Full SPEED Ahead!
After the Wachowski Siblings released the first trailers for their upcoming live action version of the seventies cartoon classic Speed Racer, many movie fanboys spent far too many hours bashing the kaleidescopic visuals. Nevermind that most of these fanboys were yet to make an appearance as anything other than watery ejaculate when the cartoon was at its peak.
I, on the other hand, was a five year old boy during this time - thank goodness Logan’s Run never came true! - and I know as well as anyone what made the cartoon work: THE CAR, THE CAR, THE CAR.
The characters were basically non-existent, the animation barely moved, and very little of the weekly story made any sort of sense. Yet, that damned car fueled the imaginations of an entire generation of boys in America. “What could you do if you had Speed Racer’s Mach Five?” we would ask ourselves. The answer was, as always, “anything we damn well pleased.”
And yeah, we used the word “damn” at five years old. When Mom wasn’t around, that is.
As a long-term/ancient fan of the cartoon, I was filled with apprehension after watching the trailers. It seemed to me that the Wachowski Siblings spent too much time trying to emulate the crappy animation of the series - something that nobody fondly remembers or ever wanted to see again. Additionally, the Mach Five never really made much of an impression in any of the trailers … and as I’ve made clear, that’s the whole point.
Well, I am happy to report that they have fixed this little glitch with the new domestic trailer for the movie. Not only do we get to see the Mach Five in its full glory - complete with that “yawnk yawnk yawnk” sound we love so much - but we also get to see the characters interact on a personal level.
Here is the brand new trailer for Speed Racer:
Here it is in HIGH DEF!
I think Susan Sarandon looks much better in the Mom role than I had feared. I also thought the action scenes made much more sense visually than I had seen them represented previously. While the plot still sounds like limp catshit, the Wachowski Siblings appear to be on the right track in capturing the feel of racing with this movie.
FULL SPEED AHEAD INDEED!!!
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I just can’t get away with this picture at all, totally not my kind of thing.
It just reminds me of Micro Machines and it’s pinball levels.
Comment by Matt Holmes | March 13, 2008
Here’s how I see it…
The Wachowskis are fans of the show like many other people are. What they’re trying to do is make a Speed Racer for the 21st century while taking some aspects of the show. For example, they used some new HD cameras to have the feel of how everything’s in focus in the anime.
Then, there the colors. I guess they want to make a film that has every color their previous films didn’t. Maybe to show they aren’t just going to stick with dark colors.
Also, the racing. A regular racing film would just be boring for the general public. So, they decided to make the races look crazy.
And for the tone. The anime is general looked at as a cheesy kid/family type of show and they’re making it that way. They said they wanted to make a film their nieces, nephews, and other kids can watch. Supposedly they’re going for a G rating. But, from what I hear, the film seems to be PG or PG-13. I guess it depends on how they cut it.
Overall, it looks like a cheesy, fun, family film. And it looks crazy. I assume that’s what they’re going for
Comment by Lencho | March 13, 2008
This trailer does nothing to make me want to see this film. I’m no fan of SR but then again I was no fan of LOTR either and I thought The Two Towers was good.
This flick seems like it was made for 6 year olds.
Comment by JaySmack | March 13, 2008
@ Lencho - Exactly right.
@ Jaysmack - I cannot believe you typed the following sentence: “This flick seems like it was made for six year olds.”
You do, of course, understand, that this movie is based on a cartoon for six year olds???? Hopefully you weren’t expecting to see a SPEED RACER movie in which Speed throws TRixie down and rapes her, while Racer X goes on a serial killing spree and Spritle sucks Chim Chim’s dick.
It’s SPEED RACER!!! Why in the hell doesn’t anyone understand that???
Comment by Ray | March 13, 2008
lol
Despite all odds, I’m looking forward to this film.
Comment by Hellen | March 15, 2008
Ray,
That was hilarious.
I will add that they are literally making a live-action cartoon. Not just a live-action adaption. Take all the stuff you see in the cartoon and imagine it as live-action. Look at the smoke in the desert scenes. You know they easily can make realistic CGI smoke. It looks more like 2D/3D smoke. Just like you would see in the cartoon.
If people looked at this way, they would understand that the Wachowskis are doing something different and be less harsh towards the film.
Comment by Lencho | March 15, 2008
Also, if you look at the crowd scenes, you can see the same people over and over again and the way the lights flash from their cameras is cartoony.
Comment by Lencho | March 15, 2008
Ray, since SR is aimed at 6 year-olds guess that means you’ll be there opening weekend?
I’m fully aware of SR’s origins, are you? Because you sure don’t sound like it. The Wachowski’s aren’t exactly known for making kiddie-films. Why the hell don’t YOU understand THAT?
BTW When I want an uninformed, unsolicited opinion– I’ll ask for it.
Til then please, shut your trap unless and until I come to talk to you, which I can promise will NEVER happen.
Comment by JaySmack | March 15, 2008
@ JaySmack - Of course I am aware of Speed Racer’s origins. Of course, it’s fairly obvious to anyone with a brain stem that The Wachowski’s are not making a version of the original Japanese show, which was much more violent. Somehow, though, that little bit of obviousness eluded you completely.
Sorry to mock your handicap in a public forum, you idiotic fucktard.
Comment by Ray | March 15, 2008