Ben Grimm is mad. The ace pilot would do almost anything for his college pal Dr. Reed Richards, the super-genius who has designed an experimental rocket. But Ben worries about cosmic rays surrounding the planet and threatens to drop out of the project.
“Ben, we’ve got to take that chance,” interjects friend Sue Storm. “Unless we want the Commies to beat us to it.”
With that Ben takes up the mission. Because if there’s one thing that Benjamin J. Grimm hates, its Commies. Well, at least that’s what Ben hated in the 1960s. And so he joins Reed, Sue, and Sue’s brother Johnny on a trip into space, a trip that will expose them to cosmic rays, transforming Ben into the Thing, Reed into Mr. Fantastic, Sue into Invisible Girl, and Johnny into the Human Torch. Together, they will form the Fantastic Four.
Fantastic Four #1 by...
“Ben, we’ve got to take that chance,” interjects friend Sue Storm. “Unless we want the Commies to beat us to it.”
With that Ben takes up the mission. Because if there’s one thing that Benjamin J. Grimm hates, its Commies. Well, at least that’s what Ben hated in the 1960s. And so he joins Reed, Sue, and Sue’s brother Johnny on a trip into space, a trip that will expose them to cosmic rays, transforming Ben into the Thing, Reed into Mr. Fantastic, Sue into Invisible Girl, and Johnny into the Human Torch. Together, they will form the Fantastic Four.
Fantastic Four #1 by...
- 2/16/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
The Daniel Craig era of James Bond changed up the many decades-long film series in a number of different ways. Most notably was its tonal shift, steering further away from the goofier and campier elements of the series that the "Austin Powers" trilogy had so much fun lampooning. After all, once you make "Die Another Day," the only direction you can go is a more grounded one. But there had been serious James Bond films before, such as the earliest Sean Connery films or the Timothy Dalton era. The bigger change the Craig films made was taking a page out of the modern franchise booklet, and that was serialization.
The first 20 James Bond films may have brought actors and filmmakers over from one film to another, but the plots of those films rarely carried over. Part of the pleasure of...
The Daniel Craig era of James Bond changed up the many decades-long film series in a number of different ways. Most notably was its tonal shift, steering further away from the goofier and campier elements of the series that the "Austin Powers" trilogy had so much fun lampooning. After all, once you make "Die Another Day," the only direction you can go is a more grounded one. But there had been serious James Bond films before, such as the earliest Sean Connery films or the Timothy Dalton era. The bigger change the Craig films made was taking a page out of the modern franchise booklet, and that was serialization.
The first 20 James Bond films may have brought actors and filmmakers over from one film to another, but the plots of those films rarely carried over. Part of the pleasure of...
- 10/29/2023
- by Mike Shutt
- Slash Film
Martin Campbell's "GoldenEye" is one of the most important films in the history of the James Bond franchise. The series had been mothballed for six years after the box office disappointment of "License to Kill" in 1989, which brought the two-film Timothy Dalton era to a premature halt. While producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson searched for Dalton's successor, the world went through a rapid metamorphosis. The Berlin Wall fell in 1989, precipitating the end of the Warsaw Pact and the breakup of the Soviet Union. The Cold War was over. The West won. Where did Bond fit in this new world order?
Old hostilities die hard, especially in spy fiction, so it's no surprise that screenwriters Jeffrey Caine and Bruce Feirstein (working from a story by Michael France) concocted a Russia-centric adventure revolving around an electromagnetic weapon that would plunge the Cold War victors into a global financial crisis.
Old hostilities die hard, especially in spy fiction, so it's no surprise that screenwriters Jeffrey Caine and Bruce Feirstein (working from a story by Michael France) concocted a Russia-centric adventure revolving around an electromagnetic weapon that would plunge the Cold War victors into a global financial crisis.
- 10/14/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
From left: Hulk (Courtesy of Universal Pictures); The Incredible Hulk (Courtesy of Universal Pictures)Graphic: The A.V. Club
Some superheroes get multiple screen incarnations simply because they are challenging to capture cinematically. The Fantastic Four will be on their fourth iteration in 2025. The Punisher has been portrayed by four different actors,...
Some superheroes get multiple screen incarnations simply because they are challenging to capture cinematically. The Fantastic Four will be on their fourth iteration in 2025. The Punisher has been portrayed by four different actors,...
- 6/13/2023
- by Bryan Reesman
- avclub.com
It would be easy to dismiss Cliffhanger as little more than a fun riff on the Die Hard formula, with the action switching from the heights of Nakatomi Plaza to the Colorado Rockies. After all, the film largely pits Sylvester Stallone’s Gabe Walker—often wearing little more than a t-shirt on the mountain in place of John McClane’s vest—against a crack team of international terrorists led by John Lithgow, who is in deliciously deranged form as a psychotic military intelligence expert turned thief.
The comparisons are not helped by the fact that Cliffhanger arrived at a time when the Die Hard formula was being milked for all its worth. In the 12 months prior to its release, moviegoers had been served up the likes of Passenger 57 (Die Hard on a plane) and Under Siege (Die Hard on a boat), with Speed (Die Hard on a bus) hot...
The comparisons are not helped by the fact that Cliffhanger arrived at a time when the Die Hard formula was being milked for all its worth. In the 12 months prior to its release, moviegoers had been served up the likes of Passenger 57 (Die Hard on a plane) and Under Siege (Die Hard on a boat), with Speed (Die Hard on a bus) hot...
- 6/7/2023
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
When word got out that Sylvester Stallone was strapping on his climbing gear as Gabriel Walker for a sequel to Renny Harlin’s Cliffhanger, we at JoBlo could barely contain our excitement. Getting behind the camera for Cliffhanger 2, a follow-up to what is objectively one of Stallone’s best films, is Ric Roman Waugh, who recently spoke with Collider‘s Steve Weintraub about plot details for Walker’s next climb.
One year after starring alongside Estelle Getty in the familial comedy Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot, Sylvester Stallone strapped in for a nerve-jangling blockbuster with Cliffhanger. Directed by Renny Harlin from a screenplay co-written by Stallone and Michael France, Cliffhanger finds the Italian Stallion in the role of Gabe Walker, a Colorado Rockies Ranger on the road to recovery after a botched rescue mission. After being pulled back onto the job by an alarming distress call, Gabe and his...
One year after starring alongside Estelle Getty in the familial comedy Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot, Sylvester Stallone strapped in for a nerve-jangling blockbuster with Cliffhanger. Directed by Renny Harlin from a screenplay co-written by Stallone and Michael France, Cliffhanger finds the Italian Stallion in the role of Gabe Walker, a Colorado Rockies Ranger on the road to recovery after a botched rescue mission. After being pulled back onto the job by an alarming distress call, Gabe and his...
- 5/16/2023
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Sylvester Stallone has put into motion a reboot of the 1993 classic ‘Cliffhanger’, in which he will reprise his role of mountain climber and rescue ranger, Gabe Walker.
‘Angel Has Fallen’ and ‘Greenland’ filmmaker Ric Roman Waugh is set to direct the reboot from a script by Mark Bianculli, a writer-consulting producer on Amazon series ‘Hunters.’
“Growing up with the biggest action films of the ’80s and ’90s, working on many of them myself, Cliffhanger was by far one of my favourite spectacles,” said Waugh in a statement. “To be at the helm of the next chapter, scaling the Italian Alps with the legend himself, Sylvester Stallone, is a dream come true. It’s going to be a great challenge and blast taking this franchise to new heights, a responsibility I don’t take lightly.”
Neal H. Moritz’s Original Film, best known for the multi-billion-dollar ‘Fast and the Furious’ franchise,...
‘Angel Has Fallen’ and ‘Greenland’ filmmaker Ric Roman Waugh is set to direct the reboot from a script by Mark Bianculli, a writer-consulting producer on Amazon series ‘Hunters.’
