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The original Straw Dogs film was directed by Sam Peckinpah in 1971 and had distinctly controversial subject matter. The concepts of rape, murder and violence was not mainstream material to portray in graphic detail on film. If we judge the film by today’s standards, considering what we see on primetime cable, will this remake directed by Rod Lurie raise as many eyebrows and cause as much furor as it did in the ’70′s? Will it be any more or less controversial now in the year 2011? Are we more or less culturally sensitive now as opposed to 1971? Unless our views on morality and these disturbing issues have changed radically since 1971, I’m certain this remake will at the least garner intrinsically shocked reactions and leave open to question as to how much is too much to depict in film.

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Yet the buzz surrounding this film isn’t only because of the sinister subject matter or its dauntless director Rod Lurie. It’s due mainly to the casting of a Swedish actor whose star is on a meteoric rise. Alexander Skarsgard has gained the attention of fame due to his quasi villainous role as roguish Viking vampire Eric Northman on True Blood. Unlike his loveable, antihero vampire persona on the HBO hit which just concluded its 4th season, Skarsgard’s role as Charlie Venner in Straw Dogs is one that is unlikeable in the extreme. There is no mistaking the fact that Skarsgard is a true villain in the remake of the Peckinpah psychological thriller.

Though both the remake and the original film are based on the novel The Seige of Trencher’s Farm written by Gordon Williams, this new version of the film is different from the original.

The Straw Dogs story centers around L.A. screenwriter David Sumner and his wife Amy. They relocate to her hometown in the deep South and they come into contact with Amy’s ex, Charlie Venner and his crew. Tensions begin to rise between the locals and the Sumners, and the building conflict escalates into violence which threatens their lives.

Skarsgard’s character commits a heinous act that makes him a true villain of the meanest sort and it’s a role that we haven’t seen Skarsgard portray as of yet.

Charlie Venner is truly a detestable character and Skarsgard has promised that he tried to bring a three dimensional quality to David Sumner’s nemesis. Characters like Charlie Venner are risks and challenging to take on. An actor must be confident in his ability in order to go over to the dark side and explore the boundaries of their commitment to the craft of acting. And that was the appeal of the project for Skarsgard. It was a chance for him to better understand his own darker impulses.

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In an interview earlier this year in the L.A. Times, Skarsgard is asked about his role in the film:

“Look around,” he said, “people are always, big shiny white teeth, big smiles, everything’s fantastic. How sincere is that? Are people really genuinely that happy all the time or is there something in there that they’re trying to fight? I know I am. I think it’s really good to acknowledge that there is that inner battle. Of course that’s interesting exploring. It’s scary and it’s dangerous, but it opens up your soul.”

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No matter how much one enjoys Skarsgard in True Blood, his role in Straw Dogs is one that will elicit intense reactions of dislike from audiences, especially from the actor’s female fan base. It is a role that will push Skarsgard to the limit, though I have no doubt that his magnetic screen presence will make his portrayal of the Charlie Venner character unforgettable, no matter how detestable that character is.

Straw Dogs opens today.

FYI ~ the definition of straw dog is something that is made only to be destroyed.

Conan the Barbarian is a remake that isn’t so much a remake as it is a re-imagining of a well known cult classic. It’s filled with blood and battles, swords and sorcery and violent action right out of the gate. It delivers a new Conan, different in many ways from the old Conan, a new spin on a familiar story, and the opportunity for sequels in the future.

Here is the official synopsis of the movie:

The tale of Conan the Cimmerian and his adventures across the continent of Hyboria on a quest to avenge the murder of his father and the slaughter of his village.

Director: Marcus Nispel

Written by: Thomas Dean Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer and Sean Hood

Cast: Jason Momoa, Stephen Lang, Rachel Nichols, Rose McGowan, Leo Howard

One thing this film did better than the original was to give the viewer more of a sense of connection with Conan (Jason Momoa). He was born on the battle field in a traumatic way and we empathized with a child who grew up without a mother and so we understood his anger. After witnessing the death of his beloved father Conan vows to have vengeance against the men who were responsible. As a full grown man Conan seems to have lived an almost carefree existence, fighting and wenching his way through life, though we discover thoughts of avenging his father are never far from his mind.

Conan repeatedly pitches himself into situations where the odds were always greatly stacked against him. He really wholeheartedly embraces his mantra, “I live, I love, I slay and I am content.” Having no real ties to family he has a wreckless, devil may care attitude, wandering the land and seas as both thief and pirate, liberating the oppressed with an almost Robin Hood-esque flair until a chance opportunity for vengeance arises.

