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Thirst

On this off-season there isn’t much news about the industry, but don’t worry there are some news about a movie I’ve been mentionning a few times now: Thirst (aka Bak-Jwi), by Oldboy director Park Chan-wook.

The movie wasn’t as outstanding as Oldboy (one of my fave) but it was still pretty great.

A priest becomes a vampire…another man’s wife is coveted…a deadly seduction triggers murder. Thirst is the new film from director Park Chan-wook (Old Boy, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Sympathy for Lady Vengeance). Already a boxoffice smash in Korea, Thirst was honored with the Prix du Jury [Jury Prize] at the 2009 Cannes International Film Festival.

Continuing his explorations of human existence in extreme circumstances, the director spins a tale that he conceived and then developed over several years with co-screenwriter Chung Seo-kyung.

Sang-hyun (played by top Korean star Song Kang-ho, of The Host) is a priest who cherishes life; so much so, that he selflessly volunteers for a secret vaccine development project meant to eradicate a deadly virus. But the virus takes the priest, and a blood transfusion is urgently ordered up for him. The blood he receives is infected, so Sang-hyun lives – but now exists as a vampire. Struggling with his newfound carnal desire for blood, Sang-hyun’s faith is further strained when a childhood friend’s wife, Tae-ju (Kim Ok-vin), comes to him asking for his help in escaping her life. Sang-hyun soon plunges into a world of sensual pleasures, finding himself on intimate terms with the Seven Deadly Sins.

Focus Features has now put out a website for the film, and a Red-Band trailer is up on IGN.

The movie comes out in select U.S. theatres on July 31.
Go see it.

Looking forward

A few new interesting tidbits, including some from Sci Fi Wire who had a bunch of major Q&A these last few days.

Terminator‘s James Middleton first discussed what the future might have hold for the Sarah Connor Chronicles, explaining what would have been if the show hadn’t been canceled:

One theory about the ending is that by leaping to the future, John Connor never grew up to become the leader of the human resistance. That would free him of the burden of saving humanity.

“I think that that’s the right interpretation, because in the actual footage of the show, we see that Derek doesn’t recognize him,” Middleton said. “So, by jumping into this future, he has erased his existence in a certain way, and we see that. We see that nobody recognizes him.”

Middleton added that leaping to the future changes John Connor’s fate. “We would have to have explored that if we did get a third season,” he said. “If we had gotten a third season, I should say, we definitely would have explored what it all meant, but I think there’s a great moment where we see Allison [Summer Glau], and John’s look to her is very meaningful. I think that also would have been a great thing in terms of dramatic potential. Like I said, the show has ended, and it would all be speculation, and I really don’t want to raise anybody’s expectations.”

Another very interesting Q&A they had is one with Marc Guggenheim, executive producer on Flash Forward.
Here’s an extract:

Viewers will undoubtedly be happy to hear that you’ll be answering questions in the first season, because one thing viewers have grown to hate—partly as a result of Lost—is the feeling that the writers are vamping to keep it going, with an indeterminate end in the future.

Guggenheim: Well, I am very sensitive to that, actually, as a fan and as a writer. I actually understand that feeling, and I’m very, very sensitive about it. And towards that end, I can actually tell you a couple of things to make those fans who are concerned feel better. The first is, we don’t have a choice. We can’t vamp. We say in the pilot that the characters are going to see … a vision of their future [on] April 29, 2010. Which means we’ve got six months. There ain’t no vamping to be done.
We plant a very specific flag, so even if we wanted to vamp, we no longer have the option. That’s point number one. Point number two is, there are things laid into the pilot that don’t pay off until the very end of the series. So David and Brannon, in writing and directing the pilot, have also planted flags right there in the pilot that … you’ll be able to look back on and go, “Oh, they really did know what they were doing.” So my point always is, we are not only telling you that we have a plan, there are several reasons why you don’t have to just take our word for it.

Last but not least, Sci Fi Wire had another interesting Q&A with Pushing Daisies/Heroes‘ Bryan Fuller about the show and…Star Trek:

“I’m hoping that by the time they’re ready to do a television series that I am available and can participate, because, I mean, even if it’s J.J. Abrams’ team, I would love to join that team for a new Star Trek series. I think it would be a ball,” Fuller said.

Looks like he agrees with me that it’s Bad Robot’s way or the highway for everything Star Trek-related from now on.

And with all that, following ABC’s lead, FOX announced today its Fall premiere dates:

Wednesday, Sept. 16
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT “GLEE” (Series Premiere)

Thursday, Sept. 17
8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT “BONES” (Season Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT “FRINGE” (Season Premiere)

Friday, Sept. 18
8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT “BROTHERS” (Series Premiere)
8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT “‘TIL DEATH” (Season Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT “DOLLHOUSE” (Season Premiere)

Monday, Sept. 21
8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT “HOUSE” (2-Hour Season Premiere)

Sunday, Sept. 27
8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT “THE SIMPSONS” (Season Premiere)
8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT “THE CLEVELAND SHOW” (Series Premiere)
9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT “FAMILY GUY” (Season Premiere)
9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT “AMERICAN DAD” (Season Premiere)

Monday, Sept. 28
8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT “HOUSE” (All-New Episode)
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT “LIE TO ME” (Season Premiere)

I can’t wait for this new season to begin.

Tips and stories from around the Web

Even though we’re soon arriving to this wonderful blog’s one-year anniversary, I currently have a bit less time to post exciting fresh content.
Don’t worry though, it’s coming.

In the meantime however, other peeps out there have been much more fruitful in their postings.
Case in point with what I found in the last few days:

First up, a nice article that you probably have read by now at John August’s great blog.
It’s a first-person account by a “25-year old nascent screenwriter” named Jonny Sommers of what it’s like being a showrunner’s assistant: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Continuing on the great insight of a writers’ room, we have a Life executive producer (Diana Peterson) interviewing a Life writer’s assistant (Melissa Scrivner).
Again, an informative interview that nicely sums up what it takes to be an assistant in H-Wood.

Two perfect almost-how-to guides in becoming a writer’s assistant.

Moving up the ladder, both Variety and THR have Emmy-centered articles around the site, including a couple that I found interesting:
Emmy Watch: Writer-Director is a post about how many writers have become directors and vice-versa, playing both fields (Movie/TV) at the same time.
On the other hand we have a pretty self-explanatory article with Emmys ignore writing staff contributions, about how all TV shows are really a group-effort (especially comedies) yet the Emmys with their individual noms “leave no room for collaboration”.

Nikki Finke has one of those rare interesting post telling about how The Hangover came to be.

And finally, we have a more humorous link with SideReel‘s Honest Network Taglines.
Sneek peak:

If I were to speak on the networks’ behalf, I would say “Touché“.