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Elizabeth Banks will now definitely be joining myself, Nathan FIllion, and Gregg Henry at the L.A. Comic Book and Sci-Fi Convention this Sunday. For more info see below.
here...
Or here...
Thanks for turning out for the SLiTHER trailer debut at Apple.com. Half-a-million people streamed the trailer over the weekend! That's a hell of a lot of people for this sort of thing, three times as many as the online debut of Doom and nearly twice as many as the online debut of Land of the Dead!So, thanks, folks.Check it out if you haven't already atwww.apple.com/trailers/universal/slither/hd/
Can I take a minute to say how kickass Tyler Bates is? Tyler did the score for Dawn of the Dead and is now doing the score for SLiTHER. We're using a huge orchestra in Bratislava, and Tyler has composed a truly wonderful neo-Bernard Hermann/punk score that I'm just tripping out on.That's it for today.Now go watch the trailer again.
And, if you want to see the trailer on the big screen, be sure to go see DOOM this weekend!
Thanks to Fangoria and Tony Timpone for a great time at the Fangoria Weekend of Horrors this weekend. There are no better fans than horror fans, and the whole SLiTHER gang and I had a great time doing our panel and meeting fans.
FANGORIA WEEKEND OF HORRORS New Jersey Meadowlands Crowne Plaza Hotel 2 Harmon Plaza, Secaucus, New Jersey
Go to www.fangoria.com for more info.
Thanks everybody for the feedback on the SLiTHER teaser, which was extremely positive. Universal is cutting a real trailer now that will be out in theaters in September, maybe October. For those of you who asked: No, the real trailer probably won't be as violent, and I doubt they can use the word "pussies" in it. Sorry. You can still see the trailer at http://chud.com/news/4066 My days are filled with the later stages of the post-production process: dealing with visual effects, score, and sound. New computer graphics are coming in everyday, and our team of artists are doing a top-notch job. Soon I'll be making the rounds to science fiction and comic book conventions. I'll let you know when and where in the next couple weeks.
This is the trailer the editor and I cut for San Diego Comiccon. We didn't have any of our computer graphics in yet, nor any other post-visually-effected shots, so we were somewhat limited in what we cut. I promise there's much more gore and creatures and fun than what's in this trailer -- but it will give you a taste for things to come.And go see SLiTHER star Elizabeth Banks this weekend in 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN!
Comicon was great! Here's why -Our teaser trailer was a big hit (hopefully it will be up on the 'net in August or so). The crowd of 6,500 fans couldn't have been a better audience.The CFQ-Femme Fatales party was a blast - even though Rooker got us kicked out of a cab on the way there - thanks to the producer of the Specials, Mark Altman, for inviting us.Joss Whedon and the Serenity crew are great folks to hang with. Their movie looks great, and everyone should check it out this September. And I had one of the nicest dinners of my entire life with Jenna, Elizabeth Banks, Michael Rooker, Gregg Henry, Lisa James, and Lloyd Kaufman. Thanks to everyone at Comicon and Universal for making my stay so pleasant.
There will also be a signing with the four actors and myself in the Main Hall at 1:30 p.m.
In addition to the above panel, we're hoping additional SLiTHER stars Jenna Fischer and Lloyd Kaufman will also be there, SLiTHER prosthetic effects maestro Todd Masters, and SLiTHER and DAWN OF THE DEAD producer Eric Newman.
Once again, it's 2:15 this Saturday, July 16, at the San Diego Comicon, in Hall H.
See you there!
The panel will take place at 2:15 pm Saturday, July 16. We'll talk about our experiences, maybe give folks some visuals from the film, and afterwards meet up with the people, do signings, etc.
I personally should be around the Comicon from Friday through Sunday, so keep an eye out for me, come up and introduce yourself.
LOLLILOVE MEETS TROMA ON DVD
SLiTHER won't be the only movie I have coming out in January. Jenna Fischer's directorial debut, LOLLILOVE, will be coming out on DVD from Troma in that same month. The comedy-cringe classic that's been playing at festivals around the world will finally be available to the public. The film features Linda Cardellini, Judy Greer, and Lloyd Kaufman.
I'm back. After many months in Vancouver shooting SLiTHER, I'm in the editing room in sweet, warm, dry Beverly Hills cutting the film.
It was a difficult shoot. A lot of rainy, cold nights outdoors.Over 500 gallons of blood were used in the film (for real), and, as many of you folks know, that shit is damn sticky. Thank God we had a hardy bunch of souls in our cast, crew, and extras, who were willing to put up with numerous cold, wet, sticky, gooey, sleepless, exhausting indignities because they believed in what we were doing.
I believed in it too, as I believe in it now. SLiTHER is a remarkable, wonderfully strange horror film, with equal parts heart and gore. There's nothing out there like it -- but I'll let you all judge for yourselves when it's released in early '06.
While I was gone, I received hundreds of messages from you folks, many expressing warm encouragement for SLiTHER, for the against-the-grain casting, and for what I'm trying to do. Thank you for that. It's truly appreciated.
Michael Rooker plays Grant Grant, one of the more well-known inhabitants in the small, economically depressed town of Wheelsy, South Carolina. Grant develops an unsightly rash and begins engaging in some rather unusual behaviors - such as chasing down and killing local pets, and hoarding their meat.
Elizabeth plays Grant's wife, Starla, who doesn't know the full extent of his activities. His new preoccupations play hell on their already-tumultuous marriage. When Grant's interests change from pets to people, and his infection begins to spread in myriad, hideous, and horrific fashion - well, Wheelsy is in for a really, really bad week.
Michael Rooker is about the most kickass actor ever, and I've been a huge fan of his - I mean huge - for about fifteen years. I've been writing roles for him in almost every movie I've written since Tromeo & Juliet, but the fates have never let it happen. He's got the intensity and charisma to rival any movie star out there, and he's been amazing in whatever he's done, whether or not the movie itself is terrific or awful. I first really noticed him as Henry in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, and went on to admire his work in JFK, Mississippi Burning, and, of course, Cliffhanger. But I think where I knew I wanted to work with him was after watching his very short scene in The Trigger Effect, where he stole the movie. I knew someday I needed to give this Rooker guy a role with some meat to bite into, I just didn't know that the meat would be literal. I couldn't be more excited to be working with one of my idols.
And Elizabeth Banks is wonderful! I first noticed her in Wet, Hot, American Summer, where she was both beautiful and hilarious. When I discovered she was the same actress who played the classy, dramatic Marcela Howard in Seabiscuit, it freaked me out. The shift shows the breadth of her talent, her ability to take on any role no matter what the genre, and how she has a Bowie-like power to transform (and transformations are what SLiTHER is all about). And, of course, she's Betty Brant in the Spider-Man movies. When Elizabeth came in to read for Starla, my heart started pounding with excitement after the first words out of her mouth - I thought Starla would be the most difficult role to cast and, there she was, right in front of me.
We still have a few leads left to finalize - our hero Bill Pardy, the put-upon mayor Jack MacCready, and the young, nubile teenage Kylie Strutemyer - but we should be able to announce all of them late next week. Universal, Gold Circle, and Strike have been awesome about finding the best actors possible for the film, and letting their talent speak over any other consideration.
Universal is distributing for a Halloween '05 release. Before any PG-13 rumors start, the movie is going to be the hardest R the MPAA will let us have. We shoot February through April up here in Vancouver. It's going swell so far.
Thanks to the St. Louis Film Festival for hosting LOLLILOVE'S premiere. The screening went spectacularly. Look for it soon at a film festival near you and, shortly after that, on DVD everywhere.
LOLLILOVE will be premiering at the St. Louis Film Festival Saturday, November 20 at 6:30 p.m. LolliLove is directed by my wife, Jenna Fischer (star of the upcoming OFFICE American TV show), and stars myself, Jenna, Judy Greer, Linda Cardellini, Jason Segel, and Lloyd Kaufman. The film is the story of a wealthy couple, James and Jenna Gunn, who set out to end homelessness by giving each homeless person a lollipop with a cheery slogan on the wrapper. This satiric mix of fact and fiction documents (or 'mockuments') James and Jenna's downward spiral as they try to save the world and prove how very, very, very, very charitable they are.
