by Jox on 15 Oct 2008, 19:18
Yes it was somewhat intended as a TV series but I'm not sure any serious deal had been made regarding that; and people involved were not even on the same page regarding what kind of project they were making.
I did an in depth interview with the director Sheldon Lettich last year and said he and Dolph agreed to make the film with the permission from the producer they could rewrite the script. But the writers, also co-executive producers and coming from a TV background, didn't allow one line to be changed by anyone but them, not mentioning the cutbacks on the budget (there was no money left at some point in post so Avi Lerner from Nu Image, having seen footage and liking what he saw, came in and helped out)... so then Lettich and Dolph who had been paid in advance and were on location had no choice but to do this as a work for hire and just make the best of it within the circumstances.
By the way I must be the only one but I think the 'weirdo rain dance sequence' is the best thing in the movie, even though it doesn't make sense (I'd say because it doesn't make sense it makes it interesting). That and Dolph's lost sense of purpose/identity quest are the two things redeeming the film to me.