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That sucks about Megalopolis. It would be the perfect movie for Lucas to dump some money into and prove that he's actually interested in supporting 'indie art films' like he's been saying for a few decades.

Francis Ford Coppola came to L.A. tonight to promote the DVD release of Apocalypse Now: The Complete Dossier, a 2-disc set of box the original and Redux – in a very cool system that allows you to jump from one to another without stopping the film or changing discs...

Really? None of the reviews mention the ability to switch between cuts on the fly (which would require incredibly extensive use of seamless branching, which DVD authors tend to shy away from because of player compatibility issues). And both cuts are split across two DVDs (a la the Lord of the Rings extended editions), so even if you can switch on the fly you have to stop the film and change discs at some point.

Coppola told the story about how angry he was at being presented the Godfather videogame as a fait accompli and commented, “I haven’t heard any more, so I assume it was a flop… I hope so.”

The 360 and PSP versions come out next month and the PS3 and Wii versions are still in the pipeline. Don't anybody tell Francis, though.

I'm pretty sure the Godfather game wasn't a flop. I read a few reviews that amounted to "Hey, I thought this was going to suck, but it's surprisingly playable."

Interesting what he says about Lucas. Although George has admitted on occassion that he didn't really know what he was doing on the original SW. Good see Coppola plans to continue directing.

I love that man.

On another note, I had Welles' site taken down after he did not let one of my posts through

I AM Spam Dooley and he is out of luck.

Why would you do that? It's HIS website, who cares about your posts?

Why would you do that? It's HIS website, who cares about your posts?

Goulet

1- Most free thinking people the world over love the posts of Spam Dooley- hang down your head now, bitch
2- Welles has wrong the great state of Poland too many times- he had to go.

I am Spam Dooley and I have a little system of my own.

Regarding Megalopolis, from what I understand, the basic setup involved a satelite crashing into Manhattan, and the battles that ensue during the rebuilding effort. And 9/11 made that scenario unpalatable. That's what I heard anyway.

Sounds like a cop-out. An artist like Coppola shouldn't bow to mere reality as a hurdle in the way of a great vision.

To be honest, as much as I would love to see Megalopolis happen, I'm kinda glad to hear that Coppola is moving on with other projects.

Coppola is a great filmmaker and - damn it - I just want to see him do something. And I'd prefer to see him make several smaller more personal films then waste whatever creative energy he may have left on a film that may never happen. As great as Apocalypse Now turned out, it nearly killed Coppola.

Even though I know Lucas and Coppola are still tight, one has to wonder if Lucas ever harbors any resentments about how Coppola essentially took Apocolypse Now away from Lucas and Milius, when it was a very personal project of theirs, and decided to make it for himself.

Though before that Lucas pretty much bankrupted American Zoetrope with THX-1138, and after that Francis pretty much rescued American Graffitti from oblivion.

Those two, imho, have one of the most complicated and fascinating relationship between two friends and filmmakers.

I'm not surprised that Francis made that comment.

I've always been under the inclination that Coppola was a little envious of Lucas's success. Going by that story about how after Star Wars opened in '77 Coppola talked wide-eyed about how Lucas could use the power of that phenomenon to start his own religion, and how Lucas replied he wasn't interested.

My favorite qutoe Coppola gave about Lucas when asked why he doesn't go to Lucas for film financing:

"George isn't the kind of friend you ask to borrow money from, he's the kind of friend you ask to pick you up at the airport."

Classic.

I was also disappointed as a gamer that Francis was so opposed to the Godfather game. If he had kept an open mind about the creative story potential an interactive technology like videogames brings, who knows how great that game coulda been with his involvment. (And it actually sold pretty well and got decent reviews)

At least Lucas embraces the medium.

And what are the radical storytelling techniques at play in Star Wars: Battlefront?

I'm just a little bitter at Lucas for paying lip service about producing art movies and then the only stuff he produces are Howard the Duck and Radioland Murders.

Aw, I liked RADIOLAND MURDERS. Yes, I'm the only one who apparently did, but I don't care.

Maybe I'll make this my new sig: I am Spam Dooley and I like RADIOLAND MURDERS!

Yeah, and what's wrong with Howard the Duck!? I mean, other than it being the bane of my existence.

What's wrong with Battlefront? They're fun games. Especially the second one. Any time you can kill Ewoks, it's a good day.

Nothing wrong with any Star Wars game, but there's a difference between 'embracing the medium' and recognizing yet another profitable licensing activity.

Thanks for sharing, David! Though was any mention as to why "Hearts of Darkness" hasn't been available on DVD yet (either as an extra or a stand-alone DVD)?

"Nothing wrong with any Star Wars game . . ."

I gotta disagree; there are some stinkers in there. The Episode III game has lousy controls, which pretty much ruins the overall experience. Another game I disliked was X-Wing vs. Tie Fighter. The Star Wars games in fact have a pretty bad rap in the gaming community for failing to live up to the potential of the license.

Mind you, there have been some truly great Star Wars games. To name three: Tie Fighter, Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight, and Knights of the Old Republic. I just finished Republic Commando for the Xbox, which is fun. Personally, I'm still partial to Parker Brothers Empire Strikes Back for the Atari 2600,, where all you do is shoot down AT-ATs.

The Battlefront games are meant for multiplayer gaming. The story elements are secondary.

I kind of gave up on Megalopolis.

It would be really nice if Francis did something like The Conversation again. I was way too young to see it in the theater but on VHS I saw it as a kid. The toilet scene gave me nightmares for a looooong time. I loved the creepy ending also. Shirley sure had me fooled! Nice girl my ass, Carmine.

