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THE GREEN HORNET

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Mark Morgan		#201	[-]
Jan 20 11 7:55 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Personally speaking I really enjoyed the film, much in the same way I enjoyed the Phantom and Shadow films from the 90s. It wasn't the ultimate Green Hornet movie experience I had yearned for, but it wasn't bad at all, in fact I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would (though admittedly I didn't think I was going to enjoy it much, so that's not aiming terribly high) What I liked ... 1.) Chudnofsky - I don't know why but this guy tickled me pink. I think it was because he felt like he was emoting every bad action movie bad guy I'd ever seen. The gun with two barrels, the way he was offended when no one was afraid of him, and especially his wonderfully makeover at the end ... I just had fun with this character. 2.) Kato - I'm going to ruffle a lot of feathers with this comment, but I do now and have always thought that Kato was cooler than the Green Hornet. His outfit if cooler, he acts a bit more shadowy, and honestly, c'mon, he was played by Bruce Lee. All that being said, I always had a hard time accepting that the GH was the lead man instead of Kato. I never could get into him because I was so interested in his chauffeur ... that's rare for me. I like the fact that the movie downplayed the Hornet in favor of Kato. It's the first time I can remember viewing a GH product and not thinking, "Man, I wish they'd show Kato more" because in this flick, they did. 3.) The Comedy - I wouldn't be writing this if it weren't for the tv show. I love comic book films, mystery men, and super heroes, but there are so many such films coming out these days they're beginning to wear a bit thin. They all seem to be telling the same type of story with minimal deviation on the set up. Oh sure, there are a few gems out there, but they're few and far between. I think playing this film as a comedy helped set it apart a little. If they had played it straight I don't know that either the cast or the director would have had the focus to make it stand out. I don't like a lot of modern comedies, but this, well, I laughed ... quite a bit actually, and my main justification for it is that there was a semi-camp comedy based on the GH once upon a time, so I have justification to think that that's where they drew that inspiration from. All in all, it was a highly enjoyable B Movie for my money. Nothing more, nothing less. Superman: Dreams save us! Dreams lift us up and transform us. And on my soul, I SWEAR ... Until my dream of a world where Dignity, Honor, and Justice become the reality we all share, I'll never stop fighting. EVER! Doctor Who: No, don't tell me! I'm a dangerous man when I don't know what I'm doing. Optimus Prime: Megatron must be stopped. No matter the cost! Godzilla: Rawr! Checkout my fan blog if you dare ... A Lone Fan Crying In The Wilderness
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Alias the Scarecrow		#202	[-]
Jan 20 11 11:11 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Kingkongkessler wrote: saw it last night, it was fun, disagree about Cameron Diaz though, still a Hot body but she's aging fast, looked way to old for the 2 male leads. I agree! She does have an incredible figure, but she is more than showing her age facially..looked pretty rough. The script was for this film was pretty much non-existant and Seth Rogan irritated the hell outta me. This could've been so much more..and why the 3-D? There really wasnt anything on this that couldnt have sufficed as regular film. A waste, in so many aspects.
BijouBob8mm		#203	[-]
Jan 20 11 11:48 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Personally speaking I really enjoyed the film, much in the same way I enjoyed the Phantom and Shadow films from the 90s. You know, when those first came out I didn't enjoy either of them as much as I thought I would. I didn't dislike them, I just wasn't blown away. Over the years, though, I found myself enjoying THE SHADOW more with each viewing. And while I've come to like THE PHANTOM more than I did, I still don't think it works quite as well as THE SHADOW. (Mainly because there's a couple of scenes where Billy Zane seems to be playing the character a little too light. I seem to recall one fight scene where he's either smiling or grinning, which makes you feel he's in no real danger.) I eventually picked up both on DVD, and they make for decent enough double feature on a cold winter weekend. why the 3-D? There really wasnt anything on this that couldnt have sufficed as regular film. Almost a standard marketing move for this type of film these days. (And, in the case of CLASH OF THE TITANS, the film doesn't necessarily have to have been shot with 3-D in mind.) Some films benefit from it (it certainly helped the new TRON movie), others don't.
