October 29, 2002
Buffy's Last Drop Of Blood?
I can't really think straight on this matter. Chip on your shoulder and I feel really bad. Well nothing is confirm yet, but the anticipation is already there. I still want the whole scooby gang! Though a Faith spin-off would lighten the mood enough.
Article provided below is still part of Joss Whedon's interview with TV Guide On Line.
Taken from PAGESIX.COM
‘BUFFY the Vampire Slayer' creator Joss Whedon now admits that this current season is likely indeed be the show's last. "I'm beginning to suspect that it may be [Buffy's] last season," he told TV Guide Online. "Nothing's official, but it's starting to feel possible. The way people are talking, there's a finality to it."
Star Sarah Michelle Gellar's contract expires in May, and Gellar has said she' not sure about continuing.
Eliza Dushku will reprise her role as bad-girl slayer Faith at season's end, and speculation is that Dushku could step in to head a spinoff series. "That possibility exists," Whedon said. But "it's one of many."
As for this season's story, Whedon says: "It's going to be a big finish in May, so that if it is the last season, that's great. And if it's not, if ‘Buffy' continues or some incarnation of ‘Buffy' continues, it will serve that as well. There's always more stories to tell."
A Site Update
One award for KINDRED. Thanks.
October 26, 2002
A Faith Spin-Off?
Is it going to be the end of Buffy? Nobody really knows, but there are a lot of considerations being made already. Like, Britney Spears taking over the show. A Dawn story perhaps or a Faith spin-off. Getting the shot on it, I basically yell for a brunette slayer doing a straight process.
Sci Fi Wire has posted a recent interview and this is what Joss Whedon has cited.
Buffy To End This Year?
Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon told TV Guide Online that the current season may indeed be the show's last. "I'm beginning to suspect that it may be [Buffy's] last season," he told the site. "Nothing's official, but it's starting to feel possible. The way people are talking, there's a finality to it."
Buffy's ratings have dropped 16 percent over last year, the site reported. But Whedon said that his feeling isn't driven by the numbers. "I never check Buffy's ratings," he said. "It doesn't really affect me. It may affect the network."
Star Sarah Michelle Gellar's contract expires in May, and Gellar has expressed ambivalence about continuing, TV Guide reported. Eliza Dushku will reprise her role as bad-girl slayer Faith at season's end, and speculation is that Dushku could step in to head a spinoff series. "That possibility exists," Whedon said, adding, "It's one of many."
As for this season's story arc, Whedon said, "It doesn't really make a difference to me creatively, because I build every season to be self-contained. I do think where we're heading this year is kind of monumental. It's going to be a big finish in May, so that if it is the last season, that's great. And if it's not, if Buffy continues or some incarnation of Buffy continues, it will serve that as well. There's always more stories to tell."
October 24, 2002
Faith Update
It's getting more exciting most especially new articles are firing out about Faith's arrival on both BTVS and ATS.
Check this out:
I found this at Nando Times. WEBSITE
WB's 'Angel' prepares to go evil
By DAVE MASON, Scripps Howard News Service
(Posted October 22, 2002) - "Angel" star David Boreanaz loves being evil.
"David Boreanaz is so great as Angelus. He's wonderful as Angel, but there's a glint in his eye and a spring in his step when he's Angelus," said Jeffrey Bell, co-executive producer and the new showrunner of "Angel," which has its season premiere Sunday.
Angel, the vampire with a soul, will become the wicked Angelus again this winter when the gang needs the help of a Hannibal Lecter-like creature to catch the season's Big Bad. But Fred (Amy Acker), Gunn (J. August Richards) and Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) are prepared when Angel's soul is removed; they put Angelus in a cage.
Of course, Angelus escapes, and it'll be up to the vampire slayer Faith (Eliza Dushku) to capture him during February sweeps. The saga leading up to the new Angelus storyline will begin during November sweeps, which begins Thursday, Bell said in a phone interview.
"Episode 7 (airing Nov. 17) will introduce the character who will be the Big Bad for the season," Bell said. "That episode will be a cliffhanger, and we'll come back with episode 8 (in winter 2003). This guy is so bad and so tough that only one person can handle him, and that leads us to Angelus during February sweeps.
"He (the villain) is not someone we've met before. He's not human; he's the toughest thing Angel has ever faced. He's smart, he's strong, he's cruel," Bell said.
And will the much talked-about apocalypse, the one involving Angel, happen this season on the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" spinoff? Bell won't say for certain, but something big is going on this year.
"We have an episode called 'Apocalypse Nowish,"' Bell said. (He added it's not connected to the new hellmouth stirrings on "Buffy.") Bell declined to say too much about the new villain or how Angel's soul will be removed and later restored.
