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Colossal (D: Vigalondo) S: Hathaway
And the Giant Monster Movie Revival Continues!
It's being described as Godzilla meets Being John Malkovich. I've never seen Timecrimes, so I guess I'll be checking that out. Nacho Vigalondo spoke late last year about doing an old school kaiju flick. I wonder if he's still going that route with Anne Hathaway attached? If the monster looks cool I'll go see it. Who am I kidding? I'll probably see it regardless. |
Re: Colossal (D: Vigalondo) S: Hathaway
Anne Hathaway Lizard Film Under 'Godzilla' Attack in New Lawsuit (Exclusive) MAY 19, 2015 1:50pm PT by Austin Siegemund-Broka A film being shopped to buyers in Cannes is the source of a monster legal battle. The rights holders of the Godzilla franchise, Japanese company Toho, have sued Voltage Pictures over the film Colossal, which stars Anne Hathaway as a woman who realizes her mind is strangely connected to a giant lizard destroying Tokyo. It's being described as Godzilla meets Being John Malkovich. In fact, it is Godzilla, says Toho. In a complaint filed Tuesday in California federal court, the company claims the filmmakers "are brazenly producing, advertising, and selling an unauthorized Godzilla film of their own." The rights holders point out an August 2014 interview with writer-director Nacho Vigalondo in which he says of his script, "It's going to be the cheapest Godzilla movie ever, I promise. It's going to be a serious Godzilla movie, but I've got an idea that's going to make it so cheap that you will feel betrayed." Vigalondo is a co-defendant. The lawsuit focuses on the filmmakers' efforts to publicize Colossal, which Toho claims have included infringing content. The Godzilla rights holders claim the filmmakers sent an email blast to potential investors, sales agents and distributors on May 9 pitching Colossal with a publicity still from the recent Godzilla reboot (the complaint includes pictures) plus a document of "Director's Notes" with numerous images from official Toho works. "The Director's Notes also make clear that Defendants have not only taken the Godzilla Character as their own, but that they also intend to use the Godzilla Character in precisely the same way that Toho used the character in its initial film — attacking Tokyo," states the complaint. Other infringements Toho claims include the line "Tokyo is under attack by Godzilla" in the company's Cannes sales booklet and a poster with an image from the Godzilla reboot. "Toho is informed and believes, and based thereon alleges, that Defendants have knowingly used the Godzilla Character to attract interest and attention in their Colossal project so that it would stand out in a crowded field of competitors on the film sales circuit," states the complaint. The plaintiff is suing for copyright and trademark infringements, trademark dilution, Lanham Act violations, unfair competition and unjust enrichment. It wants Voltage enjoined from producing Colossal plus unspecified damages. The complaint was filed by Greenberg Glusker's Aaron Moss and Chuck Shephard, Toho's longtime litigators. "We've represented Toho for a long time, and this is about as brazen an act of infringement as we've encountered. It's hard to believe that an established Hollywood production company would conduct business this way," Shephard tells The Hollywood Reporter. Toho points out in the complaint that Voltage has a history of fighting infringements of its films, particularly through online piracy. The company, led by producer Nicolas Chartier, filed a huge lawsuit over piracy of the best picture Oscar winner The Hurt Locker in 2010. It lodged similar litigation four years later over torrents of the contender Dallas Buyers Club. THR has reached out to Voltage for comment. |
Re: Colossal (D: Vigalondo) S: Hathaway
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Re: Colossal (D: Vigalondo) S: Hathaway
For those wishing to save themselves a click, it's Tim Blake Nelson.
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Re: Colossal (D: Vigalondo) S: Hathaway
Thanks Groucho. It does get exhausting clicking links.
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Re: Colossal (D: Vigalondo) S: Hathaway
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Re: Colossal (D: Vigalondo) S: Hathaway
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Re: Colossal (D: Vigalondo) S: Hathaway
The film screens at TIFF to mostly positive reviews.
