John Carpenter's ALF, David Cronenberg's Cabbage Patch Kids and other toy based films

With Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra on the way here are some other toy lines that could be moviefied.

Funny Videos | Funny Cartoons | More Video Clips

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John Carpenter's The Ward moving forward

Been a while since there has been any news on any of John Carpenter's new projects. There is nothing new about the prison one called Riot starring Nicholas Cage or the gangster film called The Prince.

However, there is some movement on his next film called The Ward (last mentioned back in February).

Carpenter has signed up Danielle Panabaker (Sky High, Friday the 13th) to star opposite Amber Heard (The Rum Diary).

It is a psychological horror thriller written by Michael and Shawn Rasmussen (Long Distance). The story follows a girl (Heard) who is admitted to a psychiatric ward where she meets other girls there with distinct personalities and discovers a mysterious girl haunting the halls at night. Panabaker plays another patient in the institution, a snobbish girl who flirts with orderlies and faces electroshock therapy.

In addition to Panabaker, Taking Woodstock star Mamie Gummer has also joined the cast as a patient in the ward. Principal photography is scheduled to begin next month in Spokane, Washington.

John Carpenter is one of my favourite directors, but his last film, Ghosts of Mars, in 2001 was not so good. The Ward does sound like it could be back to the brilliant John Carpenter we all want to see again.

Source: First Showing

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Tales from the Script - Trailer for screenwriting documentary

Shane Black, John Carpenter (above), Frank Darabont, William Goldman, Paul Schrader, and dozens of other Hollywood screenwriters share hilarious anecdotes and penetrating insights in Tales from the Script, the most comprehensive documentary ever made about screenwriting.

By analyzing their triumphs and recalling their failures, the participants explain how successful writers develop the skills necessary for toughing out careers in one of the world's most competitive industries. They also reveal the untold stories behind some of the greatest screenplays ever written, describing their adventures with luminaries including Harrison Ford, Morgan Freeman, Stanley Kubrick, Joel Silver, Martin Scorsese, and Steven Spielberg.

The screenwriters involved are Allison Anders, Jane Anderson, Doug Atchison, John August, Shane Black, John D. Brancato, John Carpenter, Larry Cohen, Frank Darabont, Steven E. de Souza, Gerald Di Pego, Mark Fergus, Antwone Fisher, Naomi Foner Gyllenhall, Joe Forte, Josh Friedman, Mick Garris, William Goldman, David Hayter, Peter Hyams, Michael January, Steve Koren, Jonanthan Lemkin, Andrew W. Marlowe, Mark O'Keefe, Dennis Palumbo, Zak Penn, Daniel Pyne, Billy Ray, Adam Rifkin, Jose Rivera, Mark Rosenthal, Ari B. Rubin, Bruce Joel Rubin, Richard Rush, Paul Schrader, Mel Shavelson, Ron Shelton, Ronald Shusett, Joe Stillman, Stephen Susco, Duncan Tucker, Guinevere Turner, Kriss Turner, Linda Voorhees, Richard Walter, Richard Wenk, David S. Ward, James L. White, Michael Wolk, Kris Young, Justin Zackham.

Check out the official site.

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Classic Scene - We're gonna draw a little bit of everybody's blood - John Carpenter's The Thing

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Halloween 2 - Here's Michael's new Mask

Finally we get to see what Michael Myers mask will be like in Rob Zombie's forthcoming sequel, H2. Pretty much like the old one which is good news. According to Rob they've finished filming so we should be getting more pics and footage soon.

Well, after 35 days of snow, freezing rain, fire ants, mud and blood we are done! The cast and crew kick ass beyond ass to bring you the most demented Halloween ever! In less than five months Michael will be back in your face! And speaking of face... here is your first glimpse of one of the many faces Michael 2009.

One of the many faces - looks as if we may be getting lots of different masks in this one.

