http://celebrities.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=606718&rss=yes
By Joal Ryan
Thu 31/07/08
Ten years after sailing off with $600.8 million, Titanic remains the top-grossing movie of all-time, a title which, up until The Dark Knight onslaught, hasn't been seriously challenged.
Why?
Statistically speaking, says Jeffrey Simonoff, borrowing a famous line from screenwriter William Goldman, "Nobody knows."
"Many people have noted if the stock market is a high-risk market, the movies is far riskier," says Simonoff, professor of statistics at New York University's Stern School of Business.
Huge opening weekends and great buzz certainly increase a movie's odds of making lots and lots of money, but beyond that, Simonoff argues, it's all guesswork.
"What Titanic had was the amazing word of mouth that just kept growing and growing," Simonoff says. "[But] it wasn't like after the second weekend people could say this is going to be the No. 1 movie for the next three months."
Actually, Titanic was the No. 1 movie at the weekend box office for about three-and-a-half months, or 15 weeks, the second-longest run in the top spot after E.T., which logged 16 weeks there in 1982.
To Vicki Kunkel, author of upcoming Instant Appeal: The 8 Primal Factors That Create Blockbuster Success, movies that play on and on and on, like Titanic, are the cinematic equivalent of potato chips—one viewing is not enough.
"Titanic pretty much had all the elements that light up the endorphins on the brain," says Kunkel. "Anything that makes us feel good is addictive."
If all blockbuster movies contain like elements, Kunkel points out, then Titanic had all the right elements, including a love story (see: Leonardo DiCaprio's Jack and Kate Winslet's Rose), a self-sacrificing heroine (see: Rose spurn her rich fiancé, Billy Zane's Cal, for poor Jack) and a clear-cut battle between good and bad (see: Jack take on Cal).
Kunkel finds a couple of these key elements, especially the conflict between good and evil, at play in The Dark Knight. She doesn't, however, foresee another bag of potato chips. Or, more precisely, a bigger bag of potato chips.
"We relate more to real people than we do to superheroes," Kunkel says. "And that's when the real addictiveness happens, when we have a deep primal connection."
Christopher Sharrett, professor of communications and film studies at Seton Hall University, thinks there could be a different kind of connection going on between the seriously dark Dark Knight and today's moviegoers.
"It's ripped out of the headlines," Sharrett says. "It's something that appeals to a cynicism of the population."
More than that, Sharrett thinks the untimely death of Heath Ledger, so prominent in The Dark Knight as iconic villain The Joker, is the film's X factor—the something different that, as he sees it, distinguishes the superhero-action movie from all the other recent superhero-action movies.
But does that add up to The Dark Knight moving from $400 million, its certain next stop, all the way to Titanic's $600 million neighborhood?
"For what it's worth," Simonoff says, "I would certainly say it wouldn't be surprising given the way things look like now."
Then again, he says, it wouldn't be surprising if it fell $100 million short.
Says Simonoff: "You can never know for sure."
Up until its release, after all, Titanic was considered a $200 million gamble. Until it paid off. And off. And off.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince TEASER
I CANNOT WAIT FOR THIS!!! I WAS A HUGE FAN OF THE BOOK!!!
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Johnny Depp To Star In New Tim Burton 3-D Film "Alice In Wonderland"
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7011745761
July 27, 2008 10:44 p.m. EST
Anne Lu - Celebrity News Service News Writer
Los Angeles, CA (CNS) - Johnny Depp and Tim Burton are back to working together in a new film, "Alice in Wonderland," wherein the actor is set to play the quirky Mad Hatter.
Burton will direct the Disney live-action fantasy film adaptation of the children's classic in 3-D. Depp is reportedly taking part in the film as the tea-loving character.
Meanwhile, Australian actress Mia Wasikowska is set to play the title role. Production starts next year and will be released in the summer of 2010.
This is the seventh time Burton and Depp have teamed up together. Their first director-actor tandem was in the 1990 fantasy film "Edward Scissorhands" and then followed by "Ed Wood" (1994), "Sleepy Hollow" (1999), "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" (2005), "Corpse Bride" (2005), and "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" (2007).
