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Tuesday, May 19
Christian Bale has had enough. In addition to the negative press that Terminator Salvation seems to have generated due to the unfortunate professional name chosen by director Joseph "McG" McGinty Nichol, the spotlight of criticism has been aimed at the film's star and his off-screen behavior on several occasions.
Bale has made the news several times in the past year following volatile public statements and domestic disturbances. And, his Terminator Salvation set rant, rife with f-bombs, was such a popular download that the secretly released audio, set to thumping club music, has received over 3 million views on YouTube.com.
Bale, initially unapologetic, eventually went on live radio to ask forgiveness for his behavior. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Bale explained:
I was being told how it had gone like wildfire, and I was worried that it could completely overwhelm the movie itself. There's so much hard work that's gone into this. We had 77 days of smooth running and four minutes of me just going way too far -- and that shouldn't characterize the making of the movie. My concern was that people would unfairly judge the movie based on my bad behavior.
When asked if he was worried about what people would think of him, Bale said:
I don't feel like I have to explain, ''Well, I'm not really like this. I'm a wonderful guy and I have a lovely smile and how can you not like me?''
Bale also deflected questions about McG and some of the criticisms aimed at him in a characteristic manner:
Look, all of the stuff with my behavior and what people f---ing think of McG, none of that should matter a damn to anyone. They just want a damn good movie.
Posted 5/19/2009 by BrentJS
Related: Christian Bale | The Terminator | McG | Terminator 2: Judgment Day | Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
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Monday, May 18
After the successful reinvention of the Star Trek mythology by director J.J. Abrams, fans are more excited than ever to see what director McG can do to reinvigorate the Terminator franchise. Terminator Salvation opens this week, yet many of the popular topics of conversation around the opening focus on the director's hip-hopesque nickname.
McG, whose real name is Joseph McGinty Nichol, is tired of the constant controversy over his name. He told Entertainment Weekly:
If you can't get past my name after 12 years in this industry, you're not invited.
If you don't have the hustle to figure out that McG's short for "McGinty," which is my mother's maiden name, and that she's the least funky person ever, I'm kind of done. My name won't define my movies. My movies will define my name.
Posted 5/18/2009 by BrentJS
Related: Christian Bale | The Terminator | McG | Terminator 2: Judgment Day | Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
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Friday, May 15
Terminator Salvation opens in less than a week and you would think that the star, Christian Bale, would be out hyping the movie. Instead, he told Entertainment Weekly that he almost didn't make the movie:
I went, "No, I don't even have to read this." I just thought, the mythology is dead. I mean, I did flick through (the script), because you can always be surprised. But I wasn't surprised by what I read in that one.
Apparently, it took an impromptu visit from McG to convince Bale that it was a project he needed to be a part of. Bale said:
I had people telling me, "Don't do it, Christian. Don't go with that guy." In a strange way, I like the fact that he keeps that name because it does him no friggin' favors. But people hear it and they go, "F--- him!" People were telling me, "Christian, you're too good for Terminator." And I'm thinking, "I'm too good?" I'm not a snob. I really f---ing enjoy watching a good action movie. Who do you think I am?!
In Terminator Salvation, Bale plays John Connor, the man destined to lead the human resistance against Skynet's army of terminators. The film also stars Anton Yelchin as a young Kyle Reece, the man who traveled back in time in The Terminator to save Sarah Connor (and ends up fathering John Conner), and Sam Worthington as Marcus Wright, a human-terminator hybrid.
Posted 5/15/2009 by BrentJS
Related: Christian Bale | The Terminator | McG | Terminator 2: Judgment Day | Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
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Tuesday, May 12
Joseph "McG" McGinty Nichol has come a long way from his humble beginnings shooting still photos of local bands in Newport Beach, California. McG's still photography led to him shooting music videos and music documentaries before Hollywood came a-calling in the form of Drew Barrymore's big-screen adaptation of the classic TV series Charlie's Angels.
The McG-directed films Charlie's Angels and Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle were both financial successes, but McG immediately tried to distance himself from those films in favor of "more substantial material." If McG's latest project, Terminator Salvation, is even half as good as the trailers, the film's release should obliterate any further references to Angels when discussing McG's work.
There are many elements that go into making a film both a critical and a financial success, but arguably one of the most important factors is hiring the right actors to bring the story to life. In a recent interview, McG was asked about some of his Terminator Salvation casting decisions. About Christian Bale, McG said:
I wanted him to play Marcus, but he was more interested in playing Connor, and we went about the business of working on the script. Christian Bale is so passionate about acting and about his craft. He has no entourage. He's got no assistant. He is about the work. That's who he is. And, to work with an actor who's that focused and that intense, is to all of our benefit.