There isn’t a whole lot of dialogue in the film though there is a lot of grunting from Conan and a ton of battle cries from his many and diverse adversaries. The violent action sequences are plenty and at times the noise from clashing swords and the bashing of bodies and skulls is mind numbing and overwhelming. But keep in mind this is a sword and sorcery movie so that is what you came to see and hear.

And then there is the sorcery. Most of it is understated and part of the movie’s mythology. There’s magic tied to the Mask of Acheron and Marique (Rose McGowan) is so obviously a sorceress of some skill, while Khalar Zym (Stephen Lang) wants to practice necromancy and has been waiting 20 years for his chance. And let’s not forget Tamara’s (Rachel Nichols) pure blood that has the power to unlock the ancient mask.

The one thing that was pervasive in my mind was that though Momoa made a very intimidating Conan —he was extremely intimidating in Game of Thrones as Khal Drogo which made him perfect for this role— he wasn’t as awe inspiring and colossal as his predecessor in the original Conan movies. Though Momoa is impressive and can carry this film, his screen presence just didn’t possess that same overwhelmingly imposing quality as Arnold’s Conan did.

Most likely this is due only to the fact that Arnold was Mr. Universe before he was Conan and no one had seen a man as hulking as Arnold was at that time. And maybe it’s simply due to the fact that I was an impressionable pre-tween who was boggled by the sheer size of Arnold and that alone made a lasting and indelible mark on my psyche that is impossible to excise.

Thankfully though Momoa didn’t try and do an Arnold impersonation. If he did he would have failed horribly. Instead Momoa brought a different kind of Conan to the screen, one who had a swagger and more appeal for the ladies, smart remarks and quick wit for a barbarian, and a brooding anger always simmering just below the surface. His scar fit right in with his barbarian persona and his scowl is more menacing than any I’ve ever seen. Admittedly Momoa cut a fine figure when he did his Conan the hero money shots and he wielded his sword with a confidence, dexterity and skill as only a true warrior could.

Casting Jason Momoa as the iconic Cimmerian was wisely fortuitous as it does seem like it was inevitable that he play Conan. Leo Howard’s performance was definitely riveting and one of my favorites in the film. Rachel Nichols as Tamara was a refreshing spitfire who I could see Conan falling for. Stephen Lang as Khalar Zym wasn’t as over the top of a villain as he usually is though he did manage the role with his usual finesse. Ron Perlman as Corin was the epitome of the stoic, wise and revered warrior, leader and affectionate father. Rose McGowan as Marique was the unexpected surprise of the film playing an eerie, creepy and evil villainess with a macabre efficacy, vamping around half naked with a pronounced receding hairline and almost overshadowing Lang as Conan’s nemesis.

Marcus Nispel has a music video background and I found his style of filming quite interesting. The battle sequences were very fast paced and full throttle while the quieter moments were handled with a sparseness quite fitting to a movie like this.

The story was quite a departure from the original movie, so much so that one could say the new Conan lore harkens back to the books. There was some homage paid to the original film but it was obvious right from the get go that this wasn’t a remake of an original but a new franchise with a familiar character. Though it was mostly fast paced there were moments where I felt my senses being dulled because the movie seemed at times like one long endless battle.

The score when you could hear it was perfect for the film hinting at a distant time and a distant land where magic and barbarians could have lived, loved, slayed and been content. The sounds of battle, violence and Marique’s finger nails scraping against stone were jarring and overwhelming to the senses but more than suitable for this fare.

The 3D didn’t seem to make much of a difference and I could have done without it. The landscapes were dark and stark if not quite epic while the effects were very graphic. There was nothing mind boggling really and the standout scene for me was the fight with the sand warriors.

Obviously this film was made with fans of the cult classic in mind to a certain extent, though rigorous adherence to the original went out the window for the most part. Fans of the books will be pleased and most viewers will unavoidably compare this new Conan to the old Conan. Mostly this was a film that was made for boys between the ages of 15 to 25 who like role playing video games filled with mayhem and carnage, or anyone who is a fan of blood and battles, swords and sorcery movies.

Overall you have to give Jason Momoa credit. He was very brave to take on this role did his best to fill some titan sized barbarian boots. Whenever a remake is done of a cult classic that has such an archetypal, legendary and iconic character emblazoned in everyone’s mind, anything that comes after will unfortunately pale in comparison. While Conan the Barbarian was definitely not the best the film of the summer, it certainly wasn’t the worst either. And while Momoa didn’t erase the memory of Arnold from our consciousness, he did manage to put a fresh take on an old story and give a fresh face to a well known Cimmerian warrior.

Conan the Barbarian gets a 6.5 out of 10.

