RANXEROX (Slava Tsukerman, 1986-1988) (unproduced)

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RANXEROX (Slava Tsukerman, 1986-1988) (unproduced)

Postby Jox on 05 Mar 2014, 02:10

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Little known fact is that Dolph wanted to adapt the infamous cyberpunk graphic novel RANXEROX created by Italians (Stefano) Tamburini and (Tanino) Liberatore about a violent and out-of-control mechanical creature (made from Rank Xerox machines) falls in love with an underage girl called Lubna. It may not be as known today but it was probably up there with THE WATCHMEN in the 80s (at least in Europe) but way more racy and violent.

Dolph had mentioned it in an interview to French magazine IMPACT (#20, April 1989) but I didn't know it was that serious.
D.L.: Je connais bien la bande dessinée mais le projet hésite sans arrêt à se mettre en route. Il y a d'autres personnages de bandes dessinées érotiques françaises que je souhaiterais me voir proposer. Il faut du nouveau et surtout du plus grand que nature.

I know the graphic novel well but the project never gets off the ground. There are other French erotic comic book/graphic novels characters that I would like to be offered. You need novelty and moreover, "bigger than life".


Like other of his own projects he was developing at the time (INTERSTATE 10, NIGHTCLUBBING - both with Grace Jones- and more especially the NYC thriller IVORY CITY) Dolph was trying to finance it and called (among others he was talking to I guess) director Slava Tsukerman to direct it. Tsukerman was known for his cult film LIQUID SKY (which DARK ANGEL / I COME IN PEACE most likely borrowed the endorphins drug stealing idea from). It was Tsukerman who brought to my attention the RANXEROX talks and meetings he had with Dolph about the project.*

*(while I was just asking him about the DARK ANGEL connection with his film, which he says he never talked to the producers - Baxley on the other hand didn't mentioned the film but initially wanted to hire its DP, Yuri Neyman)

Among others, Christophe Gans (CRYING FREEMAN, BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF, SILENT HILL, new BEAUTY AND THE BEAST) also tried to set it up with producer Samuel Hadida in the 90s. It was pretty serious, announced and brought to film markets (I saw the brochure/pamphlet and script), he wrote a script with his partner, and Hadida even got Roger Avary to do a draft for $500 (I think it's Avary who said he'd do it for nothing)! Again the financing, artistic views (Gans can skip a project because of casting - like NEMO) or the cards weren't there so it fell into development hell. In 1994-1995 I believe they had Marco Brambilla (director of DEMOLITION MAN) attached.

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Re: RANXEROX (Slava Tsukerman, 1986-1988?) (unproduced)

Postby bomaz on 05 Mar 2014, 10:47

Wow, that would have been great. Ranxerox was always a development hell minion I've always followed, but never knew Dolph was interested (well, I wasn't even born at the time so i might have skipped some infos).
But IMHO, he can still do the project if he wants, he still has the stature.
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Re: RANXEROX (Slava Tsukerman, 1986-1988?) (unproduced)

Postby Jox on 05 Mar 2014, 11:27

bomaz wrote:never knew Dolph was interested (well, I wasn't even born at the time so i might have skipped some infos)

There really wasn't any infos on that one anywhere except from the Impact interview where it wasn't even clear he was really trying to get it off the ground.

Nowadays it's probably not what he'd want to make (clearly seems to have grown out of comic book projects and probably doesn't try as hard to tie in with some "hip" material)... unless it's like someone like John Hyams (great choice for it btw) calling him up then he might consider it!
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Re: RANXEROX (Slava Tsukerman, 1986-1988) (unproduced)

Postby Jox on 01 Jul 2016, 12:48

1983 trade ad for the first adaptation project to be directed by fashion photographer and music video director Jean-Baptiste Mondino:

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Re: RANXEROX (Slava Tsukerman, 1986-1988) (unproduced)

Postby bomaz on 01 Jul 2016, 13:12

I read the comic book a few month ago. It would have totally fit a young Dolph searching for something different. But it would be impossible to do it nowadays (drugs on every page, the main hero is in love with a 14 yo girl, violence all the way and a slightly "anarchist" tone).
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Re: RANXEROX (Slava Tsukerman, 1986-1988) (unproduced)

Postby Jox on 01 Jul 2016, 13:16

I think it's part of why even then none of the projects (Mondino's, Dolph's, Gans/Hadida's, Chris Cunningham's) really got off the ground with partial funding and other issues. I don't know who had the rights then but Dolph's attachment must have been quite brief and note a done deal.

I read somewhere that Alain Chabat bought and holds the rights now but he's not doing anything with it.
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