District 9

[craigdbfan]

Really good interview between the LA Times and director Neill Blomkamp and a few words from Peter Jackson.

Peter Jacksons description makes me think this film will be even more impressive than I initially thought.

Neill Blomkamp, director of 'District 9'
June 21, 2009

A protégé of "Lord of the Rings" director Peter Jackson, the 29-year-old South African is the co-writer and director of the eagerly anticipated sci-fi quasi-documentary "District 9."

Plucked from relative obscurity by Mary Parent, then-production chief of Universal Pictures, Blomkamp, who was working in visual effects and directing commercials and shorts, landed a plum gig for what would have been his directorial debut: the big-budget adaptation of the shoot-'em-up video game Halo to be produced by Jackson.

But when that project imploded in 2006, Jackson decided to "godfather" Blomkamp through the process of directing a film anyway. Jackson's wife and frequent collaborator, Fran Walsh, suggested that Blomkamp adapt one of his short films, "Alive in Joburg," into a feature and Jackson helped him shape the script while his production company put together the independent financing. The result: the $30-million "District 9," in theaters this August, about aliens who land on Earth; they are segregated into an alien ghetto and forced to work for humans who revile them as refugees.

" 'District 9' had an organic birth," Blomkamp said by phone from New Zealand, where he's finishing post-production on the film. "We took a collapsing behemoth and flipped it into something else. I ended up in a much better situation, working on something that's very much me. It's also backed by Pete, which is incredible and puts more of a spotlight on it."

Jackson said he felt gratified to have enabled Blomkamp's potent and provocative filmmaking vision. "Neill has made something that's completely original," he said. "At this moment in filmmaking, everything is a sequel or a remake or some re-imagining of a '70s TV show. I'm really proud of this movie. It's unlike anything I've seen before."

He added: "It'll be interesting to see what happens when it comes out. I imagine his phone will start ringing very quickly."

-- Chris Lee, LA Times

 

[Kane52630]

cant wait!!!!

 

[Spider-ManHero12]

Awesome! I really can't wait for this.

 

[cabel]

I saw a trailer with the Alien translation. I felt really bad for it.

I know, poor Christopher.

Here's his blog.

 

[Rain Dog]

Can't wait for this movie. Also, I couldn't agree more with what Jackson said about recent films.

 

[craigdbfan]

Oh there is also a bit of new footage from the viral marketing.

District 9 Viral: An Important Message from MNU

[YT]Q0pGconN_Ts[/YT]

 

[xwolverine2]

lol they'd never have ads like that...

we never had anti-black ads during segregation...(just signs lol)

 

[DarkReflections]

i cant wait to see this! i remember when i saw the preview that was attached to terminator salvation and thinking how it looked so much like an indy flick/b-movie.

 

[TheVileOne]

Jackson is the one that made a bad King Kong remake.

 

[xwolverine2]

i loved king kong... even the extended edition

 

[bunk]

i loved king kong... even the extended edition

Yeah, it's pretty good. He managed to take a boring concept and make it interesting.

 

[Bunker]

I wouldn't call King Kong bad. It was just too long. If he would have shortened it to about 2 hours and only focused on a couple characters instead of the whole boat crew, it would have been amazing.

 

[블라스]

I didn't know Jackson made a "bad" KK remake.
I only saw the good one on theaters and the great one on DVD.

 

[mongoose-mania]

Oh there is also a bit of new footage from the viral marketing.

District 9 Viral: An Important Message from MNU

Those aliens look incredible!

Now, is this a video for the virals or a TV spot? At the end it says "This Film Is Not Yet Rated".

 

[Dark Victory]

Jackson is the one that made a bad King Kong remake.

Please explain how it's a bad film.

 

[BLACK-SPIDEY]

Please explain how it's a bad film.

idk why but i think this guys hates every movie he has seen.

 

[Dark Victory]

idk why but i think this guys hates every movie he has seen.

Yeah, he definitely earns his screenname. For recent films, I haven't seen one he hasn't chewed out.

 

[dark_b]

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=56551

this video was fantastic. this is really good promotion IMO.

 

[bunk]

That's pretty cool.

 

[Armored Avenger]

This film keeps looking better and better. I hope we are going to get a second trailer with more plot details.

 

[Kane52630]

Jackson is the one that made a bad King Kong remake.

you got to be s****** me

 

[KenK]

King Kong wasn't bad, but it was way too damn long! A lot of that long came from the multiple times Naomi Watts had to be rescued from the island.

 

[Kane52630]

i say the longer the better

 

[Armored Avenger]

i say the longer the better

Length is not a problem as long as the film is paced well. I like Jackson's King Kong, but I do think it goes on for too long and is not as well paced as it could have been.

 

[green]

Im absolutely loving the ad campaign for this movie.
Cant go anywhere in the city without seeing a bus stop ad.