Sunday, July 08, 2007

Giant. Frikkin'. Robots.

I noticed some other blogs have picked up the Libertas thing, and I'd like to be a killjoy and ask, politely, that everybody let it go. I'm spraying cold water on the dogfight, right now, before it becomes stupid.

Over at Libertas the reviewer Ridiculous Pseudonym graciously replies to my heads up -- and by the way, all joking aside, that is the best web handle I have seen in years.

First off, my congratulations to John on his success with the film, and for his part in making the first movie in a long time that openly treats our country, military, government, and ideals in a positive, fair, and respectful way. And I must say, it’s good to hear from him that those values are shared by his fellow “progressives.” Hopefully, that means we’ll see more of it on screen than we have in the past.

Now, there's a (nigh-overwhelming) temptation to get all thoughtful here, and use this as a jumping-off point to talk about the things we looked as back in a "Liberal Hollywood" post last year sometime. My point is that in America there is this enormous cultural Hiroshima Mon Amour -- I prefer that to the Rashomon metaphor, thank you -- in that what we are locked in this ridiculous manufactured culture war and so rewrite our memories to reinforce this mind-lock.

But then I saw the movie again tonight. With a regular theater audience.

Premieres are stressful things, and I spent a great deal of the first time I saw the final cut still mentally processing. "Wow, that's what that scene looks like", "Oh, they cut that bit from the shooting script", and "Jesus, Shia LeBeouf is going to be a frikkin' mega-star." etc.

And I will admit, when I first heard about the little Conservitas thing, I was ticked. On this blog, you guys get an honest look at what it's like being a writer, and sometimes that means seeing me not at my best. Longtime readers know I will sometimes snap at you, often disagree with you, occasionally go out of my way to humiliate you if you try to bring trash into my wee blog house. But I will never lie to you.

So the truth is, I work hard, pay my bills, try to give a little back, and whenever I see people just assume there's no way I can be patriotic, or all "good" things automatically qualify as "conservative", I knee-jerk.

But tonight in that theater, I remembered. Seeing people scream and clap, I remembered that I got into this business because I wanted to write goddam huge images that you never imagined seeing in the real world. If some percentage of the country has to watch a giant frikkin' robot movie with a checklist, well, if that makes them happy, as long as they like the movie, God Bless.

I moved from television into film to write just this sort of big-adventure stuff. And tonight, instead of carrying all the creative disappointments, the vicious studio infighting, the monstrous unravelling of wonderful projects, all the crap of the last twenty years of career with me into the theater...

... I let it go. I realized that yeah, I was in the dark with a hundred strangers, seeing the dream, the heart of the stories I love to watch and try to tell -- heroic soldiers fight against impossible odds while the fate of the world rests on a boy and his car.

Stephen Spielberg and Michael Bay made that happen, up there, on the thirty-foot screen. Tonight I was reminded how grateful I should be for the small, very small, part I play in the Dream Factory. I am the luckiest twelve year old boy in the world.

Oh, and that JJ Abrams project? The one with the kick-ass teaser trailer? I nearly leapt out of my seat when I saw that Drew Goddard wrote it. I've mentioned him before. He's unspeakably talented.

That. Is going to be. Amaaaaazzzzing.

59 comments:

Tom Henrich said...

We've been talking about that mysterious trailer all night, actually, so it's funny to come home and see it here. The website is equally mysterious... two photos you can drag around, and that's it. No more than that.

But yet, I can't wait for it to come out... in... 6 months??

SH said...

Looks like the Cloverfield guys are jumping on the whole ARG craze. Which is nice, I like ARGs a lot. Well, in principle, anyway. I haven't the patience to follow them over any longer period of time.

Still haven't seen Transformers, I'm afraid. Seems like I'll have to wait until August before it gets to movie theatres over here.

Anonymous said...

So... the Transformer pissing on Turtorro, was that from your draft? And – why?

Anonymous said...

Dear John,

I started reading this blog a couple of years ago because you were linked to the Transformers Movie.

I'm glad to say that I stayed because - well damn it - I admire your Kung-Fu.

And my sincere thanks for helping craft such a great movie. Serious chills when Prime first transformed and said, " I am Optimus Prime..." It was like being twelve year old again, and believing....

Unknown said...

o... the Transformer pissing on Turtorro, was that from your draft? And – why?

In a week or two, when there's no risk of spoilers I'll do a quick frst draft discussion. But main difference -- I didn't have Sector 7.

Jameson said...

It makes sense that came from the "Alias" guys. As soon as it was mentioned, I thought "Sounds a bit like SD-6." No harm in that, of course!

So it appears Bob & Alex were behind the cheeky Robert Van Scoyck tribute...

Kelly J. Crawford said...

I love viral marketing campaigns. If properly executed, it can do wonderous things for a project.

Unknown said...

I just found your blog via Alicublog - oh my god thank you for the awesome fandom crack that is Transformers. Thankyouthankyouthankyou. And I am bookmarking you to see if you know anything about Cloverfield because Best. Trailer. Ever. :D

Anonymous said...

"Jesus, Shia LeBeouf is going to be a frikkin' mega-star."

