Doc Savage

[Gabe99]

From AICN July 7, 1999:
Schwarzenegger, Frank Darabont & Chuck Russell to film DOC SAVAGE, THE MAN OF BRONZE!!!! (http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=3914)

Holy Mary Mother Of Invention! I am soooooo jonesed right now. I’m sorry folks, this just punches all the buttons for me.

Today, over at THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Zorianna Kit (a really cool lady I’ve met a couple of times) broke the scoop that Chuck “MASK” Russell and Frank “SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION” Darabont have struck a deal with Arnold Schwarzenegger to star as Clark Savage, Jr.... The Man of Bronze.... DOC SAVAGE!!!

From AICN November 23, 1999:
An A.B. special... the 3 projects currently in the works for ARNOLD! (http://www.aintitcool.com/talkback_display/4764?q=node/4764)

Hey folks, Harry here with this report on the three films leaving Arnold's mouth yesterday morning. TRUE LIES 2 - currently being scripted. THE SIXTH DAY - almost ready to shoot up in Canada. and... wait for it... That's right AB KING... A dream is a wish your heart makes.... CRUSADE - which he claims is being prepped. ALRIGHT. When last we heard, this was the Verhoeven/Ahnult project to end all Arnold projects. The name HAGAN will live for a long time in the history of cinematic lore. Who's lined up for directing chores? Has it been lined up? Please... no hacks please. CRUSADE is the epic film I've been dying to see for the past 4 years (length of time I've known of the project). Keep your ears alert... somethings afoot.

From AICN February 28, 2000:
A Brief A.B.King Report on COLLATERAL DAMAGE, just added an extra tidbit... (http://www.aintitcool.com/?q=node/5326)

Hey folks, Harry here with the latest on that Ahnult fella from the Schwarzenegger/Stallone fan #1, A.B. King. ALso, in one of the half dozen or so emails that I have received from A.B. in the past couple of days, he claims that the reason the big man dropped TOTAL RECALL 2, was so he could do WITH WINGS AS EAGLES after COLLATERAL DAMAGE with Paul Verhoeven as the alleged director. So far, I haven't been able to get that confirmed. But we still have to look at the possibility that Arnold will be doing the Darabont/Russell directed DOC SAVAGE: MAN OF BRONZE instead. So... Here's A.B.

From AICN April 14, 2000:
Arnold comments on DOC SAVAGE and T3 & T4 (http://www.aintitcool.com/node/5660)


Hey folks, Harry here with some news brought in from Arteewon about the big man's movements that he read about over at SCI FI WIRE, so check it out. It's nice to see a bit of loyalty out of Arnold, and I hope this DOC SAVAGE script rocks as hard as it could. Here ya go...

From AICN October 11, 2000:
CORRECTION: Arnold Notes: DOC SAVAGE & T3 (http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=7167)

Hey folks, Harry here with a report from... ABKing about.. nope... not Stallone... yup, that's right... AHNULDT!!! Let it be known from the highest bell tower in the land... there is a finished draft in existence for DOC SAVAGE!!! That script... I want in a really bad way. I'm a HUGE Doc Savage fan. In fact... in the far corner of my room... right above my Raiders of the Lost Ark poster is my Ron Ely personality poster from the George Pal DOC SAVAGE film.... which, while misguided and clumsy... I saw it as a kid and felt it had TONS of charm. Now... here's AB...


From AICN November 7, 2000:
Ahnuldt talks about DOC SAVAGE and T3 (http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=7389)

Hey folks, Harry here with latest from AB King on all of our's favorite Austrian Body Builder and overall megastar.... Arnie. I really really wish that Schwarzenegger would drop T3. Ultimately I really do feel the film should end as it did in T2. Uncertainty and with hope. T2 is a perfect film and the T3 script reads like bad fan fiction. Hell the T3 fan script that appeared online was better.... As for DOC SAVAGE, it is nice to hear that progress is being made there. Arnold... become a god... go make CRUSADE. Make it happen. "Do it! Do it noooooow!"