Wich2		#204	[-]
Jan 20 11 1:14 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	"Thanks Wich, I copied the info and emailed it off." 'Welcome, mono! "my main justification for it is that there was a semi-camp comedy based on the GH once upon a time" Which was that, Mark? -Craig
Robert Troch		#205	[-]
Jan 20 11 2:20 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	BijouBob8mm wrote: Personally speaking I really enjoyed the film, much in the same way I enjoyed the Phantom and Shadow films from the 90s. You know, when those first came out I didn't enjoy either of them as much as I thought I would. I didn't dislike them, I just wasn't blown away. Over the years, though, I found myself enjoying THE SHADOW more with each viewing. And while I've come to like THE PHANTOM more than I did, I still don't think it works quite as well as THE SHADOW. (Mainly because there's a couple of scenes where Billy Zane seems to be playing the character a little too light. I seem to recall one fight scene where he's either smiling or grinning, which makes you feel he's in no real danger.) I eventually picked up both on DVD, and they make for decent enough double feature on a cold winter weekend. why the 3-D? There really wasnt anything on this that couldnt have sufficed as regular film. Almost a standard marketing move for this type of film these days. (And, in the case of CLASH OF THE TITANS, the film doesn't necessarily have to have been shot with 3-D in mind.) Some films benefit from it (it certainly helped the new TRON movie), others don't. The Shadow was a big disappointment. I have not watched it even once since I saw it in the theater. I haven't had any desire to see it again. Too bad....I thought he looked pretty good as the Shadow, but the film just does not work well at all. They missed the boat on it. Maybe someday there will be a re boot and they will do it right? Robert Troch
BijouBob8mm		#206	[-]
Jan 20 11 2:57 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Would love to see a Shadow reboot. (And maybe his appearance doesn't morph this time? I don't recall Lamont Cranston being so two-faced.) When he was younger, I thought Al Pacino had the "look" for it.
Bill Warren		#207	[-]
Jan 20 11 5:40 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I found this movie a scrambled mess. The action scenes are excellent, even when just the front half of Black Beauty is roaring through the flimsy walls of an office. But overall, the movie misses fire more often than it hits the target. The first half was considerably better than the last, at least up to (and after) the Big Action Climax. But a romantic rivalry over the heroine between Britt Reid and Kato? Leading to a big, noisy, set-destroying fight between them? That was a terrible, time-wasting idea. Another terrible idea was when the villain, Chudnofsky, insisted everyone refer to him as Bloodnofsky, and adopted the color red as his motif. This came from nowhere, and went right back there, another waste of time. I hope Cameron Diaz and Edward James Olmos were paid very well; there couldn't have been much satisfaction in playing those roles.
thib.homeracingworld		#208	[-]
Jan 21 11 10:41 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Hello. Monochromes brother here - I came over to defend my statement on Green Hornet and comic books. Well, maybe I can't defend it as it was technically wrong. As a couple of you pointed out GH has been featured in some comic books, the most successful of which was a 47 issue golden age run under the now defunct publisher Harvey (later famous for Casper, Richie, Rich, Spooky, etc). I'm actually surprised I never noticed that run before. There were some cool covers in there...... Anyway, what I meant was that the Green Hornet is not an original comic book character or claimed as such by comic book fans. Yes, he was featured in a comic - but Star Wars, Zorro, Gene Autry and Donald Duck have had longer, more successful comic book runs than GH and no one gets confused about thier "origins" - probably because they don't feature super heroes. GH belongs in this long line of characters or fictional worlds that have been adapted to comic books and as such, is not a hugely desireable or super well known book in the hobby. I do see that a near-mint copy of the #1 issue auctioned for $20,000 a few years back though so at least two people obviously like it Last Edited By: thib Jan 21 11 11:09 PM. Edited 9 times.