Anne Hathaway and Jason Sudeikis talk about the film. This is all well and good, but SHOW US THE MONSTER ALREADY!!! |
Re: Colossal (D: Vigalondo) S: Hathaway
Looked for a thread here the day I saw this at TIFF and somehow much have overlooked this.
I think those expecting a straight-up monster movie should adjust their expectations right now, and the film will be MUCH more enjoyable. This is as far from a "we've got to find a way to stop this thing" humanity-in-peril, scientists-fighting-generals movie as you can get. It's still very much a kaiju film, though. The monsters, while most definitely metaphors, actually exist in the film's universe. They're well-designed and fully realized, but not in ways to make them the stars of the show, and the film rightly doesn't lavish close-ups on every little detail of their anatomy. They're mostly seen as the lead characters would see them back in the U.S.: via television news reports, with maybe 10 per cent of screen time being "real" and on the ground in Korea, particularly at the climax. They exist because of a "connection" between a sandbox in a playground in Hathaway's character's home town and a similarly limited (albeit scaled-up) area near the riverside in Seoul that is, appropriately, never explained. It just is, period, and it's enough to support the story being told. The monsters DO have an unlikely but utterly logical origin, but you have to be quick to spot it, which is intentional. Remove the monsters from this and with a little padding, it would still be an interesting indie dramedy about a washed-up party girl returning home and coming to grips with the metaphorical cancer that has been poisoning her existence since childhood without her even knowing it. Because this is Vigalondo, the monsters are clever devices to let repressed emotions explode on a scale commensurate with the importance they often carry to an individual. And Hathaway's solution to her problem is a real kicker. The whole cast is well-chosen, but Jason Sudeikis offers by far the most potentially career-altering performance. He could probably get some award nominations if COLOSSAL doesn't get pigeon-holed as a "monster movie". |
Re: Colossal (D: Vigalondo) S: Hathaway
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Re: Colossal (D: Vigalondo) S: Hathaway
Originally Posted by Brian T
(Post 12899026)
Looked for a thread here the day I saw this at TIFF and somehow much have overlooked this.
I think those expecting a straight-up monster movie should adjust their expectations right now, and the film will be MUCH more enjoyable. This is as far from a "we've got to find a way to stop this thing" humanity-in-peril, scientists-fighting-generals movie as you can get. It's still very much a kaiju film, though. The monsters, while most definitely metaphors, actually exist in the film's universe. They're well-designed and fully realized, but not in ways to make them the stars of the show, and the film rightly doesn't lavish close-ups on every little detail of their anatomy. They're mostly seen as the lead characters would see them back in the U.S.: via television news reports, with maybe 10 per cent of screen time being "real" and on the ground in Korea, particularly at the climax. They exist because of a "connection" between a sandbox in a playground in Hathaway's character's home town and a similarly limited (albeit scaled-up) area near the riverside in Seoul that is, appropriately, never explained. It just is, period, and it's enough to support the story being told. The monsters DO have an unlikely but utterly logical origin, but you have to be quick to spot it, which is intentional. Remove the monsters from this and with a little padding, it would still be an interesting indie dramedy about a washed-up party girl returning home and coming to grips with the metaphorical cancer that has been poisoning her existence since childhood without her even knowing it. Because this is Vigalondo, the monsters are clever devices to let repressed emotions explode on a scale commensurate with the importance they often carry to an individual. And Hathaway's solution to her problem is a real kicker. The whole cast is well-chosen, but Jason Sudeikis offers by far the most potentially career-altering performance. He could probably get some award nominations if COLOSSAL doesn't get pigeon-holed as a "monster movie". |
Re: Colossal (D: Vigalondo) S: Hathaway
^The movie is great and definitely nothing like Interstellar. It is much closer to something like Young Adult with a bit of Kaiju stuff thrown in ;)
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Re: Colossal (D: Vigalondo) S: Hathaway
Originally Posted by Ash Ketchum
(Post 12988682)
Sounds less like GODZILLA and more like INTERSTELLAR--which is NOT a good thing!
