V for Vendetta (James McTeigue, 2005)

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milk114
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#1 Post by milk114 » Sun Feb 06, 2005 5:56 pm

I know it's very early to talk about this film, given that it hasn't started shooting yet but it's release date is scheduled for 5 Nov 05. I'm currently rereading the Alan Moore/David Lloyd comic that is being adapted and I have to wonder how much Warner Bros is going to tone down the terrorist aspects of the original work. I cannot imagine how a rather obscure comic such as V, dealing with very British subject matter, is supposed to play well for US audiences. Add to that terrorism. My wish is that Warners be bold and stick closely to the comic and make a "subversive" film but I highly doubt that they or the Wachowski bros are going to put everything on the line, especially in the political climate we're in. With Joel Silver producing I am expecting this to be turned into a martial arts/action piece rather than a contemplative film about the abuse of power. Has the word "anarchy" been used positively in any film of recent memory? And although Watchmen by Alan Moore/Dave Gibbons also deals with power and terrorist acts, I can see it more easily translated for mass audiences who are accustomed to superhero flicks without losing some of its message. But with V for Vendetta, I have little hope of successful retention of original intent.

two mules
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#2 Post by two mules » Mon Feb 07, 2005 10:25 am

Hmmm. Initial reports about this film version suggest there's significant changes to the backstory.

The original story was written in 1983-1988, and set in 1997. In this alternative future, there'd been a very small nuclear exchange which indirectly affected the UK. Environmental change, floods, breakdown of government etc lead to a right-wing group seizing power and Britain becoming a totalitarian regime - all ethnic minorities, gays, handicapped etc are eliminated in "resettlement" camps.

Playing on the feelings of the time [that Thatcherite Conservative government was making Britain into a quasi-fascist state], Moore underplayed this future England as a very familiar down-to-earth place. Similarly, the characters are mainly establishment figures who are guilty of some hideous crimes, but are still realistic and sympathetic.

The character of "V" begins as a terrorist, striking at the heart of the establishment [i.e. blowing up most of London's landmarks]. As the story progresses, he becomes increasingly abstract, a personification of anarchy, and plot issues [such as "who is V?"] fade in importance compared to the principles he embodies.

And so in this movie version, the scenario now seems to be "what if the Nazis won WWII"? and has V as a freedom fighter battling the hun.

Is it just me, or should we give up hope right here and now?

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Jun-Dai
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#3 Post by Jun-Dai » Mon Feb 07, 2005 12:03 pm

If the film doesn't deviate drastically from the comic, then there's no hope for it (same goes for The Watchmen). Any chance it has comes from striking out on its own.

This is, of course, coming from someone that thought the Lord of the Rings films were shit.

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Steven H
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#4 Post by Steven H » Mon Feb 07, 2005 1:01 pm

As much as I enjoyed the comic, I don't have any hopes that this will be a decent film. I still haven't gotten around to seeing From Hell, but if League of Extraordinary Gentleman is anything like the quality control we can expect from Moore, then all we'll get is trash.

two mules
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#5 Post by two mules » Mon Feb 07, 2005 1:57 pm

harri wrote:As much as I enjoyed the comic, I don't have any hopes that this will be a decent film. I still haven't gotten around to seeing From Hell, but if League of Extraordinary Gentleman is anything like the quality control we can expect from Moore, then all we'll get is trash.

Just to straighten this out - Moore has no control over what happens with V FOR VENDETTA or WATCHMEN.

In fact, he was so disgusted with the "quality" of the adaptations of FROM HELL, LOEG, and particularly CONSTANTINE, that he's refused any screen credit or fees from CONSTANTINE or WATCHMEN [though he has agreed to accept some money for V FOR VENDETTA].

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solaris72
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#6 Post by solaris72 » Mon Feb 07, 2005 2:00 pm

It's not that he's disgusted with the quality; he hasn't even seen the movies. He's refusing the money because someone sued Fox claiming that League of Extraordinary Gentlemen was plagiarized from a script they had written earlier, and that they'd hired Moore to cover their tracks. Moore was so offended by this that he's turned over all film-related royalties and credits to the artists on each individiual project.

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The Invunche
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#7 Post by The Invunche » Mon Feb 07, 2005 2:14 pm

I believe that someone is Larry Cohen and the script he wrote has more in common with LXG than Moore's comic.

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solaris72
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#8 Post by solaris72 » Mon Feb 07, 2005 2:18 pm

Well, be that as it may, there was no call for him to try to implicate Moore in his conspiracy theory.

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Steven H
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#9 Post by Steven H » Mon Feb 07, 2005 2:54 pm

Thanks for straightening me out, and I have more respect for Moore now. Less hope for the films though.

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The Invunche
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#10 Post by The Invunche » Mon Feb 07, 2005 5:49 pm

solaris72 wrote:Well, be that as it may, there was no call for him to try to implicate Moore in his conspiracy theory.
I don't know that he really did that. I believe he sued the movie company and not Moore.

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solaris72
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#11 Post by solaris72 » Mon Feb 07, 2005 6:48 pm

The Invunche wrote:I don't know that he really did that.
BBC News wrote:[The lawsuit] goes on to allege that Fox commissioned Mr Moore to create the comic book as "smokescreen" for poaching the idea, and cutting the pair out of the production.
from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3141720.stm
He didn't sue Moore, but the allegations he made in the lawsuit did try to implicate Moore in the conspiracy.

