HIGHLA-L Digest - 24 Jun 2001 to 26 Jun 2001 (#2001-174)
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Tue, 26 Jun 2001 22:00:02 -0400
There are 5 messages totalling 406 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. OT: Edited Transcript: Oblowitz' AOL Chat
2. Apologies Re: Edited AOL Transcript
3. My Site
4. Stan is coming to Reunion
5. Wisdom for Con PoRA(tm) (Was: Topic for discussion)
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Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2001 23:44:19 -1000
From: methos <methos@pixi.com>
Subject: OT: Edited Transcript: Oblowitz' AOL Chat
CHAT with MICHAEL OBLOWITZ, Director of ADRIAN's new movie, "THE BREED"=20
on AOL June 2001.=20
["The Breed" airs on STARZ! @ 10pm July 19 & 8pm July 24 & 2 other =
dates.]
__________________________________________________________________
1) HOST: Thank you for being with us tonight. Do you have any projects =
in the works?=20
Michael Oblowitz: I have a couple of sci-fi films coming up, one of =
which is a project called "Fate."=20
2) HOST: Did you enjoy making the 'Breed' movie?=20
Michael: I loved making "The Breed" movie!=20
3) HOST: What is different about this movie that distinguishes it from =
other "vampire" movies?=20
Michael: Ah! That is a very good question! First of all it's a sci-fi =
vampire movie, it does not have the usual "Transylvanian" themes, there =
are no gothic vampires and it makes civil rights allegory, star crossed =
romance, and police procedural community is deciding whether integration =
with the rest of the community is a good thing. This leads to all sorts =
of paranoid, weird plots, that cause all sorts of hell to break loose!=20
4) HOST: How was working with Adrian?=20
Michael: I love Adrian! He is a very close friend of mine! We have been =
friends for a number of years, and we have been in collaboration in a =
number of different projects, he is a tremendous collaborator and a =
wonderful actor=20
5) HOST: Were there any story/special effects elements that changed =
during the post-production editing process?=20
Michael: No, not really. My kind of film making is pretty much designed =
in shooting stage, the script changed a lot from the original script to =
the one I ended up filming, my writing partner, Larry Gross, he wrote =
"48 Hours" among other things, we re-wrote the script many times. The =
original script was not a sci-fi at all, it was set in NY and was a =
regular cop movie, set it contemporary period. The one cop was a =
"regular guy" and the other was a vampire cop, but it did have the =
political inference of "Ghetto-ized" vampires.=20
6) HOST: What was it like filming in Prague?
Michael: We filmed this movie in Budapest. I have filmed a number=20
of commercials in Prague. But Budapest is where we filmed this movie.=20
7) HOST: What happened to Borderline, where did the movie disappear to?=20
Michael: It was sold to Lions Gate, and will be released next year.=20
8) HOST: Michael, will Adrian have an accent in the movie?=20
Michael: Yes, he will, because his character is a Polish Jew, he does a =
very slight Eastern European Accent, it kind of has like an English, =
sort of like an Eastern European who has lived in England for many =
years.=20
9) HOST: Where was it filmed and how hard was it? Anything funny happen =
on set?=20
Michael: It was filmed in Budapest, Hungary...All movies are difficult =
to make, they are all difficult beasts, but they are fun, it's the best =
job a person can have!=20
10) HOST: What plans are in the works to publicize this film?=20
Michael: Hopefully the next AOL Chat I do they will put some photos up! =
That would be a good start! And then, Sony ScreenGems, who produced the =
film and the STARZ/Encore TV Channel who purchased the TV rights have =
Publicity Machines that will presumably start soon.=20
11) HOST: Was Adrian Paul a cut-up on the set?=20
