Simon Pegg/Edgar Wright to make Action Film

[Jaffa The Cake]

It's immaturity without the funny. Lucas reaches no further than the 'office fool' level of hilarity.

[Rats]

There are no laughs whatsoever to be had in little britain. It's a crap harry enfield, a CRAP harry enfield and harry enfield is SHIT! It's not clever or funny or silly enough to make up for that. It's shit. Good comedy? You wouldn't know good comedy if it ... if it was good.
Bakers bits are shit, I don't even smile because they're so lazy. It works on people like us because it's done with wit and it's a total barage untill you're lost instead of just the one, haha he mixed his metaphores there. It's lazy, pandering to mainstream dead-heads guff and I don't like it but that's just me.

[tubbsthespidergigolo2]

Lucas and Walliams are FUCKING WANKERS IHATE THEAMMMSAAMAAARRRGHHH

Have I just logged on to the aint it cool news message board?

[Munday's Chylde]

The first twenty or so minutes of Shaun Of The Dead I thought was creepier than any other modern horror I've seen in a long time - so I'd be hard pressed to suggest it was a pisstake, since it achieves more than what it would be supposed to be taking the piss out of - It's most definitely a horror film, just a horror film where the characters dont react like they're in a horror film. This is why the makers strive to get across it's a homage rather than a spoof otherwise you'd be going expecting 'wacky' zombies instead of the rather genuine threatening walking dead you get.

What I'm finding harder to work out is just what the hell an action film is and how if differs from, say, a thriller. I'm predicting a group of every day joes being thrown into some kind of hijack type situation and quickly having to change from being merchant bankers or whatever to hard ass baddy killers.

[chand]

What I'm finding harder to work out is just what the hell an action film is and how if differs from, say, a thriller.

I think a thriller is where only one or two people die, while an action film has lots of people dying with explosions and big guns.

[Emergency Lalla Ward Ten]

I don't think Little Britain is a masterpiece, but it has *potential*, which is more than any other comedy shows seem to have these days. It has the right spirit about it, which if nurtured etc. L&W have naturally funny bones, which is something worth celebrating.The only thing I worry about is the hype, which may kill it early.

The 'It's the same every week' charge must really piss off L&W fans though - the stock default opinion. The recurring sketches are endlessly inventive, to my eyes - often turning in on themselves quite quickly. And there are loads of excellent stand-alone sketches anyway, such as the 'Policeman Driving Instructor' one, which is as trad as you can get and funnier than a million Smoking Rooms.

[Regular John]

Lucas and Walliams are FUCKING WANKERS IHATE THEAMMMSAAMAAARRRGHHH

Have I just logged on to the aint it cool news message board?

That was pretty much what I was getting at!

[neveragain]

First of all, since its the most recent thing said on this board that I disagree with.. Emergency Lalla Ward, I'm sorry but I have to say I find The Smoking Room incredibly funny, even if it is playing with a method that isn't new anymore and has some quite bad acting in it at points. Most of them are alright (even Len and the fat bitch are growing on me now, though I doubt the mechanic ever will) and I can't see any evil in Robert Webb.

Also... as for Lucy Davis' voice - brilliantly described by Rats as 'that awkward nervous stretching of "okaaaaaaaaay" and then popping out a few "yes, why nots, yes why nots, yes why nots" sucking air in through her teeth, tensing up and tangling her arms and legs up like a tampered gorilla' - that's probably more due to The Office than Partridge but what I can't stand (and Martin Freeman isn't as guilty of this, although he may be a little bit in 'Hardware') is when people from that style of acting, Julia Davis is another example, don't adapt their approach when they're playing different parts. I mean, for FUCK'S SAKE LUCY! You're not in a docu-spoof anymore, stop being so undelightfully naturalistic. And you too Julia, you too! Mark Heap is the exception to the rule, he can do both styles of acting very well. I like him lots.

Finally, Lucas and Walliams have done some wonderful work (I hold Rock Profile higher than Little Britian, but still), are fantastically funny people and I will not hear one word said against them! Until I've put my hearing aid in... there, now off you go again!

