Ready?! Begin (I think that may be how they still start cheers)! Time to take a little detour from the Summer blockbuster super-highway, down that little rundown side street that leads to the “grindhouse”, just a few miles before the drive-in. A staple of those “low rent” movie outlets were those slightly naughty little flicks, usually featuring a bevy of young beauties often fresh from Hef’s grotto (and magazine, of course). Now, the settings and titles of these flicks usually sprung from a profession like nursing (THE STUDENT NURSES and CANDY STRIP NURSES), even TV “spokeswomen” (GAME SHOW MODELS). Then there were the “cheer” flicks like CHEERLEADERS’ BEACH PARTY and the 76 classic THE POM POM GIRLS. And in that spirit comes this new film starring…hold on. These are more mature actresses, a couple of them are 70s screen icons (in their 70s). Let’s see if this still has lots of pep as they dazzle us with their POMS.
The story starts with the “estate sale” of Martha (Diane Keaton), her life’s belongings scattered about (with price “post-it” notes) on the sidewalk in front of an alley in “Urban City USA”. Since she has no husband or kids, everything “gotta’ go”. Once that’s done, she loads her one travel bag and a small beaten-up cardboard box into her SUV and hits the road. At a rest/gas stop she takes a call from her doctor’s office. No, she won’t reschedule her chemo treatments, rather she cancels them. Her “final” destination is a retirement community in Georgia to, in her words, “wait to die”. Ah, but everybody’s enjoying their “golden years”, chugging around on small electric golf carts. After checking in with the private security supervisor (Bruce McGill), Martha is overwhelmed by the welcoming committee, headed by “queen bee” Vicki (Celia Weston) who extolls their activities and tells her, “If you don’t find a club to join, start one”. At her new home, Martha meets her frisky, free-spirited neighbor Sheryl (Jackie Weaver) who likes to break the rules by crashing funerals (free food) and housing her teenage grandson Ben (Charlie Tahan). One night Sheryl finds Martha’s old cheerleading sweater popping out of that battered moving box. She asks to borrow it in order to “spice up” a future “date”. But this inspires Martha to start a cheerleading squad/club. But Vicki’s not keen on it and insists they have 8 members. Auditions are held, and thanks to Olive (Pam Grier), Alice (Rhea Perlman) and another feisty foursome, they reach their goal. But will Vicki put a stop to it? And what happens when a disastrous public performance is put online? Will Martha (who’s secretly fighting cancer) and the ladies give up when they become a viral video laughing stock?
This “cheer club” boasts a veteran actress “dream team”. Keaton has the most compelling “story arc’ as Martha goes from being sour and sullen to revitalized as she finds a reason to keep going, to just get up in the morning. And as with many of her recent characters, her Martha is a focused force of nature who meets all of the film’s “villains” (at least three) head on. As Sheryl, Weaver has an infectious “naughty girl” grin (in classic TV terms, she’s the “Blanche”) as she tosses off tart retorts, hatches bits of mischief, and becomes the lil’ devil on Martha’s right shoulder (whispering new schemes into her ear). Perlman’s Alice goes through her own transformation as subservient housekeeper to a spirited extrovert who delights in standing up for herself and her new “sisters”. Grier projects an earthy charm as Olive, though she’s given little to, other than “jump-starting” her stable but staid marriage (turns out that hubby always dreamed of bedding a cheerleader). Weston spews mint julep-flavored venom as the smiling Southern-bell barracuda. McGill is a great flustered comic foil as the ineffectual “lawman”. Tahan is very good as the nerdy misfit who’s also taken under Martha’s wing and taught to fly. Mainly her soars about the lovely Alisha Boe as the captain of the local high school cheer team who becomes an unlikely ally to Martha’s club.
Documentarian Zara Hayes makes her narrative film debut with this “by the numbers” “feel good’ inspirational comedy, giving the cast a nice, polished sheen, but pacing the story like a beefed up basic cable film. That’s dictated by the episodic screenplay she co-wrote with Shane Atkinson. Truly it plays almost like the first three or four episodes of a sitcom for Lifetime or the Hallmark Channel. There are loads of “bonding” montages mixed in with the practice sessions sequences. Every ten or twelve minutes a sneering cardboard villain pops up (as in those target ranges) be it Vicki or a member’s “square’ son or a trite teen “bad girl”, they’re easily overcome by the squad’s smiles and “positive vibes”. One character goes from antagonist to promoter so quickly that the viewer may be in danger of whiplash. Several subplots never really “pay off” (the youngsters’ romance goest flat), while some tepid slapstick (an uninspired car chase grinds everything to a halt) invoke more tedium than hilarity (that viral video). The story stumbles about for its 90 minutes toward the most predictable triumphant underdog ending that jumps from maudlin sentimentality to a ridiculous “YouTube’-styled sensation (worldwide, eh, sure…). The release date weekend is cued to the big holiday, but this turgid trek would be a most mediocre dessert at the end of a nice brunch (despite the many mimosas). This cast deserves better because they’re just as “Marvel-ous’ as the women in the still big blockbuster. There’s little pep (or originality) in these POMS.
