Canon Share - Shadow Movie? Maybe?

[sable-cloak.livejournal.com]

Looks like SONY finally throws another bone to Shadow fans concerning the movie that has been in limbo for a few years at this point. Late update because, it's kind of obscure that the film is even being worked on, so updates are late, even getting to the fans.

Exclusive: The Shadow Script Review & Director Update

Make of it what you will, I think the concerns in it are legitimate (Shadow predates Batman, but Batman's had much better PR), and while the story takes some, um, interesting liberties with characterization apparently, I think it could grow on me.

I've had this carrot dangled in front of me for going on six or seven years now, and the last news about this was two years ago, so hell yeah, I'm glad to hear it's not utterly dead and buried yet.

Comments

[is-fear-itself.livejournal.com]

Bah, I wouldn't worry about the similarities to dear old Bats. Every story is the same; the telling is what matters.

[sable-cloak.livejournal.com]

Indeed, your point is valid. I'm only hoping the story is told well. After the disaster that was 1994, I believe 'expecting the worst' is the proper expression.

Still, I'm glad to see it's slogging its way through Hollywood. Maybe another five years, and I'll finally get a chance to see The Shadow in theaters? :P

[is-fear-itself.livejournal.com]

Oh no ;; *hugs* Yeah, try not to expect too much, if it does get made. (There's a resurgence in that arena, though? I think Green Hornet is getting an ongoing or a mini or something, I don't really like him enough to know, but. I heard it somewhere.)

Who would you have play him? >D

[sable-cloak.livejournal.com]

Green Hornet is in fact, getting a movie. I've been stalking an artist working on a complimentary comic for it, who happens to be a massive pulp fan, and is very excited with how things are going.

Oh, damn. I have no idea. Someone who can pull off the dapper appeal of Lamont, and yet be the cold-hearted bastard who gives no quarter to criminals. I could list a couple people, but I keep up with Hollywood so rarely.

I almost think I'd prefer to have a nameless someone for the part.

[lobsters-claw.livejournal.com]

Wait... This version of Margo is rescued from her bridge-jumping suicide by The Shadow, who then uses her as an agent? Harry Vincent calls shenanigans!

That Raimi's actually got the rights and involvement is interesting, but given, as you note, that the project's been in Dev Hell for years now, I'm not holding my breath, either on the movie happening in general or this specific script being what gets made. For the time being, I'll stick with the Alec Baldwin version, cheesy as it admittedly is.

[sable-cloak.livejournal.com]

Wait... This version of Margo is rescued from her bridge-jumping suicide by The Shadow, who then uses her as an agent? Harry Vincent calls shenanigans!

I know! I was all "Wait...wait...Margo?" Vincent's story is a personal favorite of mine, so that twist is probably the one I'm most severely conflicted about.

Raimi's been trying to get this movie for years. As I understand, he's a big fan of the pulps,

I have the Baldwin film, and it gets me my fix when I need it, but in my opinion, the 1940s serial is so much better, even with its horribly cheesy cliffhangers. Well, a fan can hope (so long as they're not holding their breath!).

[taughttolisten.livejournal.com]

Wasn't Raimi's initial failure to get the Shadow movie rights the impetus behind Darkman? (Which, incidentally, would have been a far better movie if it had been a period piece. Sigh.)

please excuse the lazy of not switching accounts

[grey1911.livejournal.com]

Indeed, to my knowledge Darkman started off as a desire to write a Shadow script, and when Raimi couldn't get the rights to it, he wrote Darkman. (I agree, a period piece would have made it better.)

[lobsters-claw.livejournal.com]

I see the Darkman thing's already been mentioned. I hadn't considered the what-if idea of Darkman as a period piece, but I'd have to agree that that would've been neat, if only because I'm a sucker for pulp period styling. ("The Rocketeer," I'm looking at you and, yes, even "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow.")

I've never seen that one. I listened to a couple of the radio dramas (brought to you by Blue Coal!), and they were okay, but if I'm going to sit down and take in one of the earlier forms of the character -- not that I've really had the time for that, but if I did -- my preference would be for the pulp novels. (There used to be a site with at least most of them in plain text format, but unfortunately Conde Nast got it taken down.)

[sable-cloak.livejournal.com]

The 1940s serial is only available on VHS, and you'd have to go through Amazon or e-bay to get a used copy which may or may not be in the best of conditions. A friend transferred the tapes to DVD for me, so the degradation of the quality is pretty much halted. (I recently saw "The Rocketeer" finally and loved it!)

I can't say I have an issue with Conde Nast pursuing the online text versions. Their reprints are very good quality, affordable, and royalties are being sent to the surviving family members of the author who wrote most of the stories. I personally favor the pulps, but I haven't read enough of them to feel comfortable using that version for RP, so I picked the comic book verse instead.