[Hoogstraten'sSmilingUlcer]

First time I saw LB, I made a rash decision and decided I didn't like it; overrated, unfunny, unimaginative mugging, and a complete waste of Tom Baker's talent and energy. I watched one episode and wasn't too impressed, perhaps because the Radio Times were exclaiming it was Unmissable! or Absolute Bonkers Genius!, which I suspect is similar to what they called Nighty-Night and Mighty Boosh. But, to be honest, on watching the repeats I have reassessed it, watched the entire series, and grown to quite like it. It's not brilliantly fresh or cutting edge comedy, but it doesn't try to be either, and it's refreshing to watch a show where piss, fart, shit and cum aren't regarded as the highest forms of humour. It's a fuck sight better than Bo'Selecta, Mighty Boosh, Little Angels, The Pilot Show, Nighty-Night, or Monkey Dust.

[Jemble Fred]

The 'It's the same every week' charge must really piss off L&W fans though - the stock default opinion.

Sorry, but that's reasonably offensive nonsense. As I've said, I think L&W are great too, but the repetitive nature of the shows is a very palpable thing in every episode I watch. Calling it a default opinion is meaningless, because it's a more than fair opinion. I don't consider myself a comedy ignoramus, but I often find it hard to keep track of whether I've seen a certain episode before, or even five times before. There are whole episodes that rely utterly on the same characters, without any surprise sketches at all. Obviously they were in a position to do more of what they wanted with the radio show, and hopefully they'll now have the clout to do a second series with the budget to show a greater variety. As it is, the overall quality of LB series one is beneath Lucas & walliams. Still, even with the endless round of characters, it's one of the few recent shows worth celebrating, and keeping an eye on.

When does the comprehensive DVD of Rock Profiles come out, that's the important thing?

[mrpants]

...and hopefully they'll now have the clout to do a second series with the budget to show a greater variety.

Unfortunately, more often than not, second series' often get a much tighter budget than the first ones, for some reason.  Although I am looking forward to see what they do with this one.

[Underwater Raven]

First of all, since its the most recent thing said on this board that I disagree with.. Emergency Lalla Ward, I'm sorry but I have to say I find The Smoking Room incredibly funny, even if it is playing with a method that isn't new anymore and has some quite bad acting in it at points. Most of them are alright (even Len and the fat bitch are growing on me now, though I doubt the mechanic ever will) and I can't see any evil in Robert Webb.

I agree.  It's one of the funniest new programmes for a long time.

[DuncanC]

Getting back to SotD a second, argh - the US DVD release will have much more on it than our one (partly because there's extras that would push it to an 18 here but is fine for an R in the US, partly because they have new stuff that's happened since they finalised the UK release). I'll probably end up getting both.

[Darrell]

Getting back to SotD a second, argh - the US DVD release will have much more on it than our one (partly because there's extras that would push it to an 18 here but is fine for an R in the US, partly because they have new stuff that's happened since they finalised the UK release). I'll probably end up getting both.

That's both nice and crap at the same time. I know the UK DVD hasn't turned out the way it was planned to, but I don't fancy the idea of buying it twice.

I don't want an American DVD of a British film to be my only copy though - for all the standards conversion (Neil) malarkey I've mentioned endlessly before.

[RFT]

Have I missed something?

What's been cut off the SoTD DVD?

[DuncanC]

I don't have specifics but I'm pretty sure I read somewhere online there was some extra materials that they wanted but couldn't have on a 15 DVD. Maybe I'm wrong, but I've definitely heard the US release will have more than ours.

[Darrell]

I remember something about "over 20 minutes being cut for space reasons" due to the non-double disc nature of it.

[TotalNightmare]

going back to the action film,

the guys spoke to Empire about it...

this has been TAXED from the website

"Edgar Wright Talks Shaun Follow-Up

Exclusive: Empire gets the skinny on Pegg and Wright's next move
16 August 2004
The Shaun of the Dead bandwagon may be rumbling on through its tour of America, gathering celebrity fans left, right and centre (George Romero, Sam Raimi, and Quentin Tarantino are all huge fans, and Peter Jackson has called it "the most entertaining film I have seen all year."), but Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg aren't just sitting back and letting all the adulation go to their heads.

Instead they've started work on their eagerly-awaited follow-up – and Empire can reveal that it's not a sequel to SOTD. In fact, the boys are tackling another much-loved genre.

