Hey, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab.
As I sit here preparing this morning’s update, I’m enjoying my newly-installed DirecTV and the 40 million channels of stuff I have available to me each night. Seriously... I can’t get over how nice it is to finally be rid of the profoundly shitty Adelphia Cable and watching a crystal-clear picture with great selection. I’m as happy as Harry Knowles on absinthe.
While I watch William Devane load his revolver with a hook in ROLLING THUNDER, you guys take a look at these reports, all of which have to do with SPIDER-MAN 2 in one way or another, although this first one actually covers a few films I’m looking forward to. Check it out:
I saw Michael Chabon read last Wednesday in San Francisco from Summerland. One of the first questions was about Spiderman. He joked that a bunch of lawyers followed him around to make sure he didn't reveal anything.
He did say that he was going to be working on it when he went home (he works late into the night and sleeps late) and when he sent them a scene they wanted to see, he had to encrypt it and he imagined they printed it out on red paper or something to keep it from being copied.
When someone asked if Doc Ock was the villian, he just said, "I can neither confirm nor deny."
He said that the screenplay for The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay was competed after eight drafts and it changed quite a bit during the process. One of the most difficult issues was how to portray the comic book sequences. He didn't want animation because he thinks comics and animation are opposites. And that was confirmed for him when he had recently seen the Secret Life of Altar Boys and didn't think the animated parts portraying the comics worked (though it was a pretty good movie).
He also said he thought he could reveal that Sydney Pollack was no longer going to direct it. It is now doing to be directed by Stephen Daldry who did the Hours and Billy Elliot.
I guess you can call me bookworm.
Thanks, “bookworm.” Our next tidbit is from an industry insider who is a long-time friend of the site, and clarifies what we heard yesterday about how they’re going to bring Doc Ock to life in the new movie:
Harry and Jay,
Along with the animation effects that you mention on your site about Doc Ock as the next villian in THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN movie, I know that Steve Johnson's Edge Effects has been working on Doc Ock designs AND experimenting with how to work the mechanical arms (a combination of animatronics and puppeteering with the rods removed digitally). I know that I'd much rather see "real" on site mechanical arms than CGI stuff (used only when necessary).
"Bones"
Man, I can’t wait to see how he looks brought to life. I must admit... I don’t know what to make of this next bit, which doesn’t seem related at all to the rest of the stories about what’s happening in Chicago. If anyone else knows anything about London, let us know, okay? I’m thinking that for now, this one goes in the “grain of salt” file...
Dear Harry,
excellent news my friend. Yestaday morning I was just another poor student in London, studying media at the london institute, when a friend who is at the same university studying drama brings me some fantastic news. According to him, there were auditions for the new spiderman film right here in London the tommorow, whats more filming would be going on in a park in London next week, although I am not sure which park!! I shall leave it here and right more when I hear it!!!
It is now wednesday and not to much to add on the above except that rumour has it that the filming is for the new spiderman trailer, and that big ben was even getting looked at, but I am not too sure on this point!!! My friend has been told that to keep quiet over any imformation so he is really pissing me off, but has hinted at Hyde Park as the place to filming.
On a final note, it is very exciting a prospect of spiderman coming to London, and I would feel very prud. But who knows, perhaps they jut want to use a studio here or something, but i do hope not!!
When I hear more so shall you,
greatest respects,
Mr_Skint
Thanks, Mr. Skint. I appreciate you taking the time to write, and I’m curious to see if there’s anything concrete we can turn up about the story. Meanwhile, we got quite a few letters like this one to add details about what’s going on in Chicago right now...
If this is not the movie, it is a hell of a commercial. There is 30 story crane outside my office window that they are dropping cameras off of. There was filming at Union Station and on the "el." There is a casting call for extras. Kirsten Dunst is supposed to be here tomorrow. And I was standing two feet away from Raimi while he was going over storyboards about an hour ago . . . I think it is the movie.
... with the ultimate word on what’s happening coming from none other than Capone, our man in Chicago.
Hey, Harry. Capone in Chicago here. You put Quint and me on the case, and this is what I've come up with for today (Tuesday) and tomorrow (Wednesday). This is literally one block from my office. I'll scope it out and report any happenings
To All (A Letter from Columbia Pictures in Culver City, CA):
Columbia Pictures will be filming visual effects background plate shots for the movie "Spiderman 2" in the Chicago Loop today, and tomorrow. There will be filming on Franklin Street between Madison and Washington Streets. Intermittent traffic control will be in effect on Franklin Street between Monroe and Randolph Streets between the hours of 9:30am-3:30pm. Traffic will be controlled by the City of Chicago Police Department at the intersections of Franklin/Madison, Franklin/Monroe and Franklin/Washington, Franklin/Randolph Streets. There will be No Parking on both sides of Franklin from Madison to Washington today.
A 160 foot crane will be placed on the west side of Franklin Street near the small CPS parking lot just south of Washington Street. In addition, there will be no parking signs on the streets near our location in order to facilitate the working trucks.
Columbia Pictures is working with the City of Chicago Film Office, and the Chicago Police Department to insure a smooth and safe filming environment.
Sincerely,
Don Hug, Location Manager
Wileen Dragovan, Co-Location Manager
Excellent work, everybody. Sounds like Spidey’s swinging again, and even as they write, they’re getting started on one of the most eagerly-anticipated films of 2004.
"Moriarty" out.