At one time or another, we’ve all felt we’ve had the worst parents in the world. We have our reasons, but watch THE HARVEST (2013) and you’ll quickly reevaluate your thinking. The question arises… what is a child’s life worth and how far will you go to save that life when certain death rears its unfriendly head?
THE HARVEST tells the story of a seriously ill boy named Andrew, bed-ridden and bored out of his mind. He’s not allowed to leave the house, play baseball, have friends or go to school, and is barely allowed to leave his room. Andrew, played by Charlie Tahan, is weak and can barely stand on his own, but he still has desires just like any boy his age. These desire have been successfully subdued by his over-protective, borderline psychotic mother Katherine, played by Samantha Morton. Then a misunderstood, rebellious girl his age named Maryann moves into her grandparents’ house nearby and changes everything.
Maryann, played by Natasha Calis, doesn’t waste any time exploring and looking for some way to entertain herself in this secluded area, tucked away in the woods. This is how she happens upon Andrew’s house where the two quickly develop an awkward but empathetic friendship of kindred spirits. For the first time, Andrew actually appears to be experiencing some level of happiness, that is of course, until Katherine discovers the existence of Maryann, which had prior been kept a secret.
THE HARVEST is set almost entirely inside or in the immediate vicinity of Andrew’s home. What Andrew’s house may lack in physical size, it more than compensates with the size and severity of its secrets. With Andrew basically confined to his bed in his room, the house is essentially a prison. Katherine, a medical doctor by profession, is obsessed with curing her son’s ailment at any and all costs, which serves as her prison. Andrew’s father Richard, played by Michael Shannon, is also a prisoner, but his confinement is his hopelessly lost marriage to his mentally unstable wife Katherine.
Written by first-timer Stephen Lancellotti, THE HARVEST is a passionate film steeped in fear, guilt and lies kept by every major player in the film. The emotional scale of the film tilts heavily toward the darker, unsavory elements of humanity. Despite this, Lancellotti’s strong, well-written characters hold the otherwise excessively depraved nature of the story together, keeping Andrew’s world from crumbling around him until the very end. This is most clearly illustrated in Michael Shannon’s surprisingly subdued performance as Richard, a man so beaten-down by his wife’s insistence on being a controlling emotional mess, that he can often barely speak or move in her presence.
Richard is not a coward, but he is weak. Having left his career to stay home and take care of Andrew while Katherine works, he has but a single purpose that drains his very essence, and yet Katherine will not even allow him to fully embrace this role. Other weaknesses of Richard’s emerge in the film, but they all tie back into his desire to do right by his son, however he must. Sadly, that often means protecting and supporting Andrew against his mother’s abrasive, even violent behavior spawned from a truly demented sense of ensuring her’s son’s well-being.
Samantha Morton delivers a performance so absolutely frightening that the concept alone of their being a real life Katherine out in the world somewhere alone sends chills down my spine. On the most primal, stripped down level, her heart is in the right place, but the manner and methods by which she pursues saving her son’s life are so utterly deplorable that virtually every moment she is on screen is cringe-worthy. Consider Kathy Bates’ performance as Annie Wilkes in MISERY (1990) and then notch that sucker up to 11 on the bone-tingling terror scale.
Andrew’s helplessness is made convincing by Charlie Tahan’s performance, not just in the physically demanding nature of the role requiring him to appear weak and broken, but in his emotional state and virtually non-existent level of energy. In pulling this off, Tahan only increases the next-level insanity that emerges from Morton’s performance. Meanwhile, Natasha Calis is perhaps the most normal and well-rounded character in the film, despite her own demons, which are relatively minor in comparison to Andrew’s. Finally, for good measure, McNaughton throws a familiar seasoned favorite in the mix with Peter Fonda playing Maryann’s grandfather. While his role is rather small, he does provide a crucial line of dialogue in the film that, for Maryann, serves as the equivalent of Uncle Ben telling Peter Parker “with great power comes great responsibility.”
John McNaughton is a filmmaker of notable cult status, but many of you reading this are scratching your heads, I am sure. Having made his mark early in his career, McNaughton is best known to true horror movie aficionados for HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER (1986), his debut film that also introduced Michael Rooker to movie audiences, who is now something of a household name amongst The Walking Dead fans.
