
So, the optimisty part of me wants to imagine a Whedon exec-produced flick called "SLAYER" that features a new young girl named Betty who is the new chosen one. (Wanna do like Star Trek? Have Gellar in there as the once-slayer who offhandedly mentions that there were once many slayers, but now there is only one. Give her 15 mins of screen time a la Nimoy - an dmaybe.. just maybe it could work)
Get Marti or Greenwalt (or even Jed and Maurissa) to head up some aspect of it to make it work.. and maybe we get some kind of continuation.
But yeah, statistics bear out the theory that we'll likely get a venti-sized cup of suck.
Nightshot | May 30, 18:19 CET
jclemens | May 30, 18:19 CET
This is not the case with Buffy, where it WAS the reboot to the earlier movie. It went from cheesy and bad to darker and more realistic (and actually good), just like with Batman Begins. Which is why any sort of remake, especially without Joss is just unnecessary.
SteppeMerc | May 30, 18:39 CET
I agree with him that it has the potential to be bad, but as I've said elsewhere, an alternate canon relaunch has as much chance to be "Batman Begins" as it does to be "Catwoman" -- it's all about who they hire.
Objectively that's true, a new series of Buffy movies could end up giving us The Dark Knight of the Buffy franchise (if the `92 Buffy film is like the movie version of the Adam West Batman and the Tim Burton flicks were...kinda-sorta the Buffy TV series...but nah, not hopeful for that pattern to play out with Buffy).
Batman's maybe a bad example. With the four earlier major Batman films, there was room for improvement, it really wasn't a huge challenge for Christopher Nolan to first differentiate the tone of his films from those and then provide better overall scripts. Aside from better effects, what would a Buffy movie be improving on ? Maybe no improvement, but a different take on the character ?
Kris | May 30, 18:49 CET
I didn't say a remake was necessary or unnecessary. Just that the movie could, in fact, be good. If the Kuzuis hire a good director who, while perhaps having a different approach than Joss, does in fact have talent and a vision, and there's a good script, it could be good. It's only a near-definite sucky movie if the Kuzuis themselves make the thing.
I mean, really, if the David Goyer/Christopher Nolan team suddenly declared that they wanted to jump in with the Kuzuis and Vertigo to make a new "Buffy" movie, would people honestly be worried that it would be bad? Or just upset that it would represent an alternate canon and offended that it's not Joss making it?
KingofCretins | May 30, 18:51 CET
My point was, aside from cash for the Kazuis, what's the reason for it from a viewer perspective ? We already have 12 great seasons. One little non-Whedon-driven film wouldn't be much to get excited over. Sure, I'd be curious about the project if a director and/or writer was attached who'd done stuff I liked in the past.
Unlikely (on a mass scale, at least) side benefit--maybe some folks who check out a new Buffy film will be a bit more likely to rent/buy/download the TV series.
I wouldn't so much be worried about Goyer/Nolan attempting to make a Buffy movie, but I'd probably think it sucks that they're not out there making something original or creating another Batman or adaptation of your choice. There are franchises that could benefit from a reboot at the hands of a quality director far more than this one.
Kris | May 30, 19:02 CET
Anyway, I've gone on record as to my opinion of films based on TV series. I'm agin' it.
TV series based on films can be quite good (see MASH).
redeem147 | May 30, 19:02 CET
zz9 | May 30, 19:03 CET
So I, like Joss, hope the movie is cool. If they announce that Fran Rubel Kuzui is directing and it's being written by the Wayans Bros, my interest would change.
KingofCretins | May 30, 19:13 CET
hacksaway | May 30, 19:21 CET
All the recent movies listed for Vertigo at imdb has either a first time director, directors who have never worked on an English speaking film, or lists no director at all.
[ edited by TamaraC on 2009-05-31 04:29 ]
IrrationaliTV | May 30, 19:23 CET
KingofCretins | May 30, 19:29 CET
Nevermind, I see that they were one of 5 production companies involved with The Departed. I'd call that a Warner Bros. film.
