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V for Vendetta


Weapon X

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~ Action Thriller Based on Groundbreaking Graphic Novel by Alan Moore and David Lloyd ~

 

BERLIN, GERMANY, March 4, 2005 – The Wachowski Brothers and Joel Silver, the creators and producer of the revolutionary, $1.6 billion-grossing Matrix trilogy, have launched production on the action thriller V For Vendetta, starring Natalie Portman (Star Wars: Episodes I-III, Closer, Garden State), James Purefoy (Vanity Fair, Resident Evil) and Stephen Rea (Interview with the Vampire, The Crying Game) in Berlin, Germany.

 

Produced by Joel Silver, Andy Wachowski and Larry Wachowski, V For Vendetta is directed by James McTeigue, who served as the First Assistant Director on the Matrix trilogy.

 

Set against the futuristic landscape of totalitarian Britain, V For Vendetta tells the story of a mild-mannered young woman named Evey (Natalie Portman) who is rescued from a life-and-death situation by a masked vigilante (James Purefoy) known only as “V.” Incomparably charismatic and ferociously skilled in the art of combat and deception, V ignites a revolution when he detonates two London landmarks and takes over the government-controlled airwaves, urging his fellow citizens to rise up against tyranny and oppression. As Evey uncovers the truth about V’s mysterious background, she also discovers the truth about herself – and emerges as his unlikely ally in the culmination of his plot to bring freedom and justice back to a society fraught with cruelty and corruption.

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Aronofsky has this habit of signing onto projects and then abandoning them. Paul Greengrass, who did Bloody Sunday and Bourne Supremacy, is signed on to direct Watchmen.

 

I gave my father V for Vendetta for Xmas and he liked it a lot, I still haven't read it myself, reading Watchmen now and I also just picked up the first Sin City trade.

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I think it's pretty good, I've read about 4 of the issues and I'm going back and reading the "autobiography" parts now because I skipped those, then I'm going to finish it. Also started Sin City last night and that's pretty damn wild, too.

 

I force my father to read some comics, I got him addicted to Sandman and Constantine, also. I tried to get him to read Preacher and Transmetropolitan but they were too crude for his tastes I think.

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  • 2 months later...

Link.

 

"Earlier in the year, Moore received a call from "V For Vendetta" writer/producer and "Matrix" director Larry Wachowski, but told him politely, "I didn't want anything to do with films and had no time this year, being in the middle of work, my day job, writing, I wasn't interested in Hollywood."

 

Shortly afterwards, Alan Moore was made aware of a press release sent out covering a press conference producer Joel Silver and the cast had held.

 

In this press release, Joel Silver, as well as announcing that the release date November the 5th 2005 was the 100th anniversary of Guy Fawkes attempt on Parliament, instead of the 400th anniversary, also said of Alan, "he was very excited about what Larry had to say and Larry sent the script, so we hope to see him sometime before we're in the UK. We'd just like him to know what we're doing and to be involved in what we're trying to do together"

 

Alan felt, basically, that his name was being used in vain. Not only had he expressed the opposite to Larry, but his endorsement was being used as a selling point for a movie - the reason he'd requested his credit and association be dropped from all of these movies."

 

----------------

 

Alan gave some details about bits of the V For Vendetta shooting script he'd seen. "It was imbecilic; it had plot holes you couldn't have got away with in Whizzer And Chips in the nineteen sixties. Plot holes no one had noticed."

 

What Moore found most laughable however were the details. "They don't know what British people have for breakfast, they couldn't be bothered. 'Eggy in a basket' apparently. Now the US have 'eggs in a basket,' whish is fried bread with a fried egg in a hole in the middle. I guess they thought we must eat that as well, and thought 'eggy in a basket' was a quaint and Olde Worlde version. And they decided that the British postal service is called Fedco. They'll have thought something like, 'well, what's a British version of FedEx... how about FedCo? A friend of mine had to point out to them that the Fed, in FedEx comes from 'Federal Express.' America is a federal republic, Britain is not."

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Originally posted by grim540@Mar 6 2005, 08:02 PM

the_mask.jpg

"I am the Devil, and I come to do the devil's work,"

 

I heard somehwere that Darren Afronosky (Pi, Requim for a Dream) is supposed to be doing the Watchmen.

