Total Film June 2012

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MAY 2012 ISSUE 192 TOTALFILM.COM

EXCLUSIVE!

‘This is a war movie!’ Joss Whedon

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THE SUMMER PREVIEW BLOCKBUSTERS & BEYOND! EVERY FILM YOU NEED TO SEE...

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COLN: N I L M A H A R AB E HUNTER VAMPIR

PLUS Ray Winstone on The Sweeney • Mary Elizabeth Winstead • Darth Vader in therapy The scariest movie of 2012 • The Goonies reunited • Battleship: Transformers on water?

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totaL FiLm 177 192 AVENGERS ASSEMBLE ● THE SUMMER PREVIEW ● RAYY WINSTONE ● THE GOONIES ● DARK SHADOWS

34 ESSENTIAL SUMMER MOVIES

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may may2012 Issue192 Issue

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>onthecover 64| avenGersassemBLe Moresuperheroesthanyoucanshake ahammeratinMarvel’smash-up.We slipintolycratogetallthegoss.

86| DarkshaDows Thelastfilmtheymadenettedbillions.

CanDeppandBurtondothesamewith theirTVshowre-vamp?

46

Chrishemsworthand palsgotoTheCabin InTheWoods.

theGoonies arebackin theframe.

71| thesummerpreview Nosunscreenrequiredforthesesummer adventures...Getyourcalendarready.

90| marYeLiZaBethwinsteaD AbrahamLincoln’svampirehunteris morethanjustasaucycheerleader.

106| tFCLassiC:theGoonies We’rebackattheGoonDockswithour favourite’80sgang.“Mybike,mybike!”

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64

thor and Captain thorandCaptain americagotowar. america go to war.

>Buzz news

>agenda views

>screen reviews

13 | G.i. Joe: retaliation OnsetofHasbro’ssuper-soldiersequel.

33 | Ben Drew Why his film career isn’t just a Plan B.

16 | men in Black 3 Wetellyouwhyitwon’tblow.

34 | sound of my voice It’sMarthaMarcyMayMarlene...backwards!

18 | how i spent my summer vacation Directorrecountshowhedumped MelGibsonintoaMexicanprison.

35 | Jeremy irvine Has Great Expectations but Now Is Good.

outnow Ghostrider2: spiritofvengeance ... p58 JohnCarter...................p52 theraven ............. p56 StarWars:Episode13D....p58 wanderlust ............ p51

20 | my movie Life KeithChegwinreallyhatesWarHorse, butlovesDumbAndDumber...

37 | silent house ElizabethOlseninsingle-take scarymovie.

38 | Classic scene: the Graduate Arriving at the church on time (sort of).

22 | marvel vs DC! Spidey,IronMan,Batman,Superman...

Thesuperherosmack-downison!

40 | agenda hero: Dennis Quaid The Innerspace star on his incredible journey.

30 | 60-second screenplay Shamegetsthesnip.

42 | richard ayoade Our columnist gets cast in a blockbuster movie.

4 |4Total | Total Film Film | xxx | May 20112012

16marCh OnceUponA TimeInAnatolia.............p57 inDarkness .................p54 19marCh TheLibertines ...............p58 23marCh actofvalour ...............p54 TheKidWithABike.........p56 wildBill................ p50

28marCh ThePirates!InAnAdventure WithScientists!..............p48 30marCh Babycall .....................p49 Gone ..........................p50 streetDance2..............p55 Switch.........................p57 4apriL ironsky................ p55 6apriL Headhunters ................p57 thismustBetheplace p49 11apriL Buck ...........................p49 theCabininthewoodsp46

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13

the therockand rock and Brucewillisstarin Bruce willis star in G.i.Joe:retaliation.

G.i .Joe: retaliation.

98

Descending Descendingintoterror into terror in inTheInnkeepers.

The Innkeepers.

122

BradpittandJonahhill Brad pitt and Jonah hill aresoMoneyball. are so Moneyball.

thismonth... month... > this

every month... >everymonth...

80 | Battleship DirectorPeterBergandhismuscularcasttelluswhytheir actionspectacularwillblowyououtthewater.

9| Dialogue YouaskusaboutPrometheus,EliRothandChris Nolan.Weansweryou(sometimesevenseriously).

