The Wizard of Oz (Boorman, 2010)

[Watashi]

John Boorman is attached to direct the $25 million, CG-animated pic The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

The adaptation of L. Frank Baum's original novel will be Boorman's first animated film.

Produced by Laurent Rodon and Claude Gorvsky at France's Films Actions and John Boorman's longtime associate Kieran Corrigan, and currently in pre-production, "Oz" is written by Boorman, Ron Mita and Jim McClain (Robots).

The film is scheduled for a summer 2010 release.

The English-language adaptation maintains the tale's main characters and settings. Unlike the MGM classic, however, it's not a musical.

Um.... wut.

[Ivan Drago]

More proof that Hollywood has ran out of ideas. I'm not looking forward to the next 20 years.

[Watashi]

More proof that Hollywood has ran out of ideas. I'm not looking forward to the next 20 years.
Will you please shut up.

[Qrazy]

Really what's the point when there are so many other Oz films they could adapt instead.

[chrisnu]

They should do an animated remake of Return to Oz. That would rule.

[Spinal]

More proof that Hollywood has ran out of ideas.


Produced by Laurent Rodon and Claude Gorvsky at France's Films Actions

:|

[Boner M]

More proof that Hollywood has ran out of ideas. I'm not looking forward to the next 20 years.
Didn't you hear about Obama's new policy to outlaw remakes and non-Gremlins sequels during his presidency? Quit yer whinin', defeatist.

[MadMan]

I don't really understand why, but hey this could be interesting.

[EvilShoe]

I'm more surprised by the fact that John Boorman is still alive, to be honest.

[Skitch]

Didn't you hear about Obama's new policy to outlaw remakes and non-Gremlins sequels during his presidency? Quit yer whinin', defeatist.


That reminds me, I want more Gremlins movies.

[Grouchy]

Will you please shut up.
Huh, he's right.

[Lasse]

That reminds me, I want more Gremlins movies.

Yes!!

[MadMan]

I'm more surprised by the fact that John Boorman is still alive, to be honest.Heh, I was also thinking that, too.


That reminds me, I want more Gremlins movies.So do I. Done by Joe Dante, of course.

[Raiders]

People do realize that the original movie is not really exactly like the book, right? There's a ton of material left out, and the "it's all a dream" stuff ain't even there.

I would say there is plenty of room for a re-visioning, especially one that will take up a lot of the other stuff left out by the original film. I also have faith in Boorman to deliver something worth seeing.

[Wryan]

People do realize that the original movie is not really exactly like the book, right? There's a ton of material left out, and the "it's all a dream" stuff ain't even there.

I would say there is plenty of room for a re-visioning, especially one that will take up a lot of the other stuff left out by the original film. I also have faith in Boorman to deliver something worth seeing.

If he uses "O Fortuna," I'll shit myself.

[Spinal]

I've read the original book and I would say that the film is a rare case where the screenplay actually improves the original story by streamlining certain sections that are repetitive.

[Ivan Drago]

Didn't you hear about Obama's new policy to outlaw remakes and non-Gremlins sequels during his presidency? Quit yer whinin', defeatist.

I'm not a defeatist. I'm a pessimist. There's a difference. ;)

[EvilShoe]

Also: Return to Oz > The Wizard of Oz

[Mysterious Dude]

Also: Return to Oz > The Wizard of Oz
I forbid you from having this opinion.

[Watashi]

Apparently Boorman has been working on this for quite some time.

http://www.aintitcool.com/images2008/boormanozdorothy1.jpg


Based upon the original work by Franck L. Baum, The Wizard of Oz is a literary and cinematographic milestone which animated cinema must approach with respect. Why should we make an animated version of this story at all? Given the technical limitations of the day, and the demands of live action, the iconic MGM film could only engage with a fraction of the novel. Animation will allow up to explore the magical fantasy of the book and bring the array of strange and frightening creatures to life.

Therefore my objective in recreating the universe of the land of Oz is to realise the glories of Franck Baum’s novel. The Wizard of Oz is first and foremost a fairytale telling the story of a young girl who has lost her parents and lives in the countryside with her aunt and her uncle but dreams of another reality, of escape, of finding friends who will compensate for the loss of her parents.

Dorothy’s journey through the land of Oz relates a child’s coming of age, the transition from childhood to adulthood. Dorothy learns that she must put away childsish things, take responsibility, and become an adult. She is the only child in the land of Oz, and she has to understand that adults live in an ambiguous world in which the border between the good and the bad is often blurred.

In the original work, the handling of the female characters has been subjected to tremendous care. All the strong and powerful characters are women: Dorothy, the Witch, Glinda. Whereas males are deficient: the Wizard of Oz, the Tin Man, the Lion, the Scarecrow.

