Doctor Strange works sort of like an adhesive clue to keep all the worlds of the MCU cohesively together. With Joss Whedon's Avengers (2012) movie, we got our first ever superhero team up, and historically a team up of an ensemble of heroes on the big screen. The movie introduced a world where Gods & Aliens exist, while answering the question we are not alone in the universe. Doctor Strange the Sorcerer Supreme deposits the notion of supernatural threats unknown to every day citizens. These mystic threats date back hundreds of years before a coven of witches predicted the coming of a Scarlet Witch, or Asgardian warriors like Thor seeking guidance on their missions as was the case in Thor Ragnorok; and in the midst of chaos magic, posed to open the multiverse landscape for more crossover and/or pollinations of characters into the MCU.
This movie acts as a ground zero, we get the origins of Doctor Stephen Strange, A Brilliant and revered surgeon, whose ego tragically derails his intended future and charts his life as the resident sorcerer supreme. Entrusted with the Eye of Agamotto a talisman that holds the infinity stone to control time. Strange will mentor and be advisor to the many heroes of Earth, as threats continue to unfold. Besides foreseeing the multiple outcomes to an endgame in which the heroes of Earth could win. Strange is Earth's best chances of survival on any scale. As Captain Marvel poses as the most powerful cosmic force, Hulk as its strongest, and Scarlett Witch as sane/insane creator with the secrets of the Darkhold at her possession, Doctor Strange is posed to be the common denominator between them all to bring balance to the force.
The film explores Stephen Strange's rise as successor to the Ancient one, the being who in one motion separated Bruce Banner from the Hulk within the astral plane. The film also gives rise and understanding to Strange's nemesis Karl Mordo played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, a kin brother in the pursuit of the mystics arts; who would become torn by the secrets and lies held back by their surrogate parent ' The Ancient One'. The parental unfolding is simply the misgivings of holding back truths; which services an expression "Do as I say, not as I do" that sets the brothers of magic on divided paths (Strange/Modor/Kaecilius). Benedict Cumberbatch plays the title role, and is often described as a Tony Stark knock off with similar facial hair and unchecked balance of ego. The succession of the ancient one not only drives home the theme of time, but provides a moral tale that demonstrates the selfless act of compassion and self sacrifice for something greater than oneself. (Spoiler) Strange's many deaths to imprison Dormammu and save the earth realm is a sign of things to come and signifies his importance in maintaining the existence of life within the MCU.
Before the existence of streaming or a 1000 channel universe, in North America there was only the big 3 networks ABC, CBS and NBC. It would be a number of years before FOX and specialty channels like MTV to make a significant mark in ratings or be established on the television landscape. CBS offered counter programming by being the network to air superhero genre content. On September 1978, CBS was airing the Amazing Spiderman, and the Incredible Hulk during their scheduled primetime slots. To offer counter programing ABC aired Wonder Woman, as ABC had rights to another DC property like the 60s Batman which aired weekday afternoons in syndication. The immediate survival of a show was more important back then that it is now with a show not having alternative opportunities to get picked up like Lucifer continuing 3 more seasons on Netflix after being cancelled on network television as an example.
A big budget television movie like Doctor Strange also served as a pilot for the network to have it share a primetime slot with the Amazing Spiderman and the Incredible Hulk. By today's standards the visual effects, and trippy astral plane imagery seem childish, but top special efx teams were trying to give authenticity to the project, and the director did go over in time and budget to ensure the best quality went into the production. With Stan Lee working with a producing credit and being on record of saying how happy he was with the completed film. The movie never got picked up as a series. As it failed well below expectations in ratings that week. It was Wednesday September 6, 1978. ABC strategically placed a re-run of its highest rated mini series of all time 'Roots' that entire week. Root's final episode to this day holds the third highest rating in television network history. Many fans who were around that time, did not even realize Doctor Strange had even aired at this time because of the popularity and impact Roots had made on network television. The fate of a show was decided by the ratings it drew that day.
Director Philip DeGuere Jr. who co-wrote and directed the film really believed the movie would be picked up as a series, as according to his close friend Paul Chihara. Chihara who composed the electronic musical score for the film would work with DeGuere Jr. again scoring his next television series Whiz kids, which lasted only one season, That show offered a hint of cutting edge technology with a wisp of a superhero genre. By introducing an artificial intelligent computer similar to that of the movie 'War Games', but having 'Goonies' like teenagers star around it.
