The Movie Blog: You were given the daunting task of condensing Twilight, a 600+ page book, into a 110 page screenplay, while at the same time trying to handle the expectations of the huge fan base that Twilight has gathered. Was it intimidating? What principles did you use in deciding what to cut out?

Melissa: In terms of “was it intimidating,” I was not all that aware of the fan base. The minute I became aware of it, I stopped looking because I knew that it would become intimidating. So I purposefully kept myself in the dark because I wanted to be in a place of being able to tell the story and translate the story without the outside influences of the fans. And just to be able to tell the best story possible.

The most important thing [principle] was to stay true to the characters’ emotional arts. There are going to be scenes that are either compilations of a couple of different scenes of the book or missing scenes, but the important thing is if the soul of the book is there and if you go away feeling the same way you feel when you read the book. That’s what my objective was - to keep the soul of the project.

The Movie Blog: Besides introducing the villains early on in the screenplay version, there were virtually no differences I was able to catch. and I guess that’s a good thing. Were there any significant changes you included in the script?

Melissa: That was my absolute objective, if you felt the same. There were actually a lot of adjustments, but again, it’s really about “Did you have the same experience? Am I taking you along for the same emotional ride that Stephenie did?” That was the objective for both Catherine [Hardwicke] and I - to make sure that nothing fell out.

In the middle of the book, there are several chapters that have got question and answer dialogue, which is all very compelling when you are reading, but to see two people sitting and talking for long periods of time is not very entertaining. One of the biggest challenges of condensing the book is that you want to be able to hear that mythology. It was a matter of picking and choosing the specific parts of dialogue and dispersing it through several scenes. As well as having other scenes where that information can come across that isn’t just two people sitting at a table talking.

The other thing that was different was, for example, with Bella’s discovery that Edward is a vampire. In the book, the way he is revealed as a vampire is through a conversation that rolls out over the course of several chapters. It’s the conversation Bella has with him [Edward] in the car that she approaches the idea. What we did was to condense all that and have that a real turning point in the movie, making it more of a confrontation. It was really about hyping up certain moments in the book, condensing long passages, while keeping it true to the book because you are still getting that emotional moment.

The Movie Blog: I did notice a lot of instances in the film where much of the conversation that occurs between characters, such as those between Bella and Edward, were illustrated not by dialogue, but through musical montages. Is that how you wanted to portray a lot of the lengthy dialogue from the book?

Melissa: As a writer, you have to recreate scenes to leave space for the actors to act and the director to direct. You always try to let something be portrayed visually as opposed to verbally.

The Movie Blog: What was the hardest scene(s) for you to cut?

Melissa: There were a few things, but ultimately when I saw the film it was hard to remember what those were. I have to say that I didn’t miss any of those scenes on screen.

The Movie Blog: Did you consult with Stephenie Meyer when writing the screenplay?

Melissa: Yes. Initially, I was very protective of my creative process. I was intimidated by her celebrity and sort of afraid, on some level that I would be overshadowed and my own creative voice would get drowned out. When I met her I realized that was completely unfounded. She is a very down to Earth, grounded and kind person, who was open to collaboration. She ended up being really valuable in terms of giving me insight into the development of the characters.

I approached Twilight the point of view of a reader and I really wanted to adapt the book without any outside influences and to have it be, in some ways, pure. So, when I say “Yeah, I collaborated with Stephenie,” I’m talking everyday, every line. It was like having a writing partner.

The Movie Blog: Was there a character in the book that you could not get a grasp of?

Melissa: Bella’s character was quite interesting. Initially, when I read the book, my first thought was that we should just shoot the entire film in Forks and forget about the parts of the book that are set in Arizona. It was Catherine who expressed how important it was to keep the scenes that were set to shoot in Arizona because it was such a significant part of the book. We then met with Stephenie and she spoke to us about being a normal girl in Phoenix, a land where there was a great deal of money and artificial beauty. She discussed how even an attractive girl would feel out of place in such an environment. Stephenie also touched on Bella’s relationship with her mother, Rene. She illustrated the idea that Rene is the only person that Bella would risk her life for because Rene can’t even take care of herself. Therefore, going back to Arizona to save her and risk her life for her made much more sense to me after Stephenie emphasized that point.

The Movie Blog: The Movie Blog is developing a post on the top 100 film adaptations of a novel. What would be your favorite film adaptation of a novel?

Melissa: I thought The World According to Garth was really well done. I’m also a big John Irving fan, so I would add Cider House Rules. The most recent one I saw was Brokeback Mountain, which is probably one of the best adaptations I’ve ever seen. If you’ve ever read the short story, it’s just so beautiful and spare. They had the opposite challenge that I did, turning 30 pages into a screenplay. It was a true lesson in how to adapt a book into a screenplay.

The Movie Blog: What’s next for you? Will you be involved with the next film, New Moon?

Melissa: We’re talking about it, but nothing has been decided in regard to me being involved in the Twilight saga. I can’t really say much more than that.

