Trailer Trash: The Wolfman

This is the first of a new regular series here at the E-manual: TRAILER TRASH! Here I'll be reviewing the previews for upcoming movies. I probably won't embed anything because I think everything should be seen in glorious Quicktime, and thus I'll be sending you to apple.com/trailers or maybe yahoo trailers to check them out. Apple doesn't embed. Yahoo might.

It's probably best to watch the trailers first and then read the article. I'll be talking about THE WOLFMAN. 

I'll start with the new trailer for Spielberg-protege Joe Johnston's (Jumanji, The Rocketeer, Jurassic Park 3) THE WOLFMAN, starring Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada) and Hugo "Agent Smith" Weaving.

The new trailer has a very exciting momentum to it and seems to promise multiple transformation scenes with great SFX. I expect some combination of the moody & manic Del Toro, and some scenery chewing from Anthony Hopkins. Weaving's role is ambiguous, but I bet it's something of a lawman. He's got the silver bullets...I hope the lovely Emily Blunt has something more to do than pout, be confused and run.

Rick Baker does the special make-up effects. He worked on Michael Jackson's Thriller video, and has previously wolfed out on: Wolf, with Jack Nicholson, An American Werewolf in London, & The Howling.

Apparently there's been some release date issues; I hope that's not a hint at mediocrity, since I'm ready for a quality werewolf film. No, I don't think the Underworld movies are good.

I definitely want to see this one.


This post is brought to you 
by Citizens for a Foolhardy Halloween. 

And now, for something completely Python

Terry Jones, of the seminal sketch comedy group Monty Python, held a writing seminar this past Saturday at the P.I.T. Some of my Foolhardy Man-friends and I were in attendance. Now, I must admit that I am not the world's foremost Python fan and I can neither quote nor cite much of their work. Sloppy, I know, but honestly, as a wee ignoramus I resisted it because of fear of stiff-upper-lip-itis and the dryness of British Comedy. (With the exception of Mr. Bean, who was quiet, physical and readily available via HBO).

The seminar remedied my lack of knowledge with a multitude of video clips from the different work of Mr. Jones, including some rarities and never-before-seens. I think too much of the roughly 2 hr event was filled with watching clips, though, and we never really broke the ice. He answered questions plainly and humorously, but there was a lack of detail and insight into the promise, at least for my expectations of a 'writing seminar'. It was more like an episode of 'Inside the Actor's Studio.'

- While discussing Mr. Creosote from Meaning of Life, he expressed the same concerns that amateurs will feel: "Will people think this is funny?"



- He promoted writing with a partner, as a springboard and someone to say "that is funny." It breaks the 'closed circuit' in your head and gives fresh perspective....Also, he mentioned that John Cleese works solo with his sketches. Different strokes...

- The pressure of submitting new sketches: Do we "dare the exposure of the group!"

- He showed his first film as a wee lad "Deck Chairs". A Stop-Motion of chairs doing it. It reminded me of "Back in Time" and some of the other shorts my cousins and I used to make.

Mr. Jones & some of the Foolhardies

Check out www.TheFoolhardyManor.com for the outcome of our SKETCH-PROV Prelim show, Thursday and possible FRIDAY NIGHT SHOW!

Speaking of sketch-comedy, tickets are still available for our Halloween show!
Buy online for cheaper tickets and a shot at winning great prizes at the party!

CASTING CALL for Northern NJ SONY shoot

Hey friends,

Midnight Media, a very cool video production company in Millburn, where yours truly got his start in pro video production with an internship during my college years, is working a corporate video for SONY next week.

The shoots are Tues-Thursday NIGHTS at the Garden State Plaza Mall. I am told it'll be in shifts of about 10pm-3am and 3am-8am or something like that. If you are unavailable for overnight work, this probably isn't for you.

They're looking for all types, so please send your contact information, availability and a photo to:

Sherry Bloom
201-869-5336
sherry@mmgi.tv

Please don't send stuff to me because I'm not personally casting this project.

http://www.mmgi.tv/index.php

PLEASE PASS THIS ALONG!