94 | Baddies on the couch DarthVaderandcinema’sbiggestbadguys Darth Vader and cinema’s biggest bad guys getpsychoanalysed!It’snottheirfault... get psychoanalysed! It’s not their fault...

121|Lounge

98 | the innkeepers Spendanightwatchingthescariest hotelmoviesinceTheShining.

Moneyball,Hugo, Moneyball TintinandTheDevils;plus onlocationofMorgan Spurlock’sNew Britannia NewBritannia.

102 | vincent Cassel Thewiry,wiredFrenchman onHollywood,monksand fireextinguishers.

150 150| Competition WinaTVandDVDplayerwithTheThing.

Win a TV and DVD player with

112 | tF interview: ray winstone BigRaytalksTheSweeney,SnowWhite Snow White AndTheHuntsmanandhis35-year-career. and his 35-year-career.

154| 154 totaLFiLmloves...

CillianMurphy’sScarecrowinBatmanBegins.

Cillian Murphy’s Scarecrow in Allittakesisburlapandimagination...

All it takes is burlap and imagination...

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Act Of Valour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p54 Babycall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p49 Bill Cunningham New York . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p58 Bonsái . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p54 Booked Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p57 Breaking Wind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p58 Buck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p49 The Cabin In The Woods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p46 A Cat In Paris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p50 Cleanskin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p51 Corpo Celeste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p56 Delicacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p49 Four Horsemen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p57 Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance. . . . . . . . . . . . p58 Gone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p50 Hard Boiled Sweets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p50 Headhunters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p57 How To Re-Establish A Vodka Empire . . . . . . . p56 If Not Us, Who? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p54 In Darkness: A Tale Of Death, A Tale Of Life p54 Into The Abyss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p54 Iron Sky. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p55 The Island President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p55 John Carter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p52 The Kid With A Bike . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p56 La Grande Illusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p51 La Havre. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p49 The Libertines: There Are No Innocent Bystanders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p58 North Sea Texas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p50 Once Upon A Time In Anatolia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p57 The Pirates! In An Adventure With Scientists! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p48 Project X. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p51 The Raven. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p56 Return . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p51 Star Wars: Episode I 3D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p58 StreetDance 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p55 Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p57 Tiny Furniture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p55 This Is Not A Film. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p55 This Must Be The Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p49 Wanderlust. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p51 Wild Bill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p50

news & Features

47 Ronin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p34 Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. . . . . . . . . . p78 Afro Samurai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p34 The Amazing Spider-Man . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p76 American Pie: Reunion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p72 Avengers Assemble. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p64 Battleship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p80 The Bourne Legacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p78 Brave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p78 The Dark Knight Rises. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p76 Dark Shadows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p86 Dr Seuss’ The Lorax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p77 The Dictator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p73 A Fantastic Fear Of Everything . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p74 A Few Best Men. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p79 The Five-Year Engagement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p75 G.I. Joe: Retaliation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p13 How I Spent My Summer Vacation. . . . . . . . . . p18 iLL Manors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p33 The Innkeepers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p98 LOL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p74 The Lucky One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p36 Men In Black 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p16 The Monk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p102 Moonrise Kingdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p73 My Brother The Devil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p34 Neighborhood Watch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p79 Now Is Good . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p35 Prometheus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p74 The Raid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p24 Resident Evil: Retribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p30 Rock Of Ages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p74 Safe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p72 Skyfall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p20 Silent House. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p37 Seven Samurai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p34 Smashed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p90 Snow White And The Huntsman . . . . . . . . . . . . p74 Sound Of My Voice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p34 Step Up 4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p78 The Sweeney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p112 Ted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p79 Total Recall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p79 Warm Bodies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p79 What To Expect When You’re Expecting. . . . p40 The Wolverine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p34

May xxx 2011 2012 | Total Film | 5

buzz Welcometothemovies!

SneAk peek!

hood hunters GanGstersQuaD |

Say hello to Josh Brolin’s vigilante lawmen.y.

anthonY maCkie

“I was looking for an opportunity to try something new,” says Zombieland director Ruben Fleischer of his star-studded

is Coleman Harris, a tough-nut, switchbladewielding cop who proudly walks the beat in one of Los Angeles’ most crime-ridden districts.

crime thriller, Gangster Squad. “It’s been a real step forward for me. The size and scale and period of it makes it singular and special.”