From TOR.com Thursday July 24, 2008:
SDCC: Doc Savage film announced (http://www.tor.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=blog&id=1778)

At a panel on Doc Savage, the pulp hero who inspired/was ripped off by the creators of Superman and Batman, among other creators of your favorite Golden Age comic book superheroes, long-time superhero movie producer Michael Uslan (who is also producing the upcoming Captain Marvel film) let slip that a new Doc Savage film adaptation is in the works.

From IGN December 18, 2008:
Doc Savage Movie Scoop - Producer Uslan talks to IGN about the pulp fiction project. (http://movies.ign.com/articles/939/939484p1.html)

IGN Movies caught up with producer Michael E. Uslan at Wednesday's premiere of The Spirit where he gave us the low down on what's happening with the long-gestating feature film return of pulp hero Doc Savage.

Uslan told us that while The Shadow and Captain Marvel are likely to be his next two projects, he's also actively developing Doc Savage. No screenwriter or director has been hired yet, but Uslan says that several big names have expressed interest in Doc.

The producer said his project has no ties to the version that was being developed years ago with director Frank Darabont and star Arnold Schwarzenegger and that neither of them are involved with his incarnation. He stressed that his will be a fresh start.

Uslan added that no star is attached right now but hinted that the title role would likely not be played by an unknown. When asked about Dwayne Johnson, who has been rumored for the role in the past, Uslan simply replied that he's going to play the villainous "Black Adam" in Captain Marvel and didn't really give the impression that The Rock was also going to play the Man of Bronze, but he didn't outright deny it either.

Uslan, who also produced Constantine and executive produced all of the Batman films, said the film would follow Doc's departure from his Arctic base on his first adventure to the United States. He stressed that the film would focus on Doc's story and developing his character, and downplayed the possibility that his team of companions -- the Fabulous Five -- would play a large part in the film, suggesting that they could be better served in sequels.

From Batman-On-Film February 8, 2009:
Michael Uslan @ NYCC 2009 (Part 2) (http://www.batman-on-film.com/interview_michaeluslan-nycc2009_part2_2-10-09.html)

BOF: Besides all that and the next BATMAN, what else do you have going on that you’d like to mention?

MU: Well, I’m not ready to officially announce it -- but we’re getting pretty damn close -- but DOC SAVAGE is coming along nicely.

From AICN October 24, 2009:
Orci & Kurtzman are producing DOC SAVAGE!!! (http://www.aintitcool.com/node/42832)

Hey folks, Harry here... with the latest gift from the Alamo's HIGHBALL. Sunday night may be the HIGHBALL's Grand Opening - but already it has delivered one helluva cool scoop.

Last night, a friend was having her birthday party there - at a pair of bowling lanes. Yoko and I went down and it was to be an evening of friends, drinks, cake and bowling. When who should appear, but Shane Black. He's in town for another function entirely, but he came over to chat a bit with me. Somewhere, the Mighty Joe Hallenbeck was crying.

When I asked him what he was working on, he shocked me with the revelation that he was going to be writing a script for DOC SAVAGE, which Orci & Kurtzman (those STAR TREK, EAGLE EYE, TRANSFORMERS guys) were producing.

If you've been reading the site for the past 14 years - you know that I'm a Doc Savage freak. We've tracked the property as it has been developed and redeveloped and almost made many many times. Even now, AB King is typing up an email to ask me if I asked Shane Black if he was writing this to star Arnie. No AB, that never crossed my mind.

However, I did inquire if they were modernizing the character. I asked this with dread in my belly, and Shane passed the test by saying the character can not be separated from the 30s. This is correct. Right now, he is preparing to write the script. He has decided that Doc needs to have his Fabulous Five. It will be an original DOC SAVAGE story that attempts to encapsulate the feeling of the whole collection of Lester Dent's work.