“Growing up with the biggest action films of the ’80s and ’90s, working on many of them myself, Cliffhanger was by far one of my favourite spectacles,” said Waugh in a statement. “To be at the helm of the next chapter, scaling the Italian Alps with the legend himself, Sylvester Stallone, is a dream come true. It’s going to be a great challenge and blast taking this franchise to new heights, a responsibility I don’t take lightly.”
Neal H. Moritz’s Original Film, best known for the multi-billion-dollar ‘Fast and the Furious’ franchise,...
- 5/2/2023
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Some actors choose to live life on the edge. In Sylvester Stallone‘s case, he’s about to leap off the edge and hang by a secured cable for Cliffhanger 2! That’s right, friends, the Italian Stallion is strapping in for a reboot sequel to 1993’s Cliffhanger! Stallone returns to the vertigo-inducing action property, with Ric Roman Waugh directing. Mark Bianculliis writing the script, with Neal H. Mortiz’s Original Film producing with Rocket Science. Stallone and Braden Aftergood’s Balboa Productions is also getting in on the producing action. Plot details for Cliffhanger 2 remain a mystery, though we know Stallone is reprising his role as Ranger Gabriel “Gabe” Walker for the sequel.
One year after starring alongside Estelle Getty in the familial comedy Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot, Sylvester Stallone strapped in for a nerve-jangling blockbuster with Cliffhanger. Directed by Renny Harlin from a screenplay co-written by Stallone and Michael France,...
One year after starring alongside Estelle Getty in the familial comedy Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot, Sylvester Stallone strapped in for a nerve-jangling blockbuster with Cliffhanger. Directed by Renny Harlin from a screenplay co-written by Stallone and Michael France,...
- 5/1/2023
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Sylvester Stallone is ready to scale new heights with a reboot of his 1993 action thriller, Cliffhanger.
Ric Roman Waugh, who helmed action movies Angel Has Fallen and Greenland, is set to direct the feature which will see Stallone reprise his role of mountain climber and rescue ranger, Gabe Walker. The reboot has a script by Mark Bianculli, a writer-consulting producer on Amazon series Hunters.
Neal H. Moritz’s Original Film, best known for the multi-billion-dollar The Fast and the Furious franchise, will produce with production and sales outfit Rocket Science as well Stallone and Braden Aftergood’s Balboa Productions. Rocket Science is launching sales during this month’s Cannes film market. CAA Media will represent North American and Chinese rights.
Written by Michael France with a rewrite by Stallone, Cliffhanger featured Stallone as Walker, a man haunted by a rescue gone wrong, who finds himself called up for a rescue with his former colleagues.
Ric Roman Waugh, who helmed action movies Angel Has Fallen and Greenland, is set to direct the feature which will see Stallone reprise his role of mountain climber and rescue ranger, Gabe Walker. The reboot has a script by Mark Bianculli, a writer-consulting producer on Amazon series Hunters.
Neal H. Moritz’s Original Film, best known for the multi-billion-dollar The Fast and the Furious franchise, will produce with production and sales outfit Rocket Science as well Stallone and Braden Aftergood’s Balboa Productions. Rocket Science is launching sales during this month’s Cannes film market. CAA Media will represent North American and Chinese rights.
Written by Michael France with a rewrite by Stallone, Cliffhanger featured Stallone as Walker, a man haunted by a rescue gone wrong, who finds himself called up for a rescue with his former colleagues.
- 5/1/2023
- by Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Sylvester Stallone (Tulsa King) is set to return for a sequel to the 1993 action thriller Cliffhanger, which Ric Roman Waugh (Angel Has Fallen) will direct from a script by Mark Bianculli (Hunters).
Neal H. Moritz’s Original Film (Fast & Furious franchise) will produce with Rocket Science, as well as Stallone and Braden Aftergood’s Balboa Productions. Casting for other roles is currently underway.
While no details as to the plot of the sequel have been divulged, Stallone will reprise his character of Ranger Gabriel “Gabe” Walker, from the original film directed by Renny Harlin. The TriStar Pictures title, which premiered in Cannes and grossed over $255M worldwide, watched as Walker looked to help rescue a band of stranded hikers, only to discover that they were in fact a gang of violent criminals looking to recover their missing $100M following a plane crash.
Michael France and Stallone co-wrote the script for the original film,...
Neal H. Moritz’s Original Film (Fast & Furious franchise) will produce with Rocket Science, as well as Stallone and Braden Aftergood’s Balboa Productions. Casting for other roles is currently underway.
While no details as to the plot of the sequel have been divulged, Stallone will reprise his character of Ranger Gabriel “Gabe” Walker, from the original film directed by Renny Harlin. The TriStar Pictures title, which premiered in Cannes and grossed over $255M worldwide, watched as Walker looked to help rescue a band of stranded hikers, only to discover that they were in fact a gang of violent criminals looking to recover their missing $100M following a plane crash.
Michael France and Stallone co-wrote the script for the original film,...
- 5/1/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Hang on for your life again! This time in stunning 4K! Sony Pictures is announcing a new physical media release of the classic 90s action movie, Cliffhanger, starring Sylvester Stallone, with a Uhd and Bluray steelbook combo. This new 4K transfer will be dropping in time for the film’s 30th anniversary.
The official synopsis from Sony reads,
“Sylvester Stallone, John Lithgow, Michael Rooker, Janine Turner and Ralph Waite star in this high-altitude avalanche of action: a non-stop adventure peak with suspense and capped with heart-quaking terror. For Rocky Mountain Rescue, the mission is almost routine: locate five climbers. With the woman he loves (Turner) and his best friend (Rooker), Gabe Walker (Stallone) braves the icy peaks only to discover that the distress call is really a trap set by merciless international terrorist Eric Qualen (Lithgow). Now millions of dollars and their own lives hang in the balance. Against explosive firepower,...
The official synopsis from Sony reads,
“Sylvester Stallone, John Lithgow, Michael Rooker, Janine Turner and Ralph Waite star in this high-altitude avalanche of action: a non-stop adventure peak with suspense and capped with heart-quaking terror. For Rocky Mountain Rescue, the mission is almost routine: locate five climbers. With the woman he loves (Turner) and his best friend (Rooker), Gabe Walker (Stallone) braves the icy peaks only to discover that the distress call is really a trap set by merciless international terrorist Eric Qualen (Lithgow). Now millions of dollars and their own lives hang in the balance. Against explosive firepower,...
- 3/10/2023
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
2003's "Hulk" is an anomaly. We haven't had a filmmaker in Ang Lee's mold direct a superhero movie since and probably won't for a long time, if ever again. As /Film as argued before, "Hulk" doesn't always work, but it grasps for heights the Marvel Cinematic Universe wouldn't dream of even trying to reach.
Lee's filmography tells a story, that of a director who never stops experimenting. He has the style of an auteur but traverses genres like a journeyman. Lee began by making comedy films in his native Taiwan, such as "The Wedding Banquet" and "Eat Drink Man Woman." In 1995, he adapted Jane Austen with "Sense and Sensibility." The story's genre wasn't that unfamiliar of territory for him, but it was his first primarily English language film.
He went further west in the rest of the 1990s, first helming the drama "The Ice Storm" before going for the...
Lee's filmography tells a story, that of a director who never stops experimenting. He has the style of an auteur but traverses genres like a journeyman. Lee began by making comedy films in his native Taiwan, such as "The Wedding Banquet" and "Eat Drink Man Woman." In 1995, he adapted Jane Austen with "Sense and Sensibility." The story's genre wasn't that unfamiliar of territory for him, but it was his first primarily English language film.
He went further west in the rest of the 1990s, first helming the drama "The Ice Storm" before going for the...
- 11/5/2022
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
20 years later, Pierce Brosnan's first Bond movie is still his best.
After a six-year absence from the big screen, 007 returned with the very-90s, but very action-packed, "GoldenEye." Despite headlines in the press asking if the world needed James Bond anymore, audiences seemed to think it did -- they helped the film become a huge hit at the box office, spawning three more films for Brosnan and a popular Nintendo game.
In honor of the film's 20th (?!) anniversary on November 17, here are 20 things you may not know about one of 007's most popular missions.