Wich2		#209	[-]
Jan 21 11 11:43 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Hey there, thib - thanks for posting!
Kingkongkessler		#210	[-]
Jan 22 11 2:26 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	isn't the Green Hornet the Lone Ranger's nephew, I thought I remembered hearing that a long time ago? Kess
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Wich2		#211	[-]
Jan 22 11 2:38 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Great nephew.
Rakshasa		#212	[-]
Jan 22 11 3:30 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Wich2 wrote: Great nephew. He was good. Very good, in fact. But was he truly great? Links To All The Classic Monster Stills I've Posted: http://monsterkidclassichorrorforum.yuku.com/topic/30758
Scathach80		#213	[-]
Jan 22 11 3:32 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	thib wrote: Hello. Monochromes brother here - I came over to defend my statement on Green Hornet and comic books. Well, maybe I can't defend it as it was technically wrong. As a couple of you pointed out GH has been featured in some comic books, the most successful of which was a 47 issue golden age run under the now defunct publisher Harvey (later famous for Casper, Richie, Rich, Spooky, etc). I'm actually surprised I never noticed that run before. There were some cool covers in there...... Anyway, what I meant was that the Green Hornet is not an original comic book character or claimed as such by comic book fans. Yes, he was featured in a comic - but Star Wars, Zorro, Gene Autry and Donald Duck have had longer, more successful comic book runs than GH and no one gets confused about thier "origins" - probably because they don't feature super heroes. http://trekbbs.com/showth....php?t=121807&page=2 Regarding Zorro, Greg Cox admitted once that he tried a little sleight of hand, a little legerdemain. I actually had this argument regarding ZORRO a few years back. I wanted to market a line of new ZORRO novels as science fiction because Zorro was a superhero, but others at Tor argued that he was a Western hero. In the end, we sold them as mainstream fiction--and the series failed. I'll go to my grave thinking ZORRO would have sold better if he had been shelved in the SF section along with all the other superheroes. (Note: In these novels, Zorro faced an Aztec sorcerer, so Cox's category idea did not seem too off. I have not read Johnston's McCulley's work extensively, so I cannot say if Zorro encountered the paranormal in them.) Also regarding Zorro, do you remember the judge who thought that Zorro did not adopt a dual identity to protect himself from legal reprisal? Guess who he lumped Zorro in with? http://courthouseforum.co...rums/view.php?id=1069790 I have to wonder if they make another Zorro film, will they try to market it the way Greg Cox did his novels? After all, with an obvious exception or two, costumed but nonpowered or not relying on overly advanced technology protagonists have not done that well. (Even the first Christian Bale film in 2005 did not do that well, with Business Week and others noting that it did not live up to Tobe Maguire's films.) Returning to the Green Hornet, near as I can determine from the radio episodes I have heard, the radio show stories kept themselves grounded compared to the Shadow radio show (as I recall, the Shadow radio show featured extraterrestrials in at least one story). Last Edited By: Scathach80 Jan 22 11 3:59 PM. Edited 3 times.
davlghry		#214	[-]
Jan 22 11 4:50 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Scathach80 wrote: (Even the first Christian Bale film in 2005 did not do that well, with Business Week and others noting that it did not live up to Tobe Maguire's films.) After BATMAN & ROBIN, the Batman franchise had a deep hole to climb out of. A lot of bad will to overcome. BATMAN BEGINS made 205 million domestic, 371 worldwide. It was the 8th highest grossing film in America that year. It's not accurate to say it didn't do well. It did VERY well. It just didn't do was well as SPIDER-MAN. It also paved the way for THE DARK KNIGHT whose box office exceeded any of the individual SPIDER-MAN films.
Wich2		#215	[-]
Jan 22 11 5:35 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	>He was good. Very good, in fact. But was he truly great? < You betta believe it, brutha!
