Comments on: Producer Speaks Up About Red Sonja Remake

By: Carlos

Carlos — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:13:26 +0000

So let me get this straight. This rant comes from Gatta, who is remaking Conan!, with Jason Momoa. Okay. I like Jason Momoa, but Conan…sorry. You can make whatever take on it you want. Ever consider why is it that still today, you do not find either original Conan movies with Arnold on the bargain bin. Oh…that is because they still sell well Mr. Gatta. Why, because he brings the character to life on the screen. Look at the comic books and you will see why.
So, who will play Red Sonja. Instead of doing like the original producers of Conan, who hired Arnold because he “LOOKED” exactly like the comic book Conan character come to life, Rose McGowan was first tried for the role. So instead of getting the right looking Red Sonja, let’s say….April Moore to play the part of Red Sonja, you back the current Conan, and agree with the choosing of the current starlets to play Red Sonja. Okay! One question Mr. Gatta, were you expecting me to “BUY” the DVD of the movie, hmmmm…..
And likewise the subsequent other movies following the first one. I guess its true. Hollywood is the magic land of make believe and we can all have our personal dreams after all. If you are not willing to give us the customers of your films the fantasy we want, but instead want to feed us the views of your personal choices Mr. Gatta, can you please spell the words T-R-A-I-N W-R-E-C-K- and D-V-D S-A-L-E-S. Hey the original one still sells well, will yours? Okay! We are all entitled to our fantasies I guess. I only hope that one day, sometime in the future, many years later; someone makes a re-make of both movies, gets the right actors to bring the characters alive on the 3D screen, giving us all a chance to finally enjoy a good re-make of Conan and Red Sonja at last. That does work for me. Thank you for not fulfilling my needs for memorable movies, and really looking forward to the dissapointing choice of actors; in both movies. And I still like Momoa. Just…wish he had done another role that would define him as an action superstar. This one unfortunately may not. If it does, wish him the best. But….

By: pvphoto

pvphoto — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 02:57:28 +0000

Rose McGowan as Red Sonja? Please, has anyone involved read the books? If I see one more skinny actress passed off as a action hero I will throw up! I'm sure there must be an actress out there somewhere that looks like she could actually pick up a sword and hurt someone other than herself. I guess they feel that a woman with muscles would be unattractive to the 12 to 25 crowd! As far as Frezetta and Vallejo not having strong warrior women in their illustrations that is not entirely true, but you have to consider that they are men drawing women. Perhaps you would be better served by looking at some of Julie Bells art, such as “Robo Bird” 1991. Julie was herself a competitive bodybuilder and is very attractive!

By: pvphoto

pvphoto — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 19:57:28 +0000

By: Capt. John Swallow

Capt. John Swallow — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:50:59 +0000

I would hardly cite “inspired by and changed the spelling” as an “original creation”

“Red Sonja, the She-Devil with a Sword, is a fictional character, a high fantasy sword and sorcery heroine created by Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith who adapted the character from Red Sonya of Rogatino (“Shadow Of The Vulture” 1934) created by Robert E. Howard . She first appeared in Conan the Barbarian #23 (Marvel Comics).”

There seems to be some question about REH’s character Red Sonya as I’m certain I remember her in a Conan novel (‘course I’ve not read it in 30 years)…perhaps I’ve confused her with Valerian (though they look nothing alike).

It seems, in fact, that Howard’s Red Sonya actually qualified as “historical fiction” – using actual persons and events in the story.

“The Shadow of the Vulture” is historical fiction, set in the 16th century. It uses the career of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (also known as Sultan Suleiman I), the aftermath of the Battle of Mohács and the later Siege of Vienna of 1529 as a backdrop for imaginary characters and events.

In the story, Red Sonya is a gun-slinging warrior woman of Polish-Ukrainan origin with a grudge against the Ottoman sultan, the eponymous red hair and a fiery temper to match.

It was revealed in the narrative that she was sibling to the favourite of Sulemain himself, the ruthenian harem-girl Roxelana, who ended up marrying him as sole legal wife.

Howard’s Red Sonya had no connection to his Conan the Barbarian character. It was Roy Thomas and Barry Smith in Marvel Comics’ Conan the Barbarian title who transposed Red Sonya into the Hyborian Age, changing the spelling of her name in the process.

