Blog Archives

An Epic Return for the Rocket Man

While this inquisitive thought was born from almost complete randomness, it does actually make logical sense. Bear with me.

Remember, “The Rocketeer” from 1991?

First of all, could a remake or sequel work after all these years? Second, if so, what if Christopher Nolan directed and wrote it with his team of A-list writers and producers?

This could be his team’s chance to tell the story of a hero as opposed to a deeply conflicted anti-hero. The hero, Cliff Secord, would still have internal dilemmas, but he would fit more with a traditional hero within the Nolan-world of cinema.

“Man of Steel” and “Gravity” took flying in cinema to new some new heights this year with memorable sequences, like when Superman puts his fist to the ground seconds before he blasts up into the sky. Watching him burst through the clouds was an utterly fantastic sight. The realism was sublime. The sequences between these two films alone beg the question of what would “The Rocketeer” look like in this “epic age” of film making?

Christopher Nolan is currently making a film about space travel called, “Interstellar.” Is it too far a stretch to transition from this scenario to filming a man with a flying rocket?

Part of what makes this daydreaming idea so intriguing is knowing how successful the original movie was more than two decades ago, before IMAX and 3D became virtually mainstream tools in the movie industry. Imagine sitting in a movie theater surrounded by a pulsating soundtrack scored by Hans Zimmer that tracks Cliff Secord flying in the biggest aerial playground ever conceived with a powerfully engaging back story, enemies of “Dark Knight”-caliber and perfectly injected, mind-blowing plot twists.

The possibilities…

Christopher Nolan has proven his directorial and storytelling forte and magic for re-imagining a popular franchise with his new, modern take on Batman and Gotham City. He then helped Zack Snyder produce, “Man of Steel.” Both the Batman trilogy and the first of at least a two movie franchise for Superman achieved surreal success at the box office worldwide.

Back on September 5th, Entertainment Weekly’s Grady Smith reported the soaring success of, “Man of Steel,” with a global box office that exceeded $650 million.

Of course, “The Dark Knight” trilogy easily surpassed the billion dollar mark in the global box office.

Simply crazy success.

Again, this is merely a random vision. The reality of this Nolan-Rocketeer partnership happening may be just as impossible as a man flying through the skies with a personalized golden rocket pack…

Still, when listening to songs from the “Dark Knight” and “Man of Steel” soundtracks and then listening to the soundtrack from “The Rocketeer” by James Horner, it’s almost impossible not to dream about the surreal treatment given to Cliff Secord by Hans Zimmer and Christopher Nolan/Syncopy Inc.

Watching a potentially epic partnership on an IMAX screen in a movie theater. Well, I don’t know about you, but that’s already got my attention.

If a sequel or remake to, “The Rocketeer” ever does happen, then hopefully movie theaters will be fully stocked for selling gum.

Beemans anyone?

Happy Halloween!

There are too many quintessential scary/Halloween movies to try to squeeze into watching today. From “Beetlejuice” to “Dracula” to “The Lost Boys” to “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” to “Psycho” to “Rear Window” to “Vampires” to “The Ring” to “The Exorcist” to “The Addams Family” to “Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles” to “Young Frankenstein” to “The Shining” to “Hocus Pocus” to “Halloween” and all its subsequent sequels.

And that’s just to name a few.

All of the films listed above have validity on this day of Trick-or-Treat: October 31st/All Hallows’ Eve. Last year’s post was dedicated to the Disney staple, “Hocus Pocus.” A truly great, fun movie. This year, the focus will be on the complete opposite end of the scary spectrum.

It’s the classic Halloween movie. Literally.

Have a Fun and Scary Halloween!!

Books of Epic Proportions

Dan Brown. J.K. Rowling. Tom Clancy.

And now J.J. Abrams apparently.

Reading books is still a popular leisure activity, despite how it may pale in comparison to venturing off to the movie theater to see the next big blockbuster sensation. The bottom line is that people enjoy stories of all genres with varying temptations and hooks. One day it may be action or adventure, the next could be drama and romance and the weekend may be primed for mystery or humor. The imagination has no limitations and is, therefore, eternally receptive to stories of all variations and styles.

In recent years, the word, “epic” has flown into our lexicon as nearly the same speed as Superman himself. There was even an animated film titled, “Epic” released earlier this year. While book releases rarely create epic fanfare or global pandemonium, there was one yesterday that just might expand literature into an unseen dimension of creativity.

Famed filmmaker J.J. Abrams, who is prepping the Disney reboot of “Star Wars,” had his book (co-written with established writer Doug Dorst) debut to the public yesterday. The title of the nearly 500-page mystery, “S,” may be the beginning of a new style and era of creative writing.

Yesterday, it was J.J. Abrams releasing an original novel. Who will be next? Steven Spielberg? James Cameron? Kathryn Bigelow?

