At the Mountains of Madness - Guillermo Del Toro's Next Project! - Part 1

[Joe Von Zombie]

@Joe Von Zombie: so what? he's going to direct it, it's his project, it's not like voicing your opinion on this is going to change anything.

So your saying that just because I can't change anything, I shouldn't voice my opinion? Kinda defeats the purpose of a forum doesn't it?

 

[Doctor Jones]

I do agree to an extent. Forcing limitations does sometimes spark more creativity and make the film maker think of different ways to do things.

But at the same time, I think in this case and other similar ones, it's merely to pander to a wider audience and make more money.

And i can understand that. But as a fan, a viewer and not a Hollywood money man... i don't really give a **** how much money a film makes.

Also, i'm not simply talking about gore and explicit language etc. I'm talking a dread filled atmosphere, more psychological horror than body horror. A Lovecraft story has to be utterly terrifying on a primal level, not necessarily visceral.

See now I'm no Lovecraft expert but in terms of At the Mountains of Madness, and also, let's divorce ourselves from the thousands of fan interpretations, artwork,and other filmmakers influence (to the extent of putting their darker creative spin where to the point it seems to reflect Lovecraft's work which may not always be the case) etc of Lovecraft's work over the years and get it down to the bare essentials of the written work: Just how R rated does it come off as and just how necessary is an R rating to carry out that vision from the book? From what people are talking about here, the story seems vague. To the point where you can be flexible. I'd be a challenge for sure, but it's possible. It's all in the execution.

Now if we're to make the argument to pull directly from the source, it should be less Alien and The Thing based in tone and more akin to the source material. Those films merely used its own platform to its own story while being influenced by Lovecraft to facilitate its story.

I don't know if I'm making sense, but do you see what I mean? People who know Lovecraft or have read this story should chime in. I'm curious to hear. Though it makes me want to read the story for myself.

 

[Joe Von Zombie]

See now I'm no Lovecraft expert but in terms of At the Mountains of Madness, and also, let's divorce ourselves from the thousands of fan interpretations, artwork,and other filmmakers influence (to the extent of putting their darker creative spin where to the point it seems to reflect Lovecraft's work which may not always be the case) etc of Lovecraft's work over the years and get it down to the bare essentials of the written work: Just how R rated does it come off as and just how necessary is an R rating to carry out that vision from the book? From what people are talking about here, the story seems vague. To the point where you can be flexible. I'd be a challenge for sure, but it's possible. It's all in the execution.

Now if we're to make the argument to pull directly from the source, it should be less Alien and The Thing based in tone and more akin to the source material. Those films merely used its own platform to its own story while being influenced by Lovecraft to facilitate its story.

I don't know if I'm making sense, but do you see what I mean? People who know Lovecraft or have read this story should chime in. I'm curious to hear. Though it makes me want to read the story for myself.

The novella isn't an R rated tale, to insist it should be kinda misses the point. I highly recommend you read the story for yourself, it's arguably Lovecraft's finest work.

 

[The Endless]

I'd say the story is on the boundary really. But it's hard to nail it down. The descriptions of the creatures are pretty disturbing. Carpenter's Thing is how i picture them, and i don't think you could really do them justice with PG-13.

 

[Evil Twin]

The novella isn't an R rated tale, to insist it should be kinda misses the point. I highly recommend you read the story for yourself, it's arguably Lovecraft's finest work.

FYI, the novella can be found at http://hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/fiction/mm.aspx

 

[Tim_Riggins]

I'd say the story is on the boundary really. But it's hard to nail it down. The descriptions of the creatures are pretty disturbing. Carpenter's Thing is how i picture them, and i don't think you could really do them justice with PG-13.

Pretty much.

 

[dark_b]

until del Toro said that this will maybe be pg13 fans didnt have long debates how pg13 is enough of the best way to realese the movie.
until this week for 3-4 years i think everyone spported mr del Toro and his R rated vision.

and there were debates for years on the internet if this should be R rated. afterall THIS WAS THE ONLY REASON why this movie was not made in the last 5 years.

