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| STEVE NEWTON SPEAKS... |
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| "ME AND MY SHADOW" |
Assuming the little tidbit on Ain'tItCoolNews is true (I haven't heard any
substantiation of it as of this writing), I have to admit I'm beside myself with joy over
the prospect. Of course, I also must confess to no small degree of envy -- IT
SHOULD BE ME!!! On the other hand, I don't have Sam's film-maker credentials,
so I suppose I don't have much room to complain.
Anyhoo...
It's not possible that yours truly is the only one excited about this development. I
mean, COME ON! We're talking about (drumroll, please): The Shadow, Doc
Savage, The Avenger, Nick Carter, The Whisperer, The Skipper, et al. I fully
realize these names are pretty obscure to most folks, even to stone-cold pulp
fiction fans, and that -- to my own knowledge -- only The Shadow and Doc Savage
have ever been turned into films (personally, I don't count that 1994 debacle;
though the Ron Ely Doc Savage movie was spot-on). But, with Raimi's track
record, these guys could be re-launched into pop-culture stardom, to the same
degree they enjoyed during the '30's and '40's.
For those of you who might need a capsule history lesson, it was The Shadow and
Doc Savage, primarily, who inspired the wave of comic book superheroes that have
enjoyed the entertainment spotlight, Lo, these many decades. In this writer's
humble opinion, it's about time the Progenitors were brought back to receive their
due, in a manner that reflected their true greatness as characters and, more
importantly, cultural icons. If anyone is capable of pulling-off this feat, it's someone
like our old friend Sam Raimi.
Apparently, there are two divergent stories about what to expect (or I'm
misinterpreting something): the first involves Raimi recruiting a writer to tackle The
Shadow screenplay (If only he'd ask me!) as a solo project. The second is that
Raimi's planning, to paraphrase Eric Idle, a "real muther of a blow-out!" team-up of
the Man in Black and Man of Bronze, with some of the other characters thrown in
for sh**s and giggles.
The truly geeky fanboy in me loves this idea, on one front; however, I wonder over
the wisdom of such a move. With the money spent on such a spectacle, the
producers would be taking an awfully big chance on its success. Of course, we're
not talking Superman Returns' $300-some-odd million budget, here; but, the
Mulcahey-Baldwin version of The Shadow still leaves a most bitter taste in this
mouth. I'd hate for another attempt to fall on its face, whether it involved one or all
of those venerable characters. Rather, the die-hard fan in me would love to see
Raimi's take on The Shadow alone, for real this time -- although Darkman wasn't a
bad movie in and of itself. The same goes for an action-packed Doc Savage, both
done in old Sam's inimitable visual style. Or at least with his flair for maintaining the
spirit of said protagonists (see Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2, and the forthcoming
Spider-Man 3 for proof in this pudding). Having said that -- and this is only a
nagging personal detail for me -- could we cast actors who at least look like the
character they are portraying?
Oh, well. I just wanted to air this issue out, sling some mud and see what sticks. If
anyone has any thoughts or questions on this subject, please feel free to respond,
and Jim or Eric or myself will do our best to provide an articulate, concise, and
thoroughly professional rejoinder.
That's all for now. Peace out.
substantiation of it as of this writing), I have to admit I'm beside myself with joy over
the prospect. Of course, I also must confess to no small degree of envy -- IT
SHOULD BE ME!!! On the other hand, I don't have Sam's film-maker credentials,
so I suppose I don't have much room to complain.
Anyhoo...
It's not possible that yours truly is the only one excited about this development. I
mean, COME ON! We're talking about (drumroll, please): The Shadow, Doc
Savage, The Avenger, Nick Carter, The Whisperer, The Skipper, et al. I fully
realize these names are pretty obscure to most folks, even to stone-cold pulp
fiction fans, and that -- to my own knowledge -- only The Shadow and Doc Savage
have ever been turned into films (personally, I don't count that 1994 debacle;
though the Ron Ely Doc Savage movie was spot-on). But, with Raimi's track
record, these guys could be re-launched into pop-culture stardom, to the same
degree they enjoyed during the '30's and '40's.
For those of you who might need a capsule history lesson, it was The Shadow and
Doc Savage, primarily, who inspired the wave of comic book superheroes that have
enjoyed the entertainment spotlight, Lo, these many decades. In this writer's
humble opinion, it's about time the Progenitors were brought back to receive their
due, in a manner that reflected their true greatness as characters and, more
importantly, cultural icons. If anyone is capable of pulling-off this feat, it's someone
like our old friend Sam Raimi.
Apparently, there are two divergent stories about what to expect (or I'm
misinterpreting something): the first involves Raimi recruiting a writer to tackle The
Shadow screenplay (If only he'd ask me!) as a solo project. The second is that
Raimi's planning, to paraphrase Eric Idle, a "real muther of a blow-out!" team-up of
the Man in Black and Man of Bronze, with some of the other characters thrown in
for sh**s and giggles.
The truly geeky fanboy in me loves this idea, on one front; however, I wonder over
the wisdom of such a move. With the money spent on such a spectacle, the
producers would be taking an awfully big chance on its success. Of course, we're
not talking Superman Returns' $300-some-odd million budget, here; but, the
Mulcahey-Baldwin version of The Shadow still leaves a most bitter taste in this
mouth. I'd hate for another attempt to fall on its face, whether it involved one or all
of those venerable characters. Rather, the die-hard fan in me would love to see
Raimi's take on The Shadow alone, for real this time -- although Darkman wasn't a
bad movie in and of itself. The same goes for an action-packed Doc Savage, both
done in old Sam's inimitable visual style. Or at least with his flair for maintaining the
spirit of said protagonists (see Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2, and the forthcoming
Spider-Man 3 for proof in this pudding). Having said that -- and this is only a
nagging personal detail for me -- could we cast actors who at least look like the
character they are portraying?
Oh, well. I just wanted to air this issue out, sling some mud and see what sticks. If
anyone has any thoughts or questions on this subject, please feel free to respond,
and Jim or Eric or myself will do our best to provide an articulate, concise, and
thoroughly professional rejoinder.
That's all for now. Peace out.
Hello, out there everyone. Steve
here for a bit of stream of
consciousness rambling...
Anyone else JACKED about Sam
Raimi's acquiring the film rights to
the old Street & Smith pulp
heroes?
here for a bit of stream of
consciousness rambling...
Anyone else JACKED about Sam
Raimi's acquiring the film rights to
the old Street & Smith pulp
heroes?
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