TBF, Mags, you have been doing a lot of the heavylifting for the quest, so this will be in good hands.
To be clear to everyone, this is just me burning out on imagination of the quest, since my muse has been hitting me over the head a lot with so many different ideas that I just can't find myself too interested in this.
I'll still hang out here, though, since this still does have a sepcial place in my heart.
I'd like to thank you all for making this a wonderful experience while it lasted.
I'd also like to thank @Magoose, @Fluffy_serpent, and @Martin Noctis for doing so much to help prepare and write this quest. I couldn't have done it without you all.
In the early 2010's, during that time period where Disney was trying to revie 2D to limited success. Well outside of our current timeline.
Also, I made some mistakes about what happened. Turns out it was Disney that through it was a package deal (spefically, for all apperences of Death in the series, which was most of the books) and ol' Terry was having none of that.
Also, this was actually the second attempt at a Mort movie. The first attempt was in the '90s, not by Disney, and fell through because the producers wanted to "lose the Death angle." For a story based entirely around Death. Said producers were then promptly told to, in Terry own words, "keep on with the medication and come back in a hundred years."
I really like Cyborg 009. I don't know what it is, but the series just has this charm to it that I just can't put my finger to it. When I first saw the series was the 2000s adaptation, which then of course had me try to find more and couldn't because the Internet was not sophisticated enough to get more information about the series. It was only many years later that I found the manga, the other series, and the movies that were made.
Frankly, the Re: Cyborg film was not one that I particularly liked. It all was just too confusing and odd when I tried to compare it to what I had seen. Not to mention that I did not like the inclusion of a girlfriend for Joe, she did not have anything to do in the movie besides just making an appearance and then showing itself as a hallucination. However, I then read the Manga and found an entirely different experience; Many more scenes had been added that helped the storyline make more sense, the girlfriend was scrapped, and the entire religious metaphysical tone was more consistent as well (not to mention the scenes between Joe and Françoise are given the weight they deserve).
So, I think if we can make a film about this amazing series, then we need to follow the manga version, and if we can try it now we could make a huge splash considering that the previous Cyborg 009 film got middling reviews at best, but it must have still been very popular. That this could also be our introduction into Anime Movies in Japan (and from there to bring them to America) is another bonus.
Thus, I give you:
Anime Movie Pitch: 009 Re: Cyborg GENRE: Action/Adventure/Cyberpunk
SUBGENRE: Science Fiction/Fantasy
FORMAT: Anime Movie
Set Up: Based on 1964's Cyborg 009 and the characters created by Shotaro Ishinomori. Nine cyborgs created for destructive purposes disappeared after they were forced to turn on their creators in the name of justice. Now, as a number of seemingly unrelated terrorist attacks happen in locations throughout the world, the group reunites to battle against the devastating force and restore order to the globe once more.
Change Anti-American sentiment and try to bring the more cyberpunk element of Corporations being the ones behind it all before they started hearing "His Voice".
Follow the Manga more closely, as it has more scenes added that can help the movie have more consistency, and keep the designs from it (As in the uniforms are kept the same, and 003 is still blond, etc.).
Cyborg 009/Joe Shimamura: He is delinquent youth who was shunned by his peers because he was a half-breed, he escaped from a juvenile detention facility before being captured by Black Ghost. After winning the rebellion and fight against Black Ghost, he left the team and blocked his memories in order to live as a regular student, until the terrorist attacks needed him and the other cyborgs to fight once more. He is super-humanly strong, resistant to damage, can leap large distances, and can breathe underwater. He can also move at a speed so fast that everything else looks like a statue to him, this is triggered by a switch embedded in his teeth. He and Françoise are in a romantic relationship.
Seiyuu: Tōru Furuya Alternate: Kazuhiko Inoue
Cyborg 008/Pyunma: He was originally from an undisclosed part of Africa (eventually revealed to be Kenya). Originally, Pyunma was to have been made a slave along with the people of his tribe, but he escaped from his chains and ran off. Cornered by the slave drivers, all seemed lost until the slave drivers were shot dead by Black Ghost agents from out of nowhere, who then used him as part of their Cyborg experiments. After the fight against Black Ghost, Pyunma became an archeologist, who discovered the "Angel Skeleton", which is theorized to be the cause of people committing terrorist actions in "His Name". He has mechanical lungs that allow him to survive for long periods of time underwater.
Seiyuu: Kazuyuki Sogabe Alternate: Kōji Totani
Cyborg 007/Sir Great Britain: He was originally from the United Kingdom. He was once a famous and talented stage actor with a broad knowledge of famous shows but a weakness for Alcohol caused his downfall when Black Ghost managed to trick him into following them with an alcohol bottle. After joining the other Cyborgs in defeating Black Ghost, Great Britain joined his country's secret services. He can reshape his cellular structure at will, allowing him to take the form of any object, creature, or person he wishes. With his superb acting skills, he can also blend in with the enemy to use sneaky maneuvers and attacks.
Cyborg 006/Chang Changku: He was an impoverished Chinese farmer who once owned a pig farm; almost all of his pigs ran away and he was starving and suffering under heavy taxes. Hopeless, Chang decided to end his misery by hanging himself, but was "saved" by a bullet from Black Ghost which cut the noose. Chang fainted and was later delivered to the Black Ghost laboratory. After Black Ghosts' defeat, he opened his own restaurant, yet still returned to fight one the terrorist attacks began, being able to find much information. Chang's power allows him to breathe huge flames which he uses to create tunnels in the earth and attack enemies with underground explosions.
Seiyuu: Sanji Hase Alternate: Ichirō Nagai
Cyborg 005/Geronimo Jr.: He was originally from an undisclosed part of the southwest United States (either Arizona or New Mexico). Unable to find work, he accepted Black Ghost's invitation, not knowing what their true aim was. After the retirement of the rest of the Cyborg's, he went back home, but returned when terrorist attacks began. He fought an amnesiac Joe to help him regain his memories, and defended Professor Gilmore during the attacks. Physically, he is the strongest as well as the biggest of the 00 Cyborgs; he also has heavily armored skin. He is a quiet, reserved man, and it's speculated that he may have a sort of sixth sense that allows him to sense changes in the nature.