SQUEEEE!!!!
July 27, 2008 10:44 p.m. EST
Anne Lu - Celebrity News Service News Writer
Los Angeles, CA (CNS) - Johnny Depp and Tim Burton are back to working together in a new film, "Alice in Wonderland," wherein the actor is set to play the quirky Mad Hatter.
Burton will direct the Disney live-action fantasy film adaptation of the children's classic in 3-D. Depp is reportedly taking part in the film as the tea-loving character.
Meanwhile, Australian actress Mia Wasikowska is set to play the title role. Production starts next year and will be released in the summer of 2010.
This is the seventh time Burton and Depp have teamed up together. Their first director-actor tandem was in the 1990 fantasy film "Edward Scissorhands" and then followed by "Ed Wood" (1994), "Sleepy Hollow" (1999), "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" (2005), "Corpse Bride" (2005), and "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" (2007).
SQUEEEE!!!!
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
The Dark Knight breaks box office record in US
http://www.inthenews.co.uk/entertainment/reviews/fiction/the-dark-knight-breaks-box-office-record-in-us-$1232449.htm
Sunday, 20 Jul 2008 14:26
The Dark Knight has set a new box office record for takings in its first day on release in the US.
The Batman Begins sequel took $66.4 million (£33.1 million) on its opening night, according to distributor Warner Bros, surpassing the previous record of $59.8 million (£29.8 million) set by Spider-Man in 2007.
The figures mean the movie is already well on the way to recouping its total cost of $185 million (£92.4 million).
The Christopher Nolan-helmed film, starring Christian Bale as the title character, had previously broken the record for preview takings - $16.9 million (£8.5 million) - which was set by Star Wars Episode III - The Revenge of the Sith in 2005.
The Dark Knight had taken $18.5 million (£9.2 million) from its showings at 00:01 US time on Saturday morning.
Box office receipts from screenings at 03:00 and 06:00 were not counted in The Dark Knight's record-breaking bow, which has increased speculation that the film could break records for its total takings over an opening weekend, with some predicting receipts of up to $100 million.
Such a debut would more than double the $47 million (£23.5 million) opening tally averaged by the five previous Batman films, including Batman Begins.
The Dark Knight would enter an exclusive club should it break the $100 million, with Iron Man having earned $101 million in May and Spider-Man 3 having pulled in $151 million (£75.5 million) in May 2007.
"We're very proud of the film," said Warner Bros head of distribution Dan Fellman.
"It's the magic of the movie business, how one film just stands out above the others," he was quoted by the Associated Press news agency as saying.
The late Heath Ledger's performance of The Joker has been tipped to be worthy of a posthumous Oscar, while critics have been unanimous in heaping praise on the film.
Paul Dergarabedian, president of tracking firm Media By Numbers LLC, which compiled the preview figures, said there had been an "unbelievable demand" for the film.
"The Heath Ledger factor is a major part of this," he added.
"Beyond that, the movie is so good, it's worthy of all these accolades."
The Dark Knight is released in the UK on July 24th.
Sunday, 20 Jul 2008 14:26
The Dark Knight has set a new box office record for takings in its first day on release in the US.
The Batman Begins sequel took $66.4 million (£33.1 million) on its opening night, according to distributor Warner Bros, surpassing the previous record of $59.8 million (£29.8 million) set by Spider-Man in 2007.
The figures mean the movie is already well on the way to recouping its total cost of $185 million (£92.4 million).
The Christopher Nolan-helmed film, starring Christian Bale as the title character, had previously broken the record for preview takings - $16.9 million (£8.5 million) - which was set by Star Wars Episode III - The Revenge of the Sith in 2005.
The Dark Knight had taken $18.5 million (£9.2 million) from its showings at 00:01 US time on Saturday morning.
Box office receipts from screenings at 03:00 and 06:00 were not counted in The Dark Knight's record-breaking bow, which has increased speculation that the film could break records for its total takings over an opening weekend, with some predicting receipts of up to $100 million.