Set in 1949 and based on Paul Lieberman’s LA Times articles ‘Tales From The Gangster Squad’, the movie tells the story of the titular secret police unit – led by LAPD sergeants John O’Mara (Josh Brolin) and Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling) – as it tries to take back the city streets from ruthless Mob king Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn). “They fight the gangsters on their own terms,” says Fleischer. “The battle between them is for the future of Los Angeles.” rJ eta | 9 novemBer GangsterSquadopenslater this year. For more news check out totalfilm.com

miChaeL peÑa

is Navidad Ramirez, a rookie cop and overeager sidekick who’s desperate to prove his worth to the squad.

rYan GosLinG

is Sgt. Jerry Wooters, a good cop seduced by the gangsters’ glam lifestyle. “He’s less clear on where he stands,” says director Fleischer.

roBert patriCk

is old-timer Max Kennard, a Texan who prefers actions to words.

He patrols Olvera Street – the centre of the city’s Mexican community.

new newFiLms! FiLms!

eXCluSiVe!

new world La lore: (inset) mafioso sean penn reasons with Josh Brolin’s war hero; (main) mob-avengers assemble outside La’s iconic City hall.

DirectorLenWiseman talksTotalRecall.

how does your Total Recall differ from the original?

It’s quite different from the original but I would say that there’s enough familiar to call it a remake. I had no interest in just doing an updated version of [Paul] Verhoeven’s film. It was the different twists in the plot that actually interested me. so it’s not set on mars, then?

No, they don’t go to Mars. It really focuses more on what the Rekall facility can provide than just the destination. You can go to as many different experiences as you’d like; Mars was just one of those adventures. That’s the direction we’re taking.

Josh BroLin

is Sgt. John O’Mara, leader of the squad.

“He’s just come back from fighting Nazis to find a gangster running his city,” reveals Fleischer.

have you kept any of the famous one-liners?

This one is darker. It has fun moments – a movie like this has to be fun – but it’s of a different era. At the time Total Recall came out there were many movies that were more tongue-in-cheek action vehicles. how does Colin Farrell’s Quaid differ from arnie’s?

One of the main things that’s different in this version is a vulnerability that I really wanted the character of Doug Quaid to have. Colin got himself in wicked shape for this film but I didn’t want the focus to be ‘Who’s going to be the next Arnold replacement?’.

When it first surfaced, every WWF wrestler was linked to it, and that was the opposite direction of the way I wanted to go. how does this compare to your other films?

It’s about five times as large. We’ve got something like 1,800 visual-effects shots. Even though I still do as much practically as possible, it’s still an enormous visual-effects film. It’s the most ambitious movie I’ve ever done. rJ eta | 22 auGust Total Recall opens this summer.

For more news check out totalfilm.com June xxx 2011 2012 | Total Film | 15

The Raid HHHHH Out18May

Y

Ong-BakmeetsDieHard.Jawmeetsfloor.

YOUknOWThEWORLD’S The film’s set-up and synopsis is almost in trouble when even people comically curt. Against the unforgiving living in utter shitholes heartbeat of a stopwatch, we see rookie cop fear their blocks getting Rama (Iko Uwais) preparing at home by attacked (see [Rec] 2, The praying, doing pull-ups and kissing his Horde and Cell 211). But pregnant wife goodbye with a solemn oath none of these tower heists can boast the to return victorious. Straight away we’re balls-to-the-wall action of The Raid, a film en route to the eponymous assignment in that more than lives up to its tagline: a packed police van, a lieutenant instructing ‘One ruthless crime lord, 20 elite Rama and his nervous, heavily armed cops, 30 floors of chaos.’ Set colleagues, “Our mission is simple: almost entirely in a Jakarta we go in, we take him out.” The TAlking “him” is reptilian drug lord Tama tenement “infested” poinT by murderous ne’er(Ray Sahetapy), who we first evansisworkingonafollow-up, do-wells, this Indosee blowing out the brains of Berendal,usingsomeofThe Welsh ass-kicker has to five kneeling penitents, one by Raid’scastandcrew,basedon anearlierprojectthatcouldn’t be seen to be believed. one. When he reaches the fifth findfunding.thatwon’tbe And even then… victim he runs out of bullets aproblemanymore…

52 | Total Film | June 2012

and reaches into a desk drawer for more. The item he finds (and what he does with it) tells you everything you need to know about The Raid – writer/director/editor Gareth Evans doesn’t take any prisoners, either.

