Showing posts with label Chris Weitz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chris Weitz. Show all posts
One of my favorite scenes from New Moon
I love the way Chris Weitz incorporated the Meadow Scene in New Moon. It was the only point in the movie where it felt like Edward and Bella from Twilight. That's what Catherine Hardwick did so well. You felt the chemistry between the two....something Chris failed to do. How differently the reunion scene would have turned out if Catherine was in the director's chair...It would have been intense, like it should have been.
.
Chris Weitz defends woman in film's taping
The director of "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" is coming to the defense of a Chicago woman facing prison time for videotaping part of the film.Tumpach was found with about three minutes of "New Moon" on her digital camera. She says she was taping her sister's birthday party at the theater and wasn't trying to record the movie.
In his e-mail to the Sun-Times, Weitz says there's a difference between trying to protect the film's copyright and prosecuting someone who "clearly seems not to have any intentions towards video piracy."
Weitz says he's contacted the film's studio about his concerns.
Source
Maybe Chris should contact the movie theatre that's actually prosecuting. Take her camera and destroy the footage for God's sake. Ban her from the premises, but don't send this young girl to prison!
I think it's ridiculous this poor girl has to go through this when she clearly had no intentions of distribution. Yet, how is it that someone else was able to link the complete movie here and get away with it?
.
Still Nit-picking
When I saw this photo, I just assumed it was a scene from New Moon...maybe Bella dreaming? I couldn't wait...so now I'm wondering...what was this scene and why the fuck didn't Chris Weitz include it in the move?
My 'New Moon' balloon deflated...
After months of viewing trailers, spoilers, photo's, interviews and Youtube fan video's, I went into the 12:01 a.m. showing of New Moon with extremely high expectations. Unfortunately, it didn't take long for the disappointment to set in. (egads! I said it!)
I'll start with Edward because, well, it's Edward. I think his hair was way too flat, skin way too white, lips way too red and eyes way too orange. Insignificant I know, but annoying just the same. Also, being that Edward's appearance in New Moon was limited, I felt a couple of the scenes he was in were rushed. (i.e.) his reaction after speaking to Jacob and being told Charlie was making funeral arrangements. That was the first physical scene he was in after he left Bella and felt that more time should've been spent on his anguish. (Crushing the cell phone in his hand just didn't work for me). He's strong, I get it. But what about his heart? I was expecting him to drop to the floor in agonizing devastation. I also thought his visit to the Volturri in his request for death, again rushed. Where's was the dialogue as in the book? Two pivotal scenes, glossed over and brief.
I give it to Catherine Hardwick. Her version of twilight may have not followed the book as did New Moon, nor the effects as spectacular as New Moon, but she captured and brought out the chemistry between Robert and Kristen. In New Moon, I felt Chris Weitz failed to do that. At times it felt like Robert was reading lines from the script and found myself asking, "Does Edward even like Bella?". During most of the break up scene, he briefly looked into Bella's eyes. Whereas Twilight, his eyes hardly left hers. That stare...gone. (Still insignificant to many, but vital to the characters just the same).
There was no heart stopping moment between Edward and Bella (except the birthday kiss the night before the break up). I felt the reunion scene at the clock tower fell short. Where was all the footage of them wrapped in eachother's arms kissing that made it's way to the internet or youtube? That was another scene I felt was rushed. The dialogue between Edward and Bella was limited and again, brief. That was a key scene that should've followed the book exactly. Although the fight scene effects of Edward getting his ass kicked was worth the watch, where was the intensity between Edward and Bella?
Kristen Stewart, on the other hand, I thought did extremely well. After watching her portray Bella in Twilight (most scenes her just shaking her head as if in disgust) I never thought she would be able to pull off Bella's sorrow. But she did. Her scenes with Jacob had heart, chemistry. Which, by the way, I felt Taylor Lautner owned the movie. It was his and he ran with it. Kudos to Taylor!
I also want to know what drugs Make-up/Wardrobe was on. In "Twilight" all the vampires were gorgeous. In "New Moon" I felt as if they were dressed much older than what they were. Ex. what the fuck was that garb Carlisle was dressed in for vote scene? Ridiculous, but not as ridiculous as that poodle wig Jasper was sporting. Seriously, didn't anyone from production say, "Hey wait a minute, he looks ridiculous"?
Ok so some may say I'm nit-picking. So be it. Like I said, I went in with high expectations. I also didn't truly appreciate the job Catherine Hardwick did with Twilight until I saw "New Moon". Would I want Chris Weitz back as director for "Breaking Dawn"? At this point my thoughts are Summit would have to hire an extremely talented director to bring that mess to the big screen. Do I think Melissa Rosenberg has the writing skills to make the transitition from book to the big screen and be successful? NO. And that's not dissing Melissa. I think she tied "New Moon" together nicely. She stayed true to Stephenie Meyers dialogue and I attribute that to the success of "New Moon." But I've said it before, I think Breaking Dawn was ridiculously bizarre and I just think a script of that magnitude would not be best served written by her.
