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EXCL: Gondry Talks About The Green Hornet
Source:Edward Douglas
April 14, 2009
 Earlier today, ComingSoon.net/Superhero Hype! had a chance to talk to visionary director Michel Gondry about his new self-released DVD compilation "More Videos: Before and After DVD 1," which you can buy tomorrow from Mssr. Gondry's Official Site, which will launch sometime tomorrow. We talked about his process for coming up with some of the diverse music videos in the second collection, which include his reunion with Beck and Bjork, his music video (and jam session!) with Sir Paul McCartney, and lots and lots of great extras. We need a couple more days to finish that interview up, but just to whet your appetite, we want to share a few things he said about his next movie, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg's update of pulp crimefighter The Green Hornet.
Gondry doesn't have a lot to say about the project yet, since he joined it roughly six weeks ago, but he confirmed that it was going to be a true collaboration between Gondry, Rogen and Goldberg. "Seth and Evan, they are the writers, but they really listen to my ideas on the movie. I think the story is getting much better and better and I feel like I'm really a part of the process."
We asked him whether the movie might have a similar tone as either of Rogen and Goldberg's last two movies Superbad and Pineapple Express, to which he responded, "I think we're all trying to be a little different than we were before on this project, just by interacting with each other and the producer Neil Moritz adds a different taste as well, so all that will create a new universe."
Since Gondry is probably best known for the unique styles of animation he brings to both his films and music videos, we asked if we might see some of those animated visuals in the comic book movie. "No animation, maybe on the credits but I'm not sure," he said.
Look for Gondry's Official Site to be open for business tomorrow. For the time being, it will be the only place you can purchase his new DVD collection, "More Videos: Before and After DVD 1", and then check back later this week for our full interview with Gondry with more details about that and other projects.
Related Articles From Other SitesPosted by: Gil Drilz on April 13, 2009 at 23:16:26
cool
Posted by: yankeescf04 on April 13, 2009 at 23:17:00
Yeah... I"m still looking forward to this movie. I just have no freaking clue what to expect of the tone.
Posted by: theGuy on April 13, 2009 at 23:36:12
the French-man knows best. His past directorial work was awesome. Interesting how this will translate as an action film.
Posted by: culvi on April 13, 2009 at 23:44:14
I will bet it comes out of know where and shock people. I think Kung Fu Panda did that...It was a "sneak up on you and bite you" kind of movie!
Posted by: Fanboiii on April 13, 2009 at 23:50:20
I'm hopeful about this movie. I'm not really a fan, but it seems they're putting in the effort to assure goodness.
Posted by: SuperheroFan on April 13, 2009 at 23:59:37
Ok guys, whatever you do just do not make Kato a "man-servant." We live in 2009 now.
About the short French film? I don't know what the big deal is. They did alright for a fanmade film, but it was still a copy cat out of the original series. There was nothing fresh. I hope Seth and co. will have a much more fresh take like Batman did.
Batman isn't stuck with Adam West's Batman cheesiness/cliche, so why should Kato and the Green Hornet? Listening Seth?
Posted by: Kung Fu Bamboo. on April 14, 2009 at 00:38:34
Culvi, Kung Fu Panda was a cartoon, not a movie. Please do not refer to these "animations" as movies.
There is a big difference between the two.
Posted by: The Green Hornet on April 14, 2009 at 00:44:21
Fans are not going to see this thing i can tell you right now. Seth Rogen is the absolute wrong man for the part, no matter how much weight he lose. The Green Hornet was taken off the air because it was too violent at the time and unlike the campy Adam West Batman series, it was harder to appeal to children for that reason. The original Green Hornet still holds up after all this time, and how on earth do you replace Bruce Lee as Kato? What the new generation doesn't completely understand is that this is like somebody making a comedic flop of the Dark Knight 30 yrs from now. Seth Rogen has no interest in even maintaining the original concept anyway, so why not just make an entirely new super comedy somewhat reminiscent of what he thinks the Green Hornet is about?
I like Seth Rogen, but in his own element. If they would have gotten a Christian Bale type and made this more "ganster" like it should be, it would be a huge success no doubt. Hornet's right up there with Batman as far as maturity.