Seiyuu: Toshio Furukawa Alternate: Tōru Ōhira
Cyborg 004/Albert Heinrich: He was originally from Germany (specifically, East Berlin). He and his fiancée, Hilda attempted to escape to West Berlin, but they were discovered, shot at, and left for dead. Black Ghost found Heinrich still alive (but heavily wounded), but Hilda was already dead. The extent of his injuries resulted in him receiving the most extensive cyborg modifications: the fingertips on his right hand conceal machine gun barrels, his left hand has razor-sharp edges, and he has missiles hidden in his knees. After defeating Black Ghost he returned to Germany to aid in his country's reunification, serving as a symbol of strength for them, returning to fight when the terrorist attacks began.
Seiyuu: Keaton Yamada Alternate: Hirotaka Suzuoki
Cyborg 003/Françoise Arnoul: She was originally a ballet dancer from France. Her brother Jean, a member of the French Air Force returning to Paris on a one-week leave, was to meet Françoise at the train station. However, she was kidnapped by Black Ghost operatives, despite repeated attempts by her brother to save her along the way. Though not a frontline fighter, she still is capable of such; she has enhanced vision and hearing, allowing her to see through walls and sense objects an enormous distance away; and is also an excellent pilot, technician, and a machine whiz. She and Joe have a romantic relationship, despite him losing his memories he always remembers her.
Seiyuu: Hiroko Suzuki Alternate: Shino Kakinuma
Cyborg 002/Jet Link: He comes from New York City in the United States and was the leader of a street gang on Manhattan's West Side. He was kidnapped by Black Ghost during a fight with a rival gang. He has a brash personality which often conflicts with his peers, but he's a loyal, good-hearted member of the team, providing air support and rescue. Jet has thrusters built into his feet, allowing him to fly at speeds of up to Mach 5. After the defeat of Black Ghost he returned to America in order to help his country. He has a bad relationship with Joe, as he often feels jealous of him.
Seiyuu: Keiichi Noda Alternate: Kōichi Hashimoto
Cyborg 001/Ivan Whisky: An infant born with a severe illness which his father Gamo, a famous brain surgeon, tried to cure but went mad in the process. Gamo performed numerous brain enhancement processes on Ivan in his attempt to cure him which granted the young baby a mental capacity far exceeding that of a normal human. Black Ghost took custody of him, up till the rebellion by all the others. Ivan's enhanced brain gives him several psychic powers, including, telepathy, telekinesis, and extrasensory perception. Though it takes him a lot of energy, and needs to sleep for days if he strains himself. He remains with Gilmore during the time in between the defeat of Black Ghost and the new attacks.
Professor Isaac Gilmore: He is the lead scientist in the 00 Cyborg program. Gilmore was a dutiful worker who hid a deep distrust for Black Ghost's plans. After the cybernetic enhancements for the first nine 00 Cyborgs were complete, he intentionally let himself be "taken hostage" by the cyborgs. Since then, he has been the team's advisor and father figure, not only helping to formulate the team's plans but also assisting them with the nuances of their newfound mechanical bodies. After the defeat of Black Ghost, the UN feared his power, forcing a reduction of the budget for the Cyborgs, and leading to them disbanding. He investigated the attacks as soon as they began, reuniting the Cyborgs once more.
Seiyuu: Jōji Yanami Alternate: Kōji Yada
A.N.: I put Mamoru Oshii as the Director as he tends to take the material and try to change it somewhat when he makes the film. The Manga/Movie still retains loyalty to the concept, but adds some religious subtext that should hopefully be enough for him. If not, then we can get another director if necessary. I want the Manga plot to be followed, so I think it would be a good idea to read it so that you know what it is about.
This one is not for us. This one is for a great man who was taken away too soon, and a man who did more for the world than I'd ever thought.
At this moment Toriyama should still be working for Dr. Slump and trying to find new ideas for what will become Dragon Ball in the future. And I hope to give him the opportunity to bring to life one of his latest works. It's not that long that should impede him from continuing his current one, but I think it's something that will help him further his career even more.
Thus, to Toriyama-Sensei, we hope he brings us:
Toriyama Pitch: Sand Land
Set Up: After enduring years of natural disaster and war, the world is left without its main supply of water; the river that provided water to the country dried up long ago. With the greedy king of the land's personal water supply becoming increasingly more expensive for the citizens of Sand Land to buy, the people begin robbing one another for water and money. Sheriff Rao, tired of the king's greed, approaches the demons of Sand Land for help in searching for a new water supply. Demon prince Beelzebub and his friend Thief agree to join Rao.
Mangaka: Akira Toriyama
Beelzebub: Named after the biblical demon of the same name, he is the son of Lucifer and the prince of demons. Generally referred to only as "Prince" by his fellow demons, Beelzebub tries to live in relative harmony with the humans. Although he regularly steals water from them, he only takes as much as he and the demons need to survive. Simply joining Sheriff Rao out of boredom, Beelzebub lends his enhanced sight and demonic strength to fight against the tyrannous king.
Rao: An elderly man, he seeks to free the people of Sand Land from the king's pocket. Formerly known as General Shiba, he is believed to have died 30 years ago along with his forces while destroying a mysterious weapon on the king's orders. As he travels with Beelzebub and Thief, Rao learns that the weapon was not actually a weapon at all, but instead a machine to artificially create water. Rao sets to right his wrong by bringing down the king and helping those whose family died due to his actions.
Thief: He is recruited by Beelzebub for his expertise at stealing and his great wisdom. He often fights with Beelzebub for turns to drive the tank. He is very easily excitable, but is loyal to Beelzebub, and wants him to be sage at all costs. In time he grows fond of Rao, and grows to respect him just as Rao does him.
General Are: He is Rao's replacement in the king's army, Are's father died during the raid against the mysterious weapon. Initially, he actively pursues Rao in order to avenge his father. However, once he learns the truth about the mysterious weapon he joins Rao in bringing down the king.
General Zeu: The true antagonist of Sand Land, Zeu is the aging commander of the King's forces. Due to his failing body, Zeu is confined to a floating robotic lift. He ordered the attack on the Picchi people, the creators of the water-producing machine, to both rid himself of Shiba's disobedient tank brigade and the threat to the king's monopoly. He uses the king as a figurehead to rule Sand Land. Ultimately, Are shoots and kills him with a tank cannon blast.