"We want to tackle the action / cop genre. The idea would be to do a sequel in tone to Shaun but to tackle what we think of as the Great British Action Film, in the grand tradition of The Young Americans and Downtime," laughed Edgar, speaking exclusively to Empire from his hotel in Minneapolis.

"I've always found it amusing when I was at college and there was a spate of films out that tried to make out that London and Scotland and Manchester were as action-packed as LA or New York," explained Wright (seen here with Pegg and the original 'The Dead Walk' newspaper from Day of the Dead, donated to them by FX guru, Greg Nicotero).

"But I don't think there's really been a convincing UK action film. I don't count Get Carter or Long Good Friday because they're more crime films. So I'm not slagging off all the great British crime movies. We just thought it would be really fun to make the UK equivalent of Hard Boiled or Desperado - but very, very English!"

It had been reported recently that action was where Wright and Pegg were next headed, although with the involvement of the likes of Little Britain's Matt Lucas and David Walliams, and – bizarrely – Dustin Hoffman and Alfred Molina mooted for cameo roles. Well, let us shoot down the clay pigeon of rumour with the trusty bullets of fact.

"It's very early days but some of the story was bullshit," said Wright. "Not that we wouldn't want to work with them. We could find a part definitely for Alfred Molina. He's a great British actor and one of the best villains working at the moment."

The only cast members so far confirmed include Pegg (naturally) and Nick Frost, whose Ed went down such a storm in Shaun. But though there won't be any cross-over in characters between Shaun and the new movie, Wright did reveal that the two films might not be totally separate. "I love the idea of expanding and having a repertory company in a way. I like the idea on the next one, as well as involving some of the Spaced and Shaun crowd, to cast the net wider and keep bringing people into it," confirmed Wright.

"We'd like to continue over a couple of scenes or running jokes. There are a couple of synergy things in Spaced and we'd like to take them across, the same way Tarantino did with Red Apple cigarettes. So there's the idea that this is taking place in a universe."

Although Brits and action don't necessarily go hand-in-hand, Shaun was cool enough, dark enough and more than funny enough to revitalise the zombie genre. Only time will tell if this follow-up can do the same for action. "We've got some good stuff already and when we get back we just want to knuckle down and write it," said Wright. "It will have elements of comedy and action and some kind of horror elements as well."

Pegg and Wright are writing the script when they can on their tour (and when they're not maintaining their tour diary blog at www.shaunsquad.com) and hope to go into production next year.

And the working title for this Working Title production? "There's a couple of working titles. We're deciding between whether it's going to be Raging Fuzz or Hot Fuzz. It may be neither of these, but it could be fuzz-related. I've got to do a film that doesn't have a pun in the title," laughed Wright. Why so? Worked out pretty well for SOTD. "My CV reads A Fistful of Fingers and Shaun of the Dead. I can't do any more pun-based titles. I can't do it. My IMDB entry is going to look ridiculous!"

For more news on the frankly wondrously-titled Hot Fuzz (our personal preference), stay tuned to Empire. "

hmmm

[Robot Devil]

As someone who doesn't really mind a US DVD as their only copy, is there anything on the UK DVD that isn't on the US DVD? (of SOTD)

[DuncanC]

As someone who doesn't really mind a US DVD as their only copy, is there anything on the UK DVD that isn't on the US DVD? (of SOTD)

Impossible to say, there'll be no details of the US DVD until a time after it's released in cinemas over there, which won't be until after our DVD comes out. What I do know is the UK version will have menus in the style of that cartoony Flash version of the Winchester they have on the UK site (which I don't particularly like) which the people in charge of the US release don't appear to be satisfied with, since it has its own new websites (that aren't even open yet).

[Hoogstraten'sSmilingUlcer]

Ah, Empire, we should have such a good relationship, but then you decided to turn into a trendy lad's mag-with-film-reviews. Still, some great features but mostly bollocks reviews.

[king mob]

This is all rumour but you never know.

SHAUN OF THE DEAD TEAM TO WORK ON "THE FILTH" MOVIE?

