On Saturday I was lucky enough to be at the Aero Theatre in Los Angeles for a session of live commentary by Jon Favreau for Iron Man. I knew it was going to be something special when Favreau said there was no commentary scheduled for the DVD, so we were the lucky few to hear this. It was even more special when Robert Downey Jr. decided to show up and join his director for the commentary. I hate L.A. 99% of the time. This was the 1% when I loved it.
There's no point in me giving you a blow-by-blow. Trying to recreate the banter those two have in print is impossible (anyway, I know of at least one person who had a recorder and has since put the damn thing on-line). I will share one major topic that the two came back to again and again. Favreau noted in his preamble that since this commentary wouldn't be recorded he didn't have to be "politically correct." We found out that meant that he and Downey had no trouble going over the arguments he had with Marvel over so much of the movie. Marvel was nervous, this being their first self-financed movie, but Favreau wouldn't let that stop him from making the movie he wanted to make. He wanted a film that would live up to the independent films he started out in. He and Downey were writing scenes hours before shooting (most of the film was shot in continuity) and gave lots of room for improvisation. For them, this film had to have a personal side or else all the special effects and actions would mean nothing. Even Iron Man's flight through L.A. had personal origins. Favreau said he was inspired by the feeling you get on a plane landing in LAX, seeing that complex grid of lights from the sky. So much of the movie had its origins in some place human. Everything was useful. Even for the scenes where Stark was captured by The Ten Rings Favreau joked "Robert was our consultant on what's like being in captivity in small spaces."
This work process led to struggles with Marvel on seemingly every step of the way. As a director Favreau noted how you're obsessed with every detail anyway (he likened it to "picking rat shit out of pepper"). On top of that was Marvel's nitpicking at every turn, even on issues as trivial as the green power smoothie Stark is drinking after his first flight. One of the first questions asked at the inevitable post-screening Q&A was "how do you fight?" Favreau said that so many people in show business are motivated by fear. Once you subdue that initial feeling of dread you can take the next step and try to get your idea through. It's clear that Marvel and Favreau had the same goal, namely make a great superhero movie. It's how you get their that they differed on.
Of course, Favreau was proven right. There was a unique chemistry created on the set between the director and the lead actors. The Powers That Be might have balked when Downey improvised the line "this is the funvee, you ride in the humdrumvee" (true, that's what Downey claimed) but that spirit of improvisation instilled in the characters with a warmth you don't usually see in superhero films. When I saw Iron Man for the first time one of the aspects I loved the most was that here was a film that I could recommend to everyone. Iron Man bucks the trend of so many superhero movies by making the characters so relatable (while still being larger-than-life figures) that most anyone going to the movies can get a kick out of them. Iron Man is the only big summer movie I had a conversation with my Dad about. My Dad hasn't read a comic book in forty years. He's outside any demographic some studio bean counter would give a damn about. But he and I found the same things to love in this film, us being a generation apart notwithstanding in the slightest.
Favreau and Downey captured lightning in the bottle, something they're going to try to do again for the sequel. Lord knows if there will be room for such lifelike dialogue if they get around to an Avengers movie. Downey even had fun with that, constructing how his character would address Thor ("a little undressed are we?"). At least we got one film from the team that demanded to never let the special effects and super powers hide the fact that this is still a story about people. Permanent Link: 9:55 PM |
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Inspired by Tom let's take a look at all the songs that hit number one during my birthday (June 28th) since my birthday. Alas, I would like to go on about "Ring My Bell" by Anita Ward but a memes got to have rules. I don't know if I will comment on all of these but at least this allows me to write something of a meaty post.
THE 2000s
2008 ... "Viva La Vida" by Coldplay
I do like Coldplay but I haven't really heard this song. I know Brian Eno produced their newest record. That's interesting.
2007 ... "Umbrella" by Rihanna featuring Jay-Z 2006 ... "Do I Make You Proud" by Taylor Hicks 2005 ... "Inside Your Heaven" by Carrie Underwood 2004 ... "Burn" by Usher 2003 ... "This Is the Night" by Clay Aiken
Goodness, my birthday seems to be prime real estate for American Idol singers. I don't even watch that show but I know of these people because magazines are forced to write articles about them and radio DJs are forced to talk about them. I can just imagine some poor DJ who got into the biz because he loved spinning ZZ Top and Allman Brothers now having to talk about who did the best rendition of "I Will Survive" with some peroxide blonde who can barley read the news. Why morning radio talent isn't the job the with the highest suicide rate I don't know.
2002 ... "Hot in Herre" by Nelly 2001 ... "Lady Marmalade" by Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mya & Pink 2000 ... "Be with You" by Enrique Iglesias
THE 1990s
1999 ... "If You Had My Love" by Jennifer Lopez 1998 ... "The Boy Is Mine" by Brandy & Monica 1997 ... "I'll Be Missing You" by Puff Daddy & Faith Evans featuring 112
I was thinking about this the other day. I love sampling if it's done the way The Bomb Squad did it for Public Enemy of The Dust Brothers did it for The Beastie Boys. If it's the grounds for new sounds and new compositions that's awesome. But if it's fucking karoke like this and that new Kid Rock song? That's just cynical, uncreative marketing disguised as pop.
1996 ... "Tha Crossroads" by Bone thugs-n-harmony
I do dig this song. I guess this is the first song I really like that's appeared on the list.
1995 ... "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?" by Bryan Adams 1994 ... "I Swear" by All-4-One 1993 ... "That's the Way Love Goes" by Janet Jackson 1992 ... "Baby Got Back" by Sir Mix-a-Lot
Along with the printing press and the space shuttle, this represents one of man's greatest accomplishments.
1991 ... "Rush Rush" by Paula Abdul 1990 ... "Step by Step" by New Kids on the Block
THE 1980s
1989 ... "Baby Don't Forget My Number" by Milli Vanilli
New Kids on the Block and Milli Vanilli back to back? People get dumb in the summer.
1988 ... "Dirty Diana" by Michael Jackson
You don't really hear this one, do you? Me, I like to imagine Michael Jackson was replaced by a Skrull soon after the release of Thriller.
1987 ... "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" by Whitney Houston 1986 ... "On My Own" by Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald 1985 ... "Heaven" by Bryan Adams 1984 ... "The Reflex" by Duran Duran 1983 ... "Flashdance ... What a Feeling" by Irene Cara
Oh God. This ended up being a lot more depressing than I thought it would. I only like two of those songs. I could live with "The Reflex" but still, that's asking a lot. I try to be as egalitarian as I can when it comes to pop music but looking at this list just fills me with sadness. Bryan Adams had two #1 hits ten years apart? How was he even allowed to have one? Ugh... Permanent Link: 9:19 AM |
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"Ditko even turned down a proposal to collaborate on Mr. A with Frank Miller, believing it wouldn’t sell!"
How insane would that comic be? I imagine it ending with Mr. A deciding the entire human race unworthy of protection. He decides to get in his A-Rocket and sends a nuclear missile, shaped and painted to look like a giant black and white card, hurtling towards Earth. THE END Permanent Link: 11:54 AM |
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Monday, August 11, 2008
This was 1987...
Lord knows what Watchmen would be if it was actually made then. I'm thinking of the more idiosyncratic sci-fi pieces of the time like Max Headroom or Total Recall but with superheroes. It might be something we'd now find in the "cult classics" section of video stores (or if you're like me, Netflix). Who knows. Maybe it would have made Alan Moore super-rich Hollywood player. I can (barley) imagine him living in the Hollywood Hills, replacing his interest in magik with Kabbalah (hey, didn't that stuff show up in Promethea?).
