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THE SUMTER ITEM

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2014

Gotham’ Provides Origin Stories for ‘Gotham’ furnishes timeless Familiar Characters atmosphere for origin stories

Sunday, September 21 - 27, 2014

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The transformation of young Selina Kyle (Camren Bicondova) into Catwoman is one of the origin stories unfolding on “Gotham,” premiering Monday at 8 p.m. on FOX.

By Dan Rice FYI Television By Dan Rice 75 years in DC Comics, FYIAfter Television a campy TV series, two hit film After 75and years in DC Comics, a franchises multiple graphic-novel campy TV series, two hit re-imaginings, Batman is onefilm of the franchises and multiple graphicworld’sre-imaginings, best-known superheroes. novel Batman isThe vigilante alter-ego billionaire Bruce one of the world’sofbest-known Wayne, the Caped superheroes. TheCrusader vigilantecasts alterego of shadow billionaire Wayne, a deep overBruce the crime-ridthe Crusader casts ahim, deep den Caped metropolis that spawned shadow overwhich the crime-ridden Gotham City, first gave rise to metropolis that spawned him, the arch-villains that made Gotham City, which first Batman gave rise a necessity. Premiering Monday to the arch-villains that madeat 8 p.m. onaFOX, “Gotham” weaves Batman necessity. Premiering Monday at their 8 p.m. on stories FOX, “Gotogether all origin tham” together their throughweaves the perspective ofall another origin storiesdestined through percrime-fighter forthe greatness, spective of another crime-fighter rookie detective James Gordon (Ben destined for greatness, rookie deMcKenzie, “Southland”), detertective James Gordon who (BenisMcKmined “Southland”), to restore the corrupted city to enzie, who is determined to restore thehecorrupted the unspoiled version remembers city the unspoiled version he fromtochildhood. remembers fromhimself, childhood. Anxious to prove Gordon is Anxious to prove himself, Gorpartnered with the brash veteran Dedon is partnered with the brash tective Harvey Bullock (DonalBullock Logue, veteran Detective Harvey “Sons ofLogue, Anarchy”). They (Donal “Sons of stumble Anarchy”). They stumble upon the city’s upon the city’s highest-profile case highest-profile ever: the ever: the murder case of local billionaires murder of local billionaires ThomThomas and Martha Wayne, who as and Martha Wayne, who leave leave behind their 12-year-old son behind their 12-year-old son Bruce (David “Touch”). Bruce (DavidMazouz, Mazouz, “Touch”). Gordon vows catch thethe killerkiller for the Gordon vowstoto catch for the orphaned orphaned heir, who heir, has nowho one has left no save for theAlfred familyPensaveone for left the family butler, butler, (played nyworthAlfred (playedPennyworth by former “Doctor by former “Doctor Who” Sean PerWho” Sean Pertwee). But Gordon and twee). But Gordon and Bullock Bullockalso must also contend must contend with with ganggang boss Fish (Jada Pinkett Smith, boss FishMooney Mooney (Jada Pinkett “HawthoRNe”), all while Gotham Smith, “HawthoRNe”), all whilenurGotham nurtures future advertures future adversaries in Mooney’s saries in Mooney’s underling Osunderling Oswald Cobblepot (Robin wald Cobblepot (Robin Lord TayLord Taylor, Penguin), teen thief Selina lor, Penguin), teen thief Selina Kyle (Camren Catwoman), Kyle (CamrenBicondova, Bicondova, Cat-

the puzzling Edward Nygma (Cory Michael Smith, TheMichael Riddler) and others. Nygma (Cory Smith, The “It’s not and a comic-book Riddler) others. world; it’s a mythic a dramatic world; world “It’sworld, not a it’s comic-book it’s of a mythic world, it’sand a dramatic full adventure and sex violence world of writer adventure and sex and fun,”full says and executive and violence ” says writer producer Brunoand Hellerfun, (“Rome,” “The and executive producer Bruno Mentalist”) of the well-stocked crime Heller (“Rome,” “The Mentalist”) of series. “You kind of have toseries. front-load the well-stocked crime the pilot withofthe besttothat you’ve got, “You kind have front-load because youthat have to the pilotthat’s withthe theway best you’ve got,Asbecause thewe’ll open – big. the showthat’s rolls on, way to with openhow – big. As be faryou morehave careful we roll thethe show rollsand on,there we’llwill be be farmore out villains, more careful with how we roll surprises and tricky ways of getting out the villains, and there will be them in, rather than justtricky presenting more surprises and ways of them.” getting them in, rather than just A character them. in itself, presenting ” the contemA character in itself, the conporary yet retro-looking Gotham City temporary yeta retro-looking was created as stylized take onGothamYork City was created a stylNew City. Director andasexecutive ized takeDanny on New Yorkshot City. producer Cannon hisDirector and executive producer own aerial views ofshot Manhattan, Danny Cannon his ownthen aeritransformed the familiar skyline al views of Manhattan, then with the CGI additionthe of gothic spires, art transformed familiar skyline with buildings the CGI addition of gothic deco and gargoyles in the spires, art while decodarkening buildingsthe and foreground visual gargoyles in the foreground mood with heightened shadows and while darkening washed-out colors. the visual mood with heightened shadows and “The conversations washed-out colors.I had with Bruno at the very beginning werewith “The conversations I had about kindvery of a beginning world neededwere to Brunowhat at the about what kind of a world needhave a wealthy vigilante save them,” ed to have a wealthy vigilante recounts Cannon. “We were talking save them, ” recounts Cannon. about this world collapsing and how “We were talkingwould aboutnavigate this Gordon’s character world collapsing and how Gorthat world and maintain integrity, don’s character wouldhis navigate which was what drama was that world andthe maintain his inabout. it waswas thatwhat idea of, tegrity,And which thelike, if adrama city does into decline, punk wasgoabout. And itand was that ideacame of, like, a cityAnd does go into rock intoifmind. I looked at andbook punkofrock came into adecline, photograph the Bowery in mind. And I looked at aclub photoNew York when the CBGB was graph book of the Bowery in out. I looked at pictures of Blondie and New York when the CBGB club the and Iggy and aof lot wasRamones out. I looked at Pop, pictures

woman), the puzzling Edward

Blondie and the Ramones and

of the costumes came from that. And the desaturated Iggy Pop, andlook a lotand of the thedense coscontrast came from research.” tumes came fromthat that. And the desaturated and the dense The actors alsolook benefitted from a contrast came from that re- and diverse range of research sources search. points of”inspiration in developing The actors also benefitted their characters. “I’ve gone back into from a diverse range of research the comic and bookspoints and researched sources of inspiration online, watched movies and everyin developing their characters. “I’ve gone backrelates. into the comic thing,” Bicondova “Because booksKyle, andshe’s researched online, Selina not Catwoman yet. watched andshe’s everything, She doesn’tmovies even know going ” Bicondova relates. “Because Selitonabecome Catwoman yet. She just Kyle, she’s not Catwoman yet. knows she loveseven catsknow and sheshe’s steals She doesn’t things.” going to become Catwoman yet. She just knows sheReturns,’ loves cats and “I watched ‘Batman I think, shetimes stealswhen things. ” a kid, so I’ve 500 I was “I watched ‘Batman Returns, definitely seen Danny DeVito’s por- ’ I think, 500 times when I was a kid, trayal many, many times,” Taylor says so I’ve definitely seen Danny DeinVito’s turn. portrayal “And then Imany, also likemany watching the reruns of thesays old television show. times, ” Taylor in turn. “And then I also like watching reBurgess Meredith, I mean, twothe amazruns of the oldwith television show. ing, iconic actors two very, very Burgessportrayals Meredith, two different andI mean, approaches. amazing, iconic actors with two As a kid, I didn’t read many of the very, very different portrayals and comic books, but going back read and approaches. Asnow, a kid, I didn’t researching thecomic Penguinbooks, and where many of the but now, going and his researching he comes fromback and what deal was thebeen Penguin andinvaluable.” where he comes has incredibly from and what his dealthrough was has In a sense time-traveling been incredibly invaluable.” pop In culture, this “Gotham” provides a sense time-traveling anthrough atmosphere these origin stories popfor culture, this “Gothat is indeed timeless. “It’s a mash tham” provides an atmosphere fortothese origin stories thatHeller is inup, use the modern phrase,” deed timeless. “It’s a that mash up, to clarifies. “To the degree if today use theexists, modern ” Heller Batman thenphrase, this world is clarifies. “To the degree that if the past. But it’s everybody’s past, today Batman exists, then this anworld 18 year old’spast. past and 54everyyear is the Butait’s old’s past.past, In your past body’s anmemory 18 yearthe old’s past a 54 year old’s past. your isand all mashed up together, so In in this memory past isit’s alltoday, mashed Gotham it’sthe yesterday, and uptomorrow together,allso Gotham it’s at in thethis same time, it’s yesterday, it’s today, and it’s because that’s the world that dreams tomorrow all at the same time, live in.” that’s the world that because dreams live in.”

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