Dredd

[Still Servant]

It is a damn shame, but I think I've learned to accept that Dredd won't be getting a sequel. It's difficult - as I've said, this is one of those films that could really benefit from a sequel that not only expands but also subverts what's already been setup - but it'll have a healthy life on dvd and blu ray as a true cult classic. Considering at least 2 of my all-time favourite movies were exactly the same - underappreciated at the box office but massively appreciated when it comes to video, dvd and so on, I'd have no problem whatsoever with Dredd joining them, if that were to happen.

Not to mention I've got plenty more of the awesome comic to read, anyway!

The thing that bugs me is that they are making a US version of The Raid: Redemption, which has a very similar storyline to Dredd. They will fill it with a bunch of big actors and just blow shit up and it will do great at the box office. It won't be as good as the original Raid and it won't be as good as Dredd, but the box office will be huge.

My hope is that Dredd makes a lot of money overseas. Other countries aren't hung up on violence like we are and the international market is booming for film. Places like China are going crazy for American movies right now.

[fernandito]

Saw it today : wow wow wow. What a great fucking movie man. It's just so goddamn ... COOL. It's unabashedly violent, and dripping with atmosphere. I'll write a full review tomorrow when I'm a little less tired and faded, but suffice to say (for now) that I loved it.

[DoctorDodge]

The thing that bugs me is that they are making a US version of The Raid: Redemption, which has a very similar storyline to Dredd. They will fill it with a bunch of big actors and just blow shit up and it will do great at the box office. It won't be as good as the original Raid and it won't be as good as Dredd, but the box office will be huge.

My hope is that Dredd makes a lot of money overseas. Other countries aren't hung up on violence like we are and the international market is booming for film. Places like China are going crazy for American movies right now.

I know. Actually just re-watched The Raid the other day, awesome film. But you're right, there's no way an American remake could match either it or Dredd. And you're right in that it'll be more successful at the box office than Dredd.

Saw it today : wow wow wow. What a great fucking movie man. It's just so goddamn ... COOL. It's unabashedly violent, and dripping with atmosphere. I'll write a full review tomorrow when I'm a little less tired and faded, but suffice to say (for now) that I loved it.

I know, right? Right from the opening titles that smash their way through the screen (actually a little before, when Dredd puts on the uniform covered in shadow), the film is just pure awesomeness. Looking forward to the review, Fernando! So glad you finally got to watch it!

[DoctorDodge]

Ok, now that quite a few of us have seen it: favourite moments? Seriously, I've been dying for some discussion on this film, not on the level of depth that I give on the Lost or Life on Mars threads, but for the sheer number of ridiculously fucking badass moments there are in the film. Seriously, that's my favourite thing about this film: it's not worried about being too awesome like so many action films do these days, especially with its lead character. This is definitely shown in my personal favourite moment when

Spoiler:

Dredd takes out Ma-Ma's lead henchman halfway through the film. Now, let's face it, since the dawn of action movies, it's usually been expected that the hero won't take out the villain's main henchman until right before the villain himself at the end, maybe a little while before (or in Die Hard's case, a little while after). And when it does happen, it's some big fight scene where the hero nearly gets killed (which does happen, albeit with the corrupt judges later in the film). But no, Dredd is just so ridiculously awesome, that he not only quickly disarms the guy off screen, he doesn't even give him any dignity when he deals with him - you just see Dredd pushing him, throws him over a ledge, and walk away without even a one liner. The look of "Oh shit..." on Ma-Ma's face, the fact that you barely see Dredd before he's covered in smoke again...just a perfect moment of badassery!

It's moments like that that make me sad to know that this won't get a sequel, or that there aren't many films like this around these days.

[WeDealInLead]

Man, only 11 million. Even Resident Evil made 3 times that.

[DoctorDodge]

New trailer for the upcoming blu-ray release:



So cannot wait to watch this film again. There's just so much I love about this movie. Again, such a shame so few people saw it. Still, won't stop me being glad that it actually got made, at least.

[DoctorDodge]

Watched it 3 times on blu ray this week. While I don't think the HD quality is the best I've seen, and I'm really disappointed with the UK release especially due to a few missing extras, I still love how goddamn beautiful this movie is.

Spoiler:

Ma-Ma's death especially only gets better in rewatch. The music, the colours, the shots, the bloody end...still have no words for how great that is.

Oh, and while you all know my thoughts on Stallone's Dredd, that doesn't stop this from being pretty fucking epic: http://youtu.be/tpEshNXqoY4

[ur2ndbiggestfan]

Just got the 3D Blu-ray and the soundtrack CD. I'm happy.

[DoctorDodge]

It's a pretty awesome soundtrack, isn't it? Sounds like John Carpenter mixed with Trent Reznor. Mega-City 1 I love especially for the sheer build up of it.

