Thought this might be of intresting to this group: http://io9.com/#!5778135/del-toros-at-the-mountains-of-madness-starts-filming-in-june

I dunno about Tom Cruise, he's really watchable, but is he to charismatic for a Lovercraftian character?

How about I actually link the link? io9.com/#!5778135/del-toros-at-the-mountains-of-madness-starts-filming-in-june

Sign me up.

As for Cruise, I don't have a problem with him starring. For one thing, some people will see it in the hopes that his character suffers in the movie. Myself, I still think he is a talented actor and could pull off the main role, since that's the likely assumption to be made here. Also sounds like it could have the 3D treatment, which could be really freaky.

bioball said:

Tom Cruise is perfect for the role! He's already insane so it shouldn't be difficult for him to play in this movie ;'D

Lol!

You know, Cruise is obviously a troubled man, but he's a darn fine actor. I kinda think that being really good at acting and being a really unstable person go hand in hand... I mean, becoming those different people and losing yourself in the role over and over and over again... that's some serious sanity loss right there.

As for the movie, I hate to be the pessimist but there's just no way. It would be awesome if it does work out, but I've been watching everything lovecraft on Netflix, and it's universally terrible. Well, the Lovecraft society's cool Air was watchable. But other than that, I think there is a universal law against lovecraft movies being good.

If someone could pull it off, it'd be Del Toro, though. Can you imagine the eyes on that shoggoth? Freaky.

I figured that Tom Cruise working for H.P. Lovecraft is like me (the son of a pastor) joining that quaint satanist church across the street...

Guess not, though! I actually like Tom Cruise as an actor. He's done MANY great things/roles. I'm just a bit wary because I know people that won't see a movie because he's in it :-x

I don't mean to make trouble, but it would not occur to me to describe Tom Cruise as a great actor. For you guys who think he's good, what are some roles that he was really good in? Risky Business? I liked him in Tropical Thunder, I guess, even though Joe Pantoliano does that kind of thing better.

Well, Tropic Thunder, but that's not really a role any person would claim to be one's apex. His two more recent films Valkyrie and Knight and Day I thought were great jobs by him. But! That's just me. Oh, and Magnolia. He's had plenty of "nice" roles, and a stinker or two.

But hey! That's just one dude's opinion. One who liked Kirsten Dunst...

Cruise I can take or leave, he can act and thats all you really need. Everyone knows the Shoggoths are the stars of that story anyway. Now Ron Pearlman signing on that is cool.

Don't forget James Cameron is acting as producer, I think. So...in other words. Money. LOTS of money...

Cruise to star

It already isn't out, and it's met my expectations of disappointment.

Tibs said:

Well...... at least SOMEONE famous and recognizable is helping to spread the world of Lovecraft to the masses. And that, I think, is a huge accomplishment.

The problem with Tom Cruise is that he's such a big actor that TOM CRUISE overshadows any character he plays, so it just turns into him playing TOM CRUISE.

The link now says that the information has been retracted.

If they put Tom Cruise in the film it would be woeful. As Brine suggested above, he only ever plays himself. I can't understand how people think he's a good actor (hell, even I can act as myself pretty convincingly and that's saying absolutely nothing of my acting skills). He should actually be in a carpentry film, playing a plank of wood. But Cruise NEVER plays someone scared out of his wits, and this story requires it. Cruise just would refuse to be anything but the self-appointed Action Hero Of All Time and that would so totally break the whole premise of anything Lovecraft that I'd rather Cthulhu to rise up and eat me alive than to know a god-awful actor ham-fisted his way through a brilliant novel.

I could see Anthony Hopkins being perfect the role of the expedition leader.

Del Toro could make a decent film of MoM, as long as he stays away from the standard Hollywood stupidity (adding a romantic interest, explosions for no other reason than to have an explosion).

PullsyJr said:

In an article I read, he already nixed the idea of their being romance. I mean, really, Hollywood? There are some movies I watch and think to myself "Wow...they really didn't need that element at all..." del Torto and Cameron both love them some HPL, so with Cameron's money on board, I'm hoping they'll be able to say "no" a lot and still get the funding.

In a way, I don't necessarily want "the masses" to have such access to Lovecraft. They won't appreciate it as much as people who care that Tom Cruise is in it.

Remember what made Ridley Scott's Alien so good? It was a lot of things—but the fact that nobody knew the actors certainly helped to set the mood. You would never think, "I know that guy from ___ movie."

May not be happening at all now: article

I'm saddened to see this film scrapped. But I guess the monumental task of adapting a Lovecraft story to a film is not easy.

I think it's give and take with that, Tibs. Remember another "unnamed guy" that Hollywood used? Hayden Christensen. Blech. So sometimes it's nice to have proven names, and hope the audience can not see it as, "Hey, that's the black president from 24!" (which I think whenever I see those All-State commercials)

I'm also okay with people getting access to HPL, but that's a bit like that cool Indie band you like having their video played on MTv. Sure they're getting increased revenue and popularity, but most people don't know them like you do! I, too, like to talk to people about HPL (and do so a lot, because I'm often seen carrying a book of collected tales by him), and think it's fun that I get to explain it to people. But it might get downgraded if people go, "Oh! That's the Mountains of Madness and Cthulhu guy, right?" "Well...he's done a lot more than just that..."

Grudunza said:

Boo, hiss! Hopefully it's just really relevant and no one really knows what's ACTUALLY going to happen. Kinda like the NFL CBA or something.

Well, bummer. I knew it was too good to be true.

I love Anthony Hopkins as much as the next man, but you have to admit, the dude is as hammy has hammy can be. I could see him as the drunk from Innsmouth, if they ever made that into a tale, but I'm not sure he'd match MoM's bleak, slow atmosphere.

I'm thinking Liam Neeson, maybe. He's got a good enough voice the audience might survive during the long geological descriptions of the terrain. You have to hand it to lovecraft, he really did his research on that story. Maybe too much.

I would love to see Lovecraft get bigger in the popular eye. Unlikely though. His oddball stories, antiquated style and unfortunate language concerning non-anglo-saxons make him... not exactly a crowd favorite.

avec said:

I think he was good in Magnolia, Vanilla Sky, Born on the Fourth of July, Eyes Wide Shut, Minority Report and War of the Worlds, but I'm not sure he fits in a dark theme like At the Mountains of Madness and HP Lovecraft. Ron Perlman on the other hand sounds great.

MustardTheTroops said:

Some bad lovecraft movies out there yes. Did you watch "Dreams in the Witch-House" (episode 2 of season 1 "Masters of Horror" TV series) and Re-Animator (from 1985)? They're quite good I think.

Thanks for the reccomendations, Tokse. I have seen Re-Animator, and well... it is good... but it has that one scene. Man, messed up. I can't even write out what scene it is, 'cause it's that messed up. Also, I watched it with a group of friends who weren't big lovecraft fans, and I suggested it. It was so awkward. They thought I was such a creeper, and got a completely mistaken view of what Lovecraft is like.

I'll definitely check out this Dreams of the Witch House thing, I've never heard of it. The movie, that is.

There's also the Call of Cthulhu silent film, also on Netflix.