DIRECT CONTACT (Danny Lerner, 2008)

[Nathan]

Okay thanks Jox, I understand it better now.

[Jox]

Actually there was a Hollywood Reporter round table dealing with some of these issues in the movie marketplace today (with Avi Lerner among others)

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/awards_festivals/news/e3i9fd76a66aebe6d4cb0ec0cca05c6fc97?pn=1

[Nathan]

Interesting read, it would be good if there were less independant films being made because then Dolph would be in with a bigger chance. When you look at it though, its only huge franchise movies in the cinemas now, all driven by CGI and lasting around three hours.
Its a shame there is no room for short, sweet, kick ass movies with real, pure action and people who can actually fight like Dolph. Dolph is multi-talented and that's something that's been left out of cinemas. Do we ever see Tobey Maguire direct his own film?
Many films in the cinemas actually have a lack of intelligence and rely on ridiculous plots and huge budgets, most of which are usually sqwandered..$140 million for Rush Hour 3, not a bad movie all in all but a real waste of cash. Dolph has got the talent to spread out a budget and milk it for all its worth and that should be appreciated. The Defender had tons of action, just imagine a budget double that and Dolph could make an epic.

[Jox]

Here's a NICE report from the set, by a British journalist who was hanging out on there on my last day in Bulgaria... something to make you wait before my own report is unleashed!

http://www.sofiaecho.com/article/erudit ... 5/catid_29

[Nathan]

"Lerner needs close-ups of Dolph driving and Gina ducking bullets in the back seat of a car, shots that will be mixed with unused footage from a previous film's car chase."

That doesn't sound too good. Stock footage and the usual dodgy CGI during car chases..I thought these were features I'd only be accustomed to seeing in Steven Seagal movies.

[Jox]

No, even non-action car sequences can often be made in studio... this one being set in the city, would have been too expensive to pull off... but let me reassure you this must be the only one (plus some some helicopter interiors with MP), the rest of the vehicles stuff was done for REAL...

[Nathan]

Okay, I accept that, since I believe they even used it in Die Hard 4.0 and it wasn't even in a car chase - this is getting too frequent these days, I can understand a movie like Direct Contact needing it but Die Hard 4.0 with a budget of over 100 million dollars..come on!

And what about the stock footage, does that mean they are taking part of the chase sequence from another action movie, that wasn't used?

[Nathan]

When can we expect a trailer or DVD cover for this Jox? Around September/October 2008?

[Jox]

Patience. If I knew I'd tell you.

[Nathan]

Are you sure ... I'm excited about this movie!

[Jox]

I'm sure, it's not like there are release dates for that stuff, and I'm not supervising the post-production or marketing departments. I don't know if Nu Image will make a new artwork though (and some releasing companies might actually use the advance one), so you might have to wait until the DVD release for that... (or take the CP one and change the title by DC, since it's based on a DC pic!)

[Nathan]

Jox, is Dolph likely to do a lot of promotion for this movie, as I believe the huge amount of promotion done for Missionary Man helped to make it a hit in the rental charts and it would be a shame to waste a chance like this to make an even bigger success out of this film.

[Jox]

Depends on the end result I guess (Sony wanted him to do promo for DD but he really did not want to). He might do more for CP. Wait and see...

[Nathan]

Did they Hmm that's surprising..well I suppose it doesn't cost much for him to do a few interviews etc..I think that was a small mistake on Lundgren's part, however I do understand he wasn't happy with the movie. Perhaps he should have cut a deal with them, use my cut and I'll promote it.

[Jox]

I don't necessarily agree, plus he was busy finishing DC, and already working on CP and Icarus. Doesn't cost him much? Time, and energy to be fake by promoting something you don't approve (which is wrong for integrity). He had already moved on and had better things to do. I don't think promoting something you're not proud of is a good thing, and since that's the case I don't think he would have had much to say about the film. There was no promo anymore until The Defender and The Mechanik, so he can survive a movie without, and I think it's better to choose the ones he's doing it for.
Please Nathan don't turn this forum into a JCVD one.