Such a debut would more than double the $47 million (£23.5 million) opening tally averaged by the five previous Batman films, including Batman Begins.
The Dark Knight would enter an exclusive club should it break the $100 million, with Iron Man having earned $101 million in May and Spider-Man 3 having pulled in $151 million (£75.5 million) in May 2007.
"We're very proud of the film," said Warner Bros head of distribution Dan Fellman.
"It's the magic of the movie business, how one film just stands out above the others," he was quoted by the Associated Press news agency as saying.
The late Heath Ledger's performance of The Joker has been tipped to be worthy of a posthumous Oscar, while critics have been unanimous in heaping praise on the film.
Paul Dergarabedian, president of tracking firm Media By Numbers LLC, which compiled the preview figures, said there had been an "unbelievable demand" for the film.
"The Heath Ledger factor is a major part of this," he added.
"Beyond that, the movie is so good, it's worthy of all these accolades."
The Dark Knight is released in the UK on July 24th.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
MrWriter's I'LL DECORATE THE CITY
Now online @ DARK KNIGHT OF THE SOUL. See the tribute section & ENJOY. I loved it. Could someone let Scaramouche know because I don't have his email and I don't attend the Steinman forum.
Ryan.
Ryan.
malcolmchaos "on heath ledger, anarchy, and the dark knight"
http://www.presstheactionbutton.com/
"The Dark Knight has opened to rave reviews, many have argued solely because of Heath Ledger’s portrayal of The Joker. Whether or not you agree, however, one thing is clear to me - Heath Ledger gave the performance of his life in The Dark Knight.
Actually, I’ll have to rephrase that, and paraphrase Kevin Smith - he didn’t so much give a performance as he did disappear into the role of The Joker. He nailed him perfectly, making all those subtle contradictions Joker is known for come alive.
There are things Joker does that are not supposed to be funny, that on paper look sick, or disturbing, that Heath managed to make the audience laugh at - for instance, telling Batman “you complete me.” That sentence is probably the most important sentence in the film. The theater I was in was filled with a bunch of jackasses, and they laughed at it like it was a joke, but he was serious. Other examples stick out as well, such as his delivery of the line “No, I’m not crazy” when asked by a mobster. There’s no real way to describe what Ledger does, other than to say it’s simply the greatest performance I’ve ever seen. The way he carried himself, his history (which is “multiple choice”) little things like his voice, the psychology of the character, in particular the things he wants Batman to do (”I want it, I want it… Come on… hit me!”) all harken back to the comic character. (It helps the script was clearly top-notch, with influences by Loeb and Sale, Alan Moore, and, the one that really sticks out to me, Frank Miller.)
Ledger went to great lengths to get to that point. He locked himself in a hotel room for a month, in order to become the character. He kept a journal of The Joker’s thoughts, which boggles my mind. For the shooting of The Dark Knight, he was The Joker, and that probably had a hand in his death. for a long time, he couldn’t sleep, his mind was racing - he would take two Ambien, which would work for “about an hour,” and then wake up “mind racing.”
Heath Ledger has never been one to act conventionally - on break he’d spend most of his time with the crew of The Dark Knight, not the cast. It’s been rumored he didn’t really enjoy spending time with other actors, who, let’s face it can be elitists at times. He also took up the role of The Joker, which was, at the time, incredibly controversial. Heavy hitters were vying for that role, Adrien Brody, Robin Williams, even Steve Carell jokingly, and, oddly enough, The Joker becomes the super villain equivalent of what has been Ledger’s career. This anarchic interpretation of The Joker, this world without rules, is all more deserving of an Oscar than anything else so far this year, bar no film, no actor, no performance, and if he doesn’t get an Oscar for this role, it’s the Academy admitting they don’t take certain films seriously, devaluing the art form they’re supposed to represent.
This is the culmination of his life’s work. The only thing dissapointing about The Dark Knight is that the true star of the show never got to see his final masterpiece complete.