 

[Evil Twin]

until del Toro said that this will maybe be pg13 fans didnt have long debates how pg13 is enough of the best way to realese the movie.
until this week for 3-4 years i think everyone spported mr del Toro and his R rated vision.

and there were debates for years on the internet if this should be R rated. afterall THIS WAS THE ONLY REASON why this movie was not made in the last 5 years.

You mean the only reason other than the projected $150 million price tag. If it was only projected to cost $30 million, it would have been made, R-rating or not.

I don't necessarily like it, but I think it's perfectly rational for a studio not to make a movie that they think they would lose a bundle on.

I think there's a false choice being presented. I think most people here would like Del Toro to make the movie that he envisions, but economics lean against that. The choice isn't R-rated or PG-13, it's No movie, an expensive PG-13 movie, or a cheaper R-rated movie. And apparently Del Toro doesn't think he can pull off what he envisions cheaply.

 

[dark_b]

You mean the only reason other than the projected $150 million price tag. If it was only projected to cost $30 million, it would have been made, R-rating or not.

I don't necessarily like it, but I think it's perfectly rational for a studio not to make a movie that they think they would lose a bundle on.

I think there's a false choice being presented. I think most people here would like Del Toro to make the movie that he envisions, but economics lean against that. The choice isn't R-rated or PG-13, it's No movie, an expensive PG-13 movie, or a cheaper R-rated movie. And apparently Del Toro doesn't think he can pull off what he envisions cheaply.

fact is that if del Toro would accept the pg13 rating 2 studios would greenlight ATMOM years ago.
it was never a problem to give him 150 millions for a pg13 ATMOM with Tom Cruise.

 

[Evil Twin]

fact is that if del Toro would accept the pg13 rating 2 studios would greenlight ATMOM years ago.
it was never a problem to give him 150 millions for a pg13 ATMOM with Tom Cruise.

Correct and Del Toro said no. Perhaps because he was hoping that The Hobbit or Pacific Rim would give him the leverage to win the day. That hasn't happened so it's up to Del Toro to decide if he can make it work in PG-13, whether or not it's his preferred format, or if he'd rather not make the movie period. As it is, no studio in the world is willing to give Del Toro $150 million for an R-rated version of ATMoM because they all think they'll lose money.

 

[The Guard]

the less you see in a lovecraft story, the better indeed. Showing too much is missing the point of his work.

Oh heavens, this.

 

[MadVillainy]

Was this posted?

Exclusive: Guillermo del Toro Wants To Release PG-13 and Unrated Cuts of AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS Simultaneously
by Evan Dickson Posted One minute ago

Guillermo del Toro is no stranger to developing multiple projects at once. We just learned that he will be doing a small black and white film prior to shooting Pacific Rim 2 next year for an April 7, 2017 release date (not to mention the Pacific Rim animated series). He’s also producing The Strain TV series, debuting on FX, and that’s just the stuff he’s openly talking about.

Well, that stuff and his long delayed dream project, an adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s At the Mountains of Madness. Last week we learned that he was considering a toned-down PG-13 version of that film in order to get it made. While that’s still true, that doesn’t mean it will be the only version that’s out there. He’s also considering shooting all the gore for a simultaneously released Unrated Cut. In fact, that’s his preferred plan. Hit the jump for more.

at-the-mountains-of-madness-book-coverSteve spoke with del Toro and asked if there was a chance of an At the Mountains of Madness Unrated Cut hitting Blu-ray after the initial PG-13 theatrical run. Del Toro was quick to reply that he’s not only considering that option for Blu-ray, but for a simultaneous theatrical release as well:
“That’s actually exactly what I’m thinking. The way I’m thinking is, PG-13 goes a long way. It’s not that the novel is graphic, but people forget that there are crucial elements in the novel that are pretty horrific. Like the human autopsy, you know? I think that’s a dark moment. So what I would like to do is shoot it, as dark as it is, in an unrated cut and a PG-13 cut. Ideally they would be released simultaneously if that’s at all possible. We could release one [cut] in a certain format and the other in a different format with the hopes that we can offer more intense moments in one cut and equally intense moments but without graphic content in the other cut. Lovecraft was famous for suggestion, and a lot of the piece can suggest, but there are [certain moments] you need to show. Part of it is budget, part of it is rating. The one thing I’ll say is that at this stage for me, Mountains is not made. So I’d rather make it in a way that doesn’t compromise the content, or not do it. And, in the last few years, what has changed is that I’ve seen PG-13 films that are very intense. For me Life of Pi, the first 25 minutes of that movie were really very intense with the violence on the boat and the sinking. I came to think, “you know what? It is possible to go to places that are intense but still have a strong appeal for a rating.” That, I think, is the main thing that changed.”


