Creezy and Wanda are working on an online presentation of fan created graphic greeting for Keanu's birthday, if you'd like to contribute here are the specs:
- 480 x 360 or
360 x 480 pixels
- not larger then 100 kB
- filetype= .jpg or .gif
- include your name and location
Send them to creezy AT gmx.de
According to the Aveeno Lip Report (?!) , Keanu has been voted as having Canada's most kissable lips. -via Keanuweb
I actually think he has the most kissable everything, especially further south...
...you know, of the Canadian border.
SCi Games adapting ConstantineWarner Bros. awards game rights for the upcoming Keanu Reeves thriller to the Conflict: Vietnam publisher.
Despite recent moves to bulk up its internal games division (including acquiring Monolith Productions), Warner Bros. has sold a potentially lucrative movie license to an external publisher. SCi Games, the company behind Conflict: Vietnam and Galleon, will publish a game based on Constantine, Warner's upcoming supernatural thriller. The game will be developed by Bits Studios, which created Rogue Ops and Die Hard: Vendetta, and is scheduled to ship for the PlayStation 2 alongside the film's February 2005 release.
Based on the Helblazer graphic novels from DC Comics, Constantine profiles paranormal investigator John Constantine, who will be played by Keanu Reeves. Having already survived a literal trip to hell, Constantine teams up with a mortal policewoman (Rachel Weisz) to uncover the reasons behind her sister's suicide. The pair's sleuthing bring them into contact with some very unusual--and often demonic--suspects.
GameSpot will have more details on Constantine as they become available.
By Tor Thorsen, GameSpot
There's a screenshot over at the gamespot site, but the monsters are too creepy for me to want to invite them to the blog. *shudder*
Big Love to Lisa, who sent me the "Self-Esteem" issue of Choices magazine (published by Scholastic, found in better high school libraries everywhere) from 1988. Esteem issues? Moi?
OK, she really sent it because it has a Keanu article.
The text of the main article is "after the jump", which is how all the cool kids are saying "in the extended entry" these days. I'm feeling better about myself already.
Keanu Reeves: Growing Up on the Move By James A. Baggett What's it like when you're always "the new kid"? Movie celebrity Keanu Reeves, star of The River's Edge and Permanent Record shares his story.His name (pronounced Kay-AH-new) is Hawaiian, but that's just about the only place this 23-year-old actor hasn't lived. Born in Beirut, Lebanon, to a Chinese-Hawaiian father and an English mother, Keanu Reeves--the star of The River's Edge and Permanent Record-was raised in such assorted places as Australia, New York, and Toronto."I went to four high schools in five years," -says Keanu, who took acting classes-after hockey practice-while in high school in Canada. "It's difficult being uprooted and having to change your environment.-It's hard moving to new places, making new friends, and leaving behind your old neighborhood. But it's part of growing up."
Now that he's "grown up," Keanu can look back with wiser eyes on the experience of moving around. At the time, always being the new kid on the block wasn't so cool. "Going to all those different high schools was not that heavy, now looking back on it," he says. I wouldn't say it was a traumatizing experience, but it seemed like it then. That was the most difficult period for me, puberty."
Like a lot of new kids, Keanu sometimes had trouble fitting -in. "I was a loner in. high school," he says. "I wasn't like a lot of my peers."
How did he cope? He tried not to -focus on school life too much. "I was in high school, but sort of out of school at the same time," he explains. Sports were one outlet. Music was another. "I would listen to Randy Newman and eat tuna fish and crackers," he says. "I'd play basketball and hockey, and listen to the Beatles." When he wasn't doing well in school, finding something that he could do well -such as hockey - helped hold his ego together.
HIS BIG REGRET
Keanu dropped out of school at 16, about the same time he decided to become an actor. "Sometimes I regret not finishing high school," Keanu says. "But, I was just trying to live my life." To his credit, Keanu continued: to study after leaving school. (Many dropouts don't.) "I took a lot of one-night classes and one-week intensive things," he says.