Well-known for the gritty, faux-documentary style of his feature film debut about what makes a killer, McNaughton takes a sizable step away from that visual style. The film still has a hint of that voyeuristic element, but its subtle and will go mostly unnoticed. I realize how strange this will sound, but THE HARVEST actually conveys more of a prime time Hallmark family movie night vibe to its visual style, with its contemporary, shot-on-digital video looking, real life drama sort of stuff, that actually adds to the creepiness of what takes place.
McNaughton is no stranger to delving into projects that develop as much controversy as they do cult following, such as MAD DOG AND GLORY (1993) and WILD THINGS (1998). I feel this will not be an exception to that rule and I am certainly grateful for McNaughton sticking to his guns. I will end with this… if you are not even a little bit afraid of Samantha Morton after seeing this film, please do me a favor and never introduce me to your mother.
THE HARVEST opened in New York on April 10 and is available on VOD now.
The film opens in Los Angeles this Friday, April 24th at the Arena Cinema in Hollywood.
Sony Pictures Classics has unveiled the new trailer and poster for the upcoming drama LOVE IS STRANGE, starring John Lithgow and Alfred Molina and it looks absolutely charming.
After nearly four decades together, Ben (John Lithgow) and George (Alfred Molina) finally tie the knot in an idyllic wedding ceremony in lower Manhattan. But when George loses his job soon after, the couple must sell their apartment and – victims of the relentless New York City real estate market – temporarily live apart until they can find an affordable new home.
While George moves in with two cops (Cheyenne Jackson and Manny Perez) who live down stairs, Ben lands in Brooklyn with his nephew (Darren Burrows), his wife (Marisa Tomei), and their temperamental teenage son (Charlie Tahan), with whom Ben shares a bedroom.
While struggling with the pain of separation, Ben and George are further challenged by the intergenerational tensions and capricious family dynamics of their new living arrangements.
Directed by Ira Sachs (KEEP THE LIGHTS ON, FORTY SHADES OF BLUE), LOVE IS STRANGE blends the romance of New York City’s streets and skyline with a delicate Chopin piano score to poignantly capture both the lightness and sorrows of this modern day love story.
LOVE IS STRANGE will be in theaters August 22, 2014.
With the release of FRANKENWEENIE just a few days away, I was invited to Disneyland in Anaheim, CA to talk with stars Charlie Tahan (voice of “Victor”), and Atticus Shaffer(voice of “Edgar “E” Gore”).
From creative genius Tim Burton (“Alice in Wonderland”, “The Nightmare Before Christmas”) comes FRANKENWEENIE, a heartwarming tale about a boy and his dog. After unexpectedly losing his beloved dog Sparky, young Victor harnesses the power of science to bring his best friend back to life with just a few minor adjustments. He tries to hide his home-sewn creation, but when Sparky gets out, Victor’s fellow students, teachers and the entire town all learn that getting a new leash on life can be monstrous.
Several members of the press, including myself, sat down with the young actors to talk about their experiences on set. Check out our roundtable discussion below.
Atticus, would you talk a little bit about… I love the voice that you used for this. Was this all of Tim’s direction or did you have something in mind or talk about coming up with that voice.
ATTICUS SHAFFER: Well, uh, during the audition process which was about a year long audition process, in that first audition they just said, “Well he’s kind of like the Igor character.” And I kinda knew how to play that off in his mannerisms and whatnot. And then, uh, the second or third audition in they said, “Is it possible to do a Peter Lorry impression?” And I love doing impressions. I love doing accents at home and everything. And so, um, I… it was almost like challenge accepted type of thing.
ATTICUS SHAFFER (Cont): And so, um, my mom like the home schooling mom that she is, uh, just went off and was able to, uh, rent the Maltese Falcon. We already had Casablanca and I just sat down and… and studied Peter Lorry’s voice and his accent and his emotions and everything. And… and formed what I formed.
Is it hard doing it in such a confined space where you’re just kind of in a room with Tim doing the acting or is… does that come kind of easily to you guys to imagine everything that’s…
CHARLIE TAHAN: I… I think, yeah, I actually in the voiceovers like maybe like a little easier than like doing live. I mean just ‘cause you don’t have to like it’s easier than live action ‘cause you don’t have to worry about like or stand or blocking or like hair and makeup. I don’t… but, um, mostly just focus on like just like your… your voice. And as far as like not having anybody else with you. Like I met Atticus yesterday for the first time and like the rest of the cast like a couple days ago. And, um, yeah, we nev… like it was always just us alone.