Attack the SWAT

By the time most films are enjoying subplots and character backstories, The Raid is kneedeep in its first set-piece – one that lasts for the next 90-odd minutes. Rama and his colleagues storm the building, someone presses a panic button and Tama puts the place into lockdown. Then his snipers open fire. Then the lights go out. Soon automatic weapons are giving way to improvised ones (fridges, doors, banisters) as survivors find new ways to carve up space, and each other.

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reviews SeeThiS if Youliked...

Die harD 1988 Skyscrapingaction awesomeness with a precisiontooled screenplay and a career-best Brucie turn. onG-Bak 2003 Tony Jaa re-set the baa with this mind-boggling Muay Thai thumpfest and Evans took note.

CeLL 211 2009 Pressure-cooked Iberian prison thriller that blurs the line between crooks and cops.

For full reviews of these films visit totalfilm.com/ cinema_reviews

“i told you that evening gloves would look better, but oh no...”

Such is the relish with which Evans captures the crunchy gut-punches, high thriLLeD kicks and kill-shots making entertaineD up his third feature, it may as well be him talking to noDDinG oFF the cast and crew when Tama’s voice rings through ZZZZZZZZZ... the stairwell, instructing runninG time his minions to “go to work and enjoy yourself”. A Welsh émigré married to an Indonesian, Evans first discovered pencak silat, The Raid’s main martial art, while making a documentary about fighter Uwais and his master. The pair collaborated on 2009’s Ong-Bak-alike Merantau before spending three hands-on months (that’s three months before pre-production) prepping The Raid’s fight scenes with Yayan Ruhian, who plays Mad Dog, Tama’s appropriately monikered totalfilm.com

preDiCteDinterestCurve™ plot

Bullets

axe

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Fisticuffs

truncheon machete

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Fridge!

plot vs fisticuffs

plot

41

61

henchman. It paid off; what follows are, quite simply, some of the best, most brutal action sequences ever caught on camera.

Stairway to hell

An early highlight is a pitched battle in a pitch-black stairwell, shotguns illuminating a rogue’s gallery of wrong ’uns in strafing slo-mo. Another, which beats Old Boy in dishing the squish, sees Rama ripping

81

101

‘Thisballs-to-thewallIndo-Welsh ass-kickerhasto beseentobe believed.And even then...’ throats left, right and centre with his trusty truncheon. Sometimes Evans the writer manages to match Evans the director. One scene has Rama performing field surgery with whatever he can lay his hands on.

When a bystander offers the sharpest tool available – a straight razor – the impatient patient screams, “Fuck you! Look again!”

Later, the two men hide behind a wall while their foes break through the plasterboard, closer with each blow. It’s a gag familiar from Die Hard (where John McClane is crammed into a ventilation pipe while karl peppers it with barely off-target bullets) only this time it’s a machete, not a gun.

Because Evans is more concerned with amphetamised ultra-violence than nuance, we learn about characters through clunky exposition and their fighting styles. Rama’s is mostly honorable, Mad Dog compares killing someone with a gun rather than his hands to getting a takeaway, mindful of McClane’s “Does it sound like I’m ordering a pizza?” Although this is business as usual for the genre, it means that, unlike in Die Hard, the characters’ fates get less rather than more compelling as the film goes on, the adrenaline overload of the first half tipping towards caffeine-drink coma come the final showdown.

There may be a limit to how many times you can see stratospherically talented Indonesian stuntmen panning the crap out of each other. But you won’t mind too much.

Evans has earned a mention alongside lo-fi conjurer Gareth Edwards (Monsters) in his mastery of have-a-go cinematic heroics.

