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Post by jasonrobertyates on Mar 15, 2005 16:59:57 GMT -5
Hey thanks for coming to the board and sharing. Thanks for also fighting the good fight for us GAH fans. You want an artist to storyboard your script treatment I would work for free
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Post by MyTatuo on Mar 15, 2005 17:47:50 GMT -5
Welcome to the board, MortimerWest! Sorry you were accidently banned for so long. Are you sure you're not really Pam Parrish? ;D
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Lupin
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Post by Lupin on Mar 15, 2005 19:35:20 GMT -5
Oh no not her. Luckily she figures she is to good for that. (about Renee Zwarzenegger) ;DhAhaHHAhAHA!! ;D you're sooooo right!!! I couldn't say it better!
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Lupin
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I'm a good Fed.
Posts: 180
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Post by Lupin on Mar 15, 2005 19:54:51 GMT -5
I did two things for Disney while I was there - I created and wrote Sky High (which comes out July. starring Kurt Russell and Bruce Cambell is in it as well) and I worked my a** off on GAH - The studio only wanted one superhero movie - and mine won. Not because it's better - I'd have loved to have seen my name under the GAH poster - but simply because there are some people who are simply IMPOSSIBLE to work with. That can't be that unheard of, can it? do you know if this is true? www.filmfodder.com/archive/greatest_american_heroAccording to this old article it seems that a certain Paul Hernandez, an unexperienced writer but owner himself of an original suit, has come up with the idea of additional suits
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Post by MortimerWest on Mar 15, 2005 21:06:27 GMT -5
do you know if this is true? www.filmfodder.com/archive/greatest_american_heroAccording to this old article it seems that a certain Paul Hernandez, an unexperienced writer but owner himself of an original suit, has come up with the idea of additional suits I wouldn't say "inexperienced" -- by the time I had gotten the GAH gig I had already sold three scripts, written Sky High for Disney and had a directing job lined up, but yeah - that's me and for what it's worth, they got the whole idea wrong (as news sites often do). There were to be two suits in my script. Mine was going to be a continuation - meaning the television show is part of the movie's history. My guy (Charlie) was a lot like Ralph, a truly good person who right off the bat we learn has been having a real bad week - everything seems to be against him, but he shines through it - turns the other cheek and looks on the bright side -- we learn later these hard luck events are caused by the Aliens. This is how they test potential candidates for the suit - how you fare with life's hardships and overcome them proves your worth. Anyhow, Charlie is the manager of a grocery store and like Ralph, is divorced and has a kid. His wife is dating this sort of Bill Gates/Donald Trump character named VINCENT, who, rumor has it is, going to run for President. An order goes missing from a delivery and Charlie recieves a fax from PALMDALE saying his package is out there (no need to let those who are in the know who the fax is from). I was sort of playing with the idea of changing the FBI character to a COP - who sort of stumbles across what's going on. She actually gets involved on her own. Charlie makes it to Palmdale and finds a odd dome shaped building at the address given. The building is actually the ship. The Aliens tell Charlie his mission has already started and that he is all that can save the world - yadda, yadda, yadda After recieving the suit, Charlie makes it back home, the suit actually flies out of the box and works it's way up his arm - shredding his clothes. He unlocks the instruction book and looks for a way to contact the Aliens to tell them he's not interested . There's a page marked off with a sort of 911 procedure -- With a twiist of the belt buckle, Charlie is tossed across the galaxy and into the belly of the Alien ship. They inform him his family is in danger and he must accept the mission. Charlie is returned home and calls his exwife. While on the phone they argue and Charlie unintentionally sets his house on fire. He flees the place forgetting the book in the fire. Well, it all boils down Charlie believing someone is going to kill his wife's boyfriend before he can run for office. It turns out, this is the furthest thing from the truth, Vincent actually has a suit of his own. He's used it to build his fortune and now intends to use it to win the Presidency. (This was my blatent rip from "Don't Mess Around With Jim" one of my favorite episodes and one I alwsys wanted to know more about. Anyway,this was the reason Charlie was chosen by the Aliens for this mission. He and his family were in personal risk and he had access to Vincent who manages to capture Charlie out of his suit. There were a couple of great beats here where we learn that Vincent actually has Charlie's instruction book. He tells Charlie that if he had only read the book he could have taken down Vincent easily -- Charlie's suit was a newer top of the line model. Vincent destroys Charlie's book. He also fills Charlie in a bit on the history of the Aliens, that they have been giving out suits for years - Before Vincent was chosen there was a girl named Hathoway, and before her, a school teacher named Hinkley. Charlie now must get his suit back and fight Vincent who, unlike Charlie, has mastered all the powers of his suit. Anyhow, that's sort of the cliff note version of what I wanted to do -- woulda been fun. And waitaminute - When was I banned from this site? I don't remeber that?
