Tuesday 7 October 2008

A pair of Queens

I told you to expect more cast announcements regarding Alice. And so it is that the Hollywood Reporter reports that Anne Hathaway and Helena Bonham Carter are onboard as the White Queen and Red Queen respectively.

14 comments:

Gerard said...

Ho.Ly.Shitballs.

*faints*

Stram said...

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (at this point, there is anything else to say)

Mark Salisbury said...

Couldn't have said it better myself...

Gerard said...

Like, SERIOUSLY....

I'm WAY looking forward to Alice (duh), but am trying to keep my expectations firmly in check. This is making it very difficult to do so.

As an aside, what did you think of Charlie, Mr. S?

Mark Salisbury said...

It's always hard when you've been on set so much, read the script etc, to be truly objective. So, for example, it took me three or four times to distance myself from Sleepy Hollow to the point where I could enjoy it for the terrific film it is, rather than watch it thinking "I was there for that insert". I've only seen Charlie twice and I have to say, I hugely enjoyed it both times.

Gerard said...

Excellent. I'm an unabashed uberfan - for one reason or another, it actually turned out that I wound up seeing that film more times than any other in cinemas (eight!), and still put it on all the time. To me, it's a perfect entertainment, a satisfying confection that's every bit as sweet as it is consistently hilarious. The film gets a LOT of flak which is being trotted out in full-swing online with each new piece of Alice news, and I've never really understood it - honestly, what's not to like? I love Willy Wonka (I grew up with that film), but the two are so different I think it's senseless to compare them. Prefer Charlie, though - that goddamned fizzy lifting drink thing undermines the ENTIRE point of the original story...

In other Burton news, I totally picked up a great big awesome NECA Beetlejuice today. Best. We need a bigger flat...

Mark Salisbury said...

It's weird the reaction some films attract. I don't get the general criticism that has always dogged Big Fish. I LOVE that film, just LOVE it. It's damn near perfect in my opinion and is — today at least — my third favourite Burton after the two Edwards.

I've got a few original Beetlejuice toys but I've forced myself to stop buying stuff like that, although I do have a cool Kubrick Willy Wonka...

Gerard said...

I'm currently looking at my version of what is no doubt the same Kubrick Wonka :)

I ADORE Big Fish, also, and really don't understand why it never caught on over here. Though, judging by the flurry of BF questions thrown at Burton during his Sweeney press conference at Venice last year, perhaps European auds were more receptive? I've a Burton top 3, but after that, it gets messy... Scissorhands, Sweeney and Ed Wood - though don't you dare ask me to sequence them according to preference...

Batman Returns I positively worship, and yet general consensus has that pegged as an inferior sequel. No accouting for taste, I suppose.

Man, if it weren't ten to midnight I'd put on one of his films right now. Looking forward to both Nightmare and Beetlejuice coming out on blu. And - look at that - I've totally hijacked this thread. Get me started on Burton and I'm not likely to shutup. I'll have to show you a shot of my Voodoo Girl heart tattoo sometime (don't worry, it's on my forearm)...

Mark Salisbury said...

For the record, I think Batman Returns is far superior to Batman.

And yes, I think we "got" Big Fish more over here in Europe. Ditto Mars Attacks!

Wow. A Voodoo Girl tattoo? That's commitment to the cause.

I'm wondering, there must be at least one Tim Burton-inspired tattoo website out there...

Gerard said...

So, too, do I. Love Batman to bits and pieces, but Returns is SO much more up my alley...

God, Mars Attacks! Surely that must be due for an ultimate "we missed this one the first time 'round" super-deluxe special edition DVD or something, right? Twelve years on, everyone realises its genius...

You know, with all the Nightmare ink you see around, I'd wager you're probably right. I've always wanted a small pair of scissors on each hand, but I'm still not certain if that will only be awesome to be and impossibly lame to the rest of the universe. Still, if I ever find the right image, it's done.

Unknown said...

Yeah, I would LOVE to see a MARS ATTACKS special edition DVD. Such an underrated film and a great pisstake on ID4 and films of that ilk.

Stram said...

Wow, i want to have a Burton tatoo, a little Zero om my ankle... speacking of the Nightmare, do you know Mark if they are going to re-release the 3D version in theatre this halloween?

Mark Salisbury said...

They're meant to be re-releasing it every year but since they're bringing out Nightmare on Blu-ray and in a two-disc DVD set they might skip it this time around. I'll look into it...

Gerard said...

http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Scoop-Tim-Burton-Might-Direct-Pirates-4-10465.html

I'm almost surprised it's taken this long for these rumours to start...