Oh well...
Posted by: detourne_me on April 14, 2009 at 01:10:59
RE: Kung Fu Bamboo
Dude, what crawled up your ass?
Kung Fu Panda was a movie, and a great one at that.
There is no difference between live-action and animation when it comes to the classification "movie" they are both a series of still images being flashed at a rate in front of our eyes to make them appear as though they are moving.
Now take into account the social and cultural implications of the word "movie" it refers to a feature-length presentation (determined to be somewhere between 75 minutes and 240 minutes) that audiences see in a theater.
Whatever psuedo art-school bull**** thats floating in the fetid cesspool of your mind that makes you incapable of conceding the fact that animated films are movies, is pointless.
Posted by: reek on April 14, 2009 at 02:56:06
This movie hasn't gone away yet? Oh, yeah, that's right, they'll give it a week in theaters and then it will go away. With the development backstory on this flick you can tell that if/when it gets made, it's going to try to straddle so many different genres that the overall feel will be nothing short of schizophrenic. Is it a farcical comedy? A buddy picture? A hipster camp film? A comic book blockbuster? No, sadly odds are even the film won't know what it is.
What really surprises me is that after the Spirit a studio is really going to bankroll this thing.
Before all the Green Hornet Fanboy legions (yeah, BOTH of you) jump my ass, relax. I'm not saying that Green Hornet can't ever be made into a decent movie, it's just not gonna happen with the production.
Posted by: Bamboozled on April 14, 2009 at 02:59:29
Kung-Fu Bamboo, you are the kind of person that makes the world a more rotten place. No one, not even your own mother, cares about your opinion. You are irrelevant. You will accomplish nothing with your life. A hundred years from now, no one will remember you. Keep this in mind the next time you decide to share your stupidity with the rest of the world.
Posted by: The Red Wasp on April 14, 2009 at 06:25:03
I'm going to sue somebody for this blatant infringement of my copyright!
But seriously Seth Rogen's a great, funny actor. With Superbad, Knocked Up and Zack and Miri under his belt establishing him as a comedy powerhouse, I think he should branch out try his hand at a more serious role.
Posted by: CGI_student on April 14, 2009 at 09:21:35
kung fu panda was a animation, hence the term animated film, which means animated characters, by key frames, which means hey they got to move and interact somehow right? but on topic seth rogen is a genius and i wont doubt hes goin to do good on this
Posted by: Steve the Dude on April 14, 2009 at 09:32:06
Sony is out of their minds. The Green Hornet is suppossed to be their summer tentpole for 2010.
Michel Gondry, a director who has never directed an action film in his life; let alone a $30 big budget one. Futhermore his latest opus Tokyo! opened at 58th place and closed at 61st place.
Seth Rogen, the producer/co-writer/star who is neither an actor, action star, or leading man. Futhermore, the only reason Sony gave this to him is no longer true. Look at both Zack and Miri Make a Porno and Observe and Report. Seth Rogen can no longer bring home the bacon!
Sony and Neil Mortiz need to fire these 2 clowns NOW before June.
As far as updating goes, the 1966 Batman tv was camopy and therefore is date. Onthe other hand, the 1966 Green Hornet tv was done STRAIGHT and therefore is valid today. No need to update as it still holds up. By the way ... Batman still has Alfred as his butler so the Green Hornet should still have Kato as his butler.
Fans of the Green Hornet do NOT want either Seth Rogen or Michel Gondry.
Posted by: SuperheroFan on April 14, 2009 at 10:07:21
RE:Steve the Dude,
"... Batman still has Alfred as his butler so the Green Hornet should still have Kato as his butler."
I still disagree with you there. Alfred didn't go out crime fighting, he was at home washing Bat's tights while Bats went out. Kato as a butler? Is there an Asian American guy in this day and age who is a butler in the U.S? This would only offend the Asian American community to put him down like that.
The original show put Kato in that position due to racism that occurred during that time period. It is time to move up America.
