Here is the new pic from "Prince of Persia: the Sands of Time", adventurous epic coming to cinemas next year. It is the first image of Jake Gyllenhaal, playing prince Dastan, and Gemma Arterton, playing princess Tamina, together. The last three pictures show concept art of the scenes that will appear in the movie in summer 2010. Judging from those last pics we can expect spectacular visuals and breathtaking sets full of exotic details and costumes.
In the movie, prince Dastan joins rival princess Tamina in order to prevent an evil wizard from unleashing the huge sandstorm which could destroy the world. In order to save the world Dastan uses Sands of Time, tricked by an evil Vizier, but it turns out that by doing that he has put his people in danger of becoming ferocious demons. So, Dastan and Tamina have to return the sands of time into its hourglass by using the Dagger of Time which enables him to control the flow of time while trying to correct his own mistake.
I have no doubt this will look spectacular. And I think it will be entertaining at least, if not good (or received good with critics).
ReplyDeleteWe haven't had big budget movie with these settings/motifs since Mummy and Scorpion King.
I don't expect a critically acclaimed movie :) but it will be stunning, I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting that a lot of people around the Net are extremely angry that American movie producers seem to think that Anglo-Saxon people represent the only cinematic race :) They think that Gyllenhaal with his typical American features cannot be a Persian prince, and that posh-British Gemma cannot be Indian princess Tamina.
But they do look cute on that first picture.
I am real excited about this film having played all the games extensively. It will be interesting to see it brought to life. I was surprised at Gyllenhaal being cast as well but I am willing to keep an open mind and give him a chance. But I do agree Dezmond, their heritage will be hard to pull off.
ReplyDeleteI can imagine Gyllenhaal playing the role physically, because we can see in the pics that the looks very striking and handsome, but I think I will burst out laughing the first minute he opens his mouth and starts spilling out his American accent :)) He might even be more hilarious than Keany Reeves with his modern-day-American accent in the middle of dark middle aged Transylvania in Copolla's DRACULA :)))))))
ReplyDeleteI had no problem with Kianu's accent in that movie. They all spoke English. Count Dracula, Van Helsing, and everyone else. And not all of them were British. Movies are like that. :))
ReplyDeleteI agree with those who state that casting of all western actors for non-western roles is kinda ridiculous in this day and age. That practice should slowly fade away. It's happening already, and no amount of conservatism, "financial necessity", or "tradition" could stop it now.
that's because you're not a linguist, unlike some of us English language teachers here :PP
ReplyDeleteIn DRACULA, everybody spoke British except Keanu who spoke Californian-surfer-English :))
Even Transilvanian Count and Van Helsing who is probably Dutch (or German, can't remember)? You approve them speaking British? But not Keanu's American?
ReplyDeleteDo I smell double standards? :))) From linguist? :))
Nope, DRACULA is the work of Bram Stoker who is Irish, and Copolla made his film after his book which is written in British English so it's natural that the actors (portraying the roles of people from Britain) speak with that accent. And they all did that except Reeves. It's not really the American accent which is the problem here, but his surfer-yo-dude talk which is seriously out of place in such a movie since it wasn't a parody done by the Wyans brothers :)
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of accents, the three female vampires from 'Van Helsing' (Marishka, Verona and Aleera ), Dracula's helpers and lovers, had the most amazing Romanian ones :)))
But my favourite is still Angelina Jolie's Greek accent in ALEXANDER as queen Olympia :)
I really liked that movie (Van Helsing). It was fun to watch. No matter what critics might say. And I remember some things about our three "lovely" vampiresses. I remember poor Marishka dying first. It was a memorable scene. The other two vampiresses fleeing and wailing: Marishkaaaa!, while the poor Mariska withered and died, pined to the roof.
ReplyDeleteBut I haven't seen Alexander with "I'm so naturally black, this blond look looks ridiculous on me" Collin, and "I'm his mother even though I'm only one year older... ...with a "Greek" accent" Angelina. :)
Reviews and word of mouth for that movie were pretty horrible, so I decided against watching it. Maybe I'll see sped-up (my kind of sped-up) version some time in the future.
And speaking of the things I've seen... I just saw Luhrmann's Australia. It wasn't as "boring" as I thought it would be (to me). It kind of reminded me of classic epics, like Gone with the Wind and such. And even though I wasn't entranced by the story itself, I must say it is one of the most visually striking movies ever. Colors, lightning, close ups or panoramic shots, static or dynamic scenes, this movie had it all. And all of it was done admirably. There were many scenes/shots throughout the movie that looked like an oil paintings and not movie screen. A real work of art. This movie deserved much more recognition and awards, at least in those aspects.
We will have to wait for a trailer to see how the Prince of Persia will speak and if he will have an accent. I do not think I have ever seen Gyllenhaal in a film where he spoke with an accent.
ReplyDeleteVan Helsing and Australia, two of my favorite films. Did not care for Alexander because I am not a fan of Colin Farrell. Some of his films are ok but I just did not find him convincing in Alexander.
As far as accents are concerned, I would rather there not be any versus being done badly. For example Brad Pitt in The Devil's Own.
Yes, "Marishkaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" - it was such a legendary scene :)) forever to be remembered.
ReplyDeleteALEXANDER really was an abominable movie. Oliver Stone shall be remembered as the director who slaughtered, murdered and butchered the genre of epic movies. I don't think that anyone will try to make a new historical epic with more than a $100 million budget any time soon, and all thanks to him :((( The inglorious b..... :)
The casting in that movie was, off course, horrible, but I don't get it how they didn't see it coming??? All throughout the pre and post production no one was happy with Farrell as the prince and the king, but they just didn't care what people think. And it's not just his blonde hair and banal acting, but him as a gay, totally unconvincing.
Yet, Angelina still is the only good part of that historical flop (and Val Kilmer wasn't bad). She, and the most amazing music done by equally amazing Vangelis.
The costumes, the story, the plot, the sets, none of that worked in ALEXANDER. I think it's Elizabeth Taylor's CLEOPATRA of modern times :))
AUSTRALIA is a visual masterpiece, but somewhat weak plot (there wouldn't be much of it without the little Aboriginal kid) and the fact that people generally just don't love Nicole Kidman and don't believe her, was the reason why it didn't have a marvelous success although it was successful - more or less.
Marko, maybe, now you'll finally see my favourite MOULIN ROUGE? :))) Probably not.
I must admit I haven't seen Pitt in THE DEVIL'S OWN, due to the fact that I avoid watching Harrison Ford in all of his adventures and cinematical heroics :))
Well I do not think I would recommend The Devil's Own anyway. I did not think it was a great by any stretch and like I said before Pitt's accent was one of the worst I have ever heard. Have you ever seen The Jackal with Richard Gere and Bruce Willis? Gere's accent (Ireland) accent was pretty bad to me as well.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Australia was visually stunning but the plot had its weak points. I just watched Hugh Jackman during those times ;))).
When I watched Alexander (I refuse to watch it again), I was not a big fan of Jolie. She has since grown on me and now I really like her. I think she has really developed in her ability. As far as her accent is concerned, I do not recall it at all so I cannot say if I thought she did a good job or not. When it comes to actresses and accents, I continue to be impressed by Sophia Myles.
Gere is also on my MUST AVOID list :)
ReplyDeleteYes, Shells, Hugh Jackman was one of the reasons why AUSTRALIA was visually stunning :))