Dark Shadows

2012 has been a good year so far (yes i know we are only 23 days in detractors, but it has been a good 23 days). And I have a strong feeling it is only going to get better from here. Why is that? Well, in 2012 Mr. Tim Burton is releasing not one, but two new films. 

I know, it is that great. 

The first movie to be released is Dark Shadows based on the gothic soap opera that aired weekdays from 1966 to 1971. House of Dark Shadows, 1970, was the first film based on the series, it was directed by the series creator Dan Curtis. In 1971 Curtis released the sequel Night of Dark Shadows and in 1991 another Dark Shadows series was on television. This time the series only lasted 12 episodes, as opposed to the originals 1,225. That was not to be the end of the Dan Curtis's Dark Shadows, as in 2005 he was executive producer of the made for TV movie also titled, you guessed it, Dark Shadows. The 2005 movie did not get very positive reviews but can boast casting 2011's actress of the year, Jessica Chastain (The Tree of Life, The Help, Take Shelter, The Debt, and so much more), in her first role that was not for a TV series. 

In short, the movie is about Barnabas Collins, a wealthy playboy who gets turned into a vampire by a witch named Angelique Bouchard, and is buried alive for two centuries. Barnabas returns to Collinwood Manor when he is freed from his tomb to find his once great estate in ruin. The year is now 1972. Most of the film takes place in the Manor, where we meet characters like Matriarch Elizabeth Collins Stoddard and live-in psychiatrist, Dr. Julia Hoffman. 

The cast includes Burton favorites, Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Helen Bohem-Carter, and Christopher Lee. Some newcomers to the world of Burton include Chloe Moretz (Kick Ass), Eva Green (Casino Royale), Jackie Earle Haley (Watchmen), and Jonny Lee Miller (Hackers). Alice Cooper is even in the movie, and so is Hannah Murray (Cassie from Skins anybody?).

The story is obviously nothing new, but nonetheless I can not wait to see what Tim, an avid fan of the original, does with it. It is said that his film will be more character driven; it was written by Seth Grahame-Smith the author of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, and Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter. The latter having been adapted for the screen and at the moment is in post production with Tim Burton as a producer.

The movie is in post-production at the moment and is to be released on the 11th may 2012 in the USA, not sure when it will be released in South Africa, but heres to hoping it is not much later. 

The cast of the original series. The series went on for five years and had 1,225 episodes.

First officially released photo featuring the main cast of Tim Burton's Dark Shadows. Pretty Awesome!

In my next post i'm talking Frankenweenie.

:)

Tim Burton Imagination Man

It is no secret that I love movies. I plan to make it my profession (original i know). A defining movie moment in my life was watching Big Fish. The movie is magic, beautiful, heartfelt and one that transports me to another world. So who do I have to thank for this otherworldly experience? Non other than Mr. Imagination himself, Tim Burton. Tim Burton is definitely one of my top 5 directors and so today I want to share some of his magic with you.

I am going to post some pictures from some of my favorite Tim Burton directed films. There are still some I need to see, the top of that list being Ed Wood and Mars Attack! But for now I will start with the ones I have seen and really enjoyed. Enjoy!

Beetlejuice, 1988, starring Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Winona Rider and Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice. The film went on to win an Oscar for Best Makeup.

The year after Beetlejuice Burton directed Batman, and again teamed up with Michael Keaton. Keaton took on the role of Batman, Kim Basinger and Jack Nicholson also starred. Nicholson playing the homicidal Joker. The film went on the win the Oscar for Best Art Direction-Set Direction.

In 1990 Tim Burton collaborated with Johnny Depp for the first time, a partnership that is still alive 20 years later. The film was Edward Scissorhands a tragic tale of a gentle sole with scissors for hands. Winona Ryder once again starred in a Burton directed film along with Dianne West, Kathy Baker and Alan Arkin. The film received an Oscar nomination for Best Makeup.

Burton took on the story of Batman again, but this time the studios gave him the freedom to create a true Tim Burton film. Batman Returns starred Michael Keaton as Batman for the second time and marked the third time he worked with the director. Michelle Pfeiffer played the dangerously sexy Catwoman, and Danny Devito played the Penguin. Christopher Walken also starred. The film received two Oscar nomination for Best Makeup and Best Visual Effects. 