BijouBob8mm		#216	[-]
Jan 24 11 11:44 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Tor argued that he was a Western hero. In the end, we sold them as mainstream fiction--and the series failed. I always looked upon Zorro as a swashbuckler of the old west. Although he didn't adopt multiple disguises ala the Scarlet Pimpernel, he worked outside the law against those who misued the law, much like Robin Hood. In the 1940s, Johnston McCulley's character appeared in pulps again, in West Magazine (and, later, in Max Brand's Western Magazine). Given his long link with the western, and how popular that genre is (those sections seem pretty healthy at a lot of local and chain bookstores), I wonder if the series might have found a larger audience if it had been in that section? I've read a couple of the Cox books and, no disrespect intended, if they had been in the Science Ficiton section I would have probably never noticed them. (Not because I don't read sci-fi--I do; simply because if I'm in that section of the bookstore in a sci-fi mood I would have probably skimmed over the title thinking it had been placed there by mistake.) Prior to the new books, wasn't the cliffhanger ZORRO'S FIGHTING LEGION the first time Zorro went up against such an over-the-top villain? That link about the Zorro court case reminds me of Bob Kane saying Zorro's dual identity is what inspired him to do the same for Batman. For most superheroes, the "Everyman" persona is the disguise to hide super powers. Superman and Wonder Woman really are those people; the mild-mannered mortal is the fake. With Zorro and Batman, the costume is the disguise as they really are just human.
Wich2		#217	[-]
Jan 24 11 11:51 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	"Prior to the new books, wasn't the cliffhanger ZORRO'S FIGHTING LEGION the first time Zorro went up against such an over-the-top villain?" Not sure, Bob - but I think you're right. Last Edited By: Wich2 Jan 24 11 12:02 PM. Edited 1 times.
Amentep		#218	[-]
Jan 24 11 1:25 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I finally caught up with The Green Hornet over the weekend. I thought it was fairly uneven. It had its funny moments; the action I thought was well handled. Jay Chou is pretty good as Kato. Christoph Waltz as the bad guy who feels like he could be more "bad guy" and worries about his image was an interesting take on the type of character who would become a supervillain. Cameron Diaz wasn't wasted - which I really thought she was going to be based on the trailer. The character arcs for Kato and Reid aren't bad in theory. The problem, though, lies with Rogen's Reid, IMO. The character tries to walk a fine line. He's supposed to be a rich ne'er do well who - unable to please his father - stopped trying but who has inherited some of the compassion and passion to pursue truth and justice from his dad. When confronted with his opportunity, he struggles with his own inabilities after years of being directionless. And sometimes this character shines through; but other times he just comes off as a narcissistic and cowardly jerk (the low point for me being just after Spoiler [+] the escape from being buried in The Black Beauty when Kato is composing a plan and we pan over to Rogen yelling "Every man for himself!" and running away ). Its hard to root for a hero when the film undermines any sympathy we may have for him. They also nerf the payoff a bit, IMO; Rogen's character finds his role - he's not Kato but he does have something to offer to the team - by making jokes at the character's expense. Still I enjoyed the film for what it was. I can't say I wasn't entertained, but to be honest I can say I wished for a lot more from the film as well.