I will give credit where credit is due. Although I think Chris Weitz fell short on capturing the chemistry between Robert and Kristen, he did a great job with the special effects. If anyone really gives a shit, I give New Moon 3 stars and that's because I love the saga regardless!
'New Moon' Director Chris Weitz Tells EW: 'If You Stay True To The Book, You Win'
When EW went to meet Chris at his beach house after the film's release, they said he looked "like a wilted rose. He’s unshaven, pale and wearing clothes he appears to have found wadded in a ball on his bedroom floor." The man has been exhausted by the recent press tour insanity surrounding the record-breaking film (“I’m at the point of physical collapse,” he told the mag, and recently admitted he wants to retire after making one final movie), but at least he is not letting the film's negative reviews get him down.
"What I’ve realized over the last week is I won’t necessarily get good reviews for this movie," he admitted. "Having been a reviewer myself, there are only two ways to spin this story. You can either be the one guy who says this is a great movie, or more likely, take a more jaundiced view of the whole thing. And given the media blitz that has accompanied 'New Moon,' it’s rather unsurprising."
"In terms of what I wanted to do with the gloss of the picture, the look of the picture, I’m very satisfied with it," he said. "And satisfied to touch back with the crew and the actors and to feel we made it under humane conditions as well. No actors were harmed in the making of this movie."
He added, "I had this theory that if you stay true to the book, you would win. You would not only win with the fans, but other people will get what the fans care about. If the box office tells us anything, then it’s a win."
He was quick to draw comparisons to his last attempt at a book-to-film adaptation, "The Golden Compass." Chris noted that in its opening weekend, "New Moon" made more money than "The Golden Compass" made in its entire run. But the bad experience with the studio destroying his vision for "Compass" wasn't enough to keep him away from this story and these actors, he said.
"The studio, my editor, and I were all working off the same piece of music," said Chris in regards to "New Moon." "The only way I can make that interesting is to compare it to my previous experience of "The Golden Compass." I don’t think the studio had read the book. Maybe they had heard the audio book while sipping Zinfandel. Eventually, they were appalled and frightened by it. At a certain point they considered cutting loose the author. They considered and executed the complete regearing and destruction of what I thought was going to be a pretty good movie. It was a shame and pursued me through what should have been my sleep for a good year."
As for the main heartthrob of the box office smash, Robert Pattinson, he says he now thinks he understood how the Beatles felt back in the day. "I imagine it was close to this," he said. "Very few human beings will ever get to experience the love we feel at 'Twilight' events.”
To read the rest of the interview with Chris and learn more about how the movie became such a success, check out the EW story here and buy all three covers of the magazine when it hits shelves Nov. 27!
Source
Chris Weitz reflects on making 'New Moon,' talks about 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn'
The man behind "American Pie" and "About a Boy" wasn't the obvious choice to take on "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," the second book in Stephenie Meyer's blockbuster vampire romance series. But Chris Weitz, who also writes and produces, sometimes with his brother Paul, had done a fantasy adaptation in 2007's "The Golden Compass" and felt a connection to the material. On Nov. 20, "Twilight" fans -- and Summit Entertainment, which is releasing the film -- will determine whether he was up to the task.
The Hollywood Reporter: Why did you want to do a "Twilight" movie?
Chris Weitz: The tonality of the movie, which has a lot to do with heartbreak and longing, depression and reunion and ecstasy -- these were emotions that struck a chord in me. I really loved the cast; Kristen (Stewart) and Rob (Pattinson) both are exceptionally talented. And I wanted to get my hand back in the game. There were a lot of things in this movie that I knew how to do: A combination of telling a character-based story but also handling special effects and working with young actors.
THR: And adding another genre of film to your resume?
Weitz: It gets a bit boring to be in a particular zone. I like the idea of switching genres and different types of stories to keep things interesting. But it might be the way to become unmemorable as a director, I suppose. There aren't that many dilettante directors who get remembered. John Ford did all kinds of movies. Billy Wilder did too, but they get remembered for one particular kind.
THR: So how do you want to be remembered?
Weitz: I'm not sure. I don't think I have to be remembered. I'll be dead anyway (laughs).
THR: How much did you interact with Stephenie Meyer?
Weitz: A lot; we've had a real good collaboration. Crucially, she approved me as director, and she didn't have to. We had some discussions that were very important -- my convincing her that I didn't want to take her baby and run away with it, or tell a story that was counter to the spirit of what she was trying to tell. I see myself, in the last few movies I've done, as adapting literary properties into film, so that's how I treated this one. We got along like a house on fire.
THR: What kind of suggestions did she give you?
Weitz: It would normally be me e-mailing her and running things by her when I felt I was on the edge of getting a detail wrong, everything from the powers of a given vampire to the look of a particular scene or what she imaged a location looked like. And sometimes, when I felt that I was creating something new within the framework she had set up, making sure she was aware of it and that it didn't make her sick.
