Some motion pictures are ignored or misunderstood at first, but gradually build respect and popularity over a period of time. This is true for Dr. Zhivago, Touch of Evil, Casablanca--and now The Chronicles of Riddick.
Critically lambasted and a box office disappointment when it opened, Riddick has attracted a whole new generation of moviegoers since its initial release. First-time viewers fondly remember the film, and are now bringing their children and introducing them to the experience.
“I’m taking my son to see it tomorrow,” said Sam Parks, a moviegoer in Vermont. “I want to show it to him and say Son, this is what your father did...what, thirteen days ago? Yeah, I think it opened about two weeks ago. Anyway, I think it’ll mean a lot to him, to know what I did back then.”
Parks adds, “I don’t just take my son to the movies. I also throw rocks at him and make him eat worms.”
Writer/Director David Twohy believes that the story’s universality is what brings people to the second-run movie houses and bargain matinees. “People really connect to the story of Riddick fighting the Undermongers, who are seeking the Necroverse.”
But isn’t Riddick actually fighting the Necromongers, who are seeking the Underverse?
“Oh right. Necromongers and Underverse. But really, I think that’s the beauty of my script. You can combine different word variations and it will still make sense. Basically, each audience member brings their own interpretation to the story, and that’s what art is, really.”
Twohy adds, “Our leading man, Vin Diesl, is absolutely essential to the success of the character of Riddick. He plays a hero who is defined by not being evil...that is, the hero is the antithesis of what’s bad and evil elsewhere in the story. And I think audiences connect with that.”
As is common with movie classics, interpreting the story becomes not simply a job for the common viewer, but also for trained academics. Dr. Carl Matthews, a noted film professor at Duke University, has written extensively on Riddick. He explains, ”Riddick operates within a post-Lacanian framework, in which the Necromongers search for the Mirror Image that has been sutured at the moment of their Primal Scene. It plays against binary oppositions to formulate a psychoanalytic matrix upon which the narrative structure resides.”
Matthews, who was having sex with a student at the time of making these comments, admitted he hadn’t seen the entire movie. “That’s just my impressions from the trailer, which I downloaded from Apple.com. But I’ll definitely see the movie before I present my Riddick paper at my conference next week.”
Tom Williams, CEO of Universal Studios, believes that the movie will continue to attract new fans. “I mean, Riddick will probably be heading to cable in about a week. But I think it can gain a whole new audience there. For example, let’s say some guy is flipping through the channels and heading for the porn networks. He might stumble across Riddick for a few seconds and say, ‘Hey, cool.’ And then he’ll keep looking for the porn. But in those few seconds we’ll have touched that person with our movie. And that’s all any of us want.”
Posted by Greg at 02:10 AM. Filed under:
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I’m sure TBS has already bought the rights and will show it before the kinder and gentler Sex and the City.
Anything with Vin Diesl is worth seeing. Anything. This is non-negotiable. He could read the ingredient list off the Cheerios box and I would be there. Particularly if he was standing in my kitchen wearing only a towel.
)
(Only Vin could get me to leave a comment....
So “Namaste” actually means “The Vin Diesl in me acknowledges the Vin Diesl in you,” I see.
you should write for the onion!
touching the guy who touches porn is almost as good as touching porn yourself. this is known as the transitive property of porn.
Now, this I find scary.
transative properties of porn?
I love it!
Before I saw Erica’s comment, I was going to say “Someone is *so* totally angling for Onion cred.”
And now we all know that Greg does yoga.
it always amazes me that the filmmakers making these bombs sit back at the end of a day and say “it is good. print it!”
how can they be so devoid of taste and objectivity?
Poor Dame Edna...er Judi Dench…
You should work for Variety!
Sadly, Greg, you are mistaken.
The Chronicles of Riddick is a great summer movie. Honestly. I’m actually contemplating seeing it again. Sure, Karl Urban sports the worst “space mullet” in the history of cinematic representation. Sure, Thandie Newton isn’t naked enough (actually, she isn’t naked at all, though she is wearing skin tight outfits, and I’ll take what I can get, at this juncture). Sure, Dame Judi Dench’s role was, literally, ephemeral. Sure, Vin Diesel seems to be turning into some sort of 21st Century Ah-nuld ("There’s only one speed: MINE--if you can’t keep up, don’t step up!").
But you know what? I had a blast. I laughed a lot. I liked that it was Conan and Dune and about a dozen or so other movies thrown into a blender and vomited out of a drunken co-ed. And I really really liked the “racing the 700 degree sunlight” thing. Really. “Give me all your water.” Man, the newlyweds and I had a ball. Well, okay, maybe not the wife so much.
But anyway: yeah, Greg, you’re wrong. Sorry. I knew it would happen someday, I just hate to be the one to tell you.
I hope you manage to pick up the pieces and move on.
James, you’re so far off on this I can’t even begin to argue with you. This movie gave me a crushing headache. And I’m someone who thought Pitch Black was one of the greatest B movies ever made.
admit it - you just got a kick out of typing “psychoanalytical matrix.” i mean, the phrase taken all together has got to be worth at least 35 scrabble points ...
Oh, Greg--let’s just agree to disagree, shall we?
At least we can come together on the idea that the whole Jeri Ryan debacle can, in fact, be a source of comedy, as you have so amply demonstrated. Oh, wait, that wasn’t you.
I get confused.
I’ve had issues with Vin Diesl for years, and no it’s NOT because his initials are VD.
I saw this documentary on two fledgling filmmakers struggling to complete their projects and make it to the Sundance Festival. One was an earnest, smart fellow who got funding for his project by writing multiple letters of soliciation to his grandma. The other was an arrogant, way-too-NYC bastard who just thought he was THE shit. Earnest Fellow turned out to be Darren Aranofsky and his grandma-funded project was “Pi”, a movie I f’in love. Arrogant Bastard was none other than VD, and I don’t remember what his project was but since he LOST I guess it’s good he turned to action movie roles instead of trying to direct. Besides, being an arrogant bastard actually works in that career path.
Ok, now I’m thinking about porn. I already knew that Riddick blew donkey dick.
Oh geez, now I’m thinking about donkey porn.
I haven’t seen the Riddick movie, but I have seen Riddick Bowe box, before he went to the slammer, that is, so I think I know something about the movie ... or maybe not. Is Vin Diesel like the next Steven Seagal? I mean, hey, look at the names ... they’re like kind of the same ... and well, ... I heard that Vin Diesel kicks some ass and Steven Seagal used to kick some ass.
Very insightful review, Greg. I’m glad someone had the courage to speak up. My brother is crazy for The Chronicles of Riddik and I can’t simply understand why. I was under the impression that he grew up to be a normal person. He’s even asking me to go with him and see it again…