SG Exclusive: Video Journal from the Film 300 Hosted by Gerard Butler
I've been looking forward to the film adaptation of Frank Miller's graphic novel 300 for a long time. I've probably watched the trailer for 300 about 300 times, so when Warner Brothers asked if we'd be interested in hosting an exclusive, behind-the-scenes video journal from the movie, I didn't have to give it much thought.
The film combines live action with virtual backgroundssimilar to Miller's Sin City, although the screens were green for Sin City and blue for 300. The epic graphic novel (and its movie-magic adaptation) tells the story of the Battle of Thermopylae, in which King Leonidas (played by a very ripped Gerard Butler) leads 300 Spartans in a fight to the death against Xerxes and his massive Persian army.
Gerard Butler hosts this behind-the-scenes video. He calls the movie a "hyper-real, beautiful, emotional world," and says that "the intensity is almost unbearable."
"It's not a documentary," says Gerard, waxing poetic. "It's a kick ass story filled with passion, politics, brutality."
A page of other 300 video journals can be found here.
Movie Preview: Bringing Frank Miller's "300" to Life
Coming early next year is 300, the film adaptation of comics legend Frank Miller's graphic novel retelling the bloody Battle of Thermopylae, where 300 Spartan soldiers died fighting King Xerxes' massive Persian army, becoming legends in the process.
The film's director, Zack Snyder (Dawn of the Dead), employed the Sin City shot-for-shot technique so the film's look follows almost exactly the panels as they appeared in the original graphic novel. Snyder also shot the film using a "digital backlot", where all scenes with actors were shot before a blue screen, with digital artists then creating all the sets and effects in post-production.
Snyder's next assignment is to helm possibly the most difficult comics adaptation yet, Alan Moore's masterpiece The Watchmen, which has been in development purgatory for over a decade, and is widely thought to be the greatest achievement in the medium of comics storytelling.
300 stars Gerard Butler (The Phantom of the Opera), and Lena Headey (The Brothers Grimm), and will be released March 9, 2007.
Check out the Hi Quality Quicktime trailer here. Let's not even bother with the YouTube version for this one.
Sin City Creator to Kill Osama bin Laden
Frank Miller, creator of Sin City as well as responsible for the greatest Batman story ever told, will be taking part in NPRs revival of the classic radio series This I Believe this Monday, September 11th. Miller is currently working on the long awaited Holy Terror, Batman, in which Batman takes on Osama bin Laden. Thats the fictional character of the Batman vs. real life fuckmook bin Laden. Fans of the Bat are guessing that Miller will abuse his newfound patriotism to live out a scenario in which Batman finally murders an evil-doer.
After never fully believing in patriotism and the U.S. flag, Miller discusses how the events of 9/11 shaped his newfound belief in patriotism and the flag. In discussing 9/11, Miller says, I draw and write comic books. One thing my job involves is making up bad guys. Imagining human villainy in all its forms. Now the real thing had showed up. The real thing murdered my neighbors. In my city. In my country. Miller adds, Patriotism, I now believe, isnt some sentimental, old, conceit. Its self-preservation. I believe patriotism is central to a nations survival.
While perfectly justified in giving the business to bin Laden in every horrifyingly painful way imaginable, this title should certainly stir up some trouble with the habitually left-leaning comic community. After having read Millers new run on All-Star Batman & Robin in which his new maniacal Batman abandoned Robin in a cave with intentions of forcing him to eat rats for sustenance, I can only imagine what hell have Bats doing to the most evil man on the planet.
The always flawless Devin Faraci of Chud.com fame recently dug up this classic and yet biting Grant Morrison quote,
Batman vs. Al Qaeda! It might as well be Bin Laden vs. King Kong! Or how about the sinister Al Qaeda mastermind up against a hungry Hannibal Lecter! For all the good it's likely to do. Cheering on a fictional character as he beats up fictionalized terrorists seems like a decadent indulgence when real terrorists are killing real people in the real world. I'd be so much more impressed if Frank Miller gave up all this graphic novel nonsense, joined the Army and, with a howl of undying hate, rushed headlong onto the front lines with the young soldiers who are actually risking life and limb 'vs' Al Qaeda.
I look forward to the inevitable titles V vs. George Bush and X-Men vs. The Scientologists-On the Moon!