McG goes on to discuss casting Bryce Dallas Howard and Moon Bloodgood:
I took one look at Bryce, and I know a thing or two about her upbringing and who she is as a young lady, and I thought that she was effectively a wonderful First Lady choice for this world. Then, you take a look at Moon, and Moon, to me, is the third leg of that triangle of Ripley and Sarah Connor. Moon can damn well do one-handed pull-ups on a psychiatric bed, turned upside down, and that's following in the footsteps of Sarah Connor. She is a survivor and she doesn't have a rich uncle in Hollywood. She's got to pick herself up by her own boot straps and make it happen, and I responded to that. I said, "I believe you would be the last woman standing, so come be a part of this."
Terminator Salvation also stars Anton Yelchin as Kyle Reece and Sam Worthington as Marcus Wright, a human-Terminator hybrid.
Posted 5/12/2009 by BrentJS
Related: Christian Bale | Moon Bloodgood | The Terminator | McG | Bryce Dallas Howard | Terminator 2: Judgment Day | Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
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Monday, May 11
How does a native of Michigan and the director of Charlie's Angels go about convincing the world that he's the man to update and expand upon the Terminator franchise? Well, according to director McG himself, through diligence and respect for the source material and the audience.
McG is painfully aware of the criticism aimed at him and his career path, but he's unapologetic about his past. In a recent interview, McG said:
You've got to earn your stripes and pay your dues, and I'm certainly willing to earn mine. Fortunately, I'm most comfortable in this genre, ironically. These are the films that I grew up on. This was my film school. This was my passion. So, I'm very comfortable working in this world. You just take the good with the bad, and you take your lumps along the way. On this picture, I tried to get away from being a cheerleader and really just let the film do the talking.
McG went on to explain that the fan base and respect for the audience were even important in making decisions about how the film was shot:
One of the things that we wanted to do, in this picture, was honor the audience and the passionate by staging and blocking the picture in a way that wasn't reliant upon cuts. I think cutting is a bit of a cheat, when say there's a bunch of cameras on the scene and you cut it together and make it work in post. We chose to go and scout the locations. Christian was a good sport, and we blocked the action very succinctly. The camera swings around to see a transport ship of Skynet flying away, Christian runs over to a helicopter and the pilot's been killed, and he gets in the helicopter to take off, all without a cut. The camera is now moving with him. The hole down below explodes, the helicopter crashes, he cuts himself out of the seatbelt, and crawls out to see a mushroom cloud, which is effectively the ashes of all the people he cares about, until he's interrupted with the hand on the shoulder of a T600. There were no cuts. And, we do that a great many times in the picture, in the spirit of saying, "We honor you, audience."
Terminator Salvation stars Christian Bale as John Connor, the man destined to lead the human resistance against Skynet's army of Terminators, Anton Yelchin as a young Kyle Reece, and Sam Worthington as Marcus Wright, a human-Terminator hybrid. It has also been rumored that Arnold Schwarzenegger will make a brief appearance in the movie, thanks to CGI technology and stock footage from The Terminator (1984).
Posted 5/11/2009 by BrentJS
Related: Christian Bale | The Terminator | McG | Terminator 2: Judgment Day | Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
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Wednesday, April 22
Terminator Salvation will debut in theaters in less than a month, but the producers are still contemplating the addition of at least one more character to the film: the original Terminator, made famous by actor-turned-governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Schwarzenegger admitted to meeting with Terminator Salvation director McG, but said that he turned down a cameo appearance. However, in a recent webcast interview with the "Governator," Schwarzenegger said that he was open to the possibility of his Terminator appearing via digital means:
I said that I would be willing to be in the movie if they get the technology together, and so they are working on that right now.
The planned scene with Schwarzenegger would incorporate existing footage from 1984's The Terminator and not require the filming of new footage.
Terminator Salvation stars Christian Bale as John Connor, the man destined to lead the human resistance against Skynet's army of Terminators; Anton Yelchin as a young Kyle Reece (who fathers John Connor in the past, during Terminator); and Sam Worthington as Marcus Wright, a human-Terminator hybrid.