"We'll have to find out," Bell said about the soul. "We won't take any shortcuts."
Bell explained why now is the time for Angelus. Angel hasn't shown his evil side since the second season of "Buffy" when he lost his soul after one moment of true happiness during sex with Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar).
"We've tried to get Angel to the place where he can make peace with what he's done. He's now doing the right thing because it's the right thing and not to atone for what he's done in the past," Bell said.
As Angel approaches the point of contention, it's important to take some peace away from him. That's the philosophy of mixing pain and joy in "Angel" and "Buffy."
"Angel" has been moving forward at a quick pace during last season and the new one. Lilah became the new head of the evil law firm, Wolfram & Hart, when she didn't just go over her boss' head. She cut it off - at a board meeting.
"On our show, anyone can die at any moment. You never know," Bell said. "It makes it fun."
Meanwhile, in Sunday's (Oct. 27) episode, Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) returns from her boring duties in heaven, but she won't remember everything she did up there.
Bell explained why Cordelia rose to heaven just as Angel was sent to the bottom of the Pacific. "We knew we had an unrequited love. Cordelia finds out she loves Angel. She rushes to a place to see him, and we knew we had to get them as far away from each other as possible."
Originally, plans had called for Angel to be buried under a mall, but the ocean was better, Bell said. "Will they (Angel and Cordelia) get together, or won't they? That will play out for a while in different stories."
The producers hadn't originally planned for Angel to have a son, Connor, but it was a natural outcome of the plot that brought back the vampire Darla (Julie Benz), Bell said. "It was, 'What if Darla was pregnant and showed up?' It really grew from Angel, in a moment of weakness after a horrible day, saw his old girlfriend, and they're in bed, and he didn't care and they have sex."
Sending Connor (Vincent Kartheiser) to a hell dimension allowed the baby to grow into a young man, one who left his father, Angel, on the bottom of the ocean during the summer when he falsely believes Angel killed his adoptive father, the vengeful Holtz.
Angel resurfaces and gives his son some tough love. He kicks him out of the Los Angeles hotel that serves as his home. "He loves his son but can't stand to be around him," Bell said.
"Angel" is continuing its tradition of not presenting a Halloween-theme story this week, Bell said. He explained there's too much to do in the overall storyline.
Joss Whedon, executive producer and co-creator of "Angel," directed an episode in which all the characters, including Angel and Cordelia, have amnesia. They revert to their personas at age 17, which means the return of the shallow, not-so-nice Cordelia from the early "Buffy" seasons.
Site Update
Wow, Two new awards. Thank you so much. Plus, I've updated the list of the certified fans.
October 22, 2002
Latest Pictures
Twenty Five new pictures of Eliza Dushku have surfaced at Wireimage.com.
CLICK HERE
Pictures were taken from "All The Queen's Men" Premiere last October 21, 2002 at Arclight Cinemas Hollywood, California USA.
Site Update
I would like to extend my deepest appreciation to BTVS- Close Your Eyes for naming KINDRED as the site of the month. Thanks a lot for the motivation!
Jump, again the new board is up. If you haven't sign-up to be a member yet, then go ahead and do it now. Yay, I meant no dictatorship. Kindly acknowledge. Happy posting.
October 18, 2002
Wrong Turn
Eliza Dushku is in energy again for another horror film.
Wrong Turn is set to be released in March 2003 through 20th Century Fox. It maybe subject to change though.
From Greg's Preview
Premise:
A carload of four young people find themselves trapped in the woods of West Virginia, hunted down by three "cannibalistic mountain men grossly disfigured through generations of in-breeding." (source: The Hollywood Reporter, 8/15/01). There's no word yet about how receptive the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce will be to this project.
Well from its read, it jumps to an original script that we should really look forward to.
New Message Board
I have placed a new board on the site. I just felt the need to change it to match the theme of the site. Thanks a lot to Lain of Wired Dreams for suggesting this board link. All I ask from you guys is to support this thread. Kindly sign-up to be a member. The old board would still be up but only for viewing. If you wish to post a message, go to the new board now. Thank you very much for your usual cooperation.
Click here for the new board.
Just for my ender note though, if there are messages sent to me four to five days ago, please re-send it. My email has gone down again. I'm really sorry for the inconvenience.
October 12, 2002
Fan Mail
Did it ever cross your mind to send a mail to Eliza Dushku? Though it pretty illustrates in every fan to actually consider the idea. Still some apprehensive minds. Thought maybe of changing it and give it your wildest shot. READ ON. Just an inspiration thrown to me by Marc Flores from my message board. High five from Eliza. Big thanks Marc for sharing this muse.