1. Legal issues prevented MGM from getting a new Bond movie out after the tepid reaction to 1989's "License to Kill," grounding 007 for six years -- the longest wait in-between films in the franchise's history.
2. In 1990, before the title and plot were locked down, producer Michael G. Wilson contributed a treatment and "Wiseguy" writer Alphonse Ruggerio...
After a six-year absence from the big screen, 007 returned with the very-90s, but very action-packed, "GoldenEye." Despite headlines in the press asking if the world needed James Bond anymore, audiences seemed to think it did -- they helped the film become a huge hit at the box office, spawning three more films for Brosnan and a popular Nintendo game.
In honor of the film's 20th (?!) anniversary on November 17, here are 20 things you may not know about one of 007's most popular missions.
1. Legal issues prevented MGM from getting a new Bond movie out after the tepid reaction to 1989's "License to Kill," grounding 007 for six years -- the longest wait in-between films in the franchise's history.
2. In 1990, before the title and plot were locked down, producer Michael G. Wilson contributed a treatment and "Wiseguy" writer Alphonse Ruggerio...
- 11/16/2015
- by Phil Pirrello
- Moviefone
At the time of writing, Marvel have not yet confirmed a third standalone Hulk movie, but without giving anything away, the closing events of Avengers: Age of Ultron definitely leave that door wide open. With that in mind, it seems like the perfect time to re-appraise ol' greenskin's first big screen outing, Ang Lee's multi-million dollar psychodrama, Hulk.
Released in 2003, Hulk took a total of $132.2 million at the Us box office, just short of its reputed £137 million budget. Though it eventually took over $245 million worldwide, it was perceived as a flop, significantly under-performing compared to the likes of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man or Bryan Singer's X-Men movies. Hulk not box-office Smash, in other words. Critics weren't overly kind either – it earned 62% on review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes, indicating decidedly mixed reviews albeit with a positive slant.
Based on the Marvel comics character created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
Released in 2003, Hulk took a total of $132.2 million at the Us box office, just short of its reputed £137 million budget. Though it eventually took over $245 million worldwide, it was perceived as a flop, significantly under-performing compared to the likes of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man or Bryan Singer's X-Men movies. Hulk not box-office Smash, in other words. Critics weren't overly kind either – it earned 62% on review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes, indicating decidedly mixed reviews albeit with a positive slant.
Based on the Marvel comics character created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
- 5/16/2015
- Digital Spy
Concept Art by Christopher Ross Get ready for larger-than-life action as the Marvel Superhero bursts from comic book pages to the big screen in The Hulk! Eric Bana stars as David Banner, whose involvement in a freak lab accident exposes him to gamma radiation. As a result, whenever the mild-mannered man becomes angry, he transforms in to a huge, rampaging creature that destroys everything in this path. Banner's ex-girlfriend Betty Ross (Academy Award winner Jennifer Connelly) believes that his father (Nick Nolte) may hold the answer o the desperate situation, but can she make the connection in time to save a terrified world? Directed by Academy Award winner Ang Lee, The Hulk is bursting with heart-pounding adventure and explosive special effects! Hulk (2003) was directed by Ang Lee, from a screenplay written by James Schamus, Michael France and John Turman.
- 11/5/2014
- ComicBookMovie.com
On Wednesday, The Lone Ranger received multiple Razzie nominations, including the notorious Worst Picture nod. The next day, The Lone Ranger was nominated for an Oscar, for best makeup.
This isn’t the first movie to get nods from both ends of the spectrum. Since the Razzies first began back in 1981, 47 movies have been nominated for both “awards”– some even for the same exact person or song. Here’s a look at the club The Lone Ranger just joined:
The Competition
Oscar nods: Film editing, music (original song) for “People Alone” with music by Lalo Schifrin and lyrics by Wilbur...
This isn’t the first movie to get nods from both ends of the spectrum. Since the Razzies first began back in 1981, 47 movies have been nominated for both “awards”– some even for the same exact person or song. Here’s a look at the club The Lone Ranger just joined:
The Competition
Oscar nods: Film editing, music (original song) for “People Alone” with music by Lalo Schifrin and lyrics by Wilbur...
- 1/16/2014
- by Ariana Bacle
- EW.com - PopWatch
Concept Art: Jim Carson Get ready for larger-than-life action as the Marvel Superhero bursts from comic book pages to the big screen in The Hulk! Eric Bana stars as David Banner, whose involvement in a freak lab accident exposes him to gamma radiation. As a result, whenever the mild-mannered man becomes angry, he transforms in to a huge, rampaging creature that destroys everything in this path. Banner's ex-girlfriend Betty Ross (Academy Award winner Jennifer Connelly) believes that his father (Nick Nolte) may hold the answer o the desperate situation, but can she make the connection in time to save a terrified world? Directed by Academy Award winner Ang Lee, The Hulk is bursting with heart-pounding adventure and explosive special effects! Hulk (2003) was directed by Ang Lee, from a screenplay written by James Schamus, Michael France and John Turman. The cast included: Eric Bana as Dr. Bruce Banner / Hulk, Jennifer...
- 10/15/2013
- ComicBookMovie.com
In the film, David Banner calls his son Bruce, and tells him that he has sent his dogs, that have been genetically altered, after Betty (Jennifer Connelly). Bruce tries to alert Talbot (Josh Lucas) of his father's evil plans, but a confrontation ensues which forces Bruce to become the Hulk. He soon heads off to Betty's cabin in the woods. Betty comes across the Hulk hiding behind a large tree, and soon realizes that the big green monster is actually Bruce. As Betty drinks in this revelation, a sound alerts the Hulk to the arrival of the three Hulk-ified dogs. Concept Art by Sang Jun Lee Concept Art by Kevin Nowlan Hulk (2003) was directed by Ang Lee, from a screenplay written by James Schamus, Michael France and John Turman. The cast included: Eric Bana as Dr. Bruce Banner / Hulk, Jennifer Connelly as Betty Ross, Sam Elliott as General Thunderbolt Ross,...
- 9/6/2013
- ComicBookMovie.com
Cinema Retro was shocked and saddened to learn of the death of screenwriter Michael France at the age of 51. He died from complications from diabetes. France's big break was writing the screenplay for Sylvester Stallone's 1993 blockbuster Cliffhanger, which he did "on spec", meaning he pitched his idea to the studio and was not commissioned to write it. France also wrote story lines for the 1995 James Bond smash GoldenEye, though he was not credited with the actual screenplay, which was a source of a strained relationship with the Bond producers. Some of his ideas that were developed for GoldenEye were utilized in the 1999 Bond hit The World is Not Enough. In the 1970s, he published the short-lived 007 fan magazine Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. France was a major comic book fan and wrote the screenplays for Ang Lee's 2003 version of The Hulk as well as the super hero flick The Punisher.
- 4/15/2013
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Michael France, who wrote the story for the James Bond film "Goldeneye" and the screenplay for Ang Lee's 2003 "Hulk," died Friday at age 51. He was suffering from a longtime diabetes-related illness, his sister revealed. France made his way into the industry with the screenplay for Renny Harlin's 1993 thriller "Cliffhanger," which starred Sylvester Stallone. He went on to write the screenplays for several big-budget Marvel superhero adaptations, including "Hulk," John Travolta's "The Punisher," and "The Fantastic Four." He stopped working in 2005 after "The Fantastic Four." In 2007, he purchased a movie theater St. Pete Beach, Florida, where he resided. Suzanne France, the sister of Michael, told the Tampa Bay Times that although the theater closed last year, "he wanted to re-open the theater, wanted to start writing again."...
- 4/15/2013
- WorstPreviews.com
Screenwriter Michael France has died, aged 51.
France, who was entasked with writing the screenplays for several Marvel adaptations, passed away on Friday (April 12) due to complications from diabetes, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
He was behind the big-screen versions of 2003's Hulk, directed by Ang Lee, John Travolta-starring The Punisher in 2005 and The Fantastic Four the following year.
