The Lords Of Dogtown

MacGuffin · January 24, 2003, 10:56:04 AM

Source: Variety

Unfortunately David Fincher's next film as director WON'T be MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 3 - it will instead by the coming-of-age drama THE LORDS OF DOGTOWN. The pic will be a bit of a change of pace from the traditional Finch fare but the director has decided to tackle this project about the surf and skateboard culture in the 1970s. LORDS was originally written by Stacy Peralta who directed the documentary DOGTOWN AND Z-BOYS, a film that highlighted the same cultural milieu. Roger Avary (RULES OF ATTRACTION) has been brought in to rewrite the script. Production is scheduled to begin in 3rd quarter 2003 with M:I3 being pushed back to 2004. (So that likely means the rumors of Kelly Brook being cast in MISSION aren't true.) LORDS was originally set up at New Line where Limp Bizkit frontman and Playboy Mansion mainstay Fred Durst was expected to direct. It's unclear if Durst will have any involvement in Fincher's film.

RegularKarate · January 24, 2003, 12:45:09 PM

Well, I could care less when Finch does MI3 (though I will definately see it when he does), but I REALLY hope that Fred Durst has nothing to do with this film.

Ghostboy · January 25, 2003, 09:26:56 PM

I think this is a great project for him to take on, somethign completely different than what he's done before. Plus, that documentary was very enjoyable. In any case, I'd rather see Fincher do this than M:I3, and I'm very glad I don't have to sit through a Fred Durst movie (unless he turns out to be a good director for some reason).

Gold Trumpet · January 26, 2003, 08:12:43 AM

I always was eyeing that documentary for rental, but now I think I will really rent it.

This is very good for Fincher as well, it gives him an opportunity to tackle a new kind of story with different purposes.

~rougerum

Duck Sauce · January 26, 2003, 11:25:52 AM

Quote from: mogwaiFincher should do a remake of Thrashin' instead.

I second, third and fourth that.

Skateboard movies are great (up till 1992)

Jeremy Blackman · January 26, 2003, 11:38:31 AM

Quote from: RegularKaratebut I REALLY hope that Fred Durst has nothing to do with this film.

I hope that Fred Durst has nothing to do with anything.

oakmanc234 · February 16, 2003, 02:14:34 AM

I gotta say I'm not too pleased with this new skateboard/surfing project. I guess I was just hoping for another 'Fight Club'-type flick.

You win some you lose some.

sphinx · February 16, 2003, 02:52:56 AM

you never know. roger avary rewrote the script...

Duck Sauce · February 16, 2003, 03:19:35 AM

Quote from: oakmanc234I gotta say I'm not too pleased with this new skateboard/surfing project. I guess I was just hoping for another 'Fight Club'-type flick.

You win some you lose some.

How many Fight Clubs/Sevens can you make though?

sbelden · March 04, 2003, 10:09:26 PM

avary gives (at least) tri-weekly updates on his journal at www.avary.com, often updating about the "Dogtown" project. now that fincher's off MI:3 it's gonna happen soon...

Him · March 14, 2003, 09:32:29 AM

i guess that i was hoping that fincher would be 'important' (though i hate saying it that way) director. (empire magazine dubbed him the most crucial director of the turn of the century) it seems the messages from seven and fight club and the game weren't his after all. maybe it was all chuck palahniuk and andrew kevin walker, and finch just saw the possibility for some visual wizardry.

©brad · March 14, 2003, 10:01:38 AM

Quote from: The Walking Clichei guess that i was hoping that fincher would be 'important' (though i hate saying it that way) director. (empire magazine dubbed him the most crucial director of the turn of the century) it seems the messages from seven and fight club and the game weren't his after all. maybe it was all chuck palahniuk and andrew kevin walker, and finch just saw the possibility for some visual wizardry.

r u saying b/c he didn't generate the ideas himself or write the screenplays that he's not important and had nothing to do with the finished product? you could say the same thing about kubrick then, since all his movies are based on novels.
just because fincher doesn't write doesn't mean he's not 'important' or creating anything new.

Ghostboy · March 14, 2003, 10:18:25 AM

Yeah, its kinda presumptuous to expect a director to give you a 'message-movie' every time. That would get old really fast. I'm thrilled with the new directions he's taking.

Him · March 17, 2003, 10:57:50 AM

nuh-uh.

kubrick did have a lot of input in the story part of the process, it's just that he got the bare bones from novels. a lot of the time he wrote a draft, and then got a professional to re-draft it, thus giving him the credit, whilst kubrick was happy just being known as the director.

spielberg is very similar. how do you think he keeps getting in the theme of the abandoning father? and yet apparently he's only had the 'written and directed' credit twice. (once, ironically, for a.i.)

my question is this: how much of a finger does finch have in the story-telling pie? obviously he has final cut...but how much of a consultant is he in the script-writing process? i'm wary of his background in music videos, i guess.

brace yourselves...would finch be better off as a director for hire? is he nothing more than an up-market rob cohen?

Duck Sauce · March 17, 2003, 11:13:38 AM

I saw Dogtown Z-Boys the other day and am completley convinced that any movie about this subject would definatly be gnarly. Any details?