Michael: Yes, he is very funny, he has a great sense of humor and he is =
always joking around, playing practical jokes on people.=20
12) HOST: Will we see Adrian's fangs & will he actually bite someone's =
neck & turn them into a vampire?=20
Michael: Adrian reveals his fangs quite early on and puts them to good =
use in the film. Late in the film though, it's not an obvious Vampire =
Movie.=20
When the going gets rough, he's forced to use them.=20
13) HOST: Which vampire movie most inspired you for this movie?=20
Michael: The original "Nosferatu"=20
14) HOST: Will there be a sequel or series?=20
Michael: There are possible plans to make it into a TV Series, I know =
that Adrian is doing a TV Series called "Tracker" and perhaps after =
that, you know, we haven't developed it. We are also planning on making =
a comic book after it. This film is a really cool comic book/cartoon =
style=20
15) HOST: You mentioned romance, does Adrian Paul have any "LOVE =
SCENES?"=20
Michael: Here is the interesting thing about this movie, because the =
movie focuses a lot on political issues, we wanted to make Adrian a sort =
of "larger than life" moral character, and the "love interest" in the =
film is Bi Ling. She was in "The Crow" and "Anna and the King" and "Red =
Corner", and she plays an ancient vampire who has been around for =
thousands of years; the other male lead in the movie is Bokeem Woodbine =
and he has all the big love scenes with Bi Ling.=20
16) HOST: Did Adrian's injury while shooting scare you?=20
Michael: Yes, it was extremely scary. It incapacitated him for quite a =
while and it is always scary when a friend of yours gets dropped on his =
head by a Hungarian Stunt Man!=20
17) HOST: Since the subject calls for talking about the history of WW =
II, did you think that might be controversial?=20
Michael: Yes, It is supposed to be controversial! Although, what is =
controversial about painting the Nazi's as evil guys? Neither Adrian nor =
I are big fans of the Nazi's!=20
18) HOST: Will you release Breed to the big screen?=20
Michael: I sincerely hope that Sony ScreenGems sees fit to do it, it is =
a fabulous theatrical movie, and that was always Adrian's and my =
intention.=20
19) HOST: What movies impacted you the most in the fimling of this =
movie?=20
Michael: Nosferatu, Brazil, Bladerunner, In the Heat of the Night, The =
original "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" and Roman Polansky's "Fearless =
Vampire Killers"=20
20) HOST: Can you talk about filming in Budapest -- what it was like and =
how you came to choose that as your location=20
Michael: We chose that as our location because visually it has a kind of =
"retro-future" look to it, there were a lot of structures built during =
the communist era that have this kind of futuristic look to them but are =
very dilapadated, there are structures that have been around for =
hundreds of years, and all of this in this kind of dark, moody city that =
is drenched with mood and atmosphere.=20
21) HOST: Did your son appear in the movie as a extra?=20
Michael: No, this is the first film that I have done that he didn't =
appear in, unfortunately they wouldn't let him out of school to come to =
Budapest! He was doing his 8th grade exams and they wouldn't let him =
out! But he was there in Spirit, he's always there in Spirit.=20
22) HOST: Back to "Breed," please. Does Adrian really wear vampire =
fangs and all that eye makeup we saw in a photo?=20
Michael: Adrian looks terrific, the Hungarian hair and makeup department =
were the best we have worked with, they are absolute genius artists. And =
Adrian's facial makeup is completely realistic, yet at the same time he =
appears completely unreal. His vampire teeth are completely integrated =
into his mouth, it is extraordinary how real he looks!=20
23) HOST: What made you think of Adrian Paul for the lead? Was there =
some special talent you felt he'd bring to the role?
