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Fellow Preacher readers!
Sam Mendes is developing a Preacher film. Oh hell yes. For those out of the know, Mendes directed American Beauty, Jarhead and Road to Perdition. I don't think he'll have any trouble getting Preacher, though I suspect that all the sex, profanity and bodily fluids will be somewhat reduced. *g* I really have no problem with that - there's enough in the series that it can stand without the gross-out humor and swearing. There will be purists insisting that it's integral to the sensibility of the work, but honestly? Imho you could tone that stuff down about a thousand degrees before you made a significant impact on Ennis' artistic intent.
Mendes had this to say about the project, which is in the very earliest stages:
Nevertheless, Mendes did go into some detail about his attraction to the project, which in pure thumbnail terms, is about a rebellious preacher called Jesse Custer and his quest to find God and make him accountable for crimes against humanity.
“It's brilliant, it's an incredible twisted vision,” he said of the 66-issue story. “There's so much of it you couldn't possibly fit it all into one movie. It's just about what you keep and what you leave out, and how you structure the story. But just to have that toy set again, being able to paint on a big canvas and to say ‘I am gonna do crazy crane shots and massive action sequences again because I want to,’ it's exciting..”
Understandably, given the fledgling status of the project, Mendes isn’t too keen to talk about specifics, but we did ask him about one casting issue – namely, the frequent appearances of John Wayne, whose ghost acts as a counsel to Jesse throughout.
“That's an interesting one, I wonder what the John Wayne estate's gonna say about that,” teased Mendes. “We'll see, we’ll have to get them on side…”
Chris Hewett, Empire. Nov 7, 2008
Empire also has a primer. It's complete trash.
Why Should You Care?
If Watchmen is the Citizen Kane of graphic novels, then Preacher is the works of Sergio Leone and John Ford all rolled into one. It is epic in scope, a sprawling story covering the entire United States, and plays out like a classic Western. Ennis' themes are interwoven with the lifeblood of Americana, at once a poetic love song to the vast landscape of the great nation while also damning of everything she has let herself become. Preacher trudges through the debauched underbelly of civilization, as Ennis probes the motivations and dichotomies of the human psyche, the place of religion in the modern world and its effect on the subconscious of society, the power of love against all things, and ultimately, the death of the American Dream. Deep stuff, indeed.
Yeah, way to overstate. I'm rolling my eyes at you, Empire.
Mendes had this to say about the project, which is in the very earliest stages:
Nevertheless, Mendes did go into some detail about his attraction to the project, which in pure thumbnail terms, is about a rebellious preacher called Jesse Custer and his quest to find God and make him accountable for crimes against humanity.
“It's brilliant, it's an incredible twisted vision,” he said of the 66-issue story. “There's so much of it you couldn't possibly fit it all into one movie. It's just about what you keep and what you leave out, and how you structure the story. But just to have that toy set again, being able to paint on a big canvas and to say ‘I am gonna do crazy crane shots and massive action sequences again because I want to,’ it's exciting..”
Understandably, given the fledgling status of the project, Mendes isn’t too keen to talk about specifics, but we did ask him about one casting issue – namely, the frequent appearances of John Wayne, whose ghost acts as a counsel to Jesse throughout.
“That's an interesting one, I wonder what the John Wayne estate's gonna say about that,” teased Mendes. “We'll see, we’ll have to get them on side…”
Chris Hewett, Empire. Nov 7, 2008
Empire also has a primer. It's complete trash.
Why Should You Care?
If Watchmen is the Citizen Kane of graphic novels, then Preacher is the works of Sergio Leone and John Ford all rolled into one. It is epic in scope, a sprawling story covering the entire United States, and plays out like a classic Western. Ennis' themes are interwoven with the lifeblood of Americana, at once a poetic love song to the vast landscape of the great nation while also damning of everything she has let herself become. Preacher trudges through the debauched underbelly of civilization, as Ennis probes the motivations and dichotomies of the human psyche, the place of religion in the modern world and its effect on the subconscious of society, the power of love against all things, and ultimately, the death of the American Dream. Deep stuff, indeed.
Yeah, way to overstate. I'm rolling my eyes at you, Empire.
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...what if they fuck up the casting? I remember there being talk about Ben Affleck and Cameron Diaz or something years ago. What if they hire 'stars'?!
Empire, whoa, nice way of not getting the point.:d
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What if they hire 'stars'?!
Then we will cry bitter fangirl tears.
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(The Cassidy meets a vampire bit alone...priceless.)
Great, I'm already terrified about who they're gonna cast in Thor and Captain America, now I have to fear for Preacher too?? Totally unfair.
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Captain America... I honestly have no idea who they could cast. And it's another one with loads of potential for screwups. I'd definitely prefer it to at least start during WW2.