First Part:
"OK, I got an e-mail from Eliza about a month and a half ago. After writing back, I got a response which was personalized (Dear Marc, rather than Dear Fan) and she actually asked a little about me. I wrote back, and after 2 months, no response. Was it really her? Anyone else get an e-mail?"
Second Part:
Yes, when I first replied to her, I said "I don't know if I'm writing this to you or to a machine or Public Relations people." In her reply, she said, "Thank you for the wonderful and thoughtful e-mail. It's fans like you that keep me going. Since you know so much about me, why don't you tell me a little about yourself." Right there I was assuming it was her rather than PR. But I haven't heard back! I love Eliza!"
Way to go Marc! Thanks again. As for her email add, sorry, I basically don't know. And even if I do, Eliza deserves the right of her privacy. Consider snail mail, one clever step.
Video Interview
Source EDTV
Here's an interview conducted by Spacecast.com as Eliza talks about her return to Buffy.
Website
Site Update
Wow, everyone seems to be interactive here. Thanks a lot for tagging my board. And for those who have grabbed the badge in madness, looky dear, your names are now posted. And yep, I gave out awards as well [see winners list]. Congrats and more power guys.
October 11, 2002
That Thing You Do
Greetings to all. A very odd way to start my update. Just trying to reach you guys w/ a syrup. Anyway, making things less peculiar, here's the run. I've added a new feature on the site, called "That Thing You Do." Basically enumerating the funny/real things about how a fan could be to their deities. Since this is an Eliza Dushku Fan site, here's how I gave my interpretation.
1. You never missed any Buffy and Angel episodes w/ Faith's on it.
2. If you did miss it, you would go crazy hunting for the ep everywhere.
3. You feel terribly down because you missed the episode.
4. You practically record all Faith's episodes.
5. After watching the recorded episode, you're all set to watch it again.
6. You look forward for another day to watch the same episode.
7. Five by five is your way of life.
8. You subscribe to almost all Eliza's mailing lists.
9. Eliza's message board and/or website has been your second family.
10. It makes you smile when your friends would call you a "Slayer" even it literally means a "Killer."
Just a few to mention though. I suggest you go to the section now and read some comical stuff. Don't forget to add your share too. [Go to Interact-"That Thing You Do."]
Interview, Interview
Source EDTV
I found this update at EDTV. All credits given to Vanessa.
Clare Kramer's interview w/ Cinema Confidential. Our interest though, just as Eliza's name was mentioned a lot of times. Read the article below.
CC: And you also got to work with Eliza in "Buffy" right? Or did you two not work together specifically...?
CK: No, we never crossed paths although it may happen this season. (Laughs)
CC: Well they're saying that this is perhaps the last season, or at least with Sarah Michelle Gellar, so I guess they're trying to wrap things up this season?
CK: Well I think that Joss [Whedon] is brilliant when it comes to stuff like that. For the first season, he told a complete story so that if it wouldn't go on for some reason, then there would be nothing left undone. No one's clear as to who's going to come back or what's going to happen in Season 8 or if there will be a Season 8. So in case there isn't, or in case certain people don't come back, he's completing the whole Buffy story.
CC: And is Eliza going to appear?
CK: She is.
CC: There are a lot of Clare Kramer fansites as a result of Buffy, like Gloryisagod.com - have you checked them out?
CK: You know what? I try to stay away at looking at websites or any press of my own because I figure people have positive and negative things to say. It's not my style to look at that stuff. I find out that sometimes my feelings get hurt early on.
When I first started Buffy, I would go on the Internet where Eliza had actually told me a site that was good. I just found after a couple of times of doing it that I didn't actually walk away feeling... better (laughs) you know? So then I kind of learned an important lesson two years ago.
CC: Being so young and working with such great stars like Kirsten, James Van Der Beek, Jessica Biel, and Eliza, do you find yourself learning more and more?
CK: Absolutely. I still consider myself to be very young when it comes to being in this business. Every time I work with someone who's so seasoned, like Kirsten, Eliza, James, Sarah Michelle, I feel like I'm just observing and learning all the time. There's so much to learn, I don't think I'll ever stop learning.
Site Update
I received another award and gave out one as well. Thank you so much.
October 8, 2002
Cards To Collect
Thanks to RoadworthyMan for posting this link on Eliza Dushku Org. Message Board.
Well guys, here’s your way to have some Faith’s collectibles and BTVS CCG website is the right place for you. Choose variety of cards depending on your preference. It ranges from a character to an episode. Truly an eyecandy.
Collecting cards is my way of life when I was still a kid. Remembering my collection of super friends, and yep, I also have care bears, darn, I really love that cartoon show. BTVS cards are simply ageless. And w/ Faith’s on it, genuinely, a big time treat. I really love Faith’s character, for obvious reason, I have this site. More than the character though, is the person behind it. An exceptional talent. Did I say this before? Anyway, if you love Faith too, then start a collection. Check out some fun cards found at BTVS CCG.