Luckily, Keanu was beginning to work as an actor -- in spite of flunking acting class (The Screen Actors' Guild in New York City estimates that 90 percent of actors are unemployed at any one time.) He won a role in the Canadian television series Hanging In. U.S. audiences first saw Keanu in 1986's Youngblood, with Rob Lowe and Patrick Swayze. He was also in the CBS Movie of the Week Under the Influence, about the relationship between an alcoholic father (Andy Griffith) and son.
But it was his part in The River's Edge, one of last year's most controversial and acclaimed films, that established Keanu as a star. The film is about a group 4 teens who protect a friend ' who murdered his girlfriend: Keanu played the boy who eventually goes to the police.
This year, Keanu took on a role in a film that deals with another serious issue: teen suicide. In Permanent Record, he played a kid coping with his best friend's suicide. "It's really about friendships and relationships, but it's also twisted," Keanu says, using one of his favorite words.
This fall, Keanu tackles two more "twisted" movie roles. In the comedy The Prince of Pennsylvania, he plays an oddball who kidnaps his dad. In Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, Keanu plays a teen who, with a buddy, travels through time. The pair round up a team of history's all-stars, including Socrates, Napoleon, Joan of Arc, and Beethoven - to help with a vital final exam.
Though Keanu says casting agents aren't breaking down his door, he has been working steadily. "My mom said you either go to school or get a job," Keanu says. "She's happy I'm not an unemployed bum ... yet."
GOOD TRAINING
As it turns out, moving around a lot was good training for an actor's life. Keanu has worked recently in Pennsylvania, Rome, and Munich. He's now in Paris filming Les Liaisons Dangereuses, a movie set in the 1800s.
When he's not working, Keanu enjoys being a homebody in Los Angeles (his base for the last two years). He reads " science fiction and "twisted" Russian fables, rides his motorcycle, and is teaching himself to play electric bass. "I'm a hack," he, says. "I have no rhythm or anything. But I love the sound the bass makes. It's therapy."
I'm not sure, but it sounds interesting.....
This is not another cheerleader story.
This is not another prom queen story.
This is not a scary movie.
This is not a comedy.
This is a story about music.
This is a story about film.
This is a story about two girls and two icons.
This is a story about obsession - and how far it can take you.
-thanks to Renie
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Your life will always be unfinished business, Virgo. From now until the day you die many years hence, you will be a work in progress. There will never come a time when you have everything figured out. I urge you, therefore, to find a way to feel at peace with this incompleteness--or better yet, to love and celebrate it. Luckily for you, the coming weeks will bring you some of the sweetest, juiciest imperfections ever.
Well, it's no Holy Shotgun, but it seems that arming Constantine director Francis Lawrence with an 18-minute trailer and sending him into the Comic-Con and Wizard World conventions is improving the buzz for the film.
Thanks to Ade for finding a WW report from "Aaron" at the Millarworld forums (spoilery bits are in a white font, highlight with your mouse to view):
Reisch, Richard, Julian and I all caught the 18 minute preview of Constantine in Chicago the other day, and personally speaking, I didn't think it was nearly as bad as anyone of us expected. Aside from a clip at the end which features a [slight spoiler]giant shoot out with Keanu weilding a jesus shotgun- no shitting, a giant shotgun with a cross on the front[/spoiler]- the movie seemed to really have adapted it's feel from the book. Constantine comes across as an asshole, who will do whatever to get what he feels is best for the world.Clips included him [spoiler]putting a cigarette out on a little girls' face to force a demon out, finding out he has lung cancer, and a great scene that could have been written straight out of hellblazer when he asks the arc angel Gabriel why he's dying[/spoiler].
Reeves was... well, he was Reeves, but overall he was trying his best and I feel like the script was pretty good. There were a few jump out of your seat type moments that got me, partly because I'm a pussy in movies and partly because they had the noise so fucking loud in there.