This post is dedicated to Heath Ledger.
HEAR, HEAR.
"The Dark Knight has opened to rave reviews, many have argued solely because of Heath Ledger’s portrayal of The Joker. Whether or not you agree, however, one thing is clear to me - Heath Ledger gave the performance of his life in The Dark Knight.
Actually, I’ll have to rephrase that, and paraphrase Kevin Smith - he didn’t so much give a performance as he did disappear into the role of The Joker. He nailed him perfectly, making all those subtle contradictions Joker is known for come alive.
There are things Joker does that are not supposed to be funny, that on paper look sick, or disturbing, that Heath managed to make the audience laugh at - for instance, telling Batman “you complete me.” That sentence is probably the most important sentence in the film. The theater I was in was filled with a bunch of jackasses, and they laughed at it like it was a joke, but he was serious. Other examples stick out as well, such as his delivery of the line “No, I’m not crazy” when asked by a mobster. There’s no real way to describe what Ledger does, other than to say it’s simply the greatest performance I’ve ever seen. The way he carried himself, his history (which is “multiple choice”) little things like his voice, the psychology of the character, in particular the things he wants Batman to do (”I want it, I want it… Come on… hit me!”) all harken back to the comic character. (It helps the script was clearly top-notch, with influences by Loeb and Sale, Alan Moore, and, the one that really sticks out to me, Frank Miller.)
Ledger went to great lengths to get to that point. He locked himself in a hotel room for a month, in order to become the character. He kept a journal of The Joker’s thoughts, which boggles my mind. For the shooting of The Dark Knight, he was The Joker, and that probably had a hand in his death. for a long time, he couldn’t sleep, his mind was racing - he would take two Ambien, which would work for “about an hour,” and then wake up “mind racing.”
Heath Ledger has never been one to act conventionally - on break he’d spend most of his time with the crew of The Dark Knight, not the cast. It’s been rumored he didn’t really enjoy spending time with other actors, who, let’s face it can be elitists at times. He also took up the role of The Joker, which was, at the time, incredibly controversial. Heavy hitters were vying for that role, Adrien Brody, Robin Williams, even Steve Carell jokingly, and, oddly enough, The Joker becomes the super villain equivalent of what has been Ledger’s career. This anarchic interpretation of The Joker, this world without rules, is all more deserving of an Oscar than anything else so far this year, bar no film, no actor, no performance, and if he doesn’t get an Oscar for this role, it’s the Academy admitting they don’t take certain films seriously, devaluing the art form they’re supposed to represent.
This is the culmination of his life’s work. The only thing dissapointing about The Dark Knight is that the true star of the show never got to see his final masterpiece complete.
This post is dedicated to Heath Ledger.
HEAR, HEAR.
Friday, July 18, 2008
John's review of The Dark Knight
http://www.presstheactionbutton.com/
"It’s very easy in Hollywood for hype to get out of control. Expectations can build to the point that it becomes impossible for a movie to live up to it’s hype. But The Dark Knight lives up. It lives up in a big way.
While Batman Begins did a nice job of establishing Batman’s origin, The Dark Knight benefits from being able to built on that solid foundation. No time is wasted on screen, action and dailogue all weave together to make a rich tapestry.
A big part of what makes the movie so exciting is suspense. The movie has a lot of surprises that keep your eyes glued to the screen. Whether it be Joker’s antics or the tense moments like Harvey’s scarring, you find yourself not losing focus on the film for fear of missing something. There is a lot going on in The Dark Knight, it’s a layered movie that while abundant in detail has a very well developed and followable main plot.
Heath Ledger’s performance is everything I thought it would be, everything it was publicized to be. What Ledger does with The Joker is arguably the most unique take an actor as every had on the character. Everything about the performance was right, not a false step to be found. His transformation was a complete one; when looking up on the screen you are not seeing Heath Ledger playing the Joker, you are actually seeing The Joker. I really could go on and on about Ledger’s performance as there is just so much to it but in lieu of providing any spoilers I will instead encourage you to see The Dark Knight if for no other reason then solely for Ledger’s performance.