 

man, i wish i had this mask and it wasnt going to be part of a movie.

 

I've always wanted to hold one of those rich people's balls where a bunch of people come with masks.. but classy masks, not that shit you buy at party city.

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Hey, LENS, you just can't wait to jump on the bandwagon of the next low budget foreign film, can you?

 

Yeah, I'm not sure if this movie will be that good, but LENS, you might be missing out on being a cool, well informed, cultured, underground hipster if you haven't read the book.

 

Oh wait, comic books are for kids, right? You'd rather be painting and drinking with ugly asian broads, right?

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Yeah both these movies sound like garbage in the making.

 

Good comics usually lose the "good" when someone tries to make a marketable movie out of them.

 

From hell was pretty good though, and sin city was definitely an exception, but only an exception because robert rodriguez was so vehement about the movie being an exact translation of miller's work. Like superfan turned director.

 

I'm glad no one's made dark knight returns into a movie yet. I'd be upset to see that one butchered into some hollywood joke.

 

Although it seems kinda likely now that miller's proved he can sell his material.

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From what I hear, From Hell the movie does very little justice to the book. I can't form an opinion on this as I've only seen the movie.

 

When they first decided to make a new Batman franchise (because the last ones sucked, and because WB needs to make DC into a huge moneymaker), they had three different writers work on their own thing. One of the writers adapted Frank Miller's Batman: Year One, but WB decided to go with Goyer's version. I'm glad that they did, as Year One just wouldn't transfer well.

 

SO, making a movie with an original story based on a comic book franchise (ie Spider-Man, Hulk, Punisher) have worked out well. I was never disappointed really, because they were good movies, and they weren't trying to do something that has already been done. I don't even consider them 'retcons' because the movies will not tie in with the comics in any respect.

 

Making a movie completely based on a well respected, 200 page graphic novel might not work out as well.

 

I think V for Vendetta might come off alright, as may Watchmen...as long as people refrain from comparing the movies to the books.

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Call me crazy, but I didn't think the original Matrix movie was all that good, the second was just laughable, and i didn't bother with the third. Unless you're some gamer nerd, I don't think the Wachowski brothers have anything worth watching. A lot of hype, and I think any halfway decent ideas they had were used up in the first Matrix. Kids talk about that movie like it's a religion. Dude, it stars Keanu Reeves. Keanu Reeves, dog. Get ahold of yourself.

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Originally posted by Weapon X@Jun 6 2005, 03:31 AM

From what I hear, From Hell the movie does very little justice to the book. I can't form an opinion on this as I've only seen the movie.

 

The movie wasnt nearly as good or psychologically deep as moore's book, but it was pretty good as a movie just on its own. The hughes brothers have ill ideas.

 

I half take back the comment about comic movies not being good. I forgot about spiderman and hellboy, they were both dope. And the first batman was good.

 

Nonetheless all those movies are like lighthearted fun. I havent really seen any serious graphic novel type shit translated into a 'serious' movie. Its always joe hollywood dumbing out the budget for fancy makeup and cgi explosions while some secretary rewrites the script.

 

The hulk and spawn both really sucked.

So did tank girl. Although I guess that comic book sucked in the first place.

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^ The Hulk was actually really good. If you liked Hellboy but didn't like Hulk, you're nuts. Keep in mind that they planned to make (and hopefully will follow through it) three of them. The next Punisher movie takes place in NYC, and will be even more violent. Blade 2 was decent, too. So was Dick Tracy. I have yet to see The Phantom, starring Billy Zane, though.

 

Oh yeah, can't forget Howard the Duck.

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Guest KING OF HELL
Originally posted by Weapon X@Jun 6 2005, 04:10 PM

^ The Hulk was actually really good. If you liked Hellboy but didn't like Hulk, you're nuts. Keep in mind that they planned to make (and hopefully will follow through it) three of them. The next Punisher movie takes place in NYC, and will be even more violent. Blade 2 was decent, too. So was Dick Tracy. I have yet to see The Phantom, starring Billy Zane, though.

 

Oh yeah, can't forget Howard the Duck.

 

dont bother seeing the phantom unless you want to stab yoursel;f in the face, or are watching it fucked up with friends. its a shame.

sin city was great

daredevil AND elektra was mad gay

spidey was good. hellboy was good

I hope watchmen is good.