I'll be at the festival, along with Jenna, the co-writer/editor/ cinematographer Pete Alton, and producer Stephen Blackehart. Tickets are available now at the Tivoli theater, 6350 Delmar Blvd, where the film will be showing. (Important historic note - the Tivoli is where I first saw the original DAWN OF THE DEAD when I was a kid, on a double bill with THE HILLS HAVE EYES.)
THE MAN WHO INVENTED THE MOON, the great short starring my brother Sean Gunn, directed by John Cabrera (the creator of this very site), and written by the talented Lee Kirk will be showing before LolliLove. Sean, John, and Lee will also be in attendance.
Come and hang out with us, and meet the crew!
OTHER NEWS:
Dawn of the Dead sold over 2 million DVD's in one week.
Speaking of which, I've gotten a new rash of emails asking about DOTD 2 -- and, I'll say again, I've already turned it down. Yes, it's true, Zack and Eric Newman and I had conversations, but, in the end, it just wasn't what turned me on in the present moment. So, no Dawn of the Dead 2, not for me at least (and no Scooby 3 either). Who WOULD have lived, had I written it? Well, Terry and Nicole and the dog would be dead. Kenneth and Anna would have made it somehow, but I'd probably kill Anna at the end of Act One to pull the rug out from under folks. Happy? That's my Elseworlds version - who knows what's going to happen when Universal actually does it (though you can bet Ving will be back).
Also, I just finished the dvd commentary for a new, Special Edition of THE SPECIALS, which will be coming out soon from Anchor Bay, who promise to do a much better job than the fuckups at Pioneer. Paget Brewster, who played Ms. Indestructible and is currently on Huff, did the commentary with me. The commentary will feature very little filmmaking information, and very much dirt on the cast and crew of the Specials, in what promises to be the most expulsive commentary of the year. Paget and I ran out of bullshit to say early on, so we went with the truth for the rest of the commentary, and now we're both afraid of getting sued (especially Paget). The new Special Edition will also contain the legendary, now-defunct Specials web site pages, which have the secret origins and identities of the Specials, along with an A-to-Z of Specials supervillans and other goodies. Strap on your Mr. Smart jet packs now and get ready.
VOTE!!!
Were you involved in the making of TROMEO & JULIET? If so, Lloyd Kaufman and I are looking for you, because we want to interview you for the balls-out, mega-extras-packed 10th Anniversary DVD of Tromeo & Juliet. Even if you hated the experience. Especially if you hated the experience.
Go to the contact page here and pass on your info and we'll contact you soon.
One of my heroes, Russ Myer, passed away today. Russ was the great director of FASTER PUSSYCAT, KILL, KILL!, BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS, and, my personal favorite, MUDHONEY.
Russ was a guy able to outwit the sexploitation genre at every turn. Each of his films was a new surprise. All Russ needed to do to make his movies commercially viable in those days was put a couple tits in 'em and have an intriguing poster. Instead, Russ cared about what he did, and created a work of art with every film. I wish everyone in the world could give such love to their job. Think what a joy it would be just checking out of the grocery store.
Imagine what it was like back in the 60's, going into a seedy theater on Times Square, wearing your long overcoat so you could jerk-off unnoticed, and then being taken aback by a completely new, beautiful creature like MUDHONEY. Russ created his own film language, just as Orson Welles did, or Martin Scorsese, or John Woo.
Russ, thanks for what you've given to us. Here's to you, hoping you're up above somewhere, surrounded by enormous, enormous jugs for all eternity.
THIS Wednesday, Sept. 15th Spaceland 1717 Silver Lake Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90026 Wisely plays at 11pm The High Strung play at 10pm
Fresh off two weeks of dates on the west coast, Willie Wisely and his band briefly return home, continuing their mission to register as many people to vote as possible for this fall's presidential election. Wisely will be gigging through many of the most hotly contested MIDWEST states in September and October. Tell friends...
9/15 - Los Angeles, CA - Spaceland, 11pm
9/23 - St. Cloud, MN - Rox Tavern, midnight
9/24 - Oshkosh, WI - French Connection, 9pm
9/25 - Iowa City, IA - Gabe's Oasis, set time tba
9/26 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue, 9:30
9/27 - Madison, WI - High Noon Saloon, 10:15pm
9/28 - Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge, 11pm
9/29 - St. Paul, MN - Music Tech Master Series, 1pm
9/29 - Milwaukee, WI - Points East, 9pm
10/1 - Louisville, KY - WFPK - Live Lunch (on-air performance) noon
10/1 - Louisville, KY - Ear X-Tasy, 6pm
10/1 - Louisville, KY - Uncle Pleasant's, 9pm
10/2 - St. Louis, MO - Rocket Bar, 11pm
10/14 - Cambridge, MA - Lizard Lounge (Boston Pop Underground), set time tba
10/15 - New York, NY - Sidewalk Caf, Pop Ghetto Showcase @ CMJ, 9:30pm
To listen to some Wisely music check out this very site. Go to portfolio; music; Wisely and Gunn.
See you at Spaceland - gunn
See THE SWIDGE now at www.instantfilms.com!
I got lucky as hell this morning because my good friend Pete Alton picked my script to direct. Pete is one of the co-creators of LolliLove. In addition, my cast of 2 men and 1 woman were picked by all talented actors, including Sam Lloyd, the excellent comic from Scrubs. I'm really excited about my good fortune, and hopeful for The Swidge, which is likely to change the way we think about the world. Or at least be good for an anal worm joke or two.
Come on by tomorrow, Sunday, and check it out. For more information on where and how, read below:
Once again, I'll be taking part in the blast and a half INSTANT FILMS FESTIVAL. I'll be writing one of the movies. If you're in the LA area, come on by the Festival this Sunday night and say hi. More info is as follows:
HOW TO MAKE A FILM, INSTANTLY
On Friday night, August 20th, seven writers will draw election-themed topics out of a hat. The next morning the writers will each deliver a script for a short film. Seven directors will each arbitrarily pick one of the scripts and then randomly pick a cast from the (incredibly talented and good looking) pool of actors. The newly assembled team then goes out and makes a movie as fast as they can, delivering a finished product by 7PM Sunday night. That is when you, our intelligent and discerning audience, arrives and watches these newly formed pearls in wonder and amazement! Awards and celebration follows the screening.
WHERE?
LA CENTER STUDIOS
450 S. Bixel
Los Angeles, CA
Free Secure Underground Parking
WHEN?
Sunday, August 22nd, 2004, 8PM
Doors Open to the Public at 7PM
Free Munchies beforehand
BUY TICKETS NOW
$15 At the Door / $10 PreSale
$10 presale tickets available online at www.instantfilms.tv
or by phone 866.468.3399
MORE INFO?
www.instantfilms.tv
Meet you there - james
All right. So I haven't been around for a while. Sorry.
TWO NEW SCREENPLAYS IN THE WORKS
As has been reported on various web sites, I've been working on two films. I've mentioned the films in passing here, but they've both become much more serious in the past few weeks.
The first is SUPER, a dark superhero tale about a guy with no powers who puts on a costume and goes out to avenge himself after his wife leaves him for a drug dealer. SUPER may be my favorite script I've ever written. For those TOY COLLECTOR fans, it's closer to that tonally than other screenplays I've done - it's a mixture of drama, black comedy, and fantasy. We're in the process of trying to cast the male lead, a character named Frank D'Arbo; if the producers (Chuck Roven and Alex Gartner), the financiers, and I can all agree upon an actor - an actor who's willing to do the role - than we'll be filming very soon. Being that I am a picky motherfucker when it comes to actors, this is not necessarily an easy task. There are not many 'brand name' stars out there who have the kind of range we're looking for. Still, I'm very hopeful and excited about the movie, and I can't wait to dive in.