King: As the current ruler of Sand Land the king makes enormous profit by selling bottled water at high prices. He tries to eliminate Rao to make sure nobody finds out about his personal water supply or the water-creating machine he had destroyed. After water is returned to Sand Land, he is forced by Rao to give his wealth to the people.
Lucifer: King of the demons and Beelzebub's father.
Papa: The muscular leader of the Swimmers, the self-proclaimed "greatest criminals in Sand Land", and father of the other members.
Pike: A skinny member of the Swimmers who wears a necktie with no shirt. He has superhuman eyesight.
Shark: A skinny member of the Swimmers who wears a blazer with no shirt. He can run at superhuman speed.
Guppy: An extremely large and fat member of the Swimmers. He carries a large hand cannon.
A.N.: I really hope this is not seen as something distasteful. I just want to bring something good to Akira Toriyama, even if only in this quest, in thanks for everything he gave us in this world.
Here's something that I've been cooking up for a bit. Well... not exactly. Originally, I had been making this as an anime, but @Kaiser Chris convinced me to make it a comic first, before I then decided to spice things up and kickstart Amerimanga/OEL's. I've been wanting to do that for a while, initially intending to do it with Charlton, but I felt like people might complain if I did it for Charlton before Marvel, so... As previously discussed within the thread, I have decided to make a pitch for Peni Parker in order to capitalize on the current popularity of the Mecha genre as well as the success of Spider-Noir to help kickstart the Spider-verse(even if I personally have a low opinion of the wider Spider-verse). For the writers, I obviously included Mavis Kingsley, since I like giving her as many writing credits as I can (I need to get her into that Writers Room damn it!) as well as the fact that she is already well known for her work in revolutionizing the Mecha genre, but I also decided to include Simon Furman to write alongside her. Given that Mavis is doing tons of other work, she can't go gallivanting off to write comics all on her own, not to mention the fact that it's not what she's primarily interested in, hence Simon being the primary writer with Mavis working with him(particularly to stay consistent with the future animated series). Seeing as how Furman was one of the writers for the Marvel Transformers comics, I felt that he would fit rather well as the primary writer for the series, at least until the Transformers comics come around. The same goes for Geoff Senior, seeing as how he was one of the artists for the Marvel Transformers comics. The only other thing that I think I wanted to mention was the tone of the series, just for the sake of people's references. Drawing from part of Peni Parker's real life inspiration in Neon Genesis Evangelion, I wanted to go for a darker tone than was presented with her character in the Spiderverse films or in the comics in which she appears. Specifically, I was aiming for that sort of "child soldier, everything is slowly falling apart and unraveling" feel. The other primary reference for tone that I had decided on was actually Berserk, specifically the Millennium Falcon War(yes, that's what it's called, hardy har har) arc. This arc, and the latter half of it in particular, is notable for not only being the longest Berserk arc to date(it's soooo long), but also because this is when the series begins to make a noticably lighter tonal shift from it's eldritch, grimdark fantasy roots. I envision that being emulated here with Peni, starting out lighter before shifting to being much darker and more Evangelion in tone, before shifting once again to what I'd call "cautiously optimistic" or "hesitantly hopeful," in a similar vein to what is presented in the latter half of Berserk. Although, like I've discussed with Kaiser Chris, just because I'm specifically referencing Evangelion and Berserk, doesn't mean that there aren't positive and lighter moments. It just means that I didn't take the time to flesh them out like I did the darker moments. I think I've said all that I wanted to for now, and I'd once again like to thank @Kaiser Chris for his contribution and assistance and I hope y'all enjoy!
Marvel Manga Pitch:
SP//dr: Amazing Armored Hero
Writers: Simon Furman and Mavis Kingsley Artist: Geoff Senior FORMAT: Amerimanga/Original English-Language Manga(OEL) SET UP: Peni Parker was just a normal girl like any other until her father died. Her father was the pilot of Sp//dr, a mech developed by Oscorp that was used to help protect the city. After his death, she was contacted by Oscorp for the intention of having her bond with Sp//dr and becoming it's next pilot and protecting the city, a prospect that she was eager for. Now under the command of Uncle Ben and Aunt May, she must work hard and risk life and limb to ensure the safety and security of the people while doing what she can to scrape together a normal life and find fulfillment, but that's much easier said than done when all you've known is how to be a child soldier in a war that wasn't yours to fight.
Alright then, so when 1983 hits we better be ready to take advantage and buy/ hire as many of the companies and workers that have experience so they may become the core of our new videogame division. Furthermore, we need to innovate (which should be easy for us thanks to our technological advance) but if we really want to take on the American market and compete with Nintendo, then we need to mkae sure we can make the small chips so that we can create an entertainment system (aka videogame console) that is not as bulky as the Atari, and can be as powerful as the NES at the beginning.
SET UP: Peni Parker was just a normal girl like any other until her father died. Her father was the pilot of Sp//dr, a mech developed by Oscorp that was used to help protect the city. After his death, she was contacted by Oscorp for the intention of having her bond with Sp//dr and becoming it's next pilot and protecting the city, a prospect that she was eager for. Now under the command of Uncle Ben and Aunt May, she must work hard and risk life and limb to ensure the safety and security of the people while doing what she can to scrape together a normal life and find fulfillment, but that's much easier said than done when all you've known is how to be a child soldier in a war that wasn't yours to fight.
Ilike it, but is the tone going to be as dark as the comics originally portrayed it, or will it have a mor elighthearted tone like the Spiderverse movie tried to show Peni?
Ilike it, but is the tone going to be as dark as the comics originally portrayed it, or will it have a mor elighthearted tone like the Spiderverse movie tried to show Peni?
I'm not sure what you mean? Like, I get what you're asking in a more general sense, but I read all the comics that had her and they weren't at all dark. They all trended towards light hearted, goofy, or just normal comic action fare. The only one I'd classify as "dark" is the one where Addy Brock is introduced and both her and Aunt May get assimilated by Ven#m, which if memory serves is Edge of Spider-geddon #2(don't quote me on that though). As for the spirit of your question, the series is going to be primarily dark in tone, but like I said, the overall tone of the series trends more towards "cautious optimism" and there are plenty of bright spots, even if brief or seemingly small(making them all the more meaningful when they do happen). It's not some super duper light and positive, inspiring romp, but it's also not just depressive misery porn. It's a young girl navigating her shitty lot in life and trying to make the best of it that she can, failing a lot to do so, but ultimately modestly succeeding and beginning to build a life that she gets to define for herself instead of others trying to define it for her. She doesn't get some happily ever after, but she is ultimately able to be content with her life, what she has, and what the future holds for her.