[ edited by TamaraC on 2009-05-31 04:34 ]
IrrationaliTV | May 30, 19:30 CET
KingofCretins | May 30, 19:35 CET
[ edited by The One True b!X on 2009-05-31 04:39 ]
@theonetruebix | May 30, 19:39 CET
[ edited by UnpluggedCrazy on 2009-05-31 04:42 ]
UnpluggedCrazy | May 30, 19:41 CET
Sunfire | May 30, 19:43 CET
IrrationaliTV | May 30, 19:43 CET
I submit anyone that's read so much as even one AU fanfic has to be at least a little curious about that.
Heh, I read a really apocalyptic Buffy fanfic once, but it was put out in chunks and I don't think the author ever finished it. It was decent, from what I remember. Don't see how reading Alternate Universe fanfic correlates with being curious about different takes on the 'verse though. I loved "The Wish" and "Normal Again" (a hallucination, but still), but I don't feel a need to see more of that (would've been cool if "The Wish" was a multi-parter though). You're talking about so many different changes that it's almost like...why even tag it with "Buffy the Vampire Slayer". It may as well be a brand new franchise or they can revamp one of the other vampire slayer franchises out there (you could do a female Blade, or...I dunno, what female monster slayers are out there in film land. Was Bloodrayne one of them ? Ultraviolet (the Milla Jovovich one) ? Another Underworld, but well-written and with focus on one main character..."Daughter of Van Helsing"...dozens of other franchises they could play with before justifiably touching this one.
Yeah, I know, Buffy is what the Kazuis have the rights to here, so that's all moot. But if they changed it to a large enough degree, it would simply stop being something that could be called an adaptation of Buffy.
I'm not hand-wringing, not really caring about this project, we'll just have to wait and see if it even gets made I guess.
Kris | May 30, 19:45 CET
There's a part of me that looks at this as the perfect Hollywood example of lighting a candle or cursing the darkness, and I think Joss chose to do neither by saying he hopes its cool. There's no sign that he or 20th are suddenly wanting to "light a candle", and if he were just going to go off on the Kuzuis making a movie (that they have a right to make which he provided them) with no intention of making one himself would be cursing the darkness.
Here's an idea -- someone that could, for the kind of budget Vertigo would likely come up with, be willing to run a project like this. How about Rob Thomas, creator of TV's Veronica Mars, and probably Vice-President of the Rob Thomas/Joss Whedon Mutual Admiration Society? I bet he could scare up a vision of the Buffy character and mythology that groks the core of what Joss created without just retreading it. And since Alona Tal was one of my earlier suggestions for someone who could play Buffy if Sarah didn't wanna, there's already a connection there.
KingofCretins | May 30, 20:08 CET
MP | May 30, 20:08 CET
I am with Kris, just make a new franchise, because when you make so many changes, its not Buffy. Don't sully the existing one. Or if you want to be unrealistically optimistic, don't let the other one restrict you to something. For example, if they had had come up with a new movie idea that was influenced by Buffy, but still different, would there be nearly the fan outcry that there is now? No, I think not. Admittedly, I doubt I would be interested, because it would be an obvious ploy to scoop up on the vampire craze (which I never got... I like Buffy because of the story and characters, not because it has vampires). But by making a Buffy In Name Only movie, it becomes even more obvious that it is a cash grab, and does a disservice to the existing universe. I doubt that anything that I'll see will ever make me change my mind.
As a side note, other than the Nolans, the directors and writers you mentioned I would never think would make a good Buffy movie. I liked Snyders 1st and 3rd movies, hated the 2nd (plus isn't the guy due for some non-adaptation based movie?). Matrix... egh. And not really a fan of Juno compared to other comedies... too obnoxiously indie. It was good to see, but didn't connect with me. I would be much more interested in seeing Peter Jackson, Guillermo Del Toro (directors more suited to the fantasy element of Buffy) or the Coen Brothers (because they are awesome). But that obviously ain't gonna happen... and the obvious best choice for a Buffy movie would be Joss. But he has other things to do. Which is why it is best that Buffy continues in comic form, to allow people to move on and do new things while still giving us Buffy fix (plus, no budget limit on comics).
Right, back on topic. So, Tony Head is awesome, huh? Wish I could see some of his shows here in the States... Though the King Arthur series that he is in (or is it Merlin? I know he plays Uther Pendragon, right?) seems way to unrealistic for me. Yes, laugh and point at the sad historian who expects realism from a story based on numerous myths and never occurred, and all the while he loves fantasy and sci-fi, none of which are realistic. But nothing gets my goat up more than unrealistic or anachronistic weaponry, armor, or values when it comes to movies, tv shows or books that allegedly depict or are influenced by ancient or medieval cultures. Heck, I was getting angry at Buffy's poor depiction of the crossbow, and the fact she doesn't go around with swords more often.
edit: MP, it all makes sense now! That must be it.