At the end the director came out and talked a little, basically saying how he and the crew- he called the origional version of the script "crap" and mentioned that Reeves' input helped drive the newer version towards something more like a real Hellblazer adaptation- had fought the studio tooth and nail not to simply make "Matrix 4- With Demons." He also aknowledged that longtime Hellblazer fans were intially pissed off but that everyone he'd shown the clip to had liked it, including Karen berger. The guy seemed to be doing a good job with the crowd when we got up to leave and spend mroe money, but we didnt get fully out the door before the director made the comment of the con-
"Really, Keanu and John Constantine are very similar, personality wise."
At which point Richard burst out laughing so hard that we had to rush him away before we got beat up. Seriously, I thought he was gonna pop a brain stem.
Anyway, the others can drop by with thoughts, but I'm hopeful for this movie. Work of art? No. Direct adaptation? No. Way, way better than anyone has expected? Hells yes. I think I may just go and see it now.
Yeah, snarky to Keanu in parts, but note the part in bold.
Also, I'm not sure who "Bug" and "Sleazy" are, but this is from AICN courtesy Rogan:
Sleazy: 18 minutes of footage from the upcoming film was shown, followed by an appearance by director Francis Lawrence. This is one of those projects I've been expecting to suck. I've been following this character for all of his nearly 200 issues, plus miniseries, one-shots, appearances in SWAMP THING and other titles, etc. Like everybody else who reads this stuff, I figured Keanu was dead wrong for the role and hated that they moved it to LA.Bug: I on the other hand, have never read an issue of HELLBLAZER, so I didn't really have any opinions leading up to the preview.
Sleazy: After seeing the footage, some of my concerns have been addressed, but others linger. It looks sharp as hell, and the pacing and the palette look appropriately deliberate and creepy. There were a lot of moments (and entire scenes) that were clearly borrowed straight from the comics, most notable Garth Ennis' inaugural story on the book. Papa Midnight, Gabriel...they seem to be handled fairly well. There was enough in that 18 minutes to make me think it'd be a decent genre film. Unfortunately, there's a scene that's so completely out of character it makes me cringe: an obviously Blade-inspired scene with [spoiler]Constantine using a shotgun that looks like a cross and fires holy water rounds[/spoiler]. It's so not the way John would ever handle things that it's hard to swallow. I'm still hoping for the best, and again, the director really sounded convincing when he talked about making choices that stayed true to the character, but I'm still a little worried.
Bug: I kind of liked the preview. It was moody and Reeves was pretty restrained. [spoiler]The exorcism scene and the scene on the bus with a youthful Constantine[/spoiler] were especially spooky. After the preview, I asked Brian Azzarello what he thought of it. The former HELLBLAZER scribe said that the clip blew him away and that it reminded him of a David Fincher flick. Pretty high praise.
Now what WB needs to do is send Francis and his mighty footage into the "lion's den" at The London Comic Festival this October.
- The Matrix 101 has now published all 5 parts of Strephen Faller's article The Matrix and The Mater: A feminist analysis spanning the entire Matrix trilogy.
- A Scanner Darkly Blog. Lots of Dicky goodness.
- Keanuette visits eBay headquarters. Surely they have a wing named for her by now?
- It's been so long since I've checked my HSX account I still had stock in Tripoli, what the hell? I dumped it today and bought a bunch of Scanner shares. Investing in Keanu has been very very good to me. Now if only those dollars were real.
- I'm not really watching the Olympics, but I'm having the most fabulous greek salad for lunch.
If you've seen "Larry", you might know why the sight of Keanu playing a red Fender bass just thrills me to no end.
Sigh....
This is just what I needed to jumpstart my busy bassplaying weekend. The Vibemerchants are getting together every day from now to Sunday, to learn some new songs, jam with some new friends and hopefully get some recording done.
Rawk.
