Hey folks, Harry here. This time we have a spy in a different location all together. And this was for the shooting of the beginning of the film. Now, I'd like to take this space to address the brutality that it seems a lot of you people are addressing towards this production. Some of it seems an awful bit homophobic... while still other bits seem to be based on some great belief system that all MARVEL products by definition must in fact suck when converted to film.
First of all, if I see any homophobic content down below, simply because of the sexuality of some of the people associated with this film, I will BAN you. I will not tolerate this hate... especially when dealing with a property that is about a minority being persecuted by a bunch of bigoted scared of their shadows 'normals'. If you like X-MEN... the comic, the cartoon, the characters... and you begin to come down on ANYONE for race, size, sexuality, job position, anything... then you are manifesting the very same hypocrisy that the X-MEN fight. So grow a friggin brain and learn to use it.
As for this Marvel Curse... That's a real load of horse manure. It is possible to make a GREAT film out of Marvel Characters. Just because it hasn't been done yet, proves that the company has been highly stupid in who it has entrusted it's properties to in the past. Selling off rights to whoever would meet a price. This era is behind Marvel now. After a big bout of stingingly rancid MARVEL films, the company began to realize that not only does a bad movie hurt the people that made it, but the tie-in products as well. Thus hurting Marvel as a whole. They now realize they must produce solid films, from solid filmmakers. To me. Bryan Singer is an exceptionally talented filmmaker that gets way too much shit slung in his direction.
After directing one of my favorite films of this decade, THE USUAL SUSPECTS, he directed a smaller, very tight and uncomfortable and claustrophobic film from one of Stephen King's darkest stories. APT PUPIL was a very solid film. It did not suck, but it was not what a lot of people were expecting as a follow-up to THE USUAL SUSPECTS.
Griping about the casting also seems to be a real common thing, but ya know... Why don't we try to keep it down a bit until we see that first shot or report of the characters in costume. I mean really, that's when we can really begin to either... rip this film apart... or get behind it. I've read the script... at least an earlier draft. It's a good script... Ya know.. at least they don't KILL Magneto off... like it seems every other Superhero movie does to it's supervillian. At least the entire film takes what is going on in it... SERIOUS, and isn't cracking jokes or one liners left and right. Let's give this film a chance... I mean.. to me at least..
If this film succeeds... if it just.. HAPPENS to be very cool and successful... then perhaps the cycle can be broken and the world of Marvel comics and superhero films can be taken seriously and be done in a kickass manner. It's a genre of filmmaking that hasn't been that great so far. But that could be said about any genre... till the great one comes out. I believe anyone that watched MATRIX can see the real potential for a kickass superhero comic bookish film. It can rock HARD. So all I am saying... is give X-men a chance.....
It's Wednesday, and today they're filming something on the beach, then later, back to the camps. For Monday and Tuesday's camp scene, it was shot in a cool location of Toronto that I hadn't even known existed. The concentration camp was a cool looking set, and there was something in the range of 400 extras, but nothing spectacular.
On the second day of filming, Singer was talking to a couple of extras at lunch, which eventually turned into a crowd. One of them asked how he made desicions for the film that could hold the fans in favor. His response was that he's had people do surveys, which allowed him to get a better "all around" feel for what would be appropriate. When asked who his favorite character was, he chose Xavier. He said that if there were anything he had in common with him, it would be that, like Xavier, sits in a chair telling people what to do. There was also mention of the Magneto helmet, and he desribed how well it was made. Apparently, just for fun, Bryan was occationaly wearing the helmet during last weeks shooting.
Let me say that, I've been on many sets before, and judging by how the entire sequence was being filmed, one could tell that Bryan isn't just filming this so he can get a nice paycheck. And even though this was going to be just a minute or two to film, you could see that he wanted this all to work. Basically, the kid's got a good head on his shoulders, and it wasn't hard to tell that he cares about making this a good movie.
Later they'll be filming a train in Hamilton, which will most likely be the first shot. I've watched every shot so I'll describe what the entire scene could look like:
The film would open up with a shot of the train, with text for setting. Next we see a long shot of about 100 jewish prisoners comming around a corner, being led down a row of fences where guards stand outside. Most likely, we'd catch a few close up of the prisoners, along with some of the taunting guards. Then we see a close up of little Magneto and his family walk through the rain and mud. On a closer shot, Magneto looks to his right. From his perspective, we see several prison workers digging graves, all shot at high speed (slow motion). Next, the jewish prisoners end at a group of soldiers and debutantes, that quickly remove the young men from the crowd, including Magneto from his family. As prisoners begin to cause a commotion, Magneto manages to squirm himself into a temporary hiding spot. Meanwhile the families are being led through the gates of another pathway. Magneto attempts to make a break for that path, but is quickly stopped. Magneto is freaking out, crying with his arms stretched. The guard tries to force the boy back, but cannot budge the child. He calls for assistance, and he too fails. Meanwhile the jewish prisoners have begun to take notice of the child's screaming and begin to watch from behind fences. A third, then forth guard finally take hold of the child, and yet, no luck. This is where I suppose the floating barb wires comes into play, and something happens that knocks the guards to the ground. One of the guards returns to his feet, and is amazed by something. Eventually, the child is knocked out by one of the guards, and the show's over. The guards return to their duties, and get the prisoners back in line as other guards haul Magneto's unconsious body away. The scene ends with the families walking down the pathway with the final shot closing on the barbwire that (I suppose) will be all twisted later, or something.
Like I said before, you could tell how much he wanted this to work, so I can't imagine this being a particularily bad movie. But then agin, I've never really been a big Bryan Singer fan. I didn't think that "The Ususal Suspects" was a GREAT film, so even if it was "Bryan Singer" great, I'd say it would be average. So I guess that, based on what I've seen and know, this might not be the best SuperHero movie out there, but it's gotta be better than Batman.
Anyways, I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but next time you hear from me...the.... You'll see
