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thehefnerFrom Sci-Fi Wire: "Keanu Reeves, who plays the title character in the upcoming supernatural thriller film Constantine, told SCI FI Wire that the movie is faithful to the spirit of the DC/Vertigo comic series Hellblazer, on which it is based. That's despite the fact that the film moves the action to Los Angeles from London and transforms the main character, supernatural detective John Constantine, into a dark-haired American from a blond British guy.
"I think that's about the only change we've made," Reeves said in an interview during a break in filming at a cemetery in Compton, Calif. He added that the filmmakers, including director Francis Lawrence, considered the changes carefully. "We spoke about it, but it seemed in terms of the platform that we were using, which became Los Angeles—the world in terms of heaven, hell and Los Angeles—seemed to be attractive and make sense. And we're kind of doing a hard-boiled kind of take on the piece. So we kind of went this way instead of a more gothic aspect.
"It's serious and, hopefully, funny at the same time," Reeves added. "Again, going back to that hard-boiled motif, Constantine in this film is in a hospital and he finds out he's dying of lung cancer, lights a cigarette up inside the doctor's office. She says, 'That's a good idea.' He gets into an elevator and this character comes by, and the elevator door's closing, and the person says, 'Going down?' And he says, 'Not if I can help it.' The next scene is, he's in bed with a half-breed demon, drinking whiskey with scratches on his back, and the scene ends with her tail kind of swishing underneath the sheets, laughing, going, 'Lung cancer? Hah. That's funny, John.' So hopefully we have the spirit of ... I call it the Constantinian factor. I'm always asking, 'Is that Constantinian enough?' I think I need more Constantine in my Constantine." The movie opens in September."
On one hand, I do want the film to work. On the other hand, it's Keanu frickin' Reeves as John motherfucking Constantine! Constantine IS London, that's the main problem. And if any Americans should be playing him, it should be Denis Leary or James Marsters.
Still, I have it on good account that Reeves can act, when he applies himself. So I'm hoping. And praying.
"I think that's about the only change we've made," Reeves said in an interview during a break in filming at a cemetery in Compton, Calif. He added that the filmmakers, including director Francis Lawrence, considered the changes carefully. "We spoke about it, but it seemed in terms of the platform that we were using, which became Los Angeles—the world in terms of heaven, hell and Los Angeles—seemed to be attractive and make sense. And we're kind of doing a hard-boiled kind of take on the piece. So we kind of went this way instead of a more gothic aspect.
"It's serious and, hopefully, funny at the same time," Reeves added. "Again, going back to that hard-boiled motif, Constantine in this film is in a hospital and he finds out he's dying of lung cancer, lights a cigarette up inside the doctor's office. She says, 'That's a good idea.' He gets into an elevator and this character comes by, and the elevator door's closing, and the person says, 'Going down?' And he says, 'Not if I can help it.' The next scene is, he's in bed with a half-breed demon, drinking whiskey with scratches on his back, and the scene ends with her tail kind of swishing underneath the sheets, laughing, going, 'Lung cancer? Hah. That's funny, John.' So hopefully we have the spirit of ... I call it the Constantinian factor. I'm always asking, 'Is that Constantinian enough?' I think I need more Constantine in my Constantine." The movie opens in September."
On one hand, I do want the film to work. On the other hand, it's Keanu frickin' Reeves as John motherfucking Constantine! Constantine IS London, that's the main problem. And if any Americans should be playing him, it should be Denis Leary or James Marsters.
Still, I have it on good account that Reeves can act, when he applies himself. So I'm hoping. And praying.
