Robert Zemeckis is getting his feet wet with an all new feature film for Disney called "Dark Life." The story is based on a same-titled forthcoming young adult fantasy novel from Kat Falls; it takes place in a world that is almost completely submerged in water, leading some to pursue life on the ocean floor and even develop supernatural powers. The story focuses on one of these underwater teenagers who teams up with a surface girl to uncover a government conspiracy.
When Zemeckis dives into "Dark Life," he'll have plenty of other aquatic-based movies to look back on to ensure that his latest effort goes swimmingly. But if he's looking for recommendations, I'd advise Zemeckis to find inspiration from the following five movies.
THE ABYSS
Zemeckis should take advantage of the realities of underwater life, as James Cameron did in "The Abyss," by turning pressure changes and oxygen withdrawal into some of the most terrifying scenes in cinema history. The director should also just go ahead and hire Ed Harris and Michael Biehn. Seriously, all movies could benefit from more Ed Harris and Michael Biehn.
DEEP BLUE SEA
The most important lesson to learn from "Deep Blue Sea" seems obvious to me, but in case it bears repeating — do not position your leading actor in front of an open pit of water where a man-eating shark is likely lurking just behind him. A lot of money goes towards securing an actor of Samuel L. Jackson's caliber — make sure you don't waste it all in one (admittedly legendary) scene!
JAWS
Speaking of sharks, a movie with a high concept such as "Dark Life" is only as good as the creatures that inhabit it — which brings us to "Jaws," easily one of the most iconic water-based movies of all time. "Dark Life" needs to tap into a menacing aquatic presence a la Steven Spielberg's famous killer shark, relying more on camera work and sound effects than actual visual effects to bring on the terror.
SPLASH
With the story of "Dark Life" centering on two young lovers, I would strongly encourage Zemeckis to look away from the current "Twilight" motif and instead draw inspiration from Ron Howard's "Splash." Allen Bauer and Madison the mermaid — the characters played by Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah — are a shining example of how to craft a hilarious but compelling romance between man and fish. Not that there are too many other examples of that kind of relationship in cinema history, but it's still a good one to look to!
WATERWORLD
Sometimes, it's not enough to have strong leading actors, brilliant set design and a cool premise in order to create a solid film, as seen with the widely panned "Waterworld." Obviously, we are all better off for having the line "Dry land is not a myth, I've seen it!" in the public vernacular, but Zemeckis should focus on creating an all-encompassing cohesive product, not just a bunch of flashy singular elements.
Tell us what other lessons Zemeckis should take into account in the comments section and on Twitter!
Tags Dark Life, Robert Zemeckis
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Robert Zemeckis' 'Dark Life' Could Learn A Thing Or Two From These Other Water-Based Movies!
Posted 4/6/10 2:51 pm EST by Josh Wigler in Commentary, News
Robert Zemeckis is getting his feet wet with an all new feature film for Disney called "Dark Life." The story is based on a same-titled forthcoming young adult fantasy novel from Kat Falls; it takes place in a world that is almost completely submerged in water, leading some to pursue life on the ocean floor and even develop supernatural powers. The story focuses on one of these underwater teenagers who teams up with a surface girl to uncover a government conspiracy.
When Zemeckis dives into "Dark Life," he'll have plenty of other aquatic-based movies to look back on to ensure that his latest effort goes swimmingly. But if he's looking for recommendations, I'd advise Zemeckis to find inspiration from the following five movies.
THE ABYSS
Zemeckis should take advantage of the realities of underwater life, as James Cameron did in "The Abyss," by turning pressure changes and oxygen withdrawal into some of the most terrifying scenes in cinema history. The director should also just go ahead and hire Ed Harris and Michael Biehn. Seriously, all movies could benefit from more Ed Harris and Michael Biehn.
DEEP BLUE SEA
The most important lesson to learn from "Deep Blue Sea" seems obvious to me, but in case it bears repeating — do not position your leading actor in front of an open pit of water where a man-eating shark is likely lurking just behind him. A lot of money goes towards securing an actor of Samuel L. Jackson's caliber — make sure you don't waste it all in one (admittedly legendary) scene!
JAWS
Speaking of sharks, a movie with a high concept such as "Dark Life" is only as good as the creatures that inhabit it — which brings us to "Jaws," easily one of the most iconic water-based movies of all time. "Dark Life" needs to tap into a menacing aquatic presence a la Steven Spielberg's famous killer shark, relying more on camera work and sound effects than actual visual effects to bring on the terror.
SPLASH
With the story of "Dark Life" centering on two young lovers, I would strongly encourage Zemeckis to look away from the current "Twilight" motif and instead draw inspiration from Ron Howard's "Splash." Allen Bauer and Madison the mermaid — the characters played by Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah — are a shining example of how to craft a hilarious but compelling romance between man and fish. Not that there are too many other examples of that kind of relationship in cinema history, but it's still a good one to look to!
WATERWORLD
Sometimes, it's not enough to have strong leading actors, brilliant set design and a cool premise in order to create a solid film, as seen with the widely panned "Waterworld." Obviously, we are all better off for having the line "Dry land is not a myth, I've seen it!" in the public vernacular, but Zemeckis should focus on creating an all-encompassing cohesive product, not just a bunch of flashy singular elements.
Tell us what other lessons Zemeckis should take into account in the comments section and on Twitter!
Tags Dark Life, Robert Zemeckis
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