I'll second that. He totally sold the movie, imho

Unknown said...

thank you for the awesome fandom crack that is Transformers. Thankyouthankyouthankyou

Don't thank me, kiddo. Thank the nice man with the cameras and the guys who stuck around for another year or so.

tavella said...

So the truth is, I work hard, pay my bills, try to give a little back, and whenever I see people just assume there's no way I can be patriotic, or all "good" things automatically qualify as "conservative", I knee-jerk.

I don't think it's kneejerk; I think it's a legitimate response to a longstanding political ploy of the right: the attempt to claim all aspects of patriotism as right-wing and Republican, and therefore define Democrats and liberals as outsiders and quasi-traitors.

It's why I always loved mainline Captain America, and not the one-note "America Fuck Yeah!" Ultimate universe version. The 616 one version was constantly confronting the ways in which his country did not live up to his ideals (Secret Empire, the CSA, Man Without a Country), withdrawing for a while to reflect and reimagine, and returning renewed in patriotism and yet realistic about the flaws. As a liberal kid who had the same struggle -- the fierce love of the best of my country struggling with the reality of how dark it can be -- it was always very moving.

It's not surprising that as part of the revamping of the Marvel universe into a neocon paradise (where the heroes are the rich powerful men who do what needs to be done, despite the scorn showered on them by the lesser minds who don't understand they should just sit down and shut up and do what the smart white men tell them) they killed off that Cap, leaving the kneejerk version to uphold the character franchise. And no doubt to be the model for the script of the upcoming movie.

qgroff said...

I've been a lurker on your site for some time, but I feel the urge to come out of the woodwork and share here. I really appreciate this blog. I can't seem to recall how I first surfed my way over here, but I was immediately hooked. You provide so many thoughts and such great entertainment, and having just seen Transformers this weekend I must say you do it just as well on the big screen as in this blog.

The funny thing is, I find I have to remind myself that I don't actually know you. I read this every day just like I do with my personal friends' blogs, so I end up feeling like, "hey, this guy I know helped write an awesome screenplay!" Heh. But close enough, right? I guess my point is, I really enjoy that consistent truth that you're talking about in this post. It's what keeps me coming back.

Anonymous said...

Aw dag gummit! I was waiting in line for popcorn while the trailers played. I figured the worse thing that'd happen is that I'd miss a trailer for some Adam Sandler flick and the Transformers Backstory, which, y'know, I KNOW. But noooo, I had to miss apparently, the most hugest trailer in the history of trailers. Guess I'll Just have to see the movie again.

Bubbles said...

Wow, got got over here from seeing someone quote an old post of yours. Coincidentally, I saw Transformers today. Funny old world, huh? It never ceases to amaze me how people interpret things. I didn't come out of the movie with any kind of thoughts about politics or whatever. I came out going. "Optimus Prime! Squee! Megatron was awake 10 minutes and told Starscream it was all his fault. Hee." So... good job! I'll be spending my evening working my way through your archives.
And the Abrams trailer? Dude! The Lost Smoke Monster got its own movie. How nice.

MovieBob said...

rogers:
"But main difference -- I didn't have Sector 7."

Based solely on that, I'd say it's a safe bet your version HAD to be better. All through watching the movie (all cards on the table: didn't like it) I kept getting that familiar "this was probably a great script at one point" feeling. Usually, when I get that feeling and track the original down later, I turn out to have been right.

Looking forward to the comparison post, and great blog BTW.

Anonymous said...

About that J.J. Abrams trailer...

I swear I read somewhere that Hollywood was going to take another crack at the Godzilla franchise--a more serious effort this time around. Fits in with the giant monster bellowing and the fireball (atomic breath, anyone?) seen in the trailer.



However, a Lovecraft picture would be FAR MORE interesting to me. :)

Roger Alford said...

STEVEN Spielberg. Very important to get the boss' name right. :-)

"Shia LeBeouf is going to be a frikkin' mega-star."

I said that six years ago when I first saw him on the Disney Channel. Great to see it coming true.

Benticore said...

Favorite part of the movie aside from Starscream dogfighting?

Jazz: You want a piece of Me?
(I wont spoil the rest, but if you seen the movie, you Know what happens next and I LAUGHED AND LAUGHED AND LAUGHED!)

If you wrote that one in, I personally thank you for making a childhood wish come true is exquisite visual fashion.

I miss Soundwave though. Mostly his voice...but still

Benticore
Out

Anonymous said...

I went into Transformers having no intention of loving the movie the way I did. I came out of it totally thrilled. I do wish I knew why that one girl was from Australia...

I came home wanting to comment on this blog, and then worried it was somehow inappropriate to do so. I'm glad someone broke the deal for movie adoration.

As for the trailer, my first thought was Godzilla, too.

Anonymous said...

That should say broke the SEAL.

Anonymous said...

Im glad i found this site. And Im glad that u helped make the only thing in my childhood special. Only child with LOTS of robot toys.

There's always goin to be ppl who go out their way to belittle what wonders youve helped create but ignore them and keep a fresh mind.

-Numbaz
Peace.

Myspace.com/OliviaMunnComic

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