Anyone know the truth about this?
How could Hollywood let a good disaster flick slip?
Is MovieLand DGI?

Date Bug To Miss Its 15-minutes Of Fame

Issue date: 7 January 1999 Article source: Computer Weekly Columns / Opinions

Aristotle said, "Art imitates life." The Greek sage's pithy observation is ringing in the ears of executives at Warner Brothers' studios in Hollywood. The studio's attempt to bring a year 2000 disaster epic to the big screen faces the axe after the company missed deadlines.

When Warner bought the rights to a screenplay provisionally titled "Y2K" earlier this year, the writer, Stu Zucherman, said portentously: "It's one of the few deadlines in the history of the world you can't push back."

Since then, the studio has been silent about the production, amid rumours that it has been leant on by Washington experts fearful that the film would cause public panic.

But other sources suggest Zucherman was correct. Film executives have realised that if the film was released in the US in autumn 1999 as planned, then it wouldn't reach other target English-speaking markets until three or four months later - after the date change. The studio is understood to have reverted to a less time-dependent treatment.

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"Since then, the studio has been silent about the production, amid rumours that it has been leant on by Washington experts fearful that the film would cause public panic. "

Hhhhmmmm. Comments?

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-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), January 07, 1999

Answers

It is pretty common for purchased properties (scripts, fx) to go absolutely nowhere in Hollywood. In fact, the vast majority of "good ideas" that sell in script form for 5-6 figures don't go any further than some upper-level producer's file cabinet, stored as a "maybe someday" project -- the producer buys "production rights" and isn't obligated to ever use them. Robin Williams, we know you're out there. Care to comment?

Anita Evangelista

-- Anita Evangelista (ale@townsqr.com), January 07, 1999.

I am surprsed that a movie has not already come out about Y2k. WE have seen everything else from the bottom of the sea to the outer limits of the sky. After the Jan 1 Y2k Blitz on CNN, I have not heard one word about Y2k on television. It is like the bombing of Iraq, Koskavo, Bosnia and all the other one day events we have witnessed in the past. The media is staurated with the issue and then it goes away, seldom to be discussed again. I think it gives the public a sense that all is well. WE have been conditioned to accept this as the truth and not question anything.

-- Linda A. (adahi@muhlon.com), January 07, 1999.

I was always surprised that no one really got on the stick and cranked that Y2K property out faster. They needed to hit the screens back in October or at least by February to make their "window of opportunity." SAh well: we can all fire up our camcorders (using solar-recharged batteries) and make our own versions...

Bye the bye, Corona's "Coming Attractions" provides all sorts of info about films in all stages of development. Select Frames or No Frames, then click on "Film Listings" and search to your heart's content through the wunnerful world of Hollywierd. Note how many properties are in Development Hell...

Corona's Coming Attractions

-- Mac (sneak@lurk.com), January 07, 1999.

Mac, cool link, thanks!

I too had hopes for *several* Y2K Movies much sooner! Oh well. Hard to believe Hollywood would blow an opportunity like this.

Hollywood Y2K Disaster MOVIES Coming; Awareness Will Explode

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-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), January 07, 1999.