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scenario
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"We all do what makes us feel good."
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Post by scenario on Mar 16, 2005 1:16:43 GMT -5
Welcome back Mortimer! Drop by more often then a couple of times a year, will ya. You're comments are insightful, and it's always cool to have one of our own working in the industry. We may be the only fan board that can boast such a thing. Especially since you were with us back before you got the big time Hollywood gigs and you were just "an ordinary" fanboy poster. I like most of your ideas, too bad it never got made. The only thing that I'm not sure about was employing the new character in a grocery store. Working in a grocery store is an honest living just like any other job, but it I get an impression you wanted to give the Charlie character too much of a nebbish, loser streak to him. It sorta seems to close to (was it John Denver?) the Oh God! movies where a grocery store worker is suddenly called upon from above to do extraordinary things. And the same thing happened to Martin Short in Innerspace, another grocery store worker saves the day. But I guess yet another school teacher would have been cliche as well. School teachers and grocery store workers are always saving the planet.
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Post by MortimerWest on Mar 16, 2005 9:40:34 GMT -5
Welcome back Mortimer! Drop by more often then a couple of times a year, will ya. You're comments are insightful, and it's always cool to have one of our own working in the industry. We may be the only fan board that can boast such a thing. Especially since you were with us back before you got the big time Hollywood gigs and you were just "an ordinary" fanboy poster. I like most of your ideas, too bad it never got made. The only thing that I'm not sure about was employing the new character in a grocery store. Working in a grocery store is an honest living just like any other job, but it I get an impression you wanted to give the Charlie character too much of a nebbish, loser streak to him. It sorta seems to close to (was it John Denver?) the Oh God! movies where a grocery store worker is suddenly called upon from above to do extraordinary things. And the same thing happened to Martin Short in Innerspace, another grocery store worker saves the day. But I guess yet another school teacher would have been cliche as well. School teachers and grocery store workers are always saving the planet. There's a reason they made John Denver a grocery store manager in Oh God (a great film BTW - and the similarities are well pointed out ) Grocery store manager is anothr form of community servant, same as teacher. Especially if this is a mom and pop sort of store that takes part in food drives and such. Another reason I picked this is because it works. I didn't want the character to have a prominent occupation - I wanted one of those"who helps your community" people that the nightly news gives five minutes to if they are having a slow news day. And Charlie was never inteended to be a loser - he likes himself and what he does. I think Hitchcock said once that an audience will fall in love with any character as long as he's good at what he does - be it astronaught, killer, or grocery store owner. I believe that. Glad you liked the rest of it.
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Post by greenguy on Mar 16, 2005 15:58:48 GMT -5
Hey Mortimer, I hate the fact the studio didn't go forward with the script. But congrats on Sky High! Looking forward to taking a look at it when it's released.
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Lupin
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Posts: 180
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Post by Lupin on Mar 16, 2005 19:44:03 GMT -5
I wouldn't say "inexperienced" -- by the time I had gotten the GAH gig I had already sold three scripts, written Sky High for Disney and had a directing job lined up, but yeah - that's me and for what it's worth, they got the whole idea wrong (as news sites often do). There were to be two suits in my script. Hey sorry about that misunderstanding, Mortimer. Yesterday when I read your very interesting insight post about the movie I went googling for more info. I came across that stuff about a script and Disney and since you said you worked hard on the GAH project for them I thought you might have some idea on how the script would be like. I actually thought you were a production set designer or somehow involved in creating the image of characters. In fact, when you say "Also - just to let you know - when I was there - the FBI agent was going to be played by a woman this time around. " I got the impression that by working there you just happened to know the characters and who's in the movie. I was unaware that the whole scenario is your work. Anyway, the script as it is sounds great, it is linked to the episodes and it is a story designed both for the more traditional fans and for the huge hollywood audience of those who never heard of/watched TGAH but would be interested in a film with an original idea, good characters, sci-fi and a good solid story. I wish they keep it this way without too many changes. Thank you for your awesome contributions; I am looking forward to read your next posts. Oh, and of course, welcome (back) to the board.
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Post by jasonrobertyates on Mar 16, 2005 20:01:53 GMT -5
I did two things for Disney while I was there - I created and wrote Sky High (which comes out July. starring Kurt Russell and Bruce Cambell is in it as well) i am looking forward to sky high. i havent heard of it. cambell and russell are two of my favorites, along with others. whats it about. its cool that russell is back at disney again. or is this more of a touchtone or hollywood pic.