THR: For example?
Weitz: A good example is the headquarters of the Volturi. The oldest vampire family lives in Italy, and it was important to me there be nothing in their surroundings that reeked of any other vampire movie. So the interiors are done in a very classic Renaissance style and are very crisp and very bright, which you would not normally expect from a vampire movie.
THR: Speaking of Italy, how have you dealt with the problem that your heartthrob is gone for most of the book?
Weitz: There are two heartthrobs in this movie, not just Rob but Taylor Lautner. Part of the point was that Edward was away. Readers of the book know this and appreciate it. The story is about loss and heartache; he is present as an absence. Bella is always thinking of him and affected by him. His return to the film is really powerful and made more so by not having millions of "back at the ranch" scenes. And the middle of the movie is sustained by Kristen's amazing performance and by Taylor doing a lovely job as her best friend. There are people who would like nothing more that two hours of Rob Pattinson standing there, and I sympathize with them. But I think they'll appreciate getting him back after the second act.
THR: So you didn't alter the story at all?
Weitz: No. We didn't want to shoehorn him into the story. I did alter the visuals of the story in the sense that in the book, Kristen's character has aural hallucinations -- she hears his voice -- and we've built in a very beautiful subtle effect so that we see him as well. But those are brief, if impactful, moments. A lot of the film is sustained by her loss and Taylor's character bringing her back to life.
THR: How much do you interact with the Twi-hards?
Weitz: Quite a bit. I don't have an online, direct relation with the fans; I was too busy making the movie. But I sort of feel as though every bit of footage I get out is speaking to the fans in a way. I've only addressed the fans directly twice: At the very beginning, when I said, "Don't worry, I'm going to take care of this book," and then to address an insane rumor that all the Volturi were naked in their introductory scene. But I listened to what they have to say by checking in on the Internet. I didn't do it that much while we were shooting because I didn't want to get swayed one way or another; it would be like a politician just going by the polls. But now that the footage is complete, I kind of enjoy just checking in various sites and seeing what they like.
THR: What is your favorite "Twilight" blog?
Weitz: I don't really have a favorite. All the blogs are, in a really delightful and noncompetitive way, poaching and linking to one another's material. So if something is on one blog, it's very likely to be another blog as well. I think it's great that there are fan sites that are not there to make money but to express enthusiasm for these books and the movie and they are happy to share information with one another.
(interruption: How fucking cool is that bloggers?)
THR: Based on the success of the first film, people are expecting a big movie. How do you create a tentpole feel when there isn't a tentpole budget?
Weitz: The budget isn't a huge budget; it doesn't have to be. It comes down to being very efficient with special effects. Also key was the construction budget and the scheduling of the Italian shoot. We squeezed everything we can out of that.
THR: Is it true you have an offer to direct the fourth "Twilight" movie?
Weitz: No official offer has been made. The fans have been enthusiastic about the footage and the trailer, and the studio responds to that by feeling good about me. We'll have to see how people feel about the entire movie, not only the studio but the fans, before the verdict is out whether I direct Number 4. David Slade is doing a great job on the third film, and by the time that comes out, he'll be the flavor of the moment.
THR: What really happened with Rachelle Lefevre being replaced for "Eclipse"?
Weitz: I don't know much more than everybody else as to why it went down. I think it was a scheduling conflict. I feel very badly for Rachelle, while at the same time think that Bryce (Dallas) Howard is a terrific actress. She'll do a terrific job.
THR: That's a very PC answer. Are you getting coached?
Weitz: No, I seriously believe that Rachelle is very good and very talented and this is not the end of the world for her. I think she would have continued to be a great Victoria, but there are other roles in which she'll be terrific.
New Moon Director Explains Why New Moon is Manly...
New Moon for men?
We already told you that Eclipse was going to be a lot more man-friendly than the first Twilight movie. But now director Chris Weitz is telling us that New Moon is going to be pretty manly too. Girls, alert the men in your lives!And it doesn't just have to do with the obvious (and unfortunate) lack of Robert Pattinson in the second movie, though that does play a big part in it. Now, New Moon director Chris Weitz is stepping forward to talk about why he thinks New Moon is a lot more guy-friendly than the first movie.Chris explains, "You've got the werewolves coming in... and the effects are going to be great on that part of the movie." Guys love special effects, right? Plus, we think a vicious werewolf is probably more appealing to a guy than a lovey-dovey vampire.But there's more! Chris also talks about fighting scenes, claiming that there's more of them in this second movie. And obviously guys love fighting! But maybe most important, and this has to do with Edward's absence, is that there's a lot of Taylor Latuner in the movie. No, your boyfriend might not be in love with a young hot guy with his shirt off much of the movie, but Chris has an explanation for why Jacob makes New Moon manly.
That makes complete sense to us! Why would your guys want to watch a movie about a man you're in love wit who they can never live up to? But when they see you loving Jacob, they think that maybe they could be like Jacob too.