Posted by: mtx100 on April 14, 2009 at 10:11:32
is this damned movie ever going to arrive? gondry is an intersting choice for sure, but i was far more excited when stephen chow was directing
Posted by: Codename-Hawk on April 14, 2009 at 12:14:03
I WILL NEVER SEE THIS MOVIE!! Just because you are hot in Hollywood does not make you the right choice for everything that you want to do! Seth Rogen?!? Stick to comedy! And if it is... What the ****! Couldn't be more disappointed!!
Posted by: Cooly McCool Cool on April 14, 2009 at 13:10:02
Kung Fu Panda sux and so does all the other obnoxious CGI animated movies
Posted by: Steve the Dude on April 14, 2009 at 15:27:30
RE: SuperHeroFan
Batman's butler is Alfred. The Green Hornet's butler is Kato. While the characters of Alfred and Kato are different, the relationship they have with Batman and the Green Hornet is the same: an employer/employee relationship. If we can accept that Batman has Alfred which clearly we can; than we can also accept that the Green Hornet has Kato as the relationship is the same. Kato has always been the Green Hornet's valet which is another term for butler. The only time that was not the case was with the 1990's when Kato was a woman. They are not doing that.
Now back to the issues at hand ...
Michel Gondry has never directed an action film in his life, let alone a big budget one. His last film Tokyo! was a joke as it opened at 58th place and closed at 61st place.
Seth Rogen is wrong as the Green Hornet on every single level, regardless of his weight. Does not matter as he is neither a serious actor or a serious action star. Futhermore Seth Rogen is hideous and needs both plastic surgery and speech lessons. Now days he is no longer bankable.
Neal Moritz needs to fire these guys and get a REAL action movie team on this. The Green Hornet fans do not accept Seth Rogen and Michel Gondry. The Green Hornet fans have been shut out. That isa wrong for Sony to ignore Green Hornet fandom simply because Seth Rogen tells them so.
Posted by: Steve the Dude on April 14, 2009 at 15:30:44
One more thing: this proposed crapfest is still in development hell. Now we know why: they still don't have a shooting script yet! What are they waiting for? These clowns don't have their act together and need to be fired.
Posted by: StrangeCo on April 14, 2009 at 16:42:19
Bamboozled, you're a pompous ass and a giant tool. Why don't you just shoot yourself in the head and do us all a big favor?
Posted by: Kato on April 14, 2009 at 16:50:19
Be like like water my friend.
Put water in a cup, it becomes the cup
Put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle
Put water into a teapot, it becomes the teapot
Now water can flow or it can crash
Be like water my friend
Posted by: Kato on April 14, 2009 at 17:05:07
You guys are all stupid and right. Animation can be classified as a movie. Just the way a Ferrari can classify as a vehicle. Its just a type of movie. Animation is sometimes put into it's own genre due to the confusion that animation as a medium is limited to children and youth viewers. While on the contrary, animation has been used in many diverse adult films and visual effects shots of all sorts of themes and genres ranging from Afro Samurai to the Watchmen to Kung Fu Panda.
Michel Gondry is a visionary film-maker, that has always been experimental and on the edge of cutting edge technology. The matrix technique was actually first innovated by Gondry. Michel also has a far imaginative mind than any director. Look what his technique has done for Kung Fu in the Matrix. I think the movie will bring something unique to the table.
Posted by: Green Cheese on April 14, 2009 at 17:59:22
To those of you that are out there complaining about Seth as the Green Hornet, didn't most of you have the same problem when you found out Heath Ledger was playing the Joker? These guys are actors, that means they can play comedy, or drama, or whatever. And for those of you that say you're never going to see this film, I think you will, and if you don't it won't matter. There will be enough people going to see it to make it a success. By the way, the people who are complaining about the "man-servant" thing, if you know Kato's origins then you know that GH saved his life prior to becoming GH and because of Kato's cultural background he felt he owed GH a life debt. That's why he's feels the need to serve the one that he feels he owes his life to.
Posted by: Koh-Tahl on April 14, 2009 at 21:53:17
All I can say is "Michael Keaton as Batman". He was known for his comedy until he took that role. Many of you were not old enough to know that at the time he was cast as Batman people thought that Tim Burton's Batman was going to be like the 60's TV show. I have a feeling that that is what is going to happen. Seth Rogen may be known for his comedy, but he too could surprise us.
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