There were a few “strong warrior women” in Howard’s works – and in Frazetta’s art (and Boris Vallejo following).
…and the novels are as graphic -if not more – than the comics. Robert E. Howard was one of the kings of American Pulp Fiction…the bastard child of England’s Penny Dreadfuls…

By: Kitty

Kitty — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:43:54 +0000

Capt Swallow:

You would be incorrect. Red Sonja is NOT an original RE Howard creation, but was introduced for Marvel’s Conan comics in the 1970s and created by Roy Thomas. They are exactly correct.

RE Howard had a character named Red Sonya (note the difference in spelling) who was a Russian woman and not set in the Hyborian setting at all.

While we’re on the topic of reading, I suggest you read those 70s comics, especially the magazine-format Savage Sword of Conan that lasted through the mid-late 80s. Violent is hardly strong enough a word for them, intelligently written and perfectly evocative of the harsh yet starkly beautiful world of REH’s Conan stories. If the Conan and Red Sonja films can achieve on the screen what those books did on the printed page, then the result would be worthy to show Crom himself.

By: Rose McGowan Tweets Some “Red Sonja” Updates - Screen Rant

Rose McGowan Tweets Some “Red Sonja” Updates - Screen Rant — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:18:42 +0000

[...] It seems like anyone waiting to see Rose McGowan wield a giant sword in Red Sonja will have to wait a while longer – haven’t we said this before? [...]

By: Capt. John Swallow

Capt. John Swallow — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 23:29:00 +0000

Geez…”the original comic…”?
Ever hear of Robert E. Howard ye festering boil?!?
Of course ye’d have to READ…though even if y’d looked at the drawings of Frank Frazetta ye’d know those both predated Stan Lee’s Marvel by about 40 years.

And how about a Valkyrie for Sonja – a woman of stature who could have actually survived in that time and place?
http://tinyurl.com/nmsqyl

By: Mikeyboy

Mikeyboy — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:06:38 +0000

Hey..Did you see Planet Terror? Then you know it’s gonna be good…

By: FireChkn

FireChkn — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:30:08 +0000

I am a RR fan and Rose fan. She was awesome in Charmed. But I’m a little leary about her being Red. She is very tiny and she’d probably fall over trying to swing a sword that’s most likely bigger and heavier then she is, lol. You never know though. Now if China wasn’t a nutcase like she is now, there’s the perfect reincarnation of Red but now she would just be really bad.

By: hamlet3k

hamlet3k — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:06:58 +0000

Terrible grammar, hamlet3k. That’s what you get for trying to edit while you’re still forming your thoughts. What I meant to say was, “Well, the guy’s CV says it all: He AD’ed on a ton of stuff, some good, some god-awful, directed the… ” Don’t know where that extra “directed something” came from.

Heh.

By: hamlet3k

hamlet3k — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:04:34 +0000

Well, the guy’s CV says it all: He directed something AD on a ton of stuff, some good, some god-awful, directed the terrible “Endgame” and then slipped back to AD or Second Unit. But being an AD, Second Unit AD or even Second Unit Director ain’t the same as being a director, no matter how close you are to being top dog. You still answer to someone in charge.

One of the worst abominations to be vomited to the screen, “Battlefield Earth” was directed by Roger Christian, Second Unit Director of “Star Wars: Episode One”. I rest my case.

By: greenknight333

greenknight333 — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 23:24:48 +0000

They should rename this:

“How some studio let me waste 50 million dollars to make a peice of tripe and then gave me another 40 million to market the failure”

I know it’s too long but I think it’s a better title..

By: steven the git

steven the git — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:10:48 +0000

The original is a bit on the daft side, but enjoyable nonetheless. A brand new concept would be interesting, however I’m not too hopeful.

By: Bill Blume

Bill Blume — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 20:55:34 +0000

Frankly, the change in the timetable doesn’t seem like much of a coincidence. I’m inclined to believe that for “Red Sonja” to even get into production, “Conan” will have to prove itself successful at the box office. Otherwise, I suspect we won’t see anything happen with “Red Sonja.”

By: Tim

Tim — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 20:41:28 +0000

Rose… McGowan… Seriously??? ugh…

By: Manowar

Manowar — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 20:11:00 +0000

She is sooo petite for that role. Is she even going to be able to lift a real sword???

By: Gary

Gary — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 20:00:49 +0000

I want it to be good .
I hope it is .

By: John "Kahless" Taylor

John "Kahless" Taylor — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:12:53 +0000

Ignoring the previous incarnation is admirable but like Vic said, I can’t believe this will be that good.

By: Vic Holtreman

Vic Holtreman — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:49:38 +0000

I would be honestly stunned if this movie turned out to be anything decent at all.

Vic