Michael: Adrian and I have been collaborating on a number of movie =
projects, one of them was a futuristic Hong Kong Action Movie called =
"Invisible City", which we were also going to do with Bi Ling, and the =
script was written by Larry Gross. When this script was given to me it =
was already a greenlight by Sony Screengems, I was able to take all the =
elements I had in Invisible City and put them into this movie, and =
incorporate the Hong Kong movie into this Vampire context.=20
24) HOST: Will Adrian be doing any martial arts in the film?=20
Michael: Yes! That's the Hong Kong action element. He does amazing =
arial stunts, much like "Crouching Tiger." He does helicopter style =
turns, it is very unique stuff that he and I worked out.=20
25) HOST: We have heard some rumors about a limited theatrical release. =
What's up with that?=20
Michael: This is what we need to do here, we need to take hold of the =
Internet, the way they did with the "Blair Witch Project" and create =
this huge demand for this film. This is a totally classic cult movie and =
it is completely unique. Adrian has done something that we have never =
seen in a movie before! I think if all the fans out there say that they =
really want to see this in a movie house we can make it work. They need =
to send emails to the Sony ScreenGems Publicity Department and tell them =
that they want to see it on the big screen. There is no way that a home =
TV set can do justice to these huge action scenes, but we need to create =
a huge fan base and create a grass roots movement and show Sony =
ScreenGems that you want to see this movie. And while you are at it, =
email your Congressman. If every fan in this chat room right now, sent =
out 25 emails to Sony, to Premiere Magazine and E! television and =
Entertainment Tonight and to all those places, we'll get it in a movie =
house!=20
26) HOST: Are you fond of the vampire genre, as in recreational =
reading? If so, any particular author?=20
Michael: I'm sitting right here with the "Vampire Encyclopedia of the =
Undead" and the "Vampire Gallery." I am very interested in reading =
about Medieval Vampires, like Ancient Chinese Vampire Stories.=20
27) HOST: Is Adrian the 'villain' or the 'good guy' in the movie?=20
Michael: He is absolutely the good guy, he is a stong, morally =
redemptive character who has undergone massive amounts of persecution to =
become the man that he is. At first we don't recognize that he is a good =
guy though; his character follows a progressive revelation.=20
28) HOST: I understand Adrian Paul did some research into the Warsaw =
ghetto uprising.=20
Michael: Absolutely! How that came about is, my family, on my father's =
side are Eastern European Jews, my father was born in Eastern Lithuania. =
His parents and most of his family were exterminated during the Naxi =
era. So I never met my grandparents. As a result, I have always been =
fascinated by what happened during that period and that is one of the =
reasons why I chose Budapest to shoot the movie, because most of the =
Jewish Ghetto from WW II still exists there. Because Adrian's character =
was to be Polish, not Hungarian, I had him research the Warsaw Ghetto, =
where Jews were treated even more horrendously than in Budapest, and we =
used that as our reference material for developing the historical lives =
of the vampires in the film.=20
29) HOST: If it does have a theatrical release, surely this would come =
before the TV release, right?=20
Michael: Not necessarily! There have been films that debuted on HBO =
then went to the big screen. It really depends on the fans. If the fans =
want it enough then it will happen!=20
30) HOST: If Adrian protrays a 'moral' character then how can he avenge =
the deaths of his family on the next generation of their murderers?=20
Michael: He avenges the death immediately on the actual soldiers that =
killed him, he doesn't wait a generation to it. We see the history of =
Adrian taking his revenge in a flash back sequence in the movie.=20
31) HOST: How long did the movie take to film?=20
Michael: It took about 30 days, it wasn't a long schedule. About 30 =
days of actual filming and about 2-3 months of post production. You =
know, thinking about something that was said earlier, we really need to =
send thousands of emails to get this into the big screen!=20
32) HOST: Have you contacted magazines like People and TV Guide?=20
Michael: I think the fans should innundate all these magazines with a =
desire to see this film=20
33) HOST: What exactly are you referring to when you say Adrian has =
done something no one has ever seen before on screen?=20
Michael: He's playing a Jewish Vampire. I think it is a pretty unique =
character, he's not doing some sort of outrageous thing, I just don't =
think there are many Jewish Vampires around!=20
34) HOST: Do you have any idea why Adrian has not received the =
recognition he so greatly deserves, as a great actor?
