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Timur Time

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Timur Bekmambetov Has Found His STAR WARS in THE RED STAR! And Mr. Beaks Has Found Another Source of Great Annoyance!

"I have in development a... very interesting script called THE RED STAR based on the comic book. It's my dream project. It's something between STAR WARS and DR. ZHIVAGO." - Timur Bekmambetov, June 25, 2008, ComicsToFilm.com
He's not lying. In its current state (before the inevitable rewrites), Matthew Sand's screenplay adaptation of Christian Gossett's celebrated graphic novel manages to land somewhere in that vast expanse that separates George Lucas's popular space saga from David Lean's beautiful-'n-bloated recreation of the Bolshevik Revolution. A lot of things do, really. STARSHIP TROOPERS for example. 300 even. In fact, had Mr. Bekmambetov said this...
"I have in development... a very interesting script called THE RED STAR based on the comic book. It's my dream project. It's something shamelessly imitative of STARSHIP TROOPERS and 300, which boast a combined worldwide gross of over $500 million. Ha-ha! Big bucks for Timur!"
... he would've been right on the money.
But just as rampant derivativeness didn't keep young men from flocking to WANTED, the redeploying of set pieces and quotable dialogue from one genre classic after another probably won't deter an even wider audience from the ferociously well-paced, four-quadrant come-on that is THE RED STAR. This is a massive blockbuster in the developin', folks. It's got everything: good-hearted proles sacrificing life and limb for love of country; bloodthirsty villains bent on decimating said good-hearted proles; a brawny protagonist who learns his brawniness is much more effective if he shows up late to the battle when everyone's tired; three rough-and-tumble heroines who will no doubt look smokin' hot in their Soviet fetishwear (casting suggestion: Kristen Stewart as the gum-snapping Makita); fleets of skyscraper-sized aircraft called skyfurnaces that blow up real slow and awesome-like. Motherfucker's verily stuffed with spectacle and incident. And, judging from the gorgeous illustrations I've seen from Gossett's graphic novel (only flipped through the first four issues), it's all going to look astonishing once Bekmambetov and his cohorts do their $100 million-plus thing with the production design.
I'm just wondering if this surfeit of craft will be enough to drown out some of the most tin-eared fantasy nomenclature since M. Night Shyamalan introduced us to "narfs" and "scrunts" in LADY IN THE WATER. Is this nitpicking? Perhaps, but ask yourself: Is there an inherent menace to the name "Sirdar"? Could you see yourself living in fear under the imperious shadow of... Sirdar? Would you rather die a swift death than face the knight-outing wrath of... Sirdar?
"Sardar," maybe. Sirdar? Of course not.
Now imagine hordes of bad guys-- I'm sorry, "Nistaani" chanting this goofy moniker incessantly while the Ming the Merciless clone engages in one o' those scintillating power-orb battles with the Red Star's Palpatine-esque emperor, Imbohl (doesn't exactly roll off the tongue either). I don't know how it's going to look once it's up on its feet (probably speed-ramped to shit), but the sequence in question reads like a straight-faced recreation of the Lo Pan/Egg Shen showdown from BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA. Unintentional hilarity aside, this is not the kind of kickass tableau you expect from a film that's supposed to crack $200 million domestic and launch a trilogy (though I'm sure it'd look bitchin' on the back of a 7th grader's spiral notebook).
I will admit that I'm not the ideal film geek to be appraising the merits of Sand's screenplay. Though I've no aversion to fantasy whatsoever, I can no longer stomach tales that drown you in an onrushing flood of clunky terminology (I'll grandfather in the works of Tolkien, Herbert. L'Engle and a handful of others, but the latter day reworkings generally wear me out). And while I'm aware that STAR WARS could be accused of the same flaws that dog THE RED STAR, Lucas at least knew to couch mouthfuls like "It's the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs" in braggadocio yanked right out of a B western.
In THE RED STAR, we're clobbered over the cranium with a somber schoolroom lecture on "navkasters", "warkasters", "kast power" (aka "soul power"), "Nistaani" and "skyfurnaces" (aka "airblades") before the story can even get into second gear. The speech comes courtesy of Maya, a  Sorceress-Colonel whose kast fuels one of the many skyfurnaces that will lumber into battle against the evil Nistaani (led by my boy Sirdar). She's the main squeeze of Marcus Antares, the supreme ass-kicker of The Red Star who wields the devastating Red Sword (a cross between the three-bladed implement from THE SWORD AND THE SORCERER and whatever the fuck it is Link uses in LEGEND OF ZELDA). Antares is so mighty that he can halt the progress of plough horses (which sort of negates the use of plough horses altogether, but you go with it 'cuz it's only page one). He is the "First Soldier of Our Army!"; his rippling muscles adorn propaganda posters all over the nation. And he shall lead his people to victory over the warlike Nistaani at Kar Dathra's (Hot) Gate!
As this battle - replete with "insertion rafts" plummeting from the hovering skyfurnaces into the battle zone while Antares screams "Who wants to live forever!" - occurs within the first thirty pages of the script, we're primed for a defeat. Sand is also heavily foreshadowing an early exit for Marcus, but, since the rules of this universe are hazily defined, we can't be sure that a battlefield death truly marks the end for this great warrior. If it does, we're led to believe that a romance between Maya and Marcus's brother Urik is in the offing; that said, there's something about Urik... perhaps it's the "dark and ugly" movement in his eyes whenever Marcus's name comes up. That's probably not good. So when Marcus buries the Red Sword deep into the Earth before getting swarmed by Nistaani combatants, we're very certain it's not the last we're going to see of him or the blade.
Basically, after the route at Kar Datrha's Gate, the narrative is driven by the retrieval of both Marcus (still alive according to the teenaged mercenary Makita) and the sword (only Marcus knows where it's hidden). Though it's been eight years, Sirdar and the Nistaani are still torturing Marcus for the whereabouts of the weapon; meanwhile, Maya and the surviving soldiers of the Red Star are licking their wounds as the nation's fleet of skyfurnaces is being rebuilt/upgraded (there's a new, state-of-the-art airblade under construction; it's been christened the "Konstantinov" in honor of the fallen Detroit Red Wings defenseman). But when the scrappy Makita turns up with news of Marcus's imprisonment, Maya and a small group of patriots (including a big bear of a warrior named Kyuzo) hijack the Konstantinov and chart a course for the mysterious Well of Lost Souls. You read that right, and... I know.
Though I hold this entire endeavor in contempt for brazenly stealing from every major fantasy/sci-fi work of the last century, it really is an adroitly structured piece of shit. Also, at 111 pages, it values brevity. There's talent at work here, but it's undercut by a desire to do what's been done before (and better) rather than take risks; the only gamble is Bekmambetov's hope that his audience doesn't feel too insulted by his escapist cinema of borrowed parts. Sadly, he's a skillful enough thief that he needn't worry. It's Timur Time, baby.
Faithfully submitted,
Mr. Beaks