Source: Horror-Movies

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The Thing prequel's Ronald Moore written script is binned. Elm Street reboot scribe is doing the rewrite

John Carpenter's The Thing is a true classic. Great story, great effects and just chock full of greatness. One of my favourite films of all time. Then there is the Battlestar Galactica reboot by Ronald D Moore. That was a brilliant reimagination of a camp 70s show. The new version was dark, deep and cool.

Put the two together and that is potential cinema gold. That was what was happening. Moore had written the script for a prequel to JCs The Thing. However, Hollywood being Hollywood this looks as if it has all changed.

Filmstalker and Bloody Disgusting have posted the news that the script was heading for a rewrite by Eric Heisserer. He is the chap who has written the script for the Nightmare on Elm Street reboot.

Now Heisserer has confirmed this on his own blog:

Yes, Matthijs and I are hard at work with the very smart team at Strike on
the prequel. We are all so much in love with Carpenter’s film, so protective of
it, we’re doing all we can to avoid stepping on its toes. I jumped at this job
because I hold the Carpenter adaptation to very high standards, and I knew it
would be a challenge to create a comparable companion piece. Sort of a “Nobody
better screw this up, especially me” mentality. Lucky for me, the people at
Strike and the director have the same standards.

This is a “from scratch” rewrite assignment for the most part, as was
my work on A Nightmare on Elm Street. I can’t say any more on that. I have the
highest respect for both Ron Moore and Wesley Strick.

I'm not sure what to make of this news. I was really excited to hear that Moore had turned in his script for the prequel (all about what happened at the Norwegian camp). I enjoyed BSG so thought he was the right man for the job. Now this "from scratch" rewrite comes out of nowhere. I can't really comment on Hesserer's work so I have no idea whether he will be good or bad. Glad that he says he wants to avoid stepping on any toes.

The fact that the studio has asked for the rewrite does worry me though. Unless the script is an absolute stinker the trend for studio's doing this is usually when the script is intelligent, cool and breaks the mold. Studio gets scared and asks for a rewrite to make it into a generic sci-fi slasher kind of deal.

That is just my opinion of course. What do you think about the rewrite news? What does this mean for the film?

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The excellent image above is from the Guinea Pig Theatre.

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Ronald Moore talks about The Thing

SCI FI Wire have a brief interview with Ronald D Moore (Battlestar Galactica) about how work is going on his script for the prequel to John Carpenter's The Thing.

Where are things at with The Thing?

Moore: I was working on The Thing. I finished. I did my last draft a few weeks ago and turned it in. They [Universal Pictures] seem happy. They have a director [Matthijs Van Heijningen] assigned, and we'll wait to see when and if they green-light it.

What was your goal with this new version?

Moore: Well, the idea was to make a companion piece to Carpenter's. I started on the project with the feeling that Carpenter's version is just an amazing piece of work. It's a great film, and we really wanted to honor that version.

And so you've gone the prequel route?

Moore: We wanted a piece that would link up to [the Carpenter film] and not supplant it. So we didn't try to sort of completely reinvent what it was. We wanted a movie that would sort of live alongside it.

Going from that it doesn't actually tell us much more than we already knew. However, it is good to know that a script has been written and, more importantly, it isn't going to mess up the or play with the story from John Carpenter's film.

Sounds as if Moore has a lot of respect for the original (or remake of the original The Thing from Another Planet). I'm wary and excited about the whole thing as I do love John Carpenter's The Thing.

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H2 - Michael Myers as we've never seen him before

Yep the bearded fellow above is Tyler Mane as Michael Myers in Rob Zombie's H2 (the sequel to his Halloween reboot). Good to see they are going in a slightly different direction by not having him in the William Shatner mask for the full film. The shot actually reminds me of the Fantastic Four comic when Johnny Storm (The Human Torch) stumbles across a bearded tramp / hobo who turns out to be Namor the Submariner, but that's just me.

The photos come from STYD who have few more photos from the filming as well.