[ edited by SteppeMerc on 2009-05-31 05:21 ]
SteppeMerc | May 30, 20:18 CET
It would be simultaneously the worst thing ever and possibly the cosmically funniest moment in feature film history.
azzers | May 30, 20:42 CET
And it's still a lot more historically accurate than the BBC's Robin Hood.
Craig Oxbrow | May 30, 20:42 CET
<3 Merlin.
And I think I'm going to have to check out the Invisibles now.
sarahisavampire | May 30, 21:13 CET
ASH, you are definitively "da bomb" (as my late 90s vernacular remains intact.)
Nightshot | May 30, 21:24 CET
RollingInKittens | May 30, 21:55 CET
I'm not going to rail against the movie or hope that it doesn't get made. If it's bad, it'll bomb by bad word of mouth, and it'll show that Joss and Mutant Enemy are essential to Buffy's success. If it's good, we get a good Buffy movie, yay. Either way it's a win, and will generate lots of online conversation. It's just that what semi-saved the first movie was the script, but the direction sucked, so if you have the same director in charge without the script writer or anyone from his writing team... well, let's just say that the race cars are four abreast and heading into a tight curve. It's not looking too good.
deanna b | May 30, 23:35 CET
Aviva | May 31, 00:48 CET
Shey | May 31, 03:20 CET
Shep | May 31, 03:25 CET
I can't see the notion of it being a big budget, huge director & writer remake happening.
[ edited by gossi on 2009-05-31 12:38 ]
gossi | May 31, 03:37 CET
KingofCretins | May 31, 05:15 CET
wilder | May 31, 05:30 CET
Not much with the sense but it's all I can say on the matter... well that and - this is CRAZY TALK!!
Whedonette | May 31, 05:34 CET
He also suggested that Fox might try and get a piece of the pie: a la Watchmen. He wasn't sure how the rights would all come together.
He spoke about it with only his usual level of self-deprecation and humor. He sounds like he is still grateful to the Kuzuis for making his little script in the first place, no matter how the first movie turned out. (He also made a number of Donald Sutherland references. Apparently? Paul Rubens is awesome. That Sutherland guy? Not so much).
While I'm not sure I'd see a Buffy movie without Joss, he seems fairly resigned to it and that it's out of his control.
Oh, and as for the rest of the talk? He is *so* nice. Signed everything everyone put in front of him and complained not even once!
Bayta | May 31, 06:38 CET
It's also nice to know that he doesn't sound like he has real antipathy for them personally, and even has some fond memories of *some* of that cast. Has Joss ever commented in any detail on the performances or work of Kristy Swanson or Luke Perry? It would be great to hear some more positive from him about that movie.
[ edited by KingofCretins on 2009-05-31 15:55 ]
KingofCretins | May 31, 06:49 CET
[ edited by toast on 2009-05-31 16:16 ]
toast | May 31, 07:13 CET
Giving him (or letting him keep) the TV rights is like George Lucas getting the Star Wars rights. The studio thought they were worthless at the time...
zz9 | May 31, 07:27 CET
Taaroko | May 31, 07:42 CET
"Rights issues are funny things. When Joss signed the contract for Buffy, he was still an unknown, so the contract would give Fox complete ownership of the property. He wouldn't really have any choice about it; all unknowns have to sign the same contract.
Essentially, at any point while the show was on the air, Fox could have taken it away from him and given it to another showrunner. Thankfully, they were smarter than to do that, at least.
Fox learned its lesson the hard way 30-some years ago, when they gave George Lucas the rights to all sequels to Star Wars. Fox didn't care because they thought Star Wars was going to bomb. But not only does George Lucas own all the other Star Wars movies (Fox just distributes them), but he had the money and the clout to retain ownership of everything else he's done since then (Indiana Jones, etc.).
Technically speaking, Fox could remake the first Star Wars movie (the 1977 film) if they wanted to. George Lucas would get money from it, but he'd probably be very ticked. He might even try to find some loophole to sue them, but technically speaking, Fox has the right to do that.
