j-horror Tagged Articles at Cinematical

A random mix today:

• According to Moviehole, an unnamed studio is putting together a remake of 1955's glorious-if-way-too-long film version of Guys and Dolls as a vehicle for Catherine Zeta-Jones. Vin Diesel, who has been interested in the project since it was first mentioned almost three years ago, is angling to play Sky Masterson. Dear me. Vin, I knew Marlon Brando. Marlon Brando was a friend of mine and, while you've got the swagger and can probably even sing better than he did, you're no Marlon Brando.

• Calling all teenage, female, British His Dark Materials fans: New Line is holding a series of open casting calls to find just the right girl to play the starring role of Lyra Belacqua in their film version of The Golden Compass. While you'll undoubtedly freezing your ass sitting in line (if the studio tells you "be prepared to wait a while," you KNOW it's going to be a long time), this is your big chance to become the female Daniel Radcliffe - three movies, baby, not to mention a bigger pile of money than you can possibly imagine.

• In other New Line news, they have acquired the remake rights to Japanese horror flick Infection, and will produce a US version with Vertigo Entertainment. (Vertigo loves them some J-Horror, having produced both Grudges, both Rings, and Dark Water.) In order to make sure the remake is of the highest possible quality, New Line has hired Channing Gibson, the mind behind Cradle 2 the Grave, to write the screenplay. Gee, maybe they'll call this one Infection 4U, or something - he'll be right at home.
  

A JoBlo tipster had the dubious pleasure recently of seeing an early screening of Pulse - Jim Sonzero's remake of the 2001 J-horror flick of the same name - and boy is he unhappy about it. Though his report (linked below) is less of a film review than a (mostly understandable) diatribe against crappy remakes, the fact that the movie sucks comes through loud and clear. Acting, by a cast full of TV stars? Terrible. (But...Kristen Bell! Veronica Mars! How can she be bad?) Writing, by FIVE assorted scribes? Awful. Atmosphere? Nope. Editing? Crappy. Overall? To quote the angry man himself, "No amount of post production work will help this film." Yikes.

Hey, there's one positive: if you came through that still eager to see the film, it's safe to read the review - it's spoiler free.

Because the world just cannot get enough of video game movies, Sam Raimi has decided to get into the act as well. Ghost House Pictures, the production house that Raimi co-owns with Rob Tapert, has acquired the movie rights to Siren, a horror game from Japanese "director" Keiichiro Toyama. Though things are still in the very early stages, Michael Gordon - who wrote 300 - is already on board to write the screenplay, and he's expected to get a lot of input from Toyama as he goes forward.

The film (which is sort of a remake - there's a Japanese version that either just opened or is due to open there soon) will reportedly "focus on an American med school student searching for her missing sister in Japan." Not surprisingly, seeing as how this is a horror movie, she heads off to an isolated town where she ends up "trapped with an unspeakable evil that can no longer be contained." Hey, gamers - what exactly is this "unspeakable evil"? Can you really not talk about it - sort of like Candyman? Or is it just so awful that Variety is protecting its sensitive readers?

As far as video game movies go, it sounds like Ghost House is doing this right: no Uwe Boll, first of all, and the game's creator is going to be involved in the screenplay. Plus, Raimi and Tapert have experience with the J-horror genre, having produced both the Grudge remake and its sequel. It's a good start, at least.