The second movie I've been working on is a horror film called SLITHER. It's the story of an alien plague with a consciousness that takes over the inhabitants of a small town in Virginia. I'm done with the first draft, and it's coming along. SLITHER is more like the films of David Cronenberg than anything else, but it also harkens back to the over-the-top horror films of the '80's and early '90's 'ì everything from RE-ANIMATOR to BASKETCASE to DEAD-ALIVE. I think it's a pretty unique script, and I'm excited about it just like I am SUPER. It's a kind of horror film I feel thirsty for that I haven't seen in a long time.
I'm attached to direct both SUPER and SLITHER; obviously, however, I will not be able to do both at the same time. Which will be first? Only time will tell'
NO MORE SEQUELS People are writing in and asking me about DAWN OF THE DEAD 2 (or whatever it will be called), and SCOOBY-DOO 3. I've had discussions about writing both films, but I'm not going to do either, at least for the time being. The success of DAWN and the SCOOBY movies has given me a lot of freedom, and a lot of opportunity. I'm taking that opportunity to create the types of movies that I want to see, that I think a lot of us want to see, but just aren't out there. I hope all of you will come along for the ride.
Godspeed,
James
Congratulations to my good buddy JP Cabrera (designer of this web site) who directed the winning Instant Films movie this weekend, CRAZY LOVE, an amazing testament to what can be done in 48 hours with a little talent and inspiration. Often Instant Films are funny, but with this film I was flat-out touched. JP had the help of a wonderful script by Jenelle Riley, whom I'm sure we'll see more of in the future. The cast of Lara Schwartzberg, William Salyers, Kinsey Packard, and Crystal Keith brought the whole thing to life.
Kudos also goes to the terrific film THE WOMEN, written by my favorite writer around, Lee Kirk -- only Lee could do such a great job with a comedy about a women dying of cancer. My favorite line of the festival was -- I'm paraphrasing -- "I wish I was a little cowgirl on a tiny little pony so I could ride through your veins and shoot that cancer dead." THE WOMEN was extremely well directed by SLEEP WITH ME's Rory Kelly, and starred my wife Jenna, Samanthat Elkin, and the hilarious Amy Jo Traicoff as a mumbly-mouthed ghost.
The film I wrote, MR. LUCKY, directed by Michael Rochford, can be seen soon at www.instantfilms.tv. You can also check out GAYOSITY, the first Instant Films period musical, written by my brother Brian and directed by Jeremy Kasten, FISH OUT OF WATER, starring my brother Sean and written by Charles Papert, and ASCENSION, directed by Mark Gunn, as well as the other films I've mentioned above.
And if you haven't seen my first instant film, TUBE, check it out in the archives of Instant Films 11. Tubey the tube sock was seen in a preview before this instant films and he got an enormous round of applause, which warmed the cockles of my heart.
And, of course, special thanks to Peter Lebow, John Sylvain, and Charles Papert for putting the whole thing together.
If you want to have a great time this Sunday night, and you live in the L.A. area, come on down to the Instant Films Festival, to see 7 films that were made in 48 hours, by 7 writers, and 7 directors. Every festival is a blast, and this one should be no exception as there are a hoard of Gunns involved in the proceedings -- both myself and my brother Brian will be writing films, my brother Sean of Gilmore Girls fame and my wife Jenna will be acting, and my cousin Mark will be directing.
Instant Films Sunday, June 27 7 p.m. Reception 8 p.m. Screening 450 S. Bixel LOCATED ON BIXEL btwn 3rd and 5th Streets Los Angeles, CA. 90017
Come on down and meet the gang...
Congratulations to my wife, Jenna Fischer, and the whole cast and crew of The Office: An American Workplace. The show has been picked up by NBC for the midseason.
Lloyd Kaufman has agreed to play a small role in my wife's film, LOLLILOVE. He'll be seen along with myself, Jenna, Judy Greer, Sarah Sido, Linda Cardellini, Jason Segel, Michelle Martin, and Larry Fitzgibbon in this tale about a bunch of fruitcakes who think they can change the lives of homeless people by giving them lollipops with little inspirational sayings on them.
Speaking of Jenna, I had the chance to see her pilot for NBC, THE OFFICE: AN AMERICAN WORKPLACE. It's a remake of the British show THE OFFICE -- one of my favorite TV shows of all time -- and it's absolutely wonderful. It keeps the integrity and dry humor of the original show, and doesn't back down an inch in the oncoming lights of American network television. Steve Carell from THE DAILY SHOW, BRUCE ALMIGHTY, and the upcoming ANCHORMAN is hilarious and nuanced as the boss. John Krasinski and Rainn Wilson are also terrific. My fellow St. Louis U High grad Ken Kwapis directs with the flair he used on LARRY SANDERS and FREAKS AND GEEKS. Peter Smokler is the cinematographer -- he also shot THIS IS SPINAL TAP -- and he shows again how important it is in a mockumentary to have someone holding the camera with a good sense of humor. Greg Daniels, the writer and producer, from KING OF THE HILL and THE SIMPSONS, pulled the whole thing together with honor and aplomb. A couple weeks ago in England, Jenna and I had the opportunity to hang out with Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the creators of the original show, and the four of us traded quotes from the American pilot. Like me, they loved it. This is a TV show with balls. It's completely different from anything currently on here in the States. It's exactly the kind of thing American network television needs to goose it out of its lazy sitcom slumber, and give people like me a reason to watch something other than HBO. It is not safe. I pray NBC does the right thing, the holy thing, and picks this fucker up.
Much thanks to Quentin Tarintino who's been in EW, on Howard Stern, the Tonight Show, and more, talking about how much he loves our Dawn of the Dead. To me, that's a huge compliment from the guy who made the truly best movie of the year, KILL BILL 2. Go see it now.
Also congrats to my brother Patrick, who was one of the producers on The Punisher. Go see that along with KB2.
Many of you have been writing in asking about a DAWN OF THE DEAD sequel. Well, we'll see. Zack Snyder, Eric Newman, and I have sat down and talked about it. We have some great ideas about the fate of the zombified world that would take us in a slightly different direction than Romero's great DAY, but whether or not Zack or I will be able to be involved because of our suddenly very busy lives, is unknown at this point.
But I am working on another new script. I can't tell you much about it now, but I will tell you that it's a horror movie that's being inspired by the works of David Cronenberg, the great comics of Junji Ito - especially UZUMAKI, and the comics of Renee French. I'm not working with any studio right now, because I want the film to remain as pure as possible until it comes time to yank it from the womb.
In addition, my directorial debut, super, is moving along quickly. It's being produced by Chuck Roven and Alex Gartner, and we hope to be filming by the end of the summer. I'll let you know more as things move along.
Be good,
james gunn
Dawn of the Dead came in number one at the English box office last weekend, beating the Passion on the Passion's first weekend out!
And, of course, Scooby-Doo 2 came in number one at the US box office this weekend, making me the first writer to have back-to-back number ones at the box office with two different films.
Now I'm off to new things. I have a few different projects in the works. We'll see what pans out, and I'll let you know here first.
So I just returned from the Los Angeles City Courthouse where Scooby-Doo and I received a scroll from the L.A. Board of Supervisors naming March 26, 2004 Scooby-Doo day in Los Angeles. Thanks, LA! Never have I been so honored with a girl in a big, furry costume standing besides me.
So DAWN OF THE DEAD is number one this weekend with a projection of over 27 million. What a kick.
Yesterday, we had the World Premiere of SCOOBY-DOO 2, and it was a great time. Rubern Studdard and a Simple Plan played the party, and everyone in attendance seemed to enjoy the movie and agree that SD 2.0 is truly an upgrade over SD 1.0.