They also have this snippet of news about the young actor Daeg Faerch. He wrote via his MySpace blog that he will not be in the film. "Although I was contracted to reprise the role of young Michael Myers in the upcoming H2 after filming briefly on the set in GA, I am to be recast due to my increased height."

The shot below is of Dr. Loomis' (Malcolm McDowell) book based on the exploits from the first film.

Do you like the beard on Myers? Are you looking forward to H2? Did you enjoy Zombie's Halloween?

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...of the Dead - Behind the scenes at Romero's latest Zombie film

Here is 5 minutes of footage and behind the scenes of George Romero's latest zombie film. It's not great quality (looks like the featurette was shot off a monitor) and I'm not sure how long it will be around but have a watch and let me know what you think.

I like the music. Sounds very John Carpenter.

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Hope you had a good Valentine's Day

My Wife got me John Carpenter's Starman for Valentine's Day. We watched it after having a lovely home cooked meal.

I've forgotter how good the film was. Jeff Bridges is brilliant and Karen Allen is radiant. Highly recommend you watch it.

Starman Theatrical Trailer - Click here for the most popular videos

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John Carpenter is checking into The Ward

I was watching John Carpenter's The Thing on Sunday night and wishing we would get another film by the big guy that was worthy of his great period of filmmaking - something that would fit alongside Assault on Precinct 13, Halloween, They Live, Escape From New York, and Big Trouble in Little China. There have been rumours and news snippets of John Carpenter making new films - a prison one called Riot starring Nicholas Cage and a gangster film called The Prince. However, it looks like neither of them will be his next one. No, according to First Showing, it appears that he will be going back to what he does best. Creepy horror. After 8 years John Carpenter is going to direct again with a film called The Ward. All we know about it is this - The psychological thriller will star Amber Heard as a young woman in a mental institution who is terrorized by a ghost. Shooting is scheduled to begin in May, with Echo Lake Entertainment and Saw series' Peter Block producing and financing.

"The Ward is the kind of script that I've been looking for: a complex, visceral story, full of suspense and scares," Carpenter told Hollywood Reporter. The script was written by Michael and Shawn Rasmussen.

Fingers crossed that it is a return to greatness. I can't wait. What is your favourite John Carpenter film? What is his worst?

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The Thing - Ron Moore to write the prequel

First Showing have this brilliant piece of news.

In 1982, John Carpenter released The Thing, the second film to be spawned from John W. Campbell Jr.'s short story "Who Goes There." Universal has officially announced today that Ronald D. Moore, the mastermind behind such groundbreaking shows as "Carnivale" and "Battlestar Galactica," will pen the script for the prequel which focuses on a Norwegian camp overrun by shape-shifting aliens. The film has commercial director Matthijs Van Heijningen attached to direct.

You can read the full text of Campbell's original short story right here.

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The Thaw - Val Kilmer and co v ice age parasite in The Thing...I mean The Thaw

Quiet Earth spotted this one.

A deadly prehistoric parasite is released when a Woolly Mammoth is discovered in a melting ice cap. Faced with a potentially global epidemic, four ecology students must destroy the parasite before it reaches the rest of civilization. One-by-one they are infected and one-by-one they turn on each other. Soon the survivors are left with only one choice - to make the ultimate sacrifice and burn everything to the ground... including themselves.

Sounds a little like the dilemma the people had in John Carpenter's The Thing - plus lots of the visuals have a similar quality (which is no bad thing as long as it is done well. The Thaw stars Val Kilmer, Steph Song, and Kyle Schmid and is set to be released sometime this year.

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They Live Again - News on a remake of John Carpenter's classic

Could be good news, could be bad but one of my favourite John Carpenter films is heading for a remake. That's right the 1988 classic, They Live. It also has one of the best fight scenes ever between Roddy Piper and Keith David (I put it up a while ago here). Here's the news from The Hollywood Reporter.