We then talked quite a bit about George Pal's wildly off-base version. Frankly, I'm absolutely thrilled that Orci & Kurtzman handed this one off to SHANE BLACK - he understands how to write dialogue for MEN in films - and having him pen a new adventure for Clark Savage Jr and his awesome 5 partners in adventure and enterprise... Monk, Ham, Long Tom, Johnny and Renny... well, it just makes me hold my breath for a director announcement. Let's pray this gets handled just right!


With Shane Black writing this movie it's going to be good real good.
I hope Karl Urban gets the part.

[Your Imaginary Pal]

I don't think Urban has the face for it.
As bad as Punisher War Zone was, I think Ray Stevenson would make a great Doc Savage.

[Your Imaginary Pal]

Also, aren't double posts fun.

[Gabe99]

Your probably right on both counts.
As long as it isn't someone like Shia I'll be happy.

[Frank]

I don't think Urban has the face for it.
As bad as Punisher War Zone was, I think Ray Stevenson would make a great Doc Savage.

Well...yes! And Conan too!

[Toreador]

I kind of like Duane Johnson. Looks more like the old Bantam covers of the books.

[Frank]

I kind of like Duane Johnson. Looks more like the old Bantam covers of the books.

Actually Stevensen looks way more like the character of those covers. Doc Savage is not Hawaian.

But I always thought the actor that look like Savage the most is Nick Nolte. Nolte in his 30s.

[Pól Rua]

Actually Stevensen looks way more like the character of those covers. Doc Savage is not Hawaian.

Yes, but he DID have a skin, tanned bronze under Tropical Suns.

[berk]

Yes, but he DID have a skin, tanned bronze under Tropical Suns.Yeah, I'd say Johnson actually has close to the ideal skin tone and physical stature for the part. He might need to lose a little weight, to get the Greek God style muscle definition Doc Savage was described as having in the books. His main physical drawback for the part would be the shape of his head, which isn't quite perfect enough for the exemplary specimen of humanity he's supposed to be; which sounds even to me like a really dumb and weird and superficial comment to make, but I think I'm serious. Doc Savage is meant to be the man of the Future, a wonder of genetic and environmental/educational engineering, although not quite in the sense we'd use some of those terms today. The slightest visual flaw could be fatal to the impression he's supposed to make on the viewer.

[Pól Rua]

Yeah, I'd say Johnson actually has close to the ideal skin tone and physical stature for the part. He might need to lose a little weight, to get the Greek God style muscle definition Doc Savage was described as having in the books.
That said, Doc was '30's buff, which is different to today's version. Not quite as ripped and 'roided-up looking.
Besides, Dent always said that Doc's proportions were so even and natural that you couldn't tell how big he was until you saw him near someone else.

His main physical drawback for the part would be the shape of his head, which isn't quite perfect enough for the exemplary specimen of humanity he's supposed to be; which sounds even to me like a really dumb and weird and superficial comment to make, but I think I'm serious.
I think his personality will go a long way towards that. I see what you mean, but Bama's representation of Doc from the 60's paperback covers wasn't 'perfect' either. I think Rocky's inherent charm will overwhelm any facial 'imperfections'.

[berk]

That said, Doc was '30's buff, which is different to today's version. Not quite as ripped and 'roided-up looking.
Besides, Dent always said that Doc's proportions were so even and natural that you couldn't tell how big he was until you saw him near someone else.Oh yeah, the ripped and roided look is exactly what you don't want.

[dupersuper]

Pleeeeaaaase not Arnold...

[Pól Rua]

I don't have much hope, honestly.
You'll either end up with a kind of half-baked postmodern reconstruction, or a broad, selfconscious tongue-in-cheek farce.
One thing you won't get is a treatment which regards Doc and his colleagues as square-jawed, two-fisted heroes. The whole concept will be decreed 'too cornball' by cynical studio execs and jaded audiences used to bitter, broken antiheroes and psychologically unstable vigilantes.
Audiences will reject Doc as 'too perfect' and 'unrealistic' and we'll end up with a terrible load of old crap.