Dare I dream for an original novel by Christopher Nolan?

There is no singular style, method, genre or process to writing, acting, directing and producing an epic blockbuster. There are unequivocal similarities, no doubt: original story, great characters, plot twists, big, yet believable action for the setting, stunning cinematography, hints of ambiguity, etc. But each crew has done it differently with a certain trademark.

Imagine this formula translated into an original novel that reads like an epic Hollywood movie that instinctively provokes intrigue and that relentlessly illustrates vivid scenes in our minds like the flow of some of our favorite movies?

Incredible books with the similar qualities listed above have and are being written. However, the scale of these literary adventures, mysteries, romances, etc. would be new with a particular cast of writers.

Try to envision a movie in IMAX with a powerfully unforgettable soundtrack somehow captured and placed within the binding restraints of a book.

There is a grandiose expectation with J.J. Abrams’ book because of his acclaimed cinematic skill set and storytelling accomplishments behind the camera. People will be expecting that “it” factor that will definitively distinguish “S” above the other available mysteries on the shelf.

Adapting popular books into movies is a common practice in Hollywood. And these scripts usually sound as if it were penned by an author instead of a screenwriter. The pace and style of the dialogue and the patience paid to character development is discernible. It’s not always absolutely good or bad, but it certainly is noticeable to the audience.

Last year, in late November, director Christopher Nolan made a rare public appearance to participate in a solo forum in New York City with a small audience to discuss his current, “Dark Knight” trilogy, his past movies and his then upcoming role in “The Man of Steel.” In fact, it happened on a Wednesday. Due to a contradictory statement given to me about a conflict at work that Wednesday and following Thursday, I had to refrain from securing one of those rare tickets when one was remarkably available.

I digress.

Christopher Nolan had agreed to answer a few questions from fans and/or attendees during this gathering. The question I submitted was essentially this: “Have you ever created your own original superhero with a corresponding universe and enemy(ies)? If so, who is it? What are his or her superhero powers? If not, would you ever be interested in such a venture?”

I was interested in not only my question, but all of the questions, plus his responses of course.

Maybe he read my question, maybe he didn’t. But if he did and the answer is yes, the possibilities and excitement among his fans would be difficult to contain.

The aura that surrounds “S” was palpable the moment I held it in my hands. There is a unique power and influence that radiates and thrills from the work of creative cinematic storytellers. Imaginations simply run wild with the stories they tell.

I just hope more will soon put it in writing.

The Annexation of Patience

There is a trend in sports that has transformed analysts and “experts” into Bingo contestants that frequently stand-up with bravado and gusto to shout “BINGO!” for all to hear.

The only problem is that this occurs after only marking off one letter.

College football punditry is a perfect example of this evolving dynamic. There is a tendency to want to declare with absolute certitude the two best teams in the country each week. Admittedly, it is perfectly okay to speculate about teams and their corresponding achievements and failures. Totally fine. These are fun debates. However, it shouldn’t be exercised in the definitive nature that is done today. Three games into the season and the national championship is already being predicted with incomplete statistics from some of the aforementioned analysts.

Will the BCS Standings remain exactly same by the end of the regular season? Probably not. And that’s partly because of the unpredictable and inspirational dimension of college athletics.

It’s a weird phenomenon: these analysts love to watch college football, but they are more often than not so eager to chisel in stone certain bowl match-ups with incomplete statistics and records that they end up not allowing football teams the “ridiculous” courtesy to work hard, improve and then play their best game by the end of the regular season as a final exclamation point to their fall campaign.

As written above: weird.

While the schedules for most Division 1 college football teams list around 12 games, the attention span for most analysts seems to range from 5-7. At this point, most of the “experts” would have you believe the top two teams are pretty much penciled in (not with a pen, but pencil mind you) and that the remainder of those seasons are mere technicalities.

Of course, do you know how many “technicalities” have resulted in shocking upsets or surprising victories?

One of the amazing aspects of college football (and college sports in general) is that anything can happen…anything! In college, the underdog, whether a single player or an entire team, has the potential and opportunity to shine for that one play or one drive to win the game or to make a strong goal line stand to complete an upset for the ages.

What’s even more incredible is how many of these moments occur during the final seconds of the last games of the season when everything is on the line.

Hopefully, the lighting crew won’t turn off the lights in the stadiums on those players, coaches, teams and fans when those unbelievable plays happen at season’s end.

Technically speaking, that would be a terrible thing to do. And the same notion goes for day games as well.

Otherwise, the world may never have witnessed the incomparable, “Annexation of Puerto Rico” that only works as the last play…

Those “one time” moments help make up the magical fabric of sports.

So, let’s just sit back, relax and watch some football.

You just may see something special.