What if Bruce, the mechanical shark in "Jaws," had actually worked? It's one of the biggest what-ifs in Hollywood history. While the movie's Great White Shark may have been "a perfect engine" (to quote Richard Dreyfuss' bespectacled scientist Matt Hooper), Bruce -- who got its moniker from Steven Spielberg's lawyer, Bruce Ramer -- was anything but. Because of this, Spielberg and editor Verna Fields were forced to reconfigure the film's raw footage to avoid showing "The Great White Turd" (as the movie's crew came to call it) as much as possible. What emerged was a triumph of minimalistic horror filmmaking where what you don't see is just as terrifying as what you do, if not more so.
But what if Spielberg had never gotten to direct one of his all-time best movies to begin with? It's easy to recognize in hindsight that ol' Stevie Boy was fated to adapt Peter Benchley's pulpy best-seller,...
But what if Spielberg had never gotten to direct one of his all-time best movies to begin with? It's easy to recognize in hindsight that ol' Stevie Boy was fated to adapt Peter Benchley's pulpy best-seller,...
- 4/7/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
The perception of orcas has changed a lot in the past few decades. Though revered by some cultures (such as several Native American tribes and the Ainu of Japan), they've historically shared the bad reputation of sharks — there's a reason the name "killer whale" endured.
Then in the 1960s, scientists began studying these animals up close and perception slowly changed. While orcas are apex predators, they have no documented interest in hunting humans; if anything, they're playful. They're also some of the smartest animals around, with intelligence comparable to great apes; they communicate with each other and different pods have different languages.
This change in perception can be seen in film. In 1977, "Orca" was a "Jaws" knock-off that depicted a killer whale as a modern Moby Dick. By 1993, an orca became the star of a family movie: "Free Willy." I've not revisited "Free Willy" in over a decade, but it is a childhood favorite.
Then in the 1960s, scientists began studying these animals up close and perception slowly changed. While orcas are apex predators, they have no documented interest in hunting humans; if anything, they're playful. They're also some of the smartest animals around, with intelligence comparable to great apes; they communicate with each other and different pods have different languages.
This change in perception can be seen in film. In 1977, "Orca" was a "Jaws" knock-off that depicted a killer whale as a modern Moby Dick. By 1993, an orca became the star of a family movie: "Free Willy." I've not revisited "Free Willy" in over a decade, but it is a childhood favorite.
- 10/3/2023
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Brendan Fraser is learning a lot from the cancellation of “Batgirl”.
The star of “The Whale”, along with director Darren Aronofsky, spoke with Variety at the Toronto International Film Festival about his new movie and shared his reaction to the news “Batgirl” wouldn’t be released.
“The fans really wanted to see this film made. Leslie Grace is a dynamo,” Fraser said of the film’s leading lady.
Fraser, who starred in the film as the villain Firefly, said he was “disappointed” by DC’s decision to shelve the nearly complete film, but said it was a valuable lesson for him.
Read More: Brendan Fraser Reunites With ‘Mummy’ Co-Star Michelle Yeoh During TIFF Tribute Awards
Brendan Fraser says Warner Bros. decision to axe #Batgirl was "disappointing": "The fans really wanted to see this film made. Leslie Grace is a dynamo." https://t.co/hZNVdqyonR #TIFF pic.twitter.com/d...
The star of “The Whale”, along with director Darren Aronofsky, spoke with Variety at the Toronto International Film Festival about his new movie and shared his reaction to the news “Batgirl” wouldn’t be released.
“The fans really wanted to see this film made. Leslie Grace is a dynamo,” Fraser said of the film’s leading lady.
Fraser, who starred in the film as the villain Firefly, said he was “disappointed” by DC’s decision to shelve the nearly complete film, but said it was a valuable lesson for him.
Read More: Brendan Fraser Reunites With ‘Mummy’ Co-Star Michelle Yeoh During TIFF Tribute Awards
Brendan Fraser says Warner Bros. decision to axe #Batgirl was "disappointing": "The fans really wanted to see this film made. Leslie Grace is a dynamo." https://t.co/hZNVdqyonR #TIFF pic.twitter.com/d...
- 9/12/2022
- by Anita Tai
- ET Canada
Arriving in theaters and on VOD today is Beyond White Space, a horror/sci-fi actioner that follows the crew of a deep space fishing vessel as they travel to the depths of space in search of the ultimate catch: Tianlong, a dragon-like creature that exists in the realm of white space. Directed by Ken Locsmandi and co-written by Ryan Colucci and Clay McLeod Chapman, Beyond White Space stars Holt McCallany, Zulay Henao, Dave Sheridan, James Devoti, Jocko Sims, and Kodi Kitchen.
Daily Dead recently spoke with Locsmandi, who has enjoyed a lengthy career in the world of visual effects, about his first time at the helm of a feature film, and he discussed how his experiences in other facets of filmmaking helped him as a director for his first time at bat. Locsmandi also discussed his decision to shoot Beyond White Space on film, working with his ensemble throughout production,...
Daily Dead recently spoke with Locsmandi, who has enjoyed a lengthy career in the world of visual effects, about his first time at the helm of a feature film, and he discussed how his experiences in other facets of filmmaking helped him as a director for his first time at bat. Locsmandi also discussed his decision to shoot Beyond White Space on film, working with his ensemble throughout production,...
- 12/14/2018
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Anyone who does a graphic novel about his father’s secrets and history has a long shadow to contend with. The closer that father was to WWII, the clearer the parallels. If the father was Jewish…even more so.
Now, a creator doesn’t have to engage with that at all: it’s probably best if they don’t, actually. But it’ll be there in the back of every reader’s head, just like any story with a whale will evoke Moby Dick and a guy wandering around Dublin Ulysses.
Michael Kupperman’s father Joel was a child prodigy, nationally famous at the age of five for appearing on the radio show Quiz Kids. He was shoved into it by a domineering mother, and basically lost his childhood to performing as a child genius. And, once he got out, he tried to ignore it for the rest of his life,...
Now, a creator doesn’t have to engage with that at all: it’s probably best if they don’t, actually. But it’ll be there in the back of every reader’s head, just like any story with a whale will evoke Moby Dick and a guy wandering around Dublin Ulysses.
Michael Kupperman’s father Joel was a child prodigy, nationally famous at the age of five for appearing on the radio show Quiz Kids. He was shoved into it by a domineering mother, and basically lost his childhood to performing as a child genius. And, once he got out, he tried to ignore it for the rest of his life,...
- 10/21/2018
- by Andrew Wheeler
- Comicmix.com
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