And, um, and…
ATTICUS SHAFFER: An… and especially with the fact of… of you have to have in live action… you have to worry about wardrobe. You have to worry about makeup. Memorizing lines. Acting out the lines. Being where you need to be when this line is supposed to be. Then you have to worry about other things like the camera running out of film. You need to reload it. Then positioning of the camera and everything. And it adds up to this huge large chunk of time. Whereas in voiceover you arrive in shorts and a tee shirt. Uh, and… and you don’t need to memorize your lines. You just focus all your energy into your voice and how the character is supposed to be. And then they only… they can record an endless amount of dialogue.
What did you guys think of your characters? What was your impression when you first met them?
CHARLIE TAHAN: Uh, Victor’s obvious… which not like crazy like Tim Burton-y like character or anything. And Tim just told me to be like a normal kid because I think it’s like Victor was kinda loosely based on like Tim’s childhood a little bit. Um, yeah, so he just told me to be like… like a real like… Tim’s yeah, like I said. I didn’t have to put on like a crazy voice obviously. But he’s, uh, he’s just like a real kid. So.
ATTICUS SHAFFER: And then for me, just being able to… ‘cause normally the roles I do I’ve never really done impressions or accents in… in television or movies before. And when I am in my TV series, uh, I’m just very calm. I’m usually like the kinda the centered type of person. Eye of the storm. And… and, uh, kind of knows how to figure out problems. Well in this one being able to just kind of go off in this crazy semi-villain with a good heart aspect it’s just so much fun and… and different to branch out and… and test my abilities that way.
What was your guys’s favorite scene to see on screen?
CHARLIE TAHAN: The, uh, I like the scene just when Victor like first brought Sparky back to life the first time. That was just visually really cool because like all the robots and stuff was like all like this big mad scientist lab. I thought that just looks cool.
ATTICUS SHAFFER: And then for me, I… I really loved the… the scene where all of the monsters are coming out while… while, uh, Elsa is singing in the Dutch Days festival. And they all kind of come out and be formed. And then I’ll create chaos and havoc throughout the New Holland. And, uh, I thought that that was so cool because it’s… it’s chaos, but it was so choreographed that it’s just m… like beautiful chaos in a way. So.
Did you get to go on set and look at the, uh, some of the puppets?
CHARLIE TAHAN: The… we… I… well I was in New York for like the whole filming. And, uh, I think he was in L.A. So and the animation studio was in London. So Tim was like not there for some of the time like when we were actually filming. But, um, we no like, uh,they showed us like they brought in some of the actual puppets. And we got to take home puppets when we were done with the movie. And like they showed us like sketches and stuff. So we knew like what was going on. We didn’t see it like in action.
ATTICUS SHAFFER: Their imagery was. And then obviously as we were getting closer and closer to where they were filming more, and they were able to show us like stop motion test footage of how the characters walk or run or jump or whatnot.
Atticus, did you have to… did you record your voices while you were doing your TV show? Was it during hiatus or…
ATTICUS SHAFFER: No. Actually it was… it was… it was, uh, it was a bit of both which was… which was very nice. I’m really happy that the… that the studio allowed me to do that. Is… is the first recording session I ever did was actually on the lot where we — where we film the show. And, um, it was actually very crazy because I… I… I… I told everyone I’m like, “Hey, guys. I’m in a Tim Burton movie and I’m going to record after I’m done with work today.” So at seven o’clock at night, I… I… er… er… six or seven o’clock at night I would leave work. Drive down for two minutes. And then at the other end of the lots and it’s like, alright here I am at my other job that I could spend four hours at. Like it here a little bit better. So, [LAUGHTER] uh, but no. And then… and then after that we did go, uh, it… it was mostly on hiatuses like big summer hiatuses. So I was able to go and, um, do… do them at the actually Disney, uh, Studios.
So Halloween’s coming up. What are you guys gonna be for Halloween and are you guys gonna get a chance to get on rides and which rides do you guys wanna get on?
CHARLIE TAHAN: I went on some rides last night for a little bit. And, um, Halloween’s like a big… well my family’s not like religious at all. So Halloween’s like our holiday I guess. I… I don’t know what I’m gonna be yet. But . . .
ATTICUS SHAFFER: For me I… OK. So, so where I live it’s right on the verge of ghetto. It’s kinda the redneck trailer park that’s near the ghetto. [LAUGHTER] So pretty much we’re gonna be protecting our property. And I’ll probably dress up as… as a crazy marauder to protect the property. [LAUGHTER] If they are trick or treaters, I’ll get candy that way. So. [LAUGHTER]
What’s it like meeting everybody else in the cast who did voices and being here with Tim Burton?
