My Response to Erik Burnham's "Five DC Properties to Make Movies From"

ORIGINALLY POSTED JUNE 28, 2011

My pal, Erik Burnham, wrote earlier today a blog entry that listed his idea for “Five DC Properties to Make Movies From”. Ironically, just about every day this summer, someone at work, online or the karate dojo has asked me what I thought about THOR, GREEN LANTERN or the new X-MEN: FIRST CLASS movies. (Wait until the end of this blog entry and I will reward you with my brief reviews).

So, while the anvil is hot and piggy-backing off of Erik’s blog idea, here are Scott McCullar’s “Five DC Properties to Make Movies From”.

5. DEADMAN

Not to be confused with the Johnny Depp independent film directed by Jim Jarmusch. Deadman is a ghost formerly known as Boston Brand – a trapeze artist murdered by a member of the League of Assassins. His spirit resides in a temple in Nanda Parbat (modeled after Shangri-La). The film could be both an occult murder mystery as Deadman works to solve his murder. While it may have some similarities to Patrick Swayze’s GHOST, it does not have to have Whoopi Goldberg, a clay pottery wheel or a Righteous Brothers theme song.

4. STARMAN

Not to be confused with the film starring Jeff Bridges. In the opening scene, the new Starman (David Knight) is killed by a sniper’s bullet. His younger brother and pawn shop junkie, Jack, reluctantly takes the mantle to help solve his older brother’s murder and becomes the new Starman. His father the original --Golden Age Starman, Ted Knight -- has reservations that his slacker son is prepared. Jack Knight proves his meddle.

3. THE QUESTION

I’d like to see this character blended a bit from his different portrayals in comics and be more like the JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED version which is part conspiracy theorist, a blend of Rorschach from WATCHMEN and part Fox Mulder. A compulsive, dark, obsessive newsman takes the red pill and goes further down the rabbit hole.

2. CHASE

Though it only lasted ten issues, the comic book series CHASE focused on D.E.O. Agent Cameron Chase who was tasked with monitoring metahuman threats to national security. The film could open the door to the entire DC Universe and explore A, B and C level heroes and villains. While it doesn’t have to start comical like MEN IN BLACK, it could take a serious route and inject a bit of realism like KICK ASS or the recent TV series, THE CAPE.

I know some of my friends will be surprised that I didn’t suggest a Green Arrow film. I think SMALLVILLE has exposed our hero enough that he needs some cooling off time and wouldn’t do well in a movie on his own, but I’d love to see Eddie “Iron Horse” Fyers appear as an Agent of the D.E.O. that is the watcher of Green Arrow in this CHASE series where he can make a cameo. I’d like to see Eddie co-star as a supporting character to Agent Chase and be a bit of a loose cannon.

1. SGT. ROCK

Since I was a kid, this film was rumored to be in production. First to star the late Lee Marvin (who basically played Sgt. Rock in THE BIG RED ONE). Later, Arnold Swarzenegger (who led his own band of brothers in the original PREDATORS film playing mercenary Dutch) was rumored to play Sgt. Rock at the chagrin of many fans that couldn’t imagine the Germanic accented speaking actor to play a Kraut killer. In the 1990’s and early 2000’s, even diehard action hero Bruce Willis was rumored to play the Pennsylvanian top sergeant. The movie never materialized.

For this film, look at both BAND OF BROTHERS and the Samuel Fuller movie THE BIG RED ONE to use as inspiration to tell the story of the Men of Easy Company in an episodic format that could jump from different campaigns from North Africa, Italy, France, Germany or Czechoslovakia. With a mix of how Donnie Walhberg played Sgt. Lipton and some of the grittiness of Lee Marvin as the Sarge, find a tough-as-nails actor to convincingly play the squad leader. Told with realism in a gritty way like Billy Tucci’s recent approach, interject some of the fictional aspects as if the Nazis had a War Wheel or other HELLBOY-ish comic book Nazi secret weapons. But the story is about the men and surviving as they’re led by a no-nonsense non-com officer. Use the desaturated coloring that was used in films like BAND OF BROTHERS or SAVING PRIVATE RYAN and add contrast to the shadows to make Joe Kubert’s lines come to life on film. Perhaps draw on films like HELL IS FOR HEROES, TO HELL AND BACK and THE SANDS OF IWO JIMA also for inspiration.

If Daniel Craig could dye his hair red, get it chopped into a crewcut, ditch the British accent a bit and sound like he came from Pittsburgh, then I’d love to see him play Sgt. Rock.

…and that folks, is my suggested top five.

Oh yeah, I loved X-MEN, really really liked THOR and thought GREEN LANTERN was so-so.