[ur2ndbiggestfan]

I do not know who Trent Reznor is, but if his stuff is like the Dredd soundtrack, he must be pretty darn good. The theater walls were shaking with the music when I saw it.

[DoctorDodge]

Main singer/songwriter of Nine Inch Nails. Also has done soundtracks for The Social Network and the US adaptation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Love his earlier stuff.

I know what you mean about the music making a real impact. Liked how it would go from hardcore to beautiful so easily, particularly during the slow-mo sequences. I think a genuine surprise for me was the song that the tech guy was playing: it was the theme song to one of the most bizarre and brilliant British comedies I've ever watched, Snuff Box. A great little bonus for me when I heard that!

[ur2ndbiggestfan]

Oh yeah, Nine Inch Nails! Love 'em!

[needfulthings]

DOES THE U.K. VERSION TAKE PLACE IN THE U.S.A.?

[DoctorDodge]

The comic? Yeah, it's always taken place in America, on the east coast. In fact, the new film was actually pretty much made by some of the Brits who made 28 Days Later, with the help of some of some South Africans who worked on District 9. It's why it got a lot of the core concepts right - such as Dredd being faceless the entire time and the high level of ultra-violence to show how shit Mega-City 1 is.

I'm curious about that novelisation of the Stallone Judge Dredd, actually. Wondering if it's any better than the actual film itself. It actually kinda appealed to me, the video cover looked just like what little I had seen of the comic when I was a kid. Then again, this was the VHS cover in England:

[needfulthings]

Thanks for the info I had not read the comics or the paperback and was not sure where Mega-city was. Assumed U.K. being a U.K.comic THANKS AGAIN

[DoctorDodge]

Any time. Really, I think an American setting was chosen because, if you want a MASSIVE urban landscape and cops with guns, it's more believable to have a cop story like that in future USA than on our tiny island. Although there is a Brit-Cit in the Judge Dredd universe. I absolutely love that even our own cultural stereotypes are used: whereas the American Judges uniform uses clear symbolism of the Eagle as a shoulder pad, for Brits of course, it's lions.

[DoctorDodge]

Btw, for those only with some serious cash: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/propstore-auction

A little sad, really. Just another clear sign that the sequel's not happening. I do hope that, somehow, the story of the Garland version of Dredd gets continued somehow. Even through animated films, perhaps. Just not through comics, though. I mean, seriously, what's the point?

[DoctorDodge]

It's not like I didn't know that this was going to happen...but it doesn't make it any easier.

Producer: 'Dredd 2' Officially Dead, Could Live On As A Short

Damn. I'm still so bloody grateful for the one film we did get being so bloody brilliant. Yes, it could've greatly benefited from a sequel expanding on the world we caught such a tiny glimpse of, but maybe a short will help with that. A little, at least.

[ur2ndbiggestfan]

That's too bad. By a strange coincidence I just finished listening to the soundtrack today. I still haven't watched my 3D DVD yet. I'm waiting a while so I forget most of the movie and can enjoy it all over again.

[DoctorDodge]

Understandable. Watched it so many times first week I bought the blu-ray, of course. I'd love to watch it in 3D again, though. Speaking of which, for some good news, it actually won an award recently - The Art of 3D in the Empire film awards. Beat the likes of Prometheus and The Hobbit. Can't say I'm surprised - it's the only 3D film I've ever seen that has even made me remotely consider getting a 3D telly to watch it.

[ur2ndbiggestfan]

The 3D in DREDD was fantastic. The other two you mentioned had okay 3D, the HOBBIT's especially dissapointing, although I did like all 3 movies. I loved PROMETHEUS, 3D or 2D. Another recent film that has fantastic 3D is JACK THE GIANT SLAYER, which went right to the top of my favorite movie of the year list when I saw it. But the year is still young! (I wish I was still young too, but one can't have everything)

[Brainslinger]

I'm glad to see someone else liked Prometheus. I mostly read disdain for that film on the web.
Mostly.
(See what I did there?)

[DoctorDodge]

I will say, I did enjoy it, but only because I had zero expectations for it. I couldn't believe the amount of hype it received. I've enjoyed Ridley Scott's movies before, but it's only Alien and Blade Runner that I've loved. In fact, the biggest reason I saw Prometheus was because The Raid was gonna be shown straight afterwards, and I had nothing else to do until then. Prometheus is full of plot holes and more than a few cliches at times, but I don't think it's the greatest crime against scifi as others thought. It's enjoyable enough so long as you accept it for what it is. In a lot of ways, it's the exact opposite of Dredd: unless you were a fan of the comics and kept up with the production details, no one expected it to be any good, and yet got loads of praise from the people who did see it at least.

[fearless-freak]

i take it you've all seen the Judge Death costume?

oh and on another note the Judge Dredd fan film Judge Minty is now online

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aavS_XUITXU

[DoctorDodge]

I've heard about that. Definitely gonna check that out later. Gotta love that they referenced it in Dredd.