John Carpenter's cult 1988 film is getting the remake treatment from Universal and studio-based Strike Entertainment, which are in negotiations to acquire the film rights with rights holder Les Mougins.

Strike's Marc Abraham and Eric Newman will produce, while Shep Gordon of Les Mougins and Carpenter will serve as executive producers.

The original film, part sci-fi thriller and part social satire, told the story of a down-on-his-luck construction worker (Roddy Piper) who discovers glasses that let him see aliens walking among us and controlling humanity. The man races against the clock to find a way to stop them.

The movie is known for a fight scene that lasts 51⁄22 minutes and for the line, "I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass ... and I'm all out of bubblegum."

No writer is on board.

Gordon, an entrepreneur and music impresario who worked with Alice Cooper and Blondie, holds the rights, having financed the film as part of a multipicture deal with Carpenter that also included "Prince of Darkness" and "Village of the Damned." Universal distributed the film as part of an output deal Gordon constructed.

Strike, whose credits include "Bring It On" and "Children of Men," had success in the remake arena with 2004's update of "Dawn of the Dead." Strike is also working on a remake of Carpenter's "The Thing."

Yet another remake of a classic in the works? Does the news make you happy or sad? Who would you like to see play the two lead characters? Should it have the epic fight scene to put on the sunglasses and will it have the brilliant bubblegum line?

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John Carpenter's The Prince - Bad Ass Gangster

You wait ages for a new John Carpenter movie and then two come along. First there is his prison movie, Riot, starring Nicholas Cage (hope it is one of Cage's better acting roles!). I posted the poster for that one here. Now there is news of another film directed by John Carpenter called The Prince.

Filmstalker had the news and they say that the two writers on the film are Jeremy Passmore and Andre Fabrizio, whose previous credits include Special, the film about a man who is taking drugs that make him believe he's a superhero. Special is a great film and well thought out so they have got the moxie in the writing department.

About this new film they say:

“It's a bit of a departure. It's definitley more of a very character based crime movie. I don't know what's going on with it right now, but the premise is that this guy was the most [badass] gangster of all time in Las Vegas, and he's left the life and created this whole new world. His wife died but he's raising his kid. He's living in the middle of nowhere and he's this very religious, trying to live a straight life guy. His daughter is now going to school at UCLA and she disappears, and he goes looking for her. The trail leads to Vegas and he has to go get her, and the entire city kind of comes down on top of him.”

What's more he says they have completed a version that they're really happy with, and it's a brutal, violent and dark film at the end.

All sounds very promising and like the classic John Carpenter stuff that we just haven't seen in such a long time.

Are you excited about this news? My question to you is who could play the titular Prince?

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Riot - Poster for John Carpenter's latest

Originally titled Scared Straight, the prison thriller tells the story of a troubled youth who is sent to the Scared Straight crime-prevention program. But when a riot breaks out and the prisoners take him hostage, a lifer (played by Nicolas Cage) is forced to help the young man out. I just hope John Carpenter is back on track as the genius director we all know and love.

What do you think?
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Christine, 1983 - Movie Review

Director: John Carpenter
Starring: Keith Gordon, John Stockwell, Alexandra Paul, Harry Dean Stanton, Kelly Preston
Running Time: 110 minutes

This review by Paul. Nice review. I always wanted a Plymouth Fury.

I first fell in love with this film when i was about 13, a long time ago! It was one of the few videos that were for rental in the local garage - yesteryear's Blockbuster! and it had swearing in it!

The story has the classic geek-turned-god aspect centered around one Arnie Cunningham (Keith Gordon), a 17yr old spec wearing geek who falls for the Christine of the title, a red and white 1958 Plymouth Fury (what a car!). What he doesn't know is the car is possessed by an evil malevolent sprit, which is going to be his undoing.