sad, pitam se ja: da li je san svakog reditelja sa istoka (srbija, rusija...) da pređe ocean, ode u USA i snima multimilion$$$ generičke bljuzge sa spektakularnim efektima i scenografijom i spektakularno debilnim scenarijima?

neka imena koja bih mogao navesti navode me na pomisao da, uglavnom, jeste tako.

Hm, ja sam čitao RED STAR kao strip i to je vrlo zanimljiva stvar pošto govori o imaginarnom retrofuturističkom boljševičkom miljeu. Ako to Timur uspe da snimi to će u najmanju ruku biti neslućeni fetišizam sovjetskog tripa. Like, ever.

Drugo, zamisli kako bi reagovao da si imao priliku da čitaš scenario STARSHIP TROOPERS?

aaaa, čekaj, sad si me podsetio: pa ja bre imam taj strip na nekom od diskova koji čekaju svoj trenutak u vremenu, to je baš nako fino izgledalo, taj megalomanski retro-futur-boljševički fazon i to...

ne znam, onaj me gore sa aicna prilično oladio na to, ali ako je to TAJ strip, onda... biću zainteresovan da bacim oko na filmovanu verziju toga. timur bi to mogo da oslikovi kako valja.

Pa o tome ti pričam, rođače.

Postoje razni stepeni derivativnosti, a Beaks ne deluje kao neko ko može imati razumevanja za naše komunističke fetiše.

Ja lično mislim da je snimanje takvog projekta upravo onaj primer najboljeg mogućeg iskorišćavanja holivudskih resursa za nešto što kao ruski film ne bi bilo rentabilno a opet je tako kvintesencijalno rusko.

Quote from: "Ghoul"sad, pitam se ja: da li je san svakog reditelja sa istoka (srbija, rusija...) da pređe ocean, ode u USA i snima multimilion$$$ generičke bljuzge sa spektakularnim efektima i scenografijom i spektakularno debilnim scenarijima?

neka imena koja bih mogao navesti navode me na pomisao da, uglavnom, jeste tako.

Ma najgore prolaze ovi evropski (i poneki azijski) hororisti kojima uvaljuju da rade debilne USA rimejke istočnjačkih horora. Samo ove godine: Masayuki Ochiai rimejkovao Shutter, obećavajući Eric Valette odradio za rimejk ionako izlišni One Missed Call, a ovi Francuzi što su snimili Ils se zamajavali sa The Eye. Još je Aja tu najbolje prošao, mada je i njemu zapao rimejk azijskog horora (Mirrors), ali bar je uspeo da zadrži svoj hard R pristup. Bila beše ona vest da će Uroš Stojanović da radi neki visokobudžetni horor u USA, možda i njemu uvale nekog Japanca...

ako je za utehu, uroš neće raditi rimejk, već originalan scenario (mada ne svoj).
zapravo, njega su mnogo bolje ispoštovali ponuđenim projektom nego bilo koga od gorenavedenih-by-milosh, uključujući ažu.
ako ga nejluje kako treba – a nema razloga za sumnju u to – he's gonna be REAL BIG real soon!

Checkirajte ovo...

http://dobanevinosti.blogspot.com/2008/11/dani-ruskog-filma.html

Ja cak imam i pen end pejper RPG za ovaj Red Star. Razmisljao sam da ubacim neke elemente u novu Folaut Russia kampanju (pijani super mutanti, AK-447 i tako to).

