UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: REGENERATION (John Hyams, 2009)

[Jox]

from John Hyams thanks to Vanberch at the VD forum:

The score was done by Michael Krassner and Kris Hill. Mike and I have worked together on several documentaries, and he's a brilliant and unique musician that adds an unexpected direction to all of his soundtrack work. When we decided on a synth based score he brought on Kris, an extemely talented keyboard player, as well as all around musician. We hope to release a soundtrack album of their work.

Sounds great to me!
I was glad when John mentioned 80s references during the Q&A and notably Tangerine Dream (great pioneer electronic music band; did NEAR DARK, THE SORCERER, RISKY BUSINESS, LEGEND)... of course you guys know Chris Franke who did the score from the first movie was a founding member of TD!

[Tom]

I also loved the TD reference. Not enough scores are like those anymore, which is a shame. There's nothing worse than when DTV films try to do Elfman or Williams on a synth. They'd be better doing a synth styled score, instead of faking a full orchestra. Embrace the synth on it's strengths I say! Plus my uncle was in TD as I'm sure I've probably mentioned before.

[Jox]

A less positive review from IGN
http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/103/1033595p1.html

[dolphage]

The IGN review sounds (I'm sorry to say) a little more like what I've been expecting from this movie. But I hope to be pleasantly surprised, of course. I'll obviously buy it and watch it over and over again, anyway.

[Jox]

Yeah, it's fair to say it's gonna rank somewhere in between the best and the worse reviews (which already sounds better than I expected). That's fine by me, a little Andrew Scott after CP and before ICARUS and EXPENDABLES!

[Mosquito]

Plus my uncle was in TD as I'm sure I've probably mentioned before.

Sorry for going off topic again, but do TD still exist? I've recently kind of "re-discovered" them, having been a fan two decades ago. Great music!

[Jox]

Oh they do still exist, but I think it's only Edgar Froese and his son now, just putting out albums like a factory but they sound the same and it's not what it used to be. I became a huge fan myself soon after UNIVERSAL SOLDIER and still listen to it a lot but I think that their last great album was MELROSE in 1990 (couple of ok ones after but not amazing stuff) and their best was really between 1973-1983, not counting stuff like the masterpiece that is the NEAR DARK score.

[Mosquito]

Interesting, I have Near Dark here and was considering watching it today. Didn't know that TD were involved, definitely a good reason for watching it soon. I loved Hyperborea, that's when I became a fan. I currently discovered "Der Dritte Raum" - not directly comparable, but also somehow hypnotic.

[Jox]

Interesting, I have Near Dark here and was considering watching it today. Didn't know that TD were involved, definitely a good reason for watching it soon.

DO IT MOSQUITO! I knew about it but I've only seen NEAR DARK for the first time a couple of years ago and fell in love with this gem! And the TD score is utterly brilliant and beautiful.

[Mosquito]

DO IT MOSQUITO! I knew about it but I've only seen NEAR DARK for the first time a couple of years ago and fell in love with this gem! And the TD score is utterly brilliant and beautiful.

Oh gosh, I'm watching the beginning right now and frankly I'm shocked about how young Adrian Pasdar looks. I know him from Heroes and here he looks like his own son. 1987 doesn't sound like a whole generation away but it actually is.

[Tom]

Near Dark is awesome. I love that film. It came out in the ultimate year for Vampire flicks, 1987! Near Dark and Lost Boys. Awesome. Near Dark has always been my favourite by a shade and it wins by the TD score. Photo finish though.

[Jox]

[...]the surprise flick that caused the most commotion was Universal Soldier: A New Beginning.

That was mainly because fan favourite Dolph Lundgren - looking younger than his 51-years - was on-hand to introduce and crack a few Rocky IV-inspired jokes. Unfortunately, even though the film sees him re-team with fellow UniSol alumni Jean-Claude Van Damme, it's all a little dull and pointless, and not a patch on the original. Still, if you want to find out more, our Universal Soldier: A New Beginning review is here.

http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/103/1034023p2.html

[Jox]

A few official stills on JCVD's site

[UNISOL W7]

Hi, Jox!
Please invite your friends to join the new JCVD forum http://jcvd.freeforums.org and of course you are more than welcome there

[UNISOL W7]

Int'l JCVD Team: In UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: A NEW BEGINNING both of you and big action superstar Dolph Lundgren actually return to the Uni-Sol succession for the second time!
For the fans of Mr. Lundgren: How was it to work with him after 18 years and do you share any thoughts about him since 1992 till today?



Kristopher: UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: A NEW BEGINNING was a great movie to be a part of. The locations were cold, industrial, and threateningly beautiful. The set carried the fear and uncomfortable silence that streamed throughout the factory's corridors and military build bunkers. Working with Dolph Lundgren was a fun job and entertaining visual aspect of a cloned UniSol, brought back to life as a fail safe last resort. The look of the film shed the breath of iced fear through steel. Directed by John Hyams (Son of Peter Hyams, director of TIMECOP), and shot by Peter Hyams (D.O.P.) was a combination of commercial value and solid action entertainment. John Hyams came up with the idea of shooting the film BBC Documentary Style, a layout on the history of Projects White Tower and Black Tower. My only negative opinion on the film was that the new uniforms of the UniSols did work, but weren't those of the first film's appeal. Basically the film is the replacement of the original sequel. You can strongly call this film, UNIVERSAL SOLDIER II: A NEW BEGINNING.

To read the full interview, please visit http://jcvd.freeforums.org [VIP Members]