Cadavra don't be stealing Spam's signature style now. He's a big guy and he might slap you around.

come to think of it. Howard the Duck gave me nightmares too.

Is it weird that I like One From the Heart more than Apocalypse Now and The Conversation? I suspect the answer is Yes.

I wish the version of Apocalypse Now that I watched featured SOME of the Redux scenes, but not some of the others. The villa sequence was really frustrating and out of place.

"a 2-disc set of box the original and Redux – in a very cool system that allows you to jump from one to another without stopping the film or changing discs"

Kami, seems like they already thought of that. Wonder how it works though.

So would he now maybe go back and do a 2-disc set of both versions of ONE FROM THE HEART? The original is marvelous, but the re-edit kinda blows.

Read the Q&A with Coppola and didn't see where he mentioned the 10-year/no film comment. Oh well, just glad to see him working. It's so sad to see great artists suddenly stop working in their productive years. Coppola has complained about the studios' interference, but i guess he lost the will to fight. Or someone to fight for him. The output of Milos Forman has been spotty over the years as well, and I miss his films. Reminds me of the 15 year down period for David Lean after he was crushed by the vehement press reaction to RYANS DAUGHTER. Now, if only Brett Ratner or Michael Bay would become so depressed over bad reviews that they stopped working.....

Jeffmcm -

Any real gamer knows Battlefront is a multiplayer game based on Battlefield 1942. It's meant to be a war simulation shooter in the SW universe for online multiplayer and has no story to speak of. Not that kind of game, unlike the Godfather.

If you want a good example of what I'm talking about, play Knights of the Old Republic for the XBox. Many feel it is the best Star Wars story told since the original prequels. And it has a great twist in it. That is what I'm talking about when it comes to creative story possibilities in videogames.

And yes, I'll be the first to admit that many game developers do not know how to best present story in an interactive technology. But I feel there is immense creative possibilities for giving your audience/player an emotional experience with story in gaming, that hasn't been tapped. And arguably, cannot be reached with film or other mediums, because they are a passive experience where gaming is an interactive experience.

Though it could also be argued that in some cases a passive experience like film can be a better medium for you story, depending on the content I guess.

Regardless, anyone who is a fan of the original Star Wars movies, and misses the feeling those films brought, I'd highly recommend Star Wars: Knights of The Old Republic (the first one) for the XBox.

The story in that game, and the game experience itself, recaptures the spirit of the originals much better than the prequels ever did.

"Star Wars story told since the original prequels*

"Star Wars story told since the original FILMS"

-Sorry!

I arbitrarily picked Battlefront as the first Star Wars game that I could think of. My point was merely that Lucas is not doing anything artistically innovative in his games, just raking in dough with various fight and battle simulators. Someday in the next ten or fifteen years or so, the D.W. Griffith of interactive gaming will come along and make a billion dollars. But who that is, nobody knows.

Once again Jeff, you're making a judgement without any firsthand knowledge or experience.

Knights of The Old Republic is extremely innovative on many levels. It has won Game of The Year by IGN and many other legit publications. It sold amazingly well, and once again, I reiterate - It is the best Star Wars experience since the original movies.

Lucas, like any good producer knows how to pick a good team to handle his properities.

Many in the game development community feel LucasArts is one of the most respected and innovative publishers around. Their new emotion engine demonstrated at E3 that will be used in the new Indiana Jones game have many experts feeling that engine will open up a whole new kind of game design.

Just like you're Casper judgement, you're once again making a judgement and evaluation with no real knowledge or firsthand experience to back up your statement.

I can't expect you to go and pick up an XBox and spend 40 hours playing the game to and credibility to your opinon (though if you're more than a casual Star Wars fan, and you own an XBox, you're missing out) - but there are plenty of reviews and publications online backing up my statement if you don't believe me.

LucasArts is one of the few innovative videogame publishers in the business.

If you want to bash Lucas, fine. But you better know what the fizack you're talking about. Otherwise I'm gonna have to bust out my wordcannon , put the poison tips in my clip and take you out assasin style ;)

I'm not talking about innovative within the realm of video games, I'm talking about innovative within the realm of art. I am unaware of any video game except perhaps The Sims that is, at heart, a system of press-the-button, get-the-reward.

I continue to stand by my Casper statements, and I think it's unfortunate that you are so quick to defend somebody who failed to give you the education you paid for.

whoops, insert 'more than' before 'a system of' etc.

"I am unaware of any video game except perhaps The Sims that is, at heart, a system of press-the-button, get-the-reward."

Then you really need to play more games.

And why is "press the button, get the reward" inherently antithetical to art? It's a construct that can be used for any number of emotional experiences.

Jeff-

I'll put my critical education from my school against your no name undergrad any day.

God, once again, you are embarrasing yourself against all the professionals and people in the know.

You have this incesscent need to be right. Even when you agree with someone you still take the contrarian P.O.V just to be argumentative. Then you back that up with your short sightedness and stubborn refusal to be open minded, all in the NEED to be right. Where does that come from?

Man, I bet you scare the girls away.

What's the point of agreeing? Knowledge comes from the clash of ideas.
I did not go to a 'no name' undergrad, and we did learn what 'postmodern' means there, which is how this all started.

>>>Then you really need to play more games.

Nobody needs to play more video games.

"Knowledge comes from the clash of ideas."

Jeff's a Hegelian, I see.

My grandfather was Irish.

"Nobody needs to play more video games."

Yeah, they should spend more time doing physically active things....you know, like watching movies.

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