Chris Weston's appeal a few months ago, initially through this very column, then repeated across the net, seems to have paid off. Well, according to a couple of journalists I speak to, Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright, writer/star and writer/director of "Shaun of The Dead" (Region 2 DVD out in a few weeks, US film distribution in place) are currently working on the script of "The Filth." They plan to film in March, and "Spaced" co-writer and co-star Jessica Stevenson has already been cast.

As to "The Filth" creators/owners, Chris Weston denies knowledge, Grant Morrison doesn't reply to e-mails, but this looks a go. The pair have confirmed it to some in a very nudge-nudge, wink-wink style. ITV Teletext ran the story (before withdrawing it), but most people have just been told that the film is "a British action adventure" and it's title is "related to fuzz." The Fuzz, like The Filth, is British slang for the police.

Simon Pegg did not reply to emails. DC did not choose to comment.

From here.


Rich has been spot on with his stories regarding Pegg and co in the past, for a bit more on the Filth lookie here.

[Darrell]

Why are 99.9% of all new films based on fucking comics?

Once you transfer a comic to a different media it loses its point.

[Munday's Chylde]

Why are 99.9% of all new films based on fucking comics?

Once you transfer a comic to a different media it loses its point.

What point? Stories told in pictures?

[Darrell]

What point? Stories told in pictures?

The point in the type of comics we're on about is surely the art and design of the form, and the colouring, drawing techniques and so on, as the setups, plots and dialogue are nearly always unarguably laughable attempts to be worthy and sophisticated whilst still maintaining the mentality of a six year-old's bedtime story.

But Brad Hollywood, Rebachequelle Hyphenated-Model and Ian Royalshakespearecompany playing the parts of the characters is taking the meat out of a pie and filling it with sawdust.

Cue King Mob ripping my neck off.

None of these comics are a patch on my idea for a strip anyway - one based on the Sgt Pepper album cover, with the Beatles living in a big house along with everyone on the sleeve, calling on their assistance to fight petty crimes. And only petty crimes.

[Munday's Chylde]

None of these comics are a patch on my idea for a strip anyway - one based on the Sgt Pepper album cover, with the Beatles living in a big house along with everyone on the sleeve, calling on their assistance to fight petty crimes. And only petty crimes.

Make a good movie that...

[Tibetan Singing Bowl]

How do you reckon, if at all, plans for this film will change after the London bombings? Surely what we're seeing at the moment in London is fairly action-movie-esque stuff anyway?

Well, they'll probly just be sensitive toward it and focus on some other action-movie plot device. But what if they used it as an opportunity for a little bit of TDT style media satire?

[Big Jack McBastard]

If there is a phrase I'm sick of hearing in film commentaries it's "Since 9/11 happened we thought it would be distasteful to show the destruction of <insert thing here>, so we cut it"

So what's going on in the real world has a direct knock on effect to what you can show in cinemas? If that's the case then Fahrenheit  9/11 should never have been shown anywhere because it showed the actual destruction!

I can't really see people breaking down in tears at the notion of a building being destroyed that has no relation to them, no connection to them and shhh don't tell anyone, never actually happened, it was an effect, it's just a film you seeeee?..

Should we all be handled with kid gloves because the imaginary morons the over cautious directors out there believe will boycott them?! FUCK THAT.

I hope to fucking jimmerjoo they don't change anything at all, if one of the plots just so happens to involve a bomb in the underground (unlikely as that may be) I hope they fucking well leave it in and balls to the whinging backlash they'd receive.

I'm not being callous and insensitive here; I'm just making a point if we change our films the terrorists win. (Wish George Bush had said that at some point)

[Mr Flunchy]

The point in the type of comics we're on about is surely the art and design of the form, and the colouring, drawing techniques and so on, as the setups, plots and dialogue are nearly always unarguably laughable attempts to be worthy and sophisticated whilst still maintaining the mentality of a six year-old's bedtime story.

Clearly you're not reading the right comics.  It's not all "HULK SMASH", look at Ghost World or American Splendour.  I would have thought someone as seemingly smart as you would be able to see that the medium does not dictate the quality of storytelling.

[Mister Six]

What he said. Also: "From Hell", "An Accidental Death", "A Small Killing", "Lucifer", "Strangehaven", "How Loathsome", "Jimmy Corrigan the Smartest Kid on Earth" and hundreds of thousands more...