I grew up during the very late seventies throughout the eighties and I for one consider myself lucky and a better fanboy for it. During those early times I was taken by my parents to see JAWS, STAR WARS, KING KONG, and ISLAND of DR.MOREAU (with Burt Lancaster & Peter York), SUSPIRIA and for me the POP CULTURE ICON, well for me anyway …. SUPERMAN the MOVIE.
Those were REALLY GREAT times to be a kid (I still remember my cousin having a door sized poster of Superman taped to his wall. With the advent of EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and SUPERMAN 2, the studios really began their big although plodding at the time; March towards making COMIC BOOK MOVIES a modus operates. These movies Big Cash Cows for Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox changed the way things were done and SUMMER became the official time of the POPCORN MOVIE.
During the eighties there were more than a few missteps with FLASH GORDON, SUPERMAN 3 & 4 and probably most infamous of that era … “HOWARD the DUCK”. You know something funny; fanboys still went out and watched these films, still filled enough seats to give them some kind of profit (Who do you really think were filling the seats for Howard the Duck, soccer moms?). Case in point is that we have always done our part to support these films in one way or another (at the theatre or home rentals).
Well …
Somewhere along the line between the mid to late nineties and today… things have changed drastically. Most could probably look to AICN as the progenitor of FANBOY mainstream culture. Harry with his many behind the scenes scoops and internet leaks of script details drove the suits to distraction. My favorite all time post on Harry’s site regarded the upcoming X-Men movie at the time and was titled something to the effect of: “When it Rains, It Pours”.
Harry had what studios later claimed to be a pic of Hugh Jackman’s stunt double in a black, pleather looking costume was the epitome of bland bastardization. I really feel like that post was Harry’s finest moment. I credit that post with making industry standard statements made by actors/ actresses to the effect of “THIS IS TRUE TO THE SPIRIT OF THE MATERIAL” (even if it’s not).
Harry was so good at what he did, so good at being a human virus that he made the studios sit up and take notice. Some have even accused him of accepting so much swag that he has effectively become a studio shill, so to speak. Legions of fanboys and girls have been given license to voice their disgruntled nature in ill numerable comments sections across the world.
This also has opened a veritable PANDORAS BOX of CEASE and DESIST letters and an unknown number of GAG ORDERS regarding these CB movies. Currently the summer of 2010 has got to be one of the most miserable movie going summers I’ve experienced in a long time. There just wasn’t a lot to do in regards to the movies. IRON MAN II, I felt dropped the ball for being too full of itself (and not in a good way). I’ve read numerous retorts from actors, directors and producers at the rabid nature of the fanboys re: whichever property they’re adapting to the big screen. I’ve grown tired of reading comments from studio heads about changing the nature of comic book properties for the big screen.
I think most people are smart enough to realize that it’s generally a mixed bag when you are going into the CB movie business.
It’s just that HONESTLY…you REALLY get TIRED of hearing this spiel from studio heads that more likely than not have no CREATIVE IMAGINATION whatsoever. Some guy’s that is a Business an Economic major’s REALLY gonna TELL a DIEHARD FAN that it’s actually better if their FAVORITE comic book character wears a black leather jerkin?
Fanboys are just trying to say one BASIC THING… we now live in an age where it is literally possible to put anything up on the BIG SCREEN.
When you purchased the intellectual property for a lot of these films, did you really feel they needed to be fixed? Kind of like buying an Edsol huh?
People are passionate about things that they LOVE.
A lot of FANBOYS ... REALLY LOVE COMIC BOOK MOVIES DONE RIGHT!!
Before I go back into the shadows, I’d just like to leave all of you studio heads, actors, producers and suits one little tidbit.
“WHEN COMIC BOOK MOVIES ARE DONE RIGHT, THEN AND ONLY THEN DO THEY CROSS CULTURE AND APPEAL TO THE MAINSTREAM PUBLIC.”
…you want the dolla, dolla bill yall …. Follow this CAN’T LOSE mantra.
SHADOWGEEK10
August 14,2010