Nature also plays a key role in this magical world. It possesses a soul and is inhabited by mysterious forces. This nature isn’t tamed like ours, it belongs to the witches and the wizards. Nature is accordingly handled in the script as a genuine character.

Eventually, the harmony of the film will rest on the atmosphere, for which light is crucial. Today’s animated films generally tend to be over lit. These delightful and touching characters, Dorothy’s companions, represent aspects of the human condition. I will set them in a magical landscape that contains deep shadows and dark mysterious places which reminds us of the hazards we all face as we make our way through the world.

Such a setting will allow Dorothy to remain this unique character who has been through a century of literature and cinema history and is still able to seduce generations of viewers.

John Boorman

I want. Now.

[Watashi]

Can you change the thread title, mods?

It will be interesting to see in 2010 for classic literay works reimagined in Burton's Alice in Wonderland and Boorman's Wizard of Oz.

I'm looking forward to the latter a lot more.

[D_Davis]

I've always wanted to see a big budget animated version of Oz using the style of the original illustrations.

http://neatorama.cachefly.net/images/2007-08/wizard-of-oz-original.jpg

Now that would be awesome.

[Sven]

I cannot see the words "Boorman" and "Oz" together and not squee just a little bit.

[Mysterious Dude]

I've always wanted to see a big budget animated version of Oz using the style of the original illustrations.

Now that would be awesome.
Ugh.

I'd prefer they forget about the original illustrations or the 1939 film and come up with a totally new vision. I love Lisbeth Zwerger's interpretation, for example:

http://www.childscapes.com/jpegs/allnew/6079%20lizbeth%20zwerger.jpg

[KK2.0]

i'm hoping for a complete new vision too.

France has some great animation talents and i wish luck to Boorman because i do want this to work. although i'm worried when non animators take helm of animated projects, it's such a different production flow.

[Ezee E]

I'm officially excited for this now:

http://www.aintitcool.com/images2008/tinman4.jpg
http://www.aintitcool.com/images2008/witchcastle.jpg
http://www.aintitcool.com/images2008/lionsmall.jpg
http://www.aintitcool.com/images2008/scarecrow.jpg
http://www.aintitcool.com/images2008/munchkinlandsmall.jpg

[Sycophant]

This looks amazing.

[D_Davis]

I can dig that.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Wow. This project just went from no interest to highly anticipated with the addition of a couple pics. That's impressive.

[megladon8]

I like all of the pics (especially Scarecrow), except for Tin Man.

Looks like something from a video game by RARE.

[Rowland]

Reminds me of Squaresoft.

[Ezee E]

I like all of the pics (especially Scarecrow), except for Tin Man.

Looks like something from a video game by RARE.
I dig the Tin Man the most.

[Saya]

Wow, that concept art looks very cute and great. I love it.

[Kurosawa Fan]

I'm anxious to see Dorothy and the Wicked Witch.

[Wryan]

I'm anxious to see Dorothy and the Wicked Witch.

Isn't she on the previous page? Or was that not the true art?

[Ezee E]

I'm anxious to see Dorothy and the Wicked Witch.
There is a pic of Dorothy and Toto, but not the witch yet.

[Raiders]

Where is the concept picture of Dorothy and Toto for Boorman's film? It's not linked in this thread, I don't believe.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Oh, wow. I see Dorothy, but I don't see Toto anywhere in the thread. Don't know how I missed Dorothy.

[Raiders]

Oh, wow. I see Dorothy, but I don't see Toto anywhere in the thread. Don't know how I missed Dorothy.

Yeah, I kept looking only from E's post down. I see her now, too.

Great designs all around.

[Ezee E]

It's on aintitcool.com

I forgot to link the Dorothy picture and Oz.

[Sven]

I'm calling it now: this movie will be one of the finest CG films ever crafted. I am basing that purely on the strength of the story's potential, the concept art, and the ever-reliable Boorman. Mark it in stone.

[Ezee E]

I'll still wait until I see them in movement, and hear the voiceacting.

This certainly is coming together better then the (also interesting) Alice In Wonderland project.

[Kurosawa Fan]

It's on aintitcool.com

I forgot to link the Dorothy picture and Oz.

I'm actually not crazy about that first Emerald City pic. It's a lot less... epic, I guess... than I thought it would be. Seems pretty small in scale compared to the Witch's castle. Still, I'm really excited for this. I think I might read the novel when I'm done with It. I have no knowledge of the story beyond the musical.

EDIT: Nevermind, found it in the first post. I need to read things through.

[Sycophant]

I've been meaning to read the original book for a while. The only L. Frank Baum book I've read is The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus a few years back (which is awesome; so's the Rankin Bass take).

I'm a fan of both the musical and Maguire's Wicked series, so I owe Baum's source material at least a pass.