Visit BTVS CCG
Click image for a better resolution.
Site Update
I got a very good review for my site at Pink’s Reviews and Awards. I staked 4 out of 5 in the heart. Thank you very much Nikki. Check out her site on my site links.
October 5, 2002
Tekken The Movie
Eliza Dushku in Tekken-the movie? Not a far thing. Seeing the zesty slayer in BTVS and ATS, who could refuse a drive in a role in one of the most famous PS games? Spoiler, spoiler… Eliza Dushku has been in talks to play the role of Julia Chang. Seeing the incredible way of Faith, it’s going to be Faithless this time. It would really be very interesting to see Eliza in this role. Much more interesting to me since this is my favorite PS game. Plus, Julia is my favorite character.
Let’s picture Faith having all these armaments.
Julia’s weaponry:
Throws
Death Valley Bomb
Fisherman Suplex
Front Suplex
Cyclone Suplex Armlock Suplex
Triple Threat
Special Techniques
Catapult Combo
Catapult, Sweep, Bow Leg
Overhead Chop, Back Sweep, Funkick
Rushing Uppercut **Juggles Opponent**
Dashing Left Elbow, [Highkick]
Punch, Death Push, (Heaven Cannon_Lowkick_Highkick)
Double Strike **Stuns If Blocked** Slice Uppercut
Elbow
Catapult Combo **Juggles Opponent**
Club Fist, Sweep, Bow Leg
Sweep, (Highkick_Fankick_Uppercut)
Skyscraper Kick
Death Push, Punt Kick,
Uppercut **Juggles Dashing Punch, Elbow
Dashing Elbow **Stuns on Counterhit**
Back Leg Sweep, Bow Leg
Death Push, Lowkick_Highkick
[Jab], Death Push, Sky Uppercut
Punch, Spin Behind
Rushing punch, Dash Elbow
Lunging Palm Attack
Club Fist, Sweep, Bowleg
Spinsweep, Highkick_Sweep_Uppercut **Juggles Opp.**
Kick, Sweepkick, Highkick_Sweep_Uppercut **Juggles**
Sidestep Spin
Spin, Highkick, Sweepkick,
Earthquake Stomp
Heaven Cannon
Aye, pretty exciting moves!
The Buffy Bad Girl Shows Her Softer Side in The New Guy
BY Heather Wadowski
CAMPUS CIRCLE
Thanks a lot to Rain for sending me this link.
Eliza Dushku with a golden heart indeed. Read the full article below:
Over the years, Eliza Dushku has developed into one of Hollywood's most talented and attractive young actresses. However, despite being cast as the beautiful cheerleader in both Bring It On and this month’s The New Guy, the 21-year-old brunette says that it wasn't until her feature film debut in That Night that she became a girl.
"I was a boy," Dushku states. "People would always tell my Mom, 'oh what four handsome boys you have,' and she would be like, 'that one's a girl!' All I would wear is hand-me-downs and she would give me Barbies and I would cut the hair off, rip the heads off and feed them to my dog. I just really had that guy thing in me."
Growing up a child of divorce and living with three brothers, Dushku admits that the testosterone in her house rubbed off on her. She cut her hair like a boy, played with G.I. Joes, Transformers and Star Wars action figures like a boy–she even went to the urinals at Fenway Park with her brothers. Although her Mom did everything in her power to get her to act like a girl, Dushku refused to conform. She was kicked out of Brownies for throwing sticks at the counselor and even flunked out of dance class. In fact, it wasn't until she was twelve that Dushku finally realized the advantages of wearing dresses and make-up–they get the boys' attention.
"I was sitting in the make-up chair and I was so not into it," Dushku recalls. "There were these two young boys in the movie though and I thought they were so cute. Unfortunately, they were really into the two other girls on the shoot and I always wondered why. Then one day the director put me in this pink dress and I had my hair curled and I was like, 'wow!' I just thought the curls were so pretty and I had never thought something was pretty before."
While Dushku may have finally learned to acknowledge her gender, it didn't last for long. A "complete nerd in school," Dushku quickly discovered that no matter how hard she tried she could never do anything right. Sick of being picked on by the popular crowd for always wearing the wrong clothes, Dushku decided to change her image. Trading in out- of-style clothes for Army and Navy jackets, Dushku put up a defense by presenting herself as a tough girl. She portrayed the image so well that it caught the eyes of the casting directors on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series, and Dushku was quickly cast as Faith, Buffy's arch-nemesis and fellow slayer.