MEMO FROM: JESUS TO: JAMES GUNN
Dear James:
Just returned from a screening of DAWN OF THE DEAD and, I have to admit, it is REALLY FRICKIN' AWESOME. Now, I know you're going head-to-head at the box office this weekend with "ME" (the actual title, I guess, is THE PASSION OF CHRIST, but, you know, I feel pretentious saying that all the time - so I've been calling it "ME"), but I have to be honest, I actually like DAWN OF THE DEAD better. Way. ME is gory, but DAWN OF THE DEAD is even gorier, and God knows I love gore - Why do you think I made humans so squishy? Also, I found that scene where your heroes shot the Burt Reynolds look-a-like HILARIOUS. I fucking HATE Burt Reynolds (well, except SHARKY'S MACHINE 'ì that was pretty good.)
Anyway, I'd like to offer you a blessing to kick my own ass at the box office this weekend. ME has ruled long enough and, frankly, I'm ready for something a little less preachy. And I wasn't too thrilled with Jim Caviezel. Why couldn't Ving Rhames have played me? Back in 32, I worked out all summer, had huge muscles - I knew my big moment was about to come - and yet I don't get credit for it in a single movie or painting. Everyone always draws me like a pussy. Spilt milk, I guess, but still....
Hey, you know what's weird? The movie that's going to displace Mel's flick as the number one film in America also contains people rising from the dead! I mean, I'm not a zombie - well, not technically. But, you have to admit, it would have been great fun if I had come out of the tomb growling, howling, "Give me human flesh now!!" Ha ha! That would have really freaked those guys out! "Doubting Thomas" would surely be known as "Soiled Thomas" today. Me-dammit - why don't I ever think of these great gags until AFTER the chance is long gone? So,
anyway, yeah, I loved DAWN. Loved it, loved it, loved it. I was a big fan of the original, but I think yours lives up to Romero's movie and then some (I am just so totally embarrassed I signed that anti-Dawn remake petition on the web. I can be such an asshole sometimes. To make up for it, I'll send everyone else who signed it to Hell.) Anyway, feel free to quote me - "DAWN OF THE DEAD has all the action I wished THE PASSION had. It also scared the Bejesus out of me - and, being that I'm Jesus, I have more Bejesus than anyone else of all time. It's Christeriffic!"
So, anyway, you can't see me right now, but I'm up here doing some magical hand motions so that you'll be number one this weekend. I know there's a bunch of people who are harping on it being Good Vs. Evil at the boxoffice this weekend, but that's bullshit. What? I get all the sucky, wussy shit like THE PASSION and CODY BANKS, and, like, Satan gets all the good stuff? No way! Down with THE PASSION! Long live the new DAWN OF THE DEAD! Thus is the Word of God!
Love, Jesus
P.S. Good luck next weekend on SCOOBY-DOO 2. I haven't seen it yet, but the Holy Spirit tells me it kicks the shit out of the first one. - J
"In the end, Dawn of the Dead is a surprisingly touching parable of community and the human spirit - a terribly scary parable with a ridiculously high body count," David Hiltbrand, Philadelphia Inquirer
"Zack and Gunn have created one of those near perfect horror films that will be scaring people for generations. This is the movie edges of seats were invented for," Alex Sandell, Juicy Cerebellum
"Gruesome, funny, everything a horror film should be," John Anderson, Newsday
"A fun, scary and slick popcorn movie that should please even hardcore horror fans and scare the crap out of everyone else," Jim Agnew, Film Threat
"Gunn adapted Romero's original story, and this script is perversely pleasurable and slyly smart, obviously crafted by a writer who loves, respects and understands the pop-culture predecessors he's following. It's a bloody, block-rockin' action-horror flick with brains, gut-punch dread and rise-up-and-cheer B-movie heroics,' James Rocchi, Netflix
"A rotting good time," Bob Townsend, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"Where the remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was all about style and Jessica Biel in a wet t-shirt, this one is energetic, funny, gory, and suspenseful from beginning to end. I recommend this highly to any fans of the genre and to anyone who's even a bit curious. I just might go see it again," John Venable, Supercala.com
"There's no denying this "Dawn" will keep you awake," John Larsen, Sun Publications
"You'll leave your memories of the Romero version behind, just to indulge in the delights of Snyder's wild, new, imaginary interpretation," Annette Cardwell, Filmcritic.com
"I know it's just a zombie movie, but this "Dawn of the Dead" is so chilling, thrilling and imaginatively slick that it's bursting with neo-classic potential," Rob Blackwelder, Spliced Wire
"Dead excels when it comes to a great, dark sense of humor. I never would have expected it from the screenwriter who penned SCOOBY-DOO, but stranger things have happened," Jon Popick, Planet Sickboy
"What might be the best time you have getting scared at the movies this year. Better than House of the Dead and Resident Evil, slightly better than 28 Days Later and in the general neighborhood of From Dusk Till Dawn, this new Dawn of the Dead is likely to bring zombie films more attention than they have had in decades. So let the zombies run, and you should do the same towards the theater nearest you," Larry Carroll, Filmstew.com
"Dawn of the Dead" is chilling in its explorations of the horrors that can spring from a genericized world. It's an instant classic. A-," Linda Clifford, Reeling Reviews
"It is, in other words, a paradigm of its genre: bloody (and bloody scary), stylish, smart, audacious and edgy, darkly pessimistic yet inflected with touches of deliciously sick humor. Yes, it's essentially a remake of a sequel, albeit a sequel that happens to be one of the greatest horror movies ever made, but it more than surpasses the original. Its sole aim, and one at which it succeeds admirably, is to simultaneously revolt, scare and delight you; to make you as afraid to look at the screen as to look away from it; to fill you with such a mix of terror and guilty pleasure that you can't tell the two emotions apart," Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post
"The remake of George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead surpasses the original in any number of ways," Walter Chaw, Film Freak Central
"It maintains an atmosphere that is as genuinely funny as it is scary," Phoebe Flowers, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
"Bloody Good Fun," Scott Nash, Three Movie Buffs
"The remake has earned its place in the dead series. Good show," Bryce Wilson, Cinema Blend
"Fans of the original Dawn of the Dead need not worry. The main accomplishment of the remake is that it makes you forget Romero's film (as great as it is) in the first five minutes. In updating the zombies-in-a-mall classic, director Snyder ups the action and humor for modern audiences, who will hopefully want to check out Romero's version after seeing this super-sized remake," Bill Payne, Movees.com
"'Dawn of the Dead' is a smartly re-engineered thrill 'ì a mind-blowing orgy of horror, guts, gore and the walking dead! Is this movie better than the original? Yes," Movie Gurus
I never thought it'd happen. DAWN OF THE DEAD has received 2 Thumbs Up from Ebert and Roeper. It has also gotten an A from Entertainment Weekly.
- Cover story on new Hollywood Scriptwriter magazine.
- Nice interview online at www.screenwritersvoice.com
- For St. Louisans - fun interview in the upcoming Riverfront Times.
Much more to come as Dawn of the Dead and Scooby-Doo 2 get closer to opening.
For the first time ever, ten minutes of a movie will be shown on TV five days before its US release. Check out the fun footage, featuring Vivian, the little girl zombie, tonight, between 10 and 10:30 pm (9 and 9:30 pm central time), near the end of USA's showing of FINAL DESTINATION.
My Dad called me the morning after Wednesday's premiere to tell me after he got back to the hotel he couldn't stop shaking, and he had diarrhea he was so terrified. That's a standing ovation to me!
The Dawn of the Dead Premiere was last night, and it was an absolute blast. The movie played great, and the whole Gunn clan had a marvy time. My old man nearly crapped his pants with fear. And, coolest of all, I got to hang out with Ken Foree.
I can't wait for March 19 so we can knock Jesus out of first place. It's only math really: The Passion only has one guy rising from the dead. We've got thousands.
