Speed Racer's Visual FX Uncovered

Marco Trezzini writes "View exclusive interactive samples of the digital building blocks behind the Speed Racer movie in VRMag's in-depth interviews with award-winning Matrix visual FX guru John Gaeta, Dennis Martin, Lubo Hristov, and Jake Morrison. Including Virtual Reality panoramas of the movie locations, turn tables of the mach 5 and 6, and many making of videos unveiling the secrets of the visual effects. Link to 'Speed Racer uncovered' and to John Gaeta's interview." The first time I saw the trailer for this movie, my jaw hit the floor. Nobody makes live action "Cartoons" that look like this. I guess that makes me believe there is no way the movie can be good.

Comments

Hollywood is dead to me

[Anonymous Coward]

All they do anymore is remake crappy tv shows i never wanted to watch in the first place into crappy movies i still dont want to watch.

Writers strike be damned, im on a viewers strike!

Re:Hollywood is dead to me

[gardyloo]

Yeah, but once there's a live-action/CG movie of The Gummybears, I'm there, man, I'm there! And I want my couch-cushion fort in the theater, too.

Why the Instant Dismissal?

[eldavojohn]

The first time I saw the trailer for this movie, my jaw hit the floor. Nobody makes live action "Cartoons" that look like this. I guess that makes me believe there is no way the movie can be good. "No way?" Why on earth do you say that? I mean, the odds are high we have the equivalent of Fantastic Four, Sky Captain & the World of Tomorrow or a Matrix sequel. You know, movies that have great or novel special effects but little else. On the other hand, you could have something like Brazil, Blade Runner or 2001: A Space Odyssey. Movies that had different or strange special effects with more supporting features than just that.

I don't think that's exactly fair. There is some way the movie could be good. The original Matrix had neat (maybe not original) effects but it also had a very sound core science fiction theme along with a lot of great drama and situations. The dialog wasn't the best but I thought the story was very very strong. My 50+ year old aunt and uncle watched it when it came out and the one thing they remember from it is the story. Not the special effects or dialog or who was in it but the possibility of this Man Vs Machine universe.

I'll admit when I saw the Speed Racer trailer, my brain didn't comprehend anything that happened. I couldn't tell who was what, what I was looking at or even what kind of conflict the movie centered on. I was utterly stupefied. I'm not afraid of admitting that, it was just confusing and I've never seen or read any Speed Racer material so I have no precursor or knowledge of what the theme is.

If this movie is relying 100% on its stunning visual effects, it's going to be a summer blockbuster and nothing more. It isn't going to age well and might go down as being a standard to watch on the latest plasma screen until next summer when a better movie comes out. There is, however, still a very likely possibility that one or more elements comes through to save the movie. Whether it be the directing, the acting, the story or even the music.

Re:Why the Instant Dismissal?

[explosivejared]

I am behind you all the way on Bladerunner and 2001, but The Matrix had a sound core science fiction theme along with a lot of great drama and situations...

The science of the Matrix was pretty laughable, I mean the machines are smart enough to build human farms, but too dumb to use satellites to capture solar power. A lot of stuff didn't add up. The films only saving grace, which more than made up for the plot holes, was it's deep philosophical questions, specifically about the nature of experience and what it truly means to be human. These are common threads alongside the other two films mentioned.

I think it is sort of obvious that Speed Racer isn't going to be tackling any sort of grandiose, fundamental question of philosophy. The whole cartoon was pretty campy, which the movie seems to have moved away from. This doesn't give make me hopeful about anything other than the visuals being worthwhile.

Sure, it will probably be an enjoyable film, but I would be very reluctant to mention 2001 or Bladerunner in the same breath.

Re:Why the Instant Dismissal?

[sesshomaru]

As a fan of the original series, I can say that odds are that this movie will be deeper than Blade Runner, Brazil and 2001:A Space Odyssey combined!!!

I mean there's a twist, and I don't want to give away anything... but there's a big secret involving Racer X. And the existential angst of Spritle and Chim-Chim. Like something out of Kafka, you see, one of the twins is actually a chimpanzee.

If this movie doesn't sweep the academy awards, I'll have to believe that it must be because it was too deep for them.

It's not "Speed Racer!"

[zippthorne]

At least, the preview wasn't. The preview was quite clearly for a movie about F-Zero.

Re:Go in with no expectations at all

[sexybomber]

Just order a large popcorn, maybe get a little intoxicated, and go watch the eye-candy.

(emphasis mine)

A little? Every time I see the trailer, I think to myself, I've got to go see that movie when I'm tripping balls. I just hope my eyeballs don't pop out of my head!

speedracer vs ninjas?

[yakumo.unr]

The CGI made me cringe.

But what made me laugh was the trailer clearly showed he did _NOTHING_ his whole life but think about racing, or practice racing.

So htf did he build the muscles and learn the skills to take out the ninjas they show later? lol

He's not even a pirate ;)