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April 12, 2008

And...

The Speed Racer International Trailer landed on the web site, with no family (except... is that a spoiler?), more action than any of the other trailers, and an Asian element that starts to show that The Wachowskis made this one with the world clearly in mind.

What is also beginning to become clear is that instead of feeling encumbered by the limitations of CG, they pushed the form in a way that reaches past the idea of reality. Pulling a frame for this entry was almost impossible, as the movement is so much of what the images are about.

The website also has a steering wheel POV that allows you to click on each of the Mach 5's buttons to see what it will do, like replacing its own tires, sawblading other cars, etc.

I am getting more excited. And hoping not to be dissapointed.

speedpull.jpg

Posted by poland at April 12, 2008 06:29 PM

Comments

Hoping not to be disappointed by what, box office? Haven't you already seen it?

Posted by: jeffmcm [TypeKey Profile Page] at April 12, 2008 06:58 PM

Of course not.

Do you believe everything that's insinuated on April 1?

Posted by: David Poland [TypeKey Profile Page] at April 12, 2008 07:03 PM

seeing this on wednesday and can't wait!...it seems it's been months since i was excited about going to a screening.....sure glad the new season is officially starting......

Posted by: scooterzz [TypeKey Profile Page] at April 12, 2008 07:23 PM

I don't know how this happened, must have been one of the TV spots that aired during an NBA game two weeks ago, but I've had a complete 180 degree turn on this movie. The high stylized, futuristic F-Zero racing style has been something that I've been awe of since the first footage was released. Everything else just rubbed me the wrong way.

At first I was dumbfounded by how Warner Bros. was portraying it as this overly serious adaptation of boy that loves racing "automobile" racing. It seemed like they were trying way to hard to amaze the kids with the visuals and turn up the danger element with how corrupt the backroom racing politics appeared to be. The problem with that been that the rest of us would have to suffer with the entire family element that looked and sounded laughable, and put up with Tim Curry rhyming his dialogue where he explains the dire consequences of Speed not signing with.

I now feel that I can overlook my issues with the non-racing scenes, stop been so stubborn about it and check it out because such a visual feast like this only seems to come around every 3 years.

A digital projection viewing of this is a must. If I don't get around to see it that way, I'll wait until the Blu-ray comes out.

Posted by: NickF [TypeKey Profile Page] at April 12, 2008 07:56 PM

Actually that frame would appear to sum it up nicely DP.

A blurry, headache inducing, spacerocking poptastic fluro-merch munchin' CG-icandy meta-nostalgic nightmare.

Once again. The single biggest disappointment of the summer after GET SMART.

Posted by: Jeffrey Boam's Doctor [TypeKey Profile Page] at April 12, 2008 08:05 PM

Happy to eat them words though. Just don't think I will be.

Posted by: Jeffrey Boam's Doctor [TypeKey Profile Page] at April 12, 2008 08:50 PM

"The website also has a steering wheel POV that allows you to click on each of the Mach 5's buttons to see what it will do, like replacing its own tires, sawblading other cars, etc."

And this somehow is appealing? Sawblading cars and automatic tire replacement? This is what we've come to?

Posted by: Wrecktum [TypeKey Profile Page] at April 12, 2008 09:07 PM

Each trailer looks better than the last. As much as I'm looking forward to some of the sequels (Indy, Dark Knight), they are all taking a back seat to Speed Racer, simply based on the trailers. I'm with David on this, I think this one is going to be special.

Posted by: brack [TypeKey Profile Page] at April 12, 2008 09:23 PM

"A blurry, headache inducing, spacerocking poptastic fluro-merch munchin' CG-icandy meta-nostalgic nightmare."

Apart from "blurry" I can't understand how you got any of that from that single image. Stop being a drama queen.

Posted by: KamikazeCamelV2.0 [TypeKey Profile Page] at April 13, 2008 12:10 AM

(apologies if this appears twice. I pressed Post but then my browser exploded and ya never know with the Hot Blog if things will show up or not)

"A blurry, headache inducing, spacerocking poptastic fluro-merch munchin' CG-icandy meta-nostalgic nightmare."

Apart from "blurry" I can't see how any of that applies to the single image at the top. Stop being such a drama queen.

And what about Get Smart makes you think it'll be the most disappointing flick of the summer? The great cast? The funny trailers? ...?

Posted by: KamikazeCamelV2.0 [TypeKey Profile Page] at April 13, 2008 12:14 AM

Camel: is this one of those movies you up for this Summer? Outside of that... this movie may be trippy as hell, and some people love a good trip now and again. Also... that's not Tim Curry. It's Roger Allam. Whom worked with the Wachowskis in V for Vendetta.

Posted by: IOIOIOI [TypeKey Profile Page] at April 13, 2008 01:28 AM

DP, thanks for letting me know I was right the first time. Incidentally, a friend who worked on this film, who is not inclined to be a genre fanboy, says it's quite good.

Posted by: jeffmcm [TypeKey Profile Page] at April 13, 2008 04:10 AM

IO, I am looking forward to Speed Racer, but that has nothing to do with what I was saying.

Posted by: KamikazeCamelV2.0 [TypeKey Profile Page] at April 13, 2008 11:18 PM

It looks GREAT for a CARS sequel but as a landscape for living, breathing human beings, it looks about as realistic as the "burly brawl" -- cool as hell but a CARTOON.

Posted by: Boonwell [TypeKey Profile Page] at April 14, 2008 05:31 AM

Warner Bros. is doing 2 things wrong:

(1) Not setting a US trailer to the TV show's theme song. That is how "Speed Racer" got its cult following all those years ago.

(2) Name-checking "The Matrix", a movie despised by the right wing thanks to Columbine. (For those with a short memory, the Columbine massacre went down when "The Matrix" was in theaters).

On those 2 counts "Speed Racer" has all the makings of another "Hulk".

Posted by: Chucky in Jersey [TypeKey Profile Page] at April 14, 2008 05:04 PM

Well they obviously should have name checked Bound to get the lesbian con-artist demographic interested.

Posted by: JBM... [TypeKey Profile Page] at April 14, 2008 05:11 PM

Chucky, both of your arguments are nonsensical. Attaching a forty-years-old theme song to the movie is the best way to turn off kids too young to be familiar with the show in the first place, making the movie seem kitschy and outdated. And nobody cares about any controversy involving The Matrix; it's the Wachowski's most widely adored movie, and thus is a no-brainer to be included as a marketing hook.

Where do you get these ideas? I really want to know. I assume you have a crazy boss.

Posted by: jeffmcm [TypeKey Profile Page] at April 14, 2008 05:48 PM

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