As if Ledger’s Oscar caliber performance wasn’t enough, everyone else in the cast is at the top of their game. I can’t single out any one in the entire cast that puts on a poor performance. All the returning actors slipped back into the roles very nicely. James Gordon, while an important character in Batman Begins, has an even bigger part in The Dark Knight. Like in Begins, Gary Oldman manages to nail everything that I envision James Gordon to be. Considering how involved Gordon is in the main plot of the film it is not a stretch to say that Gordon has made the leap from supporting to main character in the Nolan franchise. A special bit of praise goes to Maggie Gyllenhaal for stepping into the role Rachel Dawes and successfully keeping true to the character’s traits from the first film. Aaron Eckhart does a stellar job of fleshing out the complex character that is Harvey Dent. His portrayal is unique but stays true to the spirit of character.
Final Verdict: Go see The Dark Knight as soon as possible.
"It’s very easy in Hollywood for hype to get out of control. Expectations can build to the point that it becomes impossible for a movie to live up to it’s hype. But The Dark Knight lives up. It lives up in a big way.
While Batman Begins did a nice job of establishing Batman’s origin, The Dark Knight benefits from being able to built on that solid foundation. No time is wasted on screen, action and dailogue all weave together to make a rich tapestry.
A big part of what makes the movie so exciting is suspense. The movie has a lot of surprises that keep your eyes glued to the screen. Whether it be Joker’s antics or the tense moments like Harvey’s scarring, you find yourself not losing focus on the film for fear of missing something. There is a lot going on in The Dark Knight, it’s a layered movie that while abundant in detail has a very well developed and followable main plot.
Heath Ledger’s performance is everything I thought it would be, everything it was publicized to be. What Ledger does with The Joker is arguably the most unique take an actor as every had on the character. Everything about the performance was right, not a false step to be found. His transformation was a complete one; when looking up on the screen you are not seeing Heath Ledger playing the Joker, you are actually seeing The Joker. I really could go on and on about Ledger’s performance as there is just so much to it but in lieu of providing any spoilers I will instead encourage you to see The Dark Knight if for no other reason then solely for Ledger’s performance.
As if Ledger’s Oscar caliber performance wasn’t enough, everyone else in the cast is at the top of their game. I can’t single out any one in the entire cast that puts on a poor performance. All the returning actors slipped back into the roles very nicely. James Gordon, while an important character in Batman Begins, has an even bigger part in The Dark Knight. Like in Begins, Gary Oldman manages to nail everything that I envision James Gordon to be. Considering how involved Gordon is in the main plot of the film it is not a stretch to say that Gordon has made the leap from supporting to main character in the Nolan franchise. A special bit of praise goes to Maggie Gyllenhaal for stepping into the role Rachel Dawes and successfully keeping true to the character’s traits from the first film. Aaron Eckhart does a stellar job of fleshing out the complex character that is Harvey Dent. His portrayal is unique but stays true to the spirit of character.
Final Verdict: Go see The Dark Knight as soon as possible.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
"An interview with the dark knight of the soul webmaster"
http://www.presstheactionbutton.com/
"Since his creation, Batman has appeared in many mediums. Books, television, radio, film, just about every entertainment form has featured The Dark Knight. And while many fans might not know it, Batman was even geared up to be in a musical production.
Recently I had the pleasure of interviewing a man who knows much about the Batman Musical project. He is in fact the Webmaster of a site dedicated to the project and it is at his site that learned most of what I now know about the project. He goes by the name AVD and his site is Dark Knight of The Soul.
The interview was conducted via e-mail with me sending him the questions and him sending back his answers. I hope you enjoy, as do I, his insights into Batman The Musical:
Waufreak89: When did you first learn about Batman The Musical?
AVD: I’ve been a fan of “Batman” and “Bat out of Hell” since as long as I remember. I heard about the project in 1999 when it was announced. I was thrilled, I thought it was the most amazingly unlikely idea and, done right, would surpass “The Phantom of the Opera”. Don’t you think “Batman” would make the ultimate gothic musical?
