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News about new Doc Savage movie!!!

Brian Sheridan

One Too Many
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Erie, PA
from Playlist.com

Writer Shane Black Hired To Pen 'Doc Savage' For Orci & Kurtzman

Film blogger Harry Knowles has a bit of a scoop when he sat down to talk to Shane Black, occasionally brilliant genre screenwriter ("Lethal Weapon," "The Long Kiss Goodnight," "Last Action Hero") and writer-director of the underrated gem "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" (seriously -- we just watched this again the other night). It seems that Black has recently been hired by the omnipresent production duo of Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman ("Star Trek," "The Proposal," pretty much every movie in the next five years) to write a new version of pulp action icon Doc Savage.

Doc Savage was a pulp fiction hero, appearing in books, comics, radio programs, magazines and movies. He was created by publisher Henry Ralson and editor John L Nanovic, but is most famously known by the works brought to life by writer Lester Dent. Savage is a nearly superman renaissance man (he's a scientist, adventurer, etc.) who always finds himself in outlandish situations.

His most famous cinematic incarnation so far was in the George Pal's 1975 camp romp "Doc Savage: Man of Bronze" (we recently watched this again thanks to the wonderful Warner Bros. Archive and boy is it lousy). There was talk in the late 1990's of a new Doc Savage movie, to be produced by the "Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors" (yeah we went there) duo of Chuck Russell and Frank Darabont with Arnold Schwarzenegger in the title role (no, really). Schwarzenegger's desire to ruin California as the great state's governor ultimately killed the project.

Shane Black confirmed that the movie would be period, set in the 1930's. Harry Knowles, of course, gushed about this fan boyish detail, but we can't help but remind Knowles of the number of fantastical period action movies, based on pulp fiction heroes, that have failed both critically and commercially -- "The Rocketeer," "The Shadow," "The Phantom," "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow," "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen," the list goes on and on and fucking on. Maybe Guy Ritchie's "Sherlock Holmes" will turn that around, but we're doubtful.

If anybody does have the chutzpah to bring this property to life with the right mix of brains and brawn, it's Black and his co-conspirators. [AICN] - Drew Taylor
 

Leesensei

One of the Regulars
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118
Location
Birmingham, Alabama
I would love to see a new take on Doc Savage on the big screen. I was a big fan of the books back in the day and was one of the first ones in line when the George Pal movie came out. Unfortunately they made that movie super campy, so it was a bis disappointment!

310829533_4502ba3965.jpg
 
Messages
11,579
Location
Covina, Califonia 91722
I am sure any adaptation will be well received by people that know little or nothing of the books and the charectors. People that know the books and assorted comics will complain as they do about every film because it doesn't do it justice. I liked the Rocketeer, the Shadow and thought the Phantom was ok.

Much like Remo Williams a film that has to introduce the charectors often runs out of time for them to really do anything as they try to satisfy the book readers. Taking my cue from Remo Williams, I always wanted the adventure to continue just like it did in the serials.
 

The Wolf

Call Me a Cab
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2,153
Location
Santa Rosa, Calif
A) I've learned not hold my breath until the first preview is released.
B) I hope they don't screw it up.
C) I'm already excited.

Sincerely,
The Wolf

P.S. D) I hope there is a fast food tie-in.:)
 

astrang1

New in Town
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28
Location
Glasgow, Scotland
Hello,
I would love to see this as I am a huge fan of the pulp heroes and modern takes on it.......The Shadow, Rocketeer, Indy. However I have heard this before years ago when Arnold Schwartzenegger was linked to a Doc film.
Hopefully it will happen.
Best wishes,
Al
 

Leesensei

One of the Regulars
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118
Location
Birmingham, Alabama
As long as we don't end up with another mess like the current Seth Rogen Green Hornet movie. Let's hope that a new Doc Savage movie will take the character seriously!

Lee
 

Brian Sheridan

One Too Many
Messages
1,456
Location
Erie, PA
astrang1 said:
Hello,
I would love to see this as I am a huge fan of the pulp heroes and modern takes on it.......The Shadow, Rocketeer, Indy. However I have heard this before years ago when Arnold Schwartzenegger was linked to a Doc film.
Hopefully it will happen.
Best wishes,
Al


I always think the scene in True Lies, when AS's shirt is in tatters, and he swims underwater away from the enemy camp while it explodes as an great example of what his Doc Savage movie might have looked like.
 

Ghostsoldier

Call Me a Cab
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2,408
Location
Starke, Florida, USA
I've been waiting for this movie for years; as a teen, I collected all of the Bantam book adaptations (all 181 of them, and I still have them :) ), and read them many times...who can argue with the artwork of James Bama, the guy who created the quintessential visual Doc? I also collected the comic books, and some of the original magazines, before other interests garnered my attention. I guess you could say my love for Doc was what introduced me to the Golden Age, and I've never gone back! George Pal didn't kill my interest in Doc, but he didn't help it, either (all I'll ever be able to see Ron Ely as, is the perfect English-speaking Tarzan...:rolleyes: )

Like the others here, my heart leaped at the thought of Arnie portraying Doc, but alas, it's never to be....I guess I'll wait to see if a new writer and director can breath life into the franchise.
Rob
 

Mahagonny Bill

Practically Family
Messages
563
Location
Seattle
This is interesting news. I have always been a big fan of the Doc Savage books, but been very disappointed with the George Pal move and the older DC comic books. (DC actually gave Doc superpowers and had him flying around Manhattan).

There seems to be a resurgence in Doc Savage interest right now. Reprints of the original pulps are being published, DC comics is starting a new "pulp fiction" based comic series with Doc at the center, starting with a Batman/Doc Savage special next month, and now news of this movie.
 

Leesensei

One of the Regulars
Messages
118
Location
Birmingham, Alabama
Brian Sheridan said:
I always think the scene in True Lies, when AS's shirt is in tatters, and he swims underwater away from the enemy camp while it explodes as an great example of what his Doc Savage movie might have looked like.

A younger Arnold could have been very good as Doc Savage. It's hard to say though. While Arnold has the brawn, I don't know about the brains. I don't mean that as a personal attack against the Governor, I just don't know that he could really pull off the intelligence and sophistication of the character. Let's hope that this new project can find the perfect actor to play Dr. Clark Savage jr. Doc Savage deserves a decent film after all of this time.

docsavage_1934_03.jpg
 

marvelgoose

One of the Regulars
Messages
228
Location
Valdosta, GA
John in Covina said:
Much like Remo Williams a film that has to introduce the charectors often runs out of time for them to really do anything as they try to satisfy the book readers. Taking my cue from Remo Williams, I always wanted the adventure to continue just like it did in the serials.

Really, just have an action show and let people figure out where he's coming from as it goes along. If the show is a hit, then go make a prequel for the fanboys.
 

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