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(The new Thor is good. Ish. The start was good but it's slowing down for no good reason.)
Anyhoo, I think there is potential for something interesting but only if they fix the story. Marvel!Thor is not the best example of good story telling.
Casting wise, somebody less known, more actor less star...Alex Sarsgård could do it. I just doubt he would be interested.
How can you start Captain America if not from the beginning?
I'm strangely rigid in casting CA. I got Matt Damon in my head and I can't get rid of the idea. Maybe because Damon and RDjr are friends. And the man can both act and do action. Something.
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As an aside, imagine how awesome Will Smith!Cap punching Nazis would be? Not that I want him as Cap. I don't think he's quite right, as much as I adore him.
I agree with you re Marvel movies. The Hulk, with all its flaws still managed to be better than the Incredible Hulk, imho. I still can't justify the existence of Daredevil and Elektra. WTF?! I desperately do. not. want. an Avengers film, if only because I can see the trainwreck from here, and it's not even in production yet.
The new Thor is good. Ish. The start was good but it's slowing down for no good reason.
Huh, really? I was sort of considering giving it a second chance. Not actually pay for it, mind you, but leaf through it while in the store. I hear good things about female!Loki?
I haven't seen enough of Sarsgard's acting to convince me, but he has the look down. He needs a better wig, though. Poor Eric. *g*
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Well, they're going to have to update him at least a little. I'm hoping for a happy medium between old and new.:D Shut up, I said 'hoping'!
I saw 'I'm A legend' and now can't watch anything with Will Smith in it. I'm sure I'll have recovered by 2010.
Avengers the film is pretty much a doomed project. They're going to put a shitload of money in it and then forget to make a decent script. I'd like to stay positive but it's just too many little things that could go horribly wrong. (Like, LOTR without Peter Jackson or Transformers without that funny stuff.)
Thor: it could be just that we have slightly different taste? (Tho, I do like the female Loki.:)
Sarsgård was all sorts of impressive in Generation Kill.:)
Eric could use a new wig...maybe they're waiting till his own hair grows?
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Empire seems to have been smoking something while they wrote that. *raises eyebrow*
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I liked Saint of Killers! At least in the Ancient History trade. Why don't you like evil!John Wayne? (Although I tend to think of him as Clint). ;)
One good thing about it going to screen is that they'll tone down some of Ennis' usual excesses.
YES. I know there are people who read his work for those excesses, but I'm not one of them. There were times when liking Preacher took effort.
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I just find him kinda dull. He's a walking cliche, and suffering through his backstory was something I saw as a price you paid for reading the rest of Preacher. I felt a lot like I was reading my twentieth Zane Grey novel at that point, which is not a good thing.
There were times when liking Preacher took effort.
I think he went too far with Herr Starr. You should never hurt your villain so much that your readers feel sorry for them.
Lots of other things were just gratuitous, but I freely acknowledge I don't find Ennis funny the way others do. I know people who would be laughing at scenes I read through and don't even change expression.
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Showtime is a possibility, though their shows tend to have a lower production budget.
I just find him kinda dull. He's a walking cliche
That's fair. I can actually sit through spaghetti Western marathons, so I'm not a good judge for these things. *g*
I actually agree with you about Herr Starr. Did you find the Arseface stuff funny? I found a lot of it tiresome and I kept getting the feeling that Ennis was reading over my shoulder, waiting for me to be delighted.
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I went through a Western phase when I was younger and read all the classics, mostly focusing on Zane Grey's novels, and then around book fifteen, I realized they were all the same and that I was sick of westerns. I can still watch them and read them (mostly in comic book format, it seems) but I don't tolerate them unless they have something unique going for them.
No, I didn't find Arseface funny at all. Tiresome? Yes. Tragic? Yes. Pitiful? Yes. I think the only thing that redeemed his story line was that he got a happy ending. I too got the feeling that I was supposed to find him funny - Jesse certainly spent a lot of time laughing at the kid - but it just didn't do anything for me. Like were we supposed to laugh every time someone threw up when they saw his face? I don't know.
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I've got the books, thanks to
I can still watch them and read them (mostly in comic book format, it seems) but I don't tolerate them unless they have something unique going for them.
I have the same problem with most genre fiction, unless I'm really in the mood. Most westerns (and sf stories) are pretty bland, paint by numbers outings. I can still enjoy them, for the sake of conventions I like, if I don't watch them all the time. But yeah, something extra goes a long way.
No, I didn't find Arseface funny at all. Tiresome? Yes. Tragic? Yes. Pitiful? Yes.
I'm hoping he doesn't appear in the movie/show/mini-series at all, unless his whole story is included. A Preacher production that included Arseface for the lols, is not one I'd be interested in.