Also, there are some Dogstar photos over at KeanuFan.com's gallery of him playing a nice white Fender as well.
Well, the good news is you can get your super special Matrix Trilogy 10 DVD set in a special box with Neo de Milo and a cute little book this Christmas. The bad news is that the Keanu commentary previously reported? Not gonna happen. Feh. According to the report at thedigitalbits.com (via keanuweb):
There will be two audio commentaries for each film - one from philosophers Ken Wilber and Cornel West (who analyze the meanings behind the films), and one from three professional critics who hated all three films (no names given). According to Andy Wachowski, "It's the best idea we've ever had. It's hilarious. They just sit there and rip the shit out of us for six hours."
Hee! That is hilarious. I can't wait.
Also in DVD news, Mayor of the Sunset Strip was released on Tuesday. Yes, it's true that Keanu is only in it for the 2 seconds, as seen in the trailer, but if you have an interest in music and the LA scene it's definitely worth the rental.
Wait, there's more. The sucktacular Even Cowgirls Get the Blues will be out on DVD in November according to DVDanswers.com(via keanua-z). I have it on video from my "must have everything" completist phase a couple years ago. It's bad. Really bad. Recommended to rent ONLY if you've never seen Keanu as the asthmatic Julian Gitche AND you have a coupon or something.
Like the fine wines he loves, Keanu himself just gets better with age.
Just a reminder that in two weeks he'll be leaving his 30's behind and along with the inevitable greetings and posts from the Keanurati on that day you can also leave a greeting on the fan-created virtual birthday card sites for him HERE, created by Lynn and HERE created by Cleo from Brazil. If anyone else has set up a site to welcome Reeves to middle-age, let me know!
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Some astrologers say that Virgos tend to be so obsessed with small details that they neglect to focus on the big picture; that they get so bound up in seeking perfection that they miss out on life's messy beauty and slightly flawed glories. But even if there is a grain of truth in those ideas, they've temporarily become irrelevant. In the coming weeks, you'll be drawn to carry out the task Henry Miller described as follows: "to keep the miracle alive, to live always in the miracle, to make the miracle more and more miraculous, to swear allegiance to nothing, but live only miraculously, think only miraculously."
AICN has a gushy and spoilery look at the Constantine footage that was shown at last week's Wizard World geekboy hoedown:
"The big event for movie buffs was the appearance of Francis Lawrence, director of Constantine, with an 18 minute (!) preview of the movie. There were a lot of scenes, obviously, in this puppy! At this point, I think any of my doubts have been erased. Forget that Francis Lawrence is a video director - this movie has the slow pace that a good horror / supernatural thriller flick needs. It's dark, it's creepy. Keanu seems to have nailed the essence of John Contantine (a self-centered A-hole magician), and there were a lot of good creepy moments in the preview."
That's just a nonspoilery snippet, read the whole thing over here.
And a report on the panel discussion on Hellblazer and Constantine from Comic Book Resources:
With a "Hellblazer" film on the horizon both in preview form during the panel and in the coming year, talk turned to the goings on with that character and related titles.Among some "Hellblazer" trades being ramped up for release and the previously announced "All His Engines" graphic novel by current series writer Mike Carey and artist Leonardo Manco (in which Constantine visits Los Angeles) a new mini series was announced.
A five issue limited series centered around the character of Papa Midnight is on the schedule to be written by novelist matt Johnson. The character of Papa Midnight was introduced early in the "Hellblazer" series and is featured in the Constantine film. Art will be provided by "Fables" artist Tony Akins. The story revolves around an actual incident in 18th century Manhattan in which there was a rebellion of slaves.
When the floor opened to questions, an interesting idea was proposed by a con-goer. Given that Azzarello is primarily a Vertigo writer but also handles "Superman," the concept of a Vertigo story featuring Bizarro Superman was floated to the writer. Without missing a beat, Azzarello responded "Me am not adverse to that."