Dushku's role on Buffy re-opened the doors for the former child actor, and she was soon cast in a series of feature films as–not surprisingly–the bad girl. In Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back Dushku plays a member of an all-girl gang and, although she isn't an evil person in Bring It On, her character definitely has an attitude and a rebellious nature. With The New Guy, though, Dushku finally gets to shed her bad-girl image and she couldn't be happier.
"Wasn't I nice in this movie?" Dushku exclaims with glee. "It’s so much less stressful to be nice and not so confrontational all the time–to not have my scenes with people be mean and malicious."
In The New Guy, Dushku plays Danielle, the beautiful head cheerleader who falls for DJ Qualls. Though Dushku is fast to add that Danielle "still has some sass," her character is definitely a stretch from the bad-girl roles she's usually associated with. In real life, however, Dushku is anything but vicious.
Coming from a giving family of professors, Dushku works hard to make sure that she gives to those in need and spends her free time trying to educate herself in any way possible about other cultures. She recently returned from a political and socioeconomic study of women in South Africa and co-owns a house in Ecuador with her four brothers, one of whom has spent the past four years in the Peace Corps. Unlike many other actors who spend their paychecks on $1,400 Gucci shirts, Dushku likes to see her money go to something more important–people who need it.
"I feel like this town just sometimes gives out money. Not me particularly, but I see how much people my age are making and I'm like, wow. If I could get to that point and be raking in millions of dollars, think about what a huge favor and gift I could give someone by sending a hundred bucks here and a hundred bucks there. I definitely want to be that girl who isn't greedy. You just can’t be greedy–people need so much in this world. It just blows my mind the poverty I've seen in some places."
Besides helping others, Dushku plans to use some of her money to go back to college. Although she knows that being a student and juggling a film career will be tough, Dushku insists that she will live out the college experience no matter what.
"I'm really just interested in learning more. It's set in my brain how important education is to me and has been to my family," she says. "I would really love to study history or English and literature or writing, cause I think writing can be a nice past time. Instead of watching TV it's nice to make your brain work. Knowledge is power and ignorance makes all the crazy things happening in this world."
In the meantime, Dushku is simply working on living life to its fullest. She recently moved into a new house in Los Angeles, where she spends plenty of time at the Saddle Ranch riding the mechanical bull. She was also a bridesmaid in her brother's wedding, and became certified in scuba diving to explore her "outdoorsy" side. No matter how famous she gets, Dushku refuses to let fame keep her from having a normal life.
"Sometimes I get, 'Hey! It's that chick from Buffy!’ or something, but it's not so bad," she says. "It can make me a little uncomfortable, the recognition, sometimes. Like when you just don't expect it and you are feeling very private it can be a little bit freaky to have someone come up to you and catch you off guard. But you can't stop living because of it. And if that's the only thing that I have to complain about, then I'm doing all right."
Super Site Update
I'm really jumping w/ joy! Thank you so much to all the award sites for recognizing KINDRED. I got 4 awards in a row. Check-out my awards section. Plus, I got an invitation from Ms. Jennifer Lee of absolutenow.com and celebrityworld.com for an exchange link. My pleasure. Move over to her sites.
On the other hand, a bit far out and a little sad coz my site has been temporarily unavailable since I'm getting a lot of hits. I need a new host. Kindly drop a line if you know of an affordable and reliable host. Thanks!
October 2, 2002
The Wrong Turn Interview
Taken from Ain't It Cool
Written by Moriarty [All credits given to him and Anton Sirius]
Anton Sirius Takes A WRONG TURN Onto Stan Winston’s New Set! TORONTO LOCATION REPORT! Eliza Dushku Interview!!
Hey, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab.
I am soooooooooo jealous. I was invited to do this, and it simply wasn’t possible thanks to timing and location, and it KILLS ME.
It kills me because Anton got to meet Rob Schmidt, whose first film SATURN was darn good, and who I’ve heard is a real stand-up guy. I’m interested to talk to him and see where he’s headed with his career.
It kills me because Anton got to see some cool-ass genre filmmaking in progress with huge sets and Stan Winston beasties running around.
It kills me because I’ve heard the WRONG TURN script is good, gory fun, and I’m always up for that.
Mainly, though, it kills me because he got to hang out with Eliza Dushku... Faith... who is, as Nic Cage once put it, “hotter’n Georgia asphalt.” And a damn fine actress to boot. My interest in TRUE LIES 2 evaporated when I heard she was written completely out of the film. Makes no sense. She’s the franchise. Mom and Dad and their fears about their little girl being all grown up. FATHER OF THE BRIDE with machine guns and CGI. This isn’t brain surgery, guys... I mean, she’s notorious!
Anyway... Anton... I hate you. And it’s a damn fine report, too, so dig in and see why you should hate him, too...