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Post by MortimerWest on Mar 16, 2005 21:26:30 GMT -5
Sky High is a high school for the offspring of Superheroes. Kurt Russel plays Mr Stronghold (the main character's father) Kelly Preston plays his mother. Bruce Campbell plays Coach Boomer who decides if you are worthy of being placed in Hero classes or stuck as a Sidekick. Lynda Carter plays the principal -- it'll hit the screen in July
and thanks for the kind words about the GAH script - believe me I tried like heck to get things to work out
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Post by jasonrobertyates on Mar 16, 2005 21:38:28 GMT -5
WOW!!!!! that totaly sounds like a movie i would dig. they are releasing it on FF month eh? i geuss they are trying to ride the FF wave.
who knows they may beat the FF box office. i am going to have to do some web searching on this.
who plays the kid. what type of powers can we hope to see.
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Post by jasonrobertyates on Mar 16, 2005 21:53:19 GMT -5
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scenario
Agent
"We all do what makes us feel good."
Posts: 335
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Post by scenario on Mar 18, 2005 19:25:55 GMT -5
To echo Greenguy's comments, it's like no kidding about Sky High. Big time congratulations on that Mortimer.
It's a shame about GAH, but that hasn't seemed to slowed you down. I mean you're continuing to work for big studios and with premium stars, you've really done well and become incredibly successful with your screenwriting/Hollywood career.
-scenario-
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scenario
Agent
"We all do what makes us feel good."
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Post by scenario on Mar 18, 2005 19:28:51 GMT -5
That's what I was thinking, the concept for Sky High seems like it would lend itself very well to TV. -scenario-
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Post by CuteGuyInGA on Apr 23, 2005 4:05:49 GMT -5
I like your script idea alot too, Mortimer. I do believe that if you are going to use different actors then you should not use the same characters for movies based on old TV Shows. By the way do you know who came up with the idea of using an all black cast for the Honeymooners movie? Now that is an example of bad casting. What would people say if you used an all white cast for that Fat Albert movie?
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Post by MissDavidson on Jun 30, 2005 22:20:55 GMT -5
Also - just to let you know - when I was there - the FBI agent was going to be played by a woman this time around. WHAT? ?? OOOOOHHHHHHHHH NO! That won't do, that simply won't do!
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Post by Captmiloman on Aug 23, 2005 13:30:39 GMT -5
Here's my scenario(no pun intended). Twenty years have passed since Ralph Hinkley(William Katt) decided to give up the suit to return to a normal life. He is currently the principal at Whitney High School. He's still married to Pam Davidson(Connie Sellica). Kevin Hinkley is now thirty years old(or close to it) and has his degree in journalism. He's working for the LA times. Bill Maxwell(Robert Culp) has been a highly respected bigwig in the LA bureau of the FBI, but due to his age is being forced to retire. He's also mellowed a bit over the years. Enter Mark Logan(Denis Leary), who's been working under Maxwell for several years. Logan and Maxwell have been known to butt heads on occasion. Kevin has been given an asignment to report on several strange sightings in, you guessed it, Palmdale. Logan's also been sent there to check out the same sightings. Both men are enroute to Glendale when "the little green guys" take over their vehicles and bring them into the desert alot quicker than either man planned on. Their vehicles come to a stop as the spaceship decends over them. Hinkley and Logan are beamed into the ship and Hinkley is given the suit. Both men are told about Ralph and Bill's experiences and are also informed that Ralph had been given two instruction books, but lost both and there are no more to give. The "little green guys" wish Kevin & Mark luck and return them back to their vehicles. Kevin calls his dad & stepmother on his cell phone and begins to ask questions. Mark does the same with Bill. How about that for the beginning of a storyline? Bill Katt wouldn't even have to put "the red jammies" on. Yes, I do have an imagination.
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Post by billswoman on Aug 23, 2005 14:16:10 GMT -5
Yeah, but per GAHeroine, Ralph didn't retire the suit,he had to give it up. Like it or not, it's canon, seeing as it had the original cast and was done by SJC and all. How does she fit in?
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Post by Captmiloman on Aug 24, 2005 17:06:11 GMT -5
I have a feeling that since Mr. Cannell's in charge of this thing(I'm assuming he'd be writing the screenplay as well) he'll probably want to toss out the whole Holly Hathaway plot and try a different approach. That's just my opinion.
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