France also co-wrote the screenplay for 1993 action film Cliffhanger, along with its lead star Sylvester Stallone, and worked on the story for 1995 James Bond outing GoldenEye.
His passion for film also led to him buying Tampa Bay cinema Beach Theatre in 2007 for $800,000, although the venue closed in November 2012 due to declining audiences.
He is survived by wife Elizabeth and their three children, his mother and father and sister Suzanne.
France, who was entasked with writing the screenplays for several Marvel adaptations, passed away on Friday (April 12) due to complications from diabetes, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
He was behind the big-screen versions of 2003's Hulk, directed by Ang Lee, John Travolta-starring The Punisher in 2005 and The Fantastic Four the following year.
France also co-wrote the screenplay for 1993 action film Cliffhanger, along with its lead star Sylvester Stallone, and worked on the story for 1995 James Bond outing GoldenEye.
His passion for film also led to him buying Tampa Bay cinema Beach Theatre in 2007 for $800,000, although the venue closed in November 2012 due to declining audiences.
He is survived by wife Elizabeth and their three children, his mother and father and sister Suzanne.
- 4/14/2013
- Digital Spy
Michael France, the screenwriter behind several Marvel superhero adaptations, died Friday in Tampa, Fla., at the age of 51. He died of complications from diabetes, his sister told the Tampa Bay Times. France wrote the screenplays for Ang Lee's "Hulk" in 2003; "The Punisher," starring John Travolta, in 2004; and "The Fantastic Four" in 2005. Also read: Notable Celebrity Deaths of 2013 He got his big break in 1993, when he wrote the screenplay for Renny Harlin's thriller "Cliffhanger," which starred Sylvester Stallone. He followed that two years later with a story credit for...
- 4/14/2013
- by Todd Cunningham
- The Wrap
According to Deadline and several other outlets, Michael France has passed away after battling diabetes-related health issues. His writing credits included Cliffhanger, Goldeneye and comic book movies such as Hulk, The Punisher and Fantastic Four. His sister, Suzanne France, discovered her brother on Friday morning in his home in St. Pete Beach, Florida. "[Thursday night] he was sitting up, he had good color, he was making jokes. Just sitting there on the couch with his dog", she said. Goldeneye is widely considered to be one of the best James Bond films of all-time.
- 4/14/2013
- ComicBookMovie.com
In the past, visual effects guru, Steven Johnson and his Xfx studio, made a pitch to 20th Century Fox to be the special effects team for a Fantastic Four film. This was before the Tim Story film was made, and at that time Nicolas Cage was penciled in to play the role of the main villain, Doctor Victor Von Doom. Steve has now released has put these images up for sale on EBay. You can see Constantine Sekeris' designs for Dr. Doom and The Thing below, or click here to see even more concept art and a bizarre mechanical arm conceived for the ruthless ruler of Latveria. Click Images to Enlarge If you're a fan of Constantine's brilliant artwork I would suggest picking up a copy of his book, MetamorFX: Art of Constantine Sekeris. Fantastic Four (2005) was directed by Tim Story, from a screenplay written by Michael France and Mark Frost.
- 2/26/2013
- ComicBookMovie.com
To mark the 50th Anniversary of one of the most successful movie franchises of all time and with James Bond’s 23rd official outing in Skyfall due for release later this year, I have been tasked with taking a retrospective look at the films that turned author Ian Fleming’s creation into one of the most recognised and iconic characters in film history.
Despite Licence To Kill receiving a mostly positive reaction on its release in 1989 it was felt by many that the series had run its course. Over the following four years a legal dispute between United Artists, MGM and Eon Productions caused major delays jepordising the future development of the character. In the intervening years with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War James Bond was being pushed aside in favour of muscled action stars and comic book heroes bringing Bond’s relevance into question.
Despite Licence To Kill receiving a mostly positive reaction on its release in 1989 it was felt by many that the series had run its course. Over the following four years a legal dispute between United Artists, MGM and Eon Productions caused major delays jepordising the future development of the character. In the intervening years with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War James Bond was being pushed aside in favour of muscled action stars and comic book heroes bringing Bond’s relevance into question.
- 7/26/2012
- by Chris Wright
- Obsessed with Film
Cliffhanger
Directed by Renny Harlin
Written by Michael France and Sylvester Stallone
USA, 1993
Cliffhanger grips you from the start.
The film opens with Gabe Walker (Sylvester Stallone) scaling up the side of a mountain without the aid of a harness.
Once he reaches the peak, he comes across a couple, Hal and Sarah (Michael Rooker and Michelle Joyner), both of whom happen to be his friends.
Hal, an experienced climber himself, has broken his leg while they were on a climb, leading Gabe to come save them.
With the help of his girlfriend, Jessie (Janine Turner), Gabe is able to tether a line between a rescue helicopter and the precipice where they are precariously stranded.
Using a harness, Hal is able to pull himself to safety, across the ominous void. But when it’s Sarah’s turn, her equipment fails, leaving her hanging 4000 feet above ground.
In a split-second decision,...
Directed by Renny Harlin
Written by Michael France and Sylvester Stallone
USA, 1993
Cliffhanger grips you from the start.
The film opens with Gabe Walker (Sylvester Stallone) scaling up the side of a mountain without the aid of a harness.
Once he reaches the peak, he comes across a couple, Hal and Sarah (Michael Rooker and Michelle Joyner), both of whom happen to be his friends.
Hal, an experienced climber himself, has broken his leg while they were on a climb, leading Gabe to come save them.
With the help of his girlfriend, Jessie (Janine Turner), Gabe is able to tether a line between a rescue helicopter and the precipice where they are precariously stranded.
Using a harness, Hal is able to pull himself to safety, across the ominous void. But when it’s Sarah’s turn, her equipment fails, leaving her hanging 4000 feet above ground.
In a split-second decision,...
- 7/20/2012
- by Justin Li
- SoundOnSight
Given the sheer number of screenwriters and directors who have come and gone along the way, the comic book-to-motion picture journey taken by Fantastic Four has been fraught with enough obstacles to make that DNA-altering cosmic radiation storm encountered by the Marvel superheroes look like a gentle breeze by comparison.
Now, 44 years after the quartet made its comic book debut, Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch and the Thing arrive on the big screen courtesy of a script officially credited to Mark Frost and Michael France, direction by Tim Story and about 800 visual effects shots.
And the end result?
Fantastic Four's a colossal snore.
After all the fussing and fidgeting exerted in trying to nail just the right mix of comic book action, comedy and pathos, the movie emerges as a tone-deaf mishmash of underdeveloped characters, half-baked humor and unhatched plotting drenched in CGI overkill.
Boxofficewise, the 20th Century Fox release probably will be an improvement over the considerably less-than-Marvel-ous welcome afforded Elektra and The Punisher, but there's an overriding '90s syndicated TV look and feel to this shot-in-Vancouver production that could have the core comic book geek contingent voting to hold out for the DVD.
Director Story, whose studio credits -- the hit Barbershop and the decidedly nonhit Taxi -- wouldn't exactly indicate a convincing affinity for the material, seems to go flat from the very start.
That would be when scientist-inventor Dr. Reed Richards (Ioan Gruffudd) embarks on an outer-space mission having something to do with unlocking the secrets of human genetic codes, financed by his old college rival, billionaire industrialist Victor Von Doom (Julian McMahon).
They're joined on the trip by Reed's best buddy, astronaut Ben Grimm (Michael Chiklis), and ex-girlfriend Sue Storm (Jessica Alba), who's now Von Doom's director of research, as well as Sue's hotshot younger brother, Johnny (Chris Evans).
But as the result of a miscalculation, their space station gets zapped by radioactive turbulence that alters each crew member's DNA in remarkably different ways.
Reed turns into a human Gumby, able to stretch and contort his body however he pleases; Sue is able to simultaneously project force fields and render herself invisible provided she sheds all her clothing; Johnny has the capacity for spontaneous combustion; and poor Ben's body mass index goes berserk, rendering him into a hulking rock formation of a tough guy.