[number8]

Can't believe I'm excited for this.

[Ezee E]

Is this one our "only on Match Cut" deals, or are other people actually excited for this?

[Raiders]

Is this one our "only on Match Cut" deals, or are other people actually excited for this?

I doubt many people know about it. This isn't even on imdb yet.

[Watashi]

Pretty much only on Match Cut and AICN are excited about it.

Never thought you would ever hear those words together before.

[Wryan]

With all of the other infinite varieties of message boards out there in the infinite variety of electronic space, it's downright absurd to think that we are the only intelligent life in the uniweb.

[Ezee E]

With all of the other infinite varieties of message boards out there in the infinite variety of electronic space, it's downright absurd to think that we are the only intelligent life in the uniweb.
I've seen RT, CHUD, and Dark Horizons. I even posted at RT for a few years.

Creationists use RT as proof that there is no evolution.

[MadMan]

I've seen RT, CHUD, and Dark Horizons. I even posted at RT for a few years.

Creationists use AICN as proof that there is no evolution.Fixed ;) Although I can't say I disagree with you on the whole.

On the last page I didn't see Dorothy at all. But the concept art does look pretty sweet.

[Sycophant]

Fixed ;) Although I can't say I disagree with you on the whole.

On the last page I didn't see Dorothy at all. But the concept art does look pretty sweet.
Jesus Christ, you really are lazy. Page one, dude.

[MadMan]

Jesus Christ, you really are lazy. Page one, dude.I just forgot to scroll up because I had already seen that pic, and I thought that what you guys were referring were the second set of picks. Relax, dude.

[Ivan Drago]

Huh, he's right.

I know this is quite late, but who? Me or Wats?

[Spun Lepton]

Hrm, I find myself a little excited for this. I love those character designs.

[Grouchy]

I know this is quite late, but who? Me or Wats?
You.

But, I concur with the majority - this looks awesome.

[Ivan Drago]

You.

But, I concur with the majority - this looks awesome.

Yeah I will admit the more I'm seeing of this the cooler it looks.

Same here Rowland - all the character designs (especially the Tin Man) reminds of Squaresoft.

[Amnesiac]

Wow. This project just went from no interest to highly anticipated with the addition of a couple pics. That's impressive.

Yeah. Although I wasn't exactly not interested in it before, these pictures have definitely charged my anticipation.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Just found some footage (http://www.filmbuffonline.com/FBOLNewsreel/wordpress/2010/09/07/a-peek-at-boormans-animated-oz-project/) for those interested. It's from back in September, but I don't think it's been posted here before. Definitely needs some cleaning up, but I like the look.

[megladon8]

Wow, that looks really neat.

[baby doll]

I'm less annoyed by remakes than remakes that try to distance themselves from the films they're remaking by claiming that they're new adaptations of the original novels. What bullshit.

[megladon8]

I'm less annoyed by remakes than remakes that try to distance themselves from the films they're remaking by claiming that they're new adaptations of the original novels. What bullshit.


What?

A perfect example: Soderbergh's Solaris.

That was in no way, shape or form a remake of Tarkovsky's film.

[Sven]

I'm less annoyed by remakes than remakes that try to distance themselves from the films they're remaking by claiming that they're new adaptations of the original novels. What bullshit.

I like that there are still movie people that read.

[transmogrifier]

I'm less annoyed by remakes than remakes that try to distance themselves from the films they're remaking by claiming that they're new adaptations of the original novels. What bullshit.


Weird gripe.

[baby doll]

What?

A perfect example: Soderbergh's Solaris.

That was in no way, shape or form a remake of Tarkovsky's film.Well, unlike Tarkovsky's film, it's a streamlined piece of storytelling with no stylistic interest whatsoever, so maybe you're on to something there.

Still, this is a pretty widespread trend in Hollywood over the last ten years or so. (Case in point: The Coen Brothers' True Grit only cites the source novel in the credits, not the 1969 film version.) It just seems like a weird way of establishing a movie's artistic credentials; the logic here seems to be: This isn't a shameless money-grab because we're going to make it more slavishly faithful to the original text, which is supposed to make it some sort of enhancement over the earlier film versions. (I find it's usually the opposite that's true, that the best adaptations are the most free.)

[megladon8]

Soderbergh's Solaris >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Tarkovsky's

[D_Davis]

Dude - it's like a cover song. When a band covers a song, they cover the original, not all of the other bands who have already covered the song.

The best examples of this in film are all of the martial arts films based on the same works of literature. Heroes of the Marsh has had like over a hundred different films based on it, from the earliest days of the Hong Kong film industry until now. Each of these films isn't a new remake of the previous film - they are all based on, and offer up different interpretations of, the original source: the novel. Unless directly noted, that is. Because there have been some direct remakes.

Ashes of Time was based on the same novel as Eagle Shooting Heroes was. It came first, but you wouldn't say that Eagle Shooting Heroes was a remake of Ashes of Time.

[number8]

It depends. I don't mind if they're actually doing that. I only get annoyed when they're very obviously bullshitting, like Will Smith claiming that his Oldboy movie is not a remake of Park Chan-wook's but rather another adaptation of the original manga. As if anyone would ever believe they'd do an adaptation of the Oldboy manga if the movie didn't exist.

[baby doll]

Soderbergh's Solaris >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Tarkovsky'sIf you don't give a hoot about sounds and images, and think that the only function of a shot is to make a point in the narrative (and only one point), then I can see that statement making sense. (Are you by chance a Christopher Nolan fan?) However, although I tend to prefer Soderbergh's more script- and actor-driven films to his half-baked formal experiments, this still seems to me several notches below sex, lies & videotape and King of the Hill in terms of freshness and energy.

[megladon8]

:|

[Sven]

I think there have been enough variations done on Wizard of Oz (animated, Return to Oz, Wicked, comic, etc) that there is enough distance in our cultural consciousness from the '39 film version and Baum's. Working at a bookstore, I will tell you, too, from firsthand experience, that the interest in Baum's original has only intensified in recent times.

[megladon8]

I much prefer the emotional resonance and beautiful imagery of Soderbergh's film (not to mention the gorgeous music by Cliff Martinez), to the admittedly beautiful imagery accompanied by a slow, plodding, emotionally cold story of Tarkovsky's film.

Soderbergh's film also has George Clooney's finest performance.

[baby doll]

I much prefer the emotional resonance and beautiful imagery of Soderbergh's film (not to mention the gorgeous music by Cliff Martinez), to the admittedly beautiful imagery accompanied by a slow, plodding, emotionally cold story of Tarkovsky's film.

Soderbergh's film also has George Clooney's finest performance.There's nothing cold about Tarkovsky's film, which has Natalya Bondarchuk's best performance (actually, this is the only movie I've seen her in, but what a performance). Nor is it by any means slow or plodding, since Tarkovsky's meditative camera movements aren't there simply to advance the plot. Conversely, it's Soderbergh's purely functional approach to film language that marks his version as, at best, respectable hackwork--more ambitious than most multiplex fodder, but not a film that I feel the need to see over and over.

[megladon8]

Soderbergh's film was much more inspired than you give it credit for.

[Sven]

Let's not turn a beautiful Boorman thread into a Soderbergh bitchfest. Instead, let's talk about the enticing promise of a visually lyrical CG film.

[baby doll]

Soderbergh's film was much more inspired than you give it credit for.I think it's interesting that Soderbergh is giving up filmmaking precisely because he's sick of commercial movies that take a purely functional approach to form ("If I see another over-the-shoulder shot, I'm gonna blow my brains out!"), yet his remake of Solaris is a clear-cut case of taking a film where mise en scène matters as much as story, and then stripping it down to this slick piece of storytelling that's more than an hour shorter, because they've replaced Tarkovsky's meditative camera movements with over-the-shoulder shots. It's the sort of movie you can watch on the little screens they have on planes.

[baby doll]

Let's not turn a beautiful Boorman thread into a Soderbergh bitchfest. Instead, let's talk about the enticing promise of a visually lyrical CG film.I think this could be one for the interactive film series.

[D_Davis]

Instead, let's talk about the enticing promise of a visually lyrical CG film.

Have you seen Dragon Hunters?

Terrible, generic title aside, it's actually a CG animated film that I dig.

I love the art style, and the adventure is really cool. The trailer makes it look a little more slapstick than it really is.

http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/dragon-hunters/international-teaser-trailer

[Sven]

You did that? Impressive!

:P

[D_Davis]

You did that? Impressive!

:P

HA! Yes. I did that... derka der!

*dig*

[KK2.0]

Just found some footage (http://www.filmbuffonline.com/FBOLNewsreel/wordpress/2010/09/07/a-peek-at-boormans-animated-oz-project/) for those interested. It's from back in September, but I don't think it's been posted here before. Definitely needs some cleaning up, but I like the look.

The article clarifies that it's a render test, unfinished animation, but i dig the colorful illustrated look and those designs are very cute.

this is scheduled to 2012 or late 2011?

[Raiders]

Pretty sure that's a really old render test (the image of Dorothy holding up the apple was the first released image from the film) and considering there has been zero news about this in well over a year, I'm considering this project dead until told otherwise.

I'm feeling the same about Boorman's Memoirs of Hadrian. Sadly, as he gets older, I'm concerned we may not see another film from him.