And, as The Raid whizzes by in a giddy whirl of muzzle flare, machete blades and blurring fists, one thing’s for sure – he’s raised the bar 30-storeys high. matt Glasby

THEVERDICT Like that clip of tony Jaa terrorising an entire building in one take – but ramped up to 101 astonishing minutes – TheRaid is so hardcore it would make badass blush. › Certificate 18 (TBC) Director Gareth Evans starring Iko Uwais, Ray Sahetapy, Doni Alamsyah, Yayan Ruhian, Ananda George screenplay Gareth Evans Distributor Momentum running time 101 mins June 2012 | Total Film | 53

onset

It’s the second version It’sthesecondversion of the well-wornfairytale tohitscreensthis year afterMirrorMirror,and spearheadsaslewof incomingnurserystory adaptations...Canthe “adult,action-led”Snow White&TheHuntsman createhappyendings?

WORDS James mottram

96 | Total Film | xxx 2011

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snowwhite&thehuntsman snow white & the huntsman t’s the climactic scene of Snow White & The Huntsman, and Total Film has just walked in on one major bitch fight. kristen Stewart’s eponymous heroine is lying on her back while Charlize Theron’s Evil Queen Ravenna is standing over her, sword in hand, ready to show just who is the meanest of them all. “By fairest blood it is done,” yells Theron, as she plunges the blade towards the Twilight star’s chest.

Somehow, Stewart stops it going in; Theron, stunned, falls back onto the stone floor. From somewhere in the darkness, a voice yells: “Cut.” A few minutes later, Stewart strides over in full body armour. her “hair black as night”, as Ravenna herself terms it, this Snow White is bruised and battle-scarred. So how was that little tête-à-tête? “Getting the crap kicked out of me by Charlize?” she grins. “It’s been good. She’s not afraid to take a hit. And she keeps telling me to hit her harder. We’re similar in that we shut off when the cameras start rolling. I think she hit my stunt double today. not to blow her cover, but we both go into a zone and it gets fairly dangerous.”

That says it all: scratch what you know about Snow White, ditch what you remember about dwarves called Dopey, for SW&TH is all about returning a classic fairytale to its Grimm roots.

Gothic, bloody and twisted, this medieval madness is enough to make Uncle Walt blanch.

“People think that Snow White is Disney,” says debut director Rupert Sanders, after he steps out of the shadows to join us for a natter over coffee.

“Disney really made the [Brothers] Grimms’ fairytale very family orientated. But it’s actually is a very dark story about so many deeper issues than were ever in the Disney film.”

We’re at Pinewood Studios, day 76 of a four-month shoot. With a week to go, Sanders is looking remarkably calm for a man not only working on his first blockbuster, but making his feature debut. Then again, just take a look at his commercials: the spot for Halo 3, with its eerie tableaux-like scenes of carnage, or the explosive ad for Call Of Duty, as school kids, nurses and concierges go to war on a real-life battlefield. “his work’s very cinematic, very bold and very cutting edge,” says producer Sam Mercer.

“We wanted the movie presented in that way.”

It’s why nobody is panicking that SW&TH has been beaten to the starting gate by Tarsem Singh’s colourful adaptation of the fairytale, Mirror Mirror, featuring Julia Roberts’ Evil Queen. “They’re very different,” says Sanders.

“Tarsem and myself have very different styles. I never saw us looking at each other, embarrassed, going ‘We’re in the same dress!’”

Theron concurs. “Studios wouldn’t be willing to throw money towards two films if they didn’t feel like there was a market for both.” kicked off by Catherine hardwicke’s Red Riding Hood reboot and modern twists like Hanna, >> totalfilm.com

June 2012 | Total Film | 97

onset

Fairest flick of them all: (main) debut director Rupert Sanders puts Charlize Theron’s Queen through her paces; (right) Kristen Stewart’s Snow White with Chris Hemsworth’s Huntsman.

fairytales are in vogue. On the way is Bryan Singer’s beanstalk bonanza Jack The Giant Killer and the gingerbread-scrumptious Hansel And Gretel: Witch Hunters, not to mention TV shows like Once Upon a Time and Grimm. “The great thing about these stories is that there’s so much in there that has a heart, especially Snow White,” says Sanders. “Snow White is that heart – she’s bringing light back to darkness.”