Edit: Just as fun reference, if anyone wants to read the comics that Peni Parker appears(specifically her own stories, not crossovers), then here are the specific issues that I found.
Edge of the Spider-verse #5
Edge of Spider-geddon #2
Spider-verse 2019 #3
Spider-verse Unlimited #7-14.
Good God. this was going to take all month if it stayed like this. "Francis, why the hell, did you do this? And open call, for everything?"
"Because that is not something we can get away with again," Francis said. "And honestly, I wanted to see who would come."
"There are a thousand people we are going to try to audition with your people for just five roles. And that is just today."
"I'll admit, I went overboard, but it doesn't matter now. What's done is done."
Oh god, you were not going to be sleeping in your own bed tonight.
-----------------------------
For all Casting rolls, you must place three names below the character whom you want to play, and line-tail them below that name, please. Bruce can only be chosen for one character but will suffer a roll malus of -10 due to his schedule and promises to his family and Star Wars.
Casting the Atredies: []Paul Atreides: []Duke Leto Atreides
[]Lady Jessica:
[]Gurney Halleck
[]Duncan Idaho
[]Thufir Hawat
[]Dr. Wellington Yueh
House Harkonen:
[]Baron Vladimir Harkonnen:
[]Glossu Raban Harkonnen
[]Piter De Vries
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Written by: George Lucas, Lawrence Kasdan
Produced by: George Lucas
Production and Distribution Studio: Lucasfilms Unlimited
Starring: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Ronald Lacey, John Rhys-Davies, Denholm Elliott
Budget: $30,000,000 Domestic:832,412,944 International:469,201,551
Total Gross: $1,301,614,495 VHS: $693,848,596
You were honestly this close to just not attending the premiere for Indiana Jones. It had been a rather long and busy month as Francis was throwing you into the grinder for Dune and the homefront though wonderful and blessed could be a handful as the twins were becoming really hyper and there was Ginger's kittens, making the O'Brian house very active and full. Fortunately, with the end of the NBA season (The Lakers having been denied a back to back Finals return by the Houston Rockets who managed to narrowly beat the Celtics 4-3 in spite of entering the playoffs with a losing season), Carrie was active as a full time mom and was a blessing to help you through this mess.
There were very strong personal reasons for you to attend though. Steve was your friend and you never wanted to miss out on one of his movies unless you absolutely had to. The story was George's creation and from your talks with him, Indiana Jones was a child near as dear as Star Wars. The two men would both be working with you for Return of the Jedi and you didn't want to sour things leading up to it. And perhaps most intriguing, George booked the Chinese Theater. He only booked the Chinese Theater for movies that he thought were going to change cinema the way Star Wars did, such that involved Conan and Rocky.
Thus you went, this time with Carrie and Debbie while Cat did you another sisterly solid and watched over the kids and Wally with William and Shannon being brought in as an extra hand for the large gathering. You really wanted to bring Mary along, but apparently Marcia had put her foot down on George bringing Wally despite him earnestly wanting his son to come tonight for his first red carpet, something about the ending scene being too intense which was a good enough signal to Carrie to leave Mary home.
"You know, you can be selfish for once and just not attend a film premiere. You've been to more than enough and it's not like a Spielberg and Lucas film is gonna bomb without you being present tonight." Carrie said sweetly as you finally finished the round of interviews and headed into the theater doors, a bit late for said conversation though Carrie was likely bringing it up for future events.
You shrugged your shoulders, "Eh, I got a good feeling about tonight. Besides, why would I want to miss an opportunity to strut the red carpet, arm in arm of the sexiest womanin the world in one of her most beautiful dresses." You whisper flirted the last part into her ear, making Carrie slap you with a look of mock scandal and tip toeing for a kiss which you reciprocated.
"Well, well, if it isn't her royal highness and her stalwart scoundrel." Said a suave voice interrupting the moment, you turned and saw the film's star and your old co-star Harrison Ford approach you, Harrison having existed the red carpet before the three of you could do a group session.
"Harrison, good to see you again." You say, extending your hand for a shake which Harrison reciprocated firmly. While Harrison had been somewhat of an arrogant ass in production, he had definitely been the best actor in Graffiti and it was a thrill to compete against him both character and performance wise. For about five years he sort of orbited around the Hollywood periphery, finding bit and supporting roles in minor films and tv shows. Then came Blade Runner where he was a household name overnight and if George and Steve were to be believed, undoubtadly an A-lister rubbing shoulders with your social standing in the years to come. Another acting rivalry along the likes of Sly, Arnold, Richard, Mark and John.
"Mrs. O'Brian, you look as stunning as ever." Harrison complimented, giving Carrie a chaste kiss on the back of her hand. Carrie rolled her eyes at the faux chivalry though you narrowed yours at slight annoyance. Even though you trusted Carrie completely, something about hers and Harrison's interactions threw you off a bit.
"Nice to see you again Harrison. Did you ever imagine that you would go from Bob Alfa to an adventuring archeologist?" Carrie asked.
Harrison shook his head, "No, honestly until a couple of years ago I was willing to take just about anything, spent a fortune printing portfolios. I'm really thankful to you and George for giving me lots of chances to prove myself." Harrison said earnestly to you.
You nodded, "Well the pleasure's all ours to work with such a talented and charismtatic star like yourself. You know, auditions for Return of the Jedi are at the end of the year. Want to participate in front of the camera instead of behind it this time." You asked, Harrison having helped out for the previous two.
To your surprise, the man shook his head in a very strong and resolute refusal, an action no actor in their right mind would do for a Star Wars film. "I'll have to pass on that. No offense, but for some reason I just can't really see myself in a Star Wars movie, I'm not sure I would really fit with any type of characters needed for the materials. Great movies, just not for me."
Pretty odd to say, you could see Harrison working in excellently for something like Han, Lando or Boba Fett, but if that was what he wanted who were you to insist, "Sure, it happens. Steve was so sure that I'd be gunning for Indy, but I just wasn't feeling it myself, felt it would work better in the hands of a different actor."