I've seen Interstellar and not in a million years would that movie have crossed my mind while watching this one or typing a few thoughts about it. mdc's comparison to Young Adult is WAY more apt, but with some rather unique embellishments! Oh, and "less Godzilla" in this case is a good thing, since as I said quite clearly it's NOT really supposed to be a standard-issue kaiju flick, but I can see where Japanophiles are gonna get bent out of shape when their ill-researched expectations aren't met. :( |
Re: Colossal (D: Vigalondo) S: Hathaway
Originally Posted by Brian T
(Post 12989432)
Not really sure how you got THAT from what I wrote, but ok, skip it if you must. :)
I've seen Interstellar and not in a million years would that movie have crossed my mind while watching this one or typing a few thoughts about it. mdc's comparison to Young Adult is WAY more apt, but with some rather unique embellishments! Oh, and "less Godzilla" in this case is a good thing, since as I said quite clearly it's NOT really supposed to be a standard-issue kaiju flick, but I can see where Japanophiles are gonna get bent out of shape when their ill-researched expectations aren't met. :( But I love your last line above. "Ill-researched expectations" - not sure that applies here since I know nothing about this film and did zero research, other than reading this thread, and have zero expectations, but I'm sure I've been guilty of it plenty of times in my reactions to other films over the years. But I promise I'll do some actual research on this film and give it a chance--based entirely on your recommendation. |
Re: Colossal (D: Vigalondo) S: Hathaway
As Groucho points out below there are plot twists in this trailer! View at your own risk.
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Re: Colossal (D: Vigalondo) S: Hathaway
Looks good, but be warned that teaser gives away a major plot twist (not sure how far into the movie that element is introduced).
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Re: Colossal (D: Vigalondo) S: Hathaway
Originally Posted by Groucho
(Post 12992212)
Looks good, but be warned that teaser gives away a major plot twist (not sure how far into the movie that element is introduced).
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Re: Colossal (D: Vigalondo) S: Hathaway
Originally Posted by Ash Ketchum
(Post 12989526)
But I love your last line above. "Ill-researched expectations" - not sure that applies here since I know nothing about this film and did zero research, other than reading this thread, and have zero expectations, but I'm sure I've been guilty of it plenty of times in my reactions to other films over the years. But I promise I'll do some actual research on this film and give it a chance--based entirely on your recommendation.
(Admittedly, though, the Interstellar reference DID raise an eyebrow or two! :lol: ) Groucho;12992212]Looks good, but be warned that teaser gives away a major plot twist (not sure how far into the movie that element is introduced). |
Re: Colossal (D: Vigalondo) S: Hathaway
While it would have been cool of them to NOT spoil that thing, it was mentioned in the official plot synopsis for TIFF and I'm pretty sure there wasn't any way for them to market this movie without showing this (and not sell people a completely different movie)....
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Re: Colossal (D: Vigalondo) S: Hathaway
Just saw the trailer and I'm intrigued.
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Re: Colossal (D: Vigalondo) S: Hathaway
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Q8hpm_BcHKE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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Re: Colossal (D: Vigalondo) S: Hathaway
That's pretty much an ideal trailer for this picture. I like that it really plays up the humour, doesn't overdo the monster angle, and nicely explains the set-up but doesn't spoil it's other big surprises. I really hope they leave it at that, too.
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Re: Colossal (D: Vigalondo) S: Hathaway
I hang in Kaiju and Godzilla groups and people are so let down that this isn't really a Giant Monster flick. :lol:
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Re: Colossal (D: Vigalondo) S: Hathaway
Good article on Indiewire yesterday, if a bit press junket-ish:
http://www.indiewire.com/2017/04/col...do-1201800297/ |
Re: Colossal (D: Vigalondo) S: Hathaway
This opens out here at the Alamo Drafthouse next week. Tempted to catch it on the 14th.
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