Written by newcomer Evan Daugherty back in 2003 while he was still a student, SW&TH’s myth-mashing sees it’s psychotic, maniacal Queen pose her looking glass that eternal question: who is the fairest of them all? “You are the fairest,” it replies. “But there is another destined to surpass you. Consume her heart and you shall live forever.” Forcing the huntsman (Thor’s Chris hemsworth) to do her dirty work and dispose of Snow White in the dark forest, Ravenna finds her wishes shattered when he decides to tutor his target in the art of war.

The result? Stewart’s Snow White is more Joan of Arc than Disney princess. “It’s cool to play a character who’s able to step outside of herself and consider others in an almost supernatural way,” she says, “but at the same time know that she’s human and has those struggles and still fights for herself as well.

She’s the essential leader. The definition of a hero… so many of our heroes are assholes. They find pleasure in hurting people. She doesn’t.

Yet she can seriously take care of business.”

98 | Total Film | June 2012

The question is, will Stewart? her first major blockbuster away from the Twilight franchise, can she propel SW&TH to similar numbers without the support of R-Pattz, vampires and Twi-hards?

Judging by the stunning teaser footage, as she leaps through flames with a shield on her arm, the 21-year-old has come of age. “It’s definitely the most action I’ve ever had to do,” she says. Think Lord Of The Rings meets Alice In Wonderland, as SW&TH blends big battles with vivid visuals – a landscape filled with ink-black ravens, writhing snakes, majestic white stags, and a trippy turtle.

Put that with some stunning outfits by triple Oscar-winning costume designer Colleen Atwood,

and Sanders’ gameplan becomes clear. “I wanted to create a world where this all felt very tangible and it didn’t feel like fantasy,” he says. “In these times, people believed there were fairies in the woods, and dark spirits, and people could shape-shift and they were all eating hallucinogenic mushrooms in pagan rituals… so the toy box was open really.”

Before the shoot, Sanders filmed a threeand-a-half-minute concept trailer – featuring voiceover, music, sound design and some key images of the film (notably Ravenna exploding into the aforementioned birds). Calling it “hugely impressive”, it was enough to convince Subscribe at www.totalfilm.com/subs

snowwhite&thehuntsman hemsworth to sign on, even if it meant going directly to set from reprising Thor on Avengers Assemble. “[After I saw the teaser and] read the script, I started to get really excited,” he says.

In his eyes, SW&TH was gritty, dark and epic, “as opposed to neat, cute and fairytale”.

Originally due to be in Australia filming Mad Max 4, Theron is only in SW&TH because that film’s start date got pushed back – yet the statuesque South African seems delighted to get the chance to help “take this story we know so well and slap it around a little bit”. never mind that she’s also in Ridley Scott’s Prometheus, out the same day as SW&TH – she’s very aware of what’s been achieved in a film that had over 90 sets built for it. “When people go and see this,” she smiles, “it’s going to be spectacular, huge.”

From literally sucking the life out of her victims to bathing head-to-toe in milk, Theron also gets the chance to go badass, even making her real-life murderer Aileen Wuornos in Monster look sane. To prepare, she watched Jack nicholson in The Shining and David Fincher’s Se7en. “Trust me, she’s dark!” she whispers.

“She does horrible things. She’s a serial killer.”

Channelling her inner bitch, she qualifies that thought. “It was important to understand where she came from and what drives her to get to where she is... I don’t want to just be evil!”

What makes SW&TH so tantalising is the prospect of watching this full-on face-off between two females – a highly unusual dynamic in hollywood. “It’s so rare to have a lead [female] character be proactive and push her own story forward, rather than be affected by all of the outside elements,” says Stewart. “hopefully we do that. I’m really proud of it. It’s always good for women to feel empowered.” noting it’s very much a story about the transition into womanhood, Sanders wants to make one thing clear: “We didn’t make a Spice Girl movie.”

‘Snow White ıs the definition of a hero’

Chris

Hemsworth Thor talks about his knock-out year…

From Thor and Avengers Assemble to this – it’s another physical role for you?

There is definitely a physicality to it and plenty of action. When I was first approached about it, I didn’t want to do another big sort of action film.

What I loved about Thor was the fact that I got to do some acting as well. But reading this script, the character is a drunk and a lost soul and has given up on the world and has got a dark past. the huntsman has a lot of weapons – did you sustain any injuries?

Kristen injured me. She punched me in the nose.

