February 19, 2004

I guess it wasn’t easy to find a director as limited as Mark Steven Johnson to handle the reins of the Daredevil spin-off, Elektra. But they did it! Rob Bowman, who showed that he could shoot big-screen television as well as anyone with X-Files: The Movie will get a chance to do Alias: The Motion… uh, Elektra.

I have real affection for Fox, but they have a remarkable habit over there of being loyal to a fault. I guess we should feel lucky that the Raja Gosnell's Fantastic Four got shelved. But what is it that makes studios and major stars cling to directors who are just getting by while many directors of vision just sit around waiting? And when they do make a leap… well, I Pitof the fool who is going to take the rap for Catwoman. And is there a worse idea on the daily planet than McG’s Superman?

I want to see Soderbergh’s Superman. I want to see Petersen’s Superman vs. Batman with and Beatty and Eastwood. I want to see Fincher’s Iron Man and Vadim Perelman’s take on Sub-Mariner. Give The Fantastic Four to the Weitz Brothers. Let’s see what Nancy Meyers can make of Wonder Woman.

Rob Bowman is not untalented. He’ll deliver a solid movie. But why aren’t they reaching higher?

Meanwhile, Terrence Malick is coming back to work again… and no studio has snapped up his next masterpiece. It’s a funny world.

Today’s 20 Weeks To Oscar is up at MCN.

READER OF THE DAY: WARD OF THE STATE writes: “I've been reading with interest the media debate over Gibson's new film. As a Christian, I find it amazing that no one has mentioned an important biblical fact. The Jews did not kill Jesus. Pontius Pilate did not kill Jesus. If you believe in the Bible...if you believe in Divine providence...the simple answer is that God killed Jesus. He sacrificed his son for our sins. This was his plan. It could be no other way. The Bible repeatedly states that the Jews are God's chosen people. Why would he condone Anti-Semitism against his chosen people? The people who use Jesus death as an excuse to persecute the Jews are merely ignorant and evil, like any other practitioner of racism.”

THE HOBBETTE writes: “I haven’t seen a film spark this much discussion in a long time.

I was a bit concerned today at a report I saw on CNN Headline News that says the Jewish Anti Defamation League wants the Pope to speak against the film. If they were smart, they would have approached Mel Gibson to produce a PSA to run right before and after the film explaining that the film is one man’s interpretation of the events that surrounded the last 12 hours of Jesus Christ’s life. I don’t know, maybe it is a stupid thought on my part that it is better to work with rather than against something that can spark this much controversy. Has the JADL even seen the movie? For someone to commit a hate crime against a Jew based on what they see in this film, they have to have that hate already in their heart. To think that watching one film would make me anti-Semitic is ridiculous.

I would be very sad also if this film is denied an Oscar, if it truly deserves it, but then again, Dances with Wolves, had quite a bit of subtitles in it and it did well and it won an Oscar too. I do realize that you mean it would not win because it portrays Jews as the downfall of Jesus. I just have a problem with history being revised to fit today’s acceptable standards, like Gone with the Wind’s Mammy now being a profit participating African American in the Tara plantation. I despise slavery, but not portraying it as such does not mean it didn’t happen.

I don’t know, I guess I would like to reserve judgment until I have actually seen the film, but I am clear, it is a film and a work of fiction based on one man’s personal interpretation of the Bible.”

And SO SWEET has another Lord on his mind: “I tried to send this to Ordesky, but he’s not like DeLuca, no direct email to him! Well, I’d be interested in what YOU think of this idea:

This, I think, satisfies your discussion about thinking in new ways in the biz, and also is a way that Newline can make even more money from LOTR.

There are no more Lord of the Rings books, nor will there ever be, nor will the fans accept an impostor. But there is loads of significant unfilmed material from THE LOTR.

How to use it?

Of all the unfilmed material, two episodes stand out in particular - Tom Bombadil/Barrow-wights (from FOTR) and, of course, The Scouring of the Shire (from ROTK).

What if you could convince PJ and company to film 'The Scouring of the Shire” right down to the written death of Saruman? This could be an event perhaps unprecedented in movie history. I think it would get loads of free marketing, think of it: a half-hour short that people would pay to see, and in decent numbers, I believe. Depending on the final length it could actually be eligible for Academy Award consideration as a short. Maybe pair it with an IMAX release (where the shorter format works better).

And, of course, the bonanza - the super-extended edition DVD of ROTK with SOS inserted.

And repeat the whole process for Bombadil and the Wights, re-releasing the super-sized FOTR.

You could guess costs more than I, but even with PJs rising cost, the principal cast would be much smaller and restricted (hobbits, Lee, and Dourif), only one location required, and the props and so forth are in place. $10-20 million if you did both major episodes at once? (Thinking ahead again!) A theatrical release that could be very unique - a half-hour release at a reduced price perhaps? It would, at the least, return the costs even with marketing, I would think. And the DVD bonanza: huge.

Plus the fans would love you for it, even as a naked grab for money if it was done with the same love and care.

Just interested in your take – tell Ordesky about it, and if he likes it, I'll settle for payment of all my debts, your oldest non-vintage car, and a trip to see the filming and the premier. What a deal!”

E ME: Thursday is you chance to express yourself by e-mail.