On the same note, Joss would probably get money from Fox from having created the Buffyverse if Fox moves ahead with its Garbage Buffy Remake, but there probably isn't a whole lot he can do to stop them.
Not that any of this makes it a good thing, but that's how it works. Hope that helps for understanding it a bit."
But back to the article itself - I do love how Tony says what's on his mind and doesn't pull punches or sugar-coat things. He's a very honest man. And I do so love that about him.
Is it June yet?
ShadowQuest | May 31, 07:49 CET
So I guess we can just let go of the idea of ever getting the Buffy movie we might want. Closure anyway.
Xane | May 31, 08:41 CET
That's not "positive steps" you're reading but positive results that Whedon managed to slip off the table and into his pocket because the Kuzuis didn't realize it was a valuable card. If they could have foreseen the next decade, you can be damn sure they wouldn't have even given the TV show rights to Whedon. Saying Whedon didn't care enough to secure the rights is a wild interpretation of the text, sir. Wild and wrong. ;)
Is this why Whedon has always been stymied in any efforts to make a Buffy movie? The Kuzuis?
[ edited by Emmie on 2009-05-31 17:47 ]
Emmie | May 31, 08:46 CET
@theonetruebix | May 31, 09:10 CET
To have one's legitimate contract honored is, in itself, a moral right. There never was any reasonable argument that the Kuzuis were doing anything "immoral" (neither Joss, per XanMan, nor Tony, in this article, suggest otherwise, either), the fact that Joss asked for and got something outside the normal scope just adds emphasis to that fact, in my opinion.
Would Joss have taken less money, perhaps, if the Kuzuis had, rather than give up the sequel rights, accepted a condition whereby Joss got to write the first draft of any sequel script, for instance? That's what I'm talking about when I say he took steps regarding the TV rights but not the movie rights.
KingofCretins | May 31, 09:18 CET
buffyfanatic18 | May 31, 09:35 CET
Not that I have anything against the Kuzuis. Sure they messed up the movie, and likely made it a lot worse than it could have been. But when all is said and done, the movie they made was not terrible. At worst, it was only terrible in comparison to the TV series, which was in my view one of the greatest ever shows on TV. More importantly though, and as Joss himself seems acknowledge, some gratitude is owed to the Kuzuis just for making that movie in the first place. If they hadn't, we might never have had the show at all.
That said, I think it would be in everyone's interests, including the Kuzuis's, if they did not involve themselves in the creative side of any reboot. That should be left to people who are far more talented, preferably Joss of course. But if not Joss, I agree with KofC that people like Brian Vaughn or Diablo Cody would be great choices for script writing. Also, I'd love to see Sam Raimi direct. He has shown that, even after blockbusters like Spider-man, he's willing to work on small budget horror films that are very scary and funny. (Go see Drag Me To Hell now if you haven't already.)
Again, given the right talent, and even a modest movie budget (maybe even less than Firefly) I think this "reboot" could be something great. And it wouldn't be a crime if, due to the current vampire craze in popular culture, it turned out to make a lot of money. So far the books, movies, and shows that have capitalized on this trend have been pretty dumb (e.g., the Twilight books and movie, the Charlaine Harris novels, and even Alan Ball's HBO adaptation, Trueblood). I'd love to see Buffy show them all how its done, especially since they all pretty much owe their existence to that show.
[ edited by Squishy on 2009-05-31 19:07 ]
Squishy | May 31, 10:01 CET
IrrationaliTV | May 31, 10:19 CET
Not sure I can agree that Buffy owes much of anything to Anne Rice. Sure, she wrote about vampires before Joss. But then so did a lot of other people, and they did a better job at it than Rice did (again IMO). For full disclosure, I must admit that I really dislike Anne Rice's work. ETA I would agree though, that the other stuff I mentioned (e.g., Twilight, True Blood, etc.) may owe a lot to Rice. They all have that same strong emphasis on romance, which is perhaps partly why they don't appeal to me.
[ edited by Squishy on 2009-05-31 19:39 ]
Squishy | May 31, 10:27 CET
zee | May 31, 10:46 CET
zee, what?