Asked if any characters currently in the regular DC Universe would be considered for a Vertigo revamp, Vankin mentioned the coming "Deadman" by writer Bruce Jones. "There are other characters always being kicked around, but nothing on the schedule right now." he added.
"Were doing a vertigo revamp of "Deadman," written by Bruce Jones ang its going to be an interesting series. These other characters are always being kicked around, but nothing on the schedule right now."
Attention was then turned to the world of cinema as an 18 minute preview of "Constantine" was presented and warmly received by panel-goers, some of which were openly dubious about the adaptation.
"We were admittedly very nervous about making Vertigo characters into movies. [Director Francis Lawrence] was very enthusiastic about what they were doing and felt they were working on something very special. The studio is supporting it 110%," said DC VP Richard Bruning following the clip.
"I actually first received the script in May of 2002." said Lawrence who was on hand for the preview. "I went through a whole process of meeting with executives and slowly built up a large visual presentation and sold the producers....and Keanu on me."
"There was a battle with the studio," he explained. "The studio wanted lighter fare, but I think you'll see...we won."
Lastly, thanks to Jude for some relevant links for Constantine's score composer, Brian Tyler.
- Official Site:BrianTyler.com
- CineMusic Reviews: Darkness Falls
- CineMusic Reviews: Children of Dune
- TrackSounds Reviews: Bubba Ho-Tep
I should be getting Timeline from Netflix tomorrow and I'll be paying close attention to the score on that as well.
The Best TV Shows that Never Were - tonight at 8pm on ABC (USA), said to have some Keanu content in one of the clips. I'm 99% sure that it's going to be the clip of him at the movies with Illeana Douglas' hand down his pants from the pilot of Jay Mohr's cancelled series: "Action", but I'll be taping just in case.
If you haven't seen Keanu's handjob appearance in "Action", you can download a zipped RealMedia file of the clip from Keanu.org's multimedia section.
***update: OK, I was wrong. Check the comments where Renie reports that it's a young Keanu in the promo spots, possibly for a scrapped pilot for a Brotherhood of Justice teevee show. Oh, I'm definitely taping this.
KEANU TO BUY A MACINTOSH
Hollywood hunk KEANU REEVES has finally accepted the power of the internet and bought an APPLE MACINTOSH, according to friends.
The MATRIX star - who logged on again after a brief fling with chess servers and dial-up in the early 90s - asked the salesman to explain how ethernet works in a Los Angeles Apple Store, adding that he is ready for instant access to porn in his life after the past 12 years of newstands and sticky floors, reports not a particularly credible source at all.
A close friend says, "Kenau [sic] and technology have known each other for years. In May (04) they got together again and over the past few months, Keanu started thinking about DSL vs. cable.
"He has spent weeks picking out an email address. Apple said 'Yes' when he asked if "TheOne@mac.com" was taken. It will just be a simple addy, Keanu hates fuss, attention and a string of numbers before the @." He's told pals to expect the lame joke forwards and funny pictures to start hitting their inboxes later this week.
Music From the Movies reports that a composer is on board Warner Bros.' Constantine...-via SHH
Brian Tyler has been hired to score Constantine, the action adventure based on the DC/Vertigo comic book 'Hellblazer'. The film stars Keanu Reeves as a supernatural detective and Rachel Weisz as a policewoman in a story filled with demons, angels, heroes and villains. Directed by debutant Francis Lawrence, the film is slated for premiere on 11 February 2005.
Speaking of bass.....
Soul2Soul has a new blog and has posted a bassload of great pictures from Ridgefest.
A couple things that I bet becky's bassplayer hardly ever does before a gig.
- overpluck right eyebrow
- cut knee shaving
- match nail polish to bass
- freak out over a relatively simple cover song
OMF. I'm in a band.
Generous, selfless, sweet natured, attractive and a good friend is what you are. Though shy and quite an introvert in public, you are very sensual, passionate and an expert in love! You are adept at playing any role, at any time, in all circumstances!