Michael: Adrian has recevied plenty of recognition! Everyone deserves =
more recognition than they get. I think one just keeps plugging away. =
Remember what Andy Warhol said, everyone has their 15 minutes of fame.=20
35) HOST: Have you ever met David Abramowitz, the writer from =
Highlander: The Series?=20
Michael Oblowitz: No, I have not.=20
36) HOST: You are asking us to help create a demand for this movie, but =
are the producers going to solidly stand behind it financially as far as =
publicity goes?=20
Michael: We hope so! You know, the demand will create the supply!=20
37) HOST: Would be nice to see Adrian in full color in the Sunday Parade =
Magazine. The whole world reads that. Wouldn't the social and political =
overtones be an *in* to some publicity venues?=20
Michael: Absolutely, yes! I think it is more about emailing =
SonyScreenGems and letting them know there is an audience out there that =
exceeds the cable TV Audience=20
38) HOST: Do you have the e-mail address we can write to at =
SonyScreenGems?=20
Michael: www.spe.sony.com and send it to Clint Culpepper's Attention=20
39) HOST: Mr. Oblowitz, do you have any final comments for the =
audience?=20
Michael: Call me Michael, Please!=20
40) Snail mail for Sony is: 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City CA =
90232=20
Michael: I hope you enjoy the movie, and if you want to talk to me =
about the film, you can email Mojodaddyo@hotmail.com . Another email you =
can write to: KiLLa Arst OnEZ@aol.com Goodnight and thank you! Hopefully =
we will chat again soon!=20
______________________Mr. Oblowitz exited.____________________
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Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2001 23:52:03 -1000
From: methos <methos@pixi.com>
Subject: Apologies Re: Edited AOL Transcript
Apologies for whatever happened to the perfect spacing
that was in the transcript I emailed to the list--and what
showed up! I believe my mistake was using Rich Text in
editing the thing, but it changed in cyberspace to Plain
Text . . . eradicating most of the appropriate spacing. :-(
TC <someday I'll learn>
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Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2001 08:07:21 -0700
From: Maria <mariathedruid@yahoo.com>
Subject: My Site
Hi All,Well the reason for this e-mail is to tell you about my site :] it's a kinda big (want it bigger)LOL! Link Archive for Highlander/Raven the seriesForever Knight Queen of SwordsCharmed I may expand it to other fandoms but not sure yet.Any Idea's?Please come take a look and write me so I can put your link up :} Note that if I don't have your permission the link won't go up unless it says I can on your site.
Maria's Link ArchiveLinks to Forever Knight, Highlander/Raven, Charmed & QoS . Come on have a look and put your Site on the page :]http://linkarchive.topcities.com/
---------------------------------
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Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2001 19:05:43 EDT
From: Highlandmg@aol.com
Subject: Re: Stan is coming to Reunion
Stan is coming... Stan is coming wow what a great con this is going to be.
also remember to keep writing snail/email to CBS to have Stan reappear as Lt.
Ferrari in Jag. I love to see him go up against Helm a few more times. Lt.
Ferrari was a lawyer everyone would want.
the Producers are Don Bellisario, or C.F. Johnson, or Mark
Horowitz
JAG
Paramount Studios
Clara Bow Bldg. 2nd Floor
5555 Melrose Avenue
Hollywood, CA 900038
JAG
Valencia Studios
28343 Crocker Avenue #1
Valencia, CA 91355
And you can send email to CBS by going to www.cbs.com. Scroll down to the
bottom of the page and click the feedback link. Then choose the JAG
category, fill out the form, and tell them you wanna see more Lt. Ferrari!
Mary
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Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2001 19:26:30 -0400
From: Sandy Fields <diamonique@earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: Wisdom for Con PoRA(tm) (Was: Topic for discussion)
At 07:28 PM 06/24/01, Pat Lawson wrote:
>Yep. The most important thing to bring is a positive attitude. Everyone
>is there because they want to have fun, and the con organizers want that
>too. Expect there will be some minor problems; long lines, elevators not
>working, a bathroom ceiling falls on your roommate,
LOL! That's a flashback I didn't need!
>Don't sweet the small stuff 'cause really isn't important. Attitude is
>everything.
That's the very best con advice in the world.
-- Sandy (comfortable shoes)
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End of HIGHLA-L Digest - 24 Jun 2001 to 26 Jun 2001 (#2001-174)
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