Waufreak89: When did you decide to start Dark Knight Of The Soul?
AVD: I always supported the idea of a “Batman” musical because the Burton movies sang to me. For example, I think “Batman Returns” would make a brilliant opera. Then I was passed a recording of a Jim Steinman concert in New York called “Over the Top”. The encore was the world premiere of Batman and Catwoman’s love duet “Not Allowed to Love”. It was the most beautiful song I ever heard and I’m a big fan of Rodgers & Hammerstein, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Stephen Sondheim etc. The website was born. Jim released the demos and the rest is history.
Waufreak89: From information I gathered on your site, it seems Batman The Musical would have taken many liberties with the mainstream Batman cannon. Do you think purist fans would have been upset by the fact Joker killed Bruce Wayne’s parents and a young Selina Kyle just happened to witness it all?
AVD: It’s all in the telling. The purist fans loved “Batman Begins” and, last night, I saw the premiere of “The Dark Knight”. There were just as many changes, to me, that were in Burton’s films and the musical. It really doesn’t matter as long as you tell a story well.
Waufreak89: Jim Steinman’s songs for the musical are absolutely fantastic. What are your overall feelings of Jim’s music?
AVD: “Batman” and Jim’s music are very special to me. I think I have a biased opinion in that regard (!) I was blown away by the music. I thought it was the closest you get to heaven but I wasn’t sure if they were moving the narrative or operating as character studies. Jim is one of the greatest songwriters ALIVE but he needed a visionary like Burton to collaborate with.
Waufreak89: Do you think Jim managed to accurately capture of the essence of Batman in the songs?
AVD: The Gotham citizens are the most frightened and frightening ensemble I’ve heard since “Sweeney Todd”. Batman, The Joker and Catwoman are all precisely done, just as I imagined. It’s true to the Burton films and the original emotion from the 1930s. That’s what I wanted.
Waufreak89: In The Land Of The Pig, The Butcher Is King is my personal favorite of the songs; do you have a favorite of the bunch?
AVD: They’re all special to me. If I had to choose, it would be “Gotham City” which could start global-freezing!
Waufreak89: Under the tribute section of your website you have an phenomenal fan-made song entitled I’ll Decorate The City In Ribbons of Blood. What did you first think when you listened to that stunning song?
AVD: David (Scaramouch) is a genius and a true Steinman fan. We both contributed to the Steinman tribute album and the first song I heard (of his) was “More Nocturnal Pleasures”. It was the most amazing song. I always knew he was developing this, which is based on an unproduced Steinman song, but I was stunned. The first image I had was Heath Ledger as The Joker. I could see him, or someone like him, performing it and, of course, I’ve played it ever since. Non-stop. He’s a fantastic musician who loves Queen (I love Queen and “A Night at the Opera”) and Steinman and I’m cheering for his success.
Waufreak89: Do you think there is still any hope that Batman The Musical will ever be produced?
AVD: Actually, I was told the other day that plans for The Musical stemmed back to the 70s (no Steinman involvement.) The Broadway musical “Grand Hotel” was in development for 30 years and Jim has been working on a rock version of “Neverland” for 40 years. Never say never. I still believe that Burton isn’t done with the franchise and Steinman and Elfman are the only people, I think, who could write it. The reason the website stands is because Warner Bros. should reconsider the project. I think it would have the biggest advance and box-office in Broadway history. The movies broke records at the box office and it’s a wonderful tale on the lines of “Sweeney Todd” and “The Phantom of the Opera”.
"Since his creation, Batman has appeared in many mediums. Books, television, radio, film, just about every entertainment form has featured The Dark Knight. And while many fans might not know it, Batman was even geared up to be in a musical production.
Recently I had the pleasure of interviewing a man who knows much about the Batman Musical project. He is in fact the Webmaster of a site dedicated to the project and it is at his site that learned most of what I now know about the project. He goes by the name AVD and his site is Dark Knight of The Soul.