IrrationaliTV | May 31, 11:18 CET
Even if you're an established writer with a fantastic track record you give up all these rights when you sell a spec script. The studio's will not spend the money to make a movie unless they hold all the sequel/spin off/remake rights.
The only exceptions are when they are based on an existing property, like Harry Potter or Batman (But then they would never be spec scripts anyway) or if someone produces a movie himself, like Kevin Smith for example.
Essentially, at any point while the show was on the air, Fox could have taken it away from him and given it to another showrunner.
If the quote where he said he kept the TV rights is accurate then they couldn't have taken it away from ME. (They could have threatened to cancel it if he didn't agree to step down as showrunner, but they'd still need him to agree.)
zz9 | May 31, 11:19 CET
He said that seeing it from a "studio" point of view with Dr. Horrible was very enlightening. He jokingly said that when he got some of the negative feedback about a certain character's demise he worried for just a second about T-shirt sales.
Bix, much of the talk was focused on talking to the film students who just finished a three-day (?) seminar on "Defining American Culture: How Movies and TV get made." Other than the discussion of the reboot, he didn't cover any new ground. He jokingly said he was upset "Dollhouse" got renewed, because he had "plans this summer." They wrapped on "Cabin in the Woods" Friday. They start Dollhouse.... this week?
And for everyone getting upset about Anne Rice, don't. One of the questions during the Q&A was about Anne Rice. He said he read "Interview with the Vampire" and it "in no way affected his telling of vampire romance." He was very obviously being sarcastic. He also said he owed a debt to a vampire comic series. Tomb of Dracula, perhaps? I don't recall that perfectly, and I did not take notes.
And zz9, he *sold* the TV rights to Fox. That's how the TV show got made. Just like he *sold* the movie rights to the Kuzuis.
He did talk a little bit about Dr. Horrible, in the "yes it was my writer's strike project" vein. He also said to the students that they, too, could make anything they wanted. It wouldn't be on the same scale as Dr. H, of course, but it was possible with today's equipment to tell a story well.
He suggested that the problem was getting other people to see it. He suggested some sort of collaborative Website, where not only could people find others to work on their projects, they could be screened there as well. That got a lot of heads nodding from the student section.
Um, I'm wracking my brain to remember anything else of interest from the talk. I mean, it was all interesting, but anything specific. He talked about his time as a script doctor (hated it, but it paid the bills). He mentioned Firefly and Serenity, but only in passing. Though he did refer to someone as "that troll from Fox."
He did clarify that there were new people at Fox now, and the reason why he didn't try to go to an FX, a Showtime, etc., was because it was Eliza's deal, not his.
That's all I've got for now. It was a fun evening and well worth the FREE entry fee. The auditorium was full, about half were people taking the seminar and the other half were just walk-ins like me.
Bayta | May 31, 11:48 CET
Caroline | May 31, 11:56 CET
IrrationaliTV | May 31, 11:58 CET
Glad he wasn't foaming at the mouth about the Buffy rights situation. It would be wonderful to be in George Lucas's place but that just isn't going to happen, not unless and until the net lets lots of writer/producers hit the big time.
At the moment, I'd love the Kuzui's to "Rip me off" by buying a script of mine and making it into a movie!
zz9 | May 31, 12:06 CET
gossi | May 31, 12:09 CET
It was the sheerest accident that I happened on to "True Blood" one night and got hooked. It's bloody and disgusting and at times downright nasty - but it's also funny, smart, beautifully shot and acted, and surprisingly - has a soul. It's a bit muddled at times, and it definitely improved as the season wore on, but I wouldn't call it mediocre.
The central vampirism/homosexuality/racism conceit is sometimes a bit contorted and strange, but as done it's mostly loose and flexible enough to be universal - i.e., at times we're all outsiders with some characteristic or habit or gift or failing that pisses off some other folks - so for me, it basically works. The political and cultural satire is almost worth the price of admission.
So, I like it - by the end of the season, I was attached to most of the main characters, and fascinated to see where they would take it. I think it's head and shoulders above the bulk of current TV offerings.
They get bonus points for seriously good music throughout the show, and a gold star for best title sequence ever. It does not lack the poetry. ; >
ETA: XanFan32 - thanks for your lengthy report on Joss at Wesleyan. I'd been looking for something on the 'net, but no sausage until yours. Merci.
