Coooooonnn!!!!!! Report: Thursday

By: David Michael Wharton
Date: Friday, July 15, 2005

Day two has come and gone, and already the crowds are daunting. It's not a good sign when half the panels I attended today were closed off due to hitting Fire Marshall-mandated capacity, and those weren't even the big-name events (Bruce Campbell I expected to draw a crowd, but the CONSTANTINE DVD panel? I mean, Rachel Weisz is purty and all, but geez). And it's only Thursday. Further reason that yours truly will be doing everything in his power to steer clear of the cavernous Hall H, where the various studios will be unveiling their presentations over the next two days. Much as I might like to see bald-headed Natalie Portman up close and personal (or, given these crowds, via a video monitor from a half-mile away), I'd rather stick to smaller, more interesting, more accessible events. Let it never be said I haven't learned from the mistakes of past years.

On to the day's highlights…

The Digital Bits: DVD Producers 2005 panel

- FREE ENTERPRISE-er and DVD producer Robert Meyer Burnett repeatedly dropped hints that there may be an X-MEN 2.5 DVD release in the offing. "You know, they did release an X-MEN 1.5," he remarked. "X-MEN 3 is coming out next year." He then proceeded to shrug in a conspicuously suggestive manner.

- DVD producer extraordinaire Charles de Lauzirika (ALIEN: QUADRILOGY showed segments from the upcoming three-disc GLADIATOR special edition, including selections from a documentary focusing on how the filmmakers digitally resurrected Oliver Reed, who died before completing his role as Proximo. The new extended director's cut will be 17 minutes longer than the theatrical release, and will feature a 3+-hour documentary on the film's making, amongst all manner of other sword-and-sandal-y goodies.


- The audience was treated to a selection of "alternate MPAA cuts" from LORDS OF DOGTOWN, which basically amounted to Emile Hirsch and the rest of the film's leads ad-libbing increasingly foul variants on their scripted lines in several scenes. Only at Comic-Con will you see parents with young children in their laps remaining unfazed at the use of the phrase "roast-beef curtains."

- Burnett screened a behind-the-scenes segment from the set of SUPERMAN RETURNS, apparently shot specifically for Comic-Con. Director Bryan Singer gave the audience a quick tour of the massive, art deco set for the front entrance of the Daily Planet; continued to sing the praises of Donner's 1978 SUPERMAN film; and revealed that his "secret favorite" DVD is MANIAC, although his on-the-record favorite is JAWS. We even got an ever-so-fleeting glimpse of the back of Kevin-Spacey-as-Lex-Luthor's bald head.


David Cronenberg/A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE panel

- Director Cronenberg at one point threatened to "peel his face off."

- Cronenberg didn't know that A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE had originated as a graphic novel until well into production. Instead, he assumed that Josh Olson's screenplay adaptation was actually an original spec script. He nevertheless saw something in the screenplay that attracted him right away. "I was originally looking for…I don't know what I was looking for," recalled Cronenberg. "There was something about the script that was disturbing and resonant."

- When asked if he sees "David Cronenberg themes" in this new movie, Cronenberg responded that, "I don't see my movies." However, he added that, "It's actually when you're doing interviews and panels like this that you begin looking at things and making connections like that."

- Olson listed Cronenberg as one of his two favorite directors (and quickly moved Cronenberg to the top of the list at the director's chiding), but said that he never would have thought of him for AHOV. "I can remember exactly where I was, what I was wearing, when I got the call from New Line [that Cronenberg wanted to direct], and I thought they were screwing with me."

- Cronenberg explained that many names were tossed around for the lead role of Tom Stall (Olson suggested Carrot Top), including several the director didn't want to mention, before the role went to Viggo Mortensen. "I can't say Viggo was the only one on the list, but he was always on the list," said Cronenberg. "He's sort of an underrated star because of LORD OF THE RINGS. That's what made him a star, but there was only so much he could do because it was a very limited kind of role. But he's actually a superb actor." The director added that AHOV allowed Viggo to stretch all his acting muscles as he inhabited a role that effectively embodies "three different performances."

- The director screened a clip from the film, which included much of the "diner" scene from the trailer, with the added bonus of some profanity and a bit of the old ultra-violence, culminating in a lingering close-up of a gruesome exit wound. The Con audience, of course, ate it up. "I think we have a special audience here," observed Cronenberg, striving for new heights of understatement. "The violence is exhilarating, and then you see what the result of it is. It's cathartic and it's kind of repellant and it's kind of attractive at the same time." Which, oddly enough, is precisely how my wife describes my appeal.

- Both Josh Olson's script and the film itself diverge significantly from the plot of the graphic novel.

That's all for now, folks, seeing as how we're closing in on 4:30 a.m. here in the great city of San Diego, and my Jack and Coke buzz has long since worn off. Check back tomorrow as the Con hits the first of its two busiest days, with panel presentations for VERONICA MARS, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, and more!