Posted 4/22/2009 by BrentJS
Related: Arnold Schwarzenegger | Christian Bale | Anton Yelchin | The Terminator | Terminator 2: Judgment Day | Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
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Thursday, April 16
Actor Anton Yelchin has the weight of the world on his shoulders. As a star in two of this year's biggest "event" films, Star Trek and Terminator Salvation, Yelchin has a part in shaping the future of two franchise reboots.
Russian by birth, Yelchin, celebrated for his role as Bobby Garfield in Hearts in Atlantis, is a natural to fill the role of Pavel Chekov, the upbeat young Russian crew member aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise in the Star Trek relaunch.
However, with little action picture experience behind him, how will Yelchin fare as the once-and-future super-soldier Reese (brilliantly played by Michael Biehn in the original Terminator) in Terminator Salvation? When asked what he hopes to bring to the role, Yelchin said:
He's going through the normal teenage stages of being a young man, but he's going through them in a post-apocalyptic environment, being followed around by Terminators who are trying to kill him. So, taking that approach, what are the issues he's dealing with? Where can I show the hero? Where can I show the vulnerable person? The angry young man? Incorporating all of these elements really allows you to create the kind of character that hopefully is very interesting to watch and is just as likable as the original.
Next Showing: Star Trek opens May 8; Terminator Salvation opens May 22
Posted 4/16/2009 by BrentJS
Related: Christian Bale | The Terminator | Terminator 2: Judgment Day | Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
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Tuesday, April 7
The fourth film in the Terminator franchise will debut in theaters in just under two months, yet there is still no official rating for the film…or is there? Director McG has lobbied hard for an "R" rating in the past, citing the original films as precedent, but the producers of the film have been pressuring McG to cut certain scenes so that the film could receive a "PG-13" rating, which, they hope, will help broaden the fan base for the film.
In an interview with Movies Online, McG said:
"We want to make the best film possible. We just don’t care about the rating. We don’t aim for the rating and we’ve been given the freedom by the head of the studio to just make the best picture possible. That’s very, very freeing. We’re just going to make the movie."
However, the decision to tone down the sex (reportedly, Moon Bloodgood, who plays Blair Williams, a tough human pilot with a Terminator crush, filmed a topless scene) and violence may have already been made. According to the Pizza Hut cross-promotional site, the latest film in the Terminator franchise has a "PG-13" rating. Is this a screw-up or has McG lost the "war of the (corporate) machines" and edited his film for the younger set? Due to this slip-up, the answer is likely to be forthcoming,
Terminator Salvation synopsis courtesy of Warner Bros.:
"Terminator Salvation" is set in post-apocalyptic 2018, where John Connor (Christian Bale) is the man fated to lead the human resistance against Skynet and its army of Terminators. But the future that Connor was raised to believe in is altered in part by the appearance of Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), a stranger whose last memory is of being on death row. Connor must decide whether Marcus has been sent from the future, or rescued from the past. As Skynet prepares its final onslaught, Connor and Marcus both embark on an odyssey that takes them into the heart of Skynet’s operations, where they uncover the terrible secret behind the possible annihilation of mankind."
Next Showing: Terminator Salvation bursts into theaters May 23, 2009
Posted 4/7/2009 by BrentJS
Related: Christian Bale | Moon Bloodgood | The Terminator | Terminator 2: Judgment Day | Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines | Sam Worthington
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Tuesday, October 9
Like the unstoppable killing machines featured in its films, the Terminator franchise simply refuses to die. If CHUD and Ain't It Cool News are to believed, a fourth chapter in the venerable Sci-fi series is in the works, with McG directing and Vin Diesel possibly starring.
It's the role Diesel was born to play: stilted, robotic movements, little dialogue, lots of flexing. I must say, however, that I'm a little disappointed with Skynet. After the T-100 made its impressive debut, the Terminator product line really went downhill. The liquid metal T-1000 was a flashy bust, and while the T-X was certainly easy on the eyes, its performance in the field was a tad underwhelming. Will the Vin Diesel model halt this disappointing trend? I'm not optimistic, but I'll reserve judgment until I see Terminator 4.
Diesel seems to be emulating the career path of fellow tough guy Arnold Schwarzenegger, albeit in sort of a second-rate, b-list fashion. First there was the Kindergarten Cop re-hash The Pacifier, and now we have this Terminator re-hash. What's next, a run for West Hollywood City Council?
Posted 10/9/2007 by reelz
Related: Vin Diesel | The Terminator | The Pacifier | Terminator 2: Judgment Day | Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines | Terminator Salvation