The Adventures of Robin Hood

This past Month of May marked an anniversary of milestone movie.   The Adventures of Robin Hood celebrated it's 80th Anniversary

 Showcasing its then rising stars Olivia DeHavilland and Errol Flynn. The duo would go on and star in eight films together, Robin Hood was already the third time the pair had worked together on screen.  Placing them up with notable Hollywood on screen couples, like Spencer & Hepburn, Bogart & Bacall, Hanks & Ryan, and Sandler & Barrymore.

On the week of the film’s Anniversary, Lionsgate and Summit Entertainment released the trailer of the next generation of Robin Hood to hit the big screen. Starring Taron Egerton and Jamie Foxx, Robin Hood is set to hit theatres on November 21, 2018;  The Adventures of Robin Hood was not the first theatrical released film, there was a movie starring Douglas Fairbanks Sr. that was released in 1922.  His son, Douglas  Fairbanks Jr.  was offered the title role on this version, but turned it down specifically because of his close relation with his father and to avoid drawing comparisons , So he opted out of the movie  when the role was offered, which eventually ended up for a young Errol Flynn.

The film is a milestone for a few reasons, at the time. It was the most expensive movie ever made, with a budget reaching 2 million dollars, there were only eleven Technicolor cameras in existence, and the film used all eleven during its filming schedule. By year end The Adventures of Robin Hood  was the biggest box office draw for 1938. Making back more the double its projected budget in a time when the united states was still in an economic downturn with unemployment reaching 19%, which was 5 percent increase from the previous year,  The movie went on to win 3 Oscars, for best Art Direction, Editing, and most importantly original Score.  Erich Wolfgang Korngold was the composer; its significant because prior to the 1939 academy awards the only recipient of best original score was the head of the music department from a big Hollywood studios. Korngold was a composer, born in Hungary; he was a child protégé, composing music for operas.  The irony was Korngold got cold feet and desperately wanted to back out of making the music of the movie when he realized the scope and the using a full orchestra to compose the musical score.  The producers held him to his contract and he became the first composer to ever win.  Opening the door for future composers such as Hans Zimmer, James Horner and up and comer Tyler Bates. Talented individuals to steer and over see the musical development of a movie to help tell its story.   

It is also the movie that created the character of Maid Marian to be the love interest for Robin, in earlier incarnation and story adaptations Marian was not featured before this movie and now has become a staple character of Robin of Locksley and his story. Since its release 80 years ago, there has been over 100 interpretive retelling of this story in film, television, and animation.

Peter Rabitt

To put into a placement context, Stars Wars the Last Jedi crossed over into 2018 as the number one Movie at the box office.  Jumanji:  Welcome to the Jungle, slowly crept in and took over the number one spot for 3 weeks until February 9^th.  Which was when Peter Rabbit Debuted, for that weekend at number 2# and held that spot for three weeks on the global market after bowing out of theatres after a 13 week run.  What is remarkable is it’s a movie that went under the radar, and besides its small commercial spots it had a rather small media buzz surrounding it. Now with Avengers Infinity War, just released Peter Rabbit is ranked the 9^th highest grossing film of 2018 thus far.

The original book was published over a hundred years ago by author Beatrix Potter in 1902, five more books /stories were released between 1904  to 1912, and it grew and continues grow and become a timeless bestselling children’s book.  Growing up myself, I remember being exposed to the water painted imagery of the stories and of Potter’s characters. So when watching the movie in theatre it was no surprise to witness a cross-section of ages attending the movie, representing all generations, grandparents, children, adults both young and old. 

The Peter Rabbit movie represents a star powered Cast of 2017. Voiced by late show host James Corden, who at the time of this films’ release was saturating the market with his presence. He has done voice work for the movie Trolls and most recently playing Hi-5 the central sidekick in The Emoji-movie; he  ran his Car-Pool Karaoke specials on the CBS network and hosted specials like the Tony Awards and the 2018 Grammys.  His movie Co-stars where two of the most sought after women in Hollywood during 2017 – Daisy Ridley (Star Wars) and Margot Robbie (Suicide Squad), Peter Rabbit’s live Co-stars Rose Bryne (X-Men First Class) and Domhnall Gleason (General Hux of Star Wars), pulled off a remarkable on screen  performance and are respected and versatile talents in their own right.   

That all aside this movie, screenplay adaptation is modernized but kept somewhat out of time, it takes place in rural England. And stays truthful to the original source material; scenes from movie are framed that it takes its imagery directly from the art panels of children’s book.  There is also water painted animations peppered into this film to bring some nostalgia and added layering to the story’s developing plot. And we revisit key central characters like Old man McGregor played by seasoned actor Sam Neil.  You don’t see cell phones or overtly modernized technologies, yet modern era trains and buses, and Harrods famous department store are showcased.

Peter Rabbit and Domhnall Gleason’s Character Jeremy Fisher can be both viewed as villainous unrepentant, self-serving characters of the story; or protagonists who eventually find a point in which they need to change for the better. Peter is child-like unaware of his consequences, but like a child feels entitlement and as such displays possessiveness.  Fisher is a perfectionist, who seeks only reward for his merits of his vane lifestyle choices. The movie works not to offend but strike familiar chords to young and old, music is very contemporary and lyrics have been modified, the sight gags are physical comedy and are  on par with the three stooges, but pushes the boundaries to engage those with short attention spans.

Is it any good?, the vicious comedy,  and the music  are solid reasons to sit back and take in this spectacle, Corden gives Peter Rabbit Charisma and such a cool confidence that viewers are constantly engaged by the direction of this character.  The movie tries to top itself and offer a new level of zany  on almost each hop forward.  Its no surprise to hear that Sony Pictures  announced  Peter Rabbit 2 for February 7^th, 2020 release, with Will Gluck the original film’s director and co-screenwriter , to return and create this largely anticipated sequel