There was a fight scene we had to do. When [our characters] first meet, she swings a punch at me.

One take, it was skimming my nose. Then the next take, bam! I was out. I was done. She’s tiny, but

that was a big punch. She’s like, “I’ve never hit anyone before.” I was like, “I don’t believe it”.

You’ve had a crazy few years with Thor, Avengers Assemble and the Cabin In The Woods...

Yeah. The thing is, 10 years ago, when I first started, I wanted to get into acting. I dreamed about where I wanted to be. And this was sort of it. I absolutely stopped and thought, “Oh, my God – it’s a fantasy and I’m too incredibly lucky.” how are you dealing with the fame?

Tom Hanks said something about the industry magnifying what you are. If you’re a dick you’re going to know. If you’re a nice guy then that’s going to shine. Hopefully, that’s true.

I’m not a dick.

Kristen Stewart

While hemsworth’s axe-wielding huntsman ensures SW&TH isn’t without its testosterone, he’s got some help. Enter the dwarves – disenfranchised by Ravenna, they team up with Snow White when they recognise that she can defeat the Queen. With names like Muir, Gort and Beith – played by a raft of British stalwarts, including Bob hoskins, Ray Winstone, Brendan Gleeson, nick Frost and Ian McShane – they’re about as far removed from the diminutive Disney characters as you could get.

Oh, and there are eight of them. “That was in the original draft,” says Sanders. “It seemed like a good idea, to be a little bit different.” totalfilm.com

Then, for those craving a more traditional love story, there’s Prince William (no, not that one), played by British actor Sam Clafin, the good-hearted missionary Philip in Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. “he and Snow White are ripped apart as children,” he explains.

“Ten years go by and he sort of gets word that she’s escaped from the clutches of the Evil Queen. For him, it’s like, ‘Oh my god, she’s still alive, I thought she was dead!’ and he does everything to find her and track her down and be reunited with the love of his life.”

With the cast dwarfing the rival Mirror Mirror in the cool stakes (sorry Julia), it’s little wonder

that a trilogy is already being suggested.

“I’d love nothing more than for this to be so big a success that they’re able to make another one,” says hemsworth. For Stewart, it means starting a new franchise just after freeing herself from the jaws of another one. But she’s ready for it. “Well, I am the fairest in the land!” she says, tongue firmly buried in cheek. “And I have a seriously good heart, for people that don’t know me!”

The happy endings start here. tF Snow White & The Huntsman opens on 1 June and will be reviewed in a future issue.

For more features, check out totalfilm.com.

June 2012 | Total Film | 99

11 details for the sharper movie fan...

EDITED BY RICHARD JORDAN 1i The new king of comedy 2i Polisse, camera, action...

3i Redford occupies London 4iThe next Trainspotting?

5i Sam Claflin eyes 007 6i Amara karan has a laugh 7i The best of SXSW 8 i Total Film does acting 9i Classic Scene: Back To The Future 10i Glenn Close is a hero 11i RA takes us on location

1

The Unexpected Auteur seth macFarlane reinvents screen comedy. here’s not many people in hollywood whose CV ranges from a wise-cracking, harddrinking toon dog to a trash-talking, pot-smoking CG teddy bear. But then, Seth MacFarlane is not most people.

This summer’s Ted sees the Family Guy creator/star transporting his own unique brand of offbeat, un-PC humour to the big screen. he’s even bagged Mark Wahlberg to play John Bennett, a grown man still hounded by the childhood toy he wished to life as a kid.

As well as writing, directing and producing the film, MacFarlane also stars as the furry little sod himself. “I’m doing that whole mo-cap thing where they put me in a suit with electrodes on it,” he says. Talk about multi-tasking…

“I like to do things that scare me,” reckons the 38-year-old. “If something no longer scares you or you can’t possibly torpedo your career by doing it, then there’s really no point. What’s the fun?” So, now he’s crossed the television/cinema divide, can we expect a super-sized Family Guy follow-up?

“Eventually. We have an idea,” he teases.

“There’s no way you could do it on TV, let’s put it that way…” rJ

JEFF LIPSKY/CPi SYNDICATION

T

eta summer |Ted opens on 3 august. For the latest news, check out totalfilm.com

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