 

Rorschach is my goddamn hero.

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I don't like the X-Men movies too much. Hulk kills them. And I thought the Hulk looked stunning in his movie.

 

They are making a Wolverine spin-off. But I hate how they have Hugh Jackman playing him. He is some sort of handsome dude. Since when has Wolverine been a tall, lean, handsome dude? He is supposed to be short, hairy, ugly, and mad muscular.

 

Plus, I don't know what you mean by "austere and emotionally moving". I just want to see him rip some bad guys apart.

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  • 8 months later...

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/reviewsnews.php?id=13405

 

V For Vendetta

Reviewed by: Edward Douglas

 

Cast:

Natalie Portman as Evey Hammond

Hugo Weaving as V

Stephen Rea as Finch

John Hurt as Sutler

Roger Allam as Prothero

Stephen Fry as Gordon Deitrich

Rupert Graves as Dominic

Clive Ashborn as Guy Fawkes

Sinéad Cusack as Dr. Delia Surridge

Nicolas de Pruyssenaere as Marshal

Selina Giles as Evey's mother

Ben Miles as Dascomb

Tim Pigott-Smith as Creedy

Cosima Shaw as Patricia

John Standing as Bishop Lilliman

William Tapley as Radioman

Natasha Wightman as Valerie

 

Directed by James McTeigue

 

Summary:

Easily the most faithful and literal adaptation of an Alan Moore graphic novel to date, "V For Vendetta" will throw you for a loop with its potent combination of action, emotion and wry political commentary.

 

Story:

In the near future, London has turned into a police nation ruled by a fascist dictator (John Hurt), but a masked vigilante character known only as V (Hugo Weaving) has decided to fight back against the government. After saving a young woman named Evey Hammond (Natalie Portman) from corrupt government agents, he recruits her to help him in his fight against the powers that be.

 

Disclaimer:

As possibly one of the few film critics who read Alan Moore and David Lloyd's "V For Vendetta" before it was a graphic novel, when it was serialized in black and white in Warrior Magazine, I realize there are only two ways to review this film, either by comparing what's the same or dissecting what's different from the original work. Because I don't want to spoil the plot in hopes that people will be able to discover this amazing story for themselves much like I did, some plot points have been kept deliberately vague.

 

Analysis:

You certainly can't blame Alan Moore for not wanting anything to do with the movie based on his early work with David Lloyd. After all, his stories have repeatedly been raped and pillaged by Hollywood in hopes of making them more mainstream, and let's face it, producer Joel Silver is infamous for making cookie-cutter action movies. It's a shame that Moore has taken this stance, because Silver's pairing with the Wachowski Brothers on their "Matrix" trilogy has made this adaptation possible. Written by the Wachowskis and directed by their long-time assistant director James McTeigue, this may the first movie that Moore might be proud to have his name on.

 

Moore's original story was a thumb at the nose of the Thatcher government and the potential it had for becoming a fascist state. Taken to the extreme, Moore's England of the late 20th Century could be compared to Nazi Germany, where the corrupt government would imprison and kill homosexuals in the name of the country's churchgoing leader. Those who have read the original series will be surprised by how much of Moore's powerful story remains intact, giving this film a similar attitude as Terry Gilliam's "Brazil," only without the fantasy and humor.

 

Other than that, "V For Vendetta" may be the most literal Alan Moore adaptation ever made, but that's not to say that it's a note-for-note scene-by-scene recreation of Moore and Lloyd's dystopian tale of the future. From the beginning, the changes are fairly obvious. Natalie Portman's Evey Hammond isn't turning tricks to survive when she's saved by V from being gangraped by the city's corrupt law enforcement. Her job as an assistant at the government-controlled television station allows them to reunite her with V later.

 

Most of the important story elements are retained--the former Gestapo news reporter and pedophile bishop, for instance—but unlike David Lloyd's dark and grim future London, McTeigue's Orwellian vision doesn't look that much different from ours if you ignore the images of the country's ranting "Hitler Lite" leader that are everywhere. The genius of the adaptation lies in the fact that the added bits, and there are quite a few, bring new layers to the story, but they're in such perfect tune with Moore's vision that you might remember them from the graphic novel despite them never being there.