"And my bank account is all the more grateful for it." Harrison joked, to which you and Carrie laughed, "By the way, I've got to ask, do you really do your own stunts and action choreography, even for stunts like Batman and Conan?" Harrison asked. While he saw your work in Graffiti, the Bruce of '73 was practically a pup compared to your current strength.
"Yeah, basically anything that's not an insane jump or high speed vehicle crash, those are practically the only stuff I leave to my guys. Why do you ask?" You say, to which Harrison looked like you sucked the life out of him.
"Well, it's just that I wanted to be a bit adventurous this movie and do most of my own work. By the time I was done, my whole body felt like it went through a tour in Nam and I had to take a break for a couple of months. How the hell do you do all that on a yearly basis and do crazy stuff like jousting and fighting Ali?"
You just shrugged your shoulders, "Dedicated training, lots of grit and hard work, being taught by some of the best masters in the world, with just a pinch of luck."
"Mary likes to say that her Daddy is 'built different' like a Superman and that's why he's so strong." Carrie added, making you laugh at your daughter's sense of wonder.
"Well I can agree to that. I think I speak for half of Hollywood in that we'd like you to do more romantic comedies or cartoons to stop putting so much pressure on the rest of us to catch up." Harrison said, half joking and serious.
"Well when we greenlight an Indy sequel or you want to do more action films, just stop by the Bruce Lee gym. They'll make sure you shoot like Clint Eastwood and fight like Chuck Norris." You offer.
"I'll be sure to apply for a membership."
Later as you and Carrie were walking into the theater room, you stop to pause and look at the poster, focusing in on Harrison and Karen being tied together for one of the final scenes, "You know how you were competing against Karen for Leia?" You asked Carrie.
"Yeah." Carrie responded a bit blankly. While Leia was her favorite role, she felt slightly guilty tonight for being casted as her while Karen struggled for a few years to get some major roles in comparison to Jodie and Linda's existing success, thus she tried her best to avoid her past competitor for the red carpet.
"Well, from what I remember, George told me that if I was gunning for Luke or didn't want to act, that his backup plan was to have Harrison be Han Solo. So in a way, we're Han and Leia, attending the premiere of a movie starring those who could have been Han and Leia." You inform in amusement.
"Huh, Carrie O'Brian as Princess Leia and Harrison Ford as Han Solo." Carrie hummed, trying to imagine the scenario. "The action scenes would have been nowhere near as good, but I could have made something decent with Harrison for the chemistry. He is the second most attractive man I laid eyes on." Carrie teased.
"Whose the first?" You ask dumbly
"This Irish stud of an A-lister whose incredibly cute when he gets jealous." Carrie teased, giving you a kiss on the cheek then pulling you in.
Steven Spielberg is ready for Return of the Jedi. Sure it's a belief you've held firmly for a while, but now it's unquestioned by the world and the hype for Return of the Jedi is even further after the masterpiece of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Every now and then there comes a movie which no matter its comparative quality to other greats in the long history of cinema, is an objective movie of its genre and method of storytelling. Such is the case with Indiana Jones, the perfect action-adventure film that in many ways was even superior to Star Wars and Flash Gordon in invoking the atmosphere and type of storytelling of the classic film serials of the 40s and 50s.
The story of Indiana Jones follows the titular Indy, an archeologist and adventurer in 1936 always in the pursuit of lost artifacts so they may find proper homes in museums in the name of history. In the beginning of the film, Indy while in South America is bested by his rival Rene Belloq, narrowly managing to escape a score of booby traps and the indigenous. Returning to the states, Indy is contacted by the US government who inform him of Hitler's obsession with the past and occult, with his new target being the Lost Ark of the Covenant of the Old Testament, which Hitler and the Nazis believe will grant them great power to conquer Europe. Indy's pursuit reunites him with an old flame in Marion Ravenwood, the daughter of his mentor, and the two must team up to locate the Ark before the Nazis do.
A lot of people like to claim that you are the best Director in Hollywood, but you think that Steve is far worthier of the title. Every time the man does a new production he manages to increase and improve his quality exponentially, learning from his old mistakes and incorporating new tricks that enhance his strengths in storytelling. The cinematography was perfect and gorgeous, extensive widescreen pan shots that give a sense of awe and great scale for the adventures and historical fantasy, then cutting to close and dynamic shots for Indy's action scenes. The set design was intricate, every moment of acting forwarding the story and serving its special role, lots of smartly implemented comedy, drama and thriller. Steve made a damn good film and recreated the same sense of pure awesomeness that came from the adventure serials.
Of course, half of that responsibility also lies with George, the man whose love of said serials gave birth to the greatest film of all time in Star Wars. Indiana Jones may not surpass Star Wars, but it's pretty close and undoubtedly being written on many people's Top 10s, if not their favorites depending on taste. George knew how to write his favorite genre and gave it the same style of treatment and quality as Star Wars, serving as a love letter to the stories while adding new elements to make it original and iconic. You can see a lot of great influences from Star Wars, Flash Gordon and even Conan taking place in here for the greatest epic of our time. George has been really humble about it all though. Lawrence Kasdan did do his fair share of labor on the script which helps evoke a lot of similar emotions to audiences with Empire from a year prior. Marcia also did another fine job of editing with Steve's style of crafting a film only out of the best shots and building it out of a puzzle of sequences going well with her immense talent in editing, definitely worthy of a second Oscar for her.
Out of all of the films in Hollywood, Indiana Jones is probably the closest to a Bruce O'Brian action film save for the martial arts films coming from Japan and Hong Kong. Steve may not have been an action man like you, but he learned some cool stuff by watching you handle the action scenes on Conan, and failing that importing a lot of Bruce Lee Gym trainers and letting them take the reigns of scenes proved to be a good call. The action scenes are simply awesome with plenty of back and forth between the heroes and villains, fun and creative stunts and parkour, nice subversions here and there like Indy shooting the swordsman, and lots of cool integration of the environment and keeping the action scenes mobile. Plus, how could someone talk about Indiana Jones without mentioning his iconic whip and how it's become one of the coolest and most versatile tools and weapons in cinema. While you would probably have been more ambitious, this is admittedly close to what you might have done with the script. Part of the praise for Indy actually came to how the action was fun and exciting yet grounded, making it feel like real people were engaging in these and anyone could have seen the fights happening. A bit of a backhanded insult to how some people are basically saying your films are fantasy, but when you get to the insanity of Batman vs 100 man or the Batmobile chase it's easy to see why some people might find Indy more relatable than Batman.