The Scooby-Doo 2 Premiere is Saturday the 20th, and is going to double as a charity benefit for United Friends of Children. Undoubtedly, it will also be a great time.
I feel very blessed to have these two movies coming out in completely different genres. Those of you that know me know I have a difficult time enjoying anything. But I'm doing my best.
My brother Matt has some interesting things to say about gay marriage at www.underthegunn.com
TUBE, our 48 hour opus, can be seen now at http://www.instantfilms.tv
Thanks to Instant Films for my best weekend in a long, long time.
Our film, TUBE, won Best Picture, Best Cast, and Best Writer for the festival. Once again, Instant Films is a festival where 7 writers start out in a room at 7 p.m. on Friday night. They pick themes and male/female cast breakdowns out of paper bags. By 8 the next morning, we had to have a script 6 pages long with that cast and that theme. A roomful of directors and actors pick scripts out of a bag, and are randomly assigned to act and direct in films.
I was lucky enough to be picked by Academy Award nominated director Colin Campbell, who did an amazing job with TUBE - the story of a very pathetic man who finds out his wife is cheating on him with a sock puppet. The paper bag cast Jonathan Goldstein as Eric, the cuckold. Jonathan made the whole thing work by playing it straight through the mournful sobs and mental breakdown. Ina Burke played the cheating wife, and went the distance in a disturbingly erotic make out scene with Tubey the sock puppet. Ina, undoubtedly, is one of the only women on the planet to ever French a red felt tongue. Russell Steinberg proved his multifaceted talent by playing the dual role of Art and Tubey the sock puppet. And the the beautiful Jill Bennett was hilarious as Eric's compassionate sister, Heather. For me, the whole weekend was a blast, and a great reminder of how much I love filmmaking for the fun of it. Eventually you'll be able to see TUBE online at www.instantfilms.tv. I'll let you know when.
These short films made in 48 hours were uniformly more entertaining than any film festival I've ever attended. There wasn't a loser in the bunch, and it was amazing what people were able to do with so little time and resources. In particular I have to point out director Shawn Driscoll and whoever his cinematographer was on DINNER WITH JIM, and likewise director John Ennis and whoever his cinematographer was on THE SENSUAL LOVER OF BINDALELE. Those two films blew me away with how great they looked and were shot. SENSUAL LOVER was a period piece set in the 1800's that pulled it off! The script for SENSUAL LOVER, by Will and Grace writer, Gail Lerner, was also fantastic.
If you're interested in being a part of Instant Films in some capacity, or you want to check out past films, go to their web site at www.instantfilms.tv.
If you're in LA Sunday, February 22, come on down to the Instant Film Festival. Instant Films is a festival, where a bunch of filmmakers get together and make seven short films in 48 hours. I wrote one last night, and it'll be premiering at the festival. It's called TUBE, and it's a serious drama about a man who discovers his wife is cheating on him with a sock puppet. Tonally it's kind of like that movie, SOMETHING ABOUT AMELIA. Only, you know, with a button-eyed, red-haired sock named Tubey.
Anyway, it's a great group of people; come on down and meet everyone and have a good time watching a bunch of whacked out shorts.
The festival is at the LA Center Studios, 450 South Bixel, Los Angeles, 90017. It begins at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7. Call 866.468.3399 for pre-sale tickets.
Sorry I haven't been around. Busy schedule. Hopefully much new news for you in the next month or so regarding new projects.
Der Spielzeugsammler, the German edition of the Toy Collector, has just been released in, you guessed, it Germany. It's the perfect gift for those in your life who speak German.
Congratulations to my wife, Jenna Fischer, who was just cast as one of the four leads in the American version of the Office. Here's what the Hollywood Reporter had to say:
NBC's three-month talent search for actors to inhabit "The Office" -- a pilot loosely based on the BBC comedy series -- may be coming to an end. Sources said the network and Ben Silverman's Universal-based Reveille and Universal Network TV are considering "The Daily Show" correspondent Steven Carell for the lead, a middle manager at a paper company, played in the original series by co-creator/writer/director Ricky Gervais. Rainn Wilson (HBO's "Six Feet Under"), Jenna Fischer ("Employee of the Month") and John Krasinski have been cast in the other three roles. Reps for NBC stressed that there is no deal in place with Carell. Sources said the situation is complicated by the fact that Carell is attached to another NBC series, the midseason comedy "Come to Papa." (Nellie Andreeva)
It's going to be a very merry Christmas as anyone who sees the new live-action Peter Pan when it opens on December 25 will behold the brand new, full-fledged trailer to Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed playing beforehand. Catch your first glimpse of the 10,000 Volt Ghost, the Zombie, the Black Knight Ghost, and more! This is EXACTLY the sort of thing Jesus was thinking about when he was born as man, don't you think?
Secondly, thanks to Lloyd Kaufman, Adam Jahnke, Count Smokula, and the whole Troma Team for a fun time the other night at Borders Books in Santa Monica. If you liked All I Know About Filmmaking I Learned from the Toxic Avenger, be sure to check out Lloyd and Adam's new book, Make Your Own Damn Movie, a great how-to of super-low-budget independent cinema.
7:30 pm Friday, December 5 BORDERS BOOKS & MUSIC 1415 3rd Street Promenade Santa Monica, California Borders #: 310.393.9290
See you there!
There are three photo series in this book: Femalien, In a Matter of Days, and Understanding Joshua. Femalien is only so-so, but the other two are absolutely incredible. In particular, Understanding Joshua is one of the greatest things - whether it be art, movies, music, or comics - I've seen in years. It's a series of photographs of human beings, often blonde and beautiful, abusing, ignoring, or being abused by what looks like a genetic cross between a Muppet and a human (eerie: yes). The cover is so disturbing my wife won't let me leave it around the house. I would love to buy a print of this guy's stuff for my office, but I've been unable to find any useful information about him on the web. If anyone knows something, please send me a note in the 'contact' section.
2)BATMAN, comic series, by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso
Azzarello is one of the best comics writers out there, and although his take on Batman isn't quite blowing me away yet, these past couple issues have still been the best issues of any Batman title in a long time.
3)New Tattoo, CD, by The Blakes
I ordered a Beatifics album off www.half.com and the seller must have thought I'd like this band, because he sent me this EP for free. Anyway, I really do. Excellent Cheap-Trick power pop with a huge Queen streak. Right up my alley! (Except why'd they have to give it the same title as the dreadful 2000 Motley Crue album?)
4)The Montgomery Cliffs, CD, by The Montgomery Cliffs
Almost every track on this album's a winner: 'Bad Karma,' 'Ride,' 'Wednesday Girl,' and more. Inspired power pop, often in the vein of Elvis Costello. Terrific stuff.
5)The AMG All-Music Guide, Web Site, http://www.allmusic.com/
This is an excellent resource containing information and reviews for thousands upon thousands of albums, much more trustworthy than IMDB is for movies (even though they don't have The Blakes up there yet.)
6)Elf, Movie
Will Ferrell is hilarious. Bob Newhart has been an idol of mine since I was a kid ('The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart' is still one of the best comedy albums ever). And Jon Favreau is one of my favorite - and one of the funniest - filmmakers around. Especially the first half of this movie is fall-down hilarious, in a surprisingly sweet sort of way.
7)Spider, Movie
I finally got around to watching this on DVD. David Cronenberg has long been one of my favorite directors. My favorites are The Brood, They Came from Within (aka Shivers), and Naked Lunch. Spider's not quite in the same league as those other films, but it's terrific nonetheless. Though slow going at first (well, actually, pretty much the whole way through), if you stick with it, the film packs a powerful punch.
8)La Di Da, CD, Gladhands
You guessed it. More power pop. Stand out tracks: 'Albatross' and 'The Gore Girls.'
9)Where the Wild Things Are Figurines, Toys, MacFarlane Toys
I just finished furnishing the library in our house, and lined these figures out across the main shelf (they won out over my 'Scary Tales' and Sid and Marty Kroft figures). Even though the Aaron figure can't stand up straight, they're still quite inspiring, and are terrific reminders to me of Maurice Sendak's subversive and life-affirming great work, a prime example of what storytelling can be. One day I'll get there.