In 1999 Sleepy Hollow was released. The film starts Johnny Depp investigating the legend of the Headless Horseman. Christina Ricci, Miranda Richardson, Michael Gambon, Christopher Walken, and Christopher Lee all starred in the Horror. Nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design and winning Best Art Direction-Set Direction at the Oscars.

Big Fish, 2003, is one of my favorite films of all time. The films cast was magnificent, the great Albert Finney was the heart of the film, which also included Jessica Lange, Ewan McGregor, Alison Lohman, Marion Cotillard, Steve Busceni, the awesome Helen Bohem-Carter and even a young Miley Cyrus. Danny Elfman the legendary film composer was nominated for an Oscar for his beautiful score.

In 2005 Burton decided to remake a classic. Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory starred Freddie Highmore as Charlie and Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka. Helen Bohem-Carter, David Kelly, AnnaSophia Robb and  Missi Pyle (also in Big Fish) rounded out the cast. The film got a Best Achievement in Costume Design Oscar nomination and became Burton's second biggest commercial success taking in $475 million worldwide.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, 2007, was Burtons first musical. The film was based on a based on the hit Broadway musical and stars Depp as the titular character. Helen Bohem-Carter, Burtons partner, plays miss Mrs. Lovett the baker who cooks Todd's victims. Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jamie Campbell Bower all star. The movie received Oscar nominations for Best Achievement in Costume Design, Best Performance in a Leading Role for Johnny Depp, and won for Best Achievement in Art Direction.

The last film that Tim Burton has Released has been Alice in Wonderland. The film follows alice returning to Underland a few years after she first visited. A virtually unknown, Mia Wasikowska, was cast as Alice. Depp played the Mad Hatter and Helen Bohem-Carter was brilliant as the Red Queen. Anne Hathaway, Michael Sheen, Stephen Fry, Alan Rickman, and Crispin Glover (the thin man anyone?) rounded out the stellar cast. The movie is Burton's highest grossing film and one of the highest grossing films of all time, taking in over $1 billion. The movie won two Oscars, BestAchievement in Art Direction and Best Achievement in Costume Design. It was also nominated for Best Achievement in Visual Effects. 

It was hard to pick the right pictures for each film, and also to find pictures without Depp. haha. I will post a few pictures from some of his soon to be released films, which I am ridiculously excited for, in the next day or so. But for now I leave you with one more still from Big Fish.

Good day to you kind folk :)

Caterpillar

I found a caterpillar outside my room. The biggest I have seen and, for lack of a better word, the prettiest. The little guy reminded me of Heimlich from 'A Bug's Life', you know, the guy who thinks he is "a beautiful butterfly" at the end of the movie. So I decided to do the academic thing and found out what kind it was (I am very bored, a 3 month holiday will do this to a person), surprisingly the result of my effort (haha) was quite interesting. He is part of the Acherontia atropos species and when he grows up he will become a Death's-Head Hawk moth. Sounds pretty hardcore right?

A photo I took of the Caterpillar outside my room.

Heimlich from A Bug's Life.

Apparently the moth doesn't have the greatest of reputations; this is because of the cool little skull shaped pattern on its back. You might have even heard of him before. John Keats gives the moth a shout out in his poem Ode to Melancholy, and he is also in that little known book by Bram Stoker, you know, Dracula. You would most likely recognize the Death-Head Hawk moth from the Oscar winning film 'The Silence of the Lambs', where Buffalo Bill, the serial  killer who skins his victims alive, uses the moth as his calling card. The moth even takes centre stage in the movies poster. Quite the star. 

I would go ahead and this is self explanatory. 

Thats all.

Oh wait, Happy new year!

The Invisible War - Sundance

In the past week or so the Sundance Film Festival has announced the films and documentaries that will be screened in Utah in January 2012. I have kept a keen eye out on movies or documentaries that I have high hopes for. In the documentary competition section The Invisible War stood out to me.

The Invisible War is directed by Oscar nominee Kirby Dick and deals with the epidemic of rape of soldiers in the U.S. military. Just from the preview I can see that this film will be shedding light on some shocking information that I am sure the powers that be would rather have been kept hidden.

I am disgusted to say the least and hope that this film will help bring the necessary change.

"I look forward to a great future for America - a future in which our country will match its military strength with our moral restraint, its wealth with our wisdom, its power with our purpose."

John F. Kennedy would not be so pleased with the "moral restraint" his military seems unable to possess.