As for the iron-fisted, steely eyed Von Doom, he literally turns iron-fisted and steely eyed, with the fitting ability to feed off the city's power supply.
But once they become known as the Fantastic Four, neither Story nor any of the writers who took a crack at the script seem to have figured out where to go next in terms of both an overall tone and discernible visual style.
Lacking the strong creative imprint of a Sam Raimi or a Bryan Singer, the film fails to capture the comic book essence achieved by the Spider-Man and X-Men movies. The characters, with the exception of Evans' limelight-basking Human Torch and Chiklis' empathetic Thing, are blandly underwritten and anemically interpreted.
There are the occasional glimpses of the sort of fun Jack Kirby and Stan Lee had in mind when they cooked up their dysfunctional family of mainly reluctant superheroes, but they're few and far between, clobbered by a barrage of effects that frankly wouldn't have cut it a decade ago on the Sci Fi Channel and composer John Ottman's uncharacteristically cacophonous score.
Fantastic Four
20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox presents in association with Constantin Film and Marvel Enterprises Inc. a 1492 Pictures/Bernd Eichinger production
Credits:
Director: Tim Story
Screenwriters: Mark Frost and Michael France
Based on the Marvel Comic book by: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Producers: Bernd Eichinger, Avi Arad, Ralph Winter
Executive producers: Stan Lee, Kevin Feige, Chris Columbus, Mark Radcliffe, Michael Barnathan
Director of photography: Oliver Wood
Production designer: Bill Boes
Editor: William Hoy
Costume designer: Jose Fernandez
Music: John Ottman
Cast:
Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic: Ioan Gruffudd
Sue Storm/Invisible Woman: Jessica Alba
Johnny Storm/Human Torch: Chris Evans
Ben Grimm/the Thing: Michael Chiklis
Victor Von Doom/Dr. Doom: Julian McMahon
Alicia Masters: Kerry Washington
MPAA rating PG-13
Running time -- 105 minutes...
Now, 44 years after the quartet made its comic book debut, Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch and the Thing arrive on the big screen courtesy of a script officially credited to Mark Frost and Michael France, direction by Tim Story and about 800 visual effects shots.
And the end result?
Fantastic Four's a colossal snore.
After all the fussing and fidgeting exerted in trying to nail just the right mix of comic book action, comedy and pathos, the movie emerges as a tone-deaf mishmash of underdeveloped characters, half-baked humor and unhatched plotting drenched in CGI overkill.
Boxofficewise, the 20th Century Fox release probably will be an improvement over the considerably less-than-Marvel-ous welcome afforded Elektra and The Punisher, but there's an overriding '90s syndicated TV look and feel to this shot-in-Vancouver production that could have the core comic book geek contingent voting to hold out for the DVD.
Director Story, whose studio credits -- the hit Barbershop and the decidedly nonhit Taxi -- wouldn't exactly indicate a convincing affinity for the material, seems to go flat from the very start.
That would be when scientist-inventor Dr. Reed Richards (Ioan Gruffudd) embarks on an outer-space mission having something to do with unlocking the secrets of human genetic codes, financed by his old college rival, billionaire industrialist Victor Von Doom (Julian McMahon).
They're joined on the trip by Reed's best buddy, astronaut Ben Grimm (Michael Chiklis), and ex-girlfriend Sue Storm (Jessica Alba), who's now Von Doom's director of research, as well as Sue's hotshot younger brother, Johnny (Chris Evans).
But as the result of a miscalculation, their space station gets zapped by radioactive turbulence that alters each crew member's DNA in remarkably different ways.
Reed turns into a human Gumby, able to stretch and contort his body however he pleases; Sue is able to simultaneously project force fields and render herself invisible provided she sheds all her clothing; Johnny has the capacity for spontaneous combustion; and poor Ben's body mass index goes berserk, rendering him into a hulking rock formation of a tough guy.
As for the iron-fisted, steely eyed Von Doom, he literally turns iron-fisted and steely eyed, with the fitting ability to feed off the city's power supply.
But once they become known as the Fantastic Four, neither Story nor any of the writers who took a crack at the script seem to have figured out where to go next in terms of both an overall tone and discernible visual style.
Lacking the strong creative imprint of a Sam Raimi or a Bryan Singer, the film fails to capture the comic book essence achieved by the Spider-Man and X-Men movies. The characters, with the exception of Evans' limelight-basking Human Torch and Chiklis' empathetic Thing, are blandly underwritten and anemically interpreted.
There are the occasional glimpses of the sort of fun Jack Kirby and Stan Lee had in mind when they cooked up their dysfunctional family of mainly reluctant superheroes, but they're few and far between, clobbered by a barrage of effects that frankly wouldn't have cut it a decade ago on the Sci Fi Channel and composer John Ottman's uncharacteristically cacophonous score.
Fantastic Four
20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox presents in association with Constantin Film and Marvel Enterprises Inc. a 1492 Pictures/Bernd Eichinger production
Credits:
Director: Tim Story
Screenwriters: Mark Frost and Michael France
Based on the Marvel Comic book by: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Producers: Bernd Eichinger, Avi Arad, Ralph Winter
Executive producers: Stan Lee, Kevin Feige, Chris Columbus, Mark Radcliffe, Michael Barnathan
Director of photography: Oliver Wood
Production designer: Bill Boes
Editor: William Hoy
Costume designer: Jose Fernandez
Music: John Ottman
Cast:
Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic: Ioan Gruffudd
Sue Storm/Invisible Woman: Jessica Alba
Johnny Storm/Human Torch: Chris Evans
Ben Grimm/the Thing: Michael Chiklis
Victor Von Doom/Dr. Doom: Julian McMahon
Alicia Masters: Kerry Washington
MPAA rating PG-13
Running time -- 105 minutes...
- 7/29/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Opens
Friday, April 16
Here's the good news: The new big-screen version of "The Punisher", starring Tom Jane, is an improvement over that 1989 Dolph Lundgren edition that went directly to video in the United States.
Now for the not-so-good news: It isn't exactly a vast improvement. As directed and co-written by Jonathan Hensleigh, the action thriller is a tone-deaf muddle that shifts moods more often than its lone wolf vigilante rubs out bad guys, clocking in at a punishingly paced two hours and change.
While comic book geeks likely won't be amused, young moviegoers looking for a bit of a diversion from straight-up comedy and horror (the film does have its colorful moments) should ensure that the sensibly budgeted Lions Gate release has a decent enough opening weekend to placate the picture's 10 -- count 'em -- executive producers. At this point, the franchise potential would seem considerably less than assured.
First entering into the Marvel Comics fold in the winter of 1974 as a supporting character in "The Amazing Spider-Man", the Punisher began life as Frank Castle, an FBI special agent-turned-avenging antihero after the brutal murder of his family.
As a pop culture side note, five months after the character's debut, Charles Bronson appeared in his first "Death Wish" movie.
After that setup is presented in a protracted prologue, the Punisher finally gets down to the business of exacting vengeance against the responsible parties -- in this case, the sadistic Howard Saint John Travolta), a corrupt businessman who deemed Castle responsible for the death of one of his sons (James Carpinello) during a sting operation.
In possession of zero superpowers, the Punisher gets by on sheer determination alone, not to mention all those years of combat training, a talent for home weapon-craft and, in Jane's case, a dash of sex appeal. He's like Pierce Brosnan on steroids.
But Hensleigh, who makes his directorial debut here after either writing or reworking a number of action hits, including "Die Hard With a Vengeance", "The Rock", "Con Air" and "Armageddon", also has other things in mind for his brooding action hero, like surrounding him with a dysfunctional family of misfits comprised of his tenement neighbors (played by Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, Ben Foster and John Pinette).
While the characters appeared in the comic franchise's "Welcome Back Frank" series, Hensleigh and co-writer Michael France seem unable to find a tone that doesn't vacillate wildly between broad humor and sticky pathos every time they're onscreen.
By the end, the Punisher's greatest adversaries emerge as an unwelcome trio known as jokey, hokey and hammy.