Doctor Strange had carefully picked its cast with Arrested Development actress the Late Jessica Walter, as Morgan le Fay; and John Mills, Hayley Mills (parent trap) father, Playing the Sorcerer Supreme Thomas Lindmer. With the syllable inverted we had a story of Merlin and Morgan le Fay of Arthurian legend, providing the unspoken historical weight of the would be series. Morgan le Fay had one of two tasks, destroy the sorcerer supreme or turn his successor doctor Stephan Strange over to the dark side. Being a doctor in psychology and treating patients who suffer from varied forms of mental illnesses, Having Doctor Strange distinguishing between supernatural ailments and clinical diagnoses would have been one of the driving storylines for the season, with a different patient and case each episode. The pilot has university student Clea Lake temporarily possessed by the spirit of Morgan le Fay to kill Thomas Lindmer, but unknowingly develop a psychic link to Stephan Strange; haunted by visions of her actions and feeling she will die in her sleep by Morgan, Clea is treated by Stephen Strange at a psychiatric hospital where they first meet. The potential to mine a developing story was evident, but would never reached fruition.
Trivia note - The first time Strange enters his office he momentarily picks up an Incredible Hulk comic book from his bookshelf.
Known primarily as a film screenwriter, first time director Jonathan Hensleigh, takes the reigns to re-introduce the movie going audience to The Punisher. The success and the lessons learned is what has propelled Marvel and the people who work at Marvel to move forward with better a understanding after evaluating of how to improve the process.
When word got out that Marvel was interested in making a second attempt to the big screen, based on the popular Garth Ennis book series. Director Jonathan Hensleigh pitched his idea for Punisher, heavily influenced by Sergio Leone's Man with No Name trilogy and Charles Bronson's Death Wish series, Producers Avi Arad, Kevin Feige, and Gale Anne Hurd, liked Hensleigh's spin on the character. Mentioned on the director's commentary, the director went in asking for a modest projected budget of 64 Million for the film. He was given only 33 Million to shoot the movie; on a 62 - 65 day film schedule. Once you remove the actor's expected pay, approximately 15.9 million went into the actual production and post production of the film.
Success of the film was to have a clear vision and the communication of that vision; using a simple medium of storyboarding and holding weekly meetings with all the department heads including stunt coordinators in a board meeting setting throughout pre-production, Jonathan Hensleigh knew what would be required to ensure every minute of every scene had its mise en place from beginning to the end of each shoot day.
Whatever failures this movie encountered they were lessons learned from Kevin Feige to paved the way for making Marvel adapted movies a financial success. However, in 2003 and 2004 Producer Avi Arad and Marvel films' executive producers green lit both Ben Affleck's Daredevil and Elektra movies with the same restraint as Punisher 2004. A lower budget, that included a tighter production schedule to compete with a summer or spring tentpole action films.
To look at successful formulation we can look at a film like the original Deadpool which had 4 major set pieces re-visited over the guise of retelling a story through flashbacks and current events. With a more robust budget to allow for some creative chances. Another example of working with intended vision and formulating a working budget is Blumhouse productions. Who is notorious for controlled budgets, but they have the understanding of essential elements for staging, locations, and equipment to incorporated into a manageable way to not hinder the creative process of its director.
Welcome Back Frank the graphic novel in which the movie is based has a sardonic, black comedy narrative tone. Its was released in a post 9/11 era, well aware of people who fall in the collateral damage of violence, and respects that. The 2004 movie for tax purposes and ease of accessibility was shot in Tampa Florida and did not disguise that fact. Working in opposition of the character's origin of NYC and propping up the fictional underworld of Tampa's criminal organization. We watch the mob boss' wife give the order of extinguishing every generation of Frank Castle and his wife's families. A touch of over kill, but a subjective point. Frank believes in the law as he confronts the FBI Agent and the DA at the footsteps of a courthouse; that he waited 5 months and not a single arrest or action taken in response to his family's massacre. Castle did not secretly kill Mob Boss Howard Saint on the Thursday when Saint plays golf, but deliberately waited to scope out his target and charge a form of suitable punishment.
With the inclusion of Jonathan's Hensleigh's neighbor Roy Scheider making a surprising cameo appearance, The film underwhelmed at the box office, opening in the expected second spot under Kill Bill vol. 2 which released the same day, the film got lost in the herd as it was released 2 weeks after Guillermo Del Toro's original Hellboy movie. Punisher made its money back in its DVD sales, but it did not however garner an audience over time, and also in retrospect did not hold up contemporarily. Its a fun piece of movie going nostalgia; light on violence, with only one blatant nude scene, and two f-bombs spoken to give it a R-rating, the movie itself is very tame by today's standards especially when compared side by side to the Netflix streaming version of The Punisher.
Arguably one of the best fully fleshed dimensional portrayals from Marvel's legendary roaster of Anti-heroes. The running theme is he's brooding and drenched in melancholy; he is the marvel equivalent of Batman, who shares a despairing focal point that became the catalyst of his whole journey.
