Yet ANOTHER WWI movie in pre-production?

[Gregvan]

Hi All,

Peter Kilduff pointed out the following website:

http://www.upp.cz/new/showroom/movie...ckurl=&lang=en

If I'm understanding it correctly, it is apparently the website of a Czech special effects/CGI company called UPP. To their credit, they seem to have done work on the superb "Dark Blue World" among others. This link has a very few teaser screen shots from a proposed WWI aviation movie called "The American Knight" (awful title, IMHO). All I can learn is that it features RAF Sopwith Camels and (surprise ) Fokker Triplanes, and is about a WWI American fighter pilot. I think it's a long, long way from approval or production at this time. The producer/director is one Chris Roberts. From what I can find out, he is a computer game designer who is trying to move into movie production and direction. He directed a film called "Wing Commander" (starring Freddie Prinze Jr - pretty bad film, IIRC) in 1999, apparently based on his sci-fi game of the same title. The stuff I could find on the web says only that he formed 'Ascendant Pictures' in 2002 and 'is planning to diurect a WWI movie called "The American Knight".

Chris Roberts

Perhaps some of our Czech friends, or gaming experts, can tell us more (I don't know diddly about the computer gaming world) or correct me. As we all anticipate viewing "Flyboys" and wonder how "Der Rote Baron/The Red Baron" will turn out, I thought it was ironic that yet another '14-'18 aviation movie is being contemplated.

Greg

[karrart]

Originally Posted by Gregvan

I thought it was ironic that yet another '14-'18 aviation movie is being contemplated.

Greg

I've been contemplating a big WW I aviation movie since 1964. 'Course I was 12 at the time, and my life didn't lead me into the movie biz. BUT one odd thing I remember reading back in them there ancient '64/'65 days was a story in what was probably Air Progress about a big budget movie in preproduction about Gothas- and I'm still waiting for THAT!
Robert Karr
www.karrart.com

[Gregvan]

Hi Robert,

Yeah, we've ALL comtemplated and dreamed about big budget WWI av movies (lotta good it did). I'm still waiting for that film with Staffels of Albatrosse and Pfalz...

Anyway, I did some more googling in search of "The American Knight" and came up with:

http://www.variety.com/article/VR111...ryid=1238&cs=1

According to that, "The American Knight" is one of three movies 'nearing production' with Ascendant Pictures, and is about "An American pilot in a British air squadron who is torn between fighting for the good cause of the war and vying for the love of a French woman, the latter of which leads to an air combat confrontation with the Red Baron. Roberts, Duke Selley and Joshua Rubin scripted the project."

Wow, THAT sounds original!! Yet another movie with lots of red triplanes! And, of course, our hero fights the Red Baron not out of any military sense of duty or mission, but over the love of a French woman

If Roberts' gigantic dud movie "Wing Commander" is any indication, this one - if it comes to fruition - will make do entirely with gee-whiz CGI effects, and probably no real airplanes. I hope I'm wrong.

Greg

[FlyXwire]

Maybe we need a new term for this type of WWI movie phenomenon?

Hey, welcome to the "Aeroclone" forum guys.

[retread]

I've seen it all now. In Gregvan's original post click on his first link. Right below "The American Knight" there is a movie listed as "Death Watch", WW1 meets "Poltergeist". Man eating barbed wire turns a Tommy into Alpo in the video.

[OLAF]

Got timed out - I'll type faster this time, so forgive any typos.

Chris Roberts made another game called Wings of Glory, i think based on the same "wing commander" software. I can't recall it too well, but I remember that it was more of a game than a sim.

According to Wikipedia he's produced a few movies, so he should have the WW1 enthusiasm and the production experience.

I like the camels in those shots, and the text next to "crash" suggests that they are mapping their digital planes onto fottage taken of actual aircraft - an Idea I really like.

The big problem for all us WW1 buffs is that any picture has to cater to the average cinema-goer's knowledge of WW1 aviation, which seems to consist of "they wore long white scarfs" and "all germans were aristocrats flying triplanes".

The chances of there being a film production that simultaneously satisfies us and the "average" viewer. Here's hoping though.

[Blue Max]

Hurm.

Chris Roberts' original Wing Commander games were pretty darn close to brilliant. the fourth game of the series, the one that came closest to being an 'interactive movie', was excellent.

The Wing Commander film, however, stunk on toast.

I've been playing his Wings of Glory game, and the plot is nothing to crow about, being somewhat recycled from the Dawn Patrol film. I do not hold out much hope for this--he's a decent director, but he really needs someone else to write the plot.

[Major Larabee]

This film has been banded around for a couple of years now, i wouldnt hold your breath!!

I am anxious to see how they are going to treat the the story of the Lafayette Escadrille, especially the little known story Eugene Bullard the first Black Combat pilot and was recognized in France as a hero.