Speaking of, everyone in the cast does a great job at their roles, but while most simply play the part to their best as part of the adventure tropes, Harrison Ford is the definitive star and icon of the film as Indiana Jones. The man radiates confidence and charisma and even in low stakes and quiet scenes he kind of overpowers everyone just based off of sheer screen presence alone. Harrison couldn't help but remind you of yourself in a lot of respects, and he did an amazing job turning Indy into such a cool and iconic character who wears a lot of hats throughout the film. From one moment Indy can go from fearless action man to a nerdy and intelligent archeologist. A soft spoken romantic to a hardened and stubborn adventurer. Harrison shows a lot of variety to his performance and Indiana Jones is already one of the most iconic characters of all time.
Everyone else for the most part did a pretty good job. Karen Allen proved that she was worthy of playing Leia with her grit and spirit providing a fun presence for the adventure where she kicked ass against Nazis and helped the story with important plot moments and helping Indy to loosen up and change for the better. She had really great chemistry with Harrison and a lot of people liked to call them the "Adventure Han and Leia", because now most couples in film couldn't be helped but inevitably compare them to you and Carrie. Not to mention the ever popular rumor that Harrison and Karen were casted because you and Carrie were busy with parenthood that was a common belief despite how much you denied it. John Rhys-Davies is a fun comedic presence as Sallah. Paul Freeman makes for a frustrating and devilish foil to Indy as Belloq. And Ronald Lacey delightfully hams it up as a vile Nazi agent. Pretty good stuff that plays to the standard tropes and makes it fun for all audiences.
A highlight of Indiana Jones was ILM's involvement and how this was probably their best showcase outside of the science fiction and superhero genres. The set design was some of the best you've seen with the recreation of ancient ruins giving plenty of mystique and majesty, the great set design and integration of location shoots helped as well. All of the booby traps are pretty cool special effects, most of all the snakes and the iconic boulder ball. The vehicles were all pretty good restorations of 30's cars and plans and they were done excellently in the chase scenes. And who could forget the terrifying horror sequence at the end where God ushers his wrath on the Nazis and melts them to smithereens, then damning their souls to hell. Some really awesome biblical stuff lifted straight from Exodus and the practical effects of the dummies and explosions provided equal parts terror and catharsis. Although that being said, it's not surprising that after this and Batman that films next year would now see the addition of PG-13 for little kids to not be present in too intense stuff while the teens have fun. Not that it didn't stop many kids from dragging their parents or elder siblings and having a good time.
Last and never least is another fantastic score from John Williams who masterfully conducts his orchestra to give a fast paced and powerful soundtrack that evokes the booming thunder of the old serial scores. From now on you can't think of adventure stories without the iconic Indiana Jones theme song playing in your head and the action music really enhances the sequences like rich frosting on an already delicious cake. The Academy performed perhaps its biggest crime last year of denying John's Oscar for Empire Strikes Back, so you hope they give them one for this.
When you and Carrie went home, you were expecting at least a couple hundred million in the box office, high reviews and plenty of great audience support. What did you not expect in the weeks to come was how Indiana Jones just blew up and became another Star Wars level movie, joining the billion dollar club and making this Steve's first billion dollar gross from theaters alone. You could tell the sheer intensity when in Mexico, the towns were filled with half its people forming long lines to the local theater just to see Indiana Jones and the locals literally excitedly sharing with you how much it was just like Star Wars.
Audiences couldn't help but rave and give high praise to Indiana Jones as one of the best films ever with extensive praise for Harrison's performance, the action, Steve's directing and the awesome story that harkened back to the rest of Steve and George's filmography. Honestly, you were pretty naive to expect anything less than strong universal praise grandiose success to be the norm from the men behind Conan and Star Wars. Everyone said it was the perfect action adventure film and people your age and George's who grew up with the serials but missed out on Flash Gordon got an awesome chance to relive their childhood. One of the best films of all time, but surely just another example of the excellent near perfect Lucasfilms standard.
Critics can't help but give general acclaim with high praises all around and whispers of plenty of Oscar nods, most especially to Harrison, Steve and John. There's no denying it's one of the greatest adventure films ever made and perhaps would have been a guaranteed best film of the year were it not for Batman and perhaps the surprised challenger of Tron based off of technical specs alone. The main difference between critics was how they gave their praise and where there was a stark divide on why Indiana Jones was good. Was it the best entertainment, fulfilling its job perfectly of providing spectacle to the masses with escapism? Was it magic and fantasy, providing wonder and pure childlike joy that evoked the likes of Walt Disney? Or was it true high art and equal of intellectual merit to recent greats like Star Wars, The Godfather and Conan? You think Indiana Jones has a little bit of all three, though it's fun to see critics debate and argue over why its good rather than if it's good or bad.
Then there were the financials which just blew your mind upon ending Dune's production and getting the full rundown from Mike. 1.3 billion dollars. Surpassing Batman and Superman, even all of the standalone Napoleon releases and just barely below the original theatrical release of New Hope. Even with the recent Stagflation hike that saw everything with a price tag shot up, Indiana Jones manages to outperform Gone with the Wind when adjusted for inflation along with the other billion dollar films. Honestly, each time a film manages to cross this mark, you can't help but shed happy tears on how that awful racist garbage of a film is made irrelevant as the years go by. May you one day erase it from the public consciousness completely.
Anyways, back to Indiana Jones, it had amazing showings across the world with uniform popularity in all regions where it wasn't banned. Still, even with high overseas turnout with strong public engagement in the usual suspects like the UK, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Romania, etc. it paled to the magnitude of the domestic release which pulled a reverse Napoleon with dominant, near monopoly of a box office turnout in comparison to weaker foreign markets. Not that $470 million was chump change at all, but to put it into perspective, Empire Strikes Back and New Hope both had a difference of $100 million in favor of domestic. Here Indiana Jones was $370 million, and it was the second highest domestic showing of all time, sandwiched between Empire Strikes Back and New Hope.