CHARLIE TAHAN: Yeah, it was cool ‘cause we… I met the rest of the cast like a couple days ago and Atticus yesterday. Um, you know, ‘cause it was weird. I… it was like I was skeptical because I didn’t know how… I guess Tim knows like how the other people said the lines that he wanted t choose. But, yeah, because I didn’t know like how ‘cause since, uh, we had done no recording sessions with anybody else. I was just by myself for — I only worked like ten days on the whole movie though. Um, yeah, it was cool.
ATTICUS SHAFFER: Yeah. And… and then for me being able to meet all these legends… all these… all these people that are following in… in… in Tim Burton’s legacy not only just Tim Burton himself, but Martin Landau and Catherine O’Hara. And… and everyone. Winona Ryder. Everything. It… it… it’s just this combination of all these people. That I… I admire to. And…and, um, uh, I… I hope to follow in the… in the legacy of what they are leaving behind.
Favorite Tim Burton movies, obviously besides this one?
ATTICUS SHAFFER: Yes.
Before coming to the project.
CHARLIE TAHAN: Nightmare Before Christmas. Pee Wee’s Big Adventure probably.
ATTICUS SHAFFER: An… and for me I love Corpse Bride. That was the first Tim Burton film I had seen start to finish ‘cause I had seen, you know, Nightmare Before Christmas in bits and pieces. And Edward Scissorhands in bits and pieces. But, uh, uh, Corpse Bride was one I saw from start to finish. And when — when I saw that I fell in love because it’s just this different mindset — this d– and away from the stereotypical view of things. And just having it all come together and — and be so amazing and mesmerizing in this different world that he creates. That it’s from his own mind. And he’s… again he’s formed this new world. And — and to be a part of that is just… it… it’s amazing.
What was your initial reaction like when you saw it for the first time on the big screen?
CHARLIE TAHAN: Of this… this?
Yeah. Like your voices…
CHARLIE TAHAN: Uh, the weirdest part was because Tim likes to actually film the actors while they’re, um, like while they’re actually like in their recording sessions. So the animators can like match up like the facial movements and the eye stuff. So to like make it more realistic. So I don’t even lo… look like Victor at all. But like he just sort of reminded me of myself.
ATTICUS SHAFFER: And if you’ve seen the images of Edgar, yes, I look a lot like Edgar, don’t I? [LAUGHTER] No, no, well, no, but I mean, uh, being a part of it or being able to be Edgar and seeing it for the first time ‘cause, uh, normally I… it’ll either be myself or it’ll just be my voice if it’s an animation project. So I know, oh yeah, that’s definitely me. I can see that’s definitely me. I hear my voice. I know it’s me. But being able to be on this thing where I… I’m… I’m so distorted but it’s distorted in a good way. And then having this different voice, different persona it’s like it’s… it’s an alternate version of me in this different universe. It’s something that I’ve created. It’s not necessarily me. And so to be able to see that for the first time, it… it… it’s… it’s wonderful because it’s like an artist who… who paints a picture. Paint is what you put onto the canvas. And then you have the… the… the person who’s hands kind of gives it movement. And then the… the person who gives part of their voice to give it, uh, have it be able to talk. And then the set designers built this world where it… where it lives in. It… it all comes together and creates this… this place that our own little monsters are able to be in a sense.
And it’s also, Charlie for your character… I mean you got some really emotional scenes to play. What were… what was that like? How did you kind of prepare for that yourself?
CHARLIE TAHAN: Uh, the real… like the only like emotional scenes really were just with like me and Sparky. And because like… like, uh, I’m… like I had scenes obviously with like other people. But like half my scenes were just like just with me and Sparky. So I have a dog of my own. So I just kind of imagined that my dog was there. So, um, [LAUGHS]
And what does it feel like for you guys when you get to see this with an audience and you see the reaction? I mean… people cry. There was a lot of laughing going on too. You were a big part of creating that. How does that feel for you?
ATTICUS SHAFFER: It… it definitely for me I… I… it feels so much closer to home because, um, after recording and before going, uh, to see the screening, um, our dog that we had for six years had passed away. And so I really was able to bond and feel what Victor felt. And… and my mom was… was, uh, tears were being shed in our… in our role. And so it definitely became closer in that sense.
CHARLIE TAHAN: And I… I mean like I… like I said I’ve been… Tim Burton’s like was my favorite director… or is one of my favorite directors since I was like first started acting. I was like three or four. And, uh, no, it’s just cool to see it all come together I guess.
Are there any other directors that you’d love to work with?
CHARLIE TAHAN: Oh, they’re like speci… I mean I… I… I’ll work with anyone. Like I just worked with like Woody Allen like a couple weeks ago just I only had like two months. But they’re still cool. I mean…
ATTICUS SHAFFER: An… and for me I would love to… I would also love to work with James Cameron because he is another, uh, ground-breaking type of person. I mean with the Terminator movies and… and Titanic and Avatar and everything. It just… they all come together and they’re some of my favorite movies of all time.