10)The Office, 1st Year, DVD set, TV series
I finally got to watch all 6 episodes of The Office's first year to find out what the hullabaloo was about. I wasn't disappointed. Funny stuff.
11)Morrowind: The Elder Scrolls, Xbox Game
If you truly knew how many hours I've spent playing this game this week as opposed to working on the ADR for SCOOBY-DOO 2 like I'm supposed to, I would be humiliated.
1 THING I WAS NOT DIGGING ON THIS WEEK
1)The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, List, Rolling Stone Magazine
All right. I know Rolling Stone isn't close to hip anymore. But, still. This list is nonsense. First of all, it's pedestrian as hell. Secondly, why even include jazz and blues if you're only going to include a couple albums a piece? There's only two great jazz albums?! Every other jazz album is worse than Def Leppard's Hysteria?! Thirdly, what's your problem with ska, you bastards? Two No Doubt albums, but no Skatalites, Specials, or Madness? Fourthly, what's the deal with allowing Greatest Hits compilations? You mean to tell me you can have the Buzzcocks and Chuck Berry on there, but somehow the Beatles' Blue and Red albums aren't? And no Alice Cooper's Greatest Hits?! You pricks.
The teaser is actually a slightly reformulated gag from the movie where Shaggy and Scooby are sneaking through an abandoned mine building, and they come upon a Skeleton Man.
The full trailer is being cut now and will be out in not too long.
Sorry I haven't been here for a while. I've been extremely busy on two new projects, which I can't reveal just yet.
I'll do my best to let you know here first.Other than that, things are going well. We're finishing up the Doo 2 teaser trailer which is going to be out in a couple of weeks, and readying the full length trailer as well. We're also putting the final touches on some animation, etc, for upcoming audience screenings.
Last night we screened a short film my brothers Sean and Matt starred in called THE MAN WHO INVENTED THE MOON, about a fellow who lives with his imaginary friends, including Santa Claus, Jesus Christ, Abraham Lincoln, and Babe Ruth. The screening was a great success, and it was a wonderful experience being in a room with people who cared about a project so much. Kudos to the director, John Cabrera (the creator of this site), the writer Lee Kirk, and the producer Larry Fitzgibbon for putting together such a hilarious and moving film.
Shallow and beautiful. Tarantino is an absolute genius at bringing out the things I loved and didn't know I loved about movies from the '70's. I can't wait for Volume 2.
2)School of Rock, movie
School of Rock reminds me of Taxi Driver. Why? Because not since Scorsese, Schraeder, and DeNiro have a director, writer, and star coalesced in such a seamless way with a common purpose. Richard Linklater, Mike White, and Jack Black have made a nearly-perfect little film.
3)Alias, comic series, by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Gaydos
I like all of Bendis' titles, but this one is my favorite (Powers is second).
4)One Chord to Another, CD, by Sloan
My favorite Sloan album has returned to my dashboard, from back in the Mesozoic era, 1996.
5)Sleeper, comic, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips
Underrated, terrific title.
6)Wesley, my new puppy
Wesley's a 15 pound (so far) terrier-something-mutt with a black face, red ears, and white feet. My wife and I rescued him from the pound. After we brought him home, his kennel cough (common in pound puppies) turned into pneumonia. He had to be rushed to the animal hospital at 3 in the morning with a temperature of 106, and he almost died. Now he's back to regular puppy health, hanging with me as I write, and chewing on everything in sight, including -
7)Terra Obscura, comic book, by Alan Moore, Peter Hogan, and Yanick Paquette
What a blast. I'm burrowing as hard as I can into every Alan Moore title, ever since he announced his forthcoming retirement.
8)The World's Religions, non-fiction book, Huston Smith
I read this book in high school, which turned me onto a new way of looking at religions, and tuned me into Hinduism in a big way. I went to Florida last weekend and decided to re-read it.
9)Star Songs of an Old Primate, short story collection, by James Tiptree Jr.
James Tiptree Jr. was the pseudonym for Alice B. Sheldon. She was a science fiction writer who wrote some of the most harrowing short stories of all time, science fiction or otherwise. My favorite story of hers is probably 1972's "Forever to a Hudson Bay Blanket," which actually isn't in this volume, but there are plenty of great ones here as well. (Learn more about James Tiptree, Jr. at http://mtsu32.mtsu.edu:11072/Tiptree/)
10)The Joe Schmoe Show, TV show, Spike
TVA reality series where everyone is an actor except one guy, who has no idea what's going on. That one guy, Matt Kennedy Gould, happens to be the coolest dude in the world. My favorite moments so far are the Hutch taking pictures of his ass and putting them in Kyle's photo album, and Ralph trying to make Matt eat dog shit. The best reality show of all time. Watch the finale this Tuesday!
11)100 Bullets, comic series, Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso
Azzarello's back after taking time to write Batman, and 100 Bullets is as wonderful as ever.
See other crap I love in the JG Online Shopping section of this site.
james
So yesterday we showed SCOOBY DOO 2: MONSTERS UNLEASHED to the studio for the first time. This is always a harrowing experience, because you never know if the studio is going to freak out over the film you made and demand substantial cuts or reshoots, or even demand you re-imagine the tone of the whole thing (see the history of SCOOBY 1 for reference. As many of you know, the first movie ended up a little, uh, different than how we envisioned it.)
Well, I'm relieved and happy to say that Warner Bros' first impression was extremely positive. Unless something shocking happens in our preview screenings, the movie we made is the movie you're going to see. As this is something we've all poured our hearts into, it feels really good.
Also - The new DAWN OF THE DEAD teaser trailer is now up. I like it. And it's got a Sparklehorse song on it, which is awesome. Yes, the zombies move fast -- sometimes. The zombies move fast or slow depending on their state of decomposition. They don't feel pain, so there's nothing stopping them. See it here.
I like the forthcoming full trailer even more.
The DOTD Japanese poster brouhaha just won't end. Just got an email from Gary over at Wet N Wild about an email he received from Universal (see it at http://www.wetnwildradio.com/DAWNoftheDEAD2004NewsandInfo.html), declaring that the poster is not official, because it's not sanctioned by Universal.
Well, that may depend on your definition of official. The truth is it's a poster created by the official distributor in Japan, Towa, and officially displayed on their official web site. Sound official to you? Me too.
I have no idea what Towa's contractual deal is with Universal. Hell, maybe they're doing something they shouldn't be. I heard Towa doesn't need to have their stuff sanctioned by Universal, but who knows. Whatever the case, it remains that Towa DID create the poster and it's not fan art, which to me, and the producer, makes it seem pretty damn official: I.E. you're not getting ripped off if you buy it on eBay (in fact, after all this, it's probably worth a lot more).
All of this does not change the fact that the poster is kind of silly.Now somebody send me some controversial crap to have the whole 'Net arguing over SCOOBY-DOO 2. Both these movies are opening on the same day, and I need to get a leg up on myself.
UPDATE:The following is true regarding the Japanese poster seen on the 'Net. It all came out of a recent conversation between myself and Eric Newman, the film's producer:
The artwork is not phony. It is not fan art. It is very early promotional material from the film's Japanese distributor, TOWA. The artwork is not approved by Universal because, as they aren't the Japanese distributor, they wouldn't need to approve it. The artwork is based on some early make-up mock-ups that were done before we started shooting. The art does not at all accurately reflect our finished zombies (they do not, for instance, have glowing blue eyes), but Eric and I both agree that it's awesome that Towa is beginning their marketing this far out. As far as the domestic campaign goes, Universal and Strike will have a trailer up and running in the next two weeks.
On the other hand, the art does look a little fannish. But I've seen worse from foreign distributors.