Last year when Empire Strikes Back was released, the theaters just became dry as nobody wanted to be so dumb and suicidal as to risk their productions against the unstoppable force that was Star Wars. Only Superman II was brave enough to stand against it, and that was because it was a sequel to the billion dollar Superman, and it came out defeated thanks to it not being Star Wars. Well, 700 million is still damn good, but not the back to back billion dollars that Alan had wanted. All the movie studios thought the summer of '81 would be a safe year with no Star Wars, then Indiana Jones came and exploded and Hollywood would hate him just as much as the Nazis. In its first week of release, life in corporate and middle America ground to a halt as everyone took time off to see Star Wars. It being a summer release meant there were plenty of families starving for a good time at the theaters so that got a major boost in and of itself. After the first week there was no sign of slowing momentum, if anything there was growth from all of the second, third and fourth time viewers and so on. Once again mile line theater lines were the norm in America's cities as no heatwave was gonna stop someone from watching Indiana Jones.
At the same time as Indiana Jones release, Hollywood had a bunch of different selections of films they wanted to push in the summer profits, and their success ran into the brick wall of Lucasfilms like a car going 100 mph crashing into a building. There were some decent films, but no one was as good as Indiana Jones and many potential blockbusters simply became high performing films as people simply wanted to see Indy. The hardest hit was United Artists whose Indie films could barely make back their budgets but even the big boys like Universal were being hit bad. The film industry probably lost tens, maybe low hundreds of millions of dollars from Indiana Jones just existing. Not making matters better were how many theater chains just decided to play Indiana Jones for the reliable money printing like Star Wars and not show anything else and how it continued to have high longevity, to the point where by Christmas time it was still in a couple of showtimes per theater and could reliably make a couple million per week.
Of the Summer releases, the only non-Lucasfilm/non-Batman films that were hugely successful and made more than twice their budget were UA's Clash of the Titans, Fox's Cannonball Run, Disney's Escape from New York, and Columbia's Stripes. None could be classified as blockbusters, but at least made back tens of millions, 120 million for Fox and Cannonball Run, to ensure that the Summer wasn't a complete disaster for them. Many major films were outright postponed by months and you could have sworn you heard collective screaming across LA when George said on a late night appearance he had a whole trilogy planned out for Indiana Jones.
VHS' income was a blockbuster performance in and of itself with near 700 million in sales. Lucasfilms had seen a score of VHS successful releases, but it was Indiana Jones that somehow acted as the magic switch which would convince American households to go out and buy a VCR for their home because movies like Star Wars weren't going to be a once in a lifetime event, they were exciting new norms and everyone wanted to own their favorite films to watch again and again from the comfort of their own home. Come Christmastime, the VCR was the must have household item with radioshack on Black Friday being swarmed by mobs who wanted it for a Christmas gift.
The rest of the decade would see JVC and Sony launch one of the greatest corporate wars ever in the clash of the VHS and the Betamax, though all your money was on VHS as that was where the majority of home sales were. Raiders of the Lost Ark became a must have for any film watcher at home whether casual or cinephile. Heck, some stores had special "Classic Packages" that had films like Star Wars and Indiana Jones bought in a bundle. There were a lot of traditionalists angered with this newfound sesnation, MPAA President Jack Valenti even trying to wage a pointless outrage war and get Congress and the courts involved somehow. However, the film studios saw how a movie's profitability went beyond release and they could get more money on VHS than in theaters, and everyone in town promptly told Valenti to shut up and accept the change (While he was also reminded of how the moralists lost their congressional war against you, a firm VHS Supporter) and now corporate Hollywood is trying to think in the real long term of how to get their Blockbusters to be VCR busters in a sense.
Lastly was the really fun sensation in the world of history education where kids and young adults were actually really excited to learn about history from Indiana Jones and many other historical greats in films and TV like Small Giant, Classical Tale and more. Archeology in particular has seen a major swing where classes that once only saw a dozen or two students at its best were now swelled with hundred plus classrooms packed to the brim as everyone wanted to be like Indiana Jones. Leading to vast exacerbation and many colorful anecdotes as archeology professors had to explain that no, they did not fight Nazis like Indiana Jones and most work was academic. Still, a lot of genuine archeologists and historians would get their love born from Indiana Jones, so that's a nice thought.
Steven Spielberg has hit another grand slam with an excellent masterpiece. Now you're really hyped to see how the other Indiana Jones films play out and just what kind of finale Return of the Jedi will be.
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Written by: George Lucas, Lawrence Kasdan
Produced by: George Lucas
Production and Distribution Studio: Lucasfilms Unlimited
Starring: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Ronald Lacey, John Rhys-Davies, Denholm Elliott
Fuck yeah! Suck it Gone with the Wind!!! You're number 3 now loser!!!
Awesome to see how the better tricks learned in previous films have made this entry one of the best so far. Now, the biggest question of them all...do we continue with Temple of Doom, or we go with a different entry for the second film? I mean, I'm all for Temple of Doom, but the temptation to try for "Mask of the Monkey King" from the Henson thread is still there (Though we should still retain Short Round if we do. The little guy is endearing as heck!).
Probably. There always is with these sorts of things. The older generation is always suspicious and hostile to change that the newer generations embrace. It's just the nature of how these things work with ageing and rapid or radical changes.
Probably. There always is with these sorts of things. The older generation is always suspicious and hostile to change that the newer generations embrace. It's just the nature of how these things work with ageing and rapid or radical changes.
Looking up Jack Valenti's wiki page says that it mostly came from the idea that VHS would somehow ruin the movie industry.
The main idea was the fear that studios would stop releasing their films in theaters and instead release them straight to VHS. As well as a general fear over copyright and piracy protection.
Same guy also wanted the government to put a chip in people's VCRs that would prevent them recording copyrighted stuff.
Looking up Jack Valenti's wiki page says that it mostly came from the idea that VHS would somehow ruin the movie industry.
The main idea was the fear that studios would stop releasing their films in theaters and instead release them straight to VHS. As well as a general fear over copyright and piracy protection.
Same guy also wanted the government to put a chip in people's VCRs that would prevent them recording copyrighted stuff.
Pfft, classic paranoid nutjob. Though I guess I shouldn't judge him too harshly since I don't know much about the guy. Still, maybe I can indulge in just a little judgement.