gene phillips		#219	[-]
Jan 24 11 7:19 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Scathach80 wrote: thib wrote: Hello. Monochromes brother here - I came over to defend my statement on Green Hornet and comic books. Well, maybe I can't defend it as it was technically wrong. As a couple of you pointed out GH has been featured in some comic books, the most successful of which was a 47 issue golden age run under the now defunct publisher Harvey (later famous for Casper, Richie, Rich, Spooky, etc). I'm actually surprised I never noticed that run before. There were some cool covers in there...... Anyway, what I meant was that the Green Hornet is not an original comic book character or claimed as such by comic book fans. Yes, he was featured in a comic - but Star Wars, Zorro, Gene Autry and Donald Duck have had longer, more successful comic book runs than GH and no one gets confused about thier "origins" - probably because they don't feature super heroes. http://trekbbs.com/showth....php?t=121807&page=2 Regarding Zorro, Greg Cox admitted once that he tried a little sleight of hand, a little legerdemain. I actually had this argument regarding ZORRO a few years back. I wanted to market a line of new ZORRO novels as science fiction because Zorro was a superhero, but others at Tor argued that he was a Western hero. In the end, we sold them as mainstream fiction--and the series failed. I'll go to my grave thinking ZORRO would have sold better if he had been shelved in the SF section along with all the other superheroes. (Note: In these novels, Zorro faced an Aztec sorcerer, so Cox's category idea did not seem too off. I have not read Johnston's McCulley's work extensively, so I cannot say if Zorro encountered the paranormal in them.) Also regarding Zorro, do you remember the judge who thought that Zorro did not adopt a dual identity to protect himself from legal reprisal? Guess who he lumped Zorro in with? http://courthouseforum.co...rums/view.php?id=1069790 I have to wonder if they make another Zorro film, will they try to market it the way Greg Cox did his novels? After all, with an obvious exception or two, costumed but nonpowered or not relying on overly advanced technology protagonists have not done that well. (Even the first Christian Bale film in 2005 did not do that well, with Business Week and others noting that it did not live up to Tobe Maguire's films.) Returning to the Green Hornet, near as I can determine from the radio episodes I have heard, the radio show stories kept themselves grounded compared to the Shadow radio show (as I recall, the Shadow radio show featured extraterrestrials in at least one story). In my opinion any combative type of adventure-character who wears a distinctive costume is at least within a "superhero idiom," even though we'll never get rid of the association that "superhero" means "super powers." As for the film, I too went in with low expectations, and so enjoyed myself well enough. The script riffed a lot on Iron Man re: the hero's daddy issues but wasn't totally derivative. The lowbrow humor was actually kept to a minimum compared to those two horribly self-indulgent AUSTIN POWERS sequels. I wonder if that's the first time a GH story avoided calling Kato "Kato" while he was in costume. In most other renditions I've seen "Green Hornet and Kato" is the name by which criminals know their nemeses. And yes, the scenes with the Black Beauty were the best in the film. NATURALISTIC! UNCANNY! MARVELOUS!
BijouBob8mm		#220	[-]
Jan 25 11 2:02 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	In my opinion any combative type of adventure-character who wears a distinctive costume is at least within a "superhero idiom," even though we'll never get rid of the association that "superhero" means "super powers." I think Batman is a perfect example of a costumed crimefighter without super powers who qualifies as a superhero. But I think what a character is, or isn't, should depend upon intent rather than merely wardrobe. (A guy wearing a mask to disguise his identity while he robs a bank isn't necessarily a super villain.) Zorro was created as a mystery man of the West. Other characters who, like Zorro, started life in the pulps would be Tarzan and Conan, but I don't feel either of them qualify as superhero either...minimalistic costuming issues aside. (And then there's the Shadow, who started out as merely a host for thrillers, not as an actual participant in them.) In terms of marketing, if most fans of Zorro and the Lone Ranger are going to look for these under Westerns, I'd place the product where the majority will be searching. Since the Zorro series was promoted as Mainstream and didn't fare well among the masses, putting it in such a niche like Sci-Fi might have hurt sales even more. And there are a lot of Western fans who wouldn't be caught dead in the Sci-Fi section, as they prefer their entertainment to be more "earthy." (By the same token, I know some Sci-Fi and horror fans who have no use for "oaters" at all.) I remember getting the car worked on years ago. I'm in the waiting area, watching TV, and VALLEY OF GWANGI is in progress. There are a few other customers waiting and watching as well. Suddenly the first dinosaur comes on and one guy blurts out, "What the hell is this mess?" It was like watching the film get the MST3K treatment from that point on. You know, the Hornet may be unique in that his sidekick is probably the more devestating half of the team...have we ever seen that before (or since)? Last Edited By: BijouBob8mm Jan 25 11 2:20 PM. Edited 3 times.
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