However, for those of you interested in seeing actual snippets of the new DAWN OF THE DEAD, the teaser trailer will be playing before TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, opening on October 17. I've also seen an early cut of the full (non-teaser) DOTD trailer, to be released later, and it is awesome.
The teaser for SCOOBY DOO 2 can be seen before the LOONEY TUNES: BACK IN ACTION movie, opening on November 14.
Godspeed, james
Yes, it's real. Essentially. It's a preliminary poster for Toho-Towa, the Japanese distributor of Dawn. It features the face of Vivian, a little girl at the beginning of the movie who feasts on the neck of Sarah Polley's husband. Eric Newman, the film's producer, told me the Japanese people are disturbed by the poster, by the idea of this innocent little girl being a flesh-eating zombie (Really? From the country who brought us BATTAL ROYALE?!) Honestly, to me, it looks just okay. Vivian doesn't look quite dead enough. In the actual movie, part of her face has been torn away 'ì I'd rather see that poster, though it's probably a little gross for popular consumption.
Toha-Towa supposedly also have a trailer of some sort out there, or coming soon. Neither Strike nor Universal have any say over the art. The Universal rep understandably didn't know about the poster. Anyway, that's it 'ì the full truth, so far as I know it. Send me any corrections via the CONTACT page.
Be good, james
So, I've spent the past couple weeks going over SCOOBY-DOO 2: MONSTERS UNLEASHED in the editing room, with director Raja Gosnell, editor Kent Beyda, and producers Richard Suckle and Chuck Roven. And, in all honesty, I'm amazingly excited about this movie! It's the first film I've worked on that's coming out very much how we envisioned it from the beginning. Usually at this stage in the cutting room I'm depressed and disappointed, but I feel the opposite here. The movie moves fast, it's funny, and it has a lot of heart. The cast has kicked it up a notch. Linda Cardellini is coming into her own as Velma. She is truly awesome throughout the whole film. Freddie is funny, Sarah is charming, and Matt, of course, is fantastic. They all found their groove. In addition, having Peter Boyle, Seth Green, Alicia Silverstone, and Tim Blake Nelson along for the ride as our suspects upgrades the whole movie. Scooby himself has also gotten an upgrade 'ì he's more realistic, funnier, more fluid. And our unleashed monsters are also a blast. For the first time you'll see the 10,000 Volt Ghost, the Zombie, the Black Knight Ghost, the Miner 49er, the Tar Monster, and other creatures from the Scooby-Doo cartoons in all their live-action glory.
I've seen a lot less of DAWN OF THE DEAD, as I'm not a producer on that film, but I am happy so far with what I have seen. Fans of zombie films should not be disappointed. The movie is quite violent (QUITE) and gory. Having had to deal with the MPAA a lot in my Troma days, I'm a little afraid of what they're going to make us cut to get an R rating -- I hope not too much (I have some hope, at least, because this is a studio film, and anyone who has worked in independent cinema knows the MPAA has an unfair bias in favor of the studios 'ì but that's a different topic). The tone of DAWN OF THE DEAD is similar to the original film, but, as many fans out there know, the story is extremely different. The cast is great from what I've seen: Sarah Polley and Ving Rhames are grounded and down to earth. There's also a guy named Michael Kelly who plays CJ who I think is particularly good. Anyway, again, I'm hopeful. I have my fingers crossed like legions of others.
Strangely, both DAWN OF THE DEAD and SCOOBY-DOO 2 are being released on the same day, March 26, 2004.
Other news: two short films I've had some hand in are nearing completion.
THE MAN WHO INVENTED THE MOON is directed by JP Cabrera (the designer of this site), written by the great Lee Kirk, and stars my brothers Sean and Matt. It's the story of a young man named Sammy who lives with his imaginary friends, including Santa Claus, Babe Ruth, Abraham Lincoln, and Jesus Christ. It's a sad and funny film that's about ready to make the festival rounds. There's going to be a Los Angeles screening in early November. If you're in LA and would like to attend, send us an email in the CONTACT section of this site. We'll see what we can do.
LOLLILOVE is directed by my wife, Jenna Fischer, and is produced by my buddy Stevie Blackehart (Benny Que from TROMEO & JULIET). I acted in it, along with Linda Cardellini, Judy Greer, and a lot of our friends. It's the story of a young, wealthy couple who think they can improve the lives of homeless people by handing out lollipops with cheery slogans on them. It, too, will be making the festival circuit in not too long.
And, also, I'm working on a special super secret project I'll let you know about soon.
All in all it's been a good few months. I'll do my best to keep you updated.
Godspeed, james
A ringio a wado set
Ba bingam tom anani fett
Ree kimio an rako ling
This is what we creatures sing
Ko reeka gort an alla soy
Go balli lala gingo hoy
A raefa morr ay ach otee
A hinga hoowa karay lun
Bolevven taray pakin tun
Ropoppo ee en loo en roo
We are creatures, you'll be too!
(Cut from movie:)
Lakka havay conny ren
Ray krevo caray ak la ken
Ing gory renno halla cor
Their bodies are our uniform!
Hey ho!
Ralla hey!
Bee ho!
Reeni kay!
Kor ah!
Lorry fal
Us and all our evil pals!
Drew Pasdar
JAMES GUNN: No. In fact, I can say I'm fairly certain that's not the title. But it's also not SCOOBY DEUX, which I'm personally happy for. I think I know what the new title is going to be. I'll let you know soon.
DP: So, can you give us the basic plot?
JG: A mysterious evil masked figure has developed a way to create monsters, and these creatures he creates are based upon Mystery Ink's old foes. Of course, in the past, Mystery Ink's foes were men in masks. Now they're real monsters, and a lot more dangerous. Mystery Ink has to stop these guys from taking over Coolsville, while also figuring out the identity of the evil masked figure behind it all.
DP: Which old foes are showing up?
JG: We got the 10,000 Volt Ghost, the Creeper, the Skeleton Men. There's about twenty of them in all. I think it'll be a real kick seeing these old familiar monsters done with today's best CG and makeup effects.
DP: You've said in the past this new movie will 'correct the mistakes' you made in the last one. What mistakes are those, exactly?
JG: Well, quite honestly, we weren't always in agreement on what type of film we were making. At one point it was PG-13, at another point PG. When the MPAA got a hold of us, as well as parents in our test screenings, we lost a lot of the humor, and some entire scenes. Some of these deleted scenes couldn't even be put on the DVD.
DP: So this film is a kid's movie?
JG: Essentially. But we also learned what type of adult humor will make it past the censors, and what type of adult humor parents enjoy and don't mind their kids seeing. So, although it's a youth-oriented movie, I think it will be a lot more enjoyable for adults as well. I know I personally like this script a lot more, and I'm sort of an adult.
DP: Any other problems with the first movie you're clearing up?
JG: A lot. I could go on for a while. I come from the world of independent film, and writing a movie in the studio system was new to me. I lost my balance somewhat with the different input coming from everywhere, and I think the film's plot was hurt because of it. I'm a lot stronger now in standing up for what I believe, yet I'm also more open to places where I was wrong the first time around. This new film is a lot truer to the original cartoon in many ways, without hampering our ability to flesh out the characters. Also, the spine of this movie is the relationship between Scooby and Shaggy. That's what worked best in the first movie, that's what people care most about, and that also happens to be what I like writing the most. So this movie is, first and foremost, about Scooby and Shaggy. Also, our budget's a bit bigger this time around so we get to put more Scooby in the script 'ì every shot of him is quite expensive.
DP: Is writing the sequel easier or more difficult than writing the first film?
JG: Easier. Much. I now know the strengths of Raja [Gosnell, the director] and the whole cast, and I play to those a lot more. We're also all a lot more comfortable with each other. We've become friends through all of this, and that makes working together a pleasure. It has truly been a blast making the movie so far.
DP: Why are you shooting in Canada as opposed to Australia again?
