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Upcoming Firefly Movie Behind-the-Scenes Photos

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the stuff-to-lust-after dept.

browncoat1 writes "A Firefly Mod for Neverwinter Nights is available, based on the cancelled FOX Television show Firefly (by Joss Whedon, of Buffy, Angel, and Titan A.E. fame). The guy who wrote the mod just posted some secret behind-the-scenes photos from the set of the upcoming movie Serenity, based on the show and starring the actors and actresses from the show. It should be a must-see for fans of Firefly or sci-fi TV in general."

11 of 107 comments (clear)

  1. I wonder... by TrickFred · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Joss as much as admitted that he 'borrowed' the idea for Buffy the Vampire Slayer from a Japanese anime called 'Devil Hunter Yohko' in an interview I read a few years back [in print, sorry, no link] - I wonder what his influences were originally for Firefly?

    1. Re: I wonder... by Black+Parrot · · Score: 2, Interesting


      > I wonder what his influences were originally for Firefly?

      Supposedly the Jesse James legend, plus presumably every western and space opera written or filmed since then.

      Supposedly also it harks back to an original pitch of Star Trek to the studio as "a wagon-train in space".

      --
      Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
    2. Re:I wonder... by ajs · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Why do there have to be specific influences. In the case of Buffy, Joss has said that he started with the idea of wanting to turn around the "scared girl in the alleyway, attacked by monster" so that the girl kicks the monster's ass. Being a fan, and drawing on anime for the mechanic of that seems reasonable, but if you watch the first 2 seasons of Buffy, the slayer and the monsters (vampires) aren't the focus of the series except in a few episodes. MOST of the show early on is about the contrast between high school and monster-hunting and how high school really is the more frightening element.

      In Firefly, obviously there are Star Wars elements. There's also a whole lot of the old TV western series feel (Joss has mentioned that this is deliberate).

      For my taste, the concept was a poor one. Telling a frontier story in space makes perfect sense, but you don't have to drive that home with American western metaphor. However, the execution (barring a few jarring elements that Fox demanded) was brilliant, and the show grew on me. I especially liked the development of the culture in large (throwing in Chinese language) and small (the scarcity of fresh vegetables) ways. The show FELT like it was taking place in a frontier setting, and I think that's the highest compliment I can pay to Joss and the crew of the series. The acting was superb. The only character I never "believed" was Jane. Joss has a hard time writing thugs because I don't think he knows enough of them ;-) but the actor did a fine job.

    3. Re:I wonder... by Loadmaster · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Mr. Whedon has said that he was inspired to create Firefly while reading the book, "Killer Angels." KA is a book about the battle of Gettysburg.

    4. Re:I wonder... by Scrameustache · · Score: 2, Interesting

      the scarcity of fresh vegetables

      I like that too, gives it that extra "ship at sea" feel that a lot of sci-fi doesn't have (because you can't have shows upon shows where they dont land anywhere).

      The only character I never "believed" was Jane. Joss has a hard time writing thugs because I don't think he knows enough of them ;-) but the actor did a fine job.

      Funny, I think he's one of the most believable characters.
      The actor does a fine job playing him because, well, he ALWAYS plays military types. Hell, this guy feels like Animal Mother (from Full Metal Jacket, played by him also) just enrolled on a spaceship after 'nam...
      I love how he starts off as a simple thug but then shows different aspects of his brutish personality. He's brave in a fight but cowardly at times, he doesn't want others to know he's a thief, a backstabber... He feels shame, he feels remorse. He's a horrible human being, but he's still a human being (granted, he wouldn't be this human if Mal wasn't there to give lessons in criminal decency). ...the man they call...Jayne...
      : )

      --

      You can't take the sky from me...

  2. Hmmm by Quixote · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Submitter's email address? "tulsa23@hushmail.com".
    The "guy who wrote the NVN mod" runs Sixbyte hosting, which is located in..... Tulsa, OK.
    Is this a case of Astroturfing ?

    To use a slogan from a certain network: I report, you decide!

    ;-)

  3. Re: Sci-fi? by Black+Parrot · · Score: 4, Interesting


    > Which part of Firefly is sci-fi? It seems all that lousy Stargate etc stuff is making sci-fi fans desperate enough to accept anything...

    It must be tough making it through life unable to enjoy anything but "real" SF.

    While we're on that topic... ISTM that many (but not all) SF fans have a really anal[-]retentive approach to their hobby, i.e. a fixation on definitions, categorization, and list making. Look at the subject headers in an SF newsgroup sometime... "Is this SF?", "10 stories about one-eyed lesbian space pirates", etc. It's funny, in a sad sort of way.

    --
    Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
  4. Andromeda by Karma+Sucks · · Score: 3, Interesting

    FireFly is the realised version of a western in space Kevin Sorbo always wanted the Andromeda show to be.

    Compare these characters for starters:

    Matt --> Dylan
    Jayne --> Tyr
    Sheperd --> Rev Bem
    Kaylee --> Trance
    (both Canadian girls who played in similar kid shows incidentally) ...

    Lots of similarities with tweaks for the particular environment and setting of Firefly. And of course, Firefly is miles ahead of what Andromeda became.

    --
    (Please browse at -1 to read this comment.)
    1. Re:Andromeda by NoMoreNicksLeft · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Andromeda is much more watchable than Voyager even, let alone Firefly. The last episode I've seen, has Harper pulling a neat trick with a space station, to slow down the invaders... he speeds up the rotation, increasing percieved gravity by 400%. If only Star Trek could learn from this.

      Matter of fact, I've not seen any dumb pseudo-science on it approaching the level of even the best of Voyager.

      The entire premise, with him living 5 seconds what is actually 300 years, due to relavistic effects... that was pretty solid. The Nietzcheans, the Magog, the conflicts all seem real, somewhat important. It's somewhat original, too. It's not as bad a show as I originally thought, even if it's slightly campy at times (maybe it was Farscape that taught me campy isn't always bad).

    2. Re:Andromeda by Scrameustache · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Matt --> Dylan

      I think you meant Mal, as is captain Malcom Reynolds...

      FireFly is the realised version of a western in space Kevin Sorbo always wanted the Andromeda show to be.

      And I'm sorry, but Sorbo wanted it to be "Hercules...in space!".

      Also, comparing Andromeda to Firefly is unfair. The only similarity is that they both (add Farscape to that to make it 3) were comfortable with campyness. Andromeda by being cheap and using campyness as an excuse to not make efforts (IMO, my wrasslin loving freinds liked it), Firefly by going all the way with the space western motif (they had a cargo of cows, making them officially cowboys), and Farscape with the muppets and the sexy alien space monsters (which are campy, but enjoyable).
      : )

      --

      You can't take the sky from me...

  5. What about the publicity? by rfunches · · Score: 2, Interesting

    It'll be interesting to see as production and post goes on how the publicity works out. Remember that wonderful network called Fox and their marketing department that royally screwed over this show? Since Universal bought the movie rights to a defunct show, it obviously has more of a vested interest in Firefly, but are they looking to be The Next Big Thing in Hollywood or simply appeal to Firefly fans.