 

It takes some time to get used to the absence of Moore's running narrative and the unconventional storytelling techniques that made the original work so innovative for its time. (Remember, this story preceded things like "Watchmen" and Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns" by years.) Once you get past that, it's easy to enjoy how the Wachowskis have condensed this rich story into a tighter package, cleaning things up and taking out what might have been unnecessary or confusing about Moore's original series, while borrowing bits from Tim Burton's "Batman" or "The Phantom of the Opera" to help new viewers relate.

 

When Evey is captured and tortured, the film begins to follow Moore's story verbatim, including a particularly moving subplot some may expect to be cut from the movie, and it's sure to evoke emotion even more than the way it was handled originally. Evey's interrogation won't be nearly as effective to anyone who has seen "Sophie Scholl."

 

Just like the graphic novel, the film's heart comes in the form of the unconventional romance between V and Evey, which very closely follows their relationship in the books. Portman does adequately with her British accent, but the real genius casting comes in the form of Hugo Weaving as V, who is able to create an immensely 3-dimensional character solely with the use of his voice. Who knows if that masked person on screen is really Weaving, but his ability to mix lines written by Moore with those written by Shakespeare without missing a beat is incredibly telling of the strength of the material. Of course, Weaving also throws in a few "Mr. Smith" moments as well, when he faces government opposition, but this is a far subtler performance.

 

Of course, John Hurt couldn't be better cast as the country's ranting leader, but the rest of the British cast is equally impressive. Stephen Rea's Chief Inspector Finch plays a much larger role in the movie than he did originally, as the film spends a lot more time with him trying to solve the mystery of V. The Wachowskis also find a clever way of getting around the problems Moore had in the second book, which changed tone and dragged a bit. In this case, Gordon is a talk show host, adroitly played by Stephen Fry, who offers some of the film's welcome comic relief, while creating the perfect link to tie together the various elements.

 

In some ways, the layers of political intrigue are even more complex than they were originally, and surely, some will complain that the film is nothing but ultra-liberal anti-government propaganda. There's really nothing dangerous about a little bit of anti-establishmentarian dogma once in a while, it all greatly appealed to the teen punk in me who fell in love with this story in the first place.

 

"V For Vendetta" is by no means perfect, and much like the book, the middle section tends to drag, although the last half hour delivers on the action and the amazing visuals that everyone is expecting, including a few things that we haven't really seen in a movie before.

 

Regardless, this will put a lot of pressure on the poor sucker hired to try to turn Moore's "Watchmen" into a movie.

 

The Bottom Line:

If you go into "V For Vendetta" expecting a superhero action film, you may be disappointed, but if you know the graphic novel, you'll be impressed with the way McTeigue and the Wachowskis have brought Moore's vision to life, embellishing and modernizing his ideas without filtering them or watering them down. It's the type of cerebral politically-minded commentary on government that is sorely needed right now.

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Originally posted by Weapon X@Jun 5 2005, 09:44 PM

Hey, LENS, you just can't wait to jump on the bandwagon of the next low budget foreign film, can you?

 

Yeah, I'm not sure if this movie will be that good, but LENS, you might be missing out on being a cool, well informed, cultured, underground hipster if you haven't read the book.

 

Oh wait, comic books are for kids, right? You'd rather be painting and drinking with ugly asian broads, right?

 

1. No, I just like good movies is all....after how dissapointing the matrix trilogy turned out, why should i be amped on this movie?

 

2. I'm not cool, I am nerd, I am informed and cultured but I don't identify myself as being "hip"

 

3. Certain comic books are retarded but other are simply amazing because of their structure, artwork, plot and character development.

 

4. Yeah, i would rather be painting and drinking with asian broads (of whome i know a few...some ugly, some hot as hell, but all cool) than see this flick..

 

If you want a realistic account of a totalitarian future, I suggest they re-do 1984 and farenheit 451

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Originally posted by DEE38+Mar 1 2006, 03:22 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DEE38 - Mar 1 2006, 03:22 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-Weapon X@Mar 6 2005, 06:52 PM

Official Site.

 

I just know this will be a good movie. It's supposed to come out in December this year, too.

 

what! i cant wait that long fuck

 

ive seen the preveiws twice........... i love it already

[/b]

 

haha, nooo! It'll be out in March. that post you quoted is from last year!

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