JG: This film is much more based around the city of Coolsville, a bright, colorful city, like a Technicolor Gotham, so Vancouver works well because of the more metropolitan setting than Queensland, where we shot Scooby 1. Also, quite honestly, it's a lot easier hopping back and forth from Vancouver to LA, where all of us live, than it is taking that 16 hour flight to Australia. But, I have to admit, I really loved Australia. In many ways, I'm sorry we're not shooting there again.
DP: What do you care about most with the sequel?
JG: Absolutely, what I care about most is making a better movie than the first film. Some sequels do it. Most don't. I really want this to be one of the rarer breeds. It's the quality that matters most.
'MAKE YOUR OWN DAMN MOVIE'
INTRODUCTION
By James Gunn
It was August of 1996, we had just completed filming TROMEO & JULIET, and Andrew Weiner, the film's associate producer, and I, were the only ones left in the Troma Building at the end of a long day. So Andrew and I did what we often did at that time; we snuck into Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz's office and messed around with their private stuff. I re-adjusted two of the Toxic Crusader action figures on Lloyd's shelf so that they were butt-fucking. Andrew pretended to take a shit in Michael's drawer. We sat across from each other in their desk chairs and did mean-spirited imitations of them ('Look at me, I'm Lloyd!' I said. 'James, get in here and wipe this dingleberry off my ass!') And then, on this particular evening, Andrew dared me to masturbate in Lloyd's seat.
'That's disgusting,' I said. 'Sure.'
So Andrew went back upstairs to do something important, like draw devils' horns on actresses' headshots, while I stayed in El Troma Presidentes' office. I popped in a videocassette of Class of Nuke 'Em High, fast-forwarded to Janelle Brady taking off her top, and commenced to rub one out. This is a difficult feat while giggling, but, eventually, Janelle's luscious puffies defeated my ironic intentions, and I shot my man juice all over Lloyd's desk.
At this point, you may wonder what in the fuck this has to do with introducing Make Your Own Damn Movie.
Well, it goes to prove that when you're as cheap as Troma, you don't have any choice but to hire fuck-ups like me, people who masturbate in your office when you're gone. Sure, the Chairman of 20th Century Fox has a lot of his own problems (GLITTER, for instance), but finding mysterious yellow stains on his interoffice memos probably isn't one of them. And that's the first lesson of making low-budget films: You have to make do with what you got.
If life gives you lemons, make lemonade. If life gives you assholes, make a Troma movie. Life has been giving Lloyd Kaufman assholes for three decades now, and he's been doing his best with this raw material, somehow orchestrating their limited abilities in such a way as to churn out classics like THE TOXIC AVENGER, CLASS OF NUKE 'EM HIGH, TROMA'S WAR, and TERROR FIRMER. And by 'classics' I mean 'Lloyd gave me twenty bucks to call them that.' But, really, he needn't have wasted his money 'ì there's no denying the uniqueness, the potency, and, yes, even the genius of Troma. Lloyd's blend of slapstick, gore, sex, vaudeville, and nuclear waste has inspired luminaries such as Peter Jackson, Kevin Smith, and Quentin Tarantino. We Tromaphiles are a secret society in Hollywood, numerous, anonymous, and omnipresent. So often I'll meet a studio exec who will discover I worked on TROMEO & JULIET. 'You did?' she'll say. She'll blush, she won't be able to look me in the eye, and she'll whisper, under her breath: 'I love that movie.' And then she'll shudder uncontrollably. Holy cow, she's having an orgasm!
Take note: This book may not teach you how to make a great film (after all, it's not called Make Your Own Good Movie.) The quality is up to you. But it will teach you how to make the best film you can within budgetary constraints: You can't afford an expensive car stunt? Just splice in a car flip from an old film*. You can't find the right person for the part? Use the wrongest person you can; someone who can't act at all is usually funnier than someone who can act a little**. Don't have enough latex left to make a fake head for a head-crushing scene? Use a watermelon***. Not enough cash for a watermelon? Use a cantaloupe, or a grapefruit. Use a fucking orange if you have to! Because, in the end, making a low-budget film is not about getting it done right. It's about getting it done. We all know so-called 'artists' who have ingenious ideas for films, novels, or origami monoliths but who never get up from watching Friends long enough to do anything about them. To make a movie one must risk making shit. And Lloyd Kaufman is my mentor and my hero, not only because he has risked making shit, but because he has actually been making shit for over thirty years. But it's marvelous shit, and the world is better off because of it.
Unless you include BIG GUS, WHAT'S THE FUSS****? The world's a little worse off because of that.
And don't believe that this book will only be helpful on low-budget films. In my own experience, the only differences between making the $350,000 TROMEO & JULIET, the $1 million THE SPECIALS, and the nearly $90 million SCOOBY-DOO were the size of the paychecks and the quality of the actresses' breast implants. No matter whether it's a Troma movie, an independent period piece, or a studio film, you'll have to deal with crewmembers' griping, arguments between directors and producers, and your idiot pyrotechnic guy accidentally exploding your lovingly crafted five-foot-long Penis Monster before his last shot of the day. Well, okay, that last one probably only happens at Troma. Unless there's a five-foot Penis Monster in the next Harry Potter movie I don't know about*****.
Anyway, what I mean to say is my time at Troma taught me everything I need to know about working in the studio system and making low-budget films. I joke around about Lloyd, but the truth is he's a good friend and a true visionary and I get giddy every time he sends me a cut of his newest film. When I worked at Troma I was able to learn from Lloyd every aspect of filmmaking, from writing to location scouting to casting to shooting to marketing. Unfortunately, I had to learn the hard way: by actually working at Troma. Now you, the blessed, can learn from Lloyd's wisdom with very little effort at all, by simply partaking of the next few hundred pages.
So say goodbye to your old life, and prepare yourself for a Tromatic transformation. As the serpent said unto Eve, 'Eat up, chippie. And welcome to Tromaville.'
James Gunn
April, 2002
Los Angeles, California
*See the SGT. KABUKIMAN NYPD car flip used in TROMEO & JULIET, TERROR FIRMER, and CITIZEN TOXIE.
**I love him like a brother, but what would THE TOXIC AVENGER be without Mark Torgl's 'acting' as Melvin?
***See Tromaville Cafe.
****AKA 'The 9-11 of Cinema.'
*****Wait a second! Harry Potter IS a five foot penis monster!
THE VANDALIAS - BUZZBOMB! (1998) - Another great power pop album - imagine a hard-rocking, balls-out Bay City Rollers. The Vandalias make you nostalgic for a time that never was, recreating the 1970's in their own image. Great stuff. Their first album, MACH 5, also rocks. I've never once thought about killing myself during a Vandalias song, and that's a good thing.
POWERPOPRADIO.COM - I'm listening to this great station on line a couple hours a day. Can you tell I'm on a power pop kick?
I'm also on a Swedish Rock kick, and that's why I love:
THE WANNADIES - THE WANNADIES (1997) - This is a fantastic starter for this classic hard/soft, pop/punk band. YOU AND ME SONG was heard on BAZ LUHRMANN'S ROMEO & JULIET soundtrack, but the other songs are just as good. SOMEONE SOMEWHERE is both inspiring and depressing, and SHORTY is a strangely intimate and sad song about what it's like for a short man to date tall women.
HAKAN HELLSTROM - KANN INGEN SORG FOR MIG GOTEBORG (2000) - This guy was the bassist for Broder Daniel, another good Swedish band (they did a lot of music for Lukas' Moodysson's terrific film FUCKING AMAL/SHOW ME LOVE), but Hellstom's stuff is even better - it's less pretentions. It's truthful pop with rousing choruses that aren't afraid to take it all just a step too far. Supposedly he's a big star in Sweden, but no one over here knows him because he rarely sings in English. KANN reminds me a bit of Super Furry Animal's MWNG, another non-English classic. Anyway, this album's worth seeking out. My favorite tunes are the title track and VI TVA, 17 AR.