Was there anything about working with Tim that kind of surprised you? Anything about his process or him as a guy?
ATTICUS SHAFFER: For me it’s… it’s… it’s definitely because of the fact that he knows exactly what he wants. It’s… it’s not in a sense of a di… of a dictator or anything like that. No. But being able to have this person who does whatever he wants, he’s not being cryptic about it and trying… trying to, uh, or… or make you guess at it. No. He’s just… he’s very this is exactly how I want it. And then us as actors we like information is conveyed to us. It is OK, I know exactly what you mean now. I can at that out and play the part.
CHARLIE TAHAN: Yeah, I use — like what Atticus said like he knows like how he wanted the scenes especially because Frankenweenie’s like about… about like, sort of about his childhood I guess. So yeah, he knows how like he wants the characters to be and how he wants scenes to be. And he was surprisingly normal. I mean not I didn’t expect him to be some like crazy like ahhh guy. [LAUGHTER] But I don’t know, he’s just like just a normal guy.
Yeah, I think that would be real surprising for a lot of people because he has such a specific vision and it is so different and everything is edgy. I mean even Hero is, you know, is dark…
ATTICUS SHAFFER: Dark. Yeah, it is. Yeah.
In that world so it’s sorta like a lot of people wouldn’t picture that he’d be a guy, you know, sitting down and eating apple pie or something like that.
ATTICUS SHAFFER: That’s still not true. Yeah.
What genres have you decided to work in like sci-fi, adventure…
CHARLIE TAHAN: I’ve… I’ve done like I… I feel like I’m always like the little like kid and like distraught. I… I’ve never done like an actual like comedy. Like I’m always like hoooo, like I don’t know. I’ve never done like an actual comedy in movies. Just kinda been like I’ve b– I’ve been in like dramas and like some action I guess. Yeah, I… I… I’ve never done like an action… but I guess there’s no like real like roles for like a fourteen year old boy. Like a good comedy.
ATTICUS SHAFFER: And for me I mean I love… I love… love comedy. That’s what I… I normally do. But being a part of like a dark comedy like this in a sense, it really is cool and different. I would love to do more Tim Burton and stuff if I’m able to. Uh, but also, uh, uh, being able to work on… on my favorite genres are like action and… and whatnot. And in sci fi I’m big like… I’m pretty much a big nerd. And I love all that stuff. Um, and so being on something like that or being on, uh, being on a film, probably a dramatic film with Liam Neeson or Russell Crowe would be, uh, a dream come true for me.
Atticus, do you think Brick and Edgar would hang out at school?
ATTICUS SHAFFER: I think they would. I really think they would. Brick might be a little freaked out at first. But… but as a… as a… as a crossover I think that’d be a very in… very interesting thing. And probably very similarities because they both wear striped shirts. So I think they could bond on that. [LAUGHTER]
You guys are both so young and you’ve had so much success already. I’m curious, do you remember back to making the decision you wanted to be an actor?
CHARLIE TAHAN: I didn’t even like… it wasn’t like I was like oh I wanna be an actor. Like I don’t know. When I was like really little like my dad always showed me like the Monty Python when I was like three. And, uh, I like… like… I got dressed like Peter Pan from like preschool to like second grade. And, um, and I… I took like acting classes at the Y. And we had like family friends that like their kids were kind of in the business. And I did like a commercial for like… for a summer. And no, I never stopped.
ATTICUS SHAFFER: And for me just because of my condition, osteo-genesis-imperfecta, I was the, uh, that’s not the reason why, but, uh, at my… at the hospital I would always go to I… I became the poster child. And, um, I would have to go to banquets and make speeches and whatnot. And I was… I wasn’t really too afraid of being in front of people or… or nervousness or stage fright or anything. I didn’t get that to like, uh, a very r… really large degree. And so, um, uh, the other thing… I got distracted. Someone came in, sorry. [LAUGHS] Uh, no, but ahhh-ahhh. [LAUGHTER] Hey, hi. No. Um, no, but and then backtracking a little bit too, uh, my mom and I… we would just always read stories out loud. We would do like little character voices and whatnot. We would just that– that’s what we did. We… it wasn’t like we’re gonna make my son a star! [LAUGHTER] No, it was never that. It was never that. No, we’re… we were very simple. My mom just… my mom even still to this day she’s not like this big, you know, gets all these clothes and whatnot. She just… she prefers to read a book or… or be in her garden and garden. But, um, we would all just read out loud. Read character voices together. And, um, and… and, uh, after going to the banquets and whatnot, uh, she just said, “You know, it be… wouldn’t it be the cutest thing if he was, uh, uh, a cartoon character or a book on tape reader or something like that?” And, um, uh, my dad at his job and a friend of his came up and said, “Hey, this is my son in this magazine right here.” Just for a picture for like, you know, Target Super Saver deal or something. Um, and my dad just was asking, you know, how did he get into it? And so he kind of just saying how… how, uh, how it was to… that he got into the business. And, um, through the course of time just kind of looking into it a little bit more, people kept saying, “Oh, why don’t you try theatrical as well? Like I’ll send you out for voiceover, but why don’t you try theatrical as well?” And we thought about it. And so we kinda just signed up. And it was actually even an accident I went on a theatrical audition. And I booked it. And, uh, and so it kinda of snowballed from there.