Fabulous Exclusive Set Report from Wrong Turn!
Hullo, starkinder! Anton here. Me am happy boy.
Yeah, yeah, I know, I've been a little delinquent in finishing up my Toronto Film Fest coverage. Harry had email problems, then I had pooter problems, then, well, stuff came up. Like getting to hang out with Stan Winston and Eliza Dushku kind of stuff.
Toronto wha-? Film Fest who?
I crept out of bed at some ungodly pre-noon hour and headed to the dark side of Toronto, the no-mans-land east of downtown and north of the lake. It's the kind of place Lovecraft used to write about- stunted, twisted undergrowth dotting the lots and the alleyways, a smoky heaviness clinging to the dilapidated brickwork of the old warehouses, a feeling a weary, nervous desolation. (Also not too far from Dangerous Dan's, the best burgers in the city, but that would kind of spoil the mood. Oops.) The perfect place, really, to be filming Wrong Turn, a horror movie about... nah, not yet. Go read the Lurking Fear if you want a clue before I get to the good stuff.
I grab a bottle of water from the Craft Services truck before I head inside to take a look at the set, and it turns out to be a wise move the way they've got the fog machine working overtime. I almost don't even notice, though, as it takes me a moment to adjust to what I'm seeing.
Trees. BIG trees. Big bad evergreen trees surrounding a fire tower. Inside a converted warehouse space in a city. I had to check over my shoulder to see if I'd accidentally wandered through a wardrobe filled with old fur coats or something. As I got my bearings though I realized I wasn't seeing all of the trees- someone had cut the bottoms of the trunks off, leaving the branchy middle sections sitting on the floor.
"Each trunk we've built represents the area somewhere between forty and sixty feet up in the treetops," production designer Alicia Keywan told me a bit later. "The characters jump down to this level from about eighty or ninety feet, from the top of the tower. So what we're looking at is about forty or fifty feet above the ground, which is where the action takes place." Hang on... built?
Alicia continued. "If you take off the skin of the bark you'd find a very elaborate meshwork of steel which is half-inch square tubing, like trussing for a bridge. It makes it very strong. Then we put in tubular connectors- where every one of those big branches juts out is a connector system. So our branches pop out. It takes about five minutes to pull one of those bigger branches out." Dear Goddess, I'm looking at the world's biggest Tinker Toy set. I've died and gone to heaven.
"It was a real technical problem, because we're constantly pulling out the branches to get lighting and camera in, and also to reconfigure the tree to make it look like a different tree or a different portion of the same tree." OK. Wow. 10:23 am- restate my assumptions. The set I'm on consists of the top fifty feet of a ninety foot fire tower in the West Virginia backwoods, surrounded by four extremely real looking but completely fake steel lattice Tinker Toy treetops, which are themselves surrounded by extremely real looking because they ARE real thirty foot tall evergreen trees to use in the background of the shots. Arborial extras, if you will. As I watch the crew set up for some stunt work, I realize they're about to shoot the characters as they plummet from that tower and slam through those branches. Sweet.
I fight off the urge to do some climbing and check out the (must remind myself they're) fake trees. The detail on them is phenomenal- sap glistens along some of the branches, the bark is some rubberized substance (Alicia tells me the bark is rubberized so that the actors' shoes will adhere better when they shoot the chase scene along them... yes I said 'chase scene.' To quote something a wise man once said, "Whoa") but flakes like real bark when you bump into it (um, heh heh, I'm sure nobody saw that), the branches flex and give like real branches... only when you knock on them do you realize something isn't kosher. There's a buried metallic sort of clank where a sturdy thump should be. I SO want one of these for my backyard. Forget a jungle gym- every kid should have a Stan Winston TinkerTree (TM) to play on.
Hmm, that's odd. One of the trees has a panel cut into the back of it, with a little platform for someone to stand on inside the tree and a hole just about big enough for their head to poke through. Wonder what that's for. (Today's word is 'foreshadowing', boys and girls.)
I wander back over to where the action is taking place, such as it is. The stunt folks are getting harnessed up and running through those plummets. That must mean there are some principal cast members sitting around nearby...
If you haven't checked out imdb yet, Wrong Turn's cast is a mixed bag to say the least. Eliza Dushku's the 'name', but you've seen Desmond Harrington in Besson's the Messenger and you're about to see him in Ghost Ship, and Kevin Zegers was the lead in the Air Bud movies (eek), and Jeremy Sisto plays Billy on Six Feet Under, and Emmanuelle Chriqui was the love interest in the N'Sync epic On the Line that makes me weep for Al Green's lost dignity every time I hear one of his songs.
"Oh, so you've seen it?", Emmanuelle asks.