On the production end of things, it's at least nice to see Hensleigh taking a refreshing old-school approach to the obligatory fireworks, favoring your basic hand-to-hand combat over CGI overload and extensive wirework, while Conrad W. Hall's cinematography provides the requisite murky grit.
The Punisher
Lions Gate
A Lions Gate Films presentation in association with Marvel Studios
Credits:
Director: Jonathan Hensleigh
Screenwriters: Jonathan Hensleigh, Michael France
Producers: Avi Arad, Gale Anne Hurd
Executive producers: Stan Lee, Kevin Feige, John Starke, Amir Malin, Richard Saperstein, Andrew Golov, Patrick Gunn, Andreas Schmid, Christopher Roberts, Christopher Eberts
Director of photography: Conrad W. Hall
Production designer: Michael Z. Hanan
Editor: Steven Kemper
Costume designer: Lisa Tomczeszyn
Music: Carlo Siliotto
Cast:
Frank Castle/The Punisher: Tom Jane
Howard Saint: John Travolta
Quentin Glass: Will Patton
Frank Castle Sr.: Roy Scheider
Livia Saint: Laura Harring
Dave: Ben Foster
Maria Castle: Samantha Mathis
John Saint/Bobby Saint: James Carpinello
Mr. Bumpo: John Pinette
Joan: Rebecca Romijn-Stamos
Running time -- 124 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
Friday, April 16
Here's the good news: The new big-screen version of "The Punisher", starring Tom Jane, is an improvement over that 1989 Dolph Lundgren edition that went directly to video in the United States.
Now for the not-so-good news: It isn't exactly a vast improvement. As directed and co-written by Jonathan Hensleigh, the action thriller is a tone-deaf muddle that shifts moods more often than its lone wolf vigilante rubs out bad guys, clocking in at a punishingly paced two hours and change.
While comic book geeks likely won't be amused, young moviegoers looking for a bit of a diversion from straight-up comedy and horror (the film does have its colorful moments) should ensure that the sensibly budgeted Lions Gate release has a decent enough opening weekend to placate the picture's 10 -- count 'em -- executive producers. At this point, the franchise potential would seem considerably less than assured.
First entering into the Marvel Comics fold in the winter of 1974 as a supporting character in "The Amazing Spider-Man", the Punisher began life as Frank Castle, an FBI special agent-turned-avenging antihero after the brutal murder of his family.
As a pop culture side note, five months after the character's debut, Charles Bronson appeared in his first "Death Wish" movie.
After that setup is presented in a protracted prologue, the Punisher finally gets down to the business of exacting vengeance against the responsible parties -- in this case, the sadistic Howard Saint John Travolta), a corrupt businessman who deemed Castle responsible for the death of one of his sons (James Carpinello) during a sting operation.
In possession of zero superpowers, the Punisher gets by on sheer determination alone, not to mention all those years of combat training, a talent for home weapon-craft and, in Jane's case, a dash of sex appeal. He's like Pierce Brosnan on steroids.
But Hensleigh, who makes his directorial debut here after either writing or reworking a number of action hits, including "Die Hard With a Vengeance", "The Rock", "Con Air" and "Armageddon", also has other things in mind for his brooding action hero, like surrounding him with a dysfunctional family of misfits comprised of his tenement neighbors (played by Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, Ben Foster and John Pinette).
While the characters appeared in the comic franchise's "Welcome Back Frank" series, Hensleigh and co-writer Michael France seem unable to find a tone that doesn't vacillate wildly between broad humor and sticky pathos every time they're onscreen.
By the end, the Punisher's greatest adversaries emerge as an unwelcome trio known as jokey, hokey and hammy.
On the production end of things, it's at least nice to see Hensleigh taking a refreshing old-school approach to the obligatory fireworks, favoring your basic hand-to-hand combat over CGI overload and extensive wirework, while Conrad W. Hall's cinematography provides the requisite murky grit.
The Punisher
Lions Gate
A Lions Gate Films presentation in association with Marvel Studios
Credits:
Director: Jonathan Hensleigh
Screenwriters: Jonathan Hensleigh, Michael France
Producers: Avi Arad, Gale Anne Hurd
Executive producers: Stan Lee, Kevin Feige, John Starke, Amir Malin, Richard Saperstein, Andrew Golov, Patrick Gunn, Andreas Schmid, Christopher Roberts, Christopher Eberts
Director of photography: Conrad W. Hall
Production designer: Michael Z. Hanan
Editor: Steven Kemper
Costume designer: Lisa Tomczeszyn
Music: Carlo Siliotto
Cast:
Frank Castle/The Punisher: Tom Jane
Howard Saint: John Travolta
Quentin Glass: Will Patton
Frank Castle Sr.: Roy Scheider
Livia Saint: Laura Harring
Dave: Ben Foster
Maria Castle: Samantha Mathis
John Saint/Bobby Saint: James Carpinello
Mr. Bumpo: John Pinette
Joan: Rebecca Romijn-Stamos
Running time -- 124 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
Opens
Friday, April 16
Here's the good news: The new big-screen version of "The Punisher", starring Tom Jane, is an improvement over that 1989 Dolph Lundgren edition that went directly to video in the United States.
Now for the not-so-good news: It isn't exactly a vast improvement. As directed and co-written by Jonathan Hensleigh, the action thriller is a tone-deaf muddle that shifts moods more often than its lone wolf vigilante rubs out bad guys, clocking in at a punishingly paced two hours and change.
While comic book geeks likely won't be amused, young moviegoers looking for a bit of a diversion from straight-up comedy and horror (the film does have its colorful moments) should ensure that the sensibly budgeted Lions Gate release has a decent enough opening weekend to placate the picture's 10 -- count 'em -- executive producers. At this point, the franchise potential would seem considerably less than assured.
First entering into the Marvel Comics fold in the winter of 1974 as a supporting character in "The Amazing Spider-Man", the Punisher began life as Frank Castle, an FBI special agent-turned-avenging antihero after the brutal murder of his family.
As a pop culture side note, five months after the character's debut, Charles Bronson appeared in his first "Death Wish" movie.
After that setup is presented in a protracted prologue, the Punisher finally gets down to the business of exacting vengeance against the responsible parties -- in this case, the sadistic Howard Saint John Travolta), a corrupt businessman who deemed Castle responsible for the death of one of his sons (James Carpinello) during a sting operation.
In possession of zero superpowers, the Punisher gets by on sheer determination alone, not to mention all those years of combat training, a talent for home weapon-craft and, in Jane's case, a dash of sex appeal. He's like Pierce Brosnan on steroids.
But Hensleigh, who makes his directorial debut here after either writing or reworking a number of action hits, including "Die Hard With a Vengeance", "The Rock", "Con Air" and "Armageddon", also has other things in mind for his brooding action hero, like surrounding him with a dysfunctional family of misfits comprised of his tenement neighbors (played by Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, Ben Foster and John Pinette).
While the characters appeared in the comic franchise's "Welcome Back Frank" series, Hensleigh and co-writer Michael France seem unable to find a tone that doesn't vacillate wildly between broad humor and sticky pathos every time they're onscreen.
By the end, the Punisher's greatest adversaries emerge as an unwelcome trio known as jokey, hokey and hammy.
On the production end of things, it's at least nice to see Hensleigh taking a refreshing old-school approach to the obligatory fireworks, favoring your basic hand-to-hand combat over CGI overload and extensive wirework, while Conrad W. Hall's cinematography provides the requisite murky grit.