See the electrifying new trailer and character banners (along with the descriptions) for Tim Burton’s FRANKENWEENIE.
From creative genius Tim Burton (“Alice in Wonderland,” The Nightmare Before Christmas”) comes FRANKENWEENIE, a heartwarming tale about a boy and his dog. After unexpectedly losing his beloved dog Sparky, young Victor harnesses the power of science to bring his best friend back to life—with just a few minor adjustments. He tries to hide his home-sewn creation, but when Sparky gets out, Victor’s fellow students, teachers and the entire town all learn that getting a new “leash on life” can be monstrous.
A stop-motion animated film, FRANKENWEENIE was filmed in black and white and rendered in 3D. The talented voice cast includes: Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, Martin Landau, Charlie Tahan, Atticus Shaffer, Robert Capron, Conchata Ferrell and Winona Ryder.
Presented by Disney, FRANKENWEENIE is directed by Tim Burton, produced by Tim Burton and Allison Abbate, from a screenplay by John August, based on an original idea by Tim Burton. FRANKENWEENIEreleases in U.S. theaters on October 5, 2012.
Victor Frankenstein is a clever and industrious 10-year-old boy who is inspired by science. He lives with his parents and dog, Sparky, in the town of New Holland. Victor immerses himself in making films and inventing in his attic workshop. When Sparky dies in a car accident, Victor uses scientific ingenuity to bring him back to life.
(voiced by Winona Ryder)
Elsa Van Helsing is a soulful and somber classmate of Victor. She lives next door to him with her tyrant uncle, Mayor Burgemeister, who forces her to be this year’s “Little Dutch Girl” at the town’s celebration of Dutch Day. Elsa also has a beloved pet, her poodle Persephone, and truly empathizes with Victor when he loses Sparky.
(Voiced by Catherine O’Hara & Martin Short )
Mr. Frankenstein is a travel agent, friendly and social, who likes to dispense roundabout advice to his son. He is proud of Victor’s accomplishments, but is concerned he doesn’t have any friends other than Sparky. He would prefer his son be more social and encourages him to join the baseball team. Mr. Frankenstein has a playful and loving relationship with his wife, Victor’s mom.
Mrs. Frankenstein is a loving and supportive mother who encourages her son’s scientific pursuits, even when her kitchen appliances end up in his attic lab. She is an avid reader and loves to watch movies with her husband and enjoys the company of her family and her books.
Persephone is a perfectly groomed black poodle with an enormously large poof of hair on her head. She is curious and flirtatious with Sparky and fiercely loyal to Elsa, her owner. When Persephone and Sparky first meet in the backyard, the attraction is instantaneous and electrifying.
(voiced by James Hiroyuki Liao)
Toshiaki is over-achieving and mega-competitive. He delights in beating Victor at his own game and like a power-hungry, mad scientist, Toshiaki will stop at nothing to win the top prize in the school’s science fair—even if it means stealing Victor’s ideas to do it.
(voiced by Conchata Ferrell)
Bob’s Mom is a plump, suburban housewife who is prone to panic and hysteria when things go awry. She has very simple, stereotypical views on life, which she isn’t shy about sharing with the community. She dotes on her son Bob and believes her actions, though often misguided, are in his best interest.
(voiced by Robert Capron)
Bob is a momma’s boy who is the brawn to Toshiaki’s brains. He is agreeable and never mean-spirited, but on the flip side he’s easily led and gullible. Bob follows Toshiaki everywhere, but is the first one to run to Victor for help when he gets in over his head.
Tim Burton’s new film FRANKENWEENIE might not come out until October, but we have the new one sheet to try and hold you over!
From creative genius Tim Burton (“Alice in Wonderland,” The Nightmare Before Christmas”) comes “Frankenweenie,” a heartwarming tale about a boy and his dog. After unexpectedly losing his beloved dog Sparky, young Victor harnesses the power of science to bring his best friend back to life—with just a few minor adjustments. He tries to hide his home-sewn creation, but when Sparky gets out, Victor’s fellow students, teachers and the entire town all learn that getting a new “leash on life” can be monstrous.