K people do not normally fool around. They take their love life very seriously.
What does your first initial say about you?
Also, here's Virgo's heavy horoscope this week from freewillastrology.com-
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In his book, Legacy of the Heart: The Spiritual Advantages of a Painful Childhood, Wayne Muller traces many of our psychological ills to the bad habit known as "repetition compulsion." After growing up, we unconsciously recreate the situations that damaged or addled us as children. In this way we hope to find the healing we couldn't find when we were young. We choose friends and lovers and employers who inadvertently play the roles of our original family members as we continually restage our old imprints in search of some feeling of resolution that will set us free. That's the bad news, Virgo. The good news is that the next six weeks will bring the best opportunity ever to escape from repetition compulsion.
I think it must be because I'm filled with anxiety about playing Oblivious live tomorrow night, but I had a crazy dream about opening for becky. Unfortunately, DreamKeanu didn't show up to give me tips on the solo.
Have I ever mentioned that this whole Keanu thing started with a dream? I mean, I've always enjoyed Keanu's work. If it was a choice between 3 or 4 movies that looked good on a Saturday night, I'd pick the one that had Keanu Reeves in it, but that was about it. The internet changes fandom just by the ease of information flow. I'd never heard of Dogstar before I started surfing Keanu websites, didn't know his birthday, etc. Eventually, the more I learned about him in my waking hours the more I realized that he was fascinating and someone I could both admire and respect.
Ah, but we're talking about dreams here.
Anyway, the very first night I did a search on Keanu, I was up very late browsing pictures and reading tidbits. When I finally fell asleep I had one of the most vivid dreams I'd ever had. I hadn't seen The Matrix yet, but he had on the long coat (which I'm sure was influenced by the pictures I'd saved onto my drive that night) and was leading me through a typical Tim Burton-esque dreamscape (lots of angular staircases, extreme proprtioned doorways, etc) and every once in a while he would have to fight something off while I crouched by his feet. I remember still that he would reach down and touch my head as he was fending off whatever it was that was menacing us, then he would grab my hand and pull me to run some more. I remember being able to smell him in the dream, and the only way to describe it is that he smelled like power. The dream stuck with me the whole next day. I would be driving and my thoughts would drift into replaying it, trying to figure it out.
Now, I don't really assign anything mystical to it. I don't think he came to me in my dreams or anything. I don't think I believe in that. I do think that something about him triggered something in my subconciousness, and just like a tiny chemical Joel Silver, the little producer in my greymatter saw potential and said "This. This man-symbol, this splendiferous icon has got IT. She'll pay attention to the message if I put it in this envelope."
And since then, I know that some of my dreams of him are my brain working out things that I really need to pay attention to. Of course, some of them are my subcon just giving me a little treat as well (frankly, it still owes me for a "Gene Wilder in a bathtub" thing that took a week to recover from).
The last Keanu dream I had was that I was his assistant, and he was really clingy. Like, I would get up and try and walk away and he would grab me by my shirt and pull me back down to sit next to him. Interpret that however you will. I took it as a sign that I should work through my latest bout of writer's block and continue with this website.
Anyway, today needs to be all about the practicing for me because I don't need to dream about being naked onstage with a bass made of ice again, so I'm inviting you to share your dreams. They don't even have to be Keanu ones.
As if we needed more proof that Hollywood is completely out of ideas, last night I saw an ad for Alien vs. Predator .
OK, I know a trend when I see it, and since Keanu doesn't seem to have too much lined up at the moment, I'm thinking maybe I could pitch a few ideas that might get him some work.
Neo vs. SiddharthaJust coming up with a plotline for this is a bit of zen in itself. One thing for sure is that the final product will inevitably be called "too talky" by a bunch of idiot critics.
Conor makes a big bet against The Sentinels and calls in a favor to his ol' buddy Shane to, um.....drop the ball. Shane refuses and Conor decides to kidnap him and take his place at the 50-yard line. Hilarity ensues.