Robert Downey Jr, Reese Witherspoon, and "Wanted" director Timur Bekmambetov are in talks for Warner Bros' sci-fi epic "The Days Before" according to Production Weekly.

Chad St. John's script follows a race of aliens who invade Earth by traveling backwards through time and wiping out humanity, one day at a time, yesterday by yesterday.

One man attempts to stay "a yesterday ahead of them", and every time he must try to convince the world that "the end is coming", again.

Cory Goodman ("Priest") has sold his pitch "The Last Witch Hunter" to Summit Entertainment says Deadline Hollywood.

The story follows a witch hunter who is seeing a surge in warlocks and witches and needs to keep the population "in check".

"Wanted" director Timur Bekmambetov will produce and potentially direct the film which could serve as the start of a franchise.

Moram da priznam da sve osim Timurovog involvementa zvuchi savrsheno uzhasno i nezanimljivo.

Olivia Thirlby ("The Wackness," "Juno") has scored a major role in the sci-fi actioneer "The Darkest Hour" for Summit Entertainment and New Regency says Heat Vision Blog.

The story follows a group of kids struggling to survive in Moscow after an alien invasion. Thirlby will play a rich girl trying to survive the attack who teams with others to defeat the invaders.

Chris Gorak ("Right at Your Door") directs from a script by Les Bohem and Jon Spaihts he re-wrote. Timur Bekmambetov and Tom Jacobson will produce with filming kicking off in Russia in June.

Emile Hirsch has joined the $40 million Russian-set alien invasion thriller "The Darkest Hour" for New Regency and Summit Entertainment says Variety.

The story follows a group of kids struggling to survive in Moscow after an alien invasion. Olivia Thirlby plays a rich girl trying to survive the attack who teams with others to defeat the invaders.

Chris Gorak ("Right at Your Door") directs from a script by Les Bohem and Jon Spaihts.

Timur Bekmambetov and Tom Jacobson are producing. Filming kicks off in Russia in June.

With the implosion of the "Wanted" sequel a few weeks ago, director Timur Bekmambetov's schedule has been freed up and several studios are trying to become a part of whatever his next job might be reports The Los Angeles Times.

Though he's attached to several projects like "The Witch Hunter," "Moby Dick" and several films which he intends to produce ("The Darkest Hour," "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter"), he's yet to commit to his next directorial effort.

Now it seems a front runner has emerged - Andrew Baldwin's "Red Asphalt" set up at Lionsgate. Plot details of the edgy 3-D thriller are under wraps, but Bekmambetov is set to produce and is keen enough to possibly direct. Lionsgate is said to be similarly keen on moving forward with the project right away.

Timur Bekmambetov ("Wanted") is in talks to direct an English-language remake of last year's Russian superhero feature "Black Lightning" for Universal Pictures reports Variety.

Bekmambetov produced the Russian original which followed a Moscow University student who discovers a flying car and becomes a superhero in order to take on the Russian underworld.

A sequel to the original is also in the works, while Bekmambetov remains attached to "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" though no word as yet on when it will begin production.

Gareth Edwards, the director of the upcoming buzzed about indie feature "Monsters", is teaming with "Wanted" director Timur Bekmambetov on a science fiction film reports Deadline.

The project is described as "an epic human story, set in a futuristic world without humanity." Edwards will pen the script, then they'll set it up at a studio.

Edwards will direct while Bekmambetov will produce with Jim Lemley. "Monsters" will score a release in October.

Timur ima zanimljivu i, rekao bih, do sada nevidjenu strategiju da se u Holivud primarno proda kao producent, pa kad se dobro pozicionira, pretpostavljam da sebi nameshta projekte kako mu volja.

Ili samo meni tako deluje.

Timur je plejer. On je iskusno došao sa velikim zaleđem u Holivud, tako da oni ne mogu njega da bosuju jer on ipak nosi pedesetak potencijalnih miliona sa blagajne u Rusiji, a to nijedan stranac ne nosi sa sobom...

Aussie actor Eric Bana is being pursued to play former U.S. President Abraham Lincoln in the action/horror tentpole "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" for Fox reports The Wrap.

"Wanted" director Timur Bekmambetov is helming this film adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith's comedic horror novel which exposes Abe's secret diaries recounting his mission to eradicate the world of the undead bloodsuckers.

The 6'3 Bana is currently the lead choice for the title role and is set to meet with Bekmambetov shortly. Shooting on the project kicks off early next year for a Summer 2012 release.

Timur Bekmambetov's Bazelevs company has scored the feature film rights to Stephen Tunney's young adult sci-fi novel "One Hundred Percent Lunar Boy" reports The Chicago Tribune.

Edward Ricourt ("Now You See Me") has been hired to adapt the take set two millennia into the future. There 16-year-old Hieronymus Rexaphin, living on a now colonised Moon, meets a girl from Earth who is inexplicably drawn to him because of his ability to see the future path of time and matter.

"Wanted" director Bekmambetov will produce this part coming-of-age story, part epic visual feast along with Michele Wolkoff.