The Punisher
Lions Gate
A Lions Gate Films presentation in association with Marvel Studios
Credits:
Director: Jonathan Hensleigh
Screenwriters: Jonathan Hensleigh, Michael France
Producers: Avi Arad, Gale Anne Hurd
Executive producers: Stan Lee, Kevin Feige, John Starke, Amir Malin, Richard Saperstein, Andrew Golov, Patrick Gunn, Andreas Schmid, Christopher Roberts, Christopher Eberts
Director of photography: Conrad W. Hall
Production designer: Michael Z. Hanan
Editor: Steven Kemper
Costume designer: Lisa Tomczeszyn
Music: Carlo Siliotto
Cast:
Frank Castle/The Punisher: Tom Jane
Howard Saint: John Travolta
Quentin Glass: Will Patton
Frank Castle Sr.: Roy Scheider
Livia Saint: Laura Harring
Dave: Ben Foster
Maria Castle: Samantha Mathis
John Saint/Bobby Saint: James Carpinello
Mr. Bumpo: John Pinette
Joan: Rebecca Romijn-Stamos
Running time -- 124 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
Friday, April 16
Here's the good news: The new big-screen version of "The Punisher", starring Tom Jane, is an improvement over that 1989 Dolph Lundgren edition that went directly to video in the United States.
Now for the not-so-good news: It isn't exactly a vast improvement. As directed and co-written by Jonathan Hensleigh, the action thriller is a tone-deaf muddle that shifts moods more often than its lone wolf vigilante rubs out bad guys, clocking in at a punishingly paced two hours and change.
While comic book geeks likely won't be amused, young moviegoers looking for a bit of a diversion from straight-up comedy and horror (the film does have its colorful moments) should ensure that the sensibly budgeted Lions Gate release has a decent enough opening weekend to placate the picture's 10 -- count 'em -- executive producers. At this point, the franchise potential would seem considerably less than assured.
First entering into the Marvel Comics fold in the winter of 1974 as a supporting character in "The Amazing Spider-Man", the Punisher began life as Frank Castle, an FBI special agent-turned-avenging antihero after the brutal murder of his family.
As a pop culture side note, five months after the character's debut, Charles Bronson appeared in his first "Death Wish" movie.
After that setup is presented in a protracted prologue, the Punisher finally gets down to the business of exacting vengeance against the responsible parties -- in this case, the sadistic Howard Saint John Travolta), a corrupt businessman who deemed Castle responsible for the death of one of his sons (James Carpinello) during a sting operation.
In possession of zero superpowers, the Punisher gets by on sheer determination alone, not to mention all those years of combat training, a talent for home weapon-craft and, in Jane's case, a dash of sex appeal. He's like Pierce Brosnan on steroids.
But Hensleigh, who makes his directorial debut here after either writing or reworking a number of action hits, including "Die Hard With a Vengeance", "The Rock", "Con Air" and "Armageddon", also has other things in mind for his brooding action hero, like surrounding him with a dysfunctional family of misfits comprised of his tenement neighbors (played by Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, Ben Foster and John Pinette).
While the characters appeared in the comic franchise's "Welcome Back Frank" series, Hensleigh and co-writer Michael France seem unable to find a tone that doesn't vacillate wildly between broad humor and sticky pathos every time they're onscreen.
By the end, the Punisher's greatest adversaries emerge as an unwelcome trio known as jokey, hokey and hammy.
On the production end of things, it's at least nice to see Hensleigh taking a refreshing old-school approach to the obligatory fireworks, favoring your basic hand-to-hand combat over CGI overload and extensive wirework, while Conrad W. Hall's cinematography provides the requisite murky grit.
The Punisher
Lions Gate
A Lions Gate Films presentation in association with Marvel Studios
Credits:
Director: Jonathan Hensleigh
Screenwriters: Jonathan Hensleigh, Michael France
Producers: Avi Arad, Gale Anne Hurd
Executive producers: Stan Lee, Kevin Feige, John Starke, Amir Malin, Richard Saperstein, Andrew Golov, Patrick Gunn, Andreas Schmid, Christopher Roberts, Christopher Eberts
Director of photography: Conrad W. Hall
Production designer: Michael Z. Hanan
Editor: Steven Kemper
Costume designer: Lisa Tomczeszyn
Music: Carlo Siliotto
Cast:
Frank Castle/The Punisher: Tom Jane
Howard Saint: John Travolta
Quentin Glass: Will Patton
Frank Castle Sr.: Roy Scheider
Livia Saint: Laura Harring
Dave: Ben Foster
Maria Castle: Samantha Mathis
John Saint/Bobby Saint: James Carpinello
Mr. Bumpo: John Pinette
Joan: Rebecca Romijn-Stamos
Running time -- 124 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
- 4/16/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Opens
Friday, June 20
"The Hulk" is at once a cutting-edge special effects extravaganza and a throwback to those science fiction classics of the '50s, where B-movie makers actually had things to say about the human condition. It's the best of both worlds, filled with visual energy, genuine artistry and compelling human emotions. In its own way every bit as inspiring and exciting as his last film, the international hit "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", Ang Lee's "Hulk" reconfirms the director's status as an Asian-born filmmaker who understands the heart and soul of the Occidental world perhaps better than we do ourselves.
Destined to be one of the summer's big hits, "Hulk" plants tentpoles far into the future for a series of "Hulk" films. The biggest challenge facing its producers, though, is to find filmmakers as imaginative as Lee.
Actually, two Lees form part of the creative force that drives this vehicle. The Hulk goes back to Marvel Comics character created in 1962 by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. Ang Lee and longtime collaborator James Schamus (credited with the story as well as being co-writer and co-producer) rely heavily on the comic books to tell this tale of a man unwittingly transformed into a monster -- a character with a bloodline going back to Robert Lewis Stevenson, H.G. Wells, Mary Shelley and James Whale.
Throughout the movie, Lee engages the viewer with the visual spectacle of comic book graphics transformed by movie magic. Wipes, split screens, zip pans and other optical effects replicate the experience of reading a comic's panels. Tight shots of characters under stress remind one of those huge panels where artists zero in on big emotions. In some sequences, the split screens move and multiply, catching characters at various angles at once.
In a brilliant opening titles sequence (designed by yU+co), we see a maverick scientist experiment in genetic modification. Failures result, but he perseveres. Then the consequences of his own self-experimental research hits home, literally, when his wife has a baby. Whatever mutation he conjured up in that devil's brew is passed on to his son. His boss, a military commander, tosses the scientist out of his own lab, but not before the scientist sabotages the lab and rushes home to relieve his son of the burden the boy carries without his knowledge.
Years later, scientist Bruce Banner (Australian actor Eric Bana) follows unknowingly in his father's footsteps as a researcher in genetic technology. He has repressed all memory of his first four years of life, believing that his parents died when he was an infant. Bruce is so emotionally cut off from others that it has undermined his relationship with girlfriend and fellow researcher Betty Ross (Jennifer Connelly).
Then their lab experiments attract the unwanted attention of Betty's estranged father, Gen. Ross (Sam Elliott), and rival researcher Glenn Talbot (Josh Lucas). Someone else mysteriously lurks around the lab, the new night janitor David (Nick Nolte), who turns out to be Bruce's father, recently released from prison.
A lab accident exposes Bruce to what should be a fatal dose of gamma radiation. But his dad's mutating gene not only allows him to withstand the gammas, the combination serves to kick-start the "monster" within. Now when severely angered, the scrambled DNA turns Bruce into the Hulk. Unlike the old CBS series "The Incredible Hulk" (1977-82), in which Bill Bixby's Bruce steps off camera in favor of bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno's Hulk, Bruce's alter ego here is a massive, green CGI creature that can withstand missiles, leap into the sky and shake up the entire U.S. military.
This character has already caused controversy, the major complaint from some moviegoers being that they have a hard time investing emotionally in a CGI-created character. But not only does this character conform to the Hulk from the Marvel Comics, this is a true-blue (make that green) superhero.
Desperate to understand these transformations, Bruce delves into his own origins. But he is in a race against the blowhard Gen. Ross and conniving Talbot, who seek power and money from the Hulk's genetic makeup. Equally as puzzling, Bruce must admit that he rather enjoys his other self, knocking about people, cars, ferocious dogs and eventually flying aircraft. The climatic sequence when the Hulk escapes a desert lab and rampages all the way to San Francisco is event moviemaking at its best.