Donnie Barksdale vs. David Allen Griffin
Tagline: "Hey! Time to Pick on Someone Your Own Size!"
Excellent Adventure Ted vs. Bogus Journey Ted
In a climactic scene rivaling Zoolander's "Walk Off", the Teds have a "Battle of the Air Guitars". Fingers fly as the contest goes on much longer than you could possibly imagine, ending only when Tod accidentally runs them both over with his dragster.
This one's still in the concept stage. I'm trying to figure out how to keep them both shirtless for the duration of the film.
The Chicago Ridge community website has pictures from Ridgefest up, including some great shots of becky onstage and of Keanu with fans. The pictures are HUGE, so any of you (like me) on dialup can plan on spending some time, but believe me, they are WORTH IT. Especially those BIG brown eyes in this one. Thanks to Jane for the link!
While you're waiting for the pictures to download, you can go read Renie's story of her adventure at Ridgefest. I just think it's awesome that he took the time to give so many people a special memory and experience.
I'll say it again.
Keanu Reeves is a great guy.
Keanu has been immortalized as a work of art many different ways, and one of the entries in a recent Worth1000.com contest depicts him as the masterpiece he is.
There's always something interesting to look at over at Worth1000, and Keanu and his work are always a good source of inspiration. This contest is full of Matrix references.
This is sort of amusing, but this is just fucking wrong.
I don't even want to know....
Also, speaking of photoshoppery, there's another graphics challenge over at Desolate Souls this month and check out the results for July. Congrats to the winners.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Before you can move on to your next exciting challenge, you'll have to answer a few hard questions about the life you've lived since your last birthday. The object of this test is not to make you feel guilty, but to help you take inventory of your gaffes and indiscretions so you can make atonement, thereby clearing a path to the future. Have you purposely caused anyone pain? Did you tell any big lies? Did you commit any unethical acts? Have you revealed information told to you in confidence? Do you owe money or energy to anyone you have no intention of paying back? Confess everything, Virgo--to the mirror. Then go set things right, or at least as right as possible.
Don't think I haven't entertained the thought of acquiring this Jack Traven t-shirt as a nice summer jammie since it's much too hot to wear eddieshirt this time of year.
But aside from being too spendy, I also really don't want to see this scene play out...
krix: eddieshirt! come meet your new hangermate, Jack-T.eddieshirt: um....hi.
Jack-T:[spits gum] so hotshot, diffuse any champagne bottles lately?
eddieshirt:*cries*
Thanks to forum poster Benny Fanboy for this transcript from the Constantine panel at Comic-Con. Some of it is replay, but Keanu's first few answers are new to me.
Question: How do you deal with your status as a celebrity and does it affect your roles?Reeves: I don't think of my status as a celebrity. I'm just trying to make good films and act and have a career. In terms of the reluctant hero or anything like that, they're great roles to play and they¹re roles that oftentimes speak about ... I don't know ... trying to do good things in life, trying to be better, redemption. I'm not doing so well with that personally, but I got to work with Francis and hopefully we did a good picture.
Question: Can you talk about your process as an actor and preparing for the role?
Reeves: I had the great fortune of working with some really great collaborators. Francis allowed me to work with him and kind of form the script, and he's a really good jist of what Constantine is, that kind of hard-boiled guy. His humor. I got work with the writer Akiva Goldsman. That allowed me to really have input and try to get that Constantinian Constantine, you know. That hard-boiled, (in character), "It's the sulfur."
And the character itself is so beautiful. I mean it's a wonderful role for an actor. There's a lot to do. He's a guy who's been dealing with issues of heaven and hell and the kind of rule of the way life and the world works. And he's not quite happy with the way the world works. And I could relate.
Question: For Keanu, why didn't you bleach your hair for the role?Reeves: Or have an English accent? Francis?