The interview was conducted via e-mail with me sending him the questions and him sending back his answers. I hope you enjoy, as do I, his insights into Batman The Musical:
Waufreak89: When did you first learn about Batman The Musical?
AVD: I’ve been a fan of “Batman” and “Bat out of Hell” since as long as I remember. I heard about the project in 1999 when it was announced. I was thrilled, I thought it was the most amazingly unlikely idea and, done right, would surpass “The Phantom of the Opera”. Don’t you think “Batman” would make the ultimate gothic musical?
Waufreak89: When did you decide to start Dark Knight Of The Soul?
AVD: I always supported the idea of a “Batman” musical because the Burton movies sang to me. For example, I think “Batman Returns” would make a brilliant opera. Then I was passed a recording of a Jim Steinman concert in New York called “Over the Top”. The encore was the world premiere of Batman and Catwoman’s love duet “Not Allowed to Love”. It was the most beautiful song I ever heard and I’m a big fan of Rodgers & Hammerstein, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Stephen Sondheim etc. The website was born. Jim released the demos and the rest is history.
Waufreak89: From information I gathered on your site, it seems Batman The Musical would have taken many liberties with the mainstream Batman cannon. Do you think purist fans would have been upset by the fact Joker killed Bruce Wayne’s parents and a young Selina Kyle just happened to witness it all?
AVD: It’s all in the telling. The purist fans loved “Batman Begins” and, last night, I saw the premiere of “The Dark Knight”. There were just as many changes, to me, that were in Burton’s films and the musical. It really doesn’t matter as long as you tell a story well.
Waufreak89: Jim Steinman’s songs for the musical are absolutely fantastic. What are your overall feelings of Jim’s music?
AVD: “Batman” and Jim’s music are very special to me. I think I have a biased opinion in that regard (!) I was blown away by the music. I thought it was the closest you get to heaven but I wasn’t sure if they were moving the narrative or operating as character studies. Jim is one of the greatest songwriters ALIVE but he needed a visionary like Burton to collaborate with.
Waufreak89: Do you think Jim managed to accurately capture of the essence of Batman in the songs?
AVD: The Gotham citizens are the most frightened and frightening ensemble I’ve heard since “Sweeney Todd”. Batman, The Joker and Catwoman are all precisely done, just as I imagined. It’s true to the Burton films and the original emotion from the 1930s. That’s what I wanted.
Waufreak89: In The Land Of The Pig, The Butcher Is King is my personal favorite of the songs; do you have a favorite of the bunch?
AVD: They’re all special to me. If I had to choose, it would be “Gotham City” which could start global-freezing!
Waufreak89: Under the tribute section of your website you have an phenomenal fan-made song entitled I’ll Decorate The City In Ribbons of Blood. What did you first think when you listened to that stunning song?
AVD: David (Scaramouch) is a genius and a true Steinman fan. We both contributed to the Steinman tribute album and the first song I heard (of his) was “More Nocturnal Pleasures”. It was the most amazing song. I always knew he was developing this, which is based on an unproduced Steinman song, but I was stunned. The first image I had was Heath Ledger as The Joker. I could see him, or someone like him, performing it and, of course, I’ve played it ever since. Non-stop. He’s a fantastic musician who loves Queen (I love Queen and “A Night at the Opera”) and Steinman and I’m cheering for his success.
Waufreak89: Do you think there is still any hope that Batman The Musical will ever be produced?
AVD: Actually, I was told the other day that plans for The Musical stemmed back to the 70s (no Steinman involvement.) The Broadway musical “Grand Hotel” was in development for 30 years and Jim has been working on a rock version of “Neverland” for 40 years. Never say never. I still believe that Burton isn’t done with the franchise and Steinman and Elfman are the only people, I think, who could write it. The reason the website stands is because Warner Bros. should reconsider the project. I think it would have the biggest advance and box-office in Broadway history. The movies broke records at the box office and it’s a wonderful tale on the lines of “Sweeney Todd” and “The Phantom of the Opera”.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
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