Starring Winona Ryder, Martin Short, Catherine O’Hara, Martin Landau, Charlie Tahan, Atticus Shaffer, Robert Capron, and Conchata Ferrell, FRANKENWEENIEhits theaters October 5th.
Disney has sent us some new info about the upcoming comedy adventure FRANKENWEENIE. In Tim Burton’s FRANKENWEENIE, young Victor conducts a science experiment to bring his beloved dog Sparky back to life, only to face unintended, sometimes monstrous, consequences. The voice cast includes Winona Ryder, Martin Short, Catherine O’Hara, Martin Landau, Charlie Tahan, and Atticus Shaffer. The film is scheduled for a October 5, 2012 release.
Synopsis:
From creative genius Tim Burton (“Alice in Wonderland,” The Nightmare Before Christmas”) comes “Frankenweenie,” a heartwarming tale about a boy and his dog. After unexpectedly losing his beloved dog Sparky, young Victor harnesses the power of science to bring his best friend back to life—with just a few minor adjustments. He tries to hide his home-sewn creation, but when Sparky gets out, Victor’s fellow students, teachers and the entire town all learn that getting a new “leash on life” can be monstrous.
A stop-motion animated film, FRANKENWEENIE will be filmed in black and white and rendered in 3D, which will elevate the classic style to a whole new experience.
Movie Facts:
When Tim Burton originally conceived the idea for FRANKENWEENIE, he envisioned it as a full-length, stop-motion animated film. Due to budget constraints, he instead directed it as a live-action short, released in 1984.
FRANKENWEENIE follows in the footsteps of Tim Burton’s other stop-motion animated films “Corpse Bride” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas”—both of which were nominated for Academy Awards®.
Over 200 puppets and sets were created for the film.
The voice cast includes four actors who worked with Burton on previous films: Winona Ryder (“Beetlejuice,” “Edward Scissorhands”), Catherine O’Hara (“Beetlejuice,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas”), Martin Short (“Mars Attacks!”) and Martin Landau (“Ed Wood,” Sleepy Hollow”).
Several of the character names—Victor, Elsa Van Helsing, Edgar “E” Gore and Mr. Burgermeister— were inspired by classic horror films.
What if you never really had to lose the one person that you really love, as long as you gave up living your own life?
Charlie St. Cloud (Zac Efron) and his brother Sam (Charlie Tahan) were inseparable. They were an unstoppable team of sailors, but more importantly, the best of friends. Charlie took on a lot of responsibility with his brother, watching him while his mother worked, and even teaching him the fundamentals of baseball. He had promised Sam that for one hour, every day until he left for college, that he would practice baseball with him.Who knew that this promise would carry on the way it did…
On graduation night, Charlie gets stuck babysitting, so he tries to sneak out of the house to go see his friends. This backfires a bit when his brother catches him and asks to be dropped off at a friends house. While in the car they are hit by a drunk driver and Sam does not make it. Charlie’s world is crushed, until he sees his brother in the woods, reminding them that they have a deal to practice every day until Charlie leaves. The problem is, that five years later, Charlie is still there. He passed up college, sailing, and any sort of a relationship just so he could fulfill his promise to Sam. Should he spend his life waiting to see his dead brother every day, or start living his own?
I expected this movie to be cute, but I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. Efron was so vulnerable, yet charismatic as Charlie St. Cloud. You couldn’t help but wonder what you would do if you were in his position… and I am not sure how clear that answer really is. Imagine, what if you didn’t have to ever lose your loved ones? You could continue to see them, but you had to put your life on hold. I’m sure that we all have someone that would make this a tough choice. This film was a very good change of pace for Efron, and I think that he has quite a bit of staying power on the screen. Charlie Tahan was a scene stealer! This kid was funny, and he pretty much dominated every scene that he was in. He and Efron had an amazing chemistry as the St. Cloud brothers.
Obviously, with a storyline like this, you can figure out to an extent how it’s going to end. In this case I don’t think that it is a bad thing. This is a refreshing movie about letting go, without forgetting the ones you love. It’s about living your life. If it were to have some weird, twisted ending, the movie would have lost its hopeful, uplifting nature. So, as predictable as the ending is, I was not disappointed.
The only thing that was slightly odd at first, but made sense later, was that after 5 years of playing baseball Sam did not really improve. I am guessing that nothing about his state could change, since he was frozen in time. He could carry on conversations, and keep current on new events, so I would think that if his brain could move forward, that so could his baseball skills. I guess I can overlook this since it’s not really the point of the film.
I think this film is a much needed change of pace for movie goers. I would just bring a box of tissue, because you are going to cry at some point.
