Comic Com - day 4 Frank's Report - the 'whaa' feeling

By Frank H. Woodward Jul 26, 2006, 14:07 GMT

Traditionally, Sunday at Comic Con is "Kid's Day".  For those older kids who have survived three days of mayhem and two nights of heavy socializing, Sunday is spent wandering the vendor's room looking for that clearance sale deal on a Cylon action figure with interchangeable hands.  For me, it was a day of zombies (and I don't mean the aforementioned bargain scroungers). 

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For many, ‘Shaun of the Dead’ is the finest horror comedy since ‘Young Frankenstein.’  Not just for laughs, but also for characters of depth and damn fine writing (check out "Spaced", the TV series that started it all, if you don't believe me).

The dynamic duo of Simon Pegg and Edgar Frost brought us "Shaun" and now they're going to do to action cop movies what they did to Romero's territory. 

The film is called ‘Hot Fuzz.’  As director Wright makes clear, though, ‘Hot Fuzz,’ like "Shaun", is not a spoof. It is inspired by films like ‘Lethal Weapon,’ ‘Point Break’ and ‘Bad Boys.’ 

The main difference is that these cops are British cops. 

With ‘Hot Fuzz,’ Wright, Pegg and the stalwart Nick Frost intend to make the "uncoolest police in the world... cool.’ 

Wright and Frost stopped by San Diego with a few teaser trailers.  I must say there is nothing better than Pegg and Frost diving through explosions with sawed off shotguns.

"There are no British cop films," Wright lamented.  And the British gangster film is getting tired as far as Frost is concerned.    For viewers of the online video diaries, there may be a reason why action films don't happen all that often in the UK. 

Wright and crew were plagued by many days of "pissing rain". "Shooting in the British Isles sometimes really fucking sucks," is all that Wright would say on the subject.  Judging from the footage, though, "Hot Fuzz" promises to do anything but.  The film will feature an assortment of Britain's finest including Jim Broadbent, Timothy Dalton, Bill Nighy, Paddy Considine, Steve Coogan and Martin Freeman.  It opens in the U.S. on March 9 2007. 

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When one finally leaves Comic Con, the sensory overload of it all finally shifts into perspective. 

You remember all that you had experienced... mostly with disbelief that four days contained it all.  

In addition to the tales I've told there was much I skipped over.  Here are some other tidbits of interest from the weekend: 

--  Producer Joel Silver is back in the horror game with 'The Reaping' and he brought Hilary Swank with him! 

Swank plays a miracle debunker that comes to a Louisiana town suffering from the 10 plagues of Revelations.  These biblical terrores may have a scientific reason OR they may be tied to a little girl (what isn't in horror films these days?) 

The film's production actually endured nature's wrath when Katrina swept through the set. Imagine making a film in the old school style -- without cell phone, email or generators (all of which went to FEMA). 

Maybe the old school approach will rub off come November 8th. 

-- Bryan Singer made like Superman and returned to San Diego.  With him he brought a blooper reel from 'Superman Returns.' 

You haven't seen anything until you've seen Marlon Brando flip off the camera. The film's James Marsden also turns out to have a dirty little streak in him. 

Check out these chucklers on the upcoming DVD. 

-- As many "Galactica" fans now, there is a spin off in the works.  It's called 'Caprica' and, according to creator Ron Moore, will investigate what led to the Cylon invasion that nearly annihilated the human race (no, it wasn't just Gaius Baltar). 

Scripts are completed.  The producers are just awaiting the network's order. 

--  Jim Henson may be long dead, but his legacy is busy.  Daughter Lisa Henson co-chaired a panel to showcase all The Jim Henson Company is up to including exclusive merchandising and the long awaited sequel, 'The Power Of The Dark Crystal.' 

On board as designer is famed faerie artist Brian Froud (he co-created the world of the original film with Henson as well as 'Labyrinth').  At the helm is Genndy Tartakofsky ('Samurai Jack'  & 'Clone Wars'). 

'Power Of The Dark Crystal' will be a fresh visit to a world which Froud reminds "has independent life". 

That means the sequel won't focus on Jen and Kira so much as a whole new set of people in a different part of the 'Dark Crystal' world.  Two characters, one from the Innerworld and one from the surface, will meet and fall in love.  Beyond that, Henson and company didn't have much to offer.

The film is only in pre-production. 

So is the long awaited film adaptation of Neil Gaiman's 'Neverwhere' and more from 'Mirrormask' visionary Dave McKean. There's also 'Jim Henson's Pupper Improv' which is exactly what the title says and much saucier than one would expect.

The Muppeteers have been taken improv classes and were even invited to the Edinburgh Festival to strut their stuff.  Apparently, it was enough for a TBS television series. 

Looks like The Jim Henson Co. is going to be busy indeed.  • For those who missed Sam Raimi on Saturday, he was back on Sunday.  This time he introduced Japanese horror-meister Takashi Shimizu.  He was the chilling mind behind 'Ju-On' and its American remake, 'The Grudge.'

Now he has come forth with 'The Grudge 2.' Sarah Michelle Gellar is back, but not for long according to the film's trailer.  Investigating her death by a vengeful spirit is Amber Tamblyn ("Joan Of Arcadia") and Ariele Kebbel ("Gilmore Girls"). 

It seems TV actresses are best at fighting the supernatural. 

Shimizu enjoys scaring people and, if the trailer is any indication, 'The Grudge 2' will please him deeply.  As for audiences, he promises a much more satisfying twist ending than the first film.  We'll see if that's enough. 

-- A string of other less inspiring films were announced at Comic Con... the unnecessary remake of 'The Hitcher' and 'The Wicker Man'... 'Balls Of Fury' and 'Beerfest' from the adolescent minds behind 'Reno 911' and 'Broken Lizard' respectively. 

Each has something going for it, but not enough to go to theaters for. 

'The Hitcher' has Sean Bean filling Rutger Hauer's shoes. Not too bad.

'The Wicker Man' has Neil LaBute directing, but it also has Nicolas Cage in the Edward Woodward role (I cringe just typing this).  As for the two comedies, 'Balls Of Fury' has the most promising premise... all the revenge of a kung fu fest, only replace the kicking with ping-pong.  Who said Hollywood was creatively bankrupt?

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I hate to leave my Comic Con 2006 updates on a "whaa" kind of feeling, but after four days of geeking out, you get a tad jaded and more than a bit exhausted.  I'm going to bed now.