\When asked about the possibility of shooting Mountains directly after Pacific Rim 2, he was slightly more circumspect:
“The only thing I know is that I have two studios that like the project very much, which is Universal and Legendary. Legendary came very close to financing and Universal came famously close to financing and we were very much getting there. So I think that there’s a chance we’re still keeping it alive. What normally happens is I have stacks and stacks of beautiful designs. I have 30, 40, 50 pieces of key art. I have maquettes. I have concept art. I have hundreds of storyboards. And of all the things that have gone undone so far, the one that I would most like to share with the world is Mountains.”


Does the prospect of an Unrated Cut raise your hopes for At the Mountains of Madness? I think I’m fine either way as long as the movie is good.

Read more at http://collider.com/at-the-mountains-of-madness-unrated-cut-details/#mY9CoJhkWwCqpvQV.99

 

[Octoberist]

See that was an idea being floated around and i don't know why it's such an issue. If it is an issue.

 

[MadVillainy]

I mean yeah potentially I dont think that it's such a bad idea to have both R and PG13 cuts of movies out at the same time.

 

[dark_b]

there is no chance that they would make a R rated movie and then realese a pg13 cut in the theaters.

when i said that there is ZERO chance that the studio and Rinch will film and realese ronin 47 in two two languages i was insulted and made fun of.

enough.

 

[Piper Maru]

If the film ever does get the green light, I don't know how ready my body will be.

 

[Evil Twin]

I mean yeah potentially I dont think that it's such a bad idea to have both R and PG13 cuts of movies out at the same time.

The only issue could be confusion in the market place. But, as long as it gets made, I'm all for them trying this. You just might learn something here.

 

[Joe Von Zombie]

FYI, the novella can be found at http://hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/fiction/mm.aspx

I've read the novella recently.

until del Toro said that this will maybe be pg13 fans didnt have long debates how pg13 is enough of the best way to realese the movie.
until this week for 3-4 years i think everyone spported mr del Toro and his R rated vision.

and there were debates for years on the internet if this should be R rated. afterall THIS WAS THE ONLY REASON why this movie was not made in the last 5 years.

I supported Del Toro's vision until I read the script recently and I've been in really weird place with the project since.

Edit:

According to folks over at GDT's forum the script that's leaked online is ancient and has been rewritten five times since then and hardly any of it remains beyond the broad concept so we'll just have to wait and see.

 

[Piper Maru]

Right, I remember reading an article somewhere that said something about the script going through some rewrites. BTW, do you have a link for those forums?

 

[Joe Von Zombie]

Right, I remember reading an article somewhere that said something about the script going through some rewrites. BTW, do you have a link for those forums?

http://deltorofilms.com/forum2/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=454

 

[Piper Maru]

Thanks, I just registered over there.

 

[The Endless]

Anyone else seen The Mist with Tom Jane? Watched it again last night, it's pretty damn good. Definitely Lovecraft inspired (although i understand it was a King book). The lead even goes insane at the end!

 

[Tanin]

Love that movie It was a short novella Stephen King did in Skeleton Crew. Worth reading.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

The Mist got this monumental bad rap. When I finally got around to it, many years later, I was impressed as all get out. It was scary, atmospheric, full of suspense and dread and that ending? Man... That is HORRIFIC. That's not an action adventure disguised as horror. That was HORROR. Once again, people complain about films being cookie cutter in every genre. Then something comes out that actually isn't like everything else and it gets excoriated to high heaven because of it. So sad.

 

[Majik1387]

Marcia Gay Harden owned her role in that movie.