Me- "Err, well yeah, I saw it in theaters. But it came out at about the same time as the Britney movie and the Mandy movie... I mean, I HAD to see them all."
"Right. Yeah."
"I had to. Really. Professional obligation."
"Yeah. Uh-huh."
I tried to conduct real-ish interviews with the principals who were there (Emmanuelle, Desmond and Eliza), I did I did. But inevitably we'd end up just gabbing about stuff, 'cause they're all just cool people. Emmanuelle is a total sweetie- I'd say cherubic except that cherubs aren't sexy. Desmond kept everybody in stitches over lunch riffing on lines from Jay & Silent Bob, which he'd seen the night before (Desmond to Eliza- "Have you seen it?"), and there is an Eastwood/McQueen '70s throw-back cop thriller in his future, I guarantee it. And then Eliza was... well, damn. She is absolutely the Queen of Carpe Diem you'd figure she'd be from watching her play Faith and Sissy and Missy. This is someone who, when it came her turn to do the stunt fall through the trees, would scream as she fell exactly until she dropped out of the shot, at which point the screams would become whoops of laughter. Consummate professional, but you know if someone's having fun somewhere in the building she's gonna strut over there and double it if she can.
Oh, yeah, that reminds me- the Dushku Strut. It's not an act, not a special effect. It's just her.
What do you mean you don't know the Dushku Strut? Of course you do. It's most pronounced when she's riding high in some snakeskin cowboy boots but it'd be there even when she's barefoot. Head thrown back and Next-Elite-Ford perfect posture down to the hips, which is where the swagger kicks in, almost like she's got a pair of six-shooters dangling, and the whole thing so perfectly expressing who she is on screen it would seem rehearsed if it weren't so blissfully unconscious. The thing's a work of art. A lethal one, but art nonetheless.
What was I talking about? Oh yeah, walking with Eliza over to her trailer for a (cough) 'interview'.
AS- I'm here with Eliza Dushku on the set of Wrong Turn. First question... how tough was it growing up with that name? 'Cause that is just so rife with schoolyard possibilities...
ED- I know! There was a two year period where... well, you know, it almost doesn't matter what it is, any name-calling just hurts. They could call you 'big fat dork' and it's just really really hurtful. But for those two years all the name changes and name calling absolutely ripped my heart out, and made me so hurt and upset, and I'd go home and scream at my mother for letting me have that name. And then after a while you're just who cares. "Oh, that's really original, like I've never heard that one before." What about you- what's your name?
(Which is pretty much how the whole conversation went. Let me pluck out the useful bits, since I'm sure you don't want to hear me explain how I actually have three different last names depending on whether we're talking in the ancient High dialect used only for formal gatherings of the Imperial Court or the common Elatzchan dialect, plus of course the secret name we only use at wedding, funerals and coming-of-age ceremonies. The weird part is Eliza's actually dated someone with a name really similar to mine, or as least as similar as human tongues allow.)
AS- So why another horror movie?
ED- Because the first one didn't really quite cut it? I didn't want to say I had tried it, been there and done that, with that project. I'm not dissing anyone when I say that- I think it's clear that the film just didn't quite come together. But you just never know, do you? I remember I got Bring It On and then immediately signed on to do Soul Survivors, and everyone was saying "Bring It On is a joke, it's gonna go straight to video, no one's going to see it, it is so silly, it's a stupid film, awful, but then Soul Survivors... wow, Wes Bentley, he just did American Beauty, and Casey Affleck too, so let's just hope Bring It On comes and goes really fast and then Soul Survivors can redeem you." You just never know. What goes on between reading the script and when you shoot it and what ends up coming out depends on so many different people and good timing and ideas it's almost luck whether it's good or bad. So I just felt I shouldn't let that be my one and only chance at it. And Stan Winston is quite a salesman. He invited me down to the studio, and I met Rob Schmidt (the director- we'll talk to him a bit later) and I said "I don't want to do a movie with monsters. I don't want to have my guts on the table so to speak, to be giving a really honest, raw performance, which is what this called for, and then all of a sudden the monster runs through frame and everyone chuckles. It's not worth it to me to do that." So Stan says "Let me ask you this. Do these pictures make you chuckle?" And he pulls out this poster, these rough images of... Let me break here and toss in a spoiler warning. Eliza's about to tell you who the bad guys are in this one- who it is chasing those kids through the treetops. If you don't wanna know you've been warned.
...these rough images of these mountain men, and he talks about how they weren't monsters and how all the things that are disfigured about them are actual human deformities, and the backwoods inbreeding thing was kind of intriguing too, like Deliverance, and really Stan could just talk a dog off a meat wagon. And he did.
AS- What grabbed you about Jessie (her character) the first time you read the script?