“Universal Pictures and Gore Verbinski will remake the 2006 Bong Joon-ho-directed Korean thriller “The Host,” with commercials director Fredrik Bond making his feature helming debut and Mark Poirier (”Smart People”) to pen the script.

Story follows a town terrorized by a giant mutant squidlike creature hatched by toxins that flow into a nearby river from a military base. When the creature grabs a little girl, her dysfunctional family must band together to rescue her.

Here is another remake of a well received and beloved Korean horror film. I feel unfortunate for horror fans, espescially fans of asian cinema. The business of making these films into shitty Hollywood versions is unfortunate and peculiar.

I feel bad for even posting this news.

I’m sorry.

“Marvel Studios has engaged Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely to script “Captain America,” a film that has Joe Johnston attached to direct.

The red-white-and-blue clad hero with the mighty indestructible shield came to prominence right after the invasion of Pearl Harbor as the U.S. declared war on Japan. The hero is the Marvel character most closely associated with the United States.”

This writing duo most recently brought us Prince Caspian and have a handful of other writing projects under their belt including a teleplay called The Life and Death of Peter Sellers. I’m not certain if these guys are the ones I would’ve picked to write Captain America, but anyone who is down with Peter Sellers is ok in my books.

Whatever direction these scribes decide to take the film better involve Cap knocking out throngs of Nazis. There is no better way to start a Captain America film.

Universal and Imagine Entertainment are in the early stages of developing a new “Nutty Professor” movie, in what would be the third installment of the remake of the 1963 Jerry Lewis vehicle, says The Hollywood Reporter. An open call is out to writers for their take on a potential third entry.

Although it has been eight years since the last “Nutty” came out, executives are interested in a new version that would follow The Nutty Professor 2: The Klumps, starring Eddie Murphy. Murphy is not attached to a new “Nutty”; his involvement would be contingent on the writer, director and other elements.

This is a job posting that I hope never gets answered.

Remember a few months back where Eddie Murphy made a pledge that he was going to return to stand up and stop making films - I hope that happens. Murphy needs to stop wasting his time with films like this and: 1) do shit he can be proud of. 2) retire.

As a person who grew up watching Eddie’s standup, I can’t stand to see him throwing out shit like this. Don’t do it Eddie, don’t do it.

Sammo Hung will star in War Monkeys, a horror comedy from the indie arm of Dark Horse Films. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Kevin Munroe (TMNT) is in negotiations to direct the film for Dark Horse Indie.

The horror comedy follows two janitors who, during a Christmas holiday, get trapped in an underground research facility after accidentally unleashing military-trained Rhesus monkeys. Hung is one of the janitors who battles the rabid simians.

This is ridiculous, outlandish and peculiar ….. and I love it. I was first told about this picture yesterday on the 2PM live show. Beefy Kung Fu legend Sammo Hung is a great casting for this picture and I am certain my friend Wintle will be delighted at this news. He’s the biggest fan of Hung that I know and this film certainly sounds like it will be memorable (good or bad).

This project is reminiscent of crazy 50’s Sci Fi films where science goes awry and ends up twisting nature into new, unknown threats.

We will be sure to keep you updated on the progress of this film. I am very interested in learning about its progress and hope to see it with a number of friends in a packed theatre.

For opera lovers who balk at paying 180 pounds ($270) for a seat in the stalls, or anyone seeking a night out at the movies with a difference, opera houses are increasingly looking to film to boost audiences.

“We genuinely believe this is another way for people to get access to the art form in a less intimidating way,” said Gillian Brierley, head of marketing at Glyndebourne, southern England, which holds an annual opera festival notoriously difficult to get tickets to.

“Now for 10 pounds you can try it. We have very high attendance figures during the festival, but we have an aging audience and need an audience of the future. And obviously it is less of a risk to pay 10 pounds,” she said.

On one side of the coin I am glad that people who want to check out the opera are able to do so in the comfort of their local movie theatre. People don’t always have an opera house in their city so making “big city” productions available on film is a great way to introduce the art to those that may not be able to see it due to issues of cost or location.

On the other side of the coin, I think Opera is something that should be experienced live. Stage productions big and small have a power to them, because you are part of it as an audience member. Seeing it on a screen just isn’t the same as the stage. You see the shadow of the thing, which may be entertaining - but it isn’t the full experience.

What do you guys think? Would you be interested in seeing an opera at the movie theatre? Do you think this is a slippery slope that will hurt the art in the long run, or a legitimate means to introduce the art to those that may not have a chance otherwise?

For those interested in the full story - check out the source article.

We have news today that the legend of William Tell will be told anew on silver screens across the globe! We get the following scoop from the archer caves of yahoo:

British filmmaker Justin Chadwick, who directed Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson in the royal romance “The Other Boleyn Girl,” will take the helm of “Ironbow: The Legend of William Tell” for indie producer Spyglass Entertainment.

The story centers on a crossbow marksman who, when he would not bow to Austrian rule, was forced to shoot an apple off his son’s head in exchange for freedom. The local overlord who commanded the act noticed that Tell had a second arrow in his quiver, which Tell told him was meant for the overlord if the son was killed. Tell was promptly arrested but eventually escaped and killed the overlord, sparking a rebellion that led to the formation of the Swiss Confederation.