QuoterGal | May 31, 12:14 CET
KingofCretins | May 31, 12:21 CET
KoC, I wasn't trying to imply that Joss used any parts of Rice's stories in his, just that the timing for Buffy coincided with a wave of popularity for Rice's vampire books. I was never a fan of the vamps until reading those books. Wouldn't have given Buffy a second look if I hadn't read them.
[ edited by TamaraC on 2009-05-31 21:31 ]
IrrationaliTV | May 31, 12:28 CET
nyrk | May 31, 12:35 CET
toast | May 31, 12:52 CET
zee | May 31, 14:53 CET
@theonetruebix | May 31, 14:56 CET
Going back to the True Blood issue, I agree that it was probably unfair of me to lump it in with Twilight and even the Harris novels upon which it is based. True Blood is obviously trying to tackle issues that go beyond the melodramatic romance themes of Harris, etc. My problem with it is simply that it did not "work" for me in the same way Buffy did, a problem that I think is partly because of the weakness of the source materials (i.e., the Sookie novels). I should also disclose that I am a huge fan of of Alan Ball's other work, so I may be holding True Blood to an unfairly high standard. The comparison that really kills True Blood for me though is the comparison to Buffy itself. I just don't think Ball's characters or narratives are nearly as engaging as Joss's. That said, I still watch it when I can because I love Alan Ball and it's kinda entertaining sometimes. And I agree with quoter gal that the opening credits are terrific.
Squishy | May 31, 16:32 CET
zee | May 31, 16:46 CET
Count me in with the True Blood fans. The TV show caused me to read the first Sookie Stackhouse book, and I discovered that this is one of those rare cases where I prefer the filmed version to the book.
jcs | May 31, 17:38 CET
Zee, "after l comment l leave and l don't check on it" is as much part of the problem as exotic spelling/grammar. Hit and run posting is never a good idea.
Caroline | May 31, 19:33 CET
If the Kuzui/Vertigo Buffy movie does end up getting made, while I can never see myself being truly happy with the idea, if they at least show enough restraint not to try to write/direct it themselves, and get some genuine talent involved who actually cares about the material, then I'll feel better about it. The Buffy franchise can't afford another disaster of a movie like the first one was.
SteveJ2008 | May 31, 19:45 CET
Steve, even if Joss/ME had gotten the rights, I doubt we'd have a Buffy movie by now. Joss has suggested that there is also an issue with getting financing. I think at the Paley Fest he was asked about a movie and he said that nobody with the money to do a film has yet approached him about it.
Squishy | May 31, 20:14 CET
Someone upthread mentioned that they didn't tune into and didn't become invested in Buffy because of the vampires and that's true for me too--not an area of fiction I specifically gravitate toward and not even a favorite classic monster/myth, but on occasion you do see some really good storytelling within the genre (whereas, I couldn't direct you to much worthwhile in the werewolf sub-genre, there's very little). True Blood's the same--yeah, it's even more specifically about vampires than Buffy was, but it's the stories being told, the wicked scripts, the quality acting, and the look of the show that have kept me. Not because it features vamps.
Everything QuoterGal said, plus it's a genuinely sexy show (but not when it's being gorey too, gore + sex doesn't mix for me).
I will say one other thing about True Blood--its pilot isn't the best thing ever, it's cheesier than the rest of the eps, but I was hooked after the second ep and it steadily got better from there (it's just the building thing, it's not that earlier episodes were by any means poor).
Kris | May 31, 23:13 CET
And there's lots of humor, can't imagine anyone missing that.
The acting is first rate, it's beautifully filmed and the cultural "small town in Mississippi" element is totally on the mark, including the accents. (I've never lived there but I've passed through on a couple of road trips, and have relatives from the area.)
Can't wait for June 14th. ;)
Shey | June 01, 02:09 CET
wonderbruno | June 01, 03:15 CET
I had just finished to see Kindred - The Embraced. That's a show that should have a reboot/movie.
Brasilian Chaos Man | June 01, 08:12 CET
Try Bram Stoker's "Dracula."
barboo | June 01, 09:14 CET
There was an X-Men Annual (forget which one, back when there was only one X-Men book, might still have it) where Dracula was trying to make Storm his bride. Got a bit super-charged from her mutant blood too.
OneTeV | June 01, 10:29 CET
cheryl | June 01, 12:45 CET