[Greg Hatcher]

You know the magical combo in my head is a screeenplay by someone who's willing to do straight-up old-fashioned adventure, like.... I dunno, Lawrence Kasdan or the kid that wrote Sky Captain maybe, someone like that... and then have it be directed by someone who knows how to do straight action like John McTiernan from Die Hard. And starring a guy who can actually ACT as opposed to a guy who looks like a book cover. Get a real actor and pay him to work out for a few months, as opposed to getting a muscle beach guy and try to teach him acting, which is the mistake so many studios make.

But I'm afraid I agree with Pol that it'll probably never happen.

[mortari]

I like the old Doc Savage movie.
It was camp, but visually it just about perfect.

[Greg Hatcher]

I like the old Doc Savage movie.
It was camp, but visually it just about perfect.

Actually, I like it a lot too. But I want a REAL Doc movie. Something with the visual sweep and energy of a modern Bond movie like Casino Royale, but set in the 1930's.

[Frank]

Actually, I like it a lot too. But I want a REAL Doc movie. Something with the visual sweep and energy of a modern Bond movie like Casino Royale, but set in the 1930's.

With more of a sci-fi/fantasy element, hopefully. Savage is as much about discovering new Worlds and beating villains in underground lairs than pure action. He's like Bond mixed with Flash Gordon.

[mortari]

It has to be global too.

[berk]

With more of a sci-fi/fantasy element, hopefully. Savage is as much about discovering new Worlds and beating villains in underground lairs than pure action. He's like Bond mixed with Flash Gordon.Yes, I'd like to see the SF/fantasy aspect played up. One of the weaknesses of the original stories was that Doc is so amazing, his antagonists don't always present a very credible threat. You'll need some impressive monsters or advanced technology or something to put him in serious danger and create some tension and drama. Make him have to fight, to struggle, all the better to display his incredible physical and mental abilities.

[Julusnc]

I would love to see a Doc Savage movie but I have always thought that with the new way of making animation that the John Carter Warlord of Mars would be the test movie for future projects.

The Shadow and Doc Savage movies done in a animation style would be amazing.The look would be 1930's techo maybe but then it's the fun of what actors would voice the characters.

[Pól Rua]

Yes, I'd like to see the SF/fantasy aspect played up. One of the weaknesses of the original stories was that Doc is so amazing, his antagonists don't always present a very credible threat. You'll need some impressive monsters or advanced technology or something to put him in serious danger and create some tension and drama. Make him have to fight, to struggle, all the better to display his incredible physical and mental abilities.

The thing with most of Doc's adventures wasn't the 'threat level' as much as it was the mystery.

How was the mysterious baddie able to do whatever it was that he did, whether it was make ships mysteriously disappear, vanish from locked rooms, destroy metal without even touching it...?

It wasn't so much, "will Doc survive the battle" as "Will Doc solve the mystery of The Dust of Death before millions die?"

[Gabe99]

From AICN:
Have no fear... The Man Of Bronze is in the best hands! DOC SAVAGE is on his way! (http://www.aintitcool.com/node/44059)

[rick]

We then talked quite a bit about George Pal's wildly off-base version.




George Pal's version was good fun and wasn't all that far off base at all.

It's a B-movie classic.

Still, Greg's right, a big budget movie with a Raiders kind of scope to it is the least that Doc deserves.

[rick]

I'm not going to get long winded but Doc is one of my all time favorite heroes and along with John Carter, Solomon Kane, Conan, Tarzan and young Dorothy Gale herself made me the voracious reader I am today.

The first Doc book I ever read was on a torn cover copy of the Living Fire Menace bought off a bookrack at a general store in Deckers Colorado, during a family wide rainy, camping trip from Hell. I pissed my parents off by sitting in the tent the whole time reading about Doc's epic adventures.

And God how I waited for the movie to come out.

From the moment I first read a brief blurb about it in Famous Monsters until the moment it came out, i was just ready for Doc to show up.

Sure it's campy and sure Ely isn't the greatest actor ever, but it's heart is in the right place. And while people tend to talk about what it got wrong more often then not they forget about all that it got right.

Still, it's time to see a new version of Doc in all his 1930's glory, up on the big screen.