At the same time as Indiana Jones release, Hollywood had a bunch of different selections of films they wanted to push in the summer profits, and their success ran into the brick wall of Lucasfilms like a car going 100 mph crashing into a building. There were some decent films, but no one was as good as Indiana Jones and many potential blockbusters simply became high performing films as people simply wanted to see Indy. The hardest hit was United Artists whose Indie films could barely make back their budgets
What? Low budget Indi films can't(generally) compete with Block busters? Who'd have thunk it. Looks like Sony's Million Dollar Factory strategy doesn't work out that well when competing against high quality big budget films. Though they still might be strangling any smaller studios that exist right now which is sad.
Yes, but that's only if you apply modern numbers. Granted, the 3.5 Billion figure was also based on current numbers, but you have to keep in mind that Indiana Jones just released and so wouldn't be adjusted at all for inflation, only Gone With The Wind. I just pulled up an inflation calculator, and the roughly 390 million that Gone With the Wind made in 1939 would amount to roughly 2.5 billion dollars in 1981 in the month of July(which is the turn we're in), thereby retaining it's position as highest grossing film of all time while adjusting for inflation.
Yes, but that's only if you apply modern numbers. Granted, the 3.5 Billion figure was also based on current numbers, but you have to keep in mind that Indiana Jones just released and so wouldn't be adjusted at all for inflation, only Gone With The Wind. I just pulled up an inflation calculator, and the roughly 390 million that Gone With the Wind made in 1939 would amount to roughly 2.5 billion dollars in 1981 in the month of July, thereby retaining it's position as highest grossing film of all time while adjusting for inflation.
What did you not expect in the weeks to come was how Indiana Jones just blew up and became another Star Wars level movie, joining the billion dollar club and making this Steve's first billion dollar gross from theaters alone.
First, I personally wouldn't since I don't believe that's typically how those numbers are aggregated anyway. Secondly, you're adjusting Indiana Jones to modern inflation again. Indiana Jones just released In-Quest, there's no inflation for it to adjust to since the numbers are already up to date for the time. Only Gone With The Wind would be adjusted in our calculations, and even if you include VHS sales(which, I again don't believe makes for a fair comparison, but still), Gone With The Wind still beats out Indiana Jones.
Here's a collaboration plan between me and @Kaiser Chris , though some of the actors that I put in the pitch needed to be changed since they were a bit too young for the roles planned. Hopefully this works better.
[X] Plan: Shooting Stars Break the Mold
-[X]Paul Atreides: Keanu Reeves, Johnny Depp, Matt Dillon -[X]Duke Leto Atreides: Terence Stamp, Anthony Hopkins, Martin Sheen -[X]Lady Jessica: Jane Seymour, Isabella Rossellini, Gates McFadden -[X]Gurney Halleck: Nick Nolte, Sam Neill, Christopher Lee -[X]Duncan Idaho: Bruce O'Brian, Sylvester Stallone, Kurt Russell -[X]Thufir Hawat: Ian McShane, Richard Jordan, Ossie Davis -[X]Dr. Wellington Yueh: Pat Morita, George Takei, Mako
-[X]Baron Vladimir Harkonnen: Oliver Reed, Donald Pleasence, Paul Sorvino -[X]Glossu Raban Harkonnen: Willem Dafoe, Jack Nicholson, Peter Boyle -[X]Piter De Vries: Christopher Walken, John Turturro, William Finley
-[X]Stilgar: Raul Julia, Omar Shariff, Edward James Olmos. -[X]Jamis: James Remar, Victor Argo, Hussein Fahmi. -[X]Dr. Liet Kynes: Omar Shariff, Franco Nero, Andre Gregory -[X]Chani Kynes: Michelle Pfeiffer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Diane Lane -[X]Shadout Mapes: Catherine Scorsese, Shelagh Fraser, Marlo Thomas.
-[X]Shaddam Corrino IV: Burt Lancaster, Laurence Olivier, Kris Kristofferson. -[X]Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam: Eva Marie Saint, Faye Dunaway, Anne Bancroft.
Awesome to see how the better tricks learned in previous films have made this entry one of the best so far. Now, the biggest question of them all...do we continue with Temple of Doom, or we go with a different entry for the second film? I mean, I'm all for Temple of Doom, but the temptation to try for "Mask of the Monkey King" from the Henson thread is still there (Though we should still retain Short Round if we do. The little guy is endearing as heck!).
I do like the basic structure of Mask of the Monkey King but it has SEVERAL complications that prevent a 1 to 1 adaptation. Firstly, we can't film in China. There's no way in hell Bruce wants any sympathetic portrayal of the Chinese Communists. There's Japan as the villain and Japan is one of our strongest allies as a nation, so we have to make sure that Oni is explicitly rogue and there are sympathetic Japanese.
I guess one idea is to make the Soviets the enemy and have the Chinese Communists be their pawns, that being said I was kind of hoping we could have the Soviets be the enemy in Last Crusade but then no iconic Hitler scene. Maybe we could film in Taiwan, Thailand, India. Heck, even Vietnam potentially on how relations are.
Also, I do want Marion to be kept in but Willie existing is kind of important because that's how Steve met his future wife Kate Capshaw. Decisions, decisions.
You answered it yourself, but to further elaborate, early 80s had VCR met with "HURR, BAD!" by big corporate Hollywood because it was seen as theft in a weird way and they thought they wouldn't get any money because people would never go to the theaters again and just rent movies on VHS. Then people started buying VHS straight and theater gross wasn't affected so they embraced it.
Here with the massive long-term profits of our VHS releases, I imagine that the establishment rather quickly falls in line and in love with VHS' because it's a way to ensure their stupid profitable blockbusters earn them even more money over several years instead of clogging up theaters with re-releases, and it's a way to turn flops into generational profits through VHS sales. If Valenti tried the same stunt here, I imagine that the collective force of Hollywood might actually push to have him resign.
What? Low budget Indi films can't(generally) compete with Block busters? Who'd have thunk it. Looks like Sony's Million Dollar Factory strategy doesn't work out that well when competing against high quality big budget films. Though they still might be strangling any smaller studios that exist right now which is sad.
UA's strategy does work when its in spring or fall or summers and holiday seasons with decent but not spectacular and outlandish movies. Indy threw a wrecking ball because the domestic response was Star Wars levels of insane and nobody was planning for that.