When we first see Christine, she (opps, it's got me as well!) is for sale outside a ramshackle building, and held together by the rust of ages. He needs her and the first spell is cast on poor Arnie. His folks understandably go mental so he hires a spot in the local garage, with the intention of doing her up. Not very exciting yet is it? oooooo, but you gotta stick with me here.

At this point we have already seen Arnie being bullied by the school hard knocks, until his hero-jock mate saves him and the day from the nasty Buddy Repperton. Understandably Arnie is a bit miffed and pours all his energies and love into Christine. I can't describe the state of the car, but when you hear the words 'show me' fall from Arnie's mouth you sit back and prepare to be amazed. The car fixes herself! better than ever before! Pristine condition! and as the old dude that told him says, 'there's nothing in the world that beats the smell of a brand new car, 'cept maybe for pussy' (you can see why a 13yr old loved this film, he said pussy!). the effects are pretty mindblowing for a 1983 film, before CGI was even thought about, the way the car bends back into shape and the glass all reforms still does it for me even today.

Arnie turns up at school the next day, minus the specs and riding in Pristine Christine, to the envy of all, even his soon-to-be-on-crutches best mate, and especially Buddy and the badlad crew. They find where Christine is housed and trash her, big style. (I may have some things out of order but the jist is there).

Now comes the Revenge!

Arnie/Christine hunt the dudes down one by one and disposes of them in ruthless fashion. The scene where he crushes the fat kid in the alley stuck with me for years! and the shot of a burning Christine driving down the road is pure cinema joy. Hear me roar!

I'm not usually a Stephen King fan, but it is the presence of John Carpenter that brings this film to another level (as usual). I read the book (and still chuckled at the pussy line) and now have the DVD. The first re-watch of this after so many years brought a big smile to my old chops, like going to visit an old friend, although a big red scary one that kicks ass!

And the final scene, well, the very final shot, where we see a bit of broken bent mental swaying in the beeze makes you turn and go oooooooo to anyone not hiding behind the sofa.

It might not be the bloodiest or scariest of movies, but it still holds it own 25 years on. a demonic car? Beats getting a cab.......

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The Thing will not be a remake but a prequel

We've all known about the remake of John Carpenter's The Thing that's been in development for a while. Latino Review has brought some exciting news on the remake today. George Roush talked with producer Marc Abraham recently and was able to chat with him about the remake — but wait, it's not a remake. So what is it? "This is more of a prequel than a sequel… it's going to be taking place in the same time frame." So what exactly does that mean we'll see? Abrams explained that this film will show "the events leading up to the 1982 film."

The Thing is one of my all time favourite movies and this news sounds very promising for the new film. A remake just wouldn't work so a movie before or after was definitely the way to go.

I've you've been living a secluded life and haven't ever actually seen The Thing, it's about scientists in the Antarctic that are confronted by a shape-shifting alien. In the film, we're introduced to an American research team (led by Kurt Russell) that is sent to investigate a Norwegian research team that was massacred by the alien. As far as we know, the origin of the alien and/or how it got to earth was never revealed. As George predicts, this prequel might show us how the alien got here and the story about the Norwegian scientists who were killed before we joined in. For reasons I can't exactly explain, this sounds pretty badass and I'll admit that I'm genuinely excited to see this movie come together in this way.

I know that The Thing is one of those classic thrillers that falls into the category of films that should never, ever be remade. And that's why this news is not only a relief but actually quite intriguing to hear about. As long as Abraham gets a strong writer and a director than can compete with John Carpenter (if that's even possible?), then we've got nothing to worry about. Maybe it'll start off with the arrival of the alien and jump ahead to the time when the 1982 film took place - which to me sounds like a perfect idea for a modern day prequel. This is the only update that Latino Review has on this remake, so for now, we'll be waiting to hear more. What do you make of this news? Does a prequel sound better than a remake?

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Put the glasses on! - Best Fight Scene Ever!

Ladies and Gentlemen. I give you the fight scene from They Live!

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John Carpenter's The Thing using action figures

This is a work of genius.

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