A question for Andrew Ellard

I second that.

I’m loving that idea. I shall snuggle up with it on the sofa being most inappropriate.

Yeah, but HE doesn’t have to know you’re logging his e-mails does he?

Until the books out in the shop of course, but then it’s too late for him to do anything about it, then isn’t it?

We understand how the cogs turn, and get a cracking good read.

I lol’d. I lol’d muchly.

Speaking about Ghostbusters, it’s been on Watch, or whatever the channel’s called, on Saturday for like three weeks in a row, hasn’t it? I might be wrong and it might just be my brother putting it on every time he’s round, which IS every Saturday… Either way, I’m not complaining, I love that film, and I don’t get why some people HATE the second one. I thought it was just as good. Then again, I thought that about Superman 2 when I was a kid, and it’s been pointed out to me by various people that it is, for the most part, incredibly boring. I won’t go back and watch it again to see, though, I want to be delusional in my memories no matter how out of touch they might be.

Except in Bedford Falls it was always Saturday night.

Indeed, unless it does end up featuring Vai, Satriani and Petrucci.

“And when they?re in the dark room looking at the pics of Vigo, that?s another creepy scene. Thinking about it it definitely WAS scarier than the first!”

Yeah I had nightmares for quite a while after that, and I’m probably going to get them again now, but it’s so worth it, I love being afraid, though it’s not that hard to scare me. Throw on any music from either The 7th Guest or the 11th hour and I’ll be pissing myself. George Sanger is a psychotically talented man (AND versatile, he did the old original series Star Trek game music AND Loom AND…and many more! Does everyone already know this?)

That pic is awesome.

There’s far too much hate about Ghostbusters II. It’s far better than the standard of sequels we get these days. It may be by the numbers, but it’s enjoyable enough. And Bill Murray’s in it.

“And Bill Murray?s in it.”

Thinking about it, that’s probably the deciding difference between GB2 and MIB2.

Oh yeah and regarding for the original question posed in this thread, wasn’t the introduction to the Red Dwarf Series 8 script book a BIT like a mini-Writer’s Tale? I can’t really remember, I remember flicking through it in Waterstones but I couldn’t afford it at the time seeing as I was barely at the age where people have fully functioning personalities. But the closest thing I have to a point is; if Doug isn’t going to do a Writer’s Tale-type book, at least we have those introductions to the series 8 scripts. Even if you don’t like VIII, the intros are interesting if I’m remembering properly.

>at least we have those introductions to the series 8 scripts. Even if you don?t like VIII, the intros are interesting if I?m remembering properly.

This is true. I hate 80% of that book (the scripts) and love the rest of it. I had a pretty valid reason for not buying it, until I read the introductions in a bookshop and realised I had to have it. But I’m a sucker for that kind of thing, anyway. I don’t have any Doctor Who DVDs (Sky plussed all the good episodes) but I bought The Writer’s Tale, and didn’t hesitate purchasing it all over again the other day (with the new bits) simply because it was so bloody good. Also found The Nth Doctor fascinating.

I’d still love to see a Series IX book happen in some shape or form. Imagine a ‘making of’ concerning a series that never happened… :) Could be great.

My main issue with The Donner Cut is that, in a weird kind of way, it isn’t really The Donner Cut, or even an Assembly Cut for that matter. If anything, it’s more of a remastered Superman II, with a couple of deleted scenes/screen tests shoehorned in between stuff that actually works.

I actually prefer a lot of the reshoot material in ‘II’. It just feels better, IMO. I like that Superman’s biological mother plays as much of a role in his life that his father did in the first film. I like that when Superman gives up his powers because he loves Lois, he softly asks for permission and guidance rather than getting tetchy and defensive with Brando. I like that Zod and his cronies are portrayed as more ludicrously fun than ludicrously sinister. I like the magic kiss over turning back time/hitting the reset button.

The Lester Cut just works so much better for me – at least it’s complete, I guess. An even better version was on Youtube a while back, called The Selutron Cut. Sadly, the account later closed, but while it was there, the work was just phenomenal. For me, it had just the right balance of Donner to Lester, pleasing both crowds by presenting the best movie possible, rather than just a single directorial vision.

Cheers Andrew, haven’t seen these clips for ages! CapedWonder’s a great site too. If memory serves, a colourised B&W Chris Reeve photo I worked on might still be floating around one of the galleries…

I’m not impressed with “Selutron” – just read an interview and his attitude…not great. It’s possible to do this kind of job without being contemptuous of – and rude about – those who went before. (Not least by acknowledging the production issues that don’t encumber fan projects.) The tinkering’s interesting, but it’s not a ground-up overhaul; I don’t see ‘phenomenal’ at all.

Mind you, I’m not convinced all this tinkering could provide anything remotely definitive, either. The definitive version of the two-part saga was never shot, never even fully written, so how can it be cobbled together? We’ve not been denied something. Putting Zod in front of the White House is interesting, but it doesn’t suddenly make the whole thing work. What ending do you put on film one to get a ‘definitive’ version?

It’s becoming Koch’s Snowflake at this point – infinite variations trapped within a finite, flawed total area.

> I?m not impressed with ?Selutron?

I don’t think his particular version would be the best either, and if he thinks the studio would involve him if or when they get round to re-editting the films he can think again. No, there can never be the definitive vision as Donner wanted, but there IS room for an overhaul resulting in an interesting 2-part experiment, but I suppose that’s all it ever could be. They’d need to spend a few million to achieve anything more and that ain’t gonna happen.

> It?s becoming Koch?s Snowflake at this point – infinite variations trapped within a finite, flawed total area.

You – said – Koch. Where the hell did this come from, Ellard? No doubt you devise new variations in your spare time…

> Which interview is that? Could you post a link to it, please?

http://www.supermanhomepage.com/movies/movies.php?topic=interview-selutron

> Where the hell did this come from, Ellard? No doubt you devise new variations in your spare time?

Um…huh?

> Um?huh?

New variations of the Snowflake, I mean.

> New variations of the Snowflake, I mean.

I made a snowman and then I didn’t send a photo of it to a news organisation of any kind.

Does that count?