Lawrence: I think what was key to this character is the heart of the character, not the sort of the surface issues. We get asked a lot about why he's an American and why it's not set in London. And this movie is an adaptation and what we did is really stay true to who Constantine is. He's a magician, he's a con man, that he is world weary, he is haunted by his past, he is sarcastic, that he's self-serving, that he's manipulative, he's elusive. And that, for me, to this movie means a great deal.
Some of the choices were custom-fit for the actor and for what I felt fit best for the look and the feel of the film.
Question: How do you get ready for physical roles, like this and The Matrix?
Reeves: Train. I mean, I just really enjoy it. I like the physical aspects. But, yeah, just training.
Question: What was the best part about Constantine?
Reeves: Going to hell and back? This was one of the best experiences I've ever had in making a film. It was because of the role itself and the people I got to collaborate with. It was just a great experience: the crew that I worked with, the script that I got, the character that I played, the actors that I got to work with ... all-around, just a great experience. I really like the character. I like John Constantine. I like him.
Question: You deal with the Spear of Destiny. Do you dig into the Christian lore?
Lawrence: Very deeply, actually. The Spear is actually through-line that goes all the way through the film. So you learn about the legend of the spear, some of the tales, some new things, as well, things only Constantine would know.
Question: How do you feel about the green-screen work?
Reeves: The thing I liked about it is that you do have a sense, a kind of control in it. But at the same time, you miss the interplay, you miss the surprise, you miss the other kind of interaction. But it's also fun in the same way, too, because it's an element of make-believe. But if you too much of it, oh my God, it's a nightmare. But I love it. It's fun.
Lawrence: One of the key things for me in working with green screen is really making sure you can help the actor create the world that's around them, so they really know what's around them. If there's wind, you can have wind. If there's dust, you can have that. Any of the elements you can add really help create things, and point out very specifically what's going to be in the environment around them. And having long discussions about it and pre-visualizations so you can show the actor action sequences and they can know what's going to be happening that way as well.
Question: Is the film going to PG-13 or is that still being decided?
Lawrence: It's still being decided. We'll submit the film and see what the MPAA thinks. I sort of, in a weird way, feel like we've gotten away with something with this movie. I don't think we've held back at all. The movie's scary, the movie's intense and I think the tone is dead-on to the comic. So feel very good about it. For a big-budget movie, this isn't pop. We're dead-on.
Question: Karen, how do you feel about how far this film has come?
Berger: It's pretty incredible. I saw a rough-cut of the film a few days ago at Warner Bros. and I was really impressed with how close the film stuck to the spirit of the comic, how it really felt like Hellblazer and how it felt like a Vertigo book. Smart, edgy and it's weird. The cinematography was wonderful, and the special effects are great. And it really pulls from the great source material of the comic. It really pulls from the right stuff.
Question: Will you be working with Andy and Larry Wachowski again?
Reeves: I hope so. I really hope so. I love those guys to death. I just think they're wonderful people and such great artists.
Question: Dijmon, congratulations on In America.
Hounsou: Thanks ... selling Constantine here (laughs). Constantine hit home for me personally, the fact that I came from a world that knows about voodoo in Africa and so forth. This is the visual reality of that world, a Western point of view the occult world.
Question: Why the title change? Were there other changes?
Lawrence: The title was changed originally because nobody wanted the title to be connected to Hellraiser at all. It was a little too similar and nobody wanted any confusion.
I don't think there are differences that I can think of off the top of my head. Again, I think it's really close to the spirit of Constantine and the Hellblazer stories. He's a tad younger than the comic, and I think that's about it. We didn't pull an exact story from the comic book. We kind of pulled pieces from different stories and made our own, so it's not an exact replica of one of the graphic novels, although there are definite pieces.
So, now I'm holding a little hope in my heart for the rating thing. I trust WB will be by to choke it out of me shortly.
Also, SuperHeroHype has some Constantinian content this morning. (-via keanuweb)