From the page to the screen - 25 movies that not only made the toughest of transitions but could hold their own against the best action and adventure movies of their time
From the page to the screen - 25 movies that not only made the toughest of transitions but could hold their own against the best action and adventure movies of their time
The Dark Knight
Reappraising The Dark Knight after the hype has settled, and away from the thrilling IMAX presentation, its reputation as the greatest superhero film stands up thanks to its thrillingly uncivilised ideas (the Joker's provocative nihilism, Batman's flirtation with fascism) and the performances, most famously Heath Ledger's Oscar-winning embodiment of the Joker as a mangy street-dog and loner - an alluring, attractive force, with neither origin nor cause, who operates outside of the binary of cops and criminals. Twin him with Omar from 'The Wire', the killer who preys on drug dealers who has become a cult figure with similar appeal.
Matthew De Abaitua
Akira
The daddy of all Manga movies, Akira hasn't aged since it was released in 1988. Regarded by critics as one of the greatest animated films ever, it's a post-apocalyptic tale in which rival biker gangs go to war in the Tokyo of tomorrow. Amazingly, both George Lucas and Steven Spielberg- when asked for an opinion - believed the film would do zero business if released in the US. Just the sort of visionary awareness you'd expect from the men behind Howard The Duck and A.I..
Oliver Parsons
American Splendor
Comic book creator Harvey Pekar farmed his image out to a number of cartoonists including Robert Crumb, inviting them all to draw him in their own unique style. This part-documentary; part-biopic puts this fact to good use, presenting Pekar in various styles alongside interviews with the man himself. The mundane day-to-day of Pekar's life as a hospital clerk is energized by this scrapbook effect. And there's much fun to be had in comparing the cartoon characters to their real life inspirations.
Holly Grigg-Spall
Batman Returns
Cast your mind back to the scorching summer of 1989. Remember what a huge deal Tim Burton's Batman was? Those restricted set-reports! That massive press campaign! That Prince soundtrack! 'Batmania' they called it. However, this writer also remembers a conversation between two girls at a bus stop, slathered with that ubiquitous black and yellow poster, a week after it came out. "Saw that the other day." "Wossit like?" "Bit boring." History hasn't been particularly kind to Batman (less so to Prince's score. Wither 'Lemon Crush'?) Nevertheless, it did generate $750 million worth of merchandise which meant sequel time. Burton hadn't originally signed up for a follow-up (ah, such innocent times), describing such a prospect as "a dumbfounded idea" and even admitting the original was, yes, "a little boring at times". Any subsequent film would have to be treated like "another Batman movie altogether". And so it was: without stinting on the pathos (Danny DeVito's Penguin) or sex appeal (Michelle Pfeiffer's astoundingly horny Catwoman), Burton would give full vent to his German Expressionist tendencies (see Christopher Walken's second-tier baddie Max Shrek) and cartoonish indulgences. This was more like it! Pre-Batman Begins, Batman Returns is the best Batman film in the canon. No Prince, either.
Ali Catterall
Blade II
After the false dawn of Mimic in 1997, Guillermo Del Toro's assault on America cinema began anew with this, that rare sequel that completely wees all over the original. While Wesley Snipes is no great shakes as the monosyllabic vampire slayer, Del Toro's approach to action cinema, married to his Mexican appreciation of the vampire myth, made him the perfect person to retool Marvel's Day Walker. A film so good, not even the presence of Luke 'Bros' Goss and a crappy sequel can spoil it.
Richard Luck
Next page • Next time - Constantine takes on Ghost In The Shell
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