Yes, Fran Rubel Kazui did recognize that the then-unknown Joss Whedon's spec script about a teenaged cheerleader who learns it's her destiny to protect the world from evil had a unique voice and outlook. Yes, her husband and partner, Kaz Kazui, did assemble the financing that got the 1992 movie, which starred Kristy Swanson as Buffy Summers, made.But Rubel Kazui, who oversaw the script's development and directed the film, then bled every bit of life and originality out of it, turning Buffy into a not very funny comedy about Valley Girls (remember Valley Girls?) and vampires.
I vividly remember the TVGuide.com editorial meeting the day we got word that the still-unknown Whedon had gotten the go-ahead to develop Buffy as a series. The gist of it was, "Jesus, what an awful idea," which given that all we had to go on was the movie was a pretty reasonable response.
So the thought of the Kazuis (in association with Vertigo Entertainment) relaunching the Buffy franchise (read The Hollywood Reporter's article here) with a new film and without any Whedon participation whatsoever (not to mention no Angel, Willow, Xander or Spike) strikes me as an absolute nightmare. Clueless, too, if one is to believe reports that Rubel Kazui wants to make a "darker, event-sized" movie. Darker than what? Did she ever watch the series on which the Kazuis both received executive producer credits by virtue of the fact that their company retained rights to the original screenplay?
Oh well.... at least it can only be bad for 90 minutes.
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2 comments:
OK I am one of the few who enjoyed the original movie. And even I think this is an awful idea.
You are indeed one of the few... about the only positive thing I recall is that Paul Reubens was pretty good.
But as you say, heading back down that road is a dreadful idea no matter what.
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