Saturday, July 26, 2008

Red Sonja: New movie!

More than twenty years ago, not one of my favorite comic book characters could get herself/himself made into a movie, even if they offered to sleep with the producer, alone or as a trio. Now, it seems there is one coming out every week: Sin City (excellent), The Spirit (coming soon), Elektra (awful), Catwoman (atrocious), 300 (stunning), Wanted, Watchmen... Am I happy about it? Hell, no! I didn't want to watch those films. I wanted to make them. Just one. There will be nothing left for me once I'm in a position of REAL POWER, except sequels. Next in line is Red Sonja, my dear she-devil barbarian of the fiery red hair. Robert Rodriguez just announced it at Comicon 2008, with Rose McGowan in the leading role and director Douglas Aarniokoski behind the wheel (Conan has to be next). Rodriguez was the only producer with enough vision to trust and empower Frank Miller, going as far as quitting the Directors' Guild when they wouldn't allow Frank to co-direct Sin City. That took cojones, Roberto. For that reason alone, I'm not that mad. As for the source material, unfortunately I haven't been following the current comic book series, published by Dynamite. And I'm ashamed, because it looks like the publishers have been doing an outstanding job, judging by the popularity of the series, the web site and some of the art-gallery-worthy covers, including a few by Gabriele Dell'Otto (pictured above). I strongly recommend checking out some classic Red Sonja comics by John Buscema, Frank Thorne, Neal Adams and Barry Windsor-Smith. The folks at Dynamite have been kind enough to compile them for you in The Adventures of Red Sonja: Volume I. PS: Remember when Brigitte Nielsen was still cute and sober? If you don't, rent that other Red Sonja picture, released in 1985. Brigitte might be the only good thing in it.

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