This is a long film that moves at lightning speed, egged on by Danny Elfman's bold theatrical score and Tim Squyres' fluid editing. For all the considerable contributions by designer Rick Heinrichs and cinematographer Frederick Elmes, though, "Hulk" takes its energy from character development and conflict.
Bana conveys the inner turmoil of a man at odds with his very essence. Connelly, too, gets torn in different directions, unable to trust any man in her life, from this normal guy who becomes a monster to her monstrous father who experiences occasional moments of tenderness. Finally, there is Nolte's character, a new and interesting twist on the "mad scientist." One sympathizes with his drive for knowledge only to see it corrode as logic deteriorates and the quest for "science" overrides all human concerns.
THE HULK
Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures presents in association with Marvel Enterprises
a Valhalla Motion Pictures/Good Machine production
Credits:
Director: Ang Lee
Screenwriters: John Turman, Michael France, James Schamus
Story by: James Schamus
Based on the comic book character created by: Stan Lee, Jack Kirby
Producers: Gale Anne Hurd, Avi Arad, James Schamus, Larry Franco
Executive producers: Stan Lee, Kevin Feige
Director of photography: Frederick Elmes
Production designer: Rick Heinrichs
Music: Danny Elfman
Costume designer: Marit Allen
Editor: Tim Squyres
Animation supervisor: Colin Brady
Visual effects supervisor: Dennis Muren
Cast:
Bruce Banner: Eric Bana
Betty Ross: Jennifer Connelly
Ross: Sam Elliott
Talbot: Josh Lucas
Father: Nick Nolte
Young David Banner: Paul Kersey
Edith Banner: Cara Buono
Running time -- 138 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13...
Friday, June 20
"The Hulk" is at once a cutting-edge special effects extravaganza and a throwback to those science fiction classics of the '50s, where B-movie makers actually had things to say about the human condition. It's the best of both worlds, filled with visual energy, genuine artistry and compelling human emotions. In its own way every bit as inspiring and exciting as his last film, the international hit "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", Ang Lee's "Hulk" reconfirms the director's status as an Asian-born filmmaker who understands the heart and soul of the Occidental world perhaps better than we do ourselves.
Destined to be one of the summer's big hits, "Hulk" plants tentpoles far into the future for a series of "Hulk" films. The biggest challenge facing its producers, though, is to find filmmakers as imaginative as Lee.
Actually, two Lees form part of the creative force that drives this vehicle. The Hulk goes back to Marvel Comics character created in 1962 by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. Ang Lee and longtime collaborator James Schamus (credited with the story as well as being co-writer and co-producer) rely heavily on the comic books to tell this tale of a man unwittingly transformed into a monster -- a character with a bloodline going back to Robert Lewis Stevenson, H.G. Wells, Mary Shelley and James Whale.
Throughout the movie, Lee engages the viewer with the visual spectacle of comic book graphics transformed by movie magic. Wipes, split screens, zip pans and other optical effects replicate the experience of reading a comic's panels. Tight shots of characters under stress remind one of those huge panels where artists zero in on big emotions. In some sequences, the split screens move and multiply, catching characters at various angles at once.
In a brilliant opening titles sequence (designed by yU+co), we see a maverick scientist experiment in genetic modification. Failures result, but he perseveres. Then the consequences of his own self-experimental research hits home, literally, when his wife has a baby. Whatever mutation he conjured up in that devil's brew is passed on to his son. His boss, a military commander, tosses the scientist out of his own lab, but not before the scientist sabotages the lab and rushes home to relieve his son of the burden the boy carries without his knowledge.
Years later, scientist Bruce Banner (Australian actor Eric Bana) follows unknowingly in his father's footsteps as a researcher in genetic technology. He has repressed all memory of his first four years of life, believing that his parents died when he was an infant. Bruce is so emotionally cut off from others that it has undermined his relationship with girlfriend and fellow researcher Betty Ross (Jennifer Connelly).
Then their lab experiments attract the unwanted attention of Betty's estranged father, Gen. Ross (Sam Elliott), and rival researcher Glenn Talbot (Josh Lucas). Someone else mysteriously lurks around the lab, the new night janitor David (Nick Nolte), who turns out to be Bruce's father, recently released from prison.
A lab accident exposes Bruce to what should be a fatal dose of gamma radiation. But his dad's mutating gene not only allows him to withstand the gammas, the combination serves to kick-start the "monster" within. Now when severely angered, the scrambled DNA turns Bruce into the Hulk. Unlike the old CBS series "The Incredible Hulk" (1977-82), in which Bill Bixby's Bruce steps off camera in favor of bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno's Hulk, Bruce's alter ego here is a massive, green CGI creature that can withstand missiles, leap into the sky and shake up the entire U.S. military.
This character has already caused controversy, the major complaint from some moviegoers being that they have a hard time investing emotionally in a CGI-created character. But not only does this character conform to the Hulk from the Marvel Comics, this is a true-blue (make that green) superhero.
Desperate to understand these transformations, Bruce delves into his own origins. But he is in a race against the blowhard Gen. Ross and conniving Talbot, who seek power and money from the Hulk's genetic makeup. Equally as puzzling, Bruce must admit that he rather enjoys his other self, knocking about people, cars, ferocious dogs and eventually flying aircraft. The climatic sequence when the Hulk escapes a desert lab and rampages all the way to San Francisco is event moviemaking at its best.
This is a long film that moves at lightning speed, egged on by Danny Elfman's bold theatrical score and Tim Squyres' fluid editing. For all the considerable contributions by designer Rick Heinrichs and cinematographer Frederick Elmes, though, "Hulk" takes its energy from character development and conflict.
Bana conveys the inner turmoil of a man at odds with his very essence. Connelly, too, gets torn in different directions, unable to trust any man in her life, from this normal guy who becomes a monster to her monstrous father who experiences occasional moments of tenderness. Finally, there is Nolte's character, a new and interesting twist on the "mad scientist." One sympathizes with his drive for knowledge only to see it corrode as logic deteriorates and the quest for "science" overrides all human concerns.
THE HULK
Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures presents in association with Marvel Enterprises
a Valhalla Motion Pictures/Good Machine production
Credits:
Director: Ang Lee
Screenwriters: John Turman, Michael France, James Schamus
Story by: James Schamus
Based on the comic book character created by: Stan Lee, Jack Kirby
Producers: Gale Anne Hurd, Avi Arad, James Schamus, Larry Franco
Executive producers: Stan Lee, Kevin Feige
Director of photography: Frederick Elmes
Production designer: Rick Heinrichs
Music: Danny Elfman
Costume designer: Marit Allen
Editor: Tim Squyres
Animation supervisor: Colin Brady
Visual effects supervisor: Dennis Muren
Cast:
Bruce Banner: Eric Bana
Betty Ross: Jennifer Connelly
Ross: Sam Elliott
Talbot: Josh Lucas
Father: Nick Nolte
Young David Banner: Paul Kersey
Edith Banner: Cara Buono
Running time -- 138 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13...
- 8/12/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Veteran TV writer and Twin Peaks co-creator Mark Frost has quietly come on board to rewrite 20th Century Fox's big-budget comic book movie Fantastic Four for director Peyton Reed. Multihyphenate Frost -- whose writing credits also include Hill Street Blues, The Six Million Dollar Man and the nonfiction novel The Greatest Game Ever Played: Harry Vardon, Francis Ouimet, and the Birth of Modern Golf -- started tackling the project this week. Fantastic Four follows the adventure-seeking quartet of scientist Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic); his love interest, Susan Storm (the Invisible Girl); her brother, Johnny (the Human Torch); and Reed's best friend, Benjamin Grimm (the Thing). The four develop superpowers when the spaceship they're on is exposed to cosmic radiation; their archnemesis is Dr. Doom, who turns out to be Reed's old college friend. The comic, first published in 1962, ushered in the Marvel Age of comics and dealt with many familial issues. The project has gone through several writers over the years, including Sam Hamm, Philip Morton, Michael France and Chris Columbus. Frost is repped by CAA.
- 5/22/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.