Spring boarding off the events of season two of Marvel's Netflix's Daredevil, the world believes Frank Castle is dead, he has stayed off the grid for over a year, until a former NSA employee who believed to be a dead and a traitor to is country brings Frank out of the shadows to clear his own name and solve the mystery of Frank's family's demise. Frank Castle the punisher is synonymous with violence and guns, the series takes the approach of trauma caused by violence and the impact it has on many people, including war veterans, families, and the people who struggle to prevent and protect. This comes at a time when the previous administration had issues of real transparency.
Edward Snowden, and big brother or the government does not have the people's best interest in mind. The series skirts around the theme of a clandestine sec of government beyond reproach. If you are looking for the Punisher to shoot a bunch of bad guys each episode in homicidal rage, this series is not that. Its a discussion of cause and effect, trauma, gun violence, and the people it adversely affects.
In Marvel, heroes distance themselves or disagree with the methods of the Punisher as it works contrary to their own ideology. The one character who shares the common denominator would be DC's Batman, a brooding hero driven on a fool's errand to eradicate and stop all crime. The clear difference is that of Batman does not kill. This series has no opposing character to challenge the moral efficacy of one Frank Castle. In fact, Frank is allowed to be Frank and chooses who to right the wrongs he deems necessary. This series is the journey of what put Frank on his path, and self examines; should you get all the answers, should you right all the wrongs, at the end of the journey will you find self resolution.
Loss of Family is what creates the Punisher, an intangible loss or separation from family drives the character Micro, the loss of her bureau partner in a horrific torturous act drives Agent Madoni, The answer all three seek are bundled under the same organization and Frank is the key to getting the answers and resolve what they all desperately need. Is Frank to blame for some of the fall out, or did he cause the course of events indirectly by his own actions, or is it the greed of men, and the mysterious agent Orange, will agent Orange be a focal point to find the answers they all need.
The show is 13 episodes and heavy on dialogue and topical discussion, the discussions vary, and the use of flashbacks are-a-plenty, they all impede the flow and urgency and becomes daunting for the audience. The show would serve better as 10 episodes and cutting out unnecessary banter or details that frivolously gets explored. The character of Lewis provides the other side of the coin to Frank. A war veteran suffering PTSD, and from his feelings of betrayal from the country, he becomes a domestic terrorist. The show provides counseling, open discussions, family members trying to cope or not understanding, in interesting ways for Lewis. The journey of Frank and Lewis are completely separate and do eventually collide, I wonder could Lewis' storyline be completely removed to give more focus on Frank's journey, and would it serve us the audience better.
I believe it would, but I also understand it denies us counter arguments, and depicts the shades of grey when opposing a character like the punisher in a world of violence in the real world, like in high schools, or with gangs. The end cannot justify the means, but understanding, prevention, finding out the root cause, and holding discussions and most importantly learning is the message behind the conclusion of this 13 episode drama.
As a source material the character was created by Gerry Conway, and drawn by John Romita Sr., It was inspired by an earlier paperback pulp series, that Conway read in his youth called The Executioner , by author Don Pendleton. Punisher became a man obsessed with his one man war against the mafia. The film took that concept and adopted what they felt was a more suitable story for a contemporary audience; and delivered it! on it's very modest budget.
Conway who at sixteen years of age was a fan of the Marvel publishing company and the comic book industry in general, with its stable of characters and storylines. As it is by law, publishers had to have their head office address printed in their issues; Seizing the opportunity a naïve and enthusiastic teenage Conaway, visited the publishing company and took on their daily tours, and would repeatedly visit weekly to the point he made friends with the writers, and artists. When Stan Lee became publisher of Marvel comics he stopped writing all comics he was famed for penning like the Fantastic Four and the Amazing Spiderman. It was during his transition as publisher, when Stan Lee gave the unknown Gerry Conaway who was 18 yrs old at the time carte blanche to write the Amazing Spiderman. Gerry had started writing a few short stories and was given the reigns to headline the company's franchise character. The gamble was more methodical than some would like, the writers from the 40's and 50's were now reaching retirement and felt they deserve benefits, To save costs
Marvel ushered in all new staff and writers to offset the costs to a senior team, The younger staff was more eager and ambitious to prove themselves with taking these beloved characters to new heights of the Silver era. In his time as writer Gerry wrote the death of Gwen Stacey storyline, in that arc, the main Spiderman villain Green Goblin had also concluded. Gerry had to come up with another major antagonist, and eight issues later we the readers were introduced to the Jackal. The Jackal had an enforcer, who was nameless at the time, but would be the Punisher, The Jackal as you might of guess was a green masked villain, sharing great similarities to the Green Goblin in appearance. Learning the Jackal misrepresented himself and skewed the truth, The punisher revealed he had a moral code and turned on the jackal, though the punisher's first appearance in Amazing Spiderman #129 sits with its current value between $2000 to $13,000;
It's first ever print was auctioned off at $2 Million dollars. Ironically the issue when it was released on news-stands at the time did not sell very well, or gain an audience. The character would be revisited many years later by the next writer Frank Millar who fleshed out his backstory during the Marvel Knights period with Joe Quesada as head publisher, this iteration of the character impacted the consciousness of the readers and help rejuvenate Marvel from the heels of near bankruptcy in the late 1990s.
The trademark skull and the one man war on crime was based on Don Pendleton series that featured a character Mack Bolan, in a total of 37 novels under the heading 'Mafia Wars', the Bolan character had taken his fight on terrorism all over the world by the end of its run. Conaway who has said on record to have read the novels, did not say he was inspired by Pendleton's work, but it's obvious there was on an unconscious level of influence.
The skull appearance was from the pages of Pendleton's books, but was modified and became a chest insignia to the Marvel property's main character. Which brings us to the movie. Marvel did not have creative control on this film, they had licensing rights and had staff available for consultation like Conaway or the co-creator Ross Andru, But the producers of New line Australia and the film's creative team felt a skull on the chest would not be believable on a film medium. So the decision to have skulls at the base of every knife that the punisher threw would be his signature calling card.
Shot in Australia, new line cinema gave a modest budget of $9 Million dollars, its star Dolph Lundgren who was at the top of his notoriety with Rocky IV and Masters of the Universe already released in theatres a few years prior. Was an actor still learning English and as such the character was written with only a handful of dialogue throughout the course of the movie. Co-Star Lou Gossett Jr. who had limited screen time with his leading co-star, was an Oscar award winning actor with his role in 'An Officer & an Gentleman'. Gossett Jr. masterfully anchored the emotional and dramatic beats of the film remarkably well, giving the right amount of pathos and emphasis on story plot when needed. The movie's Director Mark Goldblatt has only directed 3 films to date, Punisher was his second feature film, a zombie comedy which got a wide theatrical release a year prior Dead Heat, under performed at the box office, but caught the attention of the studio heads. Goldblatt is a visionary, he is better known in the industry for being a editor, working on some of the biggest films of the 1990's from James Cameron's Terminator 2 to Michael Bay's 2001 Pearl Harbor.
The writer of Punisher 1989 is also a heavy weight in Hollywood circles, Boaz Yakin who cut his teeth writing the screenplay for Punisher 1989, According to Imdb, Punisher was his first adapted screenplay to reach the movie theatre audience. Yakin has penned the Denzel Washington movie Remember the Titans and both 'Now you See Me' films. Surprisingly in reality Punisher 1989 did get a theatrical release overseas, but was eventually released on VHS in 1991 in North America, New Line Australia had changed hands and the film was in limbo for distribution during that period. After reviewing the film it can be perceived that executives lacked confidence on it success in theatres.
If you were to say the hero was a vigilante who worked in the shadows, who meditated without wearing clothing in sewers and fought ninjas throughout the movie. The first impression would be ninja turtles, There is a 10 minute reel on YouTube highlighting all the Punisher fight and action sequences in the movie. So the take away is about seventy minutes with no action; as misleading as that may sound, the film has an entertaining supporting cast, which for its time was very progressive in thinking.
The villains are two women, the lead detective is an African American male, with a female partner who is more than competent at her job. The stereotype of Italian mafia, and Japanese Yakuza is a veiled plot device, but that serves a motivation for the anti-hero. The film is poorly constructed visually when capturing fight chorography, the budget or lack of budget for set design for the final fight scene is obvious, but Norma Moriceau who just like the writer and director is more known for something else, as a costume designer; working on the costumes of the Mad Max Franchise, and Crocodile Dundee films. The Art Director Peta Lawson; another Australian native, who established herself in her early years as an art director and production designer on either film or television. made the same studio space seem like 5 different scenes. So from the perspective of the Director Mark Boblatt, your heads of each department are relatively new and not seasoned professionals. And working to get the best out of your actors, who your main star cannot act; and capturing stunt and fight choreography with long static shots was not sensible of an editor turned director. On first glance the film's pacing is off, Lundgren screen time and lack of character presence is sorely noticed, the film gets by on its earnestness and the commitment of its actors who deliver decent performances. There is enough movie parts to keep your interests, but the quality of the movie leaves you wanting, watching in either the eyes of viewer from the 1990s or re-watching in the year 2021 the film is very much a forgettable movie