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Tomorrow I’m going to go and see Conan the Barbarian starring Jason Momoa, so I have been desperately trying to avoid spoilers of any kind because I don’t want to go into the movie with any preconceived notions. Spoilage is everywhere and it has been very hard not to take a sneak peek at any of the reviews that are being posted like wildfire online. Maybe I wouldn’t care so much if I didn’t have such high hopes for this movie, which is for me the last film of the summer.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to this movie. And despite some extremely unflattering pics (not these ones BTW), I am still willing to give Momoa the benefit of the doubt as far as this movie goes. But I was totally looking forward to Green Lantern too in a big way and I am sad to say that I was disappointed in a big way. So what is the worst that can happen with this Conan reboot? Well, it could suck. Here are 3 reasons why.

1. Jason Momoa – There. I said it. I liked him on Stargate Atlantis and I really liked him in Game of Thrones. He is the epitome of a healthy barbarian. Unfortunately for Momoa the role of the iconic Conan the Barbarian has some pretty huge boots, and those are some pretty huge boots to fill. I’m afraid I might be helpless not to compare him to Arnold who I idolized as a teenager. I have to give Momoa credit though for taking this role knowing exactly what and who he is up against. Can he carry a movie with so much expectation attached to it? Will he disappoint? Or will he swing a sword like it’s nobody’s business?
2. Rose McGowan – Not much to say here.
3. The Story – The screenplay is written by Thomas Dean Donnelly (Sahara), Joshua Oppenheimer (Sahara) and Sean Hood (Halloween: Resurrection). I am in no way saying that they are bad writers. I’m just worried that the story is too completely re-imagined and doesn’t strictly adhere to the original flick’s storyline in ways that matter. I’m worried that my psyche will balk at the new mythology and want strict deference to the old lore. Though they do include some adherence to certain details from the original film and Conan character I’m wondering if that will be enough of the old in the new?

Yet me being the eternal optimist that I am, I want to look at this glass as being half full. So I’ve also thought of 3 reasons why this new version of Conan the Barbarian could rock too.

1. Jason Momoa – He has very big muscles, looks mean as heck, and looks like he can wield a sword like nobody’s business. His scowl alone has me shaking in my boots and he could give Arnold a good run for his money and effectively replace Schwarzenegger in our collective conscious as the archetypal legendary barbarian from here on in.
2. The Effects – CG and the magic of special effects have come a loooong way since the 80′s. I’m betting there will be some pretty amazing, stylish and knock your socks off effects.
3. The Story – Deviating from the original mythology definitely gives the writers room to go big or go home. Freedom to imagine new heights of barbarian glory, battles and colossal awesomeness could be a very, very good thing. Including enough homage to the original film as long as any tributes are strategically placed (think Rise of the Planet of the Apes, my favorite film of the summer, where they did this very skilfully) could only appease fans of the old film and give this new film a well deserved place next to the original.

I’m not usually pessimistic, but I’m afraid that Arnold’s Conan is too well embedded in my mind and that I most likely will be comparing Momoa to Arnie the whole time. I will try my hardest not to though and hopefully I can go into this movie tomorrow completely tabula rasa. Here’s hoping.

So what do you think? Do you think this new version of Conan the Barbarian will suck? What are your reasons? Or do you think and hope like me that it will rock?

Warning! The Red Band Clip is graphic!

Synopsis: The tale of Conan the Cimmerian and his adventures across the continent of Hyboria on a quest to avenge the murder of his father and the slaughter of his village.

ΩPhoto Credits

Colin Farrell has entered the land of the remake. He will play a vampire named Jerry in the 2011 DreamWorks remake of Fright Night. Now, I dig him as a vampire, but couldn’t they have come up with a cooler name than Jerry? I know the joke is he’s supposed to be an ordinary dude who just moved into the neighborhood, but come on! Jerry? Couldn’t he be a Josh or a Michael or a Gabriel even?

Also in the film is Anton Yelchin of Terminator Salvation and Star Trek fame as Charley. He’s the teenager with the slightly cooler name who just knows his new neighbor Jerry is a vampire.

The movie is being billed as a horror comedy and I think this movie will most likely be more fun than fright. I also think Colin Farrell as a sexy vampire is right on the money.

Fright Night hits theaters August 19th, same night as Jason Momoa’s Conan the Barbarian. Which film do you think will do better?

ΩPhoto Credit 1, Photo Credit 2, Photo Credit 3

Every now and again one needs to “get away” and build sandcastles on the beach. So that is the plan for the gang at The Scribe’s Desk. But never fear! We’ll still be dishin’ the ish, just short and sweet and to the point!

Make sure to come back later today for the regular True Blood review. We’re at that point that everyone has been waiting for!

ΩPhoto Credit Tim Beach