When men are as bad ass as this, their legend lives on. The story of William Tell is one I have heard throughout my years; I know very little about his life, but I know he successfully shot an apple off his son’s head. Based on the amount of time that the legend has been around, I am guessing that he was a good shot all the time. Had people thought his shot to be lucky, I doubt the story would be as endearing.

I’m game to learn more about this man of legend and welcome a film about his life. I’m not certain how accurate this picture will be to the tale, but the man behind the story certainly should be enough character to carry the film if it’s accurate or not. Personally, I always prefer when they are as true as possible to the original tale, and hope that this film does just that.

We will be sure to keep you posted on the updates regarding Mr. Tell and keep you up to speed on the progress.

Yahoo speaks:

During a Sydney press conference today to promote the Down Under premiere of Australia, the Oscar winner hinted she may soon be forsaking the big screen for another round of diaper duty, or other more personal endeavors.

“In terms of my future as an actor and stuff, I don’t know,” the 41-year-old mother of three said. “I am in a place in my life where…I’ve had some great opportunities, and I may just choose to have some more children.”

Not that I have any say in the matter, but if she wants to quit acting, I say that is her call. She lists her experience with Australia as a dream for her since she was a child. Though born in Hawaii, she lived her life past the age of 4 in Australia and started acting at the age of 15. She is now 41, so she has put in her time. Let the girl have a life now that she never has to worry about money again.

She is saying she might quit acting, but I hope we get at least one more big film out of her. Her next role (which could be her last if she doesn’t line up more) is playing a post op transexual male opposite Charlize Theron. I would hope that she would want her last role to be remembered by would be something that compliments her beauty and grace as opposed to going out of the business playing a man.

Quit while you are on top and swimming in cash. Nothing wrong with that.

Carrot Top is still trying. Look how that works out?

Cinematical reports:

“Captain America? Oh my God! Oddly enough, I just got given a book – one of the painters came up and here gave me a book. I would think about it. Maybe it’s destiny! I would definitely think about it – I just got done doing G.I. Joe, though. If Joe does well, and it doesn’t seem to be the exact same story, then I would. I don’t know. They seem to be very, very similar – almost identical. Except for the – I think he takes a serum? Like a strength serum? [But the WWII setting] could be very very cool. “

My inner geek leapt out of my throat and puked on this guy for even suggesting that Captain America and G.I. Joe were “almost identical”. Aside from a superhero military motif they have NOTHING in common. But then I took a step back and looked at it rationally.

He looks the part mostly, but I would prefer to see someone with a little more bulk to play Cap. Tatum is fit, good looking and a half decent actor. Maybe not the worst choice in the world, but the guy would have to put on some meat.

The big issue for me when considering the role is going to be that he has to have some A-List chops for this. Eventually he will be pitted in the position of leadership over people like Robert Downey Jr in an Avengers movie. Casting quality actors has changed the face of blockbuster superhero flicks. They are not just popcorn fun. The studios are really taking them seriously.

So my first consideration isnt his hair colour or where he was born (though some fanboys seem to think that is all that matters) but I try to see the big picture. Can this guy play Cap? Can he offer up a presence that will make him a LEADER of such strong personalities. I don’t see that presence in Tatum even with another 50lbs of meat taped on to his swimmer’s physique. I don’t want a dancer from a Ricky Martin video to be Captain America.

In the long run this is just a distraction of someone saying something to an actor in an interview that will likely never come to pass. Remember, the studios are not asking him to step up (see what I did there?) this is one guy who suggested his name and a coincidental story that a crew member on Tatums set said the same thing.

At least I hope it doesn’t happen.

Comingsoon says:

The studio has been leaning toward using the younger characters introduced in the previous films in future installments –teenagers with powers taught at the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning.

Resulting film would likely draw from elements of the Marvel Comic of the same name, launched in 2006, and enlist such characters as Iceman, Rogue, Angel, Colossus, Jubilee and Shadowcat, who have appeared prominently or made cameos in prior pics.

I like the idea of playing off some of the more predominate younger members into their own flick and adding some of those we just saw a peek at. As a major comic collector, throughout all the X-Men films I was taking a mental inventory of characters based on powers they displayed. Having a film with the team mentioned above would be interesting since they listed one of the adults, Colossus as a possible in the mix. I would love to see a Colossus lead “New Mutants” type of story.

The original comic that they say will be the source of some material revolved around retelling the origin story of the adults of the X-Men when they were just teens. The movie messed up the roster mixing in some of those older members in younger incarnations. Iceman and Angel for example were original founding members, but the movie portrays them as a generation behind.

My problem with this news is not the roster or method that they are playing off the new characters, but they hired the guy who created Gossip Girl and the OC. I don’t want my New Mutants to be a WB menstration of the week. Granted he did also create Chuck, and that is made of awesome, so he has a little geek cred back.