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The Invunche
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#12 Post by The Invunche » Tue Feb 08, 2005 3:33 am

But does it alledge that Moore knew what was going on?

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Fletch F. Fletch
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#13 Post by Fletch F. Fletch » Tue Feb 15, 2005 5:49 pm

From MovieWeb:

V for Vendetta gets more production dollars
Friday, February 11th, 2005

Source: Variety

According to Variety, Wachowski brothers sci-fier V for Vendetta has been awarded $818,000 in production support by German film funding body Medienboard Berlin Brandenburg.

The siblings have penned the script from Alan Moore's graphic novel of the same name and will produce with Joel Silver for Warner Bros.

The Wachowskis' longtime first assistant director James McTeigue will make his helming debut on the pic, which will star Natalie Portman.

The film will be shot at Babelsberg Studios in Potsdam, outside Berlin.

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Fletch F. Fletch
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#14 Post by Fletch F. Fletch » Tue Feb 22, 2005 1:31 pm

From FilmForce:

http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/588/588886p1.html

Vendetta's Man Behind The Mask
Purefoy to play V.

February 18, 2005 - According to The Hollywood Reporter, British thesp James Purefoy (Resident Evil) will star opposite Natalie Portman in the big-screen version of the Alan Moore/David Lloyd graphic novel V for Vendetta.

THR reminds us that "the futuristic tale unfolds in a Great Britain that's a fascist state. A freedom fighter known as V (Purefoy) uses terrorist tactics to fight the oppressive society. He rescues a young woman (Portman) from the secret police, and she becomes his unlikely ally."

Purefoy's credits include Vanity Fair, A Knight's Tale, Mansfield Park, and the forthcoming HBO miniseries Rome (as Marc Antony).

V for Vendetta will be directed by first-timer James McTeigue from a screenplay adaptation by the Wachowski brothers. Joel Silver will produce.

Filming begins in Berlin early next month for a fall 2005 release.
-- Stax

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Fletch F. Fletch
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#15 Post by Fletch F. Fletch » Tue Mar 08, 2005 10:12 am

The official site is up and running with photos, video and a transcript of the press conference in Berlin:

http://vforvendetta.warnerbros.com/

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Fletch F. Fletch
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#16 Post by Fletch F. Fletch » Wed Apr 20, 2005 1:26 pm

Apparently, Stephen Fry has joined the cast:

from FilmForce:

http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/605/605909p1.html
April 19, 2005 - IGN FilmForce recently interviewed British actor-writer Stephen Fry (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) who happened to be in Berlin. And why was he in Germany? It turns out he was there filming a role in the big-screen adaptation of the Alan Moore/David Lloyd graphic novel V for Vendetta.

Unfortunately, we have been unable to confirm which role Fry is playing and his reps did not respond to our inquiries for comment. (As it turns out, Comic Book Movies has also heard about Fry's Vendetta.)

Fry's credits include Wilde, The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, Gosford Park, Jeeves and Wooster and Blackadder II.

In related news, Superhero Hype has posted the first set pics from the film. Streets have been redressed with ads for Lewis Prothero, "The Voice of London," who appears on the British Television Network (weeknights at 10pm).
Here's a link to the pics:

http://www.superherohype.com/news/vforv ... hp?id=2870

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Fletch F. Fletch
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#17 Post by Fletch F. Fletch » Tue May 10, 2005 9:03 am

The first pic of Natalie Portman with her new 'do is up:

Image

Also, cast changes:
The Hollywood Reporter reports that Hugo Weaving is joining the cast of "V for Vendetta," playing the title character V opposite Natalie Portman, Stephen Rea, Rupert Graves and Stephen Fry. Weaving replaced James Purefoy, who originally was cast in the role but has left the production. "V for Vendetta" tells the story of a mild-mannered woman named Evey (Portman) who is rescued from a life-and-death situation by a masked vigilante known only as V, who ignites a revolution.

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Fletch F. Fletch
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#18 Post by Fletch F. Fletch » Mon Jun 06, 2005 9:19 am


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The Invunche
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#19 Post by The Invunche » Mon Jun 06, 2005 9:41 am

Who produced V masks for the public in the film?

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Fletch F. Fletch
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#20 Post by Fletch F. Fletch » Mon Jun 20, 2005 4:30 pm

A set report from The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/19/movies/19lyal.html

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Fletch F. Fletch
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#21 Post by Fletch F. Fletch » Tue Jun 28, 2005 9:04 am


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Fletch F. Fletch
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#22 Post by Fletch F. Fletch » Mon Jul 25, 2005 9:32 am


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Fletch F. Fletch
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#23 Post by Fletch F. Fletch » Wed Nov 16, 2005 9:55 am

The new movie poster is online:

http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=21841

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Lino
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#24 Post by Lino » Wed Nov 16, 2005 12:48 pm

Fletch F. Fletch wrote:The new movie poster is online:

http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=21841
It reminds me of old russian propaganda posters which I think it's completely intentional.

If only the Wachowskis could sort out the way for their films to be more politically active and less target audience orientated, they would be something very powerful indeed. Maybe that's their goal in the long run, after all. We'll see how this one turns out.

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Lino
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#25 Post by Lino » Wed Nov 16, 2005 1:01 pm

Image

Image

It's very nice, though (the Vendetta poster). Whoever did it, achieved a striking result.

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