ED- I just thought that there could be a lot more to her than was obvious from the script. I mean it WAS in the script, but it was subtle, and I thought that was cool. So many characters in these kinds of movies can be written up really cheesy and ineffective... cheesily and ineffectively? I just though there was a lot of potential there, and she's a strong chick, you know, and no damsel in distress. She kicks some ass, and steps up. She's tough. I kinda like playing those characters.
AS- Really? Hadn't noticed.
ED- There's nine hundred thousand other movies out there you could go and see where the girl has hands folded in her lap or covering her eyes, screaming and shrieking. I don't feel that's why we're here. We're here to do something different, and make it interesting for people. And fortunately for me there's still more of those stories to be told.
AS- How much of those tough chicks you play- Jessie, Faith, etc.- is just you being you?
ED- Well, Jessie can't really be compared to Faith. Faith is someone that still means a great deal to me, and feel really close to, and really like. I respect Joss and everyone over there so much for how they put her story together, and of course I'm going back to Buffy as soon as I wrap on Wrong Turn. Jessie's not as extreme as Faith though. Jessie's someone- when people get really afraid, really terrified, you turn inward. Jessie gets to that point and finds this rock-hard strength inside her. She's out there, and all she has to rely on is herself, and I think that's really admirable. Even if you make mistakes, there's I think a bravery in not settling for being the victim, for finding that strength in yourself.
AS- How much of that is you?
ED- Oh, a lot! I mean, I never planned on being in this business at all, I'm really just rolling with it. My family has been supportive and there with me the whole time, but when you're ten years old and on a film set you're just kind of thrown out there alone, and you've got no one else. My mom is so great- she's going to Africa soon, Senegal, to like build a university from the ground up- and I know if I just packed it in tomorrow she'd be "Just hop on a plane out here and we'll figure things out." Not that I'm going to, I'm having a blast. But I know she'd be there for me.
AS- Does the image you project at all enter into your thinking when selecting these roles? You're so well known now for playing these tough, self-reliant characters, and you've become more than a little bit of a role model playing them.
ED- Not... no, I don't think about that. I'm just picking roles that appeal to me. But some of the letters and stuff I get, especially for Faith, it's the greatest feeling in the world. I got girls writing to me, "From the first time you walked in you were so strong, and you overcame so much, and I just felt if you could do it I could do it to", you know, getting themselves out of abusive relationships, all kinds of shit. And just knowing I helped inspire people to do things like that, it's such an amazing feeling.
We gabbed on after that, trading lists of fave horror movies (and I totally forgot Wise's the Haunting when I told her mine- stupid stupid Anton!) and her talking about seeing Johnny Depp get sucked down into that bed by Freddy when she was a kid and it freaked her out, but then she got all proud that she'd seen it and survived and whenever anybody came over she'd be all "Hey, you wanna watch a movie? This one's cool..." and talking about Kevin and Jen (I met Mr. and Mrs. Smith when they were up here for Vulgar- she knows 'em a bit better than I do though) and just general hey-how-you-doooin' kind of stuff. I also managed to turn her off ever seeing Dead Ringers until after menopause. Oh well.
More in Part Two, including Stan the Man and details on those nasties, which are... let's just say Stan did West Virginia tourism no favors with this one. Can’t wait, man. It’s almost as good as being there. Except the whole NOT MEETING DUSHKU PART!!!
Excuse me. I have to go seethe.
AIN'T IT COOL
October 1, 2002
STEAL THIS LOOK
Fall Beauty Trends
Eliza Dushku has posted a new look in InStyle Magazine. Consider her w/ a 'bangs'. Look refreshingly cool.
DESCRIPTION:
With makeup hues so vivid and varied this season—from rich berries to warm bronzes—the challeng is to find a way to turn over a new leaf without trying to outdo the foliage. Actress Eliza Dushku, who currently stars with Robert De Niro in City By the Sea, models four different trends for fall (created by celebrity makeup artist Tom Pecheux).
IN STYLE
Zesty style, definitely bows coz I'm a lover of straight hair myself.
Speaking of which, in collaboration with Eliza's new-fangled-look, I decided to have it as the topic for the October Poll. Question is, 'What hairstyle/color should Eliza have?', click your vote now.
Bric-A-Brac
Here I go again. Yes, my new face-off. A new beginning for KINDRED. An approach that I would love to squeeze in for a longer time. A MAJOR REVAMP. So hey, I just hope you like it. Why Bric-A-Brac? A question that I won't provide but you should answer, big yay!
I Bagged It
The nomination period is over at 'Shameless Grace Awards' and KINDRED got the trophy in "Best in Minor Character Site" category. What a humbling experience. Thank you.
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