New Online Ghost Rider Articles

[Advanced Dark]

http://www.actressarchives.com/news.php?id=3660

Know 'Ghost Rider' from A to Z
BY: Actress Archives | Thursday, January 18, 2007

With the success of franchises like Spider-Man and X-Men, comic book superheroes have become a multi-billion dollar movie franchise. While Twentieth Century Fox developed, produced and distributed the X-Men franchise, Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Entertainment gave the world Spider-Man, and now they're ready to bring fans another superhero franchise. Born in the Marvel Comics universe, Ghost Rider tells the story of superstar stunt rider Johnny Blaze, a stunt motorcyclist who strikes a deal with Mephistopheles where he gives up his most precious commodity, his immortal soul. With the deal done, Johnny Blaze is destined to ride his motorcycle into each and every deep, dark night doing the devil's dirty work as the Ghost Rider.


For any comic book franchise to succeed, the actors have to be top-notch, just like fans have always imagined. Spider-Man had Tobey Maguire, X-Men has Hugh Jackman, and now Ghost Rider has the one and only Nicolas Cage. While Nic Cage is rolling around on a Harley, his one time love interest and relentless journalist Roxanne Simpson is played by the undeniably beautiful Eva Mendes. While Roxanne and Johnny Blaze make up the real-world human characters, the evil underworld plays an equally big part in the film adaptation of Ghost Rider. Mephistopheles is played by the always awesome Peter Fonda, and while he struck the deal for Johnny's soul, Blackheart, played by Wes Bentley, is a new form of devil who is powerful, soulless and hoping to wreak havoc on the real world.


The comic book featured a massively in-depth storyline and a detailed plot, so just what's going to happen in the movies? How is it going to be different? To get your answers straight, check out UGO.com and their Ghost Rider A-Z gallery. The feature gives the rundown on the major players in Ghost Rider, as well as info about the film itself. You can also check out the trailer for the upcoming movie, which hits theatres February 16. As well as movie info, check out two original Ghost Rider games, and download icons, wallpapers, screen savers and even extra goodies for your PSP. Until you can sink your teeth into the Ghost Rider flick, check out UGO.com for everything else Ghost Rider.

 

[WiscoD]

http://www.actressarchives.com/news.php?id=3660

GREAT FIND AD!!!!!How the hell do you find this stuff?????t:

 

[Advanced Dark]

Just searching around when I got time.

 

[FlameHead]

That is a good article AD. It's nice to hear positive stuff.

 

[NDX]

Damn, you and Retro are like 'net bloodhounds.

 

[Mr. Socko]

Cool read, thanks man.

 

[Advanced Dark]

http://www.news.com.au/sundaymail/story/0,23739,21161523-7642,00.html

Role sits well with Cage

Peta Hellard
February 03, 2007 11:00pm
Article from:

</IMG>
Font size: + -
Send this article: Print Email

BIKE ride to the local store as a seven-year-old changed Nicolas Cage's life forever.
It marked the first time he came across Ghost Rider, the comic book character he has brought to life on the big screen.
"I saw this comic – with this colourful, flaming skull on the cover and he's coming right at you – and I was transfixed," Cage says, his blue eyes open wide.
"I bought it and took it home and I remember sitting by myself in my room and staring at it for hours.
"I just loved the look of the character. I thought it was trippy and scary and cool.
"I think I was trying to comprehend how something scary could also be good.
"It is really how I got into reading and I still have that actual comic to this day."
The comic is about motorcycle stunt rider Johnny Blaze who is nightly transformed into the flaming Ghost Rider, a bounty hunter of rogue demons, after making a deal with the Devil to save his loved ones. It is the latest in the Marvel stable to be turned into a blockbuster movie, this time largely filmed in and around Melbourne.
Cage, who is a motorcycle enthusiast and collector, says he enjoyed hitting the road on and off the shoot.
"I love Melbourne – we had a great time filming there," he says.
"It has given the movie a unique look. I particularly loved getting on the bike and riding off on the long roads framed by gum trees."
Cage's starring turn came after his initial plans to play Superman in the big-budget remake fell through due to major disagreements with the studio, which ended up going with unknown actor Brandon Routh.
Asked if he was disappointed about missing the chance to play the Man of Steel, Cage pauses.
"I think the Superman that came out was a good movie, but it was a very nostalgic movie and I'm not interested in repeating things," he says.
"I was going to turn that character on its ear, which obviously wasn't what the studio wanted because they went with a more traditional approach.
"I had been trying to find a way to make a comic book-based film for a long time and because I grew up reading Ghost Rider, it was much more personal for me – this was the one that was meant to be."
Cage, 43, has injected his trademark quirky humour into what could have been the regular dry portrayal of a macho tortured superhero. His Johnny Blaze listens to Karen Carpenter to stay relaxed and eats jelly beans from a martini glass.
"I wanted it to be very playful," he says.
"He's not a chain-smoking, hard-drinking bad-ass. He's an absurdist character and I think that's a good thing. That gives me a chance to bring comedy to it."
The trip from the page to the screen has been a long one.
Cage has stayed on board for years while film-makers came and went and the storyline and characters underwent huge changes.
"The original script was really dark but the final version opened up the character to a wider audience," he says.
"It has some scary moments – but more scary like 1950s, Vincent Price, B-movie – and it is ultimately more accessible for families and younger people.
"I really wanted kids to see this movie because at the end of the day comic books were really made for the child's mind and stimulating their imaginations, like they did mine."
One child who has been inspired is Cage's 16-year-old son Weston, who has created his own character and storyline that was recently picked up in a development deal with a comic company.
"I am very happy that he has interests that are coming to life," Cage says, proudly.
"Comics are a part of the psychology of our whole family."
It's a family that has grown in recent time, with Cage also having a one-year-old son called Kal with his wife Kim, 23.
Ghost Rider opens on February 14.

 

[Advanced Dark]

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/nst/Friday/Features/20070208191053/Article/index_html

Ride like the devil!

09 Feb 2007
PHILIP LIM


In the wake of a slew of superheroes on the big screen, an apparition appears. PHILIP LIM rides alongside the Ghost Rider to take a peek at the dark side.

WHEN I first found out that Nicolas Cage was playing Johnny Blaze in the movie version of Ghost Rider, I went &#8220;oh no! That can&#8217;t be.&#8221; I couldn&#8217;t envision Cage playing Ghost Rider. First, he doesn&#8217;t have blond hair. Second, he&#8217;s not exactly a guy in his twenties.

Then, I saw stills from Ghost Rider the movie. Hey, wait a minute, Cage may spring a surprise or two. Honestly, I shouldn&#8217;t have been surprised in the first place because Nicolas Cage is well known in Hollywood as a big comics fan. Although, he has rec ently confessed that he is &#8220;no longer into comics&#8221;, he still has a soft spot for things that are related to comics.

Thus, Ghost Rider is something close to his heart. What do you expect from a guy who a couple of years ago was rumoured to have off-loaded about US$1 million (RM3.5 million) worth of comics collection. The reason Cage gave for giving up the love of his young life was the fact that some nasty, insensitive thief had pinched three of his prized comic titles: Action One, Detective 14 and Detective 27.

Possibly, as an after-thought of not wanting to hurt himself anymore over other potential thefts, Cage decided to sell the whole lot. In a November 2006 interview with Superheroes Hype, Cage readily admitted that he grew up on a steady diet of Ghost Rider, Hulk and Marvel Universe.

You could say that the actor had mentally conjured it into happening &#8212; the Ghost Rider on screen.

Since, all of us sane, non-superheroes know that Cage would be inappropriate for Superman, Batman and Hulk, so Ghost Rider seemed to be the logical choice.

Even the actor admits it. He said: &#8220;Ghost Rider is different in that he&#8217;s really the only character that I know of that is in the supernatural arena, and he walks through both worlds. And I thought it was time for a character like this &#8212; I mean, rather than me playing Superman, which at one time was talked about, I think this is more appropriate for me because I like the enigmatic and paradoxical quality of it.&#8221;

The scheduled screening of Ghost Rider in Malaysia is Feb 15, three days before Chinese New Year. So now you know where to spend your hard-earned money. If you must know, the writer and director of this movie is the same person, Mark Steven Johnson.

Columbia TriStar Pictures is going to release the movie to a worldwide audience, on the hunch that Ghost Rider will go the same way as Spiderman, and maybe even Superman. The other stars of the show are Peter Fonda, Eva Mendes, Jon Voight, Matt Long and Sam Elliot.

Ghost Rider, which costs US$120 million (RM420 million) to produce, is rated as PG-13 in the United States because of its horror violence and some disturbing images. I don&#8217;t think these will adversely affect most of as we have already a strong appetite for such cinema fare. Just look at all those kung fu movies, for goodness sake.

With a tagline &#8220;Hell is about to be unleashed&#8221;, movie viewers know Ghost Rider may make an interesting detour in the highway of their lives. Actually, there&#8217;s another tagline: &#8220;His curse will become his power&#8221;. I prefer the first one.

Ghost Rider fans who have been scouring the Internet for details concerning this movie have concluded that it has some really awesome scenes.

Based on this type of semi-official consensus, Asian fans of Ghost Rider can take comfort in the fact that it won&#8217;t be a disappointment. If the media hype meets public expectations, there will definitely be a Ghost Rider 2.

Cage was asked if there will be a sequel. His answer: &#8220;I feel like I really laid it down on this one. It would really be script dependent. I don&#8217;tÖ My instinct at the moment isÖ You know, it would have to really depend upon a script.&#8221;

It&#8217;s no secret that Ghost Rider was shot on location in Australia. Cage loves the country, especially Melbourne. Coincidentally, so do I. I guess Ghost Rider and I finally have something in common.

So the question of the day is: Did Nicolas Cage get to keep the hell bike when the shooting was over? Cage puts it most succinctly: &#8220;You know I asked for one but I never got it!&#8221;

In other words, he didn&#8217;t have a ghost of a chance in getting his hands on that ghostly bike. Maybe in his next life.

Wait...I thought he did get a bike???

 

[WiscoD]

Damn AD... When somethings on your mind, you GO-OFF bro!!!!! Glad your on our side...lol

 

[Advanced Dark]

Oh yeah...isn't it fun.