I just read the first John Carter trilogy that introduces the character and sets him up as the Warlord of Mars.
Some things that I was reminded of...
These are old pulp stories, filled with coincidences, cliffhangers, and victory repeatedly being snatched from the hero (sort of like getting to the top of Donkey Kong, only to see the girl carried up to the next level).
The movie will have a tough time dealing with the races of Mars (the black pirates and yellow men of the north... we're talking actors in coal black and bright yellow makeup).
ERB was the master of having the cavalry come to the rescue. Thoat riding Tharks with swords cutting a swath through enemy lines, the white plumed headdresses revealing the identity of Waziri marksmen, the horizon darkened with the Imperial Fleet of Emperor David the 1st of Pellucidar... every story seems to have one moment when Burroughs wanted his reader to pump his fist into the air.
Oh, and ERB's admiration of "dogs". Whether it's John Carter's Woola, or David Innes' Rajah, or Tarzan's Jad Bal Ja, Burroughs shows a love for the loyal animal that supports his master to the end.
I think it's safe to say that everyone here at the MTV Movies Blog is pretty darn excited about Disney's adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs' "John Carter of Mars." The book is a sci-fi classic and the adaptation has Pixar's Andrew Stanton at the helm. It's an epic romance, and it's starring up-and-comers Taylor Kitsch and Lynn Collins. Now you have another reason to be excited about Stanton's adaptation, as the legendary Willem Dafoe has been cast.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Dafoe is set to play Tars Tarkas. Tarkas is a great Martian warrior and leader, a member of a fairly brutal Martian society called the Tharks-- think Spartans, only with even less of a sense of humor.
Tarkas and the titular John Carter are at odds initially, but over the course of their adventure they come to admire and respect one another. Eventually Tarkas reveals his tragic background (one I won't spoil for you -- just read the book), and proves that he's a kind rarity among his brutal people. Thanks to Carter, the Martian eventually becomes ruler of the Tharks. Dafoe will be able to do wonders with the role, as it's just the sort of grim, sympathetic figure he really specializes in.
The film will begin shooting in early 2010, with Utah standing in for Mars. "John Carter of Mars" is set to arrive in theaters in 2012. There's still a lot of pre-production geek outs ahead of us, you've been warned!
Are you looking forward to "John Carter of Mars" as much as we are? What do you think of the addition of Willem Dafoe? Who else would you like to see cast as a Martian?
_________________ "What am I, foul thing? I am a marvel of forbidden science. I am God's holy vengance made un-flesh. I am a machine of war sent to protect mankind from the likes of you. Who am I? I AM FRANKENSTEIN!!!" Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #9
Ah yeah, the Whelan covers. Nice stuff. Nother can touch Frazetta, of course, but these are the versions I was first familiar with as a boy. I bought Warlord first and had to work backward from there. Whelan also did the covers for Otherland, another much different series than ERB's John Carter, but which did briefly feature a different, yet still fairly "sword and planet" style Mars of its own.
_________________ "Only one of us is going to walk out of here under his own steam- - and it won't be me!" - Capt. America
I tried to get the Frazetta books but ended up getting the D'Achile books during the 70's. Now I've got an assortment of printings from throughout the early decades of John Carter.
My entire ERB collection is a pretty scattershot thing overall. I don't think I have a single uninterrupted run of any title all in one trade dress. I've cobbled it together from various sources over the years, mostly used bookstores, yard sales, and other enthusiasts. I prefer the lowtech style of hunting for missing books if at all possible. Until only in the last few years have I turned to the internet to complete get the titles that just never seem to turn up on their own.
_________________ "Only one of us is going to walk out of here under his own steam- - and it won't be me!" - Capt. America
My entire ERB collection is a pretty scattershot thing overall. I don't think I have a single uninterrupted run of any title all in one trade dress. I've cobbled it together from various sources over the years, mostly used bookstores, yard sales, and other enthusiasts. I prefer the lowtech style of hunting for missing books if at all possible. Until only in the last few years have I turned to the internet to complete get the titles that just never seem to turn up on their own.
Other than the hardback Tarzan's and Big Little Books that my grandmother gave us, I'd never seen a hardback ERB book anywhere other than in a library. When Disney's Tarzan hit the screens, eBay was flooded with Tarzan and other ERB hardbacks. I gobbled up as many as i could, getting some for two bucks plus shipping.
Some thoughts, now that the IMDB listing for this movie is filling up...
Mark Strong as Matai Shang... I just hope that we're not Mark Stronged out by the time this movie comes out. He's the villain in Sherlock Holmes, Kick-Ass, Robin Hood, Green Lantern...
Brian Cranston is in there with a role not included in the books. Some type of Confederate officer that serves with Carter. I'm glad to have him in the movie, hopefully the role works for the story.
Ciarán Hinds as Tardos Mors, Dejah Thoris' grandfather and the Jeddak of Helium. He was damn regal as Julius Caesar on Rome. This is awesome casting.
Polly Walker (also from Rome) as the evil Thark Sarkoja. She's hot, a shame she'll be CGI. Good choice for Sarkoja. She was a real bitch on Rome.
James Purefoy (Marc Antony... you think Stanton was a fan of Rome?) as Kantos Kan. Good casting.
Daryl Sabara (the kid from Spy Kids) as young Edgar Rice Burroughs. Is this the first time that Edgar Rice Burroughs has appeared as a character in a film? Nice if they include ERB's meetings with Carter to bookend the movies.
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