News…(none) and stuff

…actually none at all but it seems I should try and post something at least once a week, even if it is simply to state the absence of anything really interesting happening.

I’ve still not heard either way about the ‘other’ project I went out to LA for a few weeks ago. I have to assume that they’ve given it to someone else which is a damn pity as I’d love to have got my hands on it.  I’m not even sure it’s going to who I thought but as nothing has been announced, I’m as in the dark as the next person. 

Heading back out to Hollywood for a few weeks to pitch another project with Wes Craven as producer.  He’s somewhat of a hero of mine so it’s a great pleasure to spend time with him – he’s very softly spoken and extremely smart; not at all the gore hound you’d expect from someone whose created what he has.  Once again, I shouldn’t really elaborate too much as I, quite literally, don’t want to queer the pitch.  If it works out it will be a really fun, gory and exciting movie. 

No Solomon Kane news – at least none that I know of.  Creatively there is nothing left for me to do and the business side of it is still ticking along but as I have no influence or input into that side of things, I keep out of it.  I’m  never told release dates or schedules and only find out when some far more dilligent person than I discovers info.  The guys at the REH forum seem to be on the case though.  I check in their to find out info about my own movie.  They even turned up a little review from someone who attended the LA screening a few weeks back… I’ll quote it here but only because it’s nice about the film. 

“I was at that distributor’s screening of Solomon Kane that Aint It Cool News had set up here in LA. I’m biased because this was my kind of movie, but I will say that this was was of THE best sword and sorcery films I’ve seen to date and I’ve pretty much seen them all. Played straight with no one-liners or sidekicks, Solomon Kane was dark, grim and brutal. And that is why I loved it. Still my favorite movie of the year so far.”

I can’t ask for a better comment than that. 
If you’re a SK fan you could do worse than paying the forum a visit… http://www.conan.com/invboard/index.php?showforum=14  They’re pretty serious about all things Robert Howard and are far more informed about the history and literary details of Kane than I ever am. 

What else….?  Lots of other things.  Looks like I’m closing in on a co-lead for James Purefoy to play against in The Unblinking Eye.  If I can snag this Oscar winning actor it will be an amazing experience as I think he’ll make James work harder than he ever has before and I know he’ll elevate what I have written into something extraordinary.  Lots of challenges  before it becomes official but it is nice to know the script gets such a positive reaction.

Also I’m waiting to hear about a fantasy-adventure project I’ve been dying to get into development.  It’s my homage to the legendary Ray Harryhausen, with loads of high adventure and lots of monsters.  (I love monsters)  Expensive in this climate but it’s a lot of fun for a wider audience and something I’ve wanted to do for years. 

And also I’m thinking of developing a graphic novel of a science fiction story I’ve been writing recently.  It’s just too gigantic in scope for a movie but I love working on the visuals as well as the character and narrative, so it seems a graphic novel is the way to go.  I’ve never written one before so we’ll have to see how much  spending time with Alan Moore